We're taking the kids out of school early to travel for the next 2 months. I hope to keep up with the blog, at least occasionally.
We'll be home-schooling the kids a bit, so I'll see what that's like.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Paving the Road to Hell
Yesterday we had our last meeting at Natural Friends. This one was attended by a psychologist from the local Intermediate Unit, one of her colleagues, the Natural Friends school psychologist, the first-grade teacher (Teacher 1), and the Head of School at Natural Friends (Teacher Cranium).
The Intermediate Unit psychologist observed YD in the classroom, and tested her reading abilities. Younger Daughter scored in the Average range. The psychologist said the scores were lower than they might have been, because of YD's resistant behavior. So the scores should really be used as a floor; we know that YD is at least average in her reading abilities. The good news is that no-one has found evidence of any cognitive problems or learning disabilities.
The bad news remains YD's difficult behavior. Teacher Cranium's proposed solution was that we should do a mountain of paperwork in the hopes of obtaining a 1:1 aide, or "shadow", to follow YD around all day and deal with her behavior. I see this as a solution for the school's problem, more than a solution for YD's problem.
What I'd like to know is how much of YD's difficult behavior is caused by the school itself. This is a question the school won't even ask, let alone answer. Some of her restlessness and refusal is probably caused by frustration and anxiety at being required to do things that she just can't do. Here's an example that came up at the meeting:
Teacher 1: She can add two numbers together, but when you ask her to explain how she did it, she can't explain!
What a ridiculous thing to ask a 7-year-old child to do, especially a 7-year-old child with known language delays. Unfortunately, it's a basic part of their ridiculous math curriculum, Trailblazers.
Teacher 1 also said that YD loved listening to stories read aloud, and had "astute" responses to them. On the other hand, if you ask YD to demonstrate her comprehension of the dull-as-dishwater leveled books that they teach reading with, she doesn't answer the teacher's questions correctly.
What's the mystery here? If YD is interested in the proceedings and has something to say, she can say it. If she's bored and frustrated, she refuses.
Near the end of the meeting, I said to Teacher Cranium: "Why should we spend (insert large number) dollars to send Younger Daughter here? You can't handle her behavior, and she's behind academically."
To my amazement, Teacher Cranium had no response to this. He nodded his head and said, "Uh-huh". I was expecting him at least to launch into praise of Natural Friends, but he had nothing to say.
I feel that Teacher 1 and Teacher Cranium are basically kind-hearted, well-intentioned people, but that's not enough. They're not effective. They're not willing to turn a cold appraising eye toward their own practices and ask themselves what's working, what's not working, and what they might do differently.
For next year, we're considering the local public school, or a private school that specializes in teaching kids with language delays and disorders.
The Intermediate Unit psychologist observed YD in the classroom, and tested her reading abilities. Younger Daughter scored in the Average range. The psychologist said the scores were lower than they might have been, because of YD's resistant behavior. So the scores should really be used as a floor; we know that YD is at least average in her reading abilities. The good news is that no-one has found evidence of any cognitive problems or learning disabilities.
The bad news remains YD's difficult behavior. Teacher Cranium's proposed solution was that we should do a mountain of paperwork in the hopes of obtaining a 1:1 aide, or "shadow", to follow YD around all day and deal with her behavior. I see this as a solution for the school's problem, more than a solution for YD's problem.
What I'd like to know is how much of YD's difficult behavior is caused by the school itself. This is a question the school won't even ask, let alone answer. Some of her restlessness and refusal is probably caused by frustration and anxiety at being required to do things that she just can't do. Here's an example that came up at the meeting:
Teacher 1: She can add two numbers together, but when you ask her to explain how she did it, she can't explain!
What a ridiculous thing to ask a 7-year-old child to do, especially a 7-year-old child with known language delays. Unfortunately, it's a basic part of their ridiculous math curriculum, Trailblazers.
Teacher 1 also said that YD loved listening to stories read aloud, and had "astute" responses to them. On the other hand, if you ask YD to demonstrate her comprehension of the dull-as-dishwater leveled books that they teach reading with, she doesn't answer the teacher's questions correctly.
What's the mystery here? If YD is interested in the proceedings and has something to say, she can say it. If she's bored and frustrated, she refuses.
Near the end of the meeting, I said to Teacher Cranium: "Why should we spend (insert large number) dollars to send Younger Daughter here? You can't handle her behavior, and she's behind academically."
To my amazement, Teacher Cranium had no response to this. He nodded his head and said, "Uh-huh". I was expecting him at least to launch into praise of Natural Friends, but he had nothing to say.
I feel that Teacher 1 and Teacher Cranium are basically kind-hearted, well-intentioned people, but that's not enough. They're not effective. They're not willing to turn a cold appraising eye toward their own practices and ask themselves what's working, what's not working, and what they might do differently.
For next year, we're considering the local public school, or a private school that specializes in teaching kids with language delays and disorders.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Hollowed Out
(From comment #9 at Borderland: The Six Hells of the Pacing Guide)
Many teachers I talk with observe that we’re seeing a shift in the normal curve of distribution, which shows spikes at the high and low ends of the achievement continuum and a middle range that is largely vacant – pretty much mirroring what we see happening socioeconomically.
Many teachers I talk with observe that we’re seeing a shift in the normal curve of distribution, which shows spikes at the high and low ends of the achievement continuum and a middle range that is largely vacant – pretty much mirroring what we see happening socioeconomically.
There is No Cure
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| "We've had her declawed, but she's still impossible." |
Friday, April 22, 2011
Horrible Histories: Tudors
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Break them Down One by One
From the Whole Brain Teaching Forum:
Question:
I implemented WBT today. I introduced class-yes, the 5 rules, the scoreboard and teach ok.
One of the main problems I saw today was that the smart alecky boys put two fingers to their head like a gun when we rehearsed rule 4. Does anyone have suggestions? This is a VERY chatty and VERY difficult class.
I'd appreciate any feedback.
(Note from FedUpMom: rule 4 is "Make Smart Choices", and the accompanying gesture is to tap the side of your head with your index finger. I like these boys!)
An answer from Chris Rekstad:
I agree with Farrah, and would do everything that she says, with a bit of spice. The spice being for those most challenging boys/kids.
WIth them you need to just say, "I'd like you to practice with me at recess." Once recess comes you have them practice the rule correctly for 1 minute, silently. They may start goofing off or telling you that they aren't going to do it, so then you tell them this, "You can do it one minute my way, or 4 minutes your way!"
You may want to peruse the ebook called Industrial Strength Whole Brain Teaching or Teaching Challenging Teens and look in the section Rebel Clicques. What you have is a situation where you're the new gal coming in on their turf. You're going to have to break them down one by one, starting with the Alpha Dog.
Keep us posted right here on this great forum!
Power to the Teacher!
Question:
I implemented WBT today. I introduced class-yes, the 5 rules, the scoreboard and teach ok.
One of the main problems I saw today was that the smart alecky boys put two fingers to their head like a gun when we rehearsed rule 4. Does anyone have suggestions? This is a VERY chatty and VERY difficult class.
I'd appreciate any feedback.
(Note from FedUpMom: rule 4 is "Make Smart Choices", and the accompanying gesture is to tap the side of your head with your index finger. I like these boys!)
An answer from Chris Rekstad:
I agree with Farrah, and would do everything that she says, with a bit of spice. The spice being for those most challenging boys/kids.
WIth them you need to just say, "I'd like you to practice with me at recess." Once recess comes you have them practice the rule correctly for 1 minute, silently. They may start goofing off or telling you that they aren't going to do it, so then you tell them this, "You can do it one minute my way, or 4 minutes your way!"
You may want to peruse the ebook called Industrial Strength Whole Brain Teaching or Teaching Challenging Teens and look in the section Rebel Clicques. What you have is a situation where you're the new gal coming in on their turf. You're going to have to break them down one by one, starting with the Alpha Dog.
Keep us posted right here on this great forum!
Power to the Teacher!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Turn the Giraffe Upside Down
(From a comment to A Better Way to Teach Math:)
Jump Math has profound implications for education. I myself was a child who excelled on all aptitude tests, fulfilled that promise in the liberal arts, and began failing miserably in math in 5th grade. I had so many teachers whose approach to teaching math was to go to the board, scribble scribble scribble, covering the board with numbers and squiggles and symbols, and the things they were saying made as much sense as "so you take the giraffe and turn it upside down like this, and then the elevator stops, and you torque the red balloon this way, and reverse the mayonaise, and...there!" The teacher would turn around with a big smile and say, "So! Did you get it?" "No, I didn't "get it"!!!" I wanted to scream, "You didn't explain anything!"
This was how math got taught badly the traditional way.
Jump Math has profound implications for education. I myself was a child who excelled on all aptitude tests, fulfilled that promise in the liberal arts, and began failing miserably in math in 5th grade. I had so many teachers whose approach to teaching math was to go to the board, scribble scribble scribble, covering the board with numbers and squiggles and symbols, and the things they were saying made as much sense as "so you take the giraffe and turn it upside down like this, and then the elevator stops, and you torque the red balloon this way, and reverse the mayonaise, and...there!" The teacher would turn around with a big smile and say, "So! Did you get it?" "No, I didn't "get it"!!!" I wanted to scream, "You didn't explain anything!"
This was how math got taught badly the traditional way.
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