strategies for winning over the impossible class

8/13/2019 Strategies for Winning Over the Impossible Class

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Strategies for Winning Over the Impossible Class

by Camille Clawson

All students can succeed if they feel respected and loved. This belief's validation came with anopportunity that challenged my thirty three years of teaching e!pertise. Through schedulinglogistics I was given the "impossible class" #eighth grade$ twenty nine diverse students with asingle common denominator of continuing non success at school. Assessment of the class ma%eup revealed & ( boys$ ma)ority special education$ learning disabilities$ deficient social andcommunication s%ills$ anger management participants$ behavior disrupters$ bi polar disorder$cultural barriers and issues$ A**+A*,*$ abusive families$ poverty$ continued failure at schooland low self esteem. -o help was available. The assignment appeared overwhelming until Ireali ed that what all of these students needed was what I was trained to give/understanding$respect and love.

All strategies are an accumulation from personal teaching e!perience. While these strategies wor% effectively on any student$ they are particularly effective with the high ris%. All strategies aredesigned to fulfill one or more of the four basic human needs0 fun$ freedom$ power and belonging.Studies show that at any age a person must feel that each need is being satisfied in his life tosome degree. If a basic need is deficient$ the subconscious will find a way to see% it out.

Although the strategies are listed in random order$ essential elements are evident. The singlegreatest influence is the genuine concern and care of the teacher. 1ersonal contact with students$positive community building and support within the classroom$ use of "As Is" theory and smiling were also %ey in conveying this care. The teacher sets the tone and atmosphere in the classroomon the first day and every day.

55+ Strategies

2. The greatest influence is the teacher's genuine concern and care.

3. The teacher set the tone and atmosphere on the first day of class. It is the first impression.

4. 5se the "As Is" theory. Treat students the way you want them to be and that they will become/a self fulfilling prophecy.

6. 5se information from others and transcripts only as awareness tools. This information is only what a student has done$ not who he is.

7. 8emember that each child was born a beautiful human being. 9nvironmental factors havecontributed to who he is now.

:. Allow time and compassion in restructuring the students. -O one can become an instant angel$nor can anyone be an angel all the time.

&. Community building and support within the classroom is essential. The time spent on "getting

ac;uainted" activities pays huge dividends.

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37. 5se a pleasant$ respectful tone of voice.

3:. 5se a softer$ ;uieter$ calming voice when spea%ing Dinside voiceE. The students will do thesame.

3&. ?odel behaviors e!pected of the students. or e!ample$ be on time to class and seated at thedes% when the bell rings.

3. ?a%ing positive phone calls home has a powerful effect on students$ parents and teachers.9!plain positive phone calls to the class. As% students permission to call home and e!plain thereason. Try to ma%e one or two calls daily. Short$ five minutes calls are effective.

4 . e alert and sensitive to students having bad days. e compassionate.

42. Avoid confrontation and conflict. It's a lose+lose situation.

43. Ad)ust curriculum to be appropriate and meaningful. rainstorm what's in it for them.

44. Couple e!trinsic rewards Dcandy or gumE with intrinsic rewards.

46. To promote a desired behavior$ reward a modeling student in front of the class.

47. Allow students to %now the teacher is human and ma%es mista%es occasionally. The teacherhas the same human emotions as the students. Correction of others' mista%es needs to berespectful.

4:. 9nlist students' friends in the class to support and encourage them.

4&. Create pride$ for e!ample$ " e proud. 1ut your name on the paper." "I'm going to give you achance to be proud. ,ow many people brought suppliesG"

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67. Teach every lesson so that students use more than one sense in learning. Include oral$ written and visual directions.

6:. 5se visual e!amples and samples.

6&. 5se humor$ humor$ humor. A sense of humor helps or lightens most situations.

6. Allow for creativity and individuality in student pro)ects.

7 . Bive students choices whenever possible. Open ended choices may overwhelm. Choosingbetween several options is more desirable.

72. When a student is overwhelmed$ the teacher or another student can wor% with him until thetas% feels more manageable.

73. It empowers a student when the teacher as%s for help from him.

74. 9mpower students to be teachers to others. "Hou were so good at that. Could you help meout and show *ere%G"

76. 9stablish clear$ simple$ and only a few guidelines for behavior and e!plain why they areimportant. Students need and want limits.

77. 9stablish routines so students %now what to do and have predictability.

7:. e consistent.

7&. ?aintain safety standards. 9very student is so important that no one should get hurt.

7. Always encourage students to be the best they can be.

Consistent and routine use of these strategies brought immediate and dramatic results for both

students and teacher. Students earning a passing grade for the first time were a measure ofsuccess. ,owever$ more importantly$ was the improvement in student self esteem$ social s%ills$and appropriate school behavior and study s%ills. It was noted that improvement was transferredto other classes and situations. Once a student e!periences a small success$ a ripple effectgenerally occurs. Changed behaviors were further enhanced as positive phone calls were madeto parents who longed to hear a teacher finally declare the virtues of their child.

Although challenging$ this "impossible class" became the most rewarding of my teaching career.9ach student became no longer a statistic$ but a human being doing the best he could with astory to tell and gifts to give. 9very student is worthwhile.

=isten to the students. They have so much to give and so much to teach.

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About the author

Camille Clawson earned her degree in teaching from the 5niversity of Washington. In 2>>3 shecompleted her ?asters program in education from City 5niversity. or 44 years she has been anadvocate for middle school students$ teaching amily and Consumer Science and S%ills for the

Adolescent to &th and

strategies for winning over the impossible class

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