First Impressions

School has been in session for a few days now, and the students whom I have been thinking and wondering about all summer are now right in front of me.  I told my students that they control what my first impression of each of them is, while secretly hoping I’m making my own good first impression.  Some students like to make themselves known right away in both good and bad ways, and it just wouldn’t be a first week of school without being introduced to my first challenging scholar.

My challenge came to me with his parents on the first day of class to stress his want and need to graduate from high school this year. He told me of his not-so-stellar grade record and his determination to do what it takes to fulfill the graduation requirements. Then his parents left and his tone shifted.

I see many issues with his behavior and attitude that may be leading him down the wrong path despite his desire to graduate.  I’ve had some small successes keeping him focused in my classroom by giving him daily reminders that graduation is on the line this year, but incidents have occurred in other classrooms where he is disruptive and disrespectful.  I heard other teachers talking about this student's misbehavior in their classrooms such as, making rude remarks as other students shared thier summer stories, refusing to stay in his seat, and even jumping on school furniture.

He is on the school’s radar of kids who might not walk across the stage in June.  It is my goal to get him off this list and back on track so he can succeed in his goals for the future.  How am I going to do this? I don’t know the answer yet, and it’s going to take some digging. But what I do know is that when students are given the opportunities they deserve, they excel. I am here to provide that opportunity for each and every one of my students -- challenging or not.

--Lauren McCabe

Comments

[PABLO DEL PALACIO]

i am glad there are teachers with that optimism.
after teaching in compton for 7 years and resigning after my 3rd day at a highschool in that city, i do not share that optimism.
i just had one problem and the principal invited me to quit.
and so i did.
i am happy everyone i talk to tells me they would have done the same thing.
anyway, scary school story number 1084590933. and counting.

[Jaime Firenze]

Optimism? How can a teacher have optimism and pride in the job when he or she is not being paid? LAUSD still hasn't paid many of its teachers who are working on the track system, losing their cars, refinancing their homes, and borrowing money to simply feed their family.

How can our teachers be treated so wrongly?

[Dr. Robert Seaman]

Lauren,

Let me offer a suggestion about how to dig into this student's challenging behavior. If you have a Star Reading Test component in your library, get your students tested ASAP. At my high school in the SF Valley last year 80% of my students scored significantly below grade level. I teach 10th and 11th grade. Most of these students have Instructional Reading Levels in the 5th, 6th, and 7th grade levels. Star can give you quick and crucial information. For example, if this challenging student scores at grade level or higher, you know that his or her problem is psychological or emotional in nature. Most often, however, the low reading scores, coupled with recent CST scores and cums, will tell you that the student is trying to cope with shame of suffering with low or disabled cognitive abilities. Students who cannot read at or near grade level display challenging behavior, because they fear failing, and so they pretend that school work is boring or not important. Problem is, most high schools lack sufficient intervention systems to remediate these students. And most administrators don't care anyway.

[evelyn]

Actually far more of the students who act like school is "boring" are gifted. I know because when I look up their cums many were identified as gifted in elementary school and then nothing was done about it. ....

Most students actually can do the work but many are flat out lazy, something they will admit but your credential program never will. Students are often, but not always below grade level because their parents have not socialized them for school. Of course there are some who are below grade level due to learning issues, but it is not all up to the teacher. There must be a sea change in attitude on the part of the student.

We spend far too much time catering to the bottom, when often that is attitude induced and we ignore the top, who then don't reach their potential.

Don't lose sight of the students who needs more challenging work. They are more numerous than you may think. And when you have some time to catch your breath, go through your students' cumulative files. They will be very enlightening. You will find that many of the supposedly "low" students that the poster above talks about did fine in elementary and fell off the wagon in middle school due to social promotion. Realize that effort on the part of the student and their family, not just you, is required. Ditch the McDougal - Littell readers and use short appealing novels. They don't neccessarily have to be at grade level at first. Use story tapes to play with the novels. Require them to write constantly while they are thinking. Have them write and revise, revise, revise. Have them read each other's essays.
Students are responsible for their own behavior. Don't fall into the "students as victims" trap. Have a wonderful year.

[Lauren]

Thank you for the advise and sharing the many different views on this topic. Your comments have been inspiring!

[Richard Morse]

I'm very impressed that you folks are using this venue so productively. It's a shame that the school districts don't proivde such a facile way for you to seek out each others' advice and experience. Often, only those in the trenches can actually provide that additional bit of mentoring/experience-based advice (not administrators).