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Building Bridges. Don Parker
Читать онлайн.Название Building Bridges
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781947604360
Автор произведения Don Parker
Жанр Учебная литература
Издательство Ingram
Eddie clearly was telling me that the school had failed in showing that we cared and failed at creating a warm and caring environment to produce student achievement.
“What can we do to change this, and how can I motivate you and other kids like you to get back on track?” I asked Eddie. “How can I send this message when I talk to the students?”
“When you talk to us, you have to say something we can feel in our heart,” he replied. “Talk to us about how you understand us. It’s good to tell us the rules and stuff, but let us know that if we work hard we’ll be rewarded. You have to let us know that you care.”
Eddie let me know in an authentic way that there was a lot of work that needed to be done to improve the school’s climate and show students that we really cared about them. As one of the school leaders, I felt responsible for Eddie’s failure. I asked myself, “How could he be doing so good at one school and then transfer here and struggle so much?” At this time, in addition to having some family problems, Eddie unfortunately was a victim of a poor school climate. The instability, lack of direction, insufficient motivation of staff, and lack of support at the school all contributed to Eddie feeling the way he did.
The correlations between school factors and Eddie’s situation were glaring. The school environment was unstable, and so was he. The school did not have a clear vision, and Eddie did not have a vision for where he wanted his life to go. His teachers were not motivated to find ways to help him achieve academic success, and Eddie was not motivated to work hard. Lastly, Eddie did not have sufficient support at school, nor could he support himself or find support outside of school.
I made it a point to take Eddie under my wing and establish a relationship with him to provide him with the support that he needed. I was also better prepared to connect with the students during our grade-level meetings when we returned to school after Christmas break. Eddie’s sentiments clearly expressed a few observations that I also had made about the school at the time, and he drove the point home. Hearing it from a student confirmed that there was a critical need to create a positive school climate. Eddie took down his wall for a moment, and the entire school benefited. Taking this walk with Eddie showed how beneficial it is to show students we care and illustrated for me a stark need to address the climate of the school by establishing a culture for learning, which I address in the next chapter.
Use the following four questions to reflect on what you have learned in this chapter. You may choose to journal about them or discuss them with a partner or small group to gain further insights.
1. Do your students perceive you to be warm and caring? How do you know?
2. What teacher behaviors from the research shared in this chapter can you begin to implement that may lead students to perceive you as warm and caring?
3. What are two or three aspects of your school’s environment that may need to be improved to promote a warm and caring atmosphere?
4. Think of a student who reminds you of Eddie. What are several statements you can make to him or her several times a day for several days in a row to make him or her feel welcome and cared about?
Following are four action steps you can take right now to apply what you have learned and help students at risk in your classroom.
1. Empower your students and value their thoughts and opinions. Put students into groups and ask your students to share their opinions or ideas about social justice, school rules, or discipline policies. Guide a discussion on what fairness and equity look like to them. Have each group make a list of ways it can be established and maintained in your class or within the school.
2. Use specific words, actions, and gestures that have helped you connect with your students in the past. Be cognizant of the reinforcing qualities of touch and use the level that works for your students. For example, you can give students a pat on the back or shoulder or touch them gently on the arm. Ask students what names they would like for you to use when referring to them. Find out how students would like you to redirect them when necessary. Your students’ responses to these inquiries may surprise you.
3. When planning your next unit, build in time to conduct morning meetings or circle time.
4. Have students complete the reproducible “Student Questionnaire” so you can learn more about them.
Student Questionnaire
Answer the following questions to help your teacher learn more about you.
1. What name do you want me to call you this school year?
2. Please list a couple of hobbies or interests you have.
A.
B.
3. Which of the following best describes the way you learn?
A. Kinesthetic (doing hands-on activities)
B. Auditory (listening)
C. Visual (observing)
D. Group learning
E. Independent learning
F. Note taking
4. What kind of support do you need to be successful in this class?
5. What life experiences have you had that shape your perception of this world?
6. Write down the names of two of your role models and an important life lesson you have learned from each of them.
7. What in this class do you look forward to learning the most?
8. What is more beneficial to you? A teacher who:
A. Is warm and caring
B. Pushes and challenges you
C. Both
Building Bridges © 2019 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/behavior to download this free reproducible.
{ CHAPTER 3 }
Establish a Culture for Learning
Schools with a strong culture for learning communicate high expectations for all students. According to Barth (2002), school culture is:
A complex pattern of norms, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, values, ceremonies, traditions, and myths that are deeply ingrained in the very core of the organization. It is the historically transmitted pattern of meaning that wields astonishing power in shaping what people think and how they act. (p. 7)
The message communicated to students, regardless of the many issues and social problems that they have, must be, “We are glad you are here, we care about you, and you are here to achieve!” There are a myriad of barriers to student achievement, well-being, and success that go above and beyond traditional instructional and assessment concerns (DeWitt & Slade, 2014). A sense of caring and a culture for learning must be two of any school’s main pillars if that school is to sustain a positive climate and a strong learning environment.
Establishing a culture for learning refers to the educational importance of the work that both the students and the teachers perform. In classrooms where there is a robust culture for learning, all students receive the message that even though the work may be challenging, they are capable of success (Danielson, 2011). This culture is not only important for individual teachers