So, first of all, I have been muddling through my summer reading list and I really like the book "The Power of Our Words: Teacher Language That Helps Children Learn" by Paula Denton. It has made me rethink how I must sound to my students. Here's the background why I think that I'm not as smart as I thought I was. Before moving to 2nd grade, I taught 5th graders for about 3 years. 5th graders! Hormonal, stinky, emotional, and temperamental 5th graders! Holy speed stick Batman! I used big words. I told them what to do and held high expectations that they would do it. And, for the most part they did. Teaching reading was a different kettle of fish that it is now. Math was different, as was writing. Everything was different. (Not that is a bad thing...just different). Well, move on down to 2nd grade and once again, its different. I found myself teaching kids to learn to read instead of reading to learn. I found myself teaching kids how to add, not what to add. For someone like me, who was firmly planted in an upper elementary mindset, the change was hard. Not only hard, but downright DIFFICULT. I still at times find myself struggling with 7 and 8 year olds. I'm not perfect, I just wish I was.
However, with the influence of this book, I feel that this coming year might just be the best one yet. The first two focus points for me as of right now are:
- I am going to focus on making statements rather than questions - for example "Everyone go back to your seats now" versus "Can everyone go back to their seats now?" I see now that even though the later SEEMS respectful it is actually asking their permission if its "okay" for them to head back to their seats, when in reality, I'm the one that supposed to be in charge of the room. So, statements it is and no more asking permission from my students to do something.
- I am going to focus on finding time to notice students positives - for example I can say "I see you are trying many different ways of solving that problem. That takes persistence" instead of saying something like "Great job trying to solve the problem. I like how you are trying different ways." The first as I am learning, focuses on subliminally telling students that I have confidence in them and helps to provide hard evidence that they should believe in themselves too. The second tells a child that I am pleased with their work and in order to continue to please me they will do the same motion over and over again. Well, that's out. My pleasure derives from them learning, not blindly doing to get a "great job" to pass my lips.
Yet all this takes time, practice, planning, and patience. I have to physically plan to look for these type of interactions. Which in turn means I have to focus myself to be on the lookout for them. I don't want to do all this self-introspection on myself only to fall back into the same old patterns of old where I revert to the gold old "Great job!" or "Great! I like it!" Basically after all this long winded pontification what I'm trying to say is - false praise is no praise at all, and I'm going to to my best to stop it in my classroom.
Will all this take time? You bet. Will I stumble and fall? You bet. Will I try my best to stand back up each time I do and remind myself that I am learning too? Yes. Will I berate myself for failing? Yes. Will I look myself in the mirror and tell myself that I can do better next time. Yes. Not perfect - just trying. Which we all are, either in education or not. We are all not perfect - just trying our best.
More changes? Yes. Bean is changing each and everyday. just this week, he has come into the "self-realization" phase of his development. What's that you ask? It's where he commandeers the use of my phone and scrolls until he gets to pictures of himself and videos of himself and he will keep himself occupied for hours on end looking at ... himself. (I really can't blame the poor kid, I mean he's just the most handsomest kid in the known universe to me. Uh, look at exhibit A &B).
I have a ladykiller on my hands. And I am his first victim. Yet, I would willingly do it over again in a heartbeat for him. He is my joy.
Until the next quiet time,
Shauna
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