REFLECTION ZONE: Stepping Back From Zero Tolerance

Stepping Back From Zero Tolerance



I read the article "Stepping Back From Zero Tolerance" by Judith Browne-Dianis from the September 2011 edition of Educational Leadership.

Zero tolerance is a policy where predetermined, non-negotiable punishments are assigned for certain misbehaviors.  Zero tolerance can lead to increased suspensions and expulsions which can cause students to feel less connected to their school, which can lead youth to engaging in risky behaviors like violence and drug use. These policies are harsh and many times exclude students from school for incidents that are trivial.  For example, an 8th grade girl in Virginia asked her teacher for permission to get a drink of water to take a Tylenol pill that her classmate gave her.  Because of the zero tolerance policy, the language did not differentiate between her OtC pain reliever and crack cocaine.  The school suspended her indefinitely and required her to attend a drug and alcohol abuse program.  This punishment seems ridiculous and is a prime example of an instance where principal discretion should be used. 

The point of this article was that students need more tolerance, not less.  Students need the opportunity to learn from their mistakes, and discipline should teach students instead of always punish.  As an alternative to zero tolerance some schools are using restorative justice, community conferences, referrals to counselors, and peer mediation.  Others are using strategies to teach and model appropriate behaviors.  When figuring out consequences some schools are considering a student's prior conduct, the severity of the incident, and the student's willingness to make the issue better. 

I think it is important for students to learn academics, but I also think it is important for students to learn life lessons about how to treat people and how to maintain self control and handle themselves in stressful situations.  Teachers need to be prepared to teach students these important skills as teachable moments or discipline issues arise.

 
 

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REFLECTION ZONE: Danger of a Single Story

The Danger of a Single Story

As a new school year begins, it is important to remember the danger of a single story.  Sometimes teachers like to share their story and their opinions about a student they had last year or in summer school. Sometimes a teacher who never even had the student will share the version of the story he/she heard from another teacher about a particular student.
I do think it is important to be informed on students' IEPs and 504 plans.  I think it is important to hear what strategies worked well previously and helped students find success.  However, I need to keep in mind when I hear these stories, that they are single versions, and there is a level of danger there. It is not fair to the students if I start the year with preconceptions and judgments before I even meet or get to know them.   I need to let each student start the school year with a clean slate and a fresh start.  I need to let each student write his/her own story in a new classroom with a new teacher, in a new school, during a new year.



REFLECTION ZONE: Building and Sustaining Community

Building and Sustaining Community

Tap Someone Who/Acknowledgment Ritual

Students sit in a circle on chairs. The teacher explains that we are going to be acknowledging people today.  What does acknowledging someone mean?  The students will be able to acknowledge someone anonymously.  What does anonymously mean?

The teacher asks all players to close their eyes, and then selects four students to be the “tappers.” The tappers open their eyes and stand. Everyone else must still keep their eyes closed. If someone opens their eyes he/she should be removed or tabbed out, so this behavior stops. The teacher states categories of people to tap.  (Prior to starting it would be a good idea to talk about appropriate places to tap, such as the shoulder.)  The teacher would then say, “Tap someone who... and the teacher says various categories.  Students may tap as many people as they feel meet the category shared. The categories can start simple without any judgment, such as:

Tap Someone Who…

is wearing Chieftain colors

has earrings

brought their planner to class

As your group gets to know each other better and their comfort level increases, you can add to the depth of the prompts, such as:

made you smile this week

is a good friend

helped you today

made you laugh this week

you admire

you would share a secret with

you would karyoke with

is good at sports

is musical

you learned something from

helped you out

is a leader

you would like to wish a Merry Christmas

 
Reflection Questions:
How did it feel being tapped? Why?
How did if feel to be the Tapper? Why?
What other categories can we include next time?
How does this activity help make us a more caring classroom?

All My Favorites
At the beginning of the year I ask students to fill out a form on all their favorite things.  It is a list of categories, and students fill in the blank with their response.  For example, I will ask them their favorite television show, musical group, athlete, book....  I read them and file them. Then during the year, when I write problems I try to incorporate their favorites into the word problem, instead of using a generic Sally or John.  It’s something pretty basic, but including their favorites sometimes makes them more interested in what we are learning. I think it plays a small part in building a community they are happy to be a part of.  It also keeps me current on the most populars with my age group. :)  



REFLECTION ZONE: Technology in Education

Technology in Education

This year I will continue learning more about technology.  I currently use a promethean board, activotes, a document camera, a scanner, and a classroom webpage.  New this year I will be working with Compass Learning.  I will begin by having students view the lessons on my promethean board.  Eventually, when the tablets have wireless individual students will be able to access Compass lessons on individual tablets.  I will also use Brainology software this year as part of my action research project.  I am continuing ways to enhance my school webpage.  This summer I attended an informational session where I learned to create forms/surveys on my website, and I created a voki, which is a talking avatar.  I will see how my students react to this.  The following are the two specific ways I use technology in my classroom. 

• www.brainpop.com/

This is an animated educational site for kids. It has quick 5 -10 minute clips that help introduce or review topics.  I use it for math, but there are also clips for science, social studies, English, technology, art, and music.  The two characters are Tim and Moby, and they have a comical manner in how they present the information.  The kids seem to enjoy them, and they are right on.  They hit the most important points, and explain the information very clearly.  There are also 10 multiple choice questions after each topic.  I annotate over the top of the screen with my promethean board, and students use the activotes to answer the questions. You can get a trial to try, but after a certain period of time (1 week if I remember) your school would need to pay to use this site.  (Abby)  

• www.voki.com

This site allows you to create an avatar and add your voice to it.  You can choose the character, background, clothes, and bling you want for your character.  You can then type your text and choose from a few accents or record your voice to the avatar.  I put one on the side of my blog and one on my teacher webpage if you would like to view the examples. I choose dogs for my avatars. (Abby)

            http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/MarishA/

REFLECTION ZONE: Summer Work

I just wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on the work I did this past summer.

Math Academy-3 half days in June
Compass Training - 3 half days in June and 1 in August
Tablet Training - half day in June
Problem Solving - 2 half days in  June and 1 August
Developmental Designs - 1 full week in July
Webpage Design - 3 hours in August
Microsoft Office 7 - 3 hours in August
Long Term Care Insurance Research
     - phone calls to WEA, meeting at the Riverbank, attending Seminar in Rice Lake, reading literature
Financial Planning Seminar
Masters Work
- IRB, Action Research, Reviewed test scores of incoming 6th graders to place students in RtI class,
  Read, Contacted Mindworks, Tech. Dept., Principal, & DO, August weekend
Decorated and set up room - 3 days in August

   

REFLECTION ZONE: Hopes and Dreams

Hopes and Dreams

Make a difference in my students' lives

Inspire growth mindsets to cultivate

Use directing, redirecting, and reflecting teacher language

Be a Mirror, not a judge

Help create a strong sense of belonging in my classroom for ALL students

Help students learn the value in hard work, strong effort, risk taking, and learning from mistakes

Remember the Power of my Words, and use them for good

Help create resilient, confident individuals

Take time for me and my baby when needed

REFLECTION ZONE: A Fresh New School Year

This past week we were officially back at school.  We had 3 days of in-service, an open house to meet our students and their parents, and 2 days with the kids.  While it is a little stressful to get everything done before our open house, it is still a magical and motivating time.  Our team met, our 6th grade advisory met, our building met, and we worked in our rooms to get plans in place for our first days.  Even though schedules were printed until the first day and the 6th graders followed them from the first day (new this year) we made it through with two successful days.  I am looking forward to a great 2011-2012 school year!