What's going on for my learners in my classroom?
About 70% of my learners are ready and eager to learn, however, the other 30% is disengaged, and have mayor behaviour issues. Leaving the class as soon as they are not interested in what we are doing in the class or as soon as I challenge them academically. This group of children struggle even to keep quiet while I am teaching, they don't want to join in class discussions, they won't work unless I or Peter sit with them individually. The only time I manage to keep them in the class, is when they can do what they want to do, which is either drawing, or playing games on the ipad.
The 70% of children that is probably ready to learn, gets tired of waiting for the children that is playing up, and then they start to talk, or play and then the effort to get the class settled starts all over.
I feel frustrated, tired and on the edge of giving up at the end of each day. I am not enjoying the power struggles, the emotional blow outs, kids hurting each other and tantrums. I don't enjoy it when children refuse to cooperate and jump on my couches after being asked to show Aroha by not doing so.
I am not using my PB4L system as well as I did last year, because I feel rushed to get a lot of work done. Although I am giving verbal positives, I am not using the school wide reward system.
I need to take a few steps back and look objectively at my students. Why is this behaviour happening? How can I change it?
Focussing:
What's going to give me the biggest impact? How am I going to shift my students from behaviour problems to enthusiastic leaners?
What popped out for me during the scanning process is that I should give my children a choice, get them engaged on topics that interest them. I should spend some time introducing expectations for a learning culture, I tend to rush and just jump into learning, even though I see them for the first time after morning tea. I don't spend time with them talking about what is going to happen for the rest of the day, or talking about what the expectations are. I should give my students choice. Choice of materials and topics. Find out what my children's strengths are, how can I use that to build a class culture of learning and kindness. I should use the school wide PB4L system consistently.
What can I do? What is going to make the biggest difference?
* Use students voice to find topics of interest.
* Spend time working on PB4L, on all three our values. Explaining the why!
* Meet with co-teacher, and decide on how we can consistently use the school wide reward system.
* Research on why children are defiant.
* Set up a classroom site, in order for children to work at their own speed. (giving them some choice).
Developing a hunch:
What's leading to this situation?
My hunch is that I don't have a good relationship with all of my students. I don't have proper learning conversations with them.
I am not using PB4L as effectively as I did last year.
My students are not motivated to learn, and is not willing to try something if there is a chance of not getting it right. Fear of failure.
Learning:
What do I need to learn? How will I design new learning?
* How can I build positive relationships with my learners?
* How can I promote a growth mindset in my students? TKI Online
* How can I implement challenges yet interesting activities?
Taking action:
What will I do differently?
First I will have to read up on growth mindset, find strategies that I can implement in order to build positive relationships with my students.
Second, understand how I can influence the way my students feel about challenging work. Design lessons that will develop my students growth mindset. Make time on my timetable for these lessons. Make time for PB4L lessons in the time that I am with the class. Set classroom goals.
Create a journal where students can voice their ideas and thoughts. (This can be done on Seesaw)
Create a caring classroom culture.
Have I made enough of a difference? What's going on for my learners? How do I know?
What evidence will I be seeking to know I made a difference?
Students will calm down, not running away, talking over me, have a growth mindset. There will be a culture of learning and kindness. There will be an improvement in their assessments.
My target students for this will be Yoleena, Te Neha and Neo.
You have clearly put a lot of thought into this inquiry Alida. It's clear that you understand that you have the power to impact this. Perhaps it is worth spending time on doing a Functional Behavioural Assessment on your target students so we can investigate more thoroughly the "why" of their behaviour.
ReplyDelete