January 28, 2022

 

Frustrated that students aren't coming in for extra help? Then why not schedule time for them to come in. They will show up :) Sometimes all it takes is the extra push to get them to show up and on the path to success.

One-on-one interactions can lead to higher achievement. Countless research, such as the 2016 study by Young Kim and Carol Lundberg in Research in Higher Education, has demonstrated the correlation between faculty-student interactions and achievement. Frequent, positive contact encourages intellectual growth and academic self-concept, fostering a higher grade. Given the demands of our curricula, however, we rarely have time to engage individually with each student every single day, especially in large classes. That’s where office hours pick up the slack; even if it’s only for five minutes, I can give students my full attention and offer advice on conquering the roadblocks impeding their understanding. Students generally walk out of my office with more direction and satisfaction than when they arrived.

Students are more likely to verbalize what help they need to be successful. No matter how self-confident students may appear around their classmates, many hold back from asking questions for fear of embarrassment. During office hours, though, it’s just the student and you, and a few simple statements can let them know that it’s a safe space to air their queries and concerns. Here, privately, you can help them get to the bottom of the difficulty they can’t seem to grasp. Through prompting and asking your own probing questions, you can push them to reach their potential and provide specific insight into how they can progress.

Personal connections can strengthen attendance/effort/engagement in class. In my own experiences dealing with low-performing students, I’ve seen innumerable improvements after they have spent time in my office. Part of it is that they get to learn more about us as human beings just by coming into our personal space. For example, many of my students will comment on my pictures and artifacts from my world travel, often telling me something about themselves, as well. While my job during office hours isn’t officially to get to know the student on a personal level, we can learn much about each other as we sit down together.

MAP Winter Data - Let’s See that Growth!

Top 4 Reports That Every Teacher Should Run After Administering MAP:

1.      Class

2.      Class Breakdown

3.      Project Summary (choose Fall to Winter)

4.      Student Profile - This reports shows each student’s projection for the CAASPP. This report  is a great tool for parent meetings, student goal setting, and resources for students.

Observable Fish Moments at SV:

Be There: Thank you Kristin for taking on two extra roles as attendance clerk and library tech!! I know it isn't easy but we appreciate you! 

Play: Thank you Ebony and Fern for leading our student council this year. 

Choose your attitude: Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. Be kind. 

Make Their Day:  Thank you for making someone's day by doing a kind act for a staff member or a student.