Week 3
TW, " We all know we can't change what has already happened. What's the point of directing our energy there? Let's work instead to prevent the misbehavior from happening again." There is so much wisdom in those three sentences. In my experience a consequence given to a student due to poor behavior has to be paired with building trust, looking past the behavior and seeking the motive/reason behind the students actions. Doing this takes time and requires me to treat the student with respect regardless of the behavior that landed them in trouble in the first place. I would like to say that I have always followed this truth but there have been times when I focused more on the "WHAT" they did not the "WHY". Building relationships /trust with your students and yes that means administration with students as well is one of the most important things we can do to focus more on prevention.
In Chapter 5, "Prevention versus Revenge", several things stuck out to me. One was "When a student misbehaves, the great teacher has one goal: to keep the behavior from happening again. The least effective teacher often has a different goal: revenge." What I got from this was not to focus on the penalty, the punishment or the past, but to focus on the ability to influence or prevent the misbehavior from happening again. Another thing that stuck out to me in this chapter was "We never win an argument with a student. As soon as it starts, we have lost." Yelling is definitely not the best approach to use to correct a misbehavior neither is humiliating or sarcasm,which I have been guilty of doing (sarcasm) sometimes especially when I am having a bad day. This definitely made me stop and reflect on my behavior which is the one variable that I can control. TW stated, "...in all student-teacher interactions, there needs to be at least one adult, and I would prefer that it be the teacher." As each year passes by, I realize more and more that RESPECT is a motto that should always be implemented in the classroom. Respect students and their parents. Even when parents are difficult, remain calm and be respectful & professional. The latter can be difficult at times when you are feeling attacked, but I have learned from my past that being calm and being respectful resolves the problem sooner.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter 6, I highlighted "Great teachers have high expectations for students, but have even higher expectations for themselves." When students misbehave or perform poorly on an assessment, and effective teacher reflects and asks what can they do differently to reach the desired behavior or performance. The effective teacher is always looking for ways to improve and accept responsibility to strive to do better. I always think that I can or could have done better with that lesson that I taught, so I am constantly researching better ways to teach that skill. If a student struggles with a particular skill, I normally re-examine how I taught the lesson. I want the students to know that I will try my best to find a way for them to grasp that particular concept. The "way" might be an unusual way, but I try to find something that works. I believe that students' attitudes and academic performances are dependent upon their interaction and relationship with their teacher.
What I have learned from these chapters is that my focus should be to improve my own performance by setting higher expectations for myself and my attitude. As Hiam Ginot once stated, "I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, a child humanized or de-humanized."
Kim, you're right. The frightening conclusion is that we are the decisive element. It's easy to blame the parents and students when something goes wrong, but if I haven't done my best in the situation then I can't place all of the blame on them.
DeleteBe joyous & inspirational. :)
Good points, Kim! I agree with so much of what you pointed out - especially the part about being the adult in the classroom. The minute we engage in an argument with a student, we have lost; as soon as we think it's funny to use sarcasm in the face of misbehavior, we have chosen to disregard respect; yelling, punishing for revenge... these types of responses to misbehavior only succeed in creating an "us against them" type of environment that no one wants to spend 6 hours a day in. Yes, we must have high expectations for our students, but remember - they are still children! They need those expectations to live up to their full potential, but WE are the adults in the room, and therefore we must be held to the highest standards.
DeleteErinn Boone - LES
Kim, WOW! Your last paragraph hit the nail on the head. I want to place that quote somewhere close to my desk so that I can read it every morning. What a great reminder of the "power" that we do possess as teachers. So inspirational!!!
DeleteKim, you are so right! I also love your quote in the last paragraph. It's a great reminder how we influence the students daily.
DeleteKim, I love the part of your quote by Hiam Ginot that says we as teachers have the power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. Sometimes I think as teachers we may be some of those students only joy for the day. It reminds me somewhat of the article Mrs. Samples e- mailed us to read at the end of the school year about the student that may be really acting out at the end of the school year because they are angry that soon one of the only sources of happiness will be taken away.
DeleteKim W. you have given so many great reminders. Much of what you stated speaks to the weight of what we do. We have so much power, and I don't mean to say that to say we are all powerful beings that have total control in the classroom. Ultimately what I am taking away from your comments is that we have a great responsibility in what we do. We are literally molding not only young minds, but our students as people as well. Our relationships with them are helping our students with how they relate to others. If we treat them with disrespect, we are setting them up to believe that adults/teachers cannot be trustworthy and we are not on their side. We are not people that they as a student can relate to nor can adults/teachers relate/understand them if we hold them to a standard we don't keep, use sarcasm, or discipline them harshly in front of their peers. This builds a poor atmosphere in the classroom and gives students a perception of us that often is hard to correct no matter how hard we might work to the rest of the year to prove we are on their side. We must work to follow the golden rule in a sense with our students. Treat them the way we want to be treated - yes even a child deserved to be treated fairly.
DeleteThat was Awesome! I read the same chapters and understood, yet had little to react to because I have not found myself in those difficult situations before. So, I file it in my memory and an actual notebook:) to refer back on when I'm at a loss of what to do. But , when I read your quote by Hiam Ginot, I was moved! I read everything I can get my hands on, I watch TED Talks, I google, but it is when I am moved, do those lessons reside within me...no need for a notebook! Thank you for that!! I will also have this on my desk as a daily reminder of who I strive to be!
DeleteKim- I love the words hurt or heal, torture or inspire!! I am pretty positive that all teachers would choose the latter of both choices. Revenge is never the answer, no matter what your profession is. If teachers seek revenge, it only hurts everyone involved. At the end of the day, no one will feel better.
DeleteKim, I love and agree with everything you said...especially the last paragraph! As teachers we do have the power to make or break a student's entire day, which is a huge responsibility. This is a great reminder that I am going to remember moving forward!
DeleteWe all share a great responsibility. A teacher can make a child's life miserable or joyous! I loved your last paragraph! Thank you for sharing.
DeleteKim, your last paragraph is awesome. Thank you for sharing. Your quote from Hiam Ginot moved me and is a great reminder of how important our role is in the classroom.
DeleteLaurie Pop, LES. I agree with Lisa Nye about how important it is to seek the motive behind the misbehavior. Building that relationship with a troubled student is very important in effective classroom management. I was reminded in chapter 5 that students stick together and form alliances against the teacher. Gee, sounds like a reality TV show! At the beginning of each year, I do try to get the suspected disrupters on my side. They are FiRST to be chosen for weekly helper or bathroom monitor. One thing this past year that I did to TRY to be more positive was face my classroom with this attitude: I had 25 students giving it their best and staying on task. Two were misbehaving. 25:2. Those odds aren't too bad in any scenario! It is usually true that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I tried to give the "quiet wheels" their deserved attention. In my second year of teaching, a parent taught me a memorable lesson. Her daughter was in class with "Eddie." Eddie was terror on wheels and he was full of pranks. I firmly and even playfully responded to Eddie's shenanigans quite frequently. At parent night near the end of the year, she walked over and said, "Well, we've heard all about Eddie this year. Maybe if you had focused less on Eddie and more on the others, maybe my daughter would have learned even more." I was taken aback, wanting to say "Who do you think you are?" but it only took a second to realize that she was absolutely correct. I am glad I learned that lesson so early in my teaching career.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that it is very important to figure out the motive behind the misbehavior. A teacher can prevent that misbehavior from reoccurring if she/he can figure out why the student is acting out. Finding the student's motive can sometimes be easily achieved if the teacher has already established a respectful and positive relationship with each student. ~Kristie Busby
DeleteAbsolutely Kristie. It will make things so much easier in the classroom 🙂
DeleteLaurie, I know hearing those words from that parent was difficult. I am sure that you tried your absolute best with everyone that year, but what an awareness that will stick with you forever. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteMrs, Pop, thank you for sharing that. I know I have definitely had some of those moments where I wish I would have handled a student or situation differently. One of my favorite things about this job is the opportunity to start fresh each year, month, or day!
DeleteJacqueline ~ YES! Thanks goodness for a fresh slate every day!
DeleteLaurie! Thank you for sharing that story! I know that so many parents feel that way. I am one of those parents. BUT... I am also that teacher. It is so, so hard not to focus on the continuous negative behavior. When I do, I lose the entire class and have to restart. With experience, it really has gotten easier to prevent those distracting behaviors. Thank you again for sharing that!
DeleteVery good points. It is always our job to determine be what may be causing these issues within the classroom. I think we have all gotten caught up in fixing the behavior right this minute and wasting valuable classroom instruction time.
DeleteLaurie- Those words had to cut deep, but look how well you overcame them. You have a heart of gold and love your students. That is a huge chunk of successful teaching. I have been in your shoes as well. It is difficult to find the right distribution of time spent on each child when certain children are fighting for your attention and others are passive. This book and our talks have helped me realize that high expectations and consistency will prevent and repair this type of issue. I have found myself, in the past, trying a different tool to resolve interruptions etc.. and then trying another one when the issue didn't get resolved quick enough. I should have stuck with one tool, been firm with my expectations and consistent with my routines.
DeleteThanks for sharing!
Laurie I so agree with you. I need to give more attention to those quite wheels and hopefully the squeaky wheels will make a better choice .
DeleteI agree with the fact that we so often focus on those with negative behaviors. I know at times I lose the perspective that most of my students want to do right. I want to be more deliberate and consistent in my dealings with both positive and negative behavior.
Delete"Even in the best classrooms in the best schools, with the best teachers and the best students, there are always problems." When a student misbehaves, the great teacher has one goal: to keep that behavior from happening again.In order for this to occur, we must set high expectations for our students as well as for ourselves. As it has been evident in this book, there are lots of nuggets that I want to store but one in Chapter 5 stood out, "As educators, we must focus on what we have the ability to influence. We all know we can't change what has already happened. What's the point of directing our energy there?" TW asked a great question, "What is the difference between good classroom managers and poor classroom managers?" There is only one answer ME. Learn to respect your students, their parents, yourself, and one that I want to add is your administrator. I have always been taught to show respect to everyone, regardless if you receive it back. But, building respect in the classroom also builds respect with your parents. It's kinda like the old saying, " if momma ain't happy, no one will be." I have learned that respecting the parents of my students and building a relationship with them will help build that relationship within my classroom. Therefore,if I respond appropriately and professionally, everyone else will be on my team.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6 Nuggets:"Great teachers have high expectations for students, but have even higher expectations for themselves."
I am loving this book and have really enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts.
I agree with you, Angela. When the student misbehaves, there should be one goal, to keep that behavior from happening again. There are reasons the behavior is happening and to try and find out in order to change it is important. It's not always easy, but to work at it with everyone involved is the only way to change it. Keeping contact with parents is very important. When we stay in contact with parents with positive things, it makes it easier to call on them when there is a problem with their child in order to work it out to change that behavior. I have found it much easier to talk to my parents on a problem when I have had contact with them all year. Remaining calm and professional in the situation with your peers, students, and parents know matter their reaction is important. BREATH, BREATH, and BREATH again and refocus!
DeleteI agree Vycky. Keeping in contact with parents always is a good thing and does make it so much easier if a problem should arise.
DeleteVycky, you are so right! I agree that parent communication is definitely a very important key on keeping the parent on our side.
DeleteI agree Vycky. Parent communication from the start is an important key to the child's success for the year.
DeleteI really enjoyed chapter 5 and 6 as well. It is so very important to remember that the goal of correcting a child is to make sure they don't repeat the unwanted behavior. Just as all the parenting books tell us "never discipline out of anger" I have to remember that in my classroom as well. There have been times that I have had to tell a misbehaving student that we will discuss consequences after lunch or at the "end of class". I find that this helps me to calm down and think about my ultimate goal. It is sometimes quite hard to do especially with a student that is consistently disrespectful or disruptive, but I am learning that it has a better effect if I am calm when I correct behaviors.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly agree that effective teachers have high expectations for the students but even higher ones for themselves. If my students do poorly on a test or independent work, it is easy to say "they weren't listening or didn't try their best" , but it is harder to reflect my teaching and what I could've done differently. I am working on this each year and trying to make sure that I don't lower the expectations I set for myself. I am loving all the great ideas from this book! :)
I agree Jennifer Conlee. As I was doing my 10-Day lesson for student teaching, I found myself reflecting a lot in order to come back the next ready to try something new. It helped and it may me feel as if I was doing my job as an educator by setting myself to higher standards and goals instead of ruling out that they just weren't getting it because they didn't "want" to.
Delete"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn."
-Ignacio Estrada
Jennifer, I agree! Over the years, I have tried to allow myself time to think about a situation when it arises before rushing to "fix" the student. I loved this quote on p. 29: "Especially during times of stress, it's essential to remain professional."
Delete*Even though teaching can be tough and the best of us can get wrapped up in the moment (Just human nature), I have to remain calm and professional to ultimately change the outcome of student behavior. It is also essential to protecting my classroom atmosphere and environment!
I am really enjoying the book and reading everyone's comments! Chapter 5 and 6 had some great information! Something that really stuck was TW saying that as educators, we must focus on what we have the iability to influence. I really try to start each year not focusing on students' behavior from what happened the previous year. I try to remember that students do a lot of growing up over the summer. That is a challenge for me because we always "hear" from previous teachers how tough or hard the year was. I let my students know from day one that I have big expectations and help my students be the best they can be so the attitude stays positive and students want to strive for awesomeness!
ReplyDeleteI think in setting these high expectations for our students as well as ourselves, we must also keep in mind that the CLARITY of our high expectations is so important! I was really "tested" in this area during the past school year as it was the first time I'd worked with multiple grade levels. High expectations sometimes aren't as clear to 3rd graders as 5th graders, even though they are certainly all capable of meeting them! I realized it was at times in MY delivery of the expectations where I lost students. Here again....another thing to add to my "self reflection list"! :) All students can experience success IF I am doing my best to make my high expectations crystal clear!
DeleteI agree Kendra! What seems so clear to 5th graders may leave a 3rd grader completely confused. Even in the same grade level classroom there are varying ages and maturity levels and I know I have been guilty of assuming everyone understands something on the same level. Being clear is key for sure! I plan on making that a priority this next year.
DeleteAfter reading chapters 5 and 6, the idea of teachers being able to keep students' attention really stood out to me. It made me think of it like an entertainer. If an entertainer wasn't very entertaining, who would want to see them for 10 months!?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I am one that knows she isn't perfect, so I really enjoy reading books like this that help me to reflect on what kind of teacher I am versus what kind of teacher I would like to be. I accept the fact that there are things that I have to work on to become a better teacher.
When a student misbehaves, of course our desire is that they never repeat the behavior. Our (re)actions are to going to be key in determining if that behavior occurs again. Our actions will also guide our classrooms as to how they will react to other student's behavior. If they see me overreact, they may too. I need to model a respectful response and gain the trust of the classroom as to how behavior is handled. If I make a big deal out of something, they will too. However, if they see me handle the situation respectfully I've gained their trust because they will know, "Mrs. Hicks will handle it."
ReplyDeleteOne thing I try to do when I see someone making a poor choice is to find someone making a better choice and compliment that child. For example, student A is talking in line so I compliment student B, "I love the way B is standing quietly, thank you for making a great choice." More often than not, A will stop and the teacher hasn't said anything negative. Now, I need to look for a chance to compliment A.
"If you always respond appropriately and professionally, everyone else will be on your team." -TW
My role, reaction, and professionalism are so important in my classroom and truly determine the fate of my year. Yes, it is hard, but you know what people say, "If it was easy, everyone would do it."
Krista, I also like to compliment my students and it sure helps others to get a gentle reminder of the correct behavior. If we have the students trust, they will want to please the teacher.
DeleteKrista, I love that you use compliments to guide behavior! That seems to be a great way to encourage good behavior without pointing out someone's misbehavior! I will definitely be trying this in the fall. My favorite teacher from last year had an awesome idea for gaining respect and building relationships with parents as well. Shortly after the school year began she made a call home to brag on the student. She was very specific and genuine with her compliments. When she did have to call home about any concerns it was much better received because that parent was already aware she was fond of their child and saw the greatness in them already! I love both of these positive spins on difficult situations! Thank you for sharing!
DeleteTwo things in these chapters really stood out to me. One was when TW related the incident where the teacher asked if she could grade papers while he was speaking!! Hard to believe! I'm surprised at the nerve of the teacher, but not surprised at the attitude. I have seen teachers be very rude at meetings in the past. I'm so glad he pointed out that teachers need to evaluate their expectations for themselves as well as the students. I try to put myself in the shoes of my students. How would I respond to my own instruction as a student? Would I be bored or confused? This of course is easier said than done and sometimes I find myself wondering what is wrong with these kids? When I should ask myself, "What can I do to fix it?"
DeleteThe second thing was the story of student #25. TW says "they (the other 24) want Mr. Johnson to deal with him in a professional and respectful way." I have found this to be true. Students really want a well run classroom with minimal disruptions and conflicts. They also want the teacher to be in charge. The only way the classroom or even society can run smoothly is that the good guys outnumber the bad guys. I try to remember this when managing behavior. I owe it to my students and
even the misbehaving students feel better about themselves when their behavior is corrected in a respectful way!
Krista, Love how you compliment good behavior to correct misbehavior of others. "If you always respond appropriately and professionally, everyone else will be on your team." I also use the soft compliment of the good behavior. I have found this also helps me to not constantly look for the misbehavior! It also helps the students that are misbehaving correct themselves and gives others helpful reminders while staying positive! #complimentsbuildconfidence
DeleteApril, I love and agree with you 100% when you said, "Students really want a well-run classroom with minimal disruptions and conflicts. They also want the teacher to be in charge." I just know from my own experience that chaos makes me nervous and that I would not be able to learn or concentrate if I was "worried" about my teacher "losing it." :) Self-control is so important and so challenging.
DeleteI also liked when TW says in chapter 5, "As educators, we must focus on what we have the ability to influence." And what influence we truly have! Negative and positive.
Great reminders for me in these two chapters!
April, I love and agree with you 100% when you said, "Students really want a well-run classroom with minimal disruptions and conflicts. They also want the teacher to be in charge." I just know from my own experience that chaos makes me nervous and that I would not be able to learn or concentrate if I was "worried" about my teacher "losing it." :) Self-control is so important and so challenging.
DeleteI also liked when TW says in chapter 5, "As educators, we must focus on what we have the ability to influence." And what influence we truly have! Negative and positive.
Great reminders for me in these two chapters!
Krista- I learned very quickly in my first couple of years teaching my little babies in first grade that compliments went a lot further than consequences or call outs. This past year was very challenging for me in that no matter how I approached the situation, a couple students stood firm in their behavior. I tried positive reinforcement, parental involvement, letters home, conferences held, but I seemed to not get very far with one student. It was very stressful for me, and I felt defeated at times. I always try to reach every single student in my classroom (like all of you fabulous teachers) and do not take it lightly when I see a child completely shut everyone out/shut down/quit, including me. Even though harsh words were thrown my way by the student, I still only talked to him in the hallways and at my desk. It broke my heart to hear the things he would say, and I only wanted to help him. I knew yelling wasn't an option and definitely no sarcasm would benefit anyone. Most of our talks involved him telling me about his home life. I just listened and knew that he didn't mean most of the things he said to me or the class. I hope that one day he will remember our talks and will make good choices. I hugged his neck on the last day of school and wished him the best, but I walked away with a vow to myself to never allow this to happen again. I've got to stand firm in my expectations and teach the child that no matter what life throws at them, they can overcome it, and the first step in doing that is choosing to care about their own education. Next year, I am going in strong and staying strong. I can listen to their stories and teach them at the same time. Once a student feels like their voice matters, there is no limit to what they can do. My ultimate goal is to teach and grow all of my students. I will continue to communicate with my parents, even after receiving negative comments and lack of support, because the majority of parents only want what is best for their child. I will stay positive and consistent with my expectations for myself first and foremost, parents and students. TW states over and over that consistency with parents will work along with high expectations. This is my ultimate goal for next year. This will be my first topic of discussion with my parents and students. I am pumped about a fresh start!
DeleteIn chapter 6, TW points out that as a teacher, "it's my job to gain, and to keep their attention. If I'm not doing that, I need to change my approach." This goes back to what Mrs. Wells said, we are somewhat entertainers. I know I've had a lesson flop because the material was boring and I failed to make it exciting. Engaged students go hand in hand with on- task behavior. It is me, the teacher, that is responsible for making that happen.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 7, the statement, "When I talk about behavior issues, whose behavior do you think I talk about?" smacked me in the face (HA). OMG! He is so right! I can think of behavior issues in my classroom that I handled beautifully, and then there are those that I let get the best of me. In hindsight, I totally escalated the incident. My behavior and my reaction only made the situation worse. I will keep this statement in the front of my mind when dealing with issues in the future. I AM THE ADULT, I AM THE ADULT, I AM THE ADULT! :)
Wendi, I love the part in chapter 6 that you quoted too- about keeping their attention. We are like entertainers! Just another thing that I love about teaching- finding fun and interesting ways to present the information.
DeleteThat's why I'm so tired in August; I'm "on stage" all day!! :)
DeleteI love using different accents during read alouds. The kids love it, and it makes it so much more fun! #entertainingallday
DeleteChapter 5 Reflection: #prevention There were many good points made above by several teachers. I enjoyed reading those. TW states that the great teacher has one goal:“…keep the behavior from happening again.” #futurefocus “We must focus on what we have the ability to influence. We all know we can’t change what has already happened.” This is very true. We would be wasting time and energy by focusing on the “revenge” factor. Getting caught up in this is easy though especially when we are not at our best. This is where “adulting” comes into play…(sure wish I could attach one of those “adulting memes” right now. HA!) We mustn’t get on the child’s level. We must take the high road by “responding appropriately and professionally, by maintaining a high level of dignity, especially under pressure.” We know that most of our students know the difference between right and wrong. If we get them on our side from the beginning, our year will go much more smoothly. Community building and fostering close relationships with students is a must...I’m seeing a pattern here.:) The goal is to make misbehaving something that the students see will get them nowhere. This is where using our “bag of tricks once or twice a day” comes into play depending on the “variables”. If students see that acting out isn’t cool and won’t get them anywhere, the behavior will likely be prevented. If other students see these misbehaviors as an interruption to their day and that the teacher quickly pulls out a “good quality trick” to solve the problem in a quick and professional/respectful way, they will side with the teacher. Handling misbehaviors is a reality of being a teacher. Thinking through our behavioral response first and knowing that we are the adults in control of the situation is a priority. After all those 27 other sets of eyes are watching.#teachergoals
ReplyDelete~Holly Engberg, LES, 5th grade
Holly,
DeleteI agree it is so important that we focus on what we have the ability to influence. It is important to remember not to get distracted by our emotions and get into a power struggle with our students. Creating a sense of community in our classroom, along with being proactive are key to getting and keeping them on our side. That really is where they want to be, they just don't always know it. ;)
I underlined SO much in chapter 5, and love all of the reflections that I am reading so far. Two words that I wrote down in the margins were dignity and fairness. Isn't that what everyone wants? We, as teachers, want it. Our students and parents of students want to be treated with dignity and fairness, no matter what they have done. In the school arena, we are the professionals, and are looked to as the leaders(examples) for our students to follow. Our students are learning from us, even when we are not "teaching"a scripted lesson. They are learning from our reactions and responses. In the section "Respect Your Students, Their Parents-and Yourself", TW closes with the statement that especially during times of stress, it's essential to remain professional. In the heat of a conflict or "button-pushing" incident, it is so easy to lose sight of this principle, but in remaining professional, and knowing that "this too, shall pass" and we will move on, we can be confident in knowing that WE, ourselves, conducted ourselves in a manner that is worthy of respect and trust.
DeleteI wish I had a like button I could click on all of the above comments! Echoing everyone's comments...Managing a classroom is very much like parenting. The first reactions to poor behavior usually don't have a lasting effect on students or our own children. In 8 years of teaching, I am guilty of doing all of the wrong things, but I hope I have grown and learned from my mistakes.
ReplyDeleteWe are all blessed with #25's(sometimes more than one), and how we handle that student(s) will be very important to the classroom dynamic. Page 30 explains the importance of treating #25 with respect as we discipline the behavior. Fellow classmates want #25 to stop disrupting, but they also want their peer to be treated with respect. TW shows that doing this will help keep the other students on our side..which will limit #25's influence.
Ditto Audra on wanting a button to hit "like" or use some form of an smoking. Too many good comments to begin with. Everyone so far has hit some nerve I can relate to, especially when I looked at the part of book that discussed the dynamics of dealing with #25. That you mentioned. I had not thought before how much that affects the other 24 students in the room.
DeleteI meant to type emoji not smoking. Auto correct...
DeleteChapter 6 Reflection:#nitty-gritty This has to be my favorite chapter as of yet. TW hits the nail on the head and hits you where it hurts. He notes a very vital point in a short and sweet way! It’s not just about the students and our expectations for them. It is also about US! This is the deal breaker. We expect our students to meet expectations that we ourselves do not meet. TW states that “poor teachers have high expectations for students but much lower expectations for themselves.” Do we go the extra mile? TW also states that “these same teachers have unrealistically high expectations for everyone else”…principal, parents, and expect their peers to hold them in high regard when they themselves don’t want put in the effort or what it takes to improve, go the extra mile, rethink approaches that are not working, or #grow. Reading between the lines, self-reflection is a must. TW is also making several connections throughout the book so far. The two being building that classroom community/forming close relationships and self-reflecting to grow and improve. Without these two actions, are we considered “great teachers? We should be striving for this if teaching is our calling, and we care enough about making a difference. If we are not, perhaps we should rethink our career. No teacher is perfect, and there is always room from improvement. TW states, “Focus on your own performance.” Not everyone else’s. “Strive to be a great teacher; set even higher expectations for yourself.” #striveforgreatness
ReplyDelete“Don’t lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality." ~Ralph Marston
I agree Holly. Chapter 6 was short but a very powerful message to teachers. How can we expect our students to meet our high level of expectations if we do not set a high level of expectations for ourselves as the teacher? "Great teachers have high expectations for their students but even higher expectations for themselves."
DeleteVery good points. I agree with the two Holly's wholeheartedly.
DeleteOne of my favorite parts about Chapter 5 was that as teachers we all have the same "bag of tricks" . Whitaker says the variable is how many times you reach in that bag. "If we reach into our bag of tricks often enough, we're going to pull out some ugly ones."
ReplyDeleteYES!!!
DeleteI like the last page or two of Chapter 5; how TW shows us 'Twenty-Four Students on the Side of the Teacher'. This is a great point that I need to remember, that we are all on the same team. Keeping in mind to respond appropriately to an uncooperative student will keep the students on my team, and not wishing to form another team! Yes, they are all waiting on me to handle the situation. Yes, they all do want it handled. But the manner in which I handle it, as their teacher, will lead to a tighter team or a loss of trust.
ReplyDeletepg.34
ReplyDelete"Even the worst teachers have high expectations for students."
"The variable-and what really matters-is what teachers expect of themselves."
In our profession, we are constantly evaluating ourselves and our teaching styles. It would be very easy to simply teach the exact same way year after year, but what worked with one class may not work with the next;a strength of one class may be a weakness of another. Having high expectations for ourselves means that we are willing to modify lessons and activities to best accommodate and engage our current class.
Well said!!
DeleteWhew! Reading all of your comments is cementing my professional learning in this fabulous book study!!
ReplyDeleteChapter 5-"When a student misbehaves, the great teacher has one goal: to prevent that behavior from happening again." We can't go back and change the past, so as educators, we must focus on the future. We must be selective and reach into our bag of tricks only once or twice a day. Having a positive climate in the classroom is one way to achieve this. We must treat everyone with respect, for our own sake! Most of our students are on our side; we must treat that #25 with respect so that we don't lose the trust of the other 24!
Chapter 6-I wrote the word, "wow," in the margin beside the sentence, "Great teachers have high expectations for students but even higher expectations for themselves." We have to focus on our own performance in the classroom! Engage, engage, engage!!!
I love this book!
"Do you mind if we grade papers or read the newspaper while you are speaking?" EEK! I would have been so embarrassed if I had heard this in action. We all want our students to listen and actively participate in lessons and assignments. I love being able to come up with little fun things to engage students. It can be tricky sometimes but I think keeping students engaged also goes with respect. If they respect you and you respect them I think they will be more likely to try their hardest and really participate.
ReplyDeleteSo many excellent comments! What I took away from chapter 5 was the "don'ts" that great teachers don't do to students. Don't be sarcastic, don't yell and don't argue. I have had a few students who were so good at drawing you into an argument that before you realize it, you are arguing and the point you were going to make to begin with is lost in a side jaunt. That is why it is so important to get to know our students. I found that it helped to be mentally prepared and know what I was going to say to such a student when he started to try and get an argument going. The other thing that stood out for me was the reminder that respectful treatment should be for everyone, myself, the student and the parent.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of your comments that were for what TW says in chapter 6, "great teachers have high expectations for students, but have even higher expectations for themselves." Wow!
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 5, I enjoyed the section that what was jokingly referred to as "the dark side of the force." Even though a student may get under our skin or make us angry, our ultimate goal as effective teachers is to prevent misbehaviors for our sake and that of the class. Students bring all kinds of baggage and emotions from home that can cause drama, but as it states in Ch. 5 "we must focus on what we have the ability to influence" and that's the environment in our classrooms.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 7 when it states"Whose behavior can a teacher actually control in his classroom? His own!" WOW, when we all think about it, that is completely the truth! "When we center on our own behavior, we feel empowered to make a difference". Taking responsibility of our classroom, look to ourselves for answers. We all make mistakes, but how we deal with them and change to not make the same mistake again does come from us, it will make us better, people around us respond differently, and our students better. In a perfect world, we all want our students to come in at the beginning of the year being great, but we know this doesn't always happen, even if we got to choose our classroom, there is always obstacles we will have to work through. This is part of our jobs, that's why we are called teachers! What also spoke to me was how we respond or react to different situations. I always tell my students to "make good choices in everything you do and say and when you make those good choices, then you know you did the right thing". I have to remember in stressful situations, to take my own advice when I say or do something, especially with my students. I agree when it says, you can say many good things, but they will remember the one time you didn't say the right thing most! The way we react to situations is very important, in every part of life. I've been guilty myself of something coming out of my mouth, that later I regretted. In Chapter 8, I can completely relate to when it says as the year goes along and we all get worn down, you also may begin to wonder why you care so much or try so hard. We do have to remember the reasons we chose education in the first place. One of the best things about a teacher is that teaching matters it does make a difference, I love that the author says that, it brings me back to why I did choose to teach. We have to constantly believe that and believe it everyday!
ReplyDeleteChapter 5-Yes, we all have our little bag of tricks! TW is exactly right-be mindful of how many times you reach in that bag on any given day. Tricks lose their effectiveness if overused.
ReplyDeleteChapter 6-Great teachers have high expectations for their students as well as themselves. I agree Audra-that means we have to be willing to self-reflect and make adjustments as needed. It is our job to keep our students engaged, and if it's not working, try a different approach.
How many of us have heard and even said that respect is earned, not given. I was convicted earlier in the summer from another reading (Love and Respect) that this simply isn't true. Respect (like love) should be given, despite the circumstance.
ReplyDeleteTW confirmed this lesson in Chapter 5 when he said, ""...treat students with respect, no matter how they behave....We also understand that we should extend the same respect to their parents - again, no matter how they behave."
The reality is that it is HARD to respect people when they don't respect you, but I have learned through experience (and none that I'm proud of) that there is no benefit to reciprocal disrespect. The beautiful fact of teaching is that we get to have a clean slate come August and "focus on the future more than on the past."
This leads to Chapter 6's focus of setting high expectations for students, but having higher expectation for yourself. I loved this chapter...self-reflection mode is ON!
This section really stuck out to me too. I aim to treat all of my students fairly and respectfully, but boy do I have a hard time with it sometimes! I love that you said we get a clean slate every August. That's the mindset I am preparing for next week :) EEEEKKK how's it already almost back to school time??
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ReplyDeleteHigh expectations for ourselves are very important. We must model what we want our students to do. If we want them to work hard and produce a good product we must provide them with the same.
ReplyDeleteOH how Chapter 4 stepped all. over. my. toes! I try so very hard to be consistent with "If you say something, mean it", but I'm ashamed to say as the year progresses, I am not consistent. The start of this year brings much excitement and anticipation along with goal setting. I am going to commit this year to being consistent. This is such a valuable life skill!!
ReplyDeleteI love (great teachers) " don't depend on a commanding presence and a booming voice to manage their classrooms. Rather, students respect their authority because they expectations clearly and then FOLLOW THROUGH."
"...treat students with respect, no matter how they behave." As much as I hate to admit it, this is one of the most challenging things for me as a teacher. It's hard to give your all to a student that behaves as if they couldn't care less. What I try to remember is that these students are usually the ones that need our love and respect the most. Treat them with kindness and respect in hopes of changing their attitude and preparing them for a brighter future.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, April. It is true that the students who typically misbehave the most are the ones who need our love and respect the most. If we treat them with respect no matter how they behave, we have the opportunity to help change their behavior.
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