Chapter 9- Names, Labels, and the Need for Control
For me, this chapter was more difficult to read/hear. Since it is my job to designate students in order to get adequate support, hearing that “this deficit-focused orientation leads to unhealthy interactions and, often, students seeking inappropriate and disruptive ways to have their needs met” (page 116) makes me feel a bit like we are wrong to give a student a designation, more specifically a behaviour designation. I do believe that designations are important, but so is understanding our students, how they learn and what they need in order to be successful.
The section on I can’t….but I can…is a very important reminder for me. It is so important for all of us to remember that many things are out of our control, but there are things within those areas with which we can control. For example, many mornings I struggle with my son to get him out the door. I need to remember that I can’t control how long it takes him to get on his shoes, backpack and jacket, but I can control my frustration by taking a deep breath and reminding him calmly to keep on task.
What are some of the things you might not be able to control? What might you be able to control within that situation?
I can’t control whether or not a particular student will attend school today but I can control my patience with him as I try to help him get reacquainted with the classroom.
I can’t control whether a student has experienced adversity and trauma at home, but I can control him having a opportunities throughout the school day to be a little boy that is not involved in adult business.
I can’t control whether or not a colleague incorporates an inclusive model of education but I can control having a discussion about beliefs behind inclusion and learning from my colleague about her beliefs.
I can’t control…. but I can control the pressures I put on myself.
Great examples of the “I can’t control…I can control…” I especially love your final one as this rings true to me! I can’t control….but I can control the pressures I put on myself- this is where the self-talk comes in for me!
A few years back my district renamed my position to School Based Resource Teacher. The district felt this would allow teachers to better understand our jobs . . . to find and discuss resources that may be required for all students. Since most schools began inclusion with Resource rooms and some still remain, the renaming has not (in my opinion) done what the district wanted it to do. Teachers still expet people in my position to be a person who has expertise in behaviour and will “own” students who have a designation. Not all teachers feels this way, but it still happens.
The section on control explains this very well. It also gives great examples of how our jobs should be when the teacher is able to use different strategies for circle time, allow students a bit of control and still have a well run/managed classroom.
My partner at work gave me a great game plan that I need to make time to implement: Set aside time to talk with each teacher about challenges in the classroom. From there, create a plan, with the teacher on how best for him/her to work with the classroom and what accommodations would be worth a try. This would create a proactive instead of a reactive environment. This is my goal.
At the beginning of every year, near the end of September, we hold school based team meetings with every class to go over the class profiles, what are the strengths of the class, and the needs of the class as a whole. It also looks at individual concerns and supports that would benefit their needs. I feel that it sets the year up in a nice way allowing us a starting off point.
Hi Maureen and “Post Author” (Sarah?) – Yep – Classroom Profiles are great game plans. I need to make time to revisit them from time to time. Perhaps I’ll bust them out on the next NID and see how things are going…. I always mean to make them as much a “living breathing document” as our IEPs…. but somehow I lose track of them when I enter reactive mode. Must be more proactive… will ask the boss to stick Profiles on the next staff meeting agenda. Thanks for the reminder!
Funny! Yes Post Author= Sarah 🙂
It kills me that this post starts with Rita Pierson’s TED Talk and I just referenced it in my last post (Chapter 7). That’ll teach me not to read ahead.
I just got a job reassignment. I’m no longer a librarian… I now am a classroom teacher to grade either Grade 4/5 or Kindergarten and hour a day… and a Learning Support Teacher for the rest of the day. Classroom Teaching will give me a place work on my relationships via Growth Mindset piece (more on that later) and the extra LST time will allow me to be a more supportive support teacher because I ACTUALLY SCHEDULED TIME TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS WITH MY EAs and Classroom Teachers and STUDENTS!
I’m just trying to be more dependable and consistent, which is easier said than done in an audit year with a small herd of little ones who challenge my skillset every day.
Do you ever wonder if we can really be the teacher that makes a difference when we are in the support role? Classroom Teachers are there every single day…. Educational Assistants are there every single day… but I’m not and I don’t know if I can be.
But I can be “good and safe” and I can be an escape from stress… and for now, that’s going to have to be good enough.
I know that we can make a difference. I have felt like I did make a difference. Although I am not sure that any of my students will look back on their elementary school experience and say “Mrs. Brooks is the reason I went as far as I did in school”- I haven’t had many students who have finished school yet. But I would like to think that there are students for whom I have made that difference.
There was one student in my first teaching assignment- an alternate class for severe behaviour students, boys aged 10-15. This student was only with me for a couple of months, but I connected with him very quickly. After he moved back to his community to be with his family again, he somehow got a hold of my phone number and would call me in the middle of the night when he was having particularly difficult days. I can feel like I made a difference for him, but I think that he was the one who made a difference for me!
I also know that I am making a difference for some of my students’ parents. When they pop by my desk and tell me that the “only reason their child is learning is because of me” sure makes me realize how important my job is, even on some of the toughest of days, I have those 2 little memories to help me boost my spirit!
Good reminder, Sarah. In Network of Inquiry & Innovation, as well as in our Framework Conversations, we ask kids if they can name 2 adults (or more) that believe they will be a success. I know I’m on the list for some kids… 🙂
We have done that activity with our students in the past too Elaine. It was very eye opening to see that although most of our students could name 2 or more adults in the school who believe in them, there were still a couple of students who did not name anyone. It is important that we ensure all students have someone! I, too, know that I am on the list for some students as well and I am working very hard to be on the list of a couple more, who are currently struggling with school.