One of the wonderful practices at this middle school is that students are given frequent recognition for the good things they do. Today, on the last day of the school year, our sixth graders had an assembly in which all of their teachers recognized outstanding students -- students who had made the most progress, students who did excellent work, students, who had outstandingly positive outlooks. One of the sub-headings of the school is the quotation: "scholars, artists, warriors." The artists, of course, are recognized for their superior artistic work. The scholars are recognized for their high grades. The warriors are recognized for their efforts.
In addition, students are sometimes asked to "give an appreciation" of something in the class or of people at their table who have helped them be productive in their studies. Occasionally these are written and passed in to the teacher. More often they seem to be verbal, uttered to the other three students seated at the table. At times classes have what are called "circles." During these sessions, which last from a half hour to the entire period, students are asked to comment on a number of things. They have the option of opting out and simply not joining in the discussion, and many of them make this choice. But sometimes participation is very high, as it was just after the end of the shooting incident on campus that I have described elsewhere in this blog. At times during these circles they are also asked each to give an appreciation of someone or something that they like. This topic stimulates a great deal of participation.
When a student comes into each class. they enter from outside, from the recess ground. The practice is that the instructor stands by the doorway and greets each one of them, often shaking hands with each student as he or she enters. In the morning "boost" and "crew" periods in the classroom where I have been working, either the students greet the instructor at the door or they go over to him at his desk or wherever he may be and say hello to him. Unlike the high school where I substituted, there is no such thing as anonymity at this school. At the high school, which had several thousand students, it was possible -- and probably still is -- for a student to attend classes, not participate or participate minimally, and have no relationship with one's teachers. You would become known by face and name to your teachers primarily if you either were such an outstanding student in papers and exams that you had to be noticed or if you misbehaved so badly you disrupted the class. At my middle school, however, most of the staff knew you by name.
When a substitute comes into a class in high school, at least in a high school with a thousand or more students, the students feel more or less rightly that since the teacher cannot identify them by name, they can carry on and misbehave with impunity. The setting in my middle school was quite the opposite. After a few months, having worked numerous times in most of the classes, I began to know most of the students. This made all the difference.
But just to be sure, yesterday I got a copy of this year's yearbook, which has pictures and names of every student in the school. True, the eighth graders will be off in high school -- and will probably learn very quickly that they can misbehave without consequences -- but this year's sixth and seventh graders will have been promoted, and will still be there. I'll know more of them better, and that will help.
In addition, students are sometimes asked to "give an appreciation" of something in the class or of people at their table who have helped them be productive in their studies. Occasionally these are written and passed in to the teacher. More often they seem to be verbal, uttered to the other three students seated at the table. At times classes have what are called "circles." During these sessions, which last from a half hour to the entire period, students are asked to comment on a number of things. They have the option of opting out and simply not joining in the discussion, and many of them make this choice. But sometimes participation is very high, as it was just after the end of the shooting incident on campus that I have described elsewhere in this blog. At times during these circles they are also asked each to give an appreciation of someone or something that they like. This topic stimulates a great deal of participation.
When a student comes into each class. they enter from outside, from the recess ground. The practice is that the instructor stands by the doorway and greets each one of them, often shaking hands with each student as he or she enters. In the morning "boost" and "crew" periods in the classroom where I have been working, either the students greet the instructor at the door or they go over to him at his desk or wherever he may be and say hello to him. Unlike the high school where I substituted, there is no such thing as anonymity at this school. At the high school, which had several thousand students, it was possible -- and probably still is -- for a student to attend classes, not participate or participate minimally, and have no relationship with one's teachers. You would become known by face and name to your teachers primarily if you either were such an outstanding student in papers and exams that you had to be noticed or if you misbehaved so badly you disrupted the class. At my middle school, however, most of the staff knew you by name.
When a substitute comes into a class in high school, at least in a high school with a thousand or more students, the students feel more or less rightly that since the teacher cannot identify them by name, they can carry on and misbehave with impunity. The setting in my middle school was quite the opposite. After a few months, having worked numerous times in most of the classes, I began to know most of the students. This made all the difference.
But just to be sure, yesterday I got a copy of this year's yearbook, which has pictures and names of every student in the school. True, the eighth graders will be off in high school -- and will probably learn very quickly that they can misbehave without consequences -- but this year's sixth and seventh graders will have been promoted, and will still be there. I'll know more of them better, and that will help.
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