Post and Ponder
Parents' Help
Ethan Reese-White asks:
Recently I conducted a lab where part of the focus was to introduce students to writing a lab report, including putting down the purpose, materials, procedure, observations, and conclusions. We actually spent an entire class discussing it, guiding the students in brainstorming the components of each part (i.e., creating the list of materials, steps of the procedure, etc. themselves). For the most part, the work the students produced was pretty good. Some even went the extra mile and typed it up on the computer.
One student, however, turned in a report that was clearly written by her parents. By the look of it, the student conferred with the parents to produce the details for the report. However, the language in the report is definitely not that of your average seventh grader, let alone this particular student. I'm guessing that the parent or parents basically typed the report for this student in a well-meaning attempt to help him/her do well. You've probably seen this kind of thing before — rather than letting the student produce work appropriate to that of a seventh-grader, a well meaning parent goes all Type A and can't leave well enough alone.
The problem this creates, of course, is it makes it impossible to assess the student's understanding. Even with their input, the tweaks and rewrites the parents produce obscure any real sense of the student's understanding. So, what are some ideas on how to address this situation? Naturally, one doesn't want to squelch the parents' interest in helping their child, but if their helping is so heavy-handed that you can't assess the student's understanding, it becomes more of a problem than a help. You also create the possibility of a parent becoming defensive ("Well, I was only trying to help!") if you discuss it with them or even have the child produce the report again on their own. So, what are some thoughts on how address the situation? I talked it over with my mentor, but I'm interested in different perspectives.
Post and Ponder
Nagging: Does It Work?
Jamie Dale asks:
My mentor teacher doesn't give homework because the majority of the students nearly always fail to do it. Even on in-class assignments, she gives them extended time to turn the assignment in and will "nag" at them to get in their work for a grade. I don't like this. I feel like even at this age, the students should be responsible enough to do homework (at home, HOMEwork) and get it turned in for a grade. I guess I have a dual question: What are some other people's responses to this and how would you "engage" the students to complete their homework assignments, even though they don't seem to feel incentive to do it for grade purposes?
Post and Ponder
No Respect!
Quinn Bivens asks:
Here's one I'm sure many of you are battling with. I am running the same procedures as my mentor and have about the same rapport with the kids, but I am having less successful results. When he is teaching, the students are generally pretty quiet and on task; when
I am teaching, I find control is always a bit tenuous. I am giving out three times the red marks he is, but to no avail. How do I get the kids to treat me more like the "teacher" and less like the "intern?"
Post and Ponder
No Homework = Problem
Sabrina Schaefer asks:
There is one big problem that has been going on in all of my classes. Students will not do their homework. My mentor has made them write a letter explaining why they did not do or have their homework. This worked for one class after she told them their parents would see the letter and it would be put into their class file, and the parents would be called for repeat late homework. We have taken off points for it being late. If it is late, the student cannot make higher than say a C. We can't give them a zero because zeros aren't permitted; the students can turn it in late without a zero. One day only nine out of 22 students turned in homework, and they even had class time the day before to work on it. Another day we did almost the whole worksheet together in class. All they had to do was the last four questions; about half did it. It just bugs me that the students seem so lazy and don't care. Does anyone have suggestions for getting students to do homework on time?
Post and Ponder
Group Assignment Imbalance
Chase Caldwell asks:
During my first rotation I did a group assignment over the course of a week and a half. At first, things seemed to be going well, but then disaster struck. I found that some of the students were not pulling their weight and leaving the others high and dry. What do I do in this situation? How do I grade the students who did their work and the students who didn't?
Post and Ponder
When B Is a Bad Grade
Sarah White asks:
How should I handle parents who are upset that their child is doing poorly in my class? Their definition of poorly is having a B. I am teaching mainly Pre AP classes and I have many parents who feel this way.
Post and Ponder
Productive Group Work
Shane Hampton asks:
First, let me give the scenario. I am teaching in a high shcool classroom with 45-50 students in each class, and the room is a tight squeeze. The students sit four to a table in seven rows and two columns.
My question is: What are some ways to get these students to do productive group work?
It is very hard making it around to all the groups, and it seems like it takes forever to get the students going on the assignment.
Post and Ponder
Asking the Same Question
Megan McGrew asks:
How do you deal with students asking questions that you have just answered? I love when students ask interesting questions, but it drives me nuts when students ask a question I have just gone over. Any suggestions?
Post and Ponder
To Manage and Learn, Too
Brian Ross asks:
My mentor has two standards with classes we teach. In our advanced classes (mostly very good students, not disruptive at all, hard workers), we rarely use group work. This works fine with these classes. The students are highly motivated and consistent in doing homework and being disciplined in class. In our remedial class, we have a very diverse student population. The diversity is not limited to race. Even more than the racial differences, there is a huge disparity between learning levels, prior knowledge, ability levels, and discipline needs. We do a lot of group work with those students. For the most part, they have a short attention span. Group work is effective sometimes, but many times leads to nothing getting done. It does help manage the class some, because it allows them an outlet for their energy and talking needs, but does not seem to promote learning with the lower level students. We had more than a few students fail the first quarter. How can we manage the classroom without sacrificing student learning?
Post and Ponder
Finger Countdown Technique
Adam Bumstead asks:
To get my classes' attention and keep them from talking has been a problem, so I have resorted to holding up three fingers and then counting down. After all of my fingers are down, the class will be quiet, or those still talking will receive a lunch detention. This has been extremely successful for me, and my question is what are some of things that you all have done to refocus the attention of your students? They can be something effective or ineffective.
Post and Ponder
Disruptions Abound!
Jessica Fay asks:
At our school, several teachers have a habit of talking on the intercom many times throughout the day. Every time that this happens, my lesson gets interrupted. Also, the students lose the focus and begin to talk. This happens EVERY time. Does anyone have any suggestions for ways to quickly and effectively recapture their attention?
Post and Ponder
Not So Comfortable Anymore
Savita Malshe asks:
In my seventh grade class, in the sixth period, I have a group of students and we had a chemistry and pace set for them for learning. They were really comfortable until a few days ago when we got a new student in the class who has been home schooled. On the very first day in the class he made a comment that he is smarter that everybody else in the
class and whatever I was teaching was very easy for him. All the students got offended by that comment. He keeps on working on homework during instruction time in spite of me making him work on it twice. Please suggest how me and my mentor teacher can resolve this.
Post and Ponder
Tools for Discipline
Rachel Courtney asks:
Often, I want to tell students if they are good they will have no homework, and if they talk and misbehave they will have extra homework. I see the problem with using homework as a disciplinary tool. What are some alternative disciplinary methods that will get students' attention and respect?
Post and Ponder
Cheating and Punishment
Megan Murry asks:
In my absence in class last Monday, my substitute caught a student cheating on a quiz. The student had a hand-made "cheat sheet" that she kept under her desk to assist her. Needless to say, the substitute addressed the incident and collected both the cheat sheet and quiz. She then e-mailed both me and my mentor (who is out for six weeks) to see what action needed to be taken. My mentor instructed the substitute to inform the student that she will receive a zero on the quiz and to also report the incident to the administration. Do you think this is a fair punishment or is it too hard? Also, are there any suggestions for ways to get students to behave better when a substitute is in the room? This has become an issue for me since I am now in charge of all classes while my mentor is gone but am never able to be at the school on Mondays.
Post and Ponder
How Much Is Enough?
Kendra Jones asks:
I am having a hard time will getting students to actually stay quiet. I feel like I have to intimidate them after the second or third warning. "If you dont stay in your seat and raise your hand when you want to speak, you will have to go to the office." Is it okay for me to just say after their 2nd or 3rd time, "Ok, you need to go out in the hall," or send them to the office? Or should I warn them that one more time that they will be sent out? My question is, can they get told once and then the second time sent, or do they need to be officially warned?
Post and Ponder
Teacher, Help!
Jazmin Carranza asks:
How much should a teacher help a student on a test?
Post and Ponder
Grading System
Michael Figueroa asks:
First, the backstory. Since just about the beginning of my rotation at the high school, my mentor has implemented a grading system where homework has a greatly reduced effect on a student's grade. Besides being able to wait to turn in homework until the day of the chapter test, homework assignments have been worth 10 points at most. The majority of the grade rests with the tests, quizzes, a 100 pt. study guide, and a 50 pt. review. Participation points are also a major part of the grade.
The thing that is really outside the box about this whole system though is that she will give students full credit for a normal homework assignment even if the only thing on the paper is the name of the assignment itself. She does this as a way of showing parents how
much work their kids are doing and why they are passing or failing. It's also helpful for those who think they already know what they are doing on certain topics and don't feel they need the practice. Some students have taken advantage of this system though. Some have
actually turned in more than 5 assignments stapled together with nothing more than the title of the assignment on the pages. Some even went as far as to try to turn in one paper with all the assignments listed on it. My teacher has seen this and has been taking steps to prevent this sort of behavior, such as only allowing students to turn in blank sheets if they got at least a B on the last test.
My question is: Do you think this is a viable system for grading or was it doomed from the start? Also, whether doomed or viable, could you see any safeguards that would be useful to implement from the start to discourage the large piles of blank sheets?
Post and Ponder
Engage and Control
Justin Keen asks:
How do I better engage and control my inclusion classes when I have no para professional, and I lack the experience to properly reach all of them? I have some strategy books, but the time pressure makes it impossible to do all activity-based learning days. At this point in my career, I have to (at least) introduce the material verbally.
Post and Ponder
Seeds of Understanding
Jane Keen asks:
I am currently at a school that is 54 per cent Hispanic. On top of that, there is a pretty good sized Marshallese population. It is really diverse, which I think is great, but I have noticed a number of problems that have come up because of misunderstandings and culture clashes. A few weeks ago, we were out at recess, and the students were playing football. They were divided into Hispanic and Caucasian teams. They were being rough, so I went down to regulate, and the white team was yelling, "We're the border patrol." This is one of the many intolerant things I have encountered at my school. I have since addressed my students about appreciating diversity. This has opened up a board of discussion in class, where students tell me about the anger they feel because they are being discriminated against, and how it makes them want to fight. I think tolerance has a lot to do with classroom management, but I am having a difficult time figuring out how to sow the seeds of understanding in my students, and also putting it in their heads that violence is not the answer to hate. Does anyone have any good ideas for discussions or class activities that might address this problem?
Post and Ponder
Make-Up Work
Julie Allard asks:
Does anyone have a good idea for keeping up with students that have been absent and their make-up work?
Post and Ponder
Homecoming Distractions
Jessica Skordal asks:
How does a high school teacher deal with days like homecoming? The students are excited about the upcoming events and focused on everything but the classroom. Should a teacher simply assign an assignment that will occupy them, but not really help them? Or should a teacher assign an assignment that is important and risk the students not absorbing the information?
Post and Ponder
Lack of Motivation
Anthony Halter asks:
I have a student that has four assignments missing: two of which I handed back and told him to redo the assignments. We give the students the answers so they can check their work before they get to class and know which ones to ask questions about.
The two assignments I handed back to him had the equations written down and the answers with no work shown. On numerous occasions, it has been explained that he HAS TO SHOW HIS WORK. His reply to me is that he did it on his calculator. I told him he still has to show every step. The problem is that to qualify to take test B or C, he has to have all his assignments turned in. I have talked to him many times trying to motivate him, encourage him, inspire him,... nothing has worked. We are contacting his parents, but I thought some of you might have dealt with unmotivated students and might know some techniques that work.
Post and Ponder
Unrestrained Name Calling
Julie Allard asks:
What can I do to engage two students who, as juniors in high school, disrupt class because they are calling each other names? They have been separated, but continue the name calling across the room.
Post and Ponder
Limited Participation
Sarah White asks: How do you get more participation out of a class when there are only two students who raise their hands every time a question is asked? Note: I have said, "Let's try someone else who hasn't had a chance to answer." This works for the most part, but there are two of my classes where this method rarely works.
Post and Ponder
Refuses to Take Notes
Jessica Skordal asks:
How do you inspire students to take notes and pay attention to you in class when all they do is spend time talking and not paying attention? I have a student who says he can't take notes because he's not smart enough. I have offered to slow down, help him with note taking skills, and even allow him to come in during seminar (study hall) to work with me on the notes. He has refused them all. I don't know how to help him and he is not doing well in the course. Any suggestions?
Post and Ponder
3 Strikes and You're Out
Adam Bumsted asks:
How do you all feel about a three strikes and you're out policy for classroom misbehavior? My mentor feels that we need to do our best to not let our emotions take us over when trying to discipline students. He feels that by giving his students chances to stop he prevents some disruptive behavior. However, by allowing our students to test us and see how much we can take, are we really managing our class in the best way possible? Or should students be reprimanded on the first instance of breaking classroom behavior? What do you all think?
Post and Ponder
'Get Their Bluff In'
Brian Ross asks:
What do you think about teachers who say they need to be extra strict at the beginning of the year to "get their bluff in"? Does this inconsistency cost a teacher respect when he relaxes later in the year?
Post and Ponder
Loudly Interrupts Class
Jazmin Carranza asks:
What can I do about a 7th grade student who loudly interrupts class several times a period? This student just moved to the United States from a country in which its people use forceful voices. He hardly knows any English, so it makes it difficult to communicate with him.
Post and Ponder
Smart and a 'Smartie'
Megan McGrew asks:
There is a student in one of my classes who has anger management issues. I have been told that last year he threatened a student with a knife. He has just recently been allowed back at school. He does all of his school work and does very well on tests and quizzes, so it seems he's quite smart. However, he does have some bad habits such as getting out of his seat constantly and talking out in class. How should you deal with disciplining a kid like this? Any suggestions?
Post and Ponder
Will Not Set-Up Desks
Sabrina Schaefer asks:
In some of the classes I teach, the students have a procedure of setting up their desks, which includes their homework, agenda, book and paper. Every day this week there have been at least two people in every class that did not have their homework and half of the class would not set-up their desks. After going over the bell ringers, we have to waste time while they get their homework or their agendas out because they forgot their homework. Is there any advice for getting the students to come to class and set up their desks?
Post and Ponder
Making Fun of Others
Quinn Bivens asks:
My question deals with something I encountered today while handing out tests. How do I get students not to make fun of others who receive poor scores? I have admonished against it and tried to keep the scores
private, but the problem continues....
Post and Ponder
Not Able, or Unwilling
Anthony Halter asks:
Today I was asked to help with the "guided study" program at our school. While I was more than happy to participate, I am not sure that the two boys I was working with really learned anything. Both of them listened to me and responded well when I had to address their behavior; however, by the end of the hour they were still not able, or just unwilling, to answer my questions about the factoring we just executed. I have little experience dealing with at risk students. Does anyone have any tips as to how I can reach these boys on an educational level?
Post and Ponder
Poor Study Habits
Jessica Fay asks:
Many of my students (8th and 9th graders) do not turn in their homework, turn in incorrect or poorly done homework, do not study for quizzes and/or tests, and do not even take the time to take their books home to do take-home quizzes. This is causing their grades to suffer. However, no matter how much my mentor teacher and I tell them the importance of doing their work, they do not listen. I consider this part of classroom management and discipline because how the students perform (or don't) at home affects how they perform (or don't) in the classroom. When they feel lost in class, they talk to their neighbors because they are bored or confused. What are some strategies to help students understand that Spanish is a subject that they MUST spend some time on every night for at least 15 minutes? If they do not do their work, they fall behind and it is very hard for them to catch up. The whole class suffers.
Post and Ponder
Socializing vs. Learning
Michael Figueroa asks:
There is a student in one of the classes that I sometimes teach who just seems to be in there to sit and sleep or talk to the girl that sits next to him. I believe he is ESL, or at least at-risk, and he has already been taken out of one math class for not doing his work at all. He hardly ever does his work in this class and sometimes won't even pick up the work he is supposed to be doing for the day. Considering this is a Remediation Lab and a last chance to get or save his credit
for the course, it is just perplexing on how to deal with someone who seemingly doesn't care at all. My mentor has tried to engage him but I haven't really been able to see any progress. Any ideas?
Post and Ponder
'Visiting' the Principal
James Caldwell asks:
At what point is it OK to send a student to the principal?
Post and Ponder
Blurting Out
Shane Hampton asks:
How does a teacher go about handling students who have trouble blurting out?
Post and Ponder
Quiet Time Is Reading Time
Kendra Jones asks:
What can be done to keep the students quiet during quiet time, ie: reading time?
Post and Ponder
A Class Divided
Megan Murry asks:
I have a class that is literally half native English and half native Spanish speakers. I realize that I am in a Spanish classroom; however, this still poses more difficulties than one might think. Many times my mentor will give instruction in English, which throws the Latinos into a frenzy. When he then addresses their questions in Spanish, the other half of the class becomes frustrated and loses focus because they are not able to follow along with the conversation. I am curious to hear from others how you address a linguistically diverse classroom, as a whole, when not in a foreign language classroom with the option of reverting to a student's better language. Do you alter instruction in anyway? What other accomodations, if any, are made?
Post and Ponder
Is Quiet Talking Possible?
Ethan Reese-Whiting asks:
As a teacher that likes to see students engaged enough to discuss the material during activities, I plan to allow "quiet" talking, rather than no talking. However, some students are very quick to get off-task in their conversations and get louder. Other students are generally more diligent
about staying on-task with their talking. The tendency is to react a bit more quickly with the students that typically cause problems in order to "nip it in the bud" with repeated, frequent disturbances while being a little more forgiving with the students that don't tend to cause problems. Even in seventh grade, students can be astute enough to pick up on these discrepancies and exploit the technicality that this seems unfair to them. So, how might one allow classroom discussion while keeping the "repeat offenders" in check without presenting the appearance of being blatantly unfair?
Post and Ponder
Out of Their Seats
Savita Malshe asks:
There are a couple of students in my seventh grade classroom who always find an excuse to go out (for water, restroom, etc.) as soon the period begins. If they are not given permission to go out, they want to get out of their seats to sharpen a pencil or for some or the other reason. They hardly pay any attention to what is going on in the class. How do I help these students focus on their work?
Post and Ponder
Bloom vs. Accountability
Jane Keen asks:
At my school we have to give common ASL (assessments for student learning). Recently we gave one and nearly half the students failed. However, afterwards the principal came and said we really need to have common ASL's that shoot to even higher levels on Bloom's taxonomy. With so many ELL students, how can I keep it on grade level, or at a scaffolding level the student needs, and still meet the higher Bloom's requirement of my boss?
Post and Ponder
Preparedness
Justin Keen asks:
What can I do to help my kids learn to come to class prepared? I am in a sixth grade pod, two of the classes are inclusion, and we have a high percentage of ELL students. All the kids are great but even among the high achievers every day it seems I have at least two students in most every class who do not have their supplies out of their locker. We write what they need on a board outside in the hall, and they get disciplined for not being prepared. I dont mind allowing for their transition out of elementary and their having to learn more responsibility, but my class periods are short and I need all the time I can get with the kids, not with them in the hall at their lockers.
Post and Ponder
Denial of Wrongdoing
Rachel Courtney asks:
I have a student who is very bright and respectful outside of the classroom; however, when in class, he throws paper balls, pencils and the like. Each time I ask him why he won't behave, he denies he did anything wrong or disruptive. How can I control this child?
Post and Ponder
Detention: Yes or No?
Jamie Dale asks:
Two of my classes are at capacity (30 students) which makes the room very full and crams a lot of students close together. I am stuggling with classroom management, as far as student behavior is concerned, and when I have these classes, it is even harder. How do you "manage" this many students in the area of talking? I feel like I am constantly calling students down for talking when they are not supposed to — either while I am talking or when they are supposed to be working silently. I haven't given any detentions and my mentor is encouraging me to do that so that the students know I am serious. How do I choose which student(s) to give detention to? It is a widespread problem (as in not just one or two students) and I think part of it is because there are so many students crammed in such a small place. Does anyone have any suggestions for curbing the talking besides resorting to detentions?
Planet Gnosis is directed by Dr. Freddie A. Bowles,
Assistant Professor of Foreign Language Education
in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction,
the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Planet Gnosis is dedicated
to the exploration of education and teaching.
It is a cybersite of CornDancer.com,
a developmental website for the Mind and Spirit.
Submissions are invited.
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