Introduction:
Classrooms are extremely busy places, where the demands of
students, administration, curriculum, accountability, and countless other daily
realities pull the educator in multiple directions simultaneously. In such an atmosphere,
it is easy to understand how classroom teachers are often just trying to keep
their heads above water as students move in and out of the classroom. Yet, it
is in this atmosphere that educators have a wonderful opportunity to directly
impact their environment, the lives or their students, and the achievement
levels of their students (Allday
& Pakurar, 2007).
What is the key to such dramatic changes and impacts to the
learning atmosphere? Quite simply that the teacher takes the time to
appropriately greet each student as they enter their classroom. Experience has
taught me over time, and research would support that contention that taking the
time to warmly and personally greet a student as they enter the learning
environment has wide ranging benefits that more than make up for the time
needed to do so.
The Importance
& Elements of Greeting:
First, greeting another person establishes or renews the
relationship between two individuals. Personal contact is made between two
individuals and communication begins. Such connection directly set the tone for
what follows (Phro, 2013). From
personal experience, when I take the time to meet my students at the door, and
make that first connection, I see a dramatic change in their affect. Rather
than drifting in unnoticed into the room, perhaps sad or troubled, maybe
uninspired or tired. I have instead let them know, that I personally am glad
that they are part of the learning community that day, and that I am very aware
of their presence in my room.
 joy105.com
Just greeting a student at the door is not enough. There are
several key elements that make for an effective greeting. First, focus on the
individual for that moment. Don’t worry about the problems of the previous day,
don’t focus on the lesson ahead, or the tasks that you have for them. Rather,
simply let them know that you are glad that it is them who is entering your
room at that moment. Greetings should meet the learner at their point of need. They
should be warm and positive, but if a student is troubled, or down, such a
greeting might be inappropriate. Instead, greeting these students with a more
subdued, if no less sincere greeting might be appropriate. Next, make sure to
smile and show them through your body language and eye contact that they are
welcomed. Use names and personalize greetings with information, questions,
small talk that speak to their interests, passions, etc. Most of all be
genuine. Find something to celebrate about each student, especially those who
might be the most challenging to celebrate (Needleman, 2008; Retail
Wise USA, 2014; Wilhelm,
n.d.).
 teacherhacks.net
When the greetings have concluded, students should enter an
environment which immediately engages them. There should be a transition
activity or prompt in place that serves multiple purposes. It should engage
them immediately in the lesson/topic of the day. This will set the tone for a
productive and engaging learning experience. It will also establish the
expectation that focus and productivity is valued and expected in the
classroom. Such an activity will also eliminate potential down time when so many problems begin. Such
practices of course take time and practice to establish the expectations and
routine. Once established though students will naturally expect to engage when
entering the classroom. When such routines are established and practiced the
teacher is freed to attend to other needs in the classroom which must be
addressed, while the students are engaged in preparations for the lesson and
work to come (Allday & Pakurar,
2007; Needleman, M., 2008).
YouTube link...90-second Greeting Rule
Conclusion:
For classroom teachers to engage in such greeting routines, it take time and practice to build capacity. First, teachers must take the
time to be prepared before the students enter the classroom. None of this will
work if teachers are throwing together the lesson for the day in the moment.
Rushing around trying to gather needed supplies, or making copies while the
students are entering the learning environment creates a vacuum which students of all ages will happily fill as they see fit. In
addition, teachers must mindfully put themselves in the place where they move
to engage students even at those times when they might not have the emotional
or physical capacity to do so. Students feed off of their environment, and
unhappy or distracted teachers send clear, if unintended messages to students
that seldom lead to positive results.
Greeting students seems like such a little thing in the course of a day.
Yet, people are social beings who need relationship and reflect the
environments in which they operate. Taking the time, and expending the capital
needed to proactively and mindfully prepare the classroom greeting and transition processes pays huge rewards on numerous fronts.
Students who feel welcomed, valued, and engaged will respond in kind, and be
more likely to achieve academically. Educators who invest in this simple
practice will reap the benefits of such best practices, those who don’t…
Well that’s fodder for another article.
References
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Saturday, March 25, 2017
You Had Me at Hello - The Importance of Greeting to a Relationship
Monday, March 20, 2017
The Professional and Practical Purposes For Classroom Management
Managing the Classroom:
A Professional and Practical Responsibility
Introduction:
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| Pintrest.com |
For educators an aspect
of the classroom which is of concern and often frustration relates to
management of the classroom. Much time and energy is devoted to the careful
crafting of lesson plans, curriculum, and learning materials. Often when need
arises and driven by circumstances classroom teachers will engage in
considering actions and reactions related to the realities of managing their
classroom environments.
It has long been my contention
that healthy, happy, and productive learning environments don’t happen by
accident. Rather as with so many other endeavors in life, productive classroom
come about as a result of long, hard, at times tedious planning and
preparations that sets the stage for professional success and student
achievement. What follows are a number of areas/points of consideration that
thoughtful educators might well consider when looking to effectively manage
their classroom environments.
Points to Consider:
An important starting
point is the reality that when the teacher doesn’t provide structure and define
expectations and practices in the classroom the students will fill the vacuum
establishing their own interpretation of what they would like the classroom
structure and culture to be. As a professional the teacher must clearly identify
the goals and visions necessary for their programs and curriculum to be
successfully engaged with by their students. It is incumbent on the educator to
consider the wide range of goals, conditions, and variables which exist in
their environments as they develop their classroom model and methodology. Such
considerations speak to the ability of the teacher to enjoy professional
success and personal satisfaction in a field of work which can be very
challenging in today’s climate (Ediger, 2013).
The following represent
several areas of consideration which teachers might be well served to consider
as they consider their pedagogical practices.
1) First, develop well planned and structured
lesson plans and practices which
are designed with the specific classroom,
curriculum, and student population and needs in mind. Lessons must be well
paced, continually moving forward maintaining student interest. Having
materials and curriculum prepared and ready for use is essential. Throwing
lessons together last minute, “winging it” is not only a recipe for disaster,
it is a disservice to your students. Keep lessons and classwork moving forward,
not straying off topic or follow rabbit trails unless prepared and able to
support such activities. Attention to detail will keep students engaged, as
they are taught “bell to bell” (Ediger, 2013).
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| clipartkid.com |
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2) Teachers must also mindfully and
purposefully work to be continually engaged in their classroom environment.
When educators are off task, preoccupied with other classroom or personal
tasks, a vacuum is created. Teachers should work towards moving throughout the
classroom environment, engaging with students, providing the support and
structure which speaks to the activity at hand, as well as monitoring
activities. Part of mindful engagement is the frontloading of clear, concise
expectations and standards for the students, their work, and the lesson at
hand. Doing eliminates confusion, provide behavioral structure, and set the
tone for what the classroom work environment should look like.
(Ediger, 2013).
(Ediger, 2013).
3) Building upon the idea of providing
explicit expectations and standards is the need to in turn provide ongoing
feedback relative to student academic efforts, achievements, and behavior.
Doing so provides students with vital needed information related to the
classroom culture that the teacher is looking to develop. It is difficult for
teachers to justify their student’s academic and behavioral missteps when
standards and expectations have not be proactively discussed and identified.
Holding students to rules and standards which have not been explicitly defined
is unfair and unreasonable. Such practices confuse and embitter students who
lack clear boundaries by which to gauge their environment (Ediger, 2013).
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| malit.org.uk |
Another consideration
relates to the reasonableness of the standards. Standards which are reasonable and
age appropriate directly support classroom functionality and academic success.
Standards should be high, but applied with reasonableness and love. Standards
should also be fully explained to students to allow them insight into the
reasoning behind their creation and application. Rules cannot, and should not
be an end unto themselves, they are there to protect students and enable them
to work in environments which allow them to achieve and flourish (Ediger,
2013).
Conclusion:
Managing a classroom
community is a difficult and at times exhausting endeavor. It takes mindful,
proactive planning, application, and upkeep. In that student populations are
ever changing classroom optimization presents something of a moving target. Yet,
in spite of all of the challenges, educators are well served to consider that
by taking the time, and making the effort to lay the critical foundation that
classroom management provides they are speaking to three realities. First, the
care and well-being of their students is a professional responsibility.
Secondly, educator have a practical interest in creating a healthy safe culture
in that student achievement and behavior will ultimately be supported. Such
environments lead to the type of student success which promotes professional
success for the educator. Finally, teachers who take the time to do the
difficult job of effectively planning, establishing, and supporting optimized
classrooms for their students at the end of the day make their jobs easier as their
students and classrooms run more effectively.
References
Ediger, M. (2013). Managing the classroom: A very salient
responsibility in teaching and learning situations is classroom management. Education, 134(1),
15-18.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Are you a "Fixer"? Is that really helping? (The Power of the Pause)
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| clipartfest.com |
This dear friend's life lesson has followed me into the classroom. In practice, as I work with students I often pause to observe my students before deciding on the best course of action. Only then, do I mindfully apply a carefully measured response to their struggles. As I take time to watch, observe, consider, and measure my next efforts to support my student have I found the "Power of the Pause".
| arthurpeter.com |
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| Dreamstime.com |
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| linkedin.com |
The Power of Performance/Achievement:
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| allposters.com |
Finally, fixers can rob their victims of the power of achievement. Years ago one of my son’s participated in the soapbox derby with his scout troop. The parents and boys in the den worked diligently on the cars. They were what you would expect from a bunch of 8 and 9 year old's. The paint was applied in thick coats, the wheels were wobbly, and they generally looked like 8 and 9 years old's made them. BUT those boys couldn’t have been prouder and more excited because they were all theirs! The day of the derby came and needless to say none of the cars came close to winning, but the boys cheered and celebrated nonetheless. The experience of the winning car was far different. It was obvious that the car was made by the father, it was beautiful and perfect down to the smallest detail. The saddest part of the event was that as that car crossed the finish line, and everyone cheered, the young “creator” of the car had to be told he won. He didn’t even know which car was his! In the efforts to rescue his son from the frustration of creating his own soapbox derby car, he had robbed him of the joy of actually winning the race with his own creation.
Conclusion: It is completely understandable why parents/caregivers feel the urge to rescue their students when life gets difficult. Yet, no wiser advice was ever given than when my children's pediatrician who told my wife, shortly after the birth of her first child. He counseled her that it was her job with her son, from that day forward, was to prepare him for independence. It maybe that the truest measure of love, is when the teacher/parent mindfully and purposefully pauses and resists the urge to rescue a student/child from their struggles and failures. Instead focusing on the longer term goals of growth and maturity gained through struggle and even failure. In the end focusing on such whole life perspectives truly is the in best interest of the student and the greatest measure of love.
Friday, March 3, 2017
Optimizing Home Environments for Academic Success
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| kumon.com |
Below is the text
from a presentation that I gave at the school that I teach at to the parent
community. It's so important to remember when attempting to support parents and
caregivers that theirs is a doubly difficult task. Not only are most of them
trying to support their students' academics without the benefit of educational
training, they are also doing double duty at caregivers for their students.
With such double duty comes the inevitable cross over of other aspects of the
child/parent relationship. All the highs and lows of the day, and life in
general bleed into the homework experience. Reminding parents and caregivers of
this, and emphasizing the need to mindfully consider this when parenting and
offering academic support is vital. Such knowledge can go a long way towards supporting
families as they work towards crafting a home environment which best speak to
student academic achievement (i.e. the optimization of conditions and
considerations).
.................................................................................................................................
Optimizing Home Environments for Academic Success
Introduction:
Homework, projects, practice, they can be points of frustration and conflict within the home and the student,caregiver relationship. There is no one key which assures success when it comes to home based academics. Yet, there is hope available for students and their families when it comes to crafting home environments and practices which support student success. Hope comes in the form of mindful consideration of several key areas, which potentially present stumbling blocks. What follows are areas/points which might be considered alone or in combination depending on conditions specific to the individuals involved.Goals:
- To gain a better understanding of how to approach academics in the home environment.
- To provide a systematic approach towards the crafting home environments for success.
1. Academics is part of a greater whole…
Academics is just one part of the home/family dynamics, this is an essential understanding. As we all know the different areas of our life are not compartmentalized. What takes place in one area of our relationships, families, and homes inevitably ripples into all other sections of life. With this in mind parents and caregivers who are interested in supporting their students academic performance are well advised to mindfully address the wide spectrum of parenting/caregiving responsibilities and applications. Harmony, alignment, and success in other aspects of the home can ripple through daily life and ultimately lay the foundation for growth and achievement in academics. 2. Establish a vision of what home academics should
look like…
Most of us wouldn’t leave on a trip, journey, or adventure, unless we had some idea as to where we wanted to end up. Yet, all too often we approach life’s tasks without a vision of success firmly in place. Before undertaking the task of crafting a home academic environment work with your student to identify 3 or 4 clear goals for your home environment. What does success look like? In a perfect world how would things work? Don’t choose more than a couple of goals at first though. Biting off more than you can chew only leads to frustration and failure. Remember, “baby steps”. Learn to walk before you run. Continue to revisit that vision of success periodically. As you progress is made, and time elapses reassess and tweak the plan as you consider the next steps in the ongoing process.3. Consider needed changes/adjustments which will need to be engaged in to prepare your household and family...
After identify your “perfect” academic world identify several specific areas of need that must adjusted before the journey begins. Adjustments can speak any number of areas including home environment, relationships, habits, perceptions, etc. As noted previously, adjustments often span different elements of family/home life. It is wise to enlist student support and input to build buy in and involvement. Here again it’s wise to choose just a couple of areas of adjustment at any one time. Plan and implement adjustments carefully, identifying specific goals and measures of success. As much as possible proactively anticipate and clarify questions and potential areas of misalignment before they can even come about. Leading up to implementation of adjustments identify the tools and resources needed to complete the task and have them in place prior to beginning. Finally, periodically access progress and either tweak plans or move on to new adjustments that might be needed. 4. Proactively work and communicate with your student(s) the goals, visions, and expectations you will embrace as a household…
From 15 years of experience as an educator my experience is that there is no more important element in the classroom than relationship and communication. If my students don’t know that I care for them and have their best interests in mind, my motivations and decisions are understandably open to question especially when I make the tough choices or hold them to high standards. In addition, when I clearly and proactively communicate my explicit expectations and standards to my students I have in essence “put the ball in their court” when it comes to results. By setting realistic attainable goals, providing encouragement and needed supports, being willing and open to discus and adjust as needed, I give my students confidence that I hear their them when they bring their concerns and struggles to me. Another important consideration is remaining flexible and open to appropriate and reasonable change when circumstances dictate. Employing empathy for students, understand their capacities given their age, experience, and maturity levels can shape reasonable responses. Finally, who doesn’t respond to rewards? Sure it would be great if every one of us would be driven by innate desires to achieve and succeed, but such is seldom the case. Life is a balance of rewards/benefits and natural consequences. Crafting and orchestrating these elements in your student’s academic life is a powerful tool. Knowing when to step in, and step back is another important skill set for any parent. Leaving students to flounder can discourage even the most driven of students. Conversely, swooping in to “fix” every problem and failure can rob students of essential life experiences which will serve them will in adulthood.5. Clearly identify the goals and parameters of the academics…
Working to align with the expectations of the education professional is essential. Identify and clearly understand both the short term and long term academic goals of units, projects, and lessons. Identify the types of supports and helps that are reasonable to provide the students. Clarify with teachers the types of differentiation (modifications to the lessons specific to a learner’s needs such as the use of calculators, voice to text, reduction in the number of questions, etc.) and scaffolding (supports built into the lessons and documentation specific to a learner such as help developing outlines, providing potential topic sentences, etc.) Too often students and families can either misinterpret the purpose of the lesson, or disregard homework/project standards in favor of self generated goals which do not speak to the learner’s best interests. Often it is not as important that the student finish the entire worksheets as it is to engage in a quality study experience. Often when it comes to learning less is more and quality trumps quantity. 6. Consider and support specific academic, environmental, and social emotional supports specific to your student(s)...
The importance and impact of the physical and social emotional working environment can not be underestimated. Whether the issue in lighting, acoustics, distractions, physical comfort, or any number of other issues, being able to focus on the academic task at hand is essential. Companies devote extensive resources to optimize work environments which support productivity. They are always looking for ways to improve the quality of time on task, and to optimize the conditions in which their workers labor. Why? Because they know that fatigue, discomfort, and distraction compromise individual’s ability to bring about their best results. So it is with your students. By making sure that they are given the conditions that best speaks to their individuality and learning style the parent caregiver is communicating the respect that they have for their student’s unique qualities. What defines optimal work conditions for one person, can be completely different for another. Whereas some work well in silence, others need music, where some can sit for hours, others must move, with frequent breaks. For some, pencil and paper will suffice, while for others hands on tools are called for. Be flexible and accommodating with an eye on the end goal of the experience.Conclusion
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