April 30, 2021

 

This is from Todd Bennett's newsletter- What do you do when your students aren’t doing any work? Whether you are a new teacher or a veteran, we all struggle with this. We want to teach and help our students learn, not spend hours taking away points in Class Dojo or making exceptions. But penalizing students who aren’t doing any work doesn’t solve the problem. There are ways we can help students who aren’t doing any work. We asked you, and you answered.

How we respond to missing or late work says a lot about what we think it means to be a teacher.

We want our students to learn, but in order for us to determine if they have learned, we need them to do the work. If students don’t do any work this feels impossible. As one teacher, Mary, put it, “I feel like I am a project manager sometimes more than a teacher. I’m dependent on the kids to their work so I can do my job.” So what do we do? A common thread in the comments was: before we put a zero in our grade books, it’s worth evaluating if the work we’re asking students to do is meaningful. Do they have the skills they need to complete it? Is it too much? Not enough? If we know we are asking students to do work that is fair, we can shift our attention to why they aren’t doing it. Here are some ways teachers are helping students who aren’t doing any work.

1. Mark it missing, and ask what’s going on. Their answer might surprise you.

After 21 years of teaching, I realize that kids have issues we aren’t aware of. Mark it missing. Then ask the kid what’s going on. Their answer might surprise you. Compassion and understanding have to be at the front of all we do. —Michelle

I am showing grace, but they must show effort and communication with me. Yes, zeros happen but can be overturned. Students need to follow through. —Tara

2. Invite students to reflect on why they aren’t doing any work.

I have an online form that the students fill out when they submit assignments after the due date. One field they have to fill out explains why it’s late. That has been eye-opening, and when they tell me what’s going on, I often offer grace and no penalty for being late. —Chris

We have to reach out and give students a hand who aren’t doing any work by getting them started on the missing assignment, helping them to clarify their thinking, or even making ourselves available during the day or after hours to help them achieve success. —Shelly

3. Teach students coping strategies.

I saw an increase in work getting done when I taught students coping strategies. Begin or end a class with meditation exercises to help students get focused. Check in with students during independent work. These are simple and small ways to support your students.—Kerith

4. Ask students to write a weekly email and set goals.

I have my students send a weekly email home that includes what we have been doing in class and a picture of the grades from Powerschool. They also have to include a goal on how they will get missing assignments in. I email this to parents with me cc’d in and goes in as a grade. —Lea

5. Consider grading assessments, but not homework or other types of practice.

I grade the assessments only and make sure they align with the standards. This will give them a grade based on what they know and can do. If they do not complete the assessments, give an incomplete. —Caitlin

Keep it simple. We’re grading them on the work that they do, not the work that they don’t do. —Kevin

6. Try positive reinforcement and celebrate students’ small wins.

Kids want to do well. Sometimes they just need more encouragement. Although it is exhausting to see so many half-assed assignments. I just try to convey that it’s not what I expect from them. I have a copy-paste response: This assignment is designed to demonstrate your understanding. Please review the material and when you turn in an example of your understanding, your grade will reflect that! You got this! Go give it another go!—Tuesday

7. Even when you’ve tried everything, never give up on your students.

Separating behavior from assessment is critical! We cannot possibly understand all of the reasons why students may not be completing their work. It is easy to just say they are lazy/choosing not to do the work and should be punished so they learn accountability but this is not really in the best interest of the child. Many students do not respond well to this punitive system and will continue to fail. —Caitlin

Looking for more? Here are some ideas for how to address missing work.

Dragon Teachers

When I began your class I think I knew

The kind of challenges you'd make me face.

You gave me motivation to pursue

The best, and to reject the commonplace.

Your thinking really opened up my mind.

With wisdom, style and grace, you made me see,

That what I'd choose to seek, I'd surely find;

You shook me out of my complacency.

I thank you now for everything you've done;

What you have taught me I will not outgrow.

Your kind attention touched my mind and heart;

In many ways that you will never know.

I will remember you my whole life through;

I wish that all my teachers were like you.

By Joanna Fuchs

Thank you for being the best all year long!!!

We will be celebrating Staff Appreciation ALL Week next week! Wow, as teachers/staff you should be appreciated no matter the week but wow, now even MORE!! You have learned a COMPLETELY different way to engage your students in a short span of time both in person and distance learning. I am so proud of each and every one of you!! Thank you for ALWAYS working hard and putting students first. .

April 23, 2021

Losing young black kids/adults is weighing very heavy on my mind the past few weeks. Not that it hasn't before but it seems to not end. Basically leaves me with only one message - we need to change! We will have a plan and starting in August we will commit to ABAR.  

 To be ‘anti’ is to make deliberate choices that affirm, support, and defend all people. It means promoting justice, empowerment, action, diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

From Woke to Work: The Anti-Racism Journey, a podcast by Kamala Salmon, talks about six steps on this never-ending road.

1. Build Awareness - know about racism, both overt and systemic
2. Have Sympathy - to understand the distress and needs of people exposed to racism
3. Be Empathetic, be pained by it
4. Reflect and Internalize It
5. Allyship: interrupt racism when you see it, experience it, and stand up even when you are scared to take on the problems as your own
6. Be an Anti-Racist: work towards dismantling racism

On April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we're making our world a happier, healthier place to live. Environmental education empowers students around the world to solve the climate crisis and develop the skills, optimism and resolve to lead the environmental movement of tomorrow. CLICK HERE

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you for helping out with after school pick up.

Play: I look forward to our virtual cooking class with Mrs. Merodio tonight!

Choose your attitude: 

To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional. Ask yourself throughout the day, "What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?" NO EXCUSES!!

Make Their Day:   We appreciate our front office staff and librarian staff. You help make our school run smoothly!!

 

Connecting Content to Students' Lives to Boost Engagement

We all know that when students are able to find relevancy and make personal connections to a lesson and/or activity, it holds greater meaning for them. As we progress through the third trimester, please ensure that all of your students are able to continue to make personal connections and/or find relevancy within the content.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/connecting-content-students-lives-boost-engagement

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you to every staff member for making our first week with all K-8 students successful!!

Play: I saw soooooo many students so happy to be back on campus this week!!

Choose your attitude: 

To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional. Ask yourself throughout the day, "What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?" NO EXCUSES!!

Make Their Day:   Please invite one student to have lunch with me on Monday.

April 1, 2021

Social-emotional learning can foster a safe, supportive, and equitable environment that grounds students. It can also create the conditions for students to be able to access academic learning when they're back in the physical classroom.

As you build your reopening plan and welcome students back to campus, make sure SEL takes a front seat in the transition to in-person learning. 

At SV we hold community circles weekly or daily depending on the need of our classes, we teach character education lessons daily, we hold RJ circles, we use Inner Explorer,  we have implemented PBIS. Please reflect on these practices if your class is having a difficult time during this transition. What processes can you refine to better support your students. 

Check in on students' SEL and well-being—early and often. 

Neuroscience research tells us that when students are too stressed, they cannot learn. We also know that strong relationships and supportive school programs can help buffer the effects of stress. Children need to feel safe (physically and emotionally) and feel a sense of connection to peers and caring adults in order to access learning. 

As a school, we can create safe and supportive learning environments for students by listening to their feedback; by asking students what they need; by understanding how they’re doing socially and emotionally during the transition back to campus. Here are a few concrete ways to do this:

• Administer regular well-being check-ins with students as a complement to bi-annual SEL measurement. Building in time for quick, three to five question "temperature checks" during morning meetings, advisory, or general class time can build adult-relationships and increase students' self-awareness. Students may not understand their inner experiences until they start to label and unpack how they are feeling. Download Panorama's open-source Student Check-ins Question Bank for free-response and multiple-choice question prompts.
• Develop students’ capacity to accept and embrace all emotions (including unpleasant ones). Consider using a feelings wheel to help students acknowledge and label their feelings. In addition, WOOP goal-setting and “Rose, Bud, Thorn Journaling” are two activities that can help students explore emotions while building resilience.
• 
• Count Me Down, a strategy from Panorama Playbook partner Move This World, helps students identify ways that they are similar and different from others. For example, students might share three unique aspects of their family, two challenges they're currently facing, and one goal or dream they have.
• Two Word Check-In is a quick way to take stock of students' emotions and feelings during the start or end of class (or during a community circle) in which students choose two words to describe how they are feeling. With younger learners, consider brainstorming a list of feelings or having students draw facial expressions.

Students must know that their voices are changing mindsets and shifting practices. This means taking action on your student feedback and SEL data. What are students telling you they need?

In the context of reopening school buildings, prioritization is key. Use the data to identify one to two focus areas that are high impact and highly actionable.

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you Carole, Miura, Julie, Sarah, Jen G., Cecily, Robin, Janice, Heather M., Daniel, Kristin, Kristi, Krista, Christina, Patty, Donna, Gloria, Carlos, Chloe, Fern, Janet, and Melody making our second week back with K-3rd students successful!

Play: Take some time to just relax and enjoy! Enjoy your spring break!

Choose your attitude: 

To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional. Ask yourself throughout the day, "What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?" NO EXCUSES!!

Make Their Day:  Thank you for being creative when lesson planning for your students.