The Teachers Are Missing

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Sheryl McBride

I was called to substitute for two or three weeks. When I read the assignment there was no teacher’s name. I was told to report on Monday.  When I got to the school the secretary told me to choose a class. I chose a class I had subbed in before. Both teachers I had worked with were gone suspiciously. When I asked why, Jim Rohn’s words echoed in my head. Don’t take that class (the class that teaches why something happens). Sometimes things just happen.  That’s life.

My next challenge was to find out what the students were learning, what they had already been taught and what they had left to learn.  We have very stringent rules in Arizona as to what needs to be taught for each grade level. They are called Arizona State Standards.

Since I was left lesson plans fulfilled, I was scrounging around the room to find out what to teach the students next. In my master’s program for Curriculum Instruction, I discovered that certain things needed to be done every day.  Especially with special needs students. For example, Math fact drills or practice needs to be a part of every lesson. Writing samples need to be taken every lesson. Reading fluency practice daily is a must. Based on those teachings, I incorporate them in my lesson plans each time I need to set up a curriculum.

For classroom management reasons, bell work is necessary to get the class started and the students focused as they come into the room. I discovered a box full of discarded papers. As I sifted through them I successfully found some treasures.  I found worksheets to be used for quick review for math and language (bell work). I also found several pages of math that could be used for the quick finishers in Math class. I was pleased to find these aides especially since I did not have the code for the copy machine this time. I also was not finding the necessary resources I needed to build my lessons.

My next step in the plan is to contact the specialists and other regular education teachers to find some resources to teach what has to be taught until the new teachers are hired. I firmly believe that a strict schedule daily helps students feel secure and less likely to misbehave. Losing a teacher mid quarter has been traumatic. Keeping the students focused on work they can do will help the transition from their wonderful teacher to the new teacher go smoothly?

Already I have seen improvement in behavior with the positive point system and the reward of free time after the students have worked hard during class. Keeping track of the work the students do will also help the new teacher when grades are due. This will help the students feel their time is not being wasted. They will be getting credit for their efforts during this transition. They will be taking the acuity testing on schedule which will provide the valuable information needed to mark their progress on their Individual Educational Plan goals.

Making this time count during the transition between teachers in this third quarter of school is very important. The students are in good hands. I am thankful for supportive staff and administration in this transition between teachers. Working together we will make the most of this time.

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Posted on December 30, 2011 by Jared

In the oxford online dictionary, discipline is defined as:

noun

  1. [mass noun] the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience: a lack of proper parental and school discipline
    1. the controlled behaviour resulting from such training: he was able to maintain discipline among his men
    2. activity that provides mental or physical training: the tariqa offered spiritual discipline[count noun]:Kung fu is a discipline open to old and young
  2. [count noun] a system of rules of conduct: he doesn’t have to submit to normal disciplines
  3. a branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education: sociology is a fairly new discipline

verb

  1. [with object] train (someone) to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience: many parents have been afraid to discipline their children.
  2. punish or rebuke formally for an offence: a member of staff was to be disciplined by management
  3. (discipline oneself to do something) train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way: every month discipline yourself to go through the file (dicipline, 2011)

The main ideal behind discipline is the correction of bad behavior.  Often in people’s minds, this takes the form of an application of that most undesirable as a result of bad behavior.  The hope is that the person disciplined this way will learn to associate the undesirable result to the transgression that caused it. Thus, as a whole, the transgression in question becomes much less desirable.   In too many instances, however, that discipline takes the form of inflicting some sort of pain and suffering to the delinquent.  Such need not always be the case.   Examining the word, we recognize its relation to the word disciple, which means follower, someone who follows.  Discipline could also take the form of us leading our students.  And so, one of my favorite definitions of discipline can be thus expressed:

Students and teachers working together to create a learning environment (Burr, 2011).

This is an integral part of a democratic classroom, giving the students a bit of the responsibility to behave in a way that is conducive to maintenances of their learning environment.

Roles of Rules

Rules are to communicate expectations for appropriate behavior in the class room (Emmer E. T., p. 19). They allow students to get an idea about the standard of conduct in the classroom.  Rules also serve to apprise the students of acceptable behavior.  All of these aspects of rules contribute to the prevention of behavior that may compromise an ideal learning environment.  And so sometimes what is needed is for the students to understand how they are expected to act.  I look at myself and admit that in general I have no issues with following classroom rules, but if those expectations were removed my behavior would slide into a more self-serving manner, one less informed in and concerned with my role in promoting an effective learning environment.

Guidelines of establishing rules

The rules cannot be overwhelming; there should be about three to five rules.  These rules should be specific and should be expressed in a way that is positive.  For example, rather ten have the rule say, “Don’t be late” the same thing may be accomplished by saying instead, “Be prompt” or “Be on time” (Burr, 2011).

Make sure that you give students a clear understanding of the rules and why they are in place.  Something that will aid in this is to have the students take part in making rules.  This practice promotes student ownership of the rule and provides a deeper sense of responsibility on the part of the student.

Purpose of procedures:

Activities that occur frequently can become rituals and rituals can be bonding (Burr, 2011). These help the students to feel more comfortable and safe. So, it is important that certain routines be in place.  It is a good idea for the teacher to put the schedule on the board. At the beginning of class, some things that could become routinized to great success include having a bell ringer or handing in and handing back papers.  Another sort of routine could be preparing for a task: get out pencils and scratch paper and get in to your groups.  Routinizing transitions help them to go quicker and with less deviation for the subject matter. Thus, the time spent in the classroom can be used more effectively.  It is procedures that support these routines.

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Understanding Why Students Misbehave

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Jared

The highest of the needs include virtue, significance, and fun.  Fun is very important, but what most students don’t realize is that the quality fun does not come cheap.  I think about what Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “It takes hard work to find good entertainment.” We need to be mindful that there is genuine fun found in the subject matter especially in the subject of math. But it doesn’t come cheap; it takes work before we begin to appreciate it.  Significance can also be a result of a democratic classroom.  As we give them responsibilities not only do they feel significant because of the trust we have in them, but they will also feel significant intrinsically because they rise to the occasion that is now before them. Also, as they learn the subject matter well and begin to have a command of the subject, we can help them to become more aware of their accomplishment.  And such awareness will instill in them a deeper sense of significance.  A group of people governed by virtue is a very safe place to be. The ideals of a democratic class room will foster in the students the need for virtue.  The first group of needs includes food, sleep, and safety.  Food is very important, and the government recognizes that.  There is an option for families that are unable to afford food for their children at lunch time.  Some families that are not well-off may qualify for free or reduced lunch.  As a student here in college, I have learned to really appreciate sleep as well as feel the effects of a lack of sleep.  It can be very hard to stay awake during class or during church.  We should be mindful that poor situations at home can make it so that children in our class simply can’t get enough sleep (i.e. they have to work late, or parents watch TV or have company all night), so it is important that we are mindful of the possibility of these situations. The final need in this group is security.  This comes in two forms physical and emotional. Physical security is already fairly well protected in most schools by law.  It is illegal for kids to bring guns or bombs or knives to school, and there are security guards that enforce that.  Emotional security is not so well protected by law; that is up to us.  It is important that we as teachers create an environment of mutual respect and kindness.  In a math class it is important that all the students feel comfortable sharing and discussing their mathematics.  We need to let the students know that there are many things that we can say and do in the classroom, but putting people down is not one of them.  The teacher should be the example of this; the teacher should never, ever say anything with the intent of belittling the student.  No joke at the expense of a student should ever be made or even laughed at by the teacher.  The key to understanding why students misbehave is in understanding the needs of the students. Every student has the same basic needs, but all of those needs seem to be meeting very differently.

The next block of needs is love, belonging, and peer approval.  I think Mr. Rogers said it best when he said, “Children long to be cherished.” As we develop a Christ-like love for everyone the students will be able to recognize and feel that love. Sometimes students just want to know that someone cares about them.  They want someone to ask “What’s wrong?” or “You look a little down. Is everything all right?” Sometimes students will misbehave so that you will show that you care about them enough to respond to their misbehavior. By getting into the habit of showing students that we care, we can shorten that process. When I think of belonging, I think of the theme music to Cheers.  Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name. We can create that sense of belonging as we help the students to become part of a community.  As we make them feel that their voice matters and is heard, that their ideas are valued, and that their unique background and circumstances provide an important perspective in the classroom, they will feel an increased sense of belonging.  After all variety is the spice of life.  Peer approval is something that is ultimately up to the peers.

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A Democratic Classroom

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Jared

Definition: Democratic Classroom

A democratic classroom is a classroom in which the students have responsibilities for their own learning and for the welfare of class as a whole. In a democratic classroom, all the students share responsibility for each other’s success.  It may be thought of as a team whose goal is to understand more about the material offered in the class.  As such, they recognize the benefit and utility that other students have for their personal success.  they likewise recognize their own roll in helping other students learn.  This automatically (though it is difficult to build) provides each student with a niche in the classroom.

It also makes sense, when we give the students such a responsibility in the learning of themselves and their peers, that they take part in the decision-making of the classroom. This includes students having a say in the discipline of the classroom.  These further responsibilities afford students with a share of ownership in the rules and consequences in the classroom. This in itself can be unifying for the class. Students also have a deeper understanding of the rules and, more importantly, the purpose for them.

Creating a Democratic Classroom

Creating such a classroom is not easy; it takes diligence.  It decays when unchecked much more quickly than it takes to build. It is important to start as soon as possible.  One important thing to do is to strive to learn everyone’s name.  The the students need room to grow, it is important to treat the class as a democratic classroom.  This takes faith at first but in time they will raise to your reasonable expectations.

One very practical way to start is by giving the students a say in the goings on of the class – a class motto, for instance, or a class name.

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Teaching Students with Dyslexia, Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

Working with students having dyslexia, asperger’s syndrome and autism have one similarity. Although each student is different it has been my experience that expecting the student to follow the rules of the class was a must. Each student is different even when they have the same disability. Learning about the disability is very helpful in helping to work with each child. Textbook learning and even personal experience does not prepare a teacher for the unique behaviors that accompany these disabilities. My experience is that working with the student along with staying up with new developments and findings in the research of the disabilities is the best way to make the student’s learning experience positive.

  1. Dyslexia has been my disability of choice to research as I have struggled with this myself. My boys have also struggled; however, we have all succeeded in graduating from higher education classes and earned degrees. We have all used coping skills to accomplish the requirements of the classes. Some of the symptoms we have noticed were inattention while reading. I found it very hard to focus on reading when there was noise around me. I have been sensitive to the students to keep the environment quiet while they are reading. I have also noticed when my students and I want to write something it didn’t always come out the way we planned. We would think a letter or number and write something else. When we were aware of this symptom, we just laughed and corrected the error.  Often it would take two or three corrections. Something else we noticed was that students with dyslexia knew the right answers; it just took them longer to process the information and provide the evidence. This would prove very frustrating for some teachers that wanted the answers right away. In class testing for students in reading, writing and calculating will be more successful if processing time is given.
  2. Asperger’s Syndrome has been an interesting disability to work with. The main symptom I have noticed is the student’s inability to socialize with the other students. My students have had a hard time reading body language, or social cues. They avoid eye contact and may stare at others making the other student feel uncomfortable. They may not understand a joke and may take a sarcastic comment or an idiom literally. They also struggle with changes in the routine. They may talk a lot about a favorite topic and one sided conversations were prevalent. I had one girl in my middle school class that had a very hard time working with the other students because she couldn’t communicate with them.  She kept getting her feelings hurt and saying things that showed a lack of empathy to her fellow classmates. For a while the other students just avoided interaction with her altogether to keep peace in the classroom. She eventually found a girl friend that was very tolerant of her behavior and they worked together on assignments. This friend often was the peacemaker in the classroom between the girl with asperger’s and the other students.
  3. Autism is another interesting disability. Of all the students I have worked with this has proved the most enticing challenge. The students have all had a strong sensitivity to loud noises so warning them about a fire drill was a must. They also struggled with changes in the daily routine. I had one student that would help keep us all on the time schedule because it was so important to him. Communication was hard both verbal and nonverbal. After three years of loving guidance and patience our sixth grader finally started to give us eye contact when we spoke.  By this time he was also speaking in front of the class to do his required presentations. I heard later that he was doing very well in Jr. High. It was fascinating to watch his progress through the years.  It was exciting to see his rise in achievement as he developed his social and communication skills.

Working with students with dyslexia, asperger’s syndrome and autism has been a great education. In my classes the successes out weigh the failures. These students had their struggles; however, as we worked together and applied what we learned from experience and research we had positive learning experiences.

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Three Ways Students Help Students

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

Often in the special needs classes there are opportunities for regular education students to help special needs students. They can read to the students, help them when they join the regular class in specials, or just be there for them.

  1. Reading buddies is a common practice in some schools.  Fourth, fifth and sixth graders often have a reading buddy in the first, second or third grade class. They have a designated time each month when they get together to read to each other. Sometimes students gifted or not, regularly finish work correctly and early. Often teachers will allow these students to go to a special needs classroom to help the students and teachers. I was recently in a severe mental disability classroom and noticed students coming in at different times during the day to help with the class. Several students came in the day I was there to play a card game that included reading with the students.  They each chose a student to help. The special needs students were placed in bean bag chairs or directly on the mat so they could be closer to the students helping. I also noticed some high school students volunteering to help others in the class with word problems in math. I have often encouraged my students, struggling with behavior, to spend their time helping other students when they finish early. That keeps them on task and they have success managing their own behavior.
  2. Helping students during special classes such as music, art and physical education is very beneficial. Usually special needs students join a regular class during specials. They have instructional assistants that come in with them, however, often I have seen students move over next to them to befriend and support them in the music and PE activities. In art classes students are often willing to help with fine motor activities that are difficult for the disabled one. This type of help has sometimes been a reward for my students on a behavior plan. When they are helping others they rarely misbehave. They worked hard to earn this opportunity by making good choices. In these cases, their reward benefits both students; the one being helped and the one helping.
  3. Just being there for the students can help greatly. I was recently in another severe mental disability classroom and a girl came in and broke up a sandwich for another student so she could eat it easier.  She also encouraged the girl to eat her lunch. This was a great help since the aides were working with other students at the time. Later, the class was watching a movie and this girl sat next to a student to calm her while the aides worked with a student having a seizure. Often students will help in the office or in a special needs classroom during a class period.  Having this peer support helps the students and staff.

Students helping students by reading to them, helping them during specials and just being there for them has enhanced learning in my classroom. Working together makes learning more fun.  It also lets the students learn to serve. I believe when students are ready to help, I need to find something for them to do.  Usually that can be helping another student.

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Three Things to Write

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

As teachers we have standards to teach writing. Three things to write are letters, personal narratives, and poetry. Getting students to write and meet the standards is sometimes a challenge.

  1. Writing letters can be fun with the right prompts. Often teachers have students write letters to the President of theUnited States, when they are studying the presidents. Sometimes they just have them write him when they have a question or an opinion. What joy I saw on their faces when the president sent the class an eight by ten glossy picture. Sometimes teachers have students write a sports star or athlete. I have been tickled to see the promotional stuff the students received from their athlete. Letters to Santa are usually a great way to get students writing. Getting students to write thank you notes to someone who came to visit the class or the teacher that was missed are also easy to inspire letter writing. Some teachers get students to write pen pals from a different country. Some teachers label this Flat Stanley. These experiences can turn into fun projects with the rough drafts, final copies and the responses.
  2. Personal narratives are one of the easiest ways to get writing started. Giving the students a prompt to tell about one of their favorite Christmas experiences or one of their most embarrassing experiences usually gets them thinking.  I love personal narratives because I get to write about me.  The students rebel less when they get to write about themselves. It’s something they know.  I always seem to get the students that say I don’t have any embarrassing experiences or a favorite Christmas experience.  Then I respond by having them make one up or we think of some other experience they had to write about. A great time to have students write their experience is; after a field trip or special project.  I love to include writing as part of their score for the project. Along with a presentation, they have to write a short narrative of their experience doing the project.
  3. Poetry is my personal preference.  Not everyone likes to read or write poetry, however, figurative language is part of the standard requirements. I have been saved many times in this area since there are so many types of poetry that one usually strikes a chord with the students. My favorite poetry project in the poetry quilt. This is usually the culminating activity of our poetry unit. We choose one of the student’s shape poems to put on a quilt block.  The blocks are sewn together to make a quilt top. The quilt is then put together, tied and donated to a crisis center or a shelter for the homeless. Each time my students make a poetry book or do a poetry unit, I usually write a limerick for each student. I have quite a collection and the students love to help me make their poem. I love the beaming faces as the students point out their quilt block or limerick on the poetry quilt. One year we published the shape poems and limericks in a hard bound class book.

It’s amazing to me that students that don’t like to write can get excited about writing when thought and effort is put into their assignments. Getting students to write letters, personal narratives and poetry can turn into experiences they remember for a lifetime. Writing is such an important skill.  It can be very frustrating to meet state standards when you struggle with writing. Having fun experiences as you learn to write will make this mandatory experience easier.

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Three ScentsThat Stimulate the Brain

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

Three scents that stimulate the brain are mint, cinnamon and rosemary. I have found using these scents in my classroom as aroma therapy has worked wonders with getting students to focus.

1. Using mint candy during testing has helped my students two ways. They are usually quiet when their mouth is busy and the peppermint stimulates them to stay awake and focus on the work to be done. Each week I do a two hour session at the temple. Often by the time I get there I am ready for a nap. Since I am serving for someone else when I do proxy work, it is very important that I focus and stay awake. I keep a mint in my pocket to pop in my mouth when I get drowsy.  In most instances, it helps me to stay alert and focus on the information being presented.  I have also used this practice in seminars and classes. I would guess it would also help on long drives when you need to stay awake as the driver. Remember there are different types of mint, i.e. spearmint and peppermint. I used to love going out the back door of our house inIllinoisbecause we had peppermint growing by the porch steps. I prefer the spearmint to peppermint sometimes, since it is not so strong.  It seems to work the same in alerting my brain. Especially with my students with Autism, they seem to be very sense oriented. Loud noises upset them as well as strong fragrances or tastes. Spearmint seems to be more tolerable to my students than peppermint.

2. Cinnamon has also been a choice to wake up the brain. When there is a cinnamon scent in the room the students seem to perk up.  They walk in happy and get to work. Once I asked my principal if I needed to stop the aroma therapy and he said, “Don’t change a thing. It smells like Hallmark in here.” My mother used to use cinnamon candies to keep her awake when she worked the night shift. With the love for hot stuff my students have, cinnamon may be a nice change from peppermint when we need one. I remember walking into a store and getting the scent of cinnamon off the logs at certain times of the year. It brightens my day.

3. Rosemary increases alertness and strengthens memory.  It acts as a brain tonic. It also works as an antidepressant and stress reliever. At blessedmaineherbs.com, Gail Faith Edwards backed up my suspicions that rosemary was also beneficial to increasing alertness. I have a friend that had rosemary outside her front door. Every time I went to visit her I was blessed by the fragrance.  When I was feeling congested I would carry a sprig of rosemary around to clear my sinuses. I had some rosemary on my desk; the students noticed and asked what it was. They also benefited from having it in the classroom. Now I find out that it strengthens memory along with increasing alertness. My friend and I would chew on the tiny leaves to give us a boost.

 

Mint, cinnamon and rosemary have proven to be aroma therapy that stimulates brain function, cuts down test anxiety and enhances learning. I’m not guaranteeing that using these scents in the room will increase test scores; however, they have helped to keep my students alert and focused on their testing. Robyn McMaster, PhD., has a great site on brain research. She also backed up some of my ideas about peppermint and cinnamon helping to stimulate learning.

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Three Ways to Show Appreciation

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

Especially at this time of year we think about giving thanks. Thanks can be given all year long. We can show appreciation by saying, “Thank you.” Giving an incentive such as a sticker, a McBride buck or an award can also do the job. Sometimes a smile, a nod or a hug can show you appreciate what someone has done.

  1. “Thank you.” Can be said or written in a note. When someone gives us something in person, we can give thanks right then and there.  If we are given a gift through the mail or it is left on our desk, we can write a note or make a phone call. Perhaps, we can find the person who gave it and thank them in person. When someone does something kind we can thank them verbally at the time. A simple thank you for an unexpected or even unneeded gift brings joy to the giver and the receiver.
  2. Incentives can show our thanks when given at the right time. When I subbed, I put a card on each desk.  When I noticed a student working quietly, I would give them a sticker and say, “Thank you for working quietly.” When I worked in groups at a table, I would give McBride bucks when I saw appropriate behavior. There are lots of incentives to choose from that are already published. We can find the ones we like and use them in our classes. Awards also fall into this area of appreciation. These can be purchased, hand made and found online to print off. These awards of appreciation range from certificates, ribbons to plaques or gift cards. Stamps can also be used in appreciation of a job well done. I loved the reactions from the teachers when I put mints with a note of thanks in their mail boxes. The smiles on their faces when I shared roses or simmer scents were priceless.
  3. Less tangible shows of appreciation are a smile, a nod or a hug.  Perhaps a pat on the back or a high five will do the trick. When we are noticing what others are doing well, these signs of appreciation come naturally. It’s always important to show you care enough to notice something done well. Rewarding good choices encourages good behavior.

The time and effort to show appreciation is well worth what ever it takes. Showing appreciation with words, incentives or less tangible methods is always rewarding. When done sincerely and at the right time it brings joy to both people involved.

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Five Ideas To Make Transitions Go Smoothly

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Sheryl McBride

Bellwork, advance notice, schedule posted, focus activities, and stretch breaks will make transitions smooth instead of hectic. I have had success using these ideas with my students.

1. Bell work.Bellwork is a great transition from coming in, to getting the class started.  Putting an assignment on the board or a worksheet on their table or desk to start when they get to the group or class can be called bell work. When in a resource setting where students move from table to table instead of room to room, having a bell work type assignment built into the class works well.

2. Give advance notice or five minute warning before the change. A very important thing to remember is to always give a heads up first. Even when my boys were very young, I learned to let them know they had five minutes to do the last thing before we went home or on to another activity.  This habit has proved very beneficial in the classroom. Some teachers put a timer under the Document camera.  Let the students know what is expected.

3. Have the schedule posted with times. Letting the students know the schedule on the board also helps. My students with Autism appreciated the times included in the schedule.  They would often remind me when the next activity was coming up.  That would help me remember to give the five minute notice before the transition. Especially with special needs students, a consistent schedule is a must.  The structure makes them feel safe. I keep the schedule going from the first day to the last day of school.  Before breaks and the week before school ends the activities are a little more fun, however, we are still reading, writing, spelling and doing language activities.

4. Keeping students focused on activities during transitions. When changing rooms or taking a restroom break, practicing math facts or spelling words helped the students focus and control their actions.  This activity has proven successful in almost every instance. Even when I didn’t know the group the students were pleased to show their expertise in math facts and spelling.

5. Students need to move every fifteen to thirty minutes. Students need to move around, i.e. change tables, stand and stretch, change rooms, etc. It is important to include these transitions in the schedule.  Sometimes, students are in need of a stretch break during a lesson.  At times I would notice that the students were losing interest, too excited to work (This happens around holiday time, or right before breaks.) so I would have them stand up and stretch or do a fun song with them. Even the older students (and adults) need an unplanned break sometimes. Good teachers notice the need and make that happen.  It usually helps the students to focus and stay on task until the lesson is officially over. My students were easily distracted during the transition.  Once I had a group of sixth graders that stayed at the same table instead of moving.  They changed subjects however, because of the crowded situation and the rotation of the groups; they were stuck, so to speak at that table. The group was so big we needed two horseshoe tables to accommodate the group. I would have the students stand and stretch while the fourth and fifth grade students move tables around them. Having a balloon to volley back and forth across the tables worked well.  Also, having the students take turns coaching the rest of the group on which stretching activity they were to do next, worked well also.

I’ve been thinking about transitions. In my experience bell work, advance notice, schedule posted, focus activities, and stretch breaks have made transitions go more smoothly for my classes.

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