10. In
chapter seven, Grow Your People, the authors show
how Paul Butler motivated the population of an
entire
island to protect the St. Lucia Parrot. Think
about the idea
of “identity.”
How would you describe the
identity of your
neighborhood? Your students? Your kids?
Imagine
that you had to convince one of these groups to recycle
more, or to
volunteer more time, or to tutor elementary-school
kids.
How might you appeal to their identity as a way
of motivating
their Elephants?
How might you convince a general education teacher to make accommodations for one
of your students?
I work with a great group of special education teachers and it is not hard to appeal to their elephants! Sped teachers have great hearts and are very compassionate and understanding of the underdogs (kids with disabilities). I have seen teachers move mountains for kids in need.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately most of my sped students do not have a positive identity about themselves as learners. At the middle school level this comes from years of academic struggles and low performance, compared to their peers. Students know when they are being singled out for remedial classes and/or special services. I hear on a regular basis my students making comments about how they are dumb and lazy. In chapter 1 of this book the authors make a statement that self-control is an exhaustible resource and laziness is actually exhaustion, on the students part. Which makes perfect sense when you consider how hard our students have to work during the day academically and on behavior control it becomes exhausting causing them to shut down which is mistaken for being lazy. Over time, years by the time they get to the middle school those labels from teachers have become expectations in the kids.
ReplyDeleteI have found that if I can help them achieve success in one area that is my foot in the door to make meaningful changes in them as learners. For example studying with my students for a test and that they pass. Or reviewing math problems so they can work it out on the board in front of the class the next day. When they feel success as a learner it gives them that identity that grows and I get better cooperation in the future with more challenging assignments. Of course this does not happen over night, I might not see the "I am a learner" identity for a year or two down the line. They still have failures but I try to teach them to learn from the failures so they will grow academically.
I believe that one's "identity" often correlates with their self-talk. If someone is always telling themselves "I don't have the skills to do that." or "I've always done it this way and I can't do it any other way." that will become their "identity". Changing a general education teacher's self talk can help change how she sees herself as a teacher. Telling her something like "You do a nice job differentiating curriculum during your small group reading times." will help her change her self talk. Then maybe she will believe she can easily make the needed accommodations for our special needs students.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter Grace has always tested high on MAPS tests, AIMSweb test, etc., but has never "identified" herself with being a strong reader. Week after week, I get her reports from AR and she is reading and taking tests on lower level books. I could not figure out why she was doing this. At parent teacher conference, her teacher mentioned that we really need to push her to read harder books. I asked her how can we get Grace to realize she is a great reader and read more challenging books??? Her teacher gave me a thick book at her reading level and begin reading it with Grace. Of course, Grace's first reaction when she saw the book was, "I can't read that book!" I showed her that it was at her reading level, but it was just a bigger book. I also told her that the other students at her reading level had read this book, this made her determined to read it. She started with a few pages and I could literally watch on her face her pride begin to swell! She looked at me after chapter 1 and said, "mom, I can read this!" Over the weekend she read 6 chapters!
ReplyDeleteIt is tough to get general education teachers to use accommodations because they seem time consuming and overwhelming. However, one of my schools has a teaming time with 7th grade teachers and 8th grade teachers (separately). It is so awesome when one teacher says they are using a few accommodations with a student and that seems to encourage other teachers to give them a try as well. The teachers seem to identify that if Mrs. X can use it, then so can I. When they return to report on their results of using accommodations, they seem to be prideful that they tried the accommodation and it worked! Or if it didn't work, they have more self-confidence to try another one.
The identity of my students I would say is language strugglers or language strugglers. The students know when others cannot understand what he/she has said. The student gives up if asked to say it again. That is when I have to appeal to their Elephant to motivate them to practice the words over and over. I try to get them to recognize how it makes them feel when the word is said correctly and everyone understands! When convincing a general ed teacher to make an accommodation, I feel one has to appeal to that teacher's strengths and how it would fit into their plan. I had a preschool student last year that needed visual and a visual schedule. I had the para actually implement that schedule with the child. This year that same teacher has another student that needs a visual schedule. She saw such good improvement last year, that she requested a large visual schedule to incorporate into her daily routine for all kids!
ReplyDeleteMy neighborhood is very friendly and open. We always wave at each other. Some of my neighbors don't speak English, but we always acknowledge each other. I feel it is a safe neighborhood, which supports my family's identity. I believe my family's identity is one of love and creativity, we may not have a clean house, but it is filled with love and kids with strong self-worth. I think my students struggle for an identity. I don't think some of them connect to their Hispanic heritage. I think that their identity is what they hear from their peers and family. I think there is an identity of sadness and low self-worth. It makes me concerned for the students' future.
ReplyDeleteTrying to get people involved is difficult. I believe that making a situation as personal as possible is essential for getting people to actively change or participate.
Some teachers really struggle with accommodations. I think acknowledging the concerns/issues with accommodating. Start small and be very supportive of that small change. Also be positive about what the teacher is doing and about the successes of the student/students.
The wonderful privilege I have is working with Kindergarteners and this is when they are at their most impressionable time in their lives. The examples or identities we teach them now are what helps to make them or break them in future years. Even with my most severe students I work on teaching skills to be independent learners. Even if that means just learning to walk down a hallway without holding an adults hand that is teaching the student to have their own identity to be their own unique person. Some of the battle that I face is breaking the parents to let these young people form their own identity. Usually with persistence once we can prove to parents how these young children can be independent in some form and become little people they are more willing to step back and let them grow.
ReplyDeleteMy neighborhood has a very positive identity. It is more like a family. I live right across the street from my really good friends parents and we talk semi-often for neighbors. We look out for each other’s houses while we’re gone. We wave to everyone in town.
ReplyDeleteThe younger students seem to have a more positive identity than the older ones. I think the older students I have realize how much they’ve struggled in school and feel more frustrated about it. Encouraging them that they are good at something and trying to find some kind of passion of theirs would appeal to their elephants.
Encouraging general education teachers to accommodate our students in the classroom while giving understanding I think would help with convincing teachers to provide accommodations.
My neighborhood (school) includes teachers that are extremely passionate about their content areas. I think they see themselves as outstanding teachers who do their best to enhance students’ lives. Most of the students I work with see themselves as hard workers, ones who do their best. Sometimes I think they feel a little ‘beat up’ with all the work that is assigned to them! Most of the students I see are wonderful at helping others, our school district teaches volunteerism. It’s not tough to motivate these Elephants to help out, it’s been ingrained in their minds since they entered high school.
ReplyDeleteI told one of the HPEC administrators the accommodations section on my IEPs is a joke. Teachers are constantly making accommodations for students and letting me know about it after the fact. They truly are good at their professions and do what’s best for students without prompting.
My personal neighborhood as well as the neighborhood in the community where I teach is mixed, both socioeconomically and culturally. I believe that the "identity" of the neighborhoods is community minded and education friendly--the parents of the school kids want their kids to learn and do well in school. Sometimes they don't know how to help their kids. To appeal to their Elephant to do what they can--be positive, encourage hard work, get them to school on time and let them stay after for some extra help. I agree with Jan about self-talk. We need to encourage positive self-talk to encourage their Elephants. If you can change how kids talk to themselves, especially regarding how they see themselves as learners, things get a little better and they begin to see themselves differently. This does not happen overnight, but one little sentence at a time.
ReplyDeleteI think general ed. teachers sometimes feel overwhelmed about accommodations. I think the key is to "catch them doing a little bit" and compliment them for that. Let them know you have observed their efforts and appreciate them. They want to do what is best for kids also.
Since I am new to this community I am watching and observing and I really think the school is on the right track. Where I came from has had parents involved to their best ability but we allowed parents to take on some responsibility to take it off the teachers. As teachers we have so much to do that trying to plan a party or get things down for groups is hard. When you have some to help things move a lot quicker and can accomplish more then doing it your self. I guess as a parent I remember going in to grade papers that had a right or wrong answer, but I also remember the school gave at least five test a week. The tested weekly on phonograms, math concepts, spelling, reading comprehension, and language arts. There were some other tests they would take but this was a non stopped concept skills check so the teacher could monitor as well as the parents. Leaving in a bigger town with options allow schools to compete amount one another and who does not want to be on top. The district also allowed parents to choice the school that fit their child. I loved this because we could fit the right programs for our child. I think knowing how much one parent did for the school made other parents want to do things for the school. I know I took on a talent show that had to be done after school and I was in charge of getting parents to volunteer, setting up, take down, and clean up. I was surprised how many parents volunteer even if there child was not participating. I learned so much from eveyone that if I stayed I would have continued doing the talent show. I am hoping that someone continues with the talent show and make it a bigger success then the first. I want the talent show to get bigger each year until we have to separate due to the numbers. I think we all have drove but we have to find what motivates each individual. We can't say this method is going to work for all parents since we know all students do not learn the same way.
ReplyDeleteMy neighborhood is close; a bit like extended family. We look after each other. Several of us experienced a wildfire a couple of years ago that impacted each of us in a different way, but that experience was made easier by caring neighbors and helping each other. Like most of you my students haven't experienced much positive self-talk. Sometimes helping them catch a positive vision for the future seems insurmountable, but my team and I just keep plugging away. The teachers I work with are good about making accommodations for my students. I found that visiting with them one on one and addressing questions and concerns they have and helping them get to know the students just a bit helps tremendously.
ReplyDeleteI have just moved into my neighborhood and find myself acquainted with only two neighbors so far. This makes it hard to really identify with my neighborhood. The school that I work at is a different story. We are a close-knit group and I truly think of us as a team! The kiddos fit right in as "friends." We call one another friend regularly and everyone is considered to be our friend. There are some students that work in my room and others that wish they could so badly. They are all friends :) Using this collective term, it is easy to make the special education children the same as the general education children. We do not single them out and, although they get to come to the sped room, all children are forming relations with the sped staff.
ReplyDeleteMy school neighborhood has gone through many changes in the last 5-6 years. 5-6 years ago we were all very close and almost like family. We would all have get togethers, celebrate birthdays here at school, etc. However, this started to change and many have left and new teachers have come in. Many had become very guarded about working with others and there didn't seem to be a lot of trust among the staff. This year is the first year in a while that the staff seems closer than before. I think we are all starting to trust one another and seem to work together a little bit more than before. This really affects how our kids act and learn at school. They can sense a disconnect and know things aren't quite right. They need to have a safe "neighborhood" so that we can help shape their identity and help them overcome some of the stereotypes they have come to believe they belong in.
ReplyDeleteWhen working with the general education teachers I try to introduce one or two accommodations at a time. I hate to overwhelm the teachers or ask them to change what they are doing completely. Also, when I am planning on introducing more I start "planting" the thought of doing different things a few weeks in advance. I have a student that has a teacher that refuses to let him sit with anyone else in class because he is usually such a distraction. He has been really good the past three weeks so I emailed her and ask what she thought about pairing him with student X next time. She rushed to say no, but a few days later said what about one of these other three students. So while she was quick to reject the idea at first, the seed was planted and she eventually came up with her own solution to adding the new accommodation.
I primarily work with Early Childhood students so for the most part, they are all in that "I can do anything" stage of life. They realize others can say mean words, as well as nice words, but it hasn't yet totally shaped their identity.
ReplyDeleteI know from having my own children that while I would like to say that I have ALOT to do with shaping my child's identity, I also have to resign to the fact that their friends and other peers will also have a big impact on that. I have tried to spend as much time and teachings with them as young children to give them that strong foundation so as to choose good friends that will help build a positive self-identity. Amazing how a few negatives seems to outweigh a thousand positives when it comes to identity.
When working with regular education teachers, I try to not only give them the tools that they need to support students who need accomodations but also teach them why that student needs it. I learned early on in "coaching" of parents and teachers that if you somehow plant that seed and allow the parent/teacher to buy into the plan, they are much more likely to participate. I also try to build a relationship with the parent or teacher, support them as much or as little as they need and let them know I am always here (even if it's just to complain). Depending on their age/stage in life of the teacher, I try to put them in the shoes of the parent (as I often have been in the home or know more of the family dynamics) or that of the student. If theythey have kids/grandkids of their own I would try to gently remind them that they would want their childs teacher to do whatever was needed to help them learn". I also try to remind teachers that it's not the student's "fault" they are delayed, they didn't ask for it but they need us to help them learn. I think we have to believe that all teachers went into this profession because they truly care about children and want to help.
I primarily work with students who are behind (multiple years) in reading. I have worked with these types of students all the years that I have worked in special education. I have found that most of them feel embarrassed and very down about the fact that they struggle to read. While it is easy for some, it is very difficult for them. What I found is that they needed ME to believe in them first in order to help them change their identity as as reader. As they began to know that I believed they could do it...they started to see themselves as a reader. As their identity as a reader improved, so did their reading scores and levels. It has been such an amazing thing to witness. I once had a student that was diagnosed dyslexic that had struggled for years. When she started with me, she had the identity of a non-reader. As she began working...her identity changed, and when she left for high school, she was reading on level. Her identity change made all the difference for her!!
ReplyDeleteWhen talking to a teacher about making accommodations for students, I think that it is important to see things from their perspective. I like to show them the accommodations that are needed and appeal to their elephant about the importance of the accommodations. I think that all teachers want to do what is best for students. Each year when they get new students, they have to change to meet the needs of those new students. As we all know, change is hard. Helping teachers understand the emotional necessity of the accommodations always helps.
I work with a range of students, I have younger students who don't know any different about coming to work with me and think it is fabulous and I have older students who are embarrassed when I walk in the room to get them. Their identity changes over time I believe based on maturity and what they see happening around them. My older students know there is something different about leaving the classroom and sometimes hear comments about their different work. As I have worked with one of my older students I have seen so much growth in him and have seen a change in his confidence. I have enjoyed seeing this change in him and his attitude about school and his work.
ReplyDeleteI have had great experiences with classroom teachers working with me to make accommodations for our students. I feel very blessed to be working with teachers who understand the need for accommodations and that every student does not work in the same way.
(Mary Schreck) - The identity of my neighborhood has changed greatly over the last 30+ years. It was fairly static for quite some time but as of late, people have moved, died, etc "so things are not the same". Student identity seems to change every year as we gain some and lose some. Services provided also change and that changes student/teacher relationships. I think most of us teachers try to help students "see themselves" differently - that they can have some successes. As Paul Butler pointed out, "when we are able to build people up, they develop the strength to act." (grow the people). I have been most fortunate in working with teachers that make accommodations for students, either on their own or with some positive feedback/encouragement from me.
ReplyDeleteI know that so many of my kids at the middle school level are struggling to find their identity at this stage. They are not only going through puberty, but may have things happening at home. I try to create a space in my room where students can learn new things and feel safe. Students are motivated when they realize that we have done something as a class and then are able to do it on their own. So many times they don't want to try, but they can do the work.
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