Children, of all people, should come to us with open hearts and minds related to learning, but that isn't always the case.
Utterances such as, "I'm dumb" and "I don't want the other kids to know that I don't know it" can sometimes be heard, and actions such as going to the bathroom for a l o n g time and fooling around exist. Actions and language like this do nothing to help a child strengthen areas of challenge and move forward.
So as I continue to consider my most challenged students this week with depth, I'm thinking about strategies that make a difference.
For example, too often the challenged student is placed with the teaching assistant while the teacher works with the whole class. When possible, shifting that scenario and letting the teaching assistant help the whole class while the classroom teacher works with the most in need students can be a powerful way to reach and teach the challenged students.
Also, we need to carefully analyze the tasks we're asking students to do. When a task is too challenging, students turn off, but when a challenge has a good balance of positive struggle and affirmation of skills learned, then a child is eager to do more.
Also, making the time to develop the relationship and converse about the learning including discussions about why you've chosen particular learning paths and ways that you might assist the student with learning result in greater student confidence, independence, and success.
Letting other students help out can be powerful as well as long as it's done with dignity and care. Children typically enjoy helping each other out.
I'm sure these ideas aren't new to most educators, but I list the ideas here to coach myself forward in this regard as I really want to light a spark in the children who are challenged, a spark that lights up the following student mindsets and actions:
- I am a capable learner.
- The teacher is there to help me.
- If something is too challenging, I need to find a better way. The teacher can help me find a better way to learn the material.
- Time, focus, and perseverance are key ingredients to success. These are the reasons why people succeed.
- I need to coach myself forward with positive self talk to learn more and succeed. When I tell myself positive messages, I learn more.
Parents can help their children succeed by promoting positive mindsets, behaviors, and self advocacy.
Tomorrow, I'll share these messages with students. I'll also carefully create learning teams for tomorrow's math project. Hopefully most groups will be able to use the tools available to coach and help each other which will give me time to move about the room to troubleshoot, encourage, and affirm students' efforts and learning.
