In the Middle

The day after my last posting, I was asked to cover another teacher's class for 45 minutes. She was absent, and no substitute teacher was available. I agreed easily, because I am a team player. I actually like going into another teacher's class. Since I only teach one class of one subject of one grade, it's a way for me to meet more students in my new school.

I went into that classroom, relieving another teacher who had covered the first half. I introduced myself as a regular teacher in the school. The students had their work, and knew it was due at the end of the period. Within ten minutes, students were up and walking around the room, talking, throwing papers, handling things on the teacher's desk. I asked several students to return to their seats, and they just looked way from me. Several asked to use the restroom, or the water fountain.

I don't often raise my voice, but I did to tell students to return to their seats. Most did, although the talking continued and little work was being done. I was trying to help a student who didn't understand the assignment, but every time I looked down a paper was being thrown or a student was changing seats.

A lot of teachers will recognize the frustration I felt as my classroom spiralled out of control.

A couple of students were clearly the leaders of the disruption. I asked one for his name, because I did not have a seating chart. He refused to give it to me. I asked again, and he laughed. At that point, I knew that if something did not change, it would be a very long 30 minutes until the bell rang.

I didn't know these students, or how their daily teacher handled her classroom. I didn't know if everyone else would follow this one kid, or decide to follow my instructions. So I played hardball. I called for an administrator.

She came up, and told me the name of the students who were the main problems. She lectured them for five minutes. It was obvious she'd been there before. She asked me how I wanted to handle the problem.

I announced to the class was I was inviting them to lunch with me in a few days' time. Middle school students don't like lunch detention. They have to go into the cafeteria, then show their detention slip to the administrator, then leave their friends to sit in a room with a silent teacher. It's not a hard punishment, it's just really boring.

I'm not a brand new teacher, and days later I am still fretting over the whole thing. I rarely call for administrative help. I prefer to keep problems within my classroom. I want to feel like I am part of a learning team. I want to lead a mutually-respectful group of inquisitive people. In this case, I was not successful.

I've been teaching long enough to know that doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes a pass is intercepted. I offer learning, and it is batted away by a defensive move. Sometimes, I'm put on the defensive. So now I need some coaching, even after several years in the classroom.

I think my first step is to talk to the daily teacher, to see if she has suggestions on what I could have done differently. I'll let her handle any disciplinary action. If she agrees lunch detention is in order, I'll do that. Or if her policies are to call home, I'll call home.

The interesting thing in education is that, just like in football, the quarterback can never be sure what the next play will bring. Teachers never know what the next class will bring. We have to keep talking about our experiences, coaching each other, to be ready for the next game day.

I guess I just need a little pep rally.

Posted by at 5:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)

The first quarter is almost over. The teachers now know which students are "problems" or "challenges" or "high-flyers" -- the ones who will need a lot of teacher time to handle attitude issues. One of our school administrators said to me (with a very loud sigh), "I guess the honeymoon's over". She was referring to discipline. The teachers use positive reinforcement techniques, with praise for a job well done, and reward slips given out generously. But the teachers also use progressive dscipline, meaning that there is a tier of response to behavior. First we try talking to the student privately about their behavior, to remind them of the rules and give them opportunity to change. After three in-class behavior interventions (verbal warnings, calls home, detention) the misbehvior becomes an out-of-classroom problem.

So teachers write referrals to the office, and the student is sent out. That means the administrator has to deal with the student. So now the detentions become lunch-time visits with administration, the phone calls home become conferences, and the verbal warnings become written reports. A few minutes talking with the teacher in the hall becomes a suspension.

If the student receivs special education services, a suspension begats a manifestation meeting.

Students don't realize that their patterns of behavior are like the pebble in the pond. One tiny splash, no harm done. But the effect of that splash is a movement of water out in a widening circle. What was an issue between one child and one adult grows to involve two, then three, then seven or eight adults in a meeting.

Manifestation meetings are frustrating to me as Special Education Department Chair, because there is actually little I can do to help the misbehaving student. If their behavior was a manifestation of their disability, I can state that and explain the issue to the teachers so they understand. For example, a child on the autism spectrum perhaps can't stop themselves from calling out answers in class. In that case I can develop techniques for teachers and student to use to monitor and guide appropriate responses. But if the student's behavior had nothing to do with their disability, e.g. the learning disabled child who wants to throw erasers in class, it is not my issue to deal with directly. But I always want to try to do something.

I am one of those teachers who is drawn to misbehaving students. I always want to know WHY a student is not following rules or directions. Middle school students are different than high school students. Misbehavior in middle school is all about getting attention. In high school, misbehavior is an expression of students' anger, or pain, boredom, or frustration. Middle school - behavior is directed towards others. High school - behavior is directed out from the self. I know I'm making a broad statement here, but I'm trying to figure it out.

I teach one class with a general educator; we, too are struggling with some minor behavioral issues. I think the students who are talking, or drawing, or falling asleep are just not engaged in what we're doing. Perhaps we're spending too much time talking to students, instead of engaging them in the learning process. I don't think the students look forward to our class and I want to change that.

Sure, the honeymoon's over. Disciplinary actions are increasing, and it takes more work to get the students engaged. But like any good marriage, the relationship between teachers and students (or administrators and students) takes a lot of work. It takes commitment to make it through the hard talks and disagreements. Sometimes it takes compromise, and trying something new. Since I just came into this class a few weeks ago, perhaps the students don't yet trust that I will be there for the long-term. Like spouses who come to the end of the honeymoon, but decide to build a marriage, I have to accept the "high-flyer" who needs a lot of my attention and work with him or her. Honeymoon's over, but here comes the good part.

Posted by at 5:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today was a rare opportunity. The Special Education office for my district brought together all core academic department chairs for secondary education. The leaders of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts- and Special Education -- spent the day talking about the challenges of team teaching. Since I am new to my school this year, I was really happy to have a structured setting in which to develop a colleagial relationship with my fellow DC's.

They have worked together for some time, and the four of them are very friendly and supportive with each other. I felt like the odd man out - I felt as though I was trying to push my way into their friendship. But through the course of the day we had some genuine conversations about the patterns of instruction in our school, and ways to improve it.

They acknowledged that not all general educators like to work with special educators in the co-taught setting. I acknowledged that not all special eductors are totally committed to the model either. We discussed classrooms with the general educator doesn't want to give up control, and those where the special educator seeks opportunity to leave the room (Need some copies? Should I take this student to the office?). We discussed teams where both teachers are novices, and teams where both teachers have many years of experience. I asked questions about the school culture, and they asked questions about current methodology of team teaching.

It was a really valuable exchange of information. At the end of the day, I had gained new colleagues, and become part of an academic team that could make a genuine difference by supporting team teaching partnerships. My co-teacher was there, and I believe our group discussions opened the door for us to develop as a better teaching team.

The five of us made one major commitment: to honor the planning times of co-teaching teams by not scheduling other meetings during these times. We want to hold planning sessions as the most "sacred" of appointments. We will work with our administration to schedule teacher duties around the planning times. We'll support team teachers with materials of organization, professional development, and recognition for their effort. We will publicly celebrate good examples of differentiation and excellent models of team teaching.

I believe team teaching is the most effective method of instruction for students with disabilities and students needing additional support. I also believe that our school system is just starting to figure out how to implement effective team teaching. The commitment of academic leaders beyond special education will smooth the way. The commitment of special education offices to include core subject leaders in developing this model of instruction further is vital, and commendable. Raising academic achievement can't be done in just one department by one teacher. We have to form a leadership team to support our instructional teams.

Now I am part of that team.

Posted by at 7:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)