Melody Mondell
Math/Science Teacher (8th grade)
Alexander Graham Middle School
Charlotte, NC 28211
WE CAN CREATE A MORE POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
I have always believed that there should be equity among staff when it
comes to what teachers taught. Because I was fortunate enough to be given
the cream of the crop, an 8th grade geometry class, I volunteered to teach
the "lowest" math class. The particular math class this past year
not only consisted of students who scored the lowest on their end of grade
math tests, but of those students most of them had a learning disability
or came from an alternative school setting.
Though I have always prided myself with having the ability to relate and
work well with these kids, I found myself becoming frustrated (almost on
a daily basis) with them. Unfortunately, students can detect when teachers
aren't thrilled with teaching them. Because I could not hide my frustration
from my students, they began to reciprocate the feeling. Our mutual feelings
of discontent and high anxiety dragged us into a horrible rut filled with
nothing but negativity.
This, unfortunately, intensified as the months went by until finally I (yes,
the one who is supposed to always maintain composure) exploded. I am not
proud to admit that I allowed myself to lose so much control that I screamed
at my students, saying some very negative statements to them, then walked
out...leaving them alone. As a consequence I was given a letter of reprimand
by my principal (justifiably so) and was given suggestions on how to create
a more positive learning environment for my students.
I was given a book to read called Positive Discipline in the Classroom,
by Jane Nelson, Lynn Lott and Stephen Glenn. It was the day before Christmas
break, so I decided that I would read it during the break and hopefully
return to school, not only refreshed, but with new ideas to incorporate
in my class which would create an environment that consisted of mutual respect
and cooperation.
The book became my life-saver. It introduced me to a concept called class
meetings. Though I later learned that many elementary schools use it on
a regular basis, I myself had never heard of them. I became so excited after
reading about them, I couldn't wait to return to school and implement the
class meetings in that particular class!
When I returned in January, the students and I had a discussion about what
had happened in December. We discussed our feelings and both the students
and I agreed that we could not spend the second semester like we did the
first semester. I introduced them to the concept of class meetings and discussed
how through these meetings they become empowered by being given choices
and "say-so" in matters concerning the class. They were immediately
turned on to the idea. So, for the rest of the year, we conducted short
class meetings on a daily basis, until around March, when we decided that
2-3 times weekly was enough. We would always allow, however, a class meeting
to be conducted whenever we felt it necessary to help us resolve a problem.
Once the students began to feel that their input mattered, that their voices
were heard and respected by not only me but by each other, they began to
take pride in their work; they began to think in a positive manner; they
cooperated with each other in team situations; and both the students and
I began enjoying one another and the class. The same students who came to
my class lacking any desire to learn; lacking self-control, became deligent
workers who became enthused about learning math and who, for the most part,
exhibited much self-control. I have to admit, by the end of the year, they
became my "wonderful math 3 class".
I wrote a poem for them right before testing. It was my way of sharing
with them how I felt about their progress. It was my way of telling them
how proud I was of them. I read it outloud and gave each one a copy. It
was so heartening to see their reaction. Below is a copy of the poem:
I have taught for 14 years--never have I learned a more valuable lesson
than the day I began "empowering" my students.
My Wonderful Math 3 Class
This class was the worst I thought
When we first began school
I thought ya'll were bad,
ya'll thought ya'll were cool
I would fuss and scream,
you would fuss and yell
I threatened if you didn't do right,
you were ALL going to fail!
You acted like you didn't care
You didn't want to take part
Some wouldn't do work I'd give to them
Some acted like they weren't smart.
I went to the administration,
Wrote a lot of referrals on you
Hoping that would change your behavior
And you'd stop doing the things you'd do
Then one day in December,
I totally went "mad"
I called you a name and left the room
Things were just that bad.
But I want to say what I said and did
Were totally wrong on my part
And I know with some of you
It caused you to lose "heart"
And when you lose that spirit
The one that tells you that you "can" do
You fall behind even more
And won't believe what I know NOW is TRUE
That ALL of you are smart
And you each have a special gift
Like making others laugh
And giving spirits a needed lift.
I think we all learned a lot that day
Especially when we talked things out
One thing I learned is that it doesn't help
To get angry and just scream and shout
We need to give each other respect
And I know this is a two way street
That is something I failed to do with ya'll
And why for a while I felt defeat.
You were all very forgiving
And that I appreciated so much
Because that allowed me to forgive myself
And get on with changing my own teaching and such.
And since then you've come around
And have become a wonderful class
Working so very hard each day
And trying so hard to pass.
I know that this week has been hard on you
And some of you have wanted to quit
I thank those of you who have helped others
by showing your positive attitude and wit.
I can't tell you enough how proud I am
Of all of you in this math 3 class
You've studied so hard for the EOGs
I want so much for you to pass.
But if you don't make a 3 or 4
Know that that is ok, too
Because the main goal of mine for you this year
Is to see growth in each of you.
And I can honestly say to anyone who asks
"Have your kids learned much this year?"
"Yes, they have-and I know the scores
will make that perfectly clear!"
As you go into testing the first of next week
Go in with positive thoughts in your head
Don't dwell on the things that you might not have learned
Keep thinking of all the knowledge you were fed.
Good luck!
I believe in you, and you need to believe in you, too!!!!
Love,
Ms. Mondell
I spent the last few weeks talking about the concept of our new middle
school to 5th grade assemblies across the district, in an effort to recruit
students to a school that didn't even have an address yet. (Would you choose
a new school without a definitive location for your 11-year-old in NY?)
At one large elementary school in a predominantly Latino community, I was
introduced by the principal, who first reminded the 5th graders that some
of them had been lax about wearing their uniforms. Then I spoke to students
for 10 minutes or so, asked if there were any questions, and only one or
two kids raised their hands. At that point, the principal left the auditorium
and immediately 50 or more hands shoot up. Of course, the first question
is "Will we have to wear uniforms?" I reply "No," and
the cheers are loud and long.
I add, "but we will have a dress code." Now the cheers turn to
disappointed sighs. "But", I continue, "you will help decide
what that dress code will be".
Again the cheers, but they die down quickly and now the real questions start.
"How will we make decisions?" "Will kids have the final say
or will the teachers?'" "What if we vote for no uniforms but our
parents want uniforms?"
My excitment about starting a middle school based on leadership, law and
civic responsibility was confirmed by this wonderful dialogue. September,
2000, we get to work all this, and more, out for real!
Ralph Thiel
Reading Teacher
Carl Traeger Middle School
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
BREAKING THE ICE WITH "FIVE CHANGES"
I began my 15th year of teaching reading at the middle school level by trying
out a neat "community-building/not worrying about your image"
activity with my reading classes. I picked up the following idea at a week-long
"Quality Teaching" seminar in Billings, Montana this past summer.
I "broke the ice with my students" by doing an activity called
"5 Changes." I had the students (7th graders) pair up and look
at each other for 2 minutes, carefully observing the person before them.
They then are to stand back to back. Then I told them to make 5 changes
with their appearance in the next 2 minutes. Some rolled up a pants leg,
some took off a shoe, etc. Once the 5 changes were made, partners faced
each other and shared what changes they thought the other had made.
Next, they are to face back to back again for a couple of minutes or until
5 more appearance changes are made (now, 10 appearance changes have been
made). After this procedure is repeated another time or so, many students
are looking quite unusual, but that is one of the reasons this activity
is so important...the students are seeing that their image really isn't
all that important. Middle school students care A LOT about how others perceive
them and this FUN, laughter-filled getting-to-know-you activity shows students
that their image may not have be the focus of one's middle school life.
This activity also gets students HAPPY right off the bat, and there is no
more powerful medicine that a good belly laugh. My only mistake was not
bringing a camera to school the day of this activity! If a picture tells
a thousand words, pictures of the students doing this would have filled
libraries! :)
As the old saying goes, "Try it, you'll like it!" Hmmmm...maybe
YOU, the teacher, could DO this WITH your students. This will show them
that you're not afraid of the "image-thing," either! :)
Holly H. Perry
Principal
Philadelphia, PA
FULL INCLUSION FRUSTRATIONS
I am a principal in a Philadelphia middle school that has had a full-inclusion
program for special ed youngsters for 8 years. I've been worrying that,
while the kids are not pulled out for any classes, they may not really have
full access to the instruction and curriculum in their classes. I couldn't
quite figure out the language for my thoughts until I heard a compliance
officer from the State Department of Special Education talk about procedure
and substance. I've realized that we have the procedures in place but that
the substance of teaching and learning, the heart of the matter, is where
we always need to be growing.
The officer went on to say that it was always known that full inclusion
would cost more money than pull outs, but that those responsible for apportioning
money had not followed through in most cases. This has lead me to realize
that without the necessary financial support, it is extremely difficult
to move from procedual compliance to the rich area of substance. Now I understand
the source of some of the frustration we all feel at our school when we
wonder why we can't do a better job of reaching and teaching all children
in spite of heroic efforts on everyone's part.
Ken Ruggiero,
Chairperson of the Foreign Language Dept.
Loggers' Run Middle School
Boca Raton, Florida
RED LIGHT: FOREIGN LANGUAGE ONLY!
To achieve compliance with respect to national and state mandates that pertain
to language proficiencies, my department's dilemma focused on the neverending
question: How do we excite students enough to want to speak in the target
language? After struggling at numerous department meetings and articulation
meetings with our feeder high schools, I decided to put to the test a theory
that I have held for as long as I can remember. I call this theory "The
Traffic Light Approach to Language Acquisition."
In essence, this is what it is all about. Earlier this year, I purchased
a traffic light from Radio Shack. I installed it in the front of my classroom.
When students arrived the first day after I had installed it, we had a mini-lesson
on what the traffic light means to the motorist and to the pedestrian. Pleasantly
I learned that most 8th graders realized that the red light means to STOP.
I immediately explained to them that when the red light is illuminated in
class, all English will STOP. At first, the students seemed very apprehensive.
Consequently, I illuminated the light once or twice a week for a period
of no more than 25%-35% of the instructional time. (Have you ever heard
of a silent 8th grade class - in any discipline!?)
I was upset that I didn't create Don Quijotes overnight. But I stayed with
it, and so did the students. Eventually, they warmed up to the idea that
when the red light was on, only SPANISH (or ITALIAN in my Italian classes)
must be spoken. So when students needed to use the restroom, borrow a pen
or pencil, or explain something within the framework of what they should
be able to communicate in the target language (Can I call home? I left my
book in ...'s class! I have to see my brother's -- teacher! etc.) the second
language was demanded. Students were penalized a 1/4 point from their class
participation grade if English was deliberately used. (This ended the meaningless
socializing that depletes the valuable and limited instructional time.)
At the end of the semester, I analyzed the results. This is what I learned:
(a) not one student dropped my class; (b) six students were added to the
Spanish classes and 13 were added to my Italian class increasing my teaching
load to a total of 158 students - a bit bizarre, but I look at it as a compliment;
(c) very few students lost any points from their bank of class participation
points; (d) more students are speaking the target language with greater
ease; and (e) two Spanish students and one Italian student have been selected
by my county to represent our school in a pubic speaking contest which will
be held during the celebration of The National Foreign Language Week recognition
events.
Now, I no longer resort to the artificial stimulation of a traffic light.
Instead, I instruct in the language and engage students almost 90%-95% of
the instructional time in SPANISH and/or ITALIAN. My students do not seem
apprehensive in the least.
I am so proud of them for sticking with it!
Sheila Greemore
Clark Middle School
Vincennes, Indiana
A SIXTH GRADE MENAGERIE
I am a 6th grade middle school science teacher with a 6th grade club called
Teacher's Pet Club.
My husband has constructed a 5 X 8 foot pen with a protective linoleum floor.
Each month for clubs, I have an exotic animal or farm animal in for the
whole day. Many of our kids have never seen real farm animals up close.
I have had pigs (different types), lamas, goats, ducks, different breeds
of chickens and roosters, pigmy goats and pigmy donkey not to mention other
animals in cages as a monitor several different types of snakes (boa, python)
guinea pigs (we raised 50 that year) and rats (we raised another 50 and
adopted all out!) including rabbits, birds, ferrets, dogs, cats, a camel,
and several others too numerous to mention. We have also hatched and raised
chickens. I have my own pet pigmy goat that comes and stays often. She's
'kind of' potty trained! The kids love to take her out for her bathroom
privileges.
I just have to remember (as my principal has reminded me), it my job to
keep it clean, not the janitor's!
V. W. Blackmore
7th grade English teacher
Pioneer Valley Regional School
Northfield, Massachusetts
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCEPT AND TEAMING
New to the school this year, I have entered amidst unresolved efforts to
establish a middle school. In listening to the discussions on this topic,
in and out of the scheduled meetings, I hear a common theme. The idea of
maintaining a team of teachers who work with a core group of students throughout
the year is essential to this middle school concept.
This notion was fundamental to our team who struggles to find common meeting
times during the week. Yet, we are making sacrifices to achieve this and
the results have been more than satisfactory. We communicate regularly with
eachother, plan newsletters to maintain communications with parents, and
plan community meetings to communicate with the students on a regular basis.
I had no idea how important these simple steps would be toward establishing
a middle school team of teachers dedicated to an incredible group of students.
We work hard at it, and will continue to do so because we have faith that
what we are doing will make a difference.