Student's Rights and Responsibilities

Building community within the classroom starts the first week of school, but it doesn't end there.  The foundation laid back in September needs to be built upon, and nurtured.  In the interest of running an effective, productive, and safe classroom built on trust, it is important to work continually on the initiatives you started back in September. 

Returning after the holiday break is a good time to revisit the expectations you have of your students, and the expectations your students can have of you.  A great way to re-introduce them is for your classroom to have a Rights and Responsibilities Act. 

Depending on the age of your students, the entire process can be broadened to talk about social issues such as The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or Children's Rights and Responsibilities, and why these rights and responsibilities are important. 

The Rights and Responsibilities Charter for your classroom can be a group effort that includes input and debate from every student, but here is a sample to get you started or to direct discussion:

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a student of this classroom, I have the right to:

• Be in a classroom where I feel safe, secure, and where I feel wanted.
• Learn, be curious, and ask questions.
• Be in a classroom that is conducive to learning and where I have access to the teachers, staff, materials, and resources that I need in order to learn.
• Develop my views and opinions.
• Express my needs, wants, and opinions without ridicule or judgement.
• Make mistakes and learn from them.

To ensure that my rights, and the rights of my classmates, are protected, I am responsible for:

• Voicing my opinion with respect and tact and with the goal of increasing my understanding. 
• Being a willing participant who is willing to try.
• Treating classroom materials with respect, and put them back where they belong.
• Following directions to the best of my ability the first time they are asked.

Tweak them as needed, and add or omit items as your class begins to navigate their own way through the process of coming up with rights and responsibilities that will encompass the vast majority of situations.  And remember that it can be a work of progress. It can be revisited and changed weeks and months later as students become sensitive to nuances in interpretation and meaning, or encounter situations that they did not forsee. 

Generally it is a learning experience for everyone, so enjoy the process!

Teach and Learn Using the Three Pathways to the Brain

There are three main pathways to the brain when it comes to learning. Information can reach your brain through what you see, what you hear and what you do.

Think of the last time you learned something. It could have been a recipe you followed, a computer program at work, a video game you learned, or how to use your mobile phone. Did you learn it quickly and efficiently?

Chances are you learned it best if the information was presented to you using all three pathways to the brain. If you didn't learn it well, or it led to frustration, then perhaps there was a pathway to your brain that wasn't being utilized and that was the missing piece.

Students are no different. In order to provide the best chance for learning the information needs to be presented using all three pathways. It automatically takes into account different learning styles, and ensures learning is an active process.

Let Them "See" by Showing Them.

When appropriate, the items students are learning about need to be available within the classroom. In some form or other, students need to "see" what they are learning. In science it means have models of things.  In geography it means having maps and atlases.  In math it means displaying examples on the board.  In spelling it means showing examples of a spelling rule.  Even if material items don't seem applicable or aren't available, using gestures or role play to act out what is being taught can also be effective.  In fact, it helps to engage students because they need to use their imagination. 

Unlike "looking", which is more passive, "Seeing" is an active process.  As teachers and parents we can help support the active process of "seeing" by making sure the information is not just displayed, but that we are actually "showing" our students something.  "Showing" our students what we want them to learn also provides a shared experience. 

Let Students Hear the Information

Telling your students the information they need to know is important.  While learning through discovery and problem-based learning is valuable, there is some information that students need to hear explicitely.  While I am absolutely a proponent of discovery based learning, the processes involved in learning and assimilating, hypthesizing and testing, theorizing and generalizing are extremely complex.  Some students have difficulty learning through discovery alone, especially if not properly supported.  Be sure to tell your students the information they need to learn what they need to learn and do what they need to do. 

Let Students Experience the Information

If you've ever tried to cook a recipe or tried to drive to a place you've never been before you know that success can have little to do with having the right information.  You may have been following a recipe from a book or had a map right in front of you ("seeing" the information), and your friend may have given you a bunch of extra pointers over the phone ("hearing" the information), but somehow, things go terribly wrong!

It is important to let students use, and experience the information being learned.  Make sure there is something students and children can "do" with the information or concepts that they are learning.  Let students try, experiment, and apply concepts on their own. 

The process of learning by using the three pathways to the brain, seeing, hearing, and doing, is important at any age, kindergarten through adulthood.  With a bit of creativity the idea of teaching via the three pathways to the brain can be applied to any subject and any unit of study, in every lesson.

The Keys to a Good Spelling Program

Students of all learning styles can become good spellers.  But many students, often those with learning disabilities, struggle with becoming good spellers.

It doesn't have to be this way.  Here are 6 keys to effectively teaching spelling:

1. Multi-Sensory.  Learning spelling is most effective if it is taught using sight sound and touch.  Good spelling programs physically involve children in the learning process, and are hands-on.  A great program, in any subject, should be an active process rather than a passive one.  Spelling is no different.
2. Logical.  Spelling rules and concepts should be taught in a logical order, and new concepts should build upon older ones.  The sequence with which spelling rules are taught is important and needs consideration.
3. Step-by-Step.  There should be no gaps between what students are learning and what they are expected to know. I always tell my students that I will never ask them to spell anything that I haven't already taught them.  This helps to ensure success which can get kids excited about spelling, and takes the pressure of those who have had negative experiences with spelling previously.
4. Mastery-Based.  A really good spelling program moves children along at their own pace.  New concepts and spelling terms should not be taught until they have mastered the ones previously taught.  There should be opportunity for extra practice if a student is struggling with a certain concept or rule, and should not contain any busy work.
5. Review.  Your spelling program should incorportate continual review.  Be wary of spelling programs which provide a list of words students should learn and then move on to a new list the following week never revisiting previous words, rules or concepts again.  You are teaching spelling concepts that you want your students to be able to remember for the rest of their lives not turning on a Roomba.  The "set it and forget it" philosophy does not apply to teaching!  Students are far less likely to remember how spell words, especially tricky ones, if there are no opportunities to review and practice concepts already covered.
6.  Direct.  Spelling rules should be taught explicitely and clearly.  Don't leave it to chance that students will notice that "i" comes before "e" except after "c".  A good program will "spell" those rules out for them and not leave students to come to their own conclusions about the English Language.

If your child is struggling with spelling or needs remedial help, All About Spelling is a great spelling program that addresses these 6 keys of a good spelling program.  It based on a lot of principles from Orton-Gillingham, but is more conducive to classroom teaching.  For more information or to order see:  All About Spelling

Using Personality Quizes to Open the Door to Great Character Studies

Have you ever asked your students to describe themselves, their friends and family, or a character in a book and get responses like "nice", "friendly", or if the character is an antagonist, words like "bully", or "mean"?

Clearly, students need to move beyond these basic descriptors, explore people and characters more deeply, and have the vocabularies to draw upon to do it. 

One fun way to introduce the idea of character studies and build vocabulary at the same time is to use personality quizes.  They can be found all over the internet and range from the very simple, to much longer and more complex so you can find one that is suitable for your student's age-group.  Err on the side of caution starting with a simple one, and then if students are interested they can explore their personalities further with longer, more involved tests.  Children seem to naturally want to learn about themselves, and I find that students eagerly complete the quizes, and spontaneously share and communicate their findings. 

The activity can go beyond just taking the quizes and developing vocabulary.  Here are some extension activities suited to a variety of age groups:

1. Make a Classroom Display.  Write the keywords in the descriptors on chart paper or large cue cards and add to a "Word Wall" or as a wall-mounted resource for students to refer to when they are writing character descriptions.  Alternatively, students can have a print out of the adjectives in their binders that they can refer to when needed.
2. Give Examples of the Behaviour.  Begin to explore the behaviours that are indicative of a particular personality trait.  If the word "co-operative" is used and students understand what that means, explore what that would "look like" (and possibly what it would not, for example being co-operative is different from being a blind follower).  Younger students may need this put into context.  For example, ask what being co-operative would look like in specific situations, such as in the lunchroom, at recess, or at a friend's house).
3. Matching Games.  Have students play matching games and see if they can match a personality trait to a descriptions of behaviours (see #2).  Add examples of your own that the students haven't come up with so that they need to think and to ensure they haven't just memorized what trait that behaviour was assigned to.  Explore when a behaviour can attributed to more than one character trait.  This excersize will help students to recognize character traits in other people and in characters in books, allowing them to write more indepth character studies and give them a leg-up when they need to justify the personality traits of a character with "evidence" from the book derived from the characters actions or what other's say about them, etc. 
4. Parts of Speech.  Have students categorize the descriptors in terms of their part of speech.  They should quickly notice a pattern!
5. Assign Personality Traits.  Now that students have the vocabulary and a clear idea of what that behaviour looks like, have students begin to identify those traits in characters in books they are reading.  Have students begin to provide examples of behaviour, justifying why a character can be attributed with that trait.  When appropriate, students may be able to begin to identify the gifts within themselves and their classmates by attributing personality traits to themselves and their peers.
6. Write Descriptions.  For an added challenge, see if students can write a description or write a mini-story about a character that is to exhibit one specific personality trait.  The catch is that they are not allowed to use that descriptor in their piece of writing.  It's kind of like the game "TABOO".  When students are finished, students can share their writing with the class and see if their classmates can identify the personality trait.  Younger students may need to have scenarios set out for them, while older students may just need a dozen or so prompters placed prominantly in the classroom to trigger ideas, such as "at a dinner party with the Queen", "while on a crowded bus", "playing a video game with friends", "while at the library", "waiting in a long line at an amusement park", and so on.
7. Get Creative with Except When:  Students may find it fun to fill out and share their endings to a series of sentence starters.  Identify a number of personality traits, and have a fill-in-the-blank form where students need to complete.  I commonly use "except when" statements using fictional characters.  For example:  "Marcy is brave except when:  ______".  You can tweak this as neeeded with "especially when" or "only when". 
8. Create a Personality Test.  Students may want to create their own personality tests as they begin to associate certain personality traits with certain colours, objects, or behaviours.  If you are going to allow students to give their classmates the test, ensure that tests are kept positive and that students understand it is just for fun.  Simple ones can even be made on paper and folded into an oragami game. 
9. Take on a Persona.  Have students imagine that they are a character in a book they are reading, or a famous person they are learning about.  Have them take a simple personality test answering the questions as they think that person would.  How accurate are the results?  Are there parts of the description that are accurate?
10. Evaluate.  Students can begin to evaluate what parts of their results from a personality test accurately reflect themselves.  Students can re-write portions of the description that don't apply. 

It's important that students are reminded that these personality tests are just for fun.  Take the necessary steps to enuser that students don't feel "labelled" in ways they don't want to be.  Also be aware that personality tests can be intimidating to some students making them feel vulnerable and exposed.  Know your students and choose and adjust the activities accordingly.

List Personality Tests:
To get you started here are some personality tests I found online.  Some can be adapted to do as a class if you print them out or hold colours and objects up for you students while you read the options for them.

A simple one using colour only, takes 5 minutes:  http://www.chinapaint.com/eng/flash/colorandme_en.swf

Do you know of a personality test?  Please write a brief description and provide a link.
Is there another way you can use Personality Tests to teach curriculum?  Please share your ideas by posting a comment below.

Startling Statistics on Factors that Can Affect Success at School

Recently, the Globe and Mail ran an article outlining some of the difficulties, especially boys, are experiencing with their learning.  Here are some of their sobering statistics:

The percentage of grade 3 students that indicated they read by themselves everyday or almost everyday:  Girls 64%, Boys 50%.

The percentage of grade 3 students that indicated they played video games everyday or almost everyday:  Girls 18%, Boys 55%.

The percentage of students that said they asked for help if they do not understand "most of the time":  Girls 51%, Boys 42%.

The percentage of students that said they check their work for mistakes "most of the time":  Girls 54%, Boys 45%.

The percentage of students who reported having marks above 80%:  Girls: 46.3%, Boys 31.9%.

The percentage of students who reported having marks below 60%:  Girls:  2.5%, Boys, 8.4%.

These statistics suggest that your child is not likely not asking for help in class when they need it.  Having your child work one-on-one with a tutor may help to ensure that problems with understanding material covered in school are addressed immediately. 

Make sure your child gets the support they need to succeed.  I have experience with helping students with learning disabilities and catering to each student's unique learning style.  Click on the "Tutoring Services" link on the menu bar at the top of this page for more information and rates.

The New Gender Gap: Are Boys Lagging Behind?

There was an interesting article in today's Globe and Mail by Carolyn Abraham.  It highlights a new trend of boys all around the world lagging behind girls in "nearly every mearsure of scholastic achievement". 

In a nutshell, the article looked at a number of different countries and dissected what percentage of their students that could be considered top performers were boys, and what percentage were girls.  Here are some of the lop-sided statistics that prompted the article:

In science, boys lagged behind in Japan with 17.0% of their top performers being girls while only 13.1% were boys.

In reading, boys lagged behind in Canada (17.7% of our top performers were girls and only 11.3% were boys), Finland (23.7% girls and 9.6% boys), Turkey (2.9% of their top performers were girls and only 1.4% were boys), and Japan (10.7% girls and 8.1% boys).

In math, boys still have the lead in all countries featured in the article, but if you look at the annual university enrolment statisitics in Canada, in 1972 there were 193,002 women who enrolled and 279,751 men.  Now, less than 40 years later, the climate has changed drastically.  In 2008, there were 640,674 women who enrolled, which far exceeds the 471,408 men who enrolled.  The number of women enrolled in university exceeded men for the first time in 1981, and since then the gap has only grown. 

The article opens by stating that it was only 10 short years ago that stories about the disadvantages girls had in school due to gender biases against females were still prevalent in the press. Educational textbooks and publishers got there share of the heat when a number of studies criticized them for putting out to press books that contained sexist stereotypes which turned girls away from certain subjects, science in particlar.  Since then, some of Canada's largest Canadian educational publishers began revising their textbooks to eliminate any biases that they themselves may have been contributing to.  But as result, it seemed that whenever there was to be a picture of someone doing something well or right, it was a girl that was featured, and whenever you needed a picture of someone doing something wrong or negative, it was a picture of a boy. 

Perhaps the pendulum had swung too far.  In the media, boys have, in recent years, been branded as the underdogs.  The article goes on to offer a plethora of data to support that claim, saying that boys earn lower grades overall in elementary schol, perform poorer in reading and writing, are more likely to be identified as having behavioural problems, are more likely to repeat a grade, more likely to drop out, and that 30% of them perform in the bottom quarter in standardized tests.  Ouch!

So what is happening here?

The article shares a couple of perspectives on the issue.  Some educational professionals think that boys have been forgotten, and all but forgotten, as all focus and effort went towards helping girls succeed with learning.  On the other hand, others feel that the statistics are not all that worrisome.  They argue that girls have always performed better than their boy-counterparts in earning better grades and that the changing marketplace (which puts so much emphasis on higher grades now more than ever), has made boys less competitive.  Given that men still run an overwhelming number of the world's countries, and companies, and that women with the same level of education earn less than their male counterparts, some dismiss the notion that boys now need special measures to get ahead, or just keep up. 

But to suggest that seems to open a can of worms.  Some perceive the notion as one that undermines the achievements of females, and that it's politically correct to say there is no problem with boys and education. 

The article continued with some of the social and and economical shifts that could result if the trend continues, such as woman being both child-bearers and primary bread-winners, and a lack of diversity in the workforce.  Extreme perhaps, and dismissed by those who equate it to the fear that women would not get married anymore when they first started entering universities and the workforce.

It is an interesting question none-the-less, and one we won't know the answer to for another decade or more, and it's and issue that's got people talking. 

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How to Take the Dread out of Teaching Dictionary Skills

I think I just heard a virtual "groan" or "snore" come right through my computer!

I am quite aware that developing dictionary skills can be quite a bore for students, and let's face it, it's not all that fun for teachers to teach either. 

But don't let that get in the way of teaching your students this important skill.  There are so many skills that are utilized when looking up words!  There are eye-co-ordination and scanning skills that can develop as they search for word or word parts, they will utilize problem-solving and thinking skills as they make judgements on whether or not a word might be found on a given page, they will begin to make and test their predictions, they can begin to apply and test their understanding of the parts of speech as they look at whether the word is a verb, or a noun, (or perhaps both), not to mention that they gain practical experience with ordering the alphabet.

But perhaps it's that broad range of skills needed to use the dictionary is part of they reason some students resist so staunchly.  It's a lot to think about and do!

Some argue that with the technology today that teaching dictionary skills is obsolete.  I disagree.  The wide range of skills needed to use a dictionary quickly and effectively, can be drawn upon for a wide range of other activities.  Moreover, we are a LONG way from a paperless world.  Our leaders of tomorrow are still going to need to know where to file their "paper-things", either at home or at work, using an alphabetized filing system!

The key is to make teaching dictionary skills fun.  And yes, it can be done, it just takes a little creativity.  Here are some suggestions:

1)  Work on one skill at a time.  Because looking up words involves a lot of multi-tasking, break it down so that they are only doing part of the job of using a dictionary at a time.  For example, if they are looking up "parka", ask them to find the section with all the "p" words, and then assist.  For older more advanced students, have them find the page that contains the first syllable.  Alternatively, you could bookmark or photocopy the page with the word, or provide  your students with the page number.  That way, they can focus on the scanning skills to find the word once on the right page to avoid complete mental exhaustion before the word is even located.

2)  Display the alphabet.  Displaying the alphabet prominently on a display board or on their desk does not have to be considered "cheating".  It can be used as a reference for students who need it.  Once students become more skilled at the alphabet order, it will take longer to scan the alphabet than it will to access the information they need using their own problem-solving skills and knowledge.  But, this can take a long time (years after a student can recite and identify all letter quickly and automatically), so be patient!  Consider displaying it in an arch, with the two middle letters "m" and "n" in the middle.  It provides a visual cue as to what letters are in which half of the alphabet. 

3)  Play Games.  On a meter stick write all the letters of the alphabet.  Make sure you measure out 26 uniform spaces for the letters to be written on first so they are all evenly spaced.  On the reverse side of the stick, measure out and clearly mark the 26 spaces, but don't write the letters in.  With the letter-less side of the stick facing the students point to one of the spaces and have the students guess what letter would go in that space.  Simply flip the stick over to see how close they were.  Alternatively, name a letter and have them guess where on the stick that letter would be located.  You can also insert a bookmark into a dictionary and have the students guess what letter the words on that page start with.  With flashcards hold up a letter of the alphabet and the students have to name the letter that comes next.  This can be adapted to be an "around the world" event as students compete with another student to move on.  For more of a challenge have the students identify the letter that comes before the one displayed.

4)  Use the Dictionary in Context.  Providing the students a list of random words to look up everyday or once a week practices the skill completely out of context.  There is no end goal aside from actually finishing the assignment, and a boring one at that.  If students are to look up words, have the words come from sources the students are using at that time.  Math terms, geography terms, words that come up in their novel studies.  I tended to do this as we came across them and often looked up words with the students in the middle of a lesson.  We used the dictionary several times a week in this way, if not everyday.  Sure there are some students that had very little interest, but I was actually astounded at the number of students who wanted to keep dictionaries at their desks knowing they'd be able to "help me out" in the middle of a lesson.  I would model making predictions by telling them what I expected to find, and expressed genuine interest and surprise if I found something different.  Students spontaneously made predictions as well, and were interested in finding out if they were correct.  Use the dictionary at every opportunity.  If a student asks you how to spell a word or asks you what it means, model for them how to use the dictionary, even if you know the answer.  Finally, use the dictionary for a variety of purposes.  To find the correct pronunciation, to find out the meaning, to find out alternate meanings, to find out the part(s) of speech the word belongs to, or to find out the origins, to name but a few. 

5)  Explore the Dictionary.  Actually have your students "get to know" the alphabet and their dictionaries.  This needs to go beyond knowing how many letters there are and how many vowels.  Have the students explore the alphabet using a dictionary and paperclips.  Have students make predictions about what letter they think the most words start with, and what letter has the fewest.  Clip all the pages with words starting with A together, and continue through the entire alphabet, and discover what letters require the most pages, and which require the least.  Note that "m" and "n" are the middle letters, but if you open the dictionary to the half-way point, what letter do you think do your students think they'd be in?  Were they right?  Also begin to explore all the different types of information contained in a single entry in the dictionary, and look at how the entry is organized.  When there are multiple meanings for one entry, do your students think there is a reason to the order of the definitions?   Compare different types of dictionaries.  Why is one huge and another one called a "pocket" dictionary?  Look at dictionaries with print dates that differ by a decade or more.  Have them look for words that won't be in dictionaries with the earlier print, or obsolete words no longer in current dictionaries.  Can they think of other words that won't be in one of the dictionaries?

6)  Have Students Contribute.  Have students make up a word, and a definition.  I displayed their entries on a bulletin board so that each student made a contribution to this "pretend" dictionary posted on the wall.  The words, of course, were displayed in alphabetical order!  Depending on age and grade level, students may include other aspects of a dictionary entry in addition to the definition (i.e. pronunciation, origin, etc.).  Have them identify what two words their word would be located between. 

7)  Create some Interest.  Consider reading the book Frindle by Andrew Clements to your students.  I started the year by reading this book to my students, and it served to set the tone on their attitudes towards the dictionary.  It's actually a fun, easy, and humourous read.  Really!

8)  Keep Activities Brief and Short.  I like to keep dictionary activities simple, straight-forward, and brief.  No matter what the age group is, I keep it between 2 and 5 minutes unless it is a class activity or game, or something more creative like making up a word.  Brief but consistent dictionary activities are better tolerated by students, they still get ample practice over the course of the year, and is less likely to result in negative attitudes towards the dictionary.

Building Community with a Promise

Learning requires trust.

In order to learn effectively, students need to trust their teachers, their classmates, and even the larger school community includeing students from other classrooms and grades, and staff within the school.  Without it, learning cannot take place effectively.  Even the relationship between student and tutor requires trust.  Opening your mind, sharing your thoughts, and exploring new ideas never conceived before by the parties involved can put the learner in a vulnerable place if there is not a strong foundation of trust. 

Part of that trust is built on an understanding of expectations between all members of the school community.  Certainly, teachers have expectations of students, but students also must have expectations of their teachers in order for their to be trust.  Afterall, trust is a two way street.

Some expectations are so basic that they are more than just expectations.  They are promises to each other.  Here is one inspirational Classroom Promise that I had hanging in my classroom. 

Our Promise to Each Other

We care about each other, our classroom and our school. 

We share, help each other, listen carefully, respect ourselves, work hard and have fun together. 

We understand that everyone makes mistakes. 

We stand up for ourselves, and for others. 

We fight fair.  When someone asks us to stop, we stop.

That is who we are, even when no one is watching.

(Source Unknown)

Posting a classroom promise doesn't create trust where trust doesn't already exist, but when displayed prominantly it does serve as a daily reminder of what responsibility members in the classroom community have in building and maintaining the trust needed for learning.  If you and your learning community create a Promise, display it prominantly giving it the honour it deserves.  Recite, share and refer to it in enjoyable ways and positive situations, rather than in teachable moments.  Make it part of the fibre of your learners beings.

I like this quote so much that I actually modified it and have it hanging on my fridge at home, and has become somewhat of a family motto.

What would you want included in a promise made between the members of your learning community?  What promises do your students want to include?