Behavior - social emotional of gifted

Let us discuss behaviors. 
   If we were to put behaviors on a continuum you may notice that students who struggle academically and those who are academically advanced tend to follow some of the same behaviors.  Spacing off, acting out, blurting out, giving up, disrupting others, fading into the wallpaper to not be noticed, wandering the room.... Just as not all strugglers exhibit all of these traits, neither will the higher students. As educators, we need to be fully aware of these behaviors and understand where they come from just as we do for the strugglers.  
*Oversensibilities
*Lack of emotional maturity
*Socially awkward
*Tendencies toward perfectionism
*Lack of focus when bored
*Propensity toward black and white, just/fair thinking
*Anxiety...
Many times it is more difficult to be patient with these students because we expect them to be able to control more than they can at times. I encourage you to see them as you would the child who struggles and be ready to tackle their behaviors with the same thoughtfulness and care.  
You have a toolbox already in your back pocket that you use for your struggling students.  Pull it out because kids are kids, most of what you do for the strugglers will work for the high ability students.

Setting Students Up for a Successful Year... part 3

Focus on First Day(s) Lessons

What are you teaching and why?

There are so many items that need to be taught that first day...but not EVERYTHING needs to be taught.

Carefully, decide what is necessary to teach now and what will be better suited for a later lesson.  
    Example: I don't need to teach cafeteria behaviors as my first lesson of the day.  It would stick in their heads if we do that when we go to the cafeteria.  I may pre-teach a bit right before heading out but the bulk of the instruction about appropriate cafeteria behaviors is best suited to be taught in the cafeteria.

Brainstorm a list. Then rank or order according to your day.
       Here are some of the items on my list:
            classroom expectations (1)
            procedures for .... (3)
            entering and exiting the room (2)
            restroom/nurse/office/resource room/library...(goes w/1)

NOW for the fun...
    Figure out ways to engage your students in the process of learning these important items.

Lesson Classroom Expectations:
If you read the first two parts of this series you know how we start the first day. From that point, we go outside with a huge ball, jump rope, and maybe a couple other non-related items. I tell them to play "The Game."  No explanations! They will look at you like you are crazy or they are completely confused. It is okay. Just keep repeating, play the game. Someone eventually will step up and be the leader. After they "play" for a few minutes. Call them to sit down and discuss how they knew what to do? How did it feel to not know what to do? Did everyone feel the same or believe it should be played that way?  Turn it to...how do you know how to play soccer, softball...?  There are rules.  Then explain that is why we need rules in school.  We all need to understand the expectations to function as a large group.  We also discuss the difference between home and school.

Return inside and develop classroom expectations together.  I have a poster that says LEARN down the left side.  (4th/5th grade) We discuss how we want it to look, feel and sound in the room, then brainstorm words/phrases to go with LEARN (acrostic) for our classroom "rules." They all sign it and make their own copy to go home for parent signature.

Lessons are best if they are taught right where & when they happen.

Teach recess procedures such as how to exit the building when it is time to go to recess. Procedures for playground equipment can be taught quickly.  Finally, lining up and enterance into the building.  

These are just the start to what you do everyday.  Think it through and design a plan of implementation. 

Lastly, remember to revisit the procedures the next day and again a couple times in the next two weeks.  

YEAH!! You made it through the first day!! 

Now...What is the rest of the week going to look like?

If you want a great resource with very specific items to consider and think over, check out the second part of this series.  It contains a link to a book near the end that will take you step by step into a successful beginning of the year. 

Why is this series on a differentiation blog?? Well, you CANNOT run a successful differentiated or competency-based classroom without clear expectations and routines.  GO BE GREAT!

Kim

STEM? NOT!

Forewarning...this post is not about differentiation...and very much about a frustration, I am feeling.

Let us talk...STEM or STEAM....
         It is the catchword of education right now.  If you mention it in a blog, Pinterest board, lesson then it is an immediate download, & liked a few hundred times. You get the gist! STEM is the bee's knees right now.

UNFORTUNATELY....many are labeling items as STEM or STEAM and it isn't.
My frustration,
        **Too many times, good strategies, educational techniques, etc. go to the way of "that didn't work" when it is diluted, used incorrectly, and slapped as a label on anything that might come close.

I see this happening with STEM.
Science 
Technology
Engineering
Math

STEM is NOT just having unconnected lessons or activities for each subject. 
STEM is NOT an experiment.
STEM is NOT just opening a computer and coding.
STEM is NOT cutesy activities.
STEM is NOT a prescribed step by step lesson where all students are going to end up with the same outcome.

SO WHAT IS IT THEN....
It is integrating the subjects to show that life isn't put into individual boxes.
It is looking for problems that can be solved using knowledge and study using all these subjects.
It is creatively producing a solution by engineering new or adjusted products.
It is using each discipline to enhance the learning, producing, and reporting a solution to the problem set forth.

I think the biggest misunderstanding is that you can separate out the disciplines or make it controlled.
You as the facilitating educator, have a great opportunity to ask questions, watch great minds develop remarkable solutions that may be completely new or a re-envisioned old solution. Give the ultimate answer to the question, "Why do I need to learn this anyway?"  When we give our students the time to analyze, strategize, synthesis, and create...they answer that question for themselves while developing problem-solving strategies rather than expecting the world to solve their problems for themselves. I don't know about you, BUT those are the students I want to send out into the future.

Anxiety and Our Students

Did you know that Europe is calling the next generation the "Anxiety Generation"?  I did not until TODAY! 

Just went to a whirlwind of a class today.  It was presented by Jessica Minahan about her co-authored book, The Behavior Code. 

There were some eye-opening moments. HOWEVER, what was not surprising was not surprising entailed the notion that our kids are coming to us with anxiety and low executive functioning skills.  She gave me answers to some of the issues, I see in my classroom....
        *inconsistent reactions
        *lower short-term memory issues
        *why incentives don't work for all kids
        *MOST IMPORTANTLY....words to use that are proactive and positive

33.9% of 13-19 year-olds (THAT IS 1 in 3!!!) suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. WOW!!

DID YOU KNOW....
    Your IQ drops 13-20 points when anxious. 

Many of our natural or taught practices are not helping the situation. 
        *Moving closer to be in close proximity
        *the way we question or talk to the child:
              + DETAILed directions .... all those little steps we think of as "normal or known" need to be spelled out for these kiddos.
              +Look for the trigger and underdeveloped skills to determine best strategies to teach

These are just a sampling of what the book addresses. 

I cannot wait to delve into the book more fully as I work to be a better teacher for the generation we are teaching.   What about you?!?!?!