Arming our students with the power of positivity!

This week my students were presented with the challenge of responding to low behavioral expectations.  Their daily schedule consists of traveling from Reading/LA (this is where they see me), Science (this whole week there were substitutes), Lunch, returning to Science, Special Area, and then to Math (one day this week there was a substitute in this class too).  Subsequently, the substitute teacher from science came to report that "our" students were rude and acting disrespectful yesterday.  The reading teacher responded with an inquiry as to who was behaving poorly, and what they could possibly be doing to upset the sub in this way?  I interrupted to mention that I would be coming to the Science class after lunch to read the class a book (something I do once a week) during their allotted 15min reading time.  This reading time has been established for the middle and low leveled students instead of recess at this school.  I try to read one book per week to one group of students to enable them to reach their goal of 6 points for the "Reading Counts" program. 

As I was on my way to the science class, I could hear the substitute screaming, "Sit down, sit down now", at the top of her lungs.  As I entered the room, I calmly spoke to the students to let them know that I heard the sub yelling; and that I was not going to do that.  I told them what I expected, and the students sat quietly and anticipated my read aloud.  I have found throughout the weeks that they understand that listening to the book and showing attentiveness as I read benefits them. 

Today I spoke to the class in the morning about behavioral expectations and consequences.  I tried to get them to understand that not everyone expects them to be their best. I gave them some demonstrations on how to, "kill people with kindness", and I asked them to do that when they were going to science and encountering the same sub from yesterday. 

The sub came today during lunch to say that the students were "a whole different group" .  While I know that the substitute teacher did not hold high expectations for our group of students; her actions and responses were more reflective of the relationship she holds with the regular science teacher.  In this case I felt the best remedy was to arm our students with positivity, and to teach them to not feed into negative expectations.

Students respond to caring instruction

This was my third week at this school, and the students are now responding and greeting me first when I walk into the room in the mornings.  Something so simple really makes a difference, and shows me that  if engaged students will respond.  Better yet, it is modelling for my 5th grade teacher that by reeling the students in with positive interactions, the teacher becomes who the students look to for instruction and active learning.  We have incorporated a vocabulary tic-tac-toe game to reinforce word meanings, and I have also started a positive behavior reward system using what I call "Blue Bucks" to encourage the students to be focused on their academic goals while being supportive peers to their classmates.  I look forward to returning this week to see who has met their reading goal, and therefore needs to check-out a new book from me.
~Neshea

...and we wonder why?

This week completes my second week at the school, and I have met all of the 5th grade students, yet I have only worked with two of the three classes (ability grouped-high, regular, low).  I had a conversation with one of the teachers on the team which consists of  one Reading/LA; one Math; and one Science teacher.  I am there to work with the entire 5th grade based on the fact that all of the students scores on county reading assessments are lower than they were at the beginning of the school year; this includes the higher leveled students.  My concern was that there has not be an established time to meet with these "higher" students to provide some enrichment, and target areas of need per the data.  The science teacher mentioned to me that she did not see the need of me meeting and working with her higher students, because after all, "They are going to get a 3 on the FCAT, but the other students might not even get that."  This alone is such an example of flawed thinking and an embracment of low expectations.  If the students are in the highest performing level of 5th grade students it should be an expectation for them to score the highest on the FCAT; not the mean.  When we have educators that do not understand the point of holding high expectations for students, we in turn have students that meet those expectations. Disappointing!
~Neshea