The first thing I really learned (and on my own) was that most issues in a 3rd-grade room are preventable. Students who know what is expected and what the consequences are for good or bad choices feel they are being treated fairly. That is exactly why for the first 2-3 weeks...we really are not involved in a great deal of "academic" curriculum. We are doing a lot of practice to learn what I expect and when. We are doing a great deal of large group work with me and the students reminding each other what we have discussed in our procedure meetings. We talk about the difference between "fair" and "equal". They know that while I will treat everyone fairly; it may not appear to be "equal". This "wasted" time in the first 2 weeks really saves a great deal more time later in the year.
The second thing is that "Idle hands are the devil's playthings." Students need to be kept busy in quality, productive practice/work. If you have plenty to do...you don't have time to cause problems!
One thing that I think is really important from this article is controlling your emotions. This year I have a few students who at times are trying to push my buttons just to get me upset. It may have taken me a couple of times, but I've learned that no matter how upset they make me I can't show them that they've upset me.
One particular student likes to make comments such as, "Mrs. Decker your class is so boring." I've started responding to him with a big smile on my face and by saying thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoy my class. He doesn't get the reaction he wants out of me and now he's making comments like these much less often.
The behavior expectations in middle school were presented and explained on the first day of school. Students are held accountable for their actions and know exactly what the consequences are if they fail to meet them. I have been very impressed with the system and the positive impact it has on the actions and attitudes of the students.
The author presents the popular message that students need to know that they are respected and cared for. Even though this is the second year in a row I have had some of these students, there are still things I don't know about them and how their lives outside of school impact their actions and motivations in the classroom.
I consider myself very even-tempered so I don't feel I have an issue with yelling at students or letting my emotions get out of control. A student mentioned once that the only way to tell that I was mad was if I became quiet. I know that I still need to discipline in a positive manner and strive to never make a student feel that I don't care or respect them.
The thing that struck me most was when he said you need to admit when you are wrong as well. I just heard this at a coaching clinic I went to this past weekend and it is something that really resonated with me. As a young coach/teacher that is the hardest thing to do. We always look at ourselves as having to be perfect but we make mistakes too. Showing kids that you make mistakes and admit those mistakes goes a long way to developing relationships with them.
I believe setting the expectations and being fair /consistent is very important. Building a relationship with each student is also vital to winning the students over and letting them know that you care about them. One thing that I'm working on is staying positive in the classroom. This helps the students feel safe and more willing to take risks. The comment in the article that made me think was "Kids may not always remember what you taught them, but they'll always remember how you made them feel." I have one family in particular that always expresses their gratitude to me when I see them, even if their son is now married and building his career. I always brush off the compliment, but the more my own two girls go through school and have relationships with their teachers, I'm starting to understand it better.
One student came to mind as I read this article. I believe I need to get to know her better and see what " emotional baggage" she's coming to school with. Building empathy with her, may help her know that I care and want what's best for her.
I really like this quote from the article that states, "I will make some mistakes, but I'll take full responsibility for them. I would never ask you to do anything that I wouldn't do myself." I always strive to remember during all days of teaching, during all the hours of the day, during each minute that passes, that students deserve my respect. They all come from different places and need to know that we are there for them each and every day. It is nice to have conversations with other teachers (including my own daughter) to share and learn ways to develop the relationships needed day to day in the classroom.
This article reminded me of a lot of the things we learned from reading Love and Logic and from Paul Gasser. One of the things I have worked hard on is the beginning of the year routine; setting the routine, rules and consequences. Spending many days on this at the beginning of the year pays off as the year goes on. I strive to be consistent and not let the students know when I am getting frustrated. I have a student this year that tends to like to push buttons. I am trying to figure out why this is happening, since he can be very good. I am working to see what I can do to help him. I do spend time each morning visiting with the students as they come in. They let me know how they are feeling and we chat a bit about their feeling before they start their day. I do care about them and I think this helps them to know that.
The article had great advice for new and seasoned teachers. I agree with all of his ideas. We start the school year in my classroom by spending the first week, and reviewing frequently the following week(and when needed) the expectations for the classroom and throughout the school. This definitely sets the tone for the year and helps the rest of the year to go more smoothly. I try to be respectful to my students and in turn expect respect from them. I try to make my classroom a place where they feel comfortable and want to try to do their best. I think it’s important to recognize kids who have anxiety, attention issues, home life problems and take those things into account when talking to them and in everyday encounters. I try to use empathy and compassion but also teach them to be responsible. I also feel that it is very important to show the kids you care about them and spend time talking to them about their lives. All of these things help make for a successful school year.
I believe that setting clear expectations at the beginning of the year and following through on practicing them everyday lays the groundwork for a smooth year. I also believe that students will mirror and reflect the respect that I give them. They are really in tune to how authentic and consistent I am in how I treat them, as well as how I treat the other adults they see me interact with throughout the day. One of the things that the author brings up (and Paul Gasser, too) was how the negative behavior some of our students have is always a reflection of a need that they have. The Keystone Conference this past summer also spoke to the number of students that we have coming into our classrooms every morning that are dealing with various levels of trauma. I have to remind myself many times to consider what is really going on inside this student to make them act this way. If anything, it makes me not jump to conclusions, strive to have more conversations with them, and really listen to what they tell me.
The author mentioned setting clear expectations and reviewing those often. I think that is extremely important. Students need to know what we expect and what we want to have for our routine. Reviewing Aquin CARES expectations every year at the beginning of the year can help set a positive tone. I also liked how he talked about keeping our tone calm even when a student is very upset. I have been working on that the last couple of years because it is definitely what can help deescalate a student. It is not easy and takes a lot of control to accomplish but I can tell that when I stay calm it does help the student come back to a level where we can rationally discuss the problem.
I really enjoyed reading this article. It made me think about how my teaching has changed since I first starting teaching. I always have set high expectations at the beginning of the year and stuck to them. I do believe students want rules and makes life a lot easier for everyone. One thing I definitely have gotten better at is making connections. When I first started teaching I didn't really share much about myself and didn't know much about my students. I feel now it is necessary to understand your students and what they are dealing with. I also have gotten better at staying positive and controlling my emotions. Two years ago I was definitely challenged by a student and I had to come every day with a positive attitude. It was my hardest year of teaching but I learned the most about myself and my teaching.
I really enjoyed reading this article. One theme I felt was embedded throughout the article is that it's OK if we don't know all the answers. Whether we are first year teachers or seasoned teachers, the new class of students dictates what we need to know as teachers and it's not the same every year.
Understanding what "baggage" our students bring to school is so important. It really changes how our students react to everything they encounter in their lives.
There is a lot of empathy and understanding by the staff at Aquin and that is such a wonderful thing to see as an administrator. I know that when we truly know what our students need, you are willing to meet those needs.
I think our 10 second checklist has really made an impact at Aquin. Those relationships are important every second of the day.
I wish I would have read this article and took notes before my first year of teaching at an inner city school in Maryland. I think because I was so naive at the time it actually helped me because I didn't have any prior "management" strategies to turn to. It was a struggle though when I didn't know what to do when behaviors acted up or fighting started in my classroom. College only taught me how to write lesson plans and teach those lessons, not what to do when you CAN'T teach those lessons. I definitely reacted instead of being proactive. (I also only had about 5 days to prep for the school year). Anyway, since then I have learned a lot. Having simple classroom rules works well for my class environment. I can't necessarily let them come up with the rules or I would have 18 different rule posters posted. However, I do talk to the kids about what are some expectations we should have for ourselves, the teacher and the computers. I have also learned that controlling your emotions is huge! I am honest with them and will tell them relevant stories as well so they can relate to the material in the real world.
This was a good article and tied in exactly with the theme from Paul Gasser. I do think it's important to have strong connections with the students. When they know that you care about them and respect them, they are so much more willing to reciprocate. I'm not embarrassed to act silly or ridiculous in front of them, do TikToks with them, or be in their Snapchat streaks LOL. And I do tend to share stories about myself, both good things I've done as well as dumb mistakes I've made or difficulties I've gone through. It definitely helps build connections between my students and me.
I have also learned more and more that sometimes our students are dealing with more at home than we realize. Sometimes it is neglectful parenting, or parents putting too much pressure to do well on their kids, or parents making excuses for their kids...all of it contributes to their demeanor and responses during the day. I'm getting better at keeping this in mind while dealing with issues. I try to remember that each one of them is someone's child, the whole world to those parents, and each one of them deserves the same love and respect that I want for my own children.
Ok, this is my second time posting. I am not sure where my first post went or even what I said it that post.
I agree with what many of you said in regards to respect, expectations, and so much we don't know about what our students are dealing with outside the walls of the school or even sometimes within the building. I also think it is important that students know we will give them the same respect we are asking them to give us. Having clear expectations and abiding by those helps foster that respect. I think it is also important to let students know that no one is perfect. We don't expect them to get it right each and every time, and in turn, we as teachers aren't perfect either. We will make mistakes, but the goal is for everyone to own up to those mistakes, try to be improve, and avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly.
I believe respect is the most important thing that we can give. If we offer and show respect to our students, as well as other colleagues and people we work with, the students will reciprocate it. The students can read our emotions and body language better than we may think, and know how we are feeling and what they can and can't get away with. If there are clear expectations, on both sides, the students will learn to understand how we treat one another. I always set clear expectations from the beginning as it is only harder when you have to create them after the fact. Deep down, students want the expectations and rules so they can be successful, even if they do push and see what they can get away with. It usually only takes a few times before they figure out what they are expected to do.
As a first year teacher, I am learning new things everyday. I learn from my students, myself, and other teachers or staff in the building. Everything I teach or situation I encounter, I can learn something from. Sometimes I learn that what I had planned didn't go the way I expected. Sometimes I learn that I did something right that worked for the students. When I make mistakes, I take responsibility for them. Everyday I learn something new, especially from my students.
For only teaching about a month and half, I can already tell that respect and communication are important within the classroom. Every assignment or lesson I give, I always tell my students that they can do it. I try to spend time one-on-one with the students so I can build a better relationship with them. One of the biggest thing our professors stressed in each class was to build a relationship with your students. If they don't trust us, they won't want to be in class or put in their best effort.
I have always felt that understanding your students and creating a relationship with them is a very important part of the job. We don't know what kids are going through and in order for them to trust us, we need to show them we are there for them and we care about them and it matters to us whether or not they are successful in our class.
Some days I find discipline to be hard. I know that we have to be consistent and follow through, but I feel like I need to give them a break as well - no one wants to be "nagged" at all the time. I have found the PBIS/Aquin Cares makes it easier to stay consistent and follow through. One thing I am trying really hard to do this year is to change everything negative children tell me into a positive. For example: Student - "Timmy won't stop following me" Me "Wow!! You are so lucky to have such a great friend that wants to be with you!"
As a second year teacher, I remember thinking about making a first impression on the students. I did not want to be the mean teacher that no one respected, but I did not want to be the fun teacher that no one respected either. There is a fine line in both of these situations. I find that I am much better at connecting with students through one on one conversations. I have been working harder to leave an opportunity for these connections when I plan classes. The style of a music classroom and make it difficult for individual interaction. I have been diligent of greeting students as they enter the room and doing my best to walk around the classroom.
Respect is such a big deal to me. I am trying to teach students how to be respectful to one another and to the classroom items. I do not want to "talk at" them all the time sometimes I will ask if the choice was the best they could have made and how they can make a better choice in the future. Students are capable of solving problems if we give them a chance to solve the problem.
I enjoyed reading this article. Everyday when I am talking to my students I get to know them better and better. When they come into the classroom I can usually tell how their morning went. I have a student who will come in with a frown and I will make a comment about I am so happy that they are here at school and frown is gone. Then I will ask about how their morning is going. I never expect a student to give me a hug or a fist pump unless they want to. A simple hello or goodbye is just enough for me. My students know that I respect them and that I will also ask for their respect. Respect is such a big thing in my room. Kindergarten students are afaid of making mistakes. Every time that I make one I let them know. We all make mistakes- it is ok to make mistakes, but we need to say that we made a mistake. Having my emotions under controll is not always easy in my room, but I do have controll over the tone of my voice. I have a student who pushes me to my limit, but I can't let the other students see that.
This was a very enjoyable article. I agree with the author that clear expectations help students to understand how to be successful in your classroom. Having clearly defined school wide expectations seems to make this fairly easy. I have always been big on respecting my students. I like to have fun with them, but I always try to model the respect that I would like to be shown. This article was a nice reminder that we all make mistakes. I make A LOT of them and I've found that when I own my mistakes it shows my students that it's okay to make mistakes too. After all, that is how we learn. Finally, keeping my emotions under control can be challenging. Occasionally, a challenging student will ruffle my feathers and I try to pause, before reacting in frustration or anger. I find this works when dealing with students and parents.
This article had a lot of great points. When students see you being respectful to them, they will be more likely to be respectful back. My first thoughs as I was reading this was Love and Logic and all the ways to incorporate that in the classroom. It helped me to realize how important keeping calm can be, even during a stressful situation. Students do not want to be talked down to by anyone, so it is important for me to remember to get down to student's eye level when I am talking to them. Finally, I am usually able to have my emotions under control but I need to remember to keep my energy level up because that is the positive that early childhood students are looking for. They are watching my emotions and facial expressions all the time so I need to remember to talk out loud about those things such as if I make a mistake, I need to tell them I made a mistake but also let them see that it is ok and we are able to move on from it and fix our mistakes. Seeing how to fix a problem with out letting our emotions out of control is a major part of our day so it is important for me to always talk about them in a positve way.
This article has so many important ideas. Recently I was able to attend a training on Peer Mediated learning. This idea focus on relationship building with in the classroom and how important it is to build a positive relationship with each and everyone of the students as well as assisting the children in building relationships with each other in a positive way. Both the article and my training wound have been so helpful earlier in my career. I have alway Invested in each of my students and strived to build a positive relationship, but the article reminds me to change my reactions into more positive out comes.
I always tell my students to live by "The Golden Rule". The respect in schools and society is so important. I grew up living with my grandfather who was the sheriff in Jones County we actually lived in the court house from age 2 - 15. The jail was right down the hall way and I so many things as a kid with the law officers and the prisoners. This was the 1960's which was a mean decade with Vietnam, JFK & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My grandmother 30 years earlier was a country school teacher with grades K - 12 in one small country school. When I read these kind of articles I think of personal stories like I lived with my grandparents and stories they told me while I was growing up. The respect that I have for the law and teachers is at the highest level. I sometimes tell stories to my students about what I experienced growing up. I can remember one time about 15 years ago my students were a little too ambitious so I told them to sit down on the ground outside. I believe they were Kindergarten or 1st graders. I saw the moon up in the sky, I told them when I was your age there was a saying it was "that's as crazy as a man on the moon". But on July 20, 1969 when we landed on the moon I haven't heard that saying since then. A young student said "we have landed on the moon". I said "yes, there is a book in our library about Neil Armstrong taking the first step on the moon. That moment I had 100% of all my students attention. I was more concerned with getting their attention and respect then the activity I was doing. After that the students got focused and we continued. I believe teaching life lessons is just as important as teaching our "own lessons".
The first thing I really learned (and on my own) was that most issues in a 3rd-grade room are preventable. Students who know what is expected and what the consequences are for good or bad choices feel they are being treated fairly. That is exactly why for the first 2-3 weeks...we really are not involved in a great deal of "academic" curriculum. We are doing a lot of practice to learn what I expect and when. We are doing a great deal of large group work with me and the students reminding each other what we have discussed in our procedure meetings. We talk about the difference between "fair" and "equal". They know that while I will treat everyone fairly; it may not appear to be "equal". This "wasted" time in the first 2 weeks really saves a great deal more time later in the year.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing is that "Idle hands are the devil's playthings." Students need to be kept busy in quality, productive practice/work. If you have plenty to do...you don't have time to cause problems!
One thing that I think is really important from this article is controlling your emotions. This year I have a few students who at times are trying to push my buttons just to get me upset. It may have taken me a couple of times, but I've learned that no matter how upset they make me I can't show them that they've upset me.
ReplyDeleteOne particular student likes to make comments such as, "Mrs. Decker your class is so boring." I've started responding to him with a big smile on my face and by saying thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoy my class. He doesn't get the reaction he wants out of me and now he's making comments like these much less often.
The behavior expectations in middle school were presented and explained on the first day of school. Students are held accountable for their actions and know exactly what the consequences are if they fail to meet them. I have been very impressed with the system and the positive impact it has on the actions and attitudes of the students.
ReplyDeleteThe author presents the popular message that students need to know that they are respected and cared for. Even though this is the second year in a row I have had some of these students, there are still things I don't know about them and how their lives outside of school impact their actions and motivations in the classroom.
I consider myself very even-tempered so I don't feel I have an issue with yelling at students or letting my emotions get out of control. A student mentioned once that the only way to tell that I was mad was if I became quiet. I know that I still need to discipline in a positive manner and strive to never make a student feel that I don't care or respect them.
The thing that struck me most was when he said you need to admit when you are wrong as well. I just heard this at a coaching clinic I went to this past weekend and it is something that really resonated with me. As a young coach/teacher that is the hardest thing to do. We always look at ourselves as having to be perfect but we make mistakes too. Showing kids that you make mistakes and admit those mistakes goes a long way to developing relationships with them.
ReplyDeleteI believe setting the expectations and being fair /consistent is very important. Building a relationship with each student is also vital to winning the students over and letting them know that you care about them. One thing that I'm working on is staying positive in the classroom. This helps the students feel safe and more willing to take risks. The comment in the article that made me think was "Kids may not always remember what you taught them, but they'll always remember how you made them feel." I have one family in particular that always expresses their gratitude to me when I see them, even if their son is now married and building his career. I always brush off the compliment, but the more my own two girls go through school and have relationships with their teachers, I'm starting to understand it better.
ReplyDeleteOne student came to mind as I read this article. I believe I need to get to know her better and see what " emotional baggage" she's coming to school with. Building empathy with her, may help her know that I care and want what's best for her.
DeleteI really like this quote from the article that states, "I will make some mistakes, but I'll take full responsibility for them. I would never ask you to do anything that I wouldn't do myself." I always strive to remember during all days of teaching, during all the hours of the day, during each minute that passes, that students deserve my respect. They all come from different places and need to know that we are there for them each and every day. It is nice to have conversations with other teachers (including my own daughter) to share and learn ways to develop the relationships needed day to day in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis article reminded me of a lot of the things we learned from reading Love and Logic and from Paul Gasser. One of the things I have worked hard on is the beginning of the year routine; setting the routine, rules and consequences. Spending many days on this at the beginning of the year pays off as the year goes on. I strive to be consistent and not let the students know when I am getting frustrated. I have a student this year that tends to like to push buttons. I am trying to figure out why this is happening, since he can be very good. I am working to see what I can do to help him. I do spend time each morning visiting with the students as they come in. They let me know how they are feeling and we chat a bit about their feeling before they start their day. I do care about them and I think this helps them to know that.
ReplyDeleteThe article had great advice for new and seasoned teachers. I agree with all of his ideas. We start the school year in my classroom by spending the first week, and reviewing frequently the following week(and when needed) the expectations for the classroom and throughout the school. This definitely sets the tone for the year and helps the rest of the year to go more smoothly. I try to be respectful to my students and in turn expect respect from them. I try to make my classroom a place where they feel comfortable and want to try to do their best. I think it’s important to recognize kids who have anxiety, attention issues, home life problems and take those things into account when talking to them and in everyday encounters. I try to use empathy and compassion but also teach them to be responsible. I also feel that it is very important to show the kids you care about them and spend time talking to them about their lives. All of these things help make for a successful school year.
ReplyDeleteI believe that setting clear expectations at the beginning of the year and following through on practicing them everyday lays the groundwork for a smooth year. I also believe that students will mirror and reflect the respect that I give them. They are really in tune to how authentic and consistent I am in how I treat them, as well as how I treat the other adults they see me interact with throughout the day. One of the things that the author brings up (and Paul Gasser, too) was how the negative behavior some of our students have is always a reflection of a need that they have. The Keystone Conference this past summer also spoke to the number of students that we have coming into our classrooms every morning that are dealing with various levels of trauma. I have to remind myself many times to consider what is really going on inside this student to make them act this way. If anything, it makes me not jump to conclusions, strive to have more conversations with them, and really listen to what they tell me.
ReplyDeleteThe author mentioned setting clear expectations and reviewing those often. I think that is extremely important. Students need to know what we expect and what we want to have for our routine. Reviewing Aquin CARES expectations every year at the beginning of the year can help set a positive tone.
ReplyDeleteI also liked how he talked about keeping our tone calm even when a student is very upset. I have been working on that the last couple of years because it is definitely what can help deescalate a student. It is not easy and takes a lot of control to accomplish but I can tell that when I stay calm it does help the student come back to a level where we can rationally discuss the problem.
I really enjoyed reading this article. It made me think about how my teaching has changed since I first starting teaching. I always have set high expectations at the beginning of the year and stuck to them. I do believe students want rules and makes life a lot easier for everyone. One thing I definitely have gotten better at is making connections. When I first started teaching I didn't really share much about myself and didn't know much about my students. I feel now it is necessary to understand your students and what they are dealing with. I also have gotten better at staying positive and controlling my emotions. Two years ago I was definitely challenged by a student and I had to come every day with a positive attitude. It was my hardest year of teaching but I learned the most about myself and my teaching.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this article. One theme I felt was embedded throughout the article is that it's OK if we don't know all the answers. Whether we are first year teachers or seasoned teachers, the new class of students dictates what we need to know as teachers and it's not the same every year.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding what "baggage" our students bring to school is so important. It really changes how our students react to everything they encounter in their lives.
There is a lot of empathy and understanding by the staff at Aquin and that is such a wonderful thing to see as an administrator. I know that when we truly know what our students need, you are willing to meet those needs.
I think our 10 second checklist has really made an impact at Aquin. Those relationships are important every second of the day.
I wish I would have read this article and took notes before my first year of teaching at an inner city school in Maryland. I think because I was so naive at the time it actually helped me because I didn't have any prior "management" strategies to turn to. It was a struggle though when I didn't know what to do when behaviors acted up or fighting started in my classroom. College only taught me how to write lesson plans and teach those lessons, not what to do when you CAN'T teach those lessons. I definitely reacted instead of being proactive. (I also only had about 5 days to prep for the school year).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, since then I have learned a lot. Having simple classroom rules works well for my class environment. I can't necessarily let them come up with the rules or I would have 18 different rule posters posted. However, I do talk to the kids about what are some expectations we should have for ourselves, the teacher and the computers.
I have also learned that controlling your emotions is huge! I am honest with them and will tell them relevant stories as well so they can relate to the material in the real world.
This was a good article and tied in exactly with the theme from Paul Gasser. I do think it's important to have strong connections with the students. When they know that you care about them and respect them, they are so much more willing to reciprocate. I'm not embarrassed to act silly or ridiculous in front of them, do TikToks with them, or be in their Snapchat streaks LOL. And I do tend to share stories about myself, both good things I've done as well as dumb mistakes I've made or difficulties I've gone through. It definitely helps build connections between my students and me.
ReplyDeleteI have also learned more and more that sometimes our students are dealing with more at home than we realize. Sometimes it is neglectful parenting, or parents putting too much pressure to do well on their kids, or parents making excuses for their kids...all of it contributes to their demeanor and responses during the day. I'm getting better at keeping this in mind while dealing with issues. I try to remember that each one of them is someone's child, the whole world to those parents, and each one of them deserves the same love and respect that I want for my own children.
Ok, this is my second time posting. I am not sure where my first post went or even what I said it that post.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what many of you said in regards to respect, expectations, and so much we don't know about what our students are dealing with outside the walls of the school or even sometimes within the building. I also think it is important that students know we will give them the same respect we are asking them to give us. Having clear expectations and abiding by those helps foster that respect. I think it is also important to let students know that no one is perfect. We don't expect them to get it right each and every time, and in turn, we as teachers aren't perfect either. We will make mistakes, but the goal is for everyone to own up to those mistakes, try to be improve, and avoid making the same mistakes repeatedly.
I believe respect is the most important thing that we can give. If we offer and show respect to our students, as well as other colleagues and people we work with, the students will reciprocate it. The students can read our emotions and body language better than we may think, and know how we are feeling and what they can and can't get away with. If there are clear expectations, on both sides, the students will learn to understand how we treat one another. I always set clear expectations from the beginning as it is only harder when you have to create them after the fact. Deep down, students want the expectations and rules so they can be successful, even if they do push and see what they can get away with. It usually only takes a few times before they figure out what they are expected to do.
ReplyDeleteAs a first year teacher, I am learning new things everyday. I learn from my students, myself, and other teachers or staff in the building. Everything I teach or situation I encounter, I can learn something from. Sometimes I learn that what I had planned didn't go the way I expected. Sometimes I learn that I did something right that worked for the students. When I make mistakes, I take responsibility for them. Everyday I learn something new, especially from my students.
ReplyDeleteFor only teaching about a month and half, I can already tell that respect and communication are important within the classroom. Every assignment or lesson I give, I always tell my students that they can do it. I try to spend time one-on-one with the students so I can build a better relationship with them. One of the biggest thing our professors stressed in each class was to build a relationship with your students. If they don't trust us, they won't want to be in class or put in their best effort.
I have always felt that understanding your students and creating a relationship with them is a very important part of the job. We don't know what kids are going through and in order for them to trust us, we need to show them we are there for them and we care about them and it matters to us whether or not they are successful in our class.
ReplyDeleteSome days I find discipline to be hard. I know that we have to be consistent and follow through, but I feel like I need to give them a break as well - no one wants to be "nagged" at all the time. I have found the PBIS/Aquin Cares makes it easier to stay consistent and follow through. One thing I am trying really hard to do this year is to change everything negative children tell me into a positive. For example: Student - "Timmy won't stop following me" Me "Wow!! You are so lucky to have such a great friend that wants to be with you!"
As a second year teacher, I remember thinking about making a first impression on the students. I did not want to be the mean teacher that no one respected, but I did not want to be the fun teacher that no one respected either. There is a fine line in both of these situations. I find that I am much better at connecting with students through one on one conversations. I have been working harder to leave an opportunity for these connections when I plan classes. The style of a music classroom and make it difficult for individual interaction. I have been diligent of greeting students as they enter the room and doing my best to walk around the classroom.
ReplyDeleteRespect is such a big deal to me. I am trying to teach students how to be respectful to one another and to the classroom items. I do not want to "talk at" them all the time sometimes I will ask if the choice was the best they could have made and how they can make a better choice in the future. Students are capable of solving problems if we give them a chance to solve the problem.
I enjoyed reading this article. Everyday when I am talking to my students I get to know them better and better. When they come into the classroom I can usually tell how their morning went. I have a student who will come in with a frown and I will make a comment about I am so happy that they are here at school and frown is gone. Then I will ask about how their morning is going. I never expect a student to give me a hug or a fist pump unless they want to. A simple hello or goodbye is just enough for me. My students know that I respect them and that I will also ask for their respect. Respect is such a big thing in my room.
ReplyDeleteKindergarten students are afaid of making mistakes. Every time that I make one I let them know. We all make mistakes- it is ok to make mistakes, but we need to say that we made a mistake.
Having my emotions under controll is not always easy in my room, but I do have controll over the tone of my voice. I have a student who pushes me to my limit, but I can't let the other students see that.
This is JoLynn
DeleteThis was a very enjoyable article. I agree with the author that clear expectations help students to understand how to be successful in your classroom. Having clearly defined school wide expectations seems to make this fairly easy. I have always been big on respecting my students. I like to have fun with them, but I always try to model the respect that I would like to be shown. This article was a nice reminder that we all make mistakes. I make A LOT of them and I've found that when I own my mistakes it shows my students that it's okay to make mistakes too. After all, that is how we learn. Finally, keeping my emotions under control can be challenging. Occasionally, a challenging student will ruffle my feathers and I try to pause, before reacting in frustration or anger. I find this works when dealing with students and parents.
ReplyDeleteThis article had a lot of great points. When students see you being respectful to them, they will be more likely to be respectful back. My first thoughs as I was reading this was Love and Logic and all the ways to incorporate that in the classroom. It helped me to realize how important keeping calm can be, even during a stressful situation. Students do not want to be talked down to by anyone, so it is important for me to remember to get down to student's eye level when I am talking to them. Finally, I am usually able to have my emotions under control but I need to remember to keep my energy level up because that is the positive that early childhood students are looking for. They are watching my emotions and facial expressions all the time so I need to remember to talk out loud about those things such as if I make a mistake, I need to tell them I made a mistake but also let them see that it is ok and we are able to move on from it and fix our mistakes. Seeing how to fix a problem with out letting our emotions out of control is a major part of our day so it is important for me to always talk about them in a positve way.
ReplyDeleteThis article has so many important ideas. Recently I was able to attend a training on Peer Mediated learning. This idea focus on relationship building with in the classroom and how important it is to build a positive relationship with each and everyone of the students as well as assisting the children in building relationships with each other in a positive way. Both the article and my training wound have been so helpful earlier in my career. I have alway Invested in each of my students and strived to build a positive relationship, but the article reminds me to change my reactions into more positive out comes.
ReplyDeleteI always tell my students to live by "The Golden Rule". The respect in schools and society is so important. I grew up living with my grandfather who was the sheriff in Jones County we actually lived in the court house from age 2 - 15. The jail was right down the hall way and I so many things as a kid with the law officers and the prisoners. This was the 1960's which was a mean decade with Vietnam, JFK & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. My grandmother 30 years earlier was a country school teacher with grades K - 12 in one small country school. When I read these kind of articles I think of personal stories like I lived with my grandparents and stories they told me while I was growing up. The respect that I have for the law and teachers is at the highest level. I sometimes tell stories to my students about what I experienced growing up. I can remember one time about 15 years ago my students were a little too ambitious so I told them to sit down on the ground outside. I believe they were Kindergarten or 1st graders. I saw the moon up in the sky, I told them when I was your age there was a saying it was "that's as crazy as a man on the moon". But on July 20, 1969 when we landed on the moon I haven't heard that saying since then. A young student said "we have landed on the moon". I said "yes, there is a book in our library about Neil Armstrong taking the first step on the moon. That moment I had 100% of all my students attention. I was more concerned with getting their attention and respect then the activity I was doing. After that the students got focused and we continued. I believe teaching life lessons is just as important as teaching our "own lessons".
ReplyDelete