I hope you find future postings informative and helpful. I'm going to try and post bi-monthly. I know that's a tall order, but there's a lot out there in education to talk about. I'll make no promises, though. Also, I want to thank my niece Lauren, who gave me the idea to do this blog. I have been following the one she created for some time (http://passtheplateblog.blogspot.com/) . She has a passion and enjoyment for recipes and good food and wanted to share that with the world. I have a passion for education and have thoughts I feel compelled to share (thank you for indulging me).
If you'd like to learn more about me and my consulting, go to www.learningwleslie.com. That's all I'll say about that.
On to today's post!
What's Happening in the Education World
Dropout age requirement
I was catching up on my newspaper reading from yesterday (I love the News and Observer on Sunday) when I came across an article ("Idea to raise dropout age tanks" by Shannon McFarland, Associated Press) about a proposal by President Obama in his State of the Union address to raise the age that students would be eligible to dropout of high school to 18. I thought this was great. Finally, something that would be a no brainer. Wouldn't we all like students to stay in school and graduate? Studies show the longer you stay in school the better chance you have for success. I was surprised to learn that it isn't as clear cut as it seems.
The article mentioned that only one state (Maryland) has raised its dropout to age 18 and it won't take effect for five years. Of course, what was cited as one of the biggest concerns is the cost - cost on extra counseling and remedial courses with no guarantee that these teens will graduate with a diploma because of poor grades. Some states have considered legislation to raise the age but have wound up going nowhere. The White House is unable to give any details about the proposal.
After reading this article my first reaction was - "It always comes down to money." I'm tired of having the money card played for every woe education suffers. Don't get me wrong. I think the cuts that are being made in school budgets across the country are going to have a huge impact on the type of education offered to students. I believe, however, that there are numerous schools with reduced budgets that are able to give a quality education to students and have it be engaging so the students want to stay in school. These schools have figured out what they need to do to help students learn. The teachers have a connection with their students that lets the students know that they are there for them to help them, no matter what, with the learning process. The administration and support staff have the same commitment.
Anyone who has been a part of education the past couple of years has probably seen the acronym DI (Differentiated Instruction). It seems like a new term, but those teachers who have recognized that their students learn in different ways have been doing it for years. (For those who may not know what DI is, I'll be talking about it in an upcoming post. If your school district hasn't already jumped on the DI bandwagon, there are plenty of websites that explain it.) When I started reading more about DI, all I thought was that was how I always teach. I bring this up because I see it as one way to keep students engaged without a high cost. If students believe you are truly invested in their learning, they will be invested too.
I put this out there for thought. There are ways to keep students in school until they graduate and have it be an experience that meets their learning needs as well as having them feel engaged. It doesn't need to cost a lot of money and it doesn't need legislation. All it needs is an understanding of what a child needs to succeed in their learning environment. Any teacher in a classroom can figure it out.
Tips and Strategies for Classroom Management
Remaining Calm and Responding Right
This is a strategy that is near and dear to my heart. It took me the first couple of years teaching in middle school to get this down, but once I did, it was amazing the control that came to my classroom. I am amazed it took me so long to figure out that if I was out of control, my class would be out of control. Oh, this also works for parents. Here's your strategy.
Calm is contagious, silence is powerful. (My students learned when I was the quietest they were in the most trouble.)
- The most powerful thing you can do is remain silent. When challenged, try not to say anything.
- Turn to the side and model cognition.
- If you respond, you are taking the bait and climbing the stairs to an unbearable limit, where you lose it. Don't dance with them.
During the silence, be thinking about what you are going to say.
- What limit are you going to set? Be clear, concise, and make sure your response is easy to understand and enforceable.
- Make sure it is also proportional and reasonable.
Never say something to a child you can't pull off.
- The consequence should make sense and be related. When kids can see the validity and fairness, they respect you more.
Wait Time
- Try to allow 3 seconds of wait time, to allow kids processing time.
Personal Space
- Always make sure you keep 1 1/2 - 3 feet of space between you and another human being.
There you have it. It takes some practice and I promise you will have those students who test you more than once. Once they get the idea you're not going to go there with them, they are easier to work with and everyone is calm - you especially!
That's it for this post. I'm still trying to decide where I want to start on the core standards and lesson plans. Until next time, enjoy those fabulous teaching moments.
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