Behavior

I thought I would do a quick post before Friday... to talk about where I am at. I am doing some exit slips at Holly's suggestion. Overall I see a real response to paws... I did forget to send out a schoolwide bulletin who won.. I did ask for it to be announced on monday but I am not sure it made it. I think I need to acknowledge the winners in my room somewhere or even on a bulletin board. So students see visibly that I am following through with this. Also I had an interesting class w/ one of my target classes. I probably jinxed their behavior by bringing up how good they were doing. The first part of the class I was like wow it has been a long time since I've had "fun" teaching these students. Then it all broke down. A student used the cutting board which is sharp and dangerous. One had a meltdown because someone sat on his coat. Another just couldn't seem to do what I asked. Anyhow, reflecting back I see that I first never should have mentioned how well they were doing. Second I think they needed more specific guidelines about what we were teaching. For most it was a very simple task... but for a few I was speaking another language. It was an interesting day because it wasn't the "usual suspects". I think the "usual" ones have had everyone working with them and they saw that we were all following through. I think they also saw in art class...it was more fun for them when They have (Positive) attention from me. I also acknowledged how well they were doing w/ Paws and with my attention. The "unusual suspects" Are used to flying under the radar because their needs are a bit lower than the ones we were working with before. Their reaction to being asked to take a break in the hall... was way overboard in part because I think they arn't used to it being them who gets in trouble. So that was very interesting. Their classroom teacher said it had been that way since the others behavior has turned. She said they have had needs but the others were soo beyond theirs that they kind of got pushed to the back burner so to speak. Now their needs are really obvious. So interesting day.

Cherié's January Post (Wmca TIC)

Hi all,

Sorry this has taken me so long to post. I wasn't very motivated during the Winter Break, and when was overwhelmed coming back to my classroom after break, and then I was gone for a few day, and then I had to catch back up again, and now I'm learning a new attendance program, and then....wow, I sure sound whinny!!! Anyway, my project sort of slowed down over break, but I have a new student subject, and I begin working with her next week. She is only 15, of course female, and is a child of a single parent, and is going to be home schooled. This is exciting because this subject is totally different from my first subject, being male, 17, and well established in the high school community. I thinking I will be able to gather some good data from these two subjects.

My goals were to develop a matrix for the questionnaire which is completed. I was also to think about ways to tie in the journaling aspect of mentoring with the Ruby Payne resources which I'm still working on. I am developing journaling questions that deal with specific resources that students are lacking based on their questionnaire answers. Using my first subject, I have begun developing these questions based on the highest prioritized resource. This seems to be working, and it also ties in with my last goal which was to begin developing a package programs. Journaling questions will tie to resources, and can then be used to help subject develop the resources that they are lacking. I'm feeling good about my progress, and I'm looking forward to seeing you all on the 19th.

Behavior Plan

So I started last week my behavior plan. I explained it to all of my classes and the kids were very positive about it. Even more encouraging my 'target' classes were very responsive. They even suggested the reward I had in mind for them. We agreed upon four weeks of 5 stars them earning a painting party. I was so very excited that this was THEIR suggestion. I was sick my last 2 days so those classes did not get and explanation. It was really rewarding for me to begin handing out my token economy AKA ( Panther Paws For Praise) and the students were very excited to get them. Also, the other 2 specialist teachers began handing them out as well. I haven't had a chance to talk with them much about how it went for them. I was pleased by the positive response from the students. I think this is going to make other students aware of what their peers are doing to earn the reward. I think my target umm grade really needed more structure. With the guidelines more clear they are doing much much better.

Okay, Holly, I am posting!

Focus would be a very good thing, I still have so many questions running through my mind. I believe, maybe, that my questions will be: How will my 7-12 students learn and retain as much knowledge with a less structured, more discussion/projects/research type class setting as they do in a structured setting with more traditional daily homework and regular assessments? I am probably not done writing my question yet, still does not sound the way I want it to. Then how and when am I going to measure the results? What class will be my trial class and why will I use that class? Will one semester really give me any accurate results?

In reading the posts on this site at least I know I am not the only one with questions and doubts.

J Maynard, Lund, NV

Focus

My key word for the next few months is to stay focus on my question and not get distracted by other things. I have seen an improvement in my students' writings.

Winnemucca TIC

I'm busy doing lesson plans. I think when school begins next week I will begin some mini lessons. I've noticed a few of my students begin many sentences with "and". We will work together on some other word choices. I also want to start whole group lessons on personal narratives. My second graders have already written some topic choices. I want to give them a chance to write to some of their choices.

Baer's question

Well, I have no idea what I'm doing. No, that's not true. I am stressing. I keep thinking of Kelly's struggle last year and feel like I am in that boat with no paddles. UGH! I have so many things swarming around in my head and nothing seems to be coming together...yet. I expect something will soon. I am working with the math leadership team within our district and feel like we have made some progress toward a plan and organization. I am also trying to finalize some plans with the Nevada Math and Science Leadership Cadre which I am part of. Each of these organizations will affect my TIC question. I am leaning toward something teacher focused rather than student focused, but that scares me a great deal. What do I want to measure and how do I measure it?

Jenni's TIC

Okay, I am discovering that I am more than a bit of an iealist. My question was: How will positive, consistent parent contact impact student behavior and academic performance? When I decided to research this question, I was sure that all the data I collected would be positive and productive and that all my future teaching years would be filled with rainbows and unicorns, because I had discovered a key that would motivate all my students.
Reality strikes however, as I am discovering that some parents don't care about positive contacts (some don't even answer their phone or respond in anyway to notes, certificates or anything else for that matter.) Thus the uplifting contact is never relayed to the student and the motivation I thought I would be wallowing in never makes it to the classroom. How do I make these parents recognize the efforts and victorys (however small) their children are making and encourage them to strive even more? I brought these woes to Holly and she reminded me of the sad truth; I can't make parents do anything, I can only control what I do at school. Soooo as I sat facing this dilemma of nonparticipant parents, and seriously considering dumping my entire TIC and starting over, Holly suggested finding celebration partners for my students who did not have positve support at home. Iv'e set that process into motion but because not all contact is based off of parent response I feel I need to reword my question to make it more accurate, I'm not really sure what direction to go with this. Any suggestions?

question

I'm still floundering around for my qeustion. I've learned in the last few weeks that my class of 3rd and 4th graders still need to become more comfortable writing paragraphs. I'm thinking of using some 4 square techininques in writing paragraphs. Like I said I'm floundering around. Any suggestions on helping me clarify my question would be appreciated. Michele

TIC in Winnemucca

I've been trying all of your great suggestions. I started by writing down how long each of my students wrote during a free write. The first "I'm done" and I collected their paper. My shortest time was 1 minute 33 seconds. The next day we talked about what writing looked like and sounded like. I told my class they would need to write until the timer rang. I added 15 seconds to my quickest time. No one got up until the timer rang. I told the ones who weren't fininshed to get their last thought down on the paper. Each day I have increased the time by 20 to 30 seconds. We are writing for 4 minutes now! I do have another problem that free write has created though. I have one student who writes the exact same sentences each day. It's like she doesn't know what to write so she fall back on her Chihuahuas. I told her I knew what she knew about them so could she tell about something new. She writes the exact same sentences and replaced the Chihuahuas with her brother's name. I haven't got her to write something different yet but I'm hoping we can work it through.