One of my students, who we will call Jeff, was 16 years old and in the 8th grade. He was the tallest one in my class, talked constantly, and had tons of energy. Right away, I knew Jeff could be a potential challenge.
All was well until we began the Mclead Reading Assessment. It was clear to me, based on the questions he asked me and his defeated behavior during the assessment, that he is a struggling reader. Most of the time, when students have a hard time behaving it's either because they don't understand the directions, or the task is difficult and they don't want anyone to know that they are having a hard time. So, instead of asking questions to figure it out, they act out.
His behavior before the assessment was pretty standard for day one--shouting out, talking to friends, cracking jokes. However, after the assessment his attitude and behavior took a nose dive. In our activity after the test, he laid his head down at his desk and told me outright, "I don't understand why we have to do this stupid poem anyways. I'm NOT doing it."
I calmly bent down and quietly asked him to meet in the hallway to talk. I like to talk to students out in the hallway to remove them from their friends, so they don't feel like they need to show out and be tough. Typically, it's not a big deal and this resolves any issue, because it's not just for me to tell them what's what. The conversation is to understand why the student is acting this way and what I can do to help and/or resolve it.
Well, Jeff was NOT having it, just like he was NOT doing his poem. He stood up, threw his paper across the room, and slung the door open with a huge thud, and proceeded to walk down the hallway. Once he was calm, we finally were able to get to the bottom of things. He said, "Reading just isn't my thing, Ms. Q. I'm not good at it. I don't like it, and I'm not writing this poem." So I told him that it seemed like he was having a hard time getting started, and in poetry, that can be the hardest part. I asked him if I wrote down some options of how he could start, if that would help. He said yes, and we were able to continue the class from there.
I went home that night, and Jeff haunted me. After school, I found his old school secretary and asked her everything that she knew about him, so I could understand him better. I also asked some of his classmates about some strategies that other teachers have used to help Jeff. After hours of reflecting over how I can make the next day a better day and asking around about his back story I decided that the next day, I would place Jeff in a new seat, completely isolated from his friends, so he could focus better. I also resolved to be more consistent with consequences for not following the norms, and to have a framing conversation with Jeff before class started in the morning, so we could start on the right foot.
The next day was much smoother, but still had some bumps and bruises. I was extremely relieved that there were no blow-ups though! Building relationships is key. Students need to see that you are willing to hold them to high expectations and not them slip. They need to see that you care enough to repair the relationship when it's been damaged. They need you to be the adult and stay calm ALWAYS. Most of all though, they need you not to give up on them when they are at their worst. These things are not always easy, but if you commit to them, your classroom culture will grow into a place that is warm, loving, encouraging, and safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment