No matter how carefully we teach positive behavior, students will still sometimes misbehave. They'll forget the rules, their impulses will win out over their self-control, or they'll just need to test where the limits are. For example:
Janna rolls her eyes and snickers as Hector shares details of his weekend visit with his cousin during Morning Meeting.
William takes a pencil from a neighbor's desk and refuses to return it when asked by his classmate.
During my years of teaching, I have used individual written agreements coupled with a simple token system to give children with particularly challenging behavior the extra support they need to improve. Recently, I learned a big lesson about the effective use of these systems through a mistake I made while implementing an agreement with a student named Justin.
When Justin started first grade, he was prone to violent outbursts. On the very first day of school, after I asked him to complete a reading response task and he threw his shoes at me, he was removed from the classroom. Then, on the second day of school, he had a more violent episode. When directed to join the group in listening to a story, Justin started throwing everything within his reach.
Adapted from the new 2nd edition of The Power of Our Words
Morale can be hard to define, but you know it when you see it. When you walk into a school and everything immediately feels calm, safe, respectful, rich with learning, you know you're standing in a school with high morale.
Ever drive down the road and realize the car is wobbly and perhaps in need of alignment?
Sometimes I just know my class is going to feel the same way. Right before a vacation, the arrival of spring, or a much anticipated field trip are all challenging times that can disrupt our routines and make us feel out of sorts, as if the wheels on our learning bus are beginning to wobble. With spring break just around the corner, my class is predictably starting to veer off course, and it's time to take action.
I'd like you to try a challenge I used to give myself several times a year when I was a classroom teacher. First, divide a piece of paper into three columns. In the first column, make a list of your students. Try not to use alphabetical order, grade book order, or table groups to help you remember. Just write the names down as they come to mind.
Then, in the middle column, next to each child's name, write one thing you know that child likes to do or cares passionately about.
In the third column, make a star if you're sure the child knows that you know this about her or him.
