At our
school, we have school-wide expectations as well as classroom
expectations. The one trait that they
have in common is effort. We have three
levels of effort that we report using bimonthly progress reports that go home
to parents. Level 0 is no effort at
all. Level 1 shows minimal effort to
accomplish requirements and level 2 is when a student consistently goes beyond
the minimal requirement and surpasses what is expected. The
book, Using Technology with Classroom
Instruction that Works, introduced me to an idea of using spreadsheet software
so students can measure their own efforts in different classroom categories. Students have different beliefs as to why
they are successful or why others are more successful than they. By using this spreadsheet, students “can
change their beliefs and make connections between effort and achievement” (Pitler, Hubbell, Kuhn, & Malenoski, 2007). This activity will make a concrete connection
so that id students can see it for themselves, and then the effort will
increase. I have a quote displayed in my
room that says “Failing is not an option and there are no excuses.” The lack of effort is an option that usually
coincides with an excuse. I tell my students
from the first day of school that this is unacceptable in my classroom. Just telling them is not enough
sometimes. I think the spreadsheet idea
is a tool I will implement right away!
References
Palter, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malinowski, K. (2007).
Using Technology with Classroom
Instruction that Works. Denver: McREL.
Standridge, M..
(2002). Behaviorism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on
learning, teaching,
and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/
I agree that is it getting harder each year to teach what I need to be taught, due to the lack of appropriate behavior in the classroom. Having my students come from a poorer area, they are not as prepared for appropriate classroom behavior and often times parents are not supportive. My students do not respond to negative yelling, screaming, or any other negative attention. They receive the same attention at home and phase out the negativity. In my classroom, I try to find the root of the behavior problem. Often times the students parents wonder if it is an attention problem and can be fixed with medicine. I try to look into other aspects of the student’s life that could be hindering their education; what time they go to bed, their diet, their ability level, and their family support. Often times I try to reinforce the student’s good behavior, because that is what the student responds to. I have found that by focusing on the student’s good behavior, they like the praise so much, that they continue that behavior to please me and get the attention they crave.
ReplyDeleteGetting to the root of the behavior is what we are encouraged to do by getting to know our kids. I agree with you that there are so many aspects that can hinder their learning. As much as I can, I reinforce and praise good behavior.
DeleteP.S. You forgot to mention one major aspect of undesired behavior...a full moon!
Deborah, our district is also specifically targeting effort and perseverance to the point that it is even being looked for during our teacher evaluations. I can't imagine being the kind of teacher who would deliberately tell a student that they couldn't do something because they were not smart enough yet have heard some teachers talk to kids that way. I am no Polly Anna. I call it how I see it but I also am aware that if I want this student to learn something specifically or behave in a specific manner than it is up to me to make that clear to them. We can't undo the home lives that some of these kids have but inherent in all of us is the ability to adjust our behavior according to our situation. After all we are not going to act the same way around a bear as we are around a bunny. If I explicitly express an expectation and reinforce it most students will alter their behavior even if only in my class room. that is where a school wide program helps. If students hear it from all sides then some behaviors rise to the top as being the most important for students to implement. It never ceases to amaze me at how a child's demeanor changes if they feel respected and accepted. Just curious, do you ever allow the student to determine what they think would be a logical consequence for an inappropriate behavior? Would this be a way to empower the child in altering their behavior in such a way as to be the most effective and attainable? It sounds like you adjust and flex with your students very well.
ReplyDeleteSo true! I hear many parents ask during a very positive conference if I am talking about the right child because they do not behave that way at home. My response has to be delicate when I explain that I have very high expectations in all areas for every student.
DeleteCertain undesirable actions have definite consequences but we use a "Stop & Think" sheet for those behaviors that are repeated. The student fills out a section that describes what happened or what their behavior was. The next section, I fill out with the student states what the desirable behavior should have been. The last section the student describes what consequence would be fair. Many times they are much harder on themselves than I would have been. I fill out the consequence section with them with my decision to either take their consequence or my modified one. It is signed by the student, me and taken home for the parent to sign. I don't write many of these so I think it is very effective.