12. Look
at the examples of the Rackspace customer service
department (In Chapter 8), or how Bart Millar
changed
the high school student’s behavior.
Was there
ever a situation where you attributed some problem to
someone’s
“character” when you found out later it was a
problem
with the environment?
What kind of environment might have eliminated the person’s “character problem”?
Early in my teaching career I was not very understanding with students and their "negative" problematic behaviors. This was because I was raised in a bubble, not unusual, but I really did not know the dark side of life that some of our students live in every day. So when they would come to school late, unprepared, dirty, mean, or not come at all I was not very tolerant. Fortunately our principal would give us some information on students who seemed to always be on the teachers bad side. For example; there was one student who was absent alot because he was sick. After some investigation on the counselors part we found out that his family had not hot water, only cold water and that was what he showered in everyday. Over time, especially in the winter, he would get sick from the daily ice-cold showers. Of course after we learned this information we realized it was an environment issue that was out of his control. When you have a student population where the majority is low SES you get more and more stories like that. I had one student who missed alot of school. We found out he was babysitting his little brother who was sick but his parents left for work, shift work, very early in the mornings and did not know he was sick. when the older brother did come to school he had often left the younger one at home alone. Situation problems are hard to overcome in these instances but it definitely makes us more sympathetic and understanding towards our students and that makes teachers want to work/help with those students more!
ReplyDeleteI have seen many situations where students' behavior is caused by the environment. People first believe it is the character of the students when later it is sometimes realized the environment has contributed to the behavior. This happens quite often with kids with sensory needs in the classroom. I believe I have an advantage in seeing how the changes in behavior occur with students because I follow the students over many years, many environments, and many teachers. I have seen one particular student have great years and horrible years based on teacher personalities and structure differences. I feel bad for the students when the teachers do not follow suggestions of what has worked in the past. This particular student does well when the teacher lets go of some of the control and gives the student options. He works harder and has better behavior when there is structure, routine, and choices he can make throughout his day. I think everyone is happier with the ability to make some decisions. How many of us let others control every aspect of life during the day?
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes even as teachers we are quick to judge. They saying to be quick to judge until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes is so true. Our students very often do come to school dirty, hungry, tired, or just don’t come to school and have poor attendance records. In smaller schools it is easier for everyone in the system to know family histories but in larger towns or when student’s move into our systems we don’t always know all the pieces to the puzzle. As a SPED teacher sometimes we are the ones who put all the pieces together and if we take the time to share with those who are involved in their lives it sometimes can help to have the empathy that is needed to help the student have a more successful day at school. We cannot control student’s home lives but if we can help to have them be successful and see that school is a safe place to be they will want to be here every day.
ReplyDeleteI don’t typically assign a problem to people’s character. I usually can consider there must be some reason why people act like they do and think like they do. I generally operate from the principle that people do the best they can with the skillset they have and that people who know better – do better. I can still get crazy frustrated at times though!
ReplyDeleteWhen you’ve taught as long as I have, you see there are so many different environments that our student survive in; it’s sad! Several different students and their homes come to mind: a fighter (his dad taught him that), a thief (mom approved), and some less than clean kids (there was no way to be clean). I still believe it is a miracle the kids come to school and want to learn. When your stomach is growling, you itch because you’re so dirty, or you physically hurt because of where you’ve been punched…how do they go on? Given a few minutes of total acceptance, these kids shine. They’re just like all of us, we need unconditional love and acceptance.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add that it makes me angry when these kids are shunned by others because of their situations. One of our former administrators called them ‘the not pretty’ kids and really pushed the staff to open them with welcome arms. It became a part of our culture, but it did take a while!
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started working as a school psych, I would say I was very judgmental! I believe that had a lot to do of how I was raised...two parent home, no financial worries, big house, nice car, loving family, etc. I would be in disbelief when kids couldn't succeed when we were giving them every kind of help possible at school. After going to Ruby Payne's seminar, I quickly learned how a person's environment (specifically the poor) can shape their character.
ReplyDeleteWe had a student we had been working with. We gave her every bit of assistance that we could possible give, but she wouldn't accept any of it and was rude (in our opinion). Then, we find out she was sleeping on the floor, had very little to eat, and had a step-father who beat her. However, she would not accept help because she only knew family and wouldn't ever leave them. So I feel this is a case where her environment has shaped her character. I feel she would have been a different girl if she didn't have to go home to such a sad home life.
I think sometimes I am to fast to judge someone's character then looking at what could be causing the problem. I feel sometimes it is easier to blame the person then the environment. We all have different traditions as well as they way we were raised. Life was hard in some houses to children having everything they ever wanted or needed. I think I need to look at the problem as well as the environment and decide if it is something I could help with to allow this person to grow even with their environment. The students are not bad but the adults in their life's could be toxic and that could be way they are doing what they are doing. I want all my students to be successful and so finding ways to tweak my classroom environment is what I have been trying. I might have three different groups but whatever way works best for her success I will do. Once she has a vocabulary I might try putting them back together for a group for the mean time it is working great and I see progress and both of them. The student who is always gone seems not to get that one on one attention so being in a group of his own always him to be the focus.
ReplyDeleteI have experienced many times where it seems as though a student's character is 'bad', but really it's an envioronment problem. The first time this happened I was working in the clinic at college and the student had a meltdown for no apparent reason. Later I found out that he was overstimulated with too many bright lights (which was the 'normal' amount of light to me) and background music. Some times very simple things in the environment can trigger behavioral problems. I need to remind myself of this when a child has a meltdown, they are probably not being disobedient just for the sake of it, there are underlying issues that need to be figured out. I am usually conscious of the temperature in my speech room, as that affects moods of children differently.
ReplyDeleteWhen teachers don't make needed adaptations for our students, as special educators we often become frustrated and believe they don't care about our students. I believe the majority of teachers have a love of children and want to see all of their students succeed. When a teacher fails to make needed adaptations, we need to look at the environment and what is keeping her from doing it.
ReplyDeleteOften times society is quick to judge people who are not like them. They think people are dirty, dumb, etc. because of something in their character or because they are unmotivated to do better. When one takes the time to befriend those who are "different", you often discover it is their environments or situations that are causing the problem. If you were placed in the same environment, likely you would perform more like them.
I have a student that I thought was mean--a definite character problem. And then his living situation changed and I realized that he was really affected by his environment. Change is slow and sometimes inconsistent, but this formerly "mean" kid makes me smile everyday. To see him being a joyful child makes me laugh and cry. He has taught me a lot about acceptance.
ReplyDeleteMy first classroom teaching job was in Charlotte, NC. The school was right in the middle of the "projects". My classroom make up was 99% African-American and 99% free or reduced lunch. Those two years taught me that environment was first thing we as teachers need to look at when discussing students and how to support them. Many of my students were in gangs, had no food at home, parents who weren't around. These kids were subjected to abuse-physical, verbal, sexual, prostitution and pregnancy (they were 6th graders). During my first semester teaching there, I went through Ruby Payne's "Framework of Poverty training". This training really helped to cope teaching in this environment.
ReplyDeleteNow when talking about students, especially ones with behavior issues, I try to think of what we can do here at school to create a successful environment. Because what is going on for the other parts of that student's day is "TBU" (I love the idea of True But Useless" information).
My team and I have been striving to reach a student for over a year and a half. Several times this year it seems that this student has gone backward. Then around Veteran's day there was a "breakthrough" outside of school and then a couple of breakthroughs in school including some positive grades. This student missed the vocal concert the other evening which is part of their grade and when I was checking in with home/environment I had a moment of clarity realizing that the stepdad lied (on the phone) and just what this student deals with at home. Now I'll be doing some more brainstorming with my team to see how we can help this student be as successful as possible in spite of the environment!
ReplyDeleteIn the examples given in the book, the environment was changed because the people were taught what to do and a specific path was set forth. I think that is true for most of us....one of my favorite Oprah quotes is: "You can't do better til you know better, now that you know better.....". I think by educating those around us (gen ed teachers, paras, parents) by sharing with them what we know seems to work when dealing with children with special needs, we are giving them a new path. I think for them to follow that path, we have to set forth specific directions on how to get to the end result. I think I do a pretty nice job of educating others about my students..but I might be a little vague on the steps needed to help them. I need to be more specific.
ReplyDeleteBy doing home visits, I am not just reading about poverty, I am right in the middle of it. I have learned a lot from the families I work with ... I know it has changed me as a person and a professional. I have a whole new respect for working with other professionals from early head start, parents as teachers, AMH, SRS. When we can work with these other agencies, I think it helps us change the environment for the families.
I think it's important to get to know our kids and try to shape our classroom around them. If we know of a student who does not get to eat at home, keep some extra crackers or food in the closet for them to eat when they are at school; if you know of one that doesn't have a bed to sleep on at home - see if you can find one that can be donated; little things like that can help a student perform or try harder at school.
ReplyDeleteThere was a student a few years ago that would get up at 5 to go to work until 7:30, come to school until 3:30, then go back to work until late that night. He rarely had time for homework or sleep, but had to help his sister pay for food, rent, child care, and other bills. A few of the teachers tweaked his assignments so he didn't have to work much and one even gave him time to sleep in her class - 20 minutes everyday. We knew home life was hard and instead of punishing him for always falling asleep or never turning in homework. We changed our environments in the classrooms so he could rest without bugging anyone else and it paid off. He was able to work and complete school and graduate.
I think that too often kids are judged based on what people think is their character, when in fact, it is all environmental. It makes me sad to think of how often this happens. I can think of many kids throughout my teaching career that the general education teachers have thought were "bad" kids; the problem was that they didn't know what was happening at home or behind the scenes. One kid in particular was a product of a VERY ugly, nasty divorce and custody arrangement. When he was with his mom, he received his medication daily, got to sleep at a decent time and wasn't beat up and bothered by his older brothers constantly. When he was with his dad, he didn't receive any of his medication, didn't have a bed to sleep in, and was constantly berated by his brothers and his dad the entire week he was there. It was a week at a time with both parents. IT WAS AWFUL!!! His behavior was horrible when he was with dad and then he would get it together when he was with mom. This went on for years...each new year, the new teacher would be completely upset with him and then would finally relax when they realized that he was doing the best he could with his situation. He was a great kid...one that I really, really enjoyed teaching! His environment was toxic...he wasn't. It was so important for his teachers to look beyond what they were seeing in school and see what was really happening. Environmental factors are huge...at school we can't change what is happening at home; however, we can learn to be understanding of the situations and provide the kids with a positive learning environment while we have them at school.
ReplyDeleteI believe whole heartedly that environment shapes someones character and behavior. I have taught in 2 school districts in my 5 years of teaching, one with a very high rate of free and reduce and migrant and one with a much lower rate. I have learned a lot about poverty since being where I am currently and definitely feel the environment or lifestyle shapes the kids and what they feel is right or necessary. Things that I deem as important in my life aren't as important to them. I see a group of students who feel like they deserve things to be given to them because the school has always worked very hard to provide for the students that are in need. So now we have created people who do not think they need to work for things but instead they feel things should be handed to them. I have set up systems for my students to earn things they want or even things they need to teach them that not everything is handed to them. Just today I gave a student a pencil because his favorite pencil was getting very small and he said I didn't work for this is it a gift and I said yes. He seemed to appreciate the small thing more since he is used to having to earn most things from me.
ReplyDelete(Mary Schreck) How many of us have heard, "he/she can do the work but he/she is just lazy"? We as educators see many "environment" issues with our students - poor, tired, hungry, etc. Often it is difficult to know what all is going on in a student's life and if we did, probably would not be able to do much to change it. However, in chapter 8, it points out that "the third element of "our" framework, the Path, is so critical. If you want people to change, you provide clear direction, (Rider) or boost their motivation and determination (Elephant). Alternatively, you can simply make the journey easier". We, as teachers, can/should do this - "create a steep downhill slope, give them a push, remove some of the friction from the trail, scatter lots of signs to tell them they are getting close. - In short, shape the Path.
ReplyDeleteI feel that this happens often among co-workers as well as family members. I think that when you do not know someone very well, it is easy to chop it up to the person's character. However, it is easier to blame a situation when you do know someone's character. I really think that your stance and relationship with whoever you are encountering has a great deal of influence on the excuses you make. I agree with Dan, it doesn't take much to label a student as lazy when we should really be looking at the environment. I am even seeing this with the way that our school handles situations. It has become known as "the southwest Kansas way of doing things." I really think that having insight on the impact of environment can give us a completely different outlook on things.
ReplyDeleteI know that I have to look beyond how the child is a school and recognize their environment that they come from. Sometimes though I get stuck in my middle class mindset and want to become frustrated. It helps to take a step back, take a deep breath and start again. I work with students with low ES backgrounds, may be illegal and have other issues to deal with. I try to be understanding and the students as much as I can. I help with homework, have snacks in my room if needed, and help provide support where I can.
ReplyDelete