Classroom Practice that Support ELLs Living with Trauma
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Best classroom practices to support English learners living with trauma violence & chronic stress.
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Classroom Practice that Support ELLs Living with Trauma
- 1. Classroom Practices that Support ELLs Living with Trauma NJTESOL/NJBE Spring Conferencee 2018 Judie Haynes
- 2. Definitions • Trauma: a response to an experience that is so stressful that it overwhelms an individual’s capacity to cope • Violence: the use of physical force to harm someone, damage property • Chronic Stress; a physiological state of hyper arousal that can result in chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, & limit in regulating behavior --Craig (2006) Yoshikawa (2011) In Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 3. The urgency for looking at students who experience trauma, violence, and chronic stress
- 4. Quick Information “Almost half of the nation’s children have experienced one or more types of serious childhood trauma…” Data Resource Center for child and adolescent health, National Survey of Children’s Health, 2011/12 Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. p. 1.
- 5. Group/Pair Activity Discuss with your small group: What percentage of students living with trauma, violence or chronic stress do your think you have in your classroom?
- 6. Additional Info Between 1998-2008, 2.5 billion people worldwide exposed to disasters- American Pychological Association [APA] In 2015, 65.3 million people displaced worldwide. 3.2 million sought asylum, 98,400 unaccompanied or separated children - United Nations on Refugees
- 7. Additional Info In 2016, 4.1 million US born children have at least one parent who is undocumented – APA In 2013, 60% of EL families incomes were 185% below poverty level Grantmakers in Education
- 8. ACEs Impacting Students All Students Any of the ACEs described • Physical, sexual, or verbal abuse • Physical and emotional neglect • A parent who abuses drugs or alcohol • Witnessing a mother experiencing abuse • A family member in jail • Parental loss due to death, abandonment, or divorce • Mental illness, suicidal, or depressed person at home English Learners Any of the ACEs described PLUS trauma, violence & chronic stress resulting from: • living in war or conflict zones, • being displaced, • being persecuted, • living in extreme poverty, • and more.
- 9. Why is it critical? • To use a strengths-based approach? • Scale the power of positive asset-based, caring, and empowering interactions? • Draw from our own and our students’ and families’ unique circumstances and strengths? Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 10. Research is Clear • When we focus on people’s inherent strengths (what they bring), it leads to better outcomes than operating from what we perceive as their weaknesses. • We can help students be more successful and engaged when we draw from their internal strengths and capacities Psychotherapy (Seligman, Rashid & Parks, 2006); Positive Psychology (Seligman, et al,2006); Psychology (Dweck, 2007); Positive Youth Development (Floyd & McKenna, 2003; Lerner, et al, 2005); Educational research (Biswas-Dienera, Kashdan, & Gurpal, 2011; Gonzalez, Moll, & Amanti, 2006; Steele, 2010). Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 11. Making Strengths Visable & Transparent It is important to: Use positive positive, asset-based language Model this so that all staff who work in your classroom do the same (specialists, aides, etc)
- 12. When…Then… Theory of Change • When we believe that every human being is valuable and possesses many strengths, • Then we intentionally look for these strengths and support individuals in using these for their personal growth. Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 13. Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L., & Haynes J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Identifying Assets
- 14. • Discuss with a partner • Share with whole group What assets can you identify in Keilyana? Small Group & Pair Activity
- 15. • Acceptance • Adaptability • Affirmation • Compassion • Commitment • Courage • Daring • Depth • Differentiation • Discretion • Endurance • Energy • Faith • Friendship • Flexibility • Generosity • Honesty • Honor • Humility • Humor • Industrious • Insight • Knowledge • Loyalty • Mindfulness • Non- judgmental • Open Minded • Passion • Perseverance • Professionalism • Relaxation • Resilience • Respect • Sacrifice • Self-Control • Validate • Value • Wit Values and Qualities Worth Acknowledging Glasser & Block, 2011. In Zacarian D, Alvarez-Ortiz L, & Haynes J. (2017) Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria: ASCD. P. 30 .
- 16. Four Essential Pillars of an Assets-Based Classroom/School S A F E B E L O N G V A L U E D C O M P E T E N T Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 17. Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. p. 97
- 18. Promising Classroom Practices That Validate the Strengths of English Learners Living with Trauma
- 19. STRENGTHS- BASED TEACHING ENVIRONMENT Positive relationships among all Promoting student voice and choice Connecting learning to students’ lives Using predictable routines and a gradual release of responsibility Supporting student-student learning
- 20. Asset-Based Relationships for ALL Relationships, relationships, relationships Positive language
- 21. What I Wish My Teacher Knew About Me • Sometimes my papers are not signed because my mother isn’t home a lot. • I can’t fall asleep at night. • I feel like the class picks on me. I hate that. • I miss my dad. He got deported to Guatemala when I was 5 years old. • I don’t have pencils to do my homework.
- 22. Building Positive, Asset-Based Relationships: Getting to Know Students Ask students to: Write their name & nickname on front of index card. Respond to the following prompts on back side: • Activities that you are involved in at our high school. • Activities that you are involved in outside of school. • Activities that you do at home.
- 23. Promoting Student Voice • Trauma can cause feeling of loss of control and powerlessness. Helping students cope with traumatic stressors allows them to regain control. • Student empowerment defined as giving them real opportunities to participate and make decisions about what works. Zacarian, D., , Alvarez-Ortiz, L., & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, & Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 24. Promoting Student Voice & Choice
- 25. Small group/partner discussions How do you give voice & choice to your ELLs? Share an example in your small group.
- 26. Linking Literature & Literary Characters to Students’ Lives In Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. P. 67 “Do not underestimate the power of characters in literature…” Psychiatric specialists Everly & Firestone
- 27. Linking Literature & Literary Characters to ELs’ Lives
- 28. Small Group /Pair Activity In your groups, share the titles of books you use with your students to connect their lives to literature.
- 29. Establishing Predictable Routines In Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 30. Small group/partner discussions With a partner, look at how you start your school day. List some routines that you could introduce into your current practices that would support students living with trauma, violence & chronic stress. Share these routines with whole group.
- 31. Examples of Predictable Routines • Welcoming students, including ELs, using asset-based language • Engaging all students in a sharing activity about special news. • Providing information about the day or class schedule so that students know what to expect during the school day. • Conducting a short academic or social learning experience. • Supporting students to transition from the opening meeting to the next classroom.
- 32. Steps in the Gradual Release of Responsibility
- 33. Steps in the Gradual Release of Responsibility: Teacher shares with students that: lesson is intended to help them get to know each other. They will need to bring in and share a family treasure that can be an artifact, photographs, drawings, or other mementos or recollections from their ancestors. She shares her own family treasure, her great- grandmother’s locket.
- 34. Steps in the Gradual Release of Responsibility: Teacher guides students through the compilation of questions they may want to ask her about her treasure using a graphic organizer that the class completed as a group.
- 35. Collaborative Practice Students share their treasure with a small group. Peers ask questions about each other’s treasures using the skills and strategies that they were taught. Students acknowledge positive values and qualities in each other with proper modeling from the teacher.
- 36. Small Group/Partner Activity With a partner, design a lesson that includes the four steps in the gradual release of responsibility approach and describe the routines and practices that you would use.
- 37. Independent Work Students work independently in class to write an oral presentation about their treasure. This (artifact, photograph, memento) is important to my family because . . . This (artifact, photograph, memento) is called a . . . It comes from my . . . (relative or ancestor) . . . (name).
- 38. STEP 1 Mark Zimmerman: a. Reviews objectives odd & even numbers unit b. Reviews day’s learning objective and what student will do (create poster) to learn concepts Step 2: He thinks aloud. Models listener and speaker tasks Ss will do by doing model with a volunteer Affirming and acknowledging volunteer Steps 3: Students work in pairs. Discuss ideas for solving problems at recess. 1. Using language of math (on odds-evens) 2. Affirming & acknowledging peers . Step 4: Students work in small groups. Discuss ideas for problem at recess. 1. Using language of math 2. Affirming & acknowledging peers Step 5: Whole class reviews paired and small group tasks. 1. Using the language of math 2. Affirming & acknowledging peers Engaging Students in Paired and Groupwork Zacarian, D., Alvarez-Ortiz, L. & Haynes, J. (2017). Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
- 39. Acknowledging and reflecting back students’ assets Building positive, asset-based relationships with ELs Promoting student voice and choice Connecting student learning to students’ lives Linking literary characters to ELs lives Using predictable routines Gradual release of responsibility Supporting student-student relationships and positive interactions
- 40. Resources Five elements of a positive classroom environment. http://inservice.ascd.org/five-elements-of-a-positive- classroom-environment-for-students-living-with- adversity/ Using a strengths-based approach with ELs: Supporting students living with trauma, violence & chronic stress http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/using-strengths- based-approach-els-supporting-students-living-trauma- violence-and-chronic
Hinweis der Redaktion
- Let’s talk about what we mean when we use the terms trauma, violence and chronic stress. Developmental psychologist Hiro Yoshikawa and educator Susan Craig define them. They say… Trauma is a response to an experience that is so stressful that it overwhelms an individual’s capacity to cope Violence means the use of physical force to harm someone, damage property Chronic Stress; a physiological state of hyper arousal that can result in chronic anxiety, hyper vigilance, & limits in regulating behavior In this webinar, when we use these terms, this is what we are referring
- Perhaps we all wonder what is the urgency for looking more deeply at students and families who experience these phenomena. Who are such students and what is important to consider?
- As educators, we are becoming more and more aware that children around the world are increasingly exposed to extremely difficult experiences. In the United States alone, according to the National Survey of children’s health, almost half of the nation’s children have experienced one or more types of serious childhood trauma. Regardless where we work and what we do, an epic number of students are living with adverse childhood experiences.
- However, these facts and figures include the general population of students including some English learners. In addition to the general population, there are sweeping numbers of additional English learners who are experiencing trauma, violence and chronic stress in ways that are distinct from their American peers. First, the prevalence of natural disasters occurs worldwide in numbers that are hard to fathom. Between 1998-2008, 2.5 billion people worldwide exposed to disasters-American Pychological Association [APA] In addition are the large percentage of people living in war or conflict zones that result in their being displaced, being persecuted, and seeking asylum. In 2015, for example, 65.3 million people were displaced worldwide. 3.2 million sought asylum, 98,400 unaccompanied or separated children- United Nations on Refugees
- These distinctions about English learners experiencing trauma, violence and chronic stress also should include the high volume of US born children who have at least one parent who is undocumented. In 2016, 4.1 million children born in the US had at least one parent who is undocumented –APA And, then there is the reality of the depth of poverty that many English learners are living in. In 2013, for example, 60% of the families of English learners had incomes that were 185% below poverty level Grantmakers in Education
- As such, while English learners experience the same epic numbers of adverse childhood experiences as their peers, significant numbers have also experienced the trauma of living in war or conflict zones, being displaced, being persecuted, living in extreme poverty, and more. Regardless where we work and what we do, epic numbers of students from pre-school through high school are living with these experiences.
- Often times, when we learn that our students have experienced significant adversity, we often perceive them as having deficits that need remedying instead of focusing on what science confirms, the assets and capacities that they have inherently or have already developed as a result of facing adversity. For example, during a professional development session, we asked teachers to describe the strategies that they found to be the most successful working with students experiencing these phenomena. One response resonated with the whole group. It went something like: I know that I am working hard but it is impossible when I know that I have students who don’t know whether they will have a bed to sleep on at night, worry about one of their parents who is incarcerated, or come to school hungry.” Perhaps you have found that you feel like that teacher. And, what can exacerbate this further is that very little has been written about teaching students living with trauma, violence and chronic stress. In addition the literature doesn’t pay much attention to diverse populations of students in our rapidly changing classrooms. While a lot has been written for therapists and counselors on working with children that have experienced or are experiencing trauma, violence and chronic stress, and that’s important, very little has been available about teaching the enormous segment of our student population- especially doing so from a strengths based perspective. A strengths based approach pays attention to the many strengths that we all have, especially our students and their families living with these phenomena. A great example of a strengths based approach is from pediatrician Dr. Ken Ginsberg who works with children with serious chronic illnesses and their families. While he acknowledges the effect that these illnesses have on children’s lives, he also points to the many many strengths that the same children possess and tells us that they are not broken.
- . Research tells us about the value of a strengths based approach in helping students,, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. When we focus on what our students and families bring, when we focus on building connections with them, when we focus on our own and people’s inherent strengths, it leads to better outcomes than operating from what we perceive as their weaknesses. It is not that we are ignoring our students’ experiences, it is that we are focusing much more on what is positive
- Tina is a high school ESL teacher in N.J. On the first day of school Isaw a small girl sitting alone clutching her tablet like a shield. The student seemed to flinch when I looked at her.and she drew herself tighter against the wall. My heart went out to her and Ii thought to myself how brave she was by coming to school where she didn’t know the language or the culture. She didn’t have any friends She was brave to leave her country and come to the U.S. It was a few months before I could tell Ana how I admired her bravery. I still remember the day she spoke her first words in English. The whole class applauded.
- So, if we truly adopt these beliefs, what we are proposing is to adopt a Theory of Change that states, that: When… we believe that every human being is valuable and possesses many strengths, Then… we intentionally look for these strengths and support individuals in using them for their personal growth. This theory of change allows or frees us to focus on: identifying students’ and families’ existing strengths honor, value, and acknowledge these strengths help students and families’ become aware of their strengths build instructional programming that revolves around and draw from our students’ and families’ identified strengths Ana’s story.
- OK, let’s see how are we doing so far with finding assets in students. This is Keilyana a student who is an English learner. She, her mother, and three siblings relocated to continental US two months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island of PR. They are living in a temporary shelter awaiting public housing. We learn that Keilyana’s father committed suicide after the family lost all they had to the hurricane. Her teacher reports to us that Keilyana rarely misses school, but gets in late every day. She also points out that when Keilyana works in groups with other students, she often seems to pick an unprovoked fight with her classmates. What assets can we find in Keilyana? Many educators tell us that it is challenging for them to find any strengths in Keilyana. They have shared with us that they just don’t see how her circumstances and what she does in school reflect any assets. But, let’s try to step back for a moment to think about this… despite whatever we perceive about her home life, Keilyana IS coming to school regularly, consistently and routinely. (GO TO NEXT SLIDE ABOUT VALUES) This is certainly a strength that she possesses. It shows responsibility, value for education, value for interactions, hope, appreciation, gratitude, determination, connection, and courage, to name a few of her values and qualities. All of these qualities are the ones I must reflect to her, provide evidence of where I see them, and draw from them to create effective teaching practices in an environment where she feels she belongs, feels safe, valued, and competent.
- This is certainly a strength that she possesses. (Coming to school regularly, consistently, and routinely) It shows responsibility, value for education, value for interactions, hope, appreciation, gratitude, determination, connection, and courage, to name a few of her values and qualities. All of these qualities are the ones I must reflect to her, provide evidence of where I see them, and draw from them to create effective teaching practices in an environment where she feels she belongs, feels safe, valued, and competent.
- We agree with many in the field of psychology, sociology and education that in order for students living in adversity to thrive, we must provide an environment where they feel safe, where they experience a real sense of belonging, of being competent, and of being valued (Glasser, et al., 2007). Let’s take a quick look at these 4 essentials that we have likened them here to pillars that sustain a structure in place. If I am a student in your school, I will feel: Safe - when I know I would not be judged or criticized when I make a mistake or when I feel or think differently from others. When I know somebody has my back and I can count on others for support and comfort. (For us parents, it's that sense that no matter what our kids do, they will always be our sons and daughters and our love is unconditional.) That I belong – when I get adults’ unconditional acceptance, communicated in words and deeds, that I am welcome regardless of my background or current situation… and that I am part of the fabric of the classroom and school. Valued - When I can see and experience how much my ideas, opinions, feelings and my full existence matter to my teachers and other adults in the school. When adults make me feel worthy of others' respect, energy, time, kindness, etc., all because I matter to my teachers and to others. Competent – When I have been affirmed frequently that I have what it takes to learn and to create positive relationships with others. It is the assurance that I have the ability to exert self-control and to create positive outcomes. (The environment where this relational approach can be fostered is one that supports, encourages, and empowers students to be the best version of themselves. This happens when these 4 elements are clearly visible in the classroom/school/place.)
- A way of having students moderate their own participation is by using asset based language like L2 and watching for their using it and ensuring that it occurs. Here is what she says as she circulates the classroom and listens to pairs and groups working together. She also pays close attention to the language they use with each other.
- Here we are going to talk about classroom practices that validate the strengths of students living with TVCS. This is beyond the English language acquisition strategies that teachers generally employ with new arrivals. Classroom environments that promote student empowerment does so by building students’ confidence and capacity to speak up, address issues that concern them, make changes, and take risks. This is a big step for ELLs who are not only learning the content, making social connections in the classroom but also learning English.Students are more likely to encounter success in this process when adults become partners and provide active support.
- A strengths based teaching environment happends when teachers do the following: Build Positive relationships between themselves & students Promote student voice & choice Connect learning to students lives Use predictable routines & a gradual release of responsibility Support student-student learning
- In classrooms the difference between engaged students and disengaged students is relationships, relationships, relationships. Positive relationships with our students is key in providing an effective learning environment for them There are many ways to do this. Your genuineness and caring attitude will set you apart.
- We have found it helpful to ask young learners to reflect on the prompt “What do I wish my Teacher Knew About Me”and to ask them to write or draw a response. For example, kindergarten students can draw a picture and later label it with the support of their teacher. Students in grades 1–2 can write a few sentences and draw a picture.Teachers of students in grades 3–5 can expand the prompt to include “10things that I wish my teacher knew about me.” We can gain valuable insights about our students that we might otherwise have missed. As asset-based people, we are now capable of finding personal qualities and values even in situations where we may see none at first glance. Take, for example, this student response: “Sometimes my papers are not signed because my mother isn’t home a lot.” What we see is that this student values responsibility because he wants to bring the papers signed, as his teacher has requested. He is very honest and doesn’t try to tell a lie even if it feels embarrassing to tell the truth. He has integrity; he wants to do the right thing andwants the teacher to know what may be in the way of doing it.
- Let’s take a look at what Keith Malletta, a high school English teacher in North Carolina who supports students to become active members of his classroom and community. On the first day of school, he gives an index card to each of his students and asks them to write their name on the front of the card and then to respond to the questions (on the screen) on the back of the card. List Activities that you are involved at our high school What Activities that you are involved outside of school What Activities you do at home Keith shares his reasons for engaging students in these activities. He says that the students who leave any of the first three questions blank are the first ones that he builds relationships with. He dedicates time to find out their interests and works to support their involvement in activities that match these. For example, Keith supports students to become members of various after-school clubs. When I read scholarship applications from ELs, I noticed that these students all have extra currccular activities even if they are also working after school. They were all engaged with their classmates and in their school communities.
- As we’ve said before, trauma can cause students to have a feeling of loss of control and powerlessness. Classroom environments that promote empowerment do so by building the confidence and capacity of students to speak up, to address issues in the classroom, to make changes, and to take risks. As such, these students need help coping with traumatic stressors that allow them to gain control of their environment. Empowering students allows them to have real opportunities to participate in the life of the classroom community and making decisions about what works.
- One educator who advocates strongly for student voice and choice is educator Larry Ferlazzo, We see from this photo that Larry puts his students first. 26) Teachers who promote students voice and choice experience wonder experiences for students to become more involved in classroom community. . Let’s look at how California high school teacher, Larry Ferlazzo gives his students voice and choice. Like many of us, Larry’s classroom is a diverse one with some students from El Salvador. Larry found a first-person account about gang violence in El Salvador and he told his students about the article and asked them if they would like to read it in class or if it would hit too close to home. Students decided they wanted to read it and Larry then gave them a choice as to where in the classroom they wanted to read and whether they wished to read alone or in small groups. One student, Alfredo, chose to read alone with his chair facing a corner of the room. Larry could tell from his body language that Alfredo was upset, so he went over to him and quietly spoke to him. Larry thus became a partner in Alfredo’s learning and provided active support. Alfredo ended up telling Larry about his experiences and showed him pictures on his phone of friends that had been killed by gangs. Larry gave his class a voice in the curriculum of the classroom. He gave them a choice of whether they wanted to read it or not. He also let them choose how & where they wanted to read it. His relationship with his students ended up with Alfredo making an important connection with him. In fact Alfredos’ interest in his schoolwork increased after this connection. Larry believes that we, as teachers, need to lead with our ears instead of our mouths.
- Linking literary characters and literature to students’ lives is another teaching practice that validates their strengths. We should not underestimate the power of characters in literature as a means of addressing and diminishing traumatic experiences and restoring strengths. At the elementary, middle and high school levels literary characters can be discussed in great length thereby helping students living with TVCS overcome challenges,
- In one classroom, we see a MA teacher, Kathy Lobo, link her curriculum to students’ lives. Kathy chose to read the book Tornado by author Betsy Byars. with her class. At the start of the book, there is a tornado coming and a mother, her two sons, and a hired farmhand named Pete hide in a shelter. While the tornado rages outside, Pete tells the boys a story from his youth about a similar storm. The story helps pass the time and also distracts the boys from worrying about the father who is outside in the tornado. Kathy found that this story was engaging for students and could be a great starting point for teaching and building from their background experiences, including the notion of hiding and being safe from weather events and natural disasters or coping with fear and worry. This story would be very relatable for students who have recently lived through the hurricanes that have devastated Puerto Rico, Houston and Florida.
- Establishing predictable routines is especially important for ELLs who have experienced trauma. According to Margaret laustein, it it critical to help students reclaim normalcy and regain control. We want students to downshift from a from a fearful state where unpredictaibility takes control to a calmer more positive state. When ELLs enroll in our schools we want them to know the routines of our school community. What time does school actually start? Where should students go if there is a delayed opening or school closing. What if they arrive late at school. What should they do? We need to have newcomers to our school understand the routines & practices that are part of our community Story of Mei
- When way for teachers to establish Predictable Routines is to have them hold morning meetings at all grade levels. During this meeting students should learn about the days’ schedule: Does the class have a special area instruction such as music or art today? What time is small group instruction outside of the classroom? It’s also time for a few students to share special news and for the teacher to teach a mini-lesson that relates to the day’s instruction Welcome students using asset-based language that lets them know they’re welcomed and valuable members of the classroom community. 2. Engage students in a sharing activity about special news, such as the arrival of a new sibling, an occasion such as a birthday, or a school event or sports, performance, or curricular activity. Create routines for this sharing activity to help it be a predictable social activity. 3. Provide information about the day or class schedule so that students know what to expect during the school day or class period. 4. Conduct a short academic or social learning experience. For example, during one meeting, a teacher asked for a student volunteer to share with the class the process that students should follow when leaving from and returning to the classroom for small-group instruction. His teaching goal was to support his students in making transitions and empower students in making good choices. 5. Support students to transition from the opening meeting to the next classroom activity by noticing and acknowledging those who show any sign of readiness. Page 69 FIRST PARAGRAPH QUOTE FROM BLAUSTIEN AND KILMER, GIL-RIVAS AND HARDY
- Let’s look at the practices of teacher Jennifer Leigh. In her focus lesson she shares She tells students that they will be bringing in and sharing a family treasure, sharing an interview they had with a family member, drawing a picture of a treasure that they had to leave behind, or telling a family story. She explains that the treasure can be an artifact, photographs, drawings, or other mementos or recollections from their ancestors or others that their family values. Jennifer then conducts a mini-lesson in which she shares a family treasure that she possesses, an engraved locket that her great-grandmother brought with her to the United States from France in 1939 at the beginning of World War II. She explains why the locket is important to her family and what it means to her.
- Mrs. Leigh then engages students to brainstorm the types of questions they might ask about her family treasure. She facilitates learning by writing down their ideas on a chart and goes through the responses asking questions to elicit more information. She then meets with small groups of students, and supports, encourages,and addresses needs of individual students in using different skills, strategies, and procedures independently. In the case of their treasure lesson, Ms. Leigh goes from on group of students to another to support their writing of questions they may want to ask her about her great- grandmother’s locket When needed, students have a list of sentence stems that can help them formulate their questions.
- Collaborative learning allows students to process and discuss information with peers while their teacher clarifies, supports, and moves among groups.Jennifer’s students show their artifact, photo, drawing of the artifact, or memento and share their treasure with a small group. Peers ask questions about each other’s treasures using the skills and strategies that they were taught. This is an opportunity for students to acknowledge positive values and qualities in each other with proper modeling from the teache.r.
- After this I will turn this over to Debbie
- Independent Work Allows students to synthesize what they have learned and solidify understanding. Students work by themselves and are in control of outcomes. Independent Work. Students work independently in class to prepare their oral presentations. There are assigned spaces in the classroom suitable for independent work for those students who preferto work in a space free of distraction. Jennifer suggests that they also practice their presentation with a family member or friend. They practice by independently using the sentence frames that they co-developed during Step 3.
- Mark Zimmerman is a great teacher who supports students to learn together and work together. These efforts are about strengthening Ss academic development and their positive interactions with each other. Here is an example of how he does this. Mark observed that recess was a problem for his second graders, many of whom were living with adverse childhood experiences. IN the first step, He reviews the math unit objective and what they will do during the lesson. 2nd He asks for a volunteer to help him demonstrate how he wants them to work first in pairs and then in small groups to create math problems that will result in an even or odd number. When a student volunteers, he begins by commenting how brave she is to be a demonstrator with him. Then, with that student, he models what he wants each pair to do. During the 3rd and 4th steps, when students work together in pairs and then in small groups, he watches and listens carefully for their mathematical dialogue and the type of interactions that they use. For example, when he saw a student giving a high five to a shy classmate, he says, “I really like how you are showing respect to your partner by listening carefully to what he is saying and acknowledging what he’s contributing.” He also comments on the math content. For example when a group volunteers a solution for making even teams with the sticks, he comments, “you are all working really hard to solve our recess problem of odd and even numbers and he watches for positive interactions among his students.” As a final step, He brings the class together to discuss the mathematical concepts that they have been exploring and the poster project they are crating. He shares the positives about what he has observed. Each of these steps reflects his efforts to support his students in developing the academic and social emotional language that is needed to feel safe a sense of belonging valued and competent. As an aside, at recess, he observed that they took these concepts to heart on the playground and in his classroom. In other words, they demonstrated in words and deeds their interest in working together. Judie is going to share with us some example of this type of positive asset based language
- Thank you!