Articles Listed Below :
1. IS GIVING ZEROS AS AN ACADEMIC MEASUREMENT ETHICAL?
2. THE MAZE OF LIFE (DEVOTIONAL)
3. EXAMINING PUT DOWNS AND SLURS THROUGH A SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVE
4. TEACH THE CHILD--NOT JUST THE CURRICULUM (How to --teacher training)
NOTE: Educators who wish to use these articles to train their staff and share with other educators have permission to do so as long as the copies include proper citation including my name, copyright date, website address and email address. Written permission is required for official publication or use for profit. Please contact Elderine Wyrick mawyrick@sbcglobal.net if you have questions.
IS GIVING ZEROS AS AN ACADEMIC MEASUREMENT ETHICAL?
By Elderine Wyrick
(A forum paper presented at Oxford Graduate School, Dayton, TN 2005)
Most teachers and parents consider a grade of zero acceptable for noncompliance of homework. It is common for instructors to give zeros for late or incomplete assignments. Unfortunately, few educators or parents question the validity or usefulness of the practice, and students continue to reap the consequences without benefit. Giving zeros as an academic measurement is inequitable and produces failure rather than performance.
Administrators discovered that raising questions about grading procedures could induce powerful emotional responses from teachers. Many teachers resent directives regarding their grading procedures. Even when school policies exist, teachers often deviate from the prescribed standard to reflect the teacher's personal preferences for evaluating students. Grading policies usually develop from teachers' personal school experiences without questioning or considering the validity of the process (Friedman 1998).
Most educators agree that grades are a measurement of learning and should reflect academic achievement. However, many grading policies promise zeros for things like not doing homework, having incomplete or late assignments, being tardy, coming to class without books, chewing gum, or failing to follow through with any other required classroom detail. Unfortunately, many instructors combine behavior issues with a students' academic measurement. Giving zeros for behavior issues is an inaccurate reflection of the student's academic performance. Academic measurement should only measure learning. Behavior management policies should govern conduct (Dockery 1995, Friedman 1998, Page 2002).
A zero is a mathematically imbalanced measurement. Letter grades usually have a ten (10) point range or less. For instance, A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69. Using this model, a uniform evaluation for an “F” should be F = 50-59. It is not equitable for the “F” to carry 59 points (0-59) while all other grades carry 10 points. An “A” averaged with an “F” should make a “C.” However, if the “A” is 100 and the “F” is 0, averaged they equal a 50 which is still an “F” (Dockery 1995, Page 2002).
Teachers usually use zeros to motivate students to do better. However, zeros kill motivation. Two zeros, whether just or unjust, can destroy a good average. Zeros produce discouragement and certain failure for those lacking self-discipline and parental support (Dockery 1995). Parents of ADHD students report that much of their child's homework is completed but the student fails to give it to the teacher. Many students fail courses due to a lack of organizational abilities rather than defiance or laziness (VanDeWeghe 2004, Christian 2004). When teachers give zeros for homework assigned for extra practice rather than for academic evaluation, they are using grades as a behavior management tool. Recording a failing grade for assignments not intended for academic evaluation is not reasonable. Assigning zeros for homework issues is especially inequitable for students with organizational issues and dysfunctional homes that lack parental support.
The grade of a zero does not benefit the advancement of a child's education. Students through either laziness or avoidance, take zeros as an easy way out of doing the assignment. Students often avoid assignments like research papers, essays, and reports by taking a zero instead of doing the work. The student barely passes to the next grade without having gained these vital learning experiences. Students with organizational problems do not increase performance skills through the automatic zero. Neither does the automatic zero help students who do not understand the assignment gain the knowledge intended. In fact, the automatic zero threatens failure and produces discouragement.
Teachers need to use logical consequences rather than a grade reduction when work is not completed or responsibilities are not fulfilled. There are several possible alternatives to giving a zero.
For many years teachers have followed grading procedures learned from their teachers without evaluating their effectiveness or appropriateness. Grades should measure academic learning. Receiving a zero for not putting your name on a paper or failing to do homework does not reflect a student's lack of knowledge. Such issues are behavior responses not academic. Zeros promote failure rather than the student gaining more knowledge. Three 100's averaged with one zero gives a score of 75. The zero forces failure and is not an evenhanded measurement of learning. Anything that is inequitable is unjust. If it is unjust, it is unethical. Therefore, giving zeros as an academic measurement is unethical.
Works Cited
Dockery, E. Ray. 1995. “Better grading practices.” The Education Digest 60:5 (January) 34-36.
Friedman, Stephen J. 1998. “Grading teacher's grading policies.” National Association of Secondary School Principals, NASSP Bulletin.
Page, Bill. 2002. “Improving classroom grading procedures.” Teachers Net Gazette. Electronic website: http://teachers.net/gazette/MAY02/page.html.
Christian ADHD Alternative Treatment List. 2003 “School Woes.” ADHD of the Christian Kind. Electronic website: http://www.christianadhd.com/schoolwoes.html
VanDeWeghe, Rick. 2004. “Research Matters.” English Journal. (High School Edition).
© 2005, Elderine Wyrick The Maze of Life by Elderine Wyrick You are not sure how you got here, but you are here. The path is narrow. The dimly lit corridor stretches before you offering hope of freedom and dread of things to come. Spots of light create hope, yet the shadows of exaggeration and distortion bring confusion. As your hands grope along the wall, you know there is an opening. There is a way through. You take your next step. The floor slightly collapses causing you to grab the wall for support. The lights go out. You stand still and wait for the light. Frustration, fear, panic, and hopelessness try to control you. You begin to doubt your reality. What is true anyway? Then the lights gradually come back up bringing things into focus. Hope builds and you begin to move forward again. Good, you see a turn in the path. You are making progress. The lights begin to dim again. You prepare to make the “Be still.” You hear a voice. “Be still, and I will lead you!” You continue to spread your hands over the wall in silence trying to make sense of it all. “Help me,” You finally whisper. “I can’t find the door.” The light increases. Your eyes began to focus again. “Look up,” You hear the whisper. “Look up for your answer.” There it is! You push the button and the wall miraculously opens. A lighted path is in front of you. You are finally on your way again. Your steps become more confident. You are no longer alone. You now have “the voice” to lead you—and you have light. Every part of you is aware that you are not alone. You can now see a short distance in front of you. Things are clearer. You begin to gain speed. Each step is not quite so cautious. The light gives you confidence and direction. You are finally moving forward. Then the light begins to dim again. Darkness envelopes the tunnel and the shadows return. “Where did you go?” You cry out into the darkness. “Don’t leave me in the dark!” “Don’t panic. I will lead you with my voice through the dark times.” His reassuring tone calms you. “There will be light again, but learn to trust me through the darkness. Make a slight turn to right. Remember you are not alone.” “Others have conquered the maze. It is your turn.” You tell yourself, “Don’t be a quitter. You can do this! Keep going! Trust the voice. He’s your guide.” You move slowly to the right and find a door. It opens! Ah, light again. However, this light is creating shadows. The shadows are overwhelming. Everything seems to be moving at once. Watching the shadows, you look out into the darkness. Fear begins to take control. Nothing is focused. Nothing is clearly understood. “Help me,” You whisper. “Show me the way through.” “Keep your eyes on the light,” the voice instructed. “Keep going forward. Concentrate on the light, not the shadows.” You turn toward the light again and refocus. As your eyes adjust, you see a wall full of doors. “But there are so many doors!” you exclaim. “Which door is the right one?” “Push on every door.” He instructed. “The right one will open. I will never leave you, so do not be afraid. Keep going. You can do this.” There are so many locked doors. You almost give up, but wait, this one seems to be opening. You cautiously push the door forward and then you see a wonderfully lit corridor filled with gentle music and colorful lights. Finally, you are enjoying the maze. This room is comfortable. The walls are not so narrow; there is a lounge chair and even a book to read. Things are finally working out for you. You stretch your legs out as you sink into the recliner. You lean back with the book provided and take a quiet respite. After a short time of rest, you hear the voice, “It’s time to move on. There’s still more maze ahead.” You become frustrated. It is comfortable here. You do not really need another challenge. “Why can’t I just stay here? I’m finally comfortable. My needs are met. Why should I continue to go forward?” you ask. “There’s a prize at the end of the maze.” He reminded. “Winners finish the maze. Are you coming?” You don’t want to be accused of quitting. Reluctantly, you pull yourself out of the easy chair and walk down the next corridor. As you suspected, things begin to grow dimmer and dimmer. You try to look back but your comfort room is no longer there. There is no going back. You realize that the only way out is forward. Oh no! Another dead end. Suddenly the light disappears. You have been here before—no need to panic. You decide to ask for help. “Which way now?” you ask confidently. No answer. “Hey, where did you go? You promised to lead me!” Still no answer. The darkness seems even darker now. “Do I stand still and wait for an answer or should I try to go forward without the voice?” you ask yourself. You decide to try to find it yourself. “There’s probably another button like before,” you reason. Your hands grope the wall above your head. You find nothing. You try the other wall—nothing. You turn to the third wall and there it is. It’s a little lower than the other button, but you push it. The floor begins to crumble. It’s like quick sand. Oh, no! You are sinking fast. You struggle to get your feet lose from the enveloping pit, but you just sink faster. “Help me,” you cry. “Save me!” Suddenly you feel solid ground under your feet again. No more sinking. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” the voice asked. “Didn’t I tell you I would guide you? I promised I would never leave you. Learn to trust me. Learn to be still and know that I am working everything out for your good. Wait With resolution and determination, you begin the trip again. You grow more aware of the presence of the voice even when you’re not hearing it. You now know you are not alone even when things are silent. Trust grows and you relax. Your fears turn to dependency. Life becomes simpler—not in your circumstances but in your perception. You begin to trust the voice enough not to worry about the next corridor. Hasn’t He been faithful? Hasn’t He promised to be faithful? Why should you doubt? He will lead you to the end of the maze. After that is your great reward! You continue on your journey following the voice—wiser and more trusting. You understand now, the only direction is forward. Nothing exists behind you. You must keep walking forward until you win the prize. Only the voice knows where the path leads and how many trials lay ahead, but He has promised to lead you through it all. NOTES ON “THE MAZE OF LIFE” 1. Life is always going forward. You cannot go backward. There’s nothing there. It is gone forever. He calls us, “Come, follow Me!” Philippians 3: 12-14 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. © 2004, Elderine Wyrick ****************************************** EXAMINING PUT DOWNS AND SLURS THROUGH A SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVE “…[he who] has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman” (NIV) The five poetic verses of the fifteenth chapter of Psalms easily serve as a church liturgy to remind Christians how the Scriptures describe a good man. The author began by asking God two questions. The remaining four verses answer the two all-important questions. The purpose of this Psalm is to show men the way to God. The path described in verses two through five try to convince us that we must be holy and honest to find true happiness and fellowship with God. The first question asked in Psalms 15:1 was “Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?” The word “tabernacle” refers to the house of worship where men can serve his fellowman and find fellowship with God. The tabernacle was a moveable place of worship; this can easily represent churches operating throughout the world. The Psalmist is asking, “What kinds of people are allowed to serve God in the temple?” The question infers, “Who is worthy to serve as priests or servants in your tabernacle? Or, how shall one find a place in your presence while here on earth?” Immediately following the first question, the Psalmist asked the second question, “Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Most commentators write that “The holy hill” refers to In verse two, the Psalmist begins to answer the two questions with three requirements, “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart (KJV). “ A man that walks uprightly walks perfectly throughout his day keeping his eyes on Christ as he continually chooses to do good. He allows God’s Word to rule over his daily decisions and actions. To work righteousness means to consider what is right in every part of his life and then to be determined to fulfill those duties. Those duties include worshipping the Creator, serving your fellowman, fulfilling your daily duties in the roles where you serve whether as a family member or a co-worker, a church member or a member of a community. The third requirement involves speaking the truth. This means desiring from the heart to be truthful, not just telling enough of the truth to pass inspection. This person is a truthful man or woman. They live what they say. Their word is their bond. You can depend on them. The first verse of Psalms 1:1 mirrors the message of Psalms 15:2 stating that, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, (walk uprightly), nor standeth in the way of sinners, (worketh righteousness), nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (speaketh the truth.) God is looking for men and women who will love Him with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength and will keep His commandments. These requirements are fulfilled through faith in God and his Word, a commitment to follow God in everyday experiences, and choosing obedience to God in every situation. Verse three begins to address specific choices and actions that are required to please God. “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour (KJV).” The word “backbiteth” is cross-referenced in the BibleGateway.com website with several synonyms including the words slander, railing, talebearer, uncharitableness, whisperer, gossip and speaking evil. This means that a backbiter is a person that talks behind a man’s back devouring and destroying that man’s reputation. This same word is used in I Timothy 5:13 describing spies that creep into houses, pry into the secrets of families, and discloses them and often misrepresents them in a false light. These type men are the worst of men and are unfit to be in the fellowship of the church. The second part of verse three states that he does not do anything evil against his neighbor. This man does only good to all men whether he is a friend or a foe. He is righteous in his acts toward his neighbor whether it is by the words he uses or things he does, and whether it is toward his neighbor’s person, property, or good name. The third part of verse three says, “nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour (KJV). According to the Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon, reproach is defined as “scorn, taunt, rebuke, or bringing shame or disgrace.” A righteous man does not raise scandalous reports against his neighbor, nor is he willing to listen to such a report from someone else. He refuses to get involved in spreading disreputable reports or gossip against his neighbor even when that neighbor is treating him unfairly. Although there is much value in the remaining two verses of this chapter, the social application being considered lies in the application of the first three verses. A Christian’s desire is to dwell in God’s presence and remain in his favor. This chapter clearly sets a standard of conduct that God requires of us to maintain the right fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Whether the Christian worker is assigned in an office complex, a factory, a church, a retail shop, or a school, these same guidelines apply to the code of conduct for a Christian. According to Psalms 15, Christians should not be caught up in the backbiting and gossip that so often permeates workplaces. We are to be the “salt of the earth” (Matthew The Judeo-Christian ethic of caring for your fellowman and treating them the way that you would want to be treated is still needed in today’s modern society. Early television programs such as the Smother’s Brothers, Laugh-In, and All in the Family introduced snide personal and political remarks, slamming statements and put-downs as part of our entertainment genre. The Smother’s Brothers’ television show was cancelled due to their rude and shocking political statements, but their type of comedy was catapulted forward and was destined to change the comedy of the future. This was the beginning of a change in American television and the American social experience. Things that once shocked our society and were not acceptable in the workplace, have now become the modern jokes shared at school, in the office and in the home at someone’s expense. Psalms 15 calls our society back to a higher standard of conduct. The Psalmist encourages Christian to follow the righteous path to God through living right, watching our words, and caring for our fellowman. Let us consider the following as our motto for establishing an acceptable social behavior in our workplaces and schools. -Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29 © 2008, Elderine Wyrick
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(A Devotional Presentation)
2. There is no “reverse” in life, but sometimes we go in circles.
3. Must adjust our direction as we move forward to change destiny.
4. Repentance is making a U-turn—a forward motion.
5. Our spiritual walk is always a forward motion.
6. Don’t look back! Look up!
7. Gain strength from God and follow Him to new depths or heights.
8. Let Him pull you out of miry pits, clean you up, and set your path straight.
9. God can lead you out of
· Depression
· Pain
· Disappointment
· Grief
· Sin
· Hopelessness
· Addiction
· Anger
· Unforgiveness
10. Repentance is a daily thing. Permit God to change your direction.
11. God will be your light in the midst of darkness.
12. His voice will be your guide when the light becomes dim.
13. His presence will be your comfort when there is no light or voice.
14. Concentrate on the light rather than the darkness.
15. Put your eyes on Him.
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PSALMS 15:1-3
Written by Elderine Wyrick 2008
TEACH THE CHILD
NOT JUST THE CURRICULUM:
Sharing ideas for individualizing your classroom instruction
with or without Learning Differences
The webinar can be seen at www.readinghorizons.com under their past webinar listings.
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WHY CONCENTRATE ON THE STUDENT MORE THAN THE CURRICULUM?
• Gifted students remain “undiscovered” when the curriculum remains the teacher’s central focus. Many students who “think outside the box” are creative geniuses. They are unidentified and under challenged to use their unique abilities. Teachers may label this type child argumentative not understanding that they are looking at the question “outside the normal box.”
• The curriculum is only a professional teaching tool. No author can anticipate the needs of your classroom. The curriculum should serve as a guide to be expanded or condensed according to the needs of the students currently enrolled.
• Every student is unique and no student is dispensable. Each person has valuable potential to offer society. Teachers should seek to reach each student with the needed information. Teachers should strive to reach “EVERY” student in the class. This can be done. Even though the growth in education will vary, the goal is to touch the child’s pallet with a taste for learning. Your goal is to get them to desire and reach for knowledge and to believe that they can learn. Remember, that some students “bloom” earlier than others do. Maturity cannot be rushed, but the teacher can offer acceptance and hope. We seek to help each student reach their full potential and to discover their personal design. To do this, we must avoid a “herd” mentality. We must teach children rather than just curriculum.
• Every positive change made in a student’s life is a potential positive change for our world’s future. Teachers can seek to change the world one student at a time.
• A teacher determined to meet the individual needs of each student will discover multiple creative teaching methods, and could become one of the most valued teachers in the school.
• Teachers, who expect certain students to fail, limit their opportunities to find creative solutions to unique learning situations.
1. __ Lack of attention
__Classmates and friends distract
__Stress from home or school
__Tends to seem bored or doesn’t understand
__Physical distractions in classroom affect their work—noise, clicking
sounds, moving objects or people
__Student is not connecting the information to his/her world or
sees no value in it
__Student has ADD or ADHD
2. __ Lack of Study Skills
__Needs notebook organization
__Completes homework but can’t find it
__Loses handouts and important papers
__ Missing pencil/pens, paper & other supplies
__Doesn’t remember an assignment was given
__Doesn’t remember to study for a test
__Difficulty preparing for exams
__Studies but it is not passing
__Doesn’t recognize the material when questions are reversed
__Has difficulty applying the material to a context
3. __Unique Learning Style/Intelligence
__Visual (sight)—most common
__Auditory (sound)—2nd
__Kinesthetic (Tactile, movement, touch)—least common.
4. __Student gaps in educational foundation— Usually in math, English, spelling,
handwriting, phonics (decoding) , reading comprehension, & composition
__Transferred from another school system; changed schools several times
__Poor teachers in the past
__Family issues (divorce, illness, death, abuse. etc.)
__Learning differences
__Immaturity, late bloomer, and/or slow learner
__Poor school attendance
5. __ Attitude or Discipline Issues
__Defiant Disorder (professionally diagnosed)
__Misbehaving students in class
__Lack of class structure and consistency in discipline
__Anger Issues (home & school); distrust
6. _ Personality or Student Uniqueness
__Shy; tend to be a loner. Won’t ask for help.
__Outgoing, people oriented; playful
__High energy, inquisitive and bright
__Moves slow, writes slow, meticulous
__Uninvolved, disinterested, over-focused on one thing
7. ___High Intelligence—reads or hears the material only one time and knows it
__Easily bored
__Impatient with slower learners
__Inquisitive; self-motivated
__Finishes work early--correct
__higher vocabulary; in-depth reasoning
Websites for learning styles & Intelligence: ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI
and lessontutor.com/sml This website gives seven types of Learning Styles –
Linguistic, logical, spatial, musical, bodily, interpersonal, & intrapersonal
STEP TWO: THINGS YOU CAN DO TO “TEACH THE CHILD”
1. LACK OF ATTENTION
• Plan your seating chart carefully--Some students do best in the front row where they can be less distracted from the movement of their classmates. Other students do best in the back row where they have more difficulty drawing attention to themselves. This may be best determined through trial and error.
• Build friendly relationships with your students. Seek to be a likeable teacher who commands respect, builds rapport, and motivates students to do their best. Do your students feel respected, cared for, and welcomed knowing that you are happy to see them? Learn to greet them daily as they enter your classroom. Don’t try to be their buddy, instead, be their supportive teacher
• Play games with your students when reviewing-- If you are bored with your class, your students will be too. Make the class interesting and enjoyable for everyone. (See games listed on websites on page 14) Do not forget the games!
• Classroom environment and physical distractions--Carefully plan your desk arrangements and bulletin board designs. Hanging and dangling objects from the ceiling can be extremely distracting to ADD or ADHD students. Plan the traffic flow in the classroom to make sure students moving from the teacher’s desk and back does not create a major distraction for others. Face student desks away from the hallway to lessen distractions.
• Connect the unknown to the known
Use stories, examples, questions, etc. to build a connection
Find familiar root words or ideas that can hook the new term to something related
to its meaning.
It is compared to saving files in the computer for easy retrieval, it needs a logical mental
label to find it again. Students have “floating” information with no ability to retrieve.
Be animated and be concrete in explanations when needed
Begin the morning with “brain exercises” – great website-- esl.about.com/od/englishlessonplans/a/braingym
Dealing with the student who has ADD or ADHD
Definitions:
• Keep a positive attitude and let the student know you are there to help him be successful.
• Look for quality rather than quantity—You can assign fewer questions to lessen the stress of the written work and grade on the number of questions completed. Ten questions completed are ten points each; five questions answered are twenty points each, etc.
• Give shorter assignments & give immediate feedback
• Use a timer to encourage focus. (Try to make this a game of beating the clock with praise following.)
• Give parents ideas on how to get the homework done and returned successfully. (Timer, use of notebook system, e-mail communication for homework, extra set of textbooks for home, etc.) Encourage the parents to be co-workers with you for the student’s success.
• Determine a clue word or touch to bring the student back to focus during class activities without embarrassing him.
• Encourage the student to understand his struggles and find solutions for himself.
• When needed, give individual instructions. Be willing to go over the instructions with him individually. Some younger students do not realize that you are talking to them unless you call their name or speak directly to them.
• Give the student a chance to redo any work/tests where he failed to read or misread instructions. It is the only way he can show what he really knows. Impulsiveness is part of his difficulty. You are not testing his knowledge if you continue to grade a paper that you know the student misunderstood the directions and used the wrong procedure. Grades should only reflect knowledge—not behavior. Using grades to punish a child is not beneficial. It only produces failure. The ADHD student will not be better at reading directions the next time. Allow the student to redo that section of the test following the directions, then grade it.
• Provide an extra set of books for home; leave all of his books at school. E-mail homework assignments to parents. Give them the support they need to be successful.
• Do not judge his parents on what may seem like a failure to get their child to do what he should do. The parent must to learn how to support their ADHD child the same as you. These children require a lot of patience, creativity, and acceptance. Be a co-worker with parents. Learn together as you study the child’s needs.
• Discipline rebellion and train immaturity—(Do your best to discern the child’s motive for what he did. Disciplining immaturity will create bitterness. He will not understand why.)
• All correction should be for the child’s benefit and never against him.
• If he is fidgety, send him on an errand or give him something physical to do. (Stretching exercises, picking up paper from the floor, sharpening pencils, erasing the board, etc.).
• Do your best to be his cheerleader. He will work harder for someone who believes in him and wants to see him succeed. Negative responses do not usually bring success.
GREAT WEBSITES FOR ADHD ISSUES:
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/handouts/revisedPDFs/adhd.pdf
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_teaching_strategies.htm
2. LACK OF STUDY SKILLS
Some children seem to understand organization automatically. However, other students will only survive academically if someone teaches them an organization technique. They need to be required to practice the desired organizational pattern until they conquer it. (Many will not like it.) Teachers in all departments should use the same organizational plan for optimal results.
Consistent classroom procedures and expectations offer security and organization to
students. Be consistent in your personal moods and responses to the students. This helps to
build security and a smooth flowing class. Consistency includes classroom procedures like
the following:
1. Receiving and returning assignments,
2. Placing papers on the teacher’s desk;
3. Leaving and entering the classroom;
4. Answering or asking a question during class time;
5. Turning in homework and writing assignments down
6. Storing graded papers and completed homework
7. Asking for supplies or restroom privileges
Classroom procedures and signals can help to eliminate a lot of the repetitive talking and instructions for the class. The class can “practice” procedures until everyone clearly understands what is needed. For instance, when the teacher is seated at her desk at the beginning of the class, students are allowed to speak softly to each other as they prepare for class. When the teacher stands, the class immediately knows to be quiet and prepare to listen to the teacher’s instruction. This type training can offer the structure needed to get a lot of work accomplished.
A. One Notebook System for the entire school works best. Multiple notebook systems from teacher to teacher will scatter and disorganize students. The more teachers can work as a united team with the same classroom requirements, the more likely the students will learn the organizational patterns being taught. The notebook is considered the student’s toolbox. It is carried to every class. Required supplies (pens, pencils, paper, dividers, etc.) should be stated.
The notebook serves as a filing cabinet. All graded papers are filed under the correct class. No blank paper is filed under a divider either to the front or to the back of the notebook. We suggest three sets of dividers. Each of the identical tabs (i.e., three red tabs- 1st tab) would be kept together and used for the first class. One would be labeled “Handouts” or “Notes” (or whatever), the second “Tests” or “Graded papers” and the third “Homework.” If learned, this organizational system will serve the student for years to come even in college.
B. Teach Test Taking Skills—
· Student participates in class and appears to know the answers but does not do well on the test. Study his test taking problems and offer ideas on how to overcome them.
· Oral test-- only the missed answers. Temporary solution until test skills are built.
· Train the student to take the test twice—checking for errors and skipped questions.
· Help the student to understand his test taking struggles.
· Avoid True/False questions unless extremely obvious; they often “out think” you.
· Do not use matching questions, or use only 5-6 questions per set
· When the student skips questions you know he knows, return the test to the student and have him answer the question. If it is more convenient, the teacher can ask the questions orally.
· If needed, provide a word bank for fill-in-the-blank. Include extra words on bank.
This is temporary solution until test skills are built.
C. Teach Time Management Skills--
· Use an agenda/calendar for homework and other assignments (personal appointments too.)
· Use an egg timer or stopwatch to help the student become more aware of time boundaries.
· Reward/praise punctuality; teach parents to practice these skills at home.
· Teach them how to establish a study place and time at home. Instruct them in setting short term and long-term goals for managing school and personal responsibilities.
For more notebook ideas and other organizational ideas. Check out this great website--
Idonline.org/article/5884
3. TEACHING TO THEIR LEARNING STYLE OR INTELLIGENCE TYPE
MULTI-SENSORY TEACHING IDEAS: The more you understand about learning styles the more likely you are to include the different learning styles in your teaching methods. Use all three modes of learning in your teaching (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic).
• Use your white/chalk board for multi-sensory drills—hear, see, do. This can be done as a game or just as a classroom exercise.
• Board work is easily used with spelling, math, and grammar.
• Games are often multi-sensory—especially in the areas of auditory and kinesthetic (movement).
• Maps and science/history projects can easily be multi-sensory experiences.
• Drill cards used in class participation can be multi-sensory—see, say, movement—especially when you have them move positions when competing with one another (Around the World game)
• Use math manipulative tools to unlock math concepts. Math is either abstract or concrete. Some students need to see the math in concrete terms before they can deal with it abstractly (on paper). It must be “REAL” to some students before they can retain the process.
• In math, emphasize the process for older students rather than memorizing facts. Allow them to use a calculator (or fact chart) and move forward in math logic and processes.
HELP STUDENTS DISCOVER THEIR LEARNING STYLE –
Spelling
PRESENTING SPELLING WORDS
merchant mer chant
onset chunk
1. Teacher writes the word on the board in syllables.
2. Next, discuss the onset and the chunk(s) in the word.
3. Give a cute story to remember “ant” “The merchant sells ants.”
4. Ask the students to take a mental picture of the word; have them close their eyes and try to see it in their mind. Look at it again and visualize again.
5. The teacher covers the word and asks the students to write the word on their mental memory card using only their finger (or, if you prefer, on their paper with a pen).[You may want to have them skywrite on their mental chalkboard (upper right just above the head.)—My decision for this depends upon their age.]
6. Next, have them look at the word again on the board.
7. Next, write the word from memory on a piece of paper. Students then check for accuracy.
Teach this technique to parents as a study technique to be used at home.
When reviewing for a spelling test, I usually have races on the board. “King on the Mountain” works for this. Sometimes I allow one point for anyone getting it correctly and three points for being the first person to finish correctly. Other times their reward is just getting to stay at the board—no points are taken.
I encourage students with spelling problems to have a white board at home. They retain their words better when they divide the words into chunks and write them on the white board. The bigger image helps them to retain it. Remind them to use their mental cameras.
As I introduce new words, I point out prefixes, onsets, suffixes and any chunks. I also indicate which area of the word may give them the most difficulty. Better students learn the words as I introduce them. Those with spelling problems are well on their way with word attack skills, and with a little review can usually do well on the test. I present the new spelling words at the beginning of the week. We review them again about 10-15 minutes the day before the spelling test. No review is given the day of the test.
Train students to re-read each syllable of each word they write. Often students do not write what they think they are writing. Re-reading the word by syllable will help them find the letters they accidentally left out or inverted.
Students not taking spelling tests but having problems with spelling when they write can be encouraged to keep a spelling log of words they are misspelling. They can use this same approach to learning their challenging words. Learning to visualize the words is a major key to spelling correctly. Seeing the syllables, hearing the sounds, and saying the word chunks while it is written helps to improve spelling (multi-sensory approach).
History/Science/Literature
English Grammar
Grammar Questions used for finding parts of speech:
(Adapted from Winston Grammar Curriculum and/or ABeka English Curriculum)
Always find the Verb first. It is the KEY to every sentence.
Every sentence has a verb. Words ending in d, ed, ing, (s, or es) are often verbs.
Most verbs can be done – Will your chosen word fit into the blank?
Yesterday, I ___________ Today, I _______ Tomorrow, I _____________
If no word fits correctly, you probably have a state of being verb (am, is, are, be, being, been,
was, were, have, has, had, can, could)
Memorize 34 auxillary verbs (some are helping verbs, some are linking verbs, some are being
verbs.) [am is are, was were, be being been, have has had, do does did, shall will, should would,
may might must, can could, taste, feel smell, sound, look, appear, become, seem, grow, remain,
stay.)
Second, find the subject of a sentence (a noun or pronoun)
Asks this question—(Who or what?) [say the verb] (Who or what laughed?)
The answer is usually your subject.
If you have an action verb, look for the direct object (There may not be one.)
Say—Subject, verb, Whom or What? DO receives the action of the verb.
(John sent whom/what?) Answer the gift. Gift is the DO
Next look to see if you have an Indirect Object (IO)—
IO is always between the verb and the direct object. It receives the DO.
John sent Jerry the gift. Say—Subject, verb, DO, and ask “to whom or what”?
John sent the gift to whom/what. Jerry is the IO. (Be careful. Objects of the Preposition can
also answer this question but they will not be located between the verb and the DO. For
instance—John sent the gift to Jerry. In this sentence, Jerry is an OP not an IO.
Adjective questions: Which one, what kind, how many, how much, whose?
Adverb questions: Where, when, how, how often, TWE (to what extent) and sometimes Why?
I have students memorize these questions and drill them as they look for parts of speech. Some curriculums no longer emphasize parts of speech like others do. Perhaps these questions can be useful to you as you present your curriculum. By the way, I teach Prepositional Phrases first. You need to get them out of the way to better find the other parts of speech.
Note: Students who struggle often do not have the ability to structure (organize) new material on their own. Training decoding skills gives the student language structure they can use as a tool for all language activities including reading, spelling, vocabulary, and literature.
Handwriting/Dysgraphia
Memorization
Composition:
Suggested Accommodations
5. __ Attitude or Discipline Issues
Definitions: Bully (One-up-manship through negatively controlling peers); Mocker (Seeks to control the classroom and make the teacher look stupid; seeks to dethrone the teacher.) Slanderer (Uses jokes with personal stabs, put-downs and slurs to control others and protect themselves.) All three negative behaviors are for control and can be a need for self-protection—(I will get you before you get me.)
GREAT BOOK --Scorners and Mockers: Dampening their influence in your school by Rick Horne (online order at purposefuldesign.com)
Search for webistes under the subject of "Behavior disorders" for more information.
6. _ Personality or Student Uniqueness
For more research on this approach to teaching, search with the words “differentiated instruction” and “tiered instruction.”
Gifted/High Intelligence– Help him discover by becoming his facilitator rather than the expert. Teach him to use Internet and research tools to go deeper into the subject areas being taught. Use his discoveries to enrich the class. Teach him to serve others—peer tutor, bulletin board design, special reports, etc.
Average Student—Challenge him with thought questions. Stretch him without overwhelming him. Encourage him to reach for the top.
Struggling Student—Study these children. Learn how they learn. Ask them how they think they learn best. Teach them how to be a student. Use accommodations and emotional support. Begin below their level and guarantee success on the first assignment. Continue to fill their learning gaps and raise the educational level gently, doing your best to keep them in the “success” zone. Eventually, they will expect success from themselves and failure will no longer seem like an acceptable option. They will strive for success once they are convinced it is achievable. Success is addictive; continued failure brings hopelessness and children stop trying. Be discreet; don’t embarrass them.
OVERALL GOALS:
THOUGHTS ON ACCOMMODATIONS:
Accommodations are not cheating anymore than allowing a handicapped person to park closer to the door because of their circumstances. It is an individual need. Meeting that child’s need is reasonable and just.
REASONS WE SHOULD ACCOMMODATE FOR STUDENTS:
“It is better to build a child right than to rebuild a man.”
This is a life message of mine. I want teachers to know that failure not only affects students academically it also damages students emotionally, and socially. I watched as my son’s friendships dwindled when his learning difficulties became apparent. I also helplessly watched as student taunted and teased my son calling him retarded and stupid. In the third grade, he had a first year teacher who cared but did not know how to support him educationally. Before that year was over, I saw my eight year old son become suicidal and wish he were dead. [The irony is that his IQ measured far beyond most of the students in his class. His vocabulary equaled that of an eighth grader, and his verbal skills were astounding. He could learn anything orally (except math), but he was unable to put what he knew on paper. He was far from being retarded by he couldn’t produce the proof like the other kids could.]
The next year, my son got a wise, caring, and seasoned teacher who salvaged him. She promoted his verbal skills before the class. She asked him to give devotions, and lead discussions in history and science. She posted his wonderful original poetry and stories and art work on the bulletin board. She handled his struggles with math, tests, focus, and written work privately. Difficulties were only discussed between the teacher, the parents, and the student. Immediately, the taunting stopped, the students realized how smart this kid really was. Within a few weeks, he was no longer the “reject”. The teacher’s response to his need made the difference. It was the same group of kids, the same school, the same curriculum. He received a teacher who had an understanding of how to teach the child and not just the curriculum. She gave my child the joy of going to school again. [My son is now a proud member of Mensa and near the finish line of an MBA.]
You, the teacher, can make a difference for years to come one child at a time. Are you willing?
See Handout on Readinghorizons.com for list of game websites and worksheet resources.
CURRICULUM SUGGESTIONS—These are just a few of my favorites. There are too many available to list. Some apply to younger grades and some to older students. The publisher will indicate which grades are applicable.
ENGLISH:
VOCABULARY: Rummy Roots (Teaching Latin and Greek roots have proved helpful to our students in language development.) found at rummrootsvocabularycardgame.com
MATH: Mortensen Math found at mortensenmathdirect.com
Math-U-See found at mathusee.com (Both programs use manipulatives)
Key Curriculum Press: found at keypress.com
Steck-Vaughn: Working with Numbers (They have many other helps)
READING
SPELLING: Currently, we write our own spelling books to follow our phonics training. I understand that Reading Horizons is currently developing a spelling curriculum. I highly recommend following a spelling curriculum that corresponds with your reading program.
BRAIN BUILDER (computer based): Affordable for families and does wonders in building a students focus and retention. Found at brainbuilder.com. We’ve seen great results from this software for years.
I trust this handout will be a blessing to teachers throughout the nation. My two sons were my greatest teachers on how to help students who struggle with academics. I am pleased to share the valuable lessons I have learned through the thirty plus years of working with the bright children who find it difficult to learn.