Meeting #4
Meeting Date: Wednesday, December 7
Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Location: FMI Library
Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Location: FMI Library
Please note we will have one more class next week on the 14th with a counselor from Tanager Place. Prior to the meeting, I will ask for you to come up with questions to ask.
Assignment: Please read chapters 10, 11, and 12 in Help for Billy prior to the meeting and respond on this blog to the following questions:
1. What resonated with you?
2. What are the implications for the district/buildings?
3. What questions remain?
Assignment: Please read chapters 10, 11, and 12 in Help for Billy prior to the meeting and respond on this blog to the following questions:
1. What resonated with you?
2. What are the implications for the district/buildings?
3. What questions remain?
This book seems to have two these one is building relationships and the other is what is driving this child's behavior?"
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Chapter Ten, on homework not having a place in elementary grades but I feel torn. I feel like we are doing our students a disservice if we do not give them homework because of the high demands placed on them in 5th grade. I feel we need to help teach them the responsibility to accomplish their assignments but know that many of them do not have the support at home for whatever reason..I am such a family person and love spending time with my family. I also enjoy my kids being able to be involved in extracurricular activities, I believe sports is a great way for children to meet our kids and de-stress. "Stress causes short-term memory loss. An over secretion of stress hormones adversely affects the brain and can prevent the brain from laying down and new memory or accessing already existing memories." This is telling me that if we give our stressed out Billy's homework, it's not going to do any good anyway. They are not going to remember what was done, and won't be able to draw on any past experiences to help them out. I really liked the solutions given for when "Billy" does get homework. My favorite quote from this chapter, "And most of all, when fear overcomes love in the connection between you and your child, homework time is officially over for the day."
In chapter 11 the thing that resonated the most with me was the Four L's. "Many students need to 'start over' and begin with the basics of social behavior. As I read this chapter I thought of a new to me student in my class who has a history of “Billy” behaviors.. This book could not have come at a better time. In the past I might have said, "Oh no, we do not act like that in 4th grade!" Wow, I'm a little ashamed to admit that. But now, after reading this book, I find myself working harder and harder to build such a strong relationship with this student so that she trusts me and wants to do well for me both behaviorally and academically. A lot is going on in her home life right now. The hard work is paying off. She has opened up to me more than I ever thought she would and gives me hugs in the morning.
Favorite quote of this chapter, "If Andy were dyslexic he would not be asked to figure out on his own how to stop transposing a 'b' to a 'd' and vice versa. He would be given assistance to teach his brain how to recognize these symbols correctly." So why should we think that when a student is having problems with another student, that they need to go figure it out for themselves?
I really enjoyed the Epilogue and how it pulled all of the chapters together. I loved the questions that we should ask ourselves at the end of the day, "Did I give Billy understanding, acceptance, and validation today?" It's so important for teachers to reflect on the day and evaluate themselves. And never forget, "your best is good enough."
I love to see the relationship you are building with your student :-)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the epilogue was insightful.
ReplyDeleteTypically, I don’t read the “ending”/ epilogue of a book. I was glad to have finished this book, and “finished” it again, by actually taking the time to read the epilogue.
What resonated with me the most in the epilogue was the author’s call for us to LOVE our Billys. It is easy to love our students that excel and have what I commonly call; “teacher pleasing behaviors.” At times it is difficult to love our challenging and sometimes disrespectful Billys. As difficult as it may be to love them during their outbursts, love is more than likely the thing they are missing the most.
1. Chapter 10 substantiated things I already knew, and it gave me a deeper understanding from Billy’s perspective and parents of a “Billy” about the dreaded homework. I have always had mixed emotions regarding homework. The main reason is that many of the students I work with do not complete homework, and I’m usually the one completing it with them the next day at school. It can be very stressful because of time constraints.
ReplyDeleteI feel guilty and somewhat embarrassed that I have had a preconceived notion that the reason most students are not completing homework is due to lack of parental support. Historically, I would give the parents a pass if they relayed to me that the homework is too difficult for them. Most parents tell me homework is a battle that escalates into a power struggle, and it just isn’t worth the emotional hardships. They will only help their child if the student enlists their help. Some parents work two jobs and at the end of the day they simply want to enjoy some family time, and homework is not a priority. The students I work with do get accommodations for homework, but they still feel defeated when they don’t complete it and the remaining majority of the class does.
I sometimes wonder if homework should be completely eliminated in lower elementary, and instead we focus on reading, studying math facts, and learning/practicing spelling at home.
Chapter 11 made me stop and reflect on how I’ve handled situations in the past, and the following things resonated with me:
Traditional social skills and approaches do not work for Billy because they do not address Billy’s “inability to interact appropriately.” The Four L’s are very helpful for formulating some social skills interventions for "our Billys.” One of the L’s was listening drills. I know these drills are very effective for students. Some of the students I have taught with nonverbal learning disabilities had difficulty making and keeping friends because they are unable to read social cues. Some cues the author highlighted are: body language, facial expression and tone of voice. Not only did these students benefit from practice in this area, but also needed ongoing support and reminders of how to negotiate certain situations.
Table 11.2-Tips for Creating Emotional spaces on page 169 will be laminated and placed on my desk to refer to when trying to help a student calm down.
The author suggests we view consequences for behavior in a different manner, not as punitive. When a student is misbehaving, instead of the student being sent to time-out and isolated, the student is given time to self-regulate away from the activity or situation. After the student is calm, the teacher works with him and/or the entire class to give the student support and guidance they need to help change their behavior for future incidents.
2. Through MTSS, our district/school provides interventions for students that are struggling in reading and math. As a district/school, I believe we need to have some scheduled support for students with social and emotional issues that do not have IEPs. The Four L’s described by the author may be a good place to start with some of the students that have social and emotional deficits.
3. How could we set up a mentoring system with our staff for Billys? How do we find time in our schedules to develop MTSS groups for our students who are currently on PBIS checkin/checkout and are still not experiencing social-emotional and/or behavioral success in the classroom?
Connie, I too have negatively labeled parents in the past if their child was one who never turned in homework. I like to say that I have more compassion for what more of our families are facing daily. Although, I am still guilty of frustration at times!
DeleteHomework time has been a struggle in our house. Much of the time the struggle is related to one of three things:
Delete1. His desire to make home a place of connections with family and a disconnection from school.
2. The homework is not meaningful. It is more repetitive work that he has already mastered the skill and sees little relevance to continue doing something he already knows.
3. Exhausted from trying to perform in the expected way all day at school and needs a break.
If I send homework, I try to make it as meaningful as possible. I share with the students why the work is being sent home rather than working on it in class. I don't send much home, but when I do, I hope that the students understand the role of the work and how it can help them grow in the skill being developed.
I agree with you about homework. However, I feel that because of the expectations put on the students in 5th grade, that if we do not do homework in 4th grade, then we are doing a disservice to our students. I would love to just focusing on work at school and family things at home. I know as a parent, I am relieved when my children do not have homework :-)
ReplyDeleteI also agree that we need to do some more social skills teaching in our classes or MTSS time. How do we fit it all in?
I'm struggling with the homework issue as well. I can see the value in doing it, especially for preparation to 5th grade, but think about all of the stuff we do during the school day and wonder if it's too much. I'm glad we only have one night of assigned math and have cut back on our social studies tests. I agree with Connie in that maybe homework should be reading, practicing facts and studying for spelling.......
DeleteI'm not sure why I came up as unknown, but that's me - Mel. :)
Delete1. I thought Chapter 10 was very interesting. I have always wondered if homework is appropriate for fourth graders, and if so, then how much is appropriate. On one hand, I think it's good for parents to see what we're working on at school, but at the same time, the academic expectations placed on kids seems to be a lot more intense than when I was in school. In addition, the amount of extra-curricular activities kids are involved in at a much younger age has increased as well. I've seen more anxiety in fourth graders than ever and I have to wonder if there's a correlation between that and the academic/extra-curricular demands placed on kids today. I do think as fourth grade teachers, we need to prepare these kids for fifth grade - and middle school- since that's how things are set up in our district. The homework expectations are much greater there. I am glad, though, that we only have math homework once a week and have cut back on the amount of take home tests we send home. I also make sure that I don't penalize students if they don't turn their homework in on time. It's reflected on the homework section of the report card, but I don't take away recess time, etc.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the Epilogue and thought it did a nice job tying everything together. I think that we, as educators, can be very critical of ourselves. I loved the paragraph that said, "There is nothing else to do but love him, create boundaries for him, and continue doing your best because your best is good enough. Let love take over from here and be kind and loving to yourself, always. " What a wonderful reminder of validation!
2. One thing we need to think about is what do we do for those students with social and emotional issues. Many kids need social skills, more than currently receive this help. Once again, it's hard to find the time to fit this in and we don't have full time guidance counselors in the buildings, so this is an area where I feel more needs to be done.
I'm with you on not penalizing kids for not bringing back homework, Mel. My typical response will be, "can you bring it here tomorrow?" and I'm OK with that.
DeleteI often used to wonder, as a young teacher, why parents would pay me $20 an hour to tutor and do homework with their child. Like I was doing "their job." Having my own kids answered that question! Homework, can be very painful. Especially when parents want their kids involved in extra activities also designed to help kids feel successful outside of the school setting! It makes the nights even shorter.
1. These are the things that resonated with me:
ReplyDeleteHomework---it's such a fine line. I think we do a great job of not overwhelming kids/parents in comparison to what we saw at Linn Mar last year. Isn't it strange though, in that building, nightly homework was an expectation both from parents and the teachers? I think homework can be of some benefit with additional practice of skills we're currently working on in the classroom. Take long division for example. When we're on this concept---you can almost hear the brain cells shutting down when kids reach overload. I've always thought it was a good idea to take a break and perhaps try a few problems at home too. Sometimes the new environment and some space in between the classroom and home just gives a needed break to go back at it again. However, I've been on the other end of power struggles at the kitchen table when everyone is tired and homework comes out of a bookbag at 9:00. To not give any at all worries me as we prepare kids for middle school where they are expected to be more responsible and independent.
In the Social/Emotional chapter--two big things I starred. "Just as a child with dyslexia cannot make sense of the letters he reads on a page, a child with social deficiencies cannot make sense of social cues being given by peers and teachers." TRUTH! And "the inability to form social relationships should be considered equal to a child having learning difficulty such as dyslexia". I loved the tips on creating emotional space for kids and the idea of a mentor or safe adult for those kids who need someone different to connect to when they need a break. I think of Tim and my student last year. He wasn't there to lecture, but to provide a positive connection.
The program notes and accommodations were wonderful. How many times do we sit and try to come up with the words for our kids and their needs, particularly when writing 504s. This chapter laid these suggestions out so nicely!
2. I worry about kids who come to school lacking the tools they need to access so that their social and emotional needs can align with school success. Should there be more direct instruction for kids without them having to have a behavior goal? You can see where these gaps need more filling in whether it be kids who thrive on alternative recess, those who need to meet regularly with Jamie, kids to like to help Tim because they need that connection and/or hate going outside to recess. In the same manner that we have MTSS for academic success for all students, what can we put into place for the emotional well being of kids. I feel like you can't have one without the other. Time to connect and set up a community in our classroom and school is vital. Having Jamie here full time would be a good start.
OH---and the epilogue. My favorite part:
ReplyDeleteYour ability to give love and stay mindful is the new outcome.
<3
I see many comments about the homework portion of our reading. I do like the idea of homework, but feel it needs to be handled just right. I think we have just the right amount of homework in 4th grade. I do not believe in penalizing students for not turning it in on the due date. If homework is a struggle at home, I like to communicate with families that I am willing to help at school. The homework experience is shaped by the teacher.
ReplyDeleteI have not read the epilogue, but after Ann's quote, I need to do that. I love it!
Our students who need to be taught the social emotional skills aren't always a part of our BD program. There is a need for a curriculum/teacher for the students who do not qualify as BD, but are lacking the skills to be successful. These students seem to be the biggest challenges. How do we reach more students using the curriculum that Virginia teaches to her students?
Homework is meant to strengthen the skills that students already know or to practice a skill that they have been working on. I feel homework once or twice a week reviewing mastered work should be fine. I feel they could then complete it without help from a parent, but just needs someone to make sure they are completing their homework. I feel we need to start the "homework" club again like what Donna Bullard had before. I do enforce the work completion on time to build the habit of getting things completed on time instead of building bad habits.
ReplyDeleteSocial/emotional skills is an area I think we lack in at FMI. Virginia has a great program and I believe that Jamie would do a wonderful job if she was able to be here full time. Since we don't have those options right now, how are we going to address this issue? I would be happy to do something at the end of the day if I can figure out something for the rest of my class. I do have I would say 4 kiddos that could use help in that area, so that leaves 19 kiddos. I do feel that the 19 should be somewhere else if I were to do a group on social stills and identifying their "engine" and how to calm it when it runs high and how to increase it when it runs low.
Here's an article that came into my inbox today. While it is geared toward music educators, I feel like there are some really good self-care tips here that can easily be applied to all educators. It seemed timely after our reading assignment last week.
ReplyDeletehttp://teachingwithorff.com/making-it-work-self-care-for-music-educators/
Ideas generated from the meeting...
ReplyDeleteIdeas to for 2017-2018 school year
8:45 start time for 1st period and take out of homeroom time at the end of the day in order establish a comfortable tone and start to our day
10 minute homeroom in the am, after lunch, and end of day (just as a grounding time)
Need to teach social skills ideas with whole class (Jamie)
Community building within the school
Teacher/mentors for students to have a safe zone
First month of school instead of MTSS for reading and math could we do community building activities as TRIBES (advisory/mentor groups?) How do we get everyone hands on deck?
Monday/Tuesday (Reading) Wednesday (Advisory) Thursday/Friday (Math)
MTSS time before lunch in order to take away from the chaos
Announcements should be made at one time during the day rather than throughout the day
Make announcements with student and staff birthdays each day
Digital clocks with a ping-TROOPS funding (great for transitions)
Volunteer Coordinator
***I had something else written and submitted, but it doesn't appear to have published. Here's my second go at it. I'm sorry if somehow it shows up duplicated!
ReplyDeleteIt has been interesting to read this book while simultaneously reading another book regarding the social, emotional and academic needs of gifted learners. The similarities are astounding!
One point that is very strong through both is the low effectiveness of homework on academic achievement. For students who have a negative feeling about school, homework perpetuates that at home and can continue to diminish any positive feelings toward school.
As I read some of the comments above, it seems that there is a mixed philosophy on the value and role of homework at the elementary level. Many express that we need to have it to prepare students for what is to come in the grades beyond our building. I think we have to look systematically at whether the expectations for homework in 5-12 are realistic or appropriate. As educators, we need to find consensus on what the role of homework is. If it is to reinforce skills, does every student need to do that? If a student demonstrates competency on a skill in their daily work at school and assessments, what is the value of continuing to do that skill? Where is the opportunity for growth?
Are parents given a clear message that homework is a way to share information about what's happening at school, but that if doing homework creates a conflict or loss of rapport between parent/child, it isn't all that important? Should they?
My favorite quote in chapter 11 was: "Just as a child with dyslexia cannot make sense of the letters he reads on a page, a child with social deficiencies cannot make sense of social cues being given by peers and teachers."
We must find a way to help all of our children with social deficiencies learn the appropriate skills. Research shows us that social and emotional health has a tremendous impact on future success...even more than academic achievement! The groundwork must be laid here so that the academic achievement can build upon it.
What resonated with me from Chapters 10-12?
ReplyDeleteFirst, I feel like we give our students just the right amount of homework. Sure, some students want more homework and for those students I like to give a few extra assignments. For the majority of students it would overwhelm them and their parents. The amount of time parents can or are willing to help their children on homework has decreased during my teaching career. Lots of factors go into this but I feel like homework doesn't mean what it used to most parents. It used to be part of the family culture. It was a way of connecting to your children and spending time with them, but now I think most feel that it is a burden we place on them. Certainly with students like Billy, homework time can be a frustrating and exhausting experience for some parents. I tell parents at the beginning of the year that if an assignment becomes to overwhelming for their child or them to take a break and if need be bring it to school the next day so I can help them on it. I want school to be a positive rewarding experience for students, not a stress induced environment. This is especially true for students like Billy who already have more than enough stress in their lives. On the same hand you need to hold the child accountable for getting their homework done whether at home or at school. I don't mind helping children at recess as long as I don't have duty. Another idea that resonated with me was that we as teachers are watched carefully by our students. How we act, in our body language, how we treat other colleagues and students, etc., goes a long way in modeling appropriate skills for our students. We as teachers need to keep that in mind.
Building wise: As part of the fourth grade team we plan together, discuss assignments, and basically teach the same curriculum. We for the most part give the same amount of homework to our students which is a good thing. This helps alleviate some of the homework concerns by parents. Every child is being given the same assignment and once again I feel like we don't overburden our parents.
Questions: Are we doing the right thing preparing our students for middle school? Are we truly reaching every child and building good relationships with them to help them be successful? Can we do even more?