Around this time of year, the principal sends out her second e-mail. The first one was sent out in mid-December/early January. Said e-mails ask a simple question: who will be retained for the upcoming school year. Ah, yes, retention. The word that makes the kids buckle down in the last quarter. The word that makes parents query what more can be done. The word that makes teachers question their instructional practices. Retention.
By January, my retention seemed a little long. I had listed too many students as possible candidates for failure. Luckily, many students got on track for the third nine weeks and improved their chances. Even now in April, I fear it—the List—is too long. True, no teacher wants to see any student held back. But then, I counter what of my students made a goal this year to play in class, to never do any homework, to never complete any project, to never pass any test, etc. The realism walks in. The punishment for doing nothing is harsh but fair. The list starts to make sense.
While realism has its place, to be sure, common sense and practicality speak, as well. I know the research suggest nothing positive comes out of holding back a student. Further, it actually serves as encouragement to drop out in the later years. And our administrators strongly urge us to work with all students in danger of failing the grade. We meet with parents, set up tutoring, give more practice and remediation, and suggest the possibility of the child and the parent working together at home to better improve the child’s chances at promotion to a higher grade. I know that should one of my students be held back, I want it known I documented every attempt to save said student from drowning. Still, it will hurt. Then, I think back on what the research says of social promotion.
In short, retention is the short phrase that sends students and parents reeling. Everybody grows well-nigh apoplectic at thought of a student being held back. A string piece combining the main title themes from Sophie’s Choice and Schindler’s List plays hourly on the school’s PA system. At the heart of the matter really is that no one wants any child to fail. Do all you can really means do not let it happen. Work feverishly if possible so that it doesn’t happen. Long regarded as the dirtiest word in the schoolhouse, retention comes in at the last minute of every school year to whisk some child—somebody’s child—into its ever-capacious arms. I simply hope and pray it will not be (too m)any of mine.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Done Differently Next Year
I believe that for any school teacher, especially the novice ones, what to do differently in the next year is a grand thought. I know by midyear, I knew I wanted to better involve parents, change my handling of unruly students, and improve my communication with administrators. Hindsight, of course, allows me to revisit some rookie errors with a fresh pair of eyes and easily identify what wrong and what better to do next time.
I have indeed been lucky enough to have some truly great and supportive parents, many of whom showed genuine interest in the student, the classroom, and the curriculum. Those parents were always available to help out or could easily be reached for a conference. On the other hand, as much as I appreciated the parents who made sure to be visible, I was and am still bothered by those who ignored parent conference requests. Being sent notes that read “I work days” came across as a double-edged sword. Yes, here is a parent who is employed, wanting to take care of his/her family’s financial well-being. But I also figured said parent could not take off day during a ten-month school year to come and pick up a report card. There were, too, the parents with whom I have played phone tag all year long. Our only conversations being those where we leave ten-second messages back and forth. Next year, I hope to have every parent participate in at least part of the classroom setting.
Next comes the topic of the students who set to set out to break every rule, not do any assignments, talk incessantly, and swear up and down that the teacher is picking on them. I took an easy way this year. My disruptive players, as I called them, were removed from my class early on in the year. They were placed in the school’s alternative setting, away from activities and interactions with the other students. While this worked, I contend such moves robbed me of employing many of the strategies I had been taught during the summer training. Next year, I want to see if I can better assess what really goes on with the troublemakers.
Given many opportunities to ask questions and state challenges with administrators, I spent too much time saying all was well and the students, while challenging, were nothing that I couldn’t handle. I do not stray too far away from this, but I rather think I need more help in explaining many of the new objectives sixth graders needed to know. Further, there were occasions when I wanted to shout out loud that many of the policies suggested were foolhardy and best left for use in prisons and sanatoriums. In my endeavors next year, I will be calm and courteous, presenting challenges as minor roadblocks that need creative handling.
In sum, I have three things to focus on for next year. I want all my parents to be active and visible, letting me and the students know the parents are willing to participate. I want to improve relations with disruptive students, quickly preventing their rule breaking. Finally, I hope to work with administrators to iron out small problems before they grow larger and thus, more cumbersome.
I have indeed been lucky enough to have some truly great and supportive parents, many of whom showed genuine interest in the student, the classroom, and the curriculum. Those parents were always available to help out or could easily be reached for a conference. On the other hand, as much as I appreciated the parents who made sure to be visible, I was and am still bothered by those who ignored parent conference requests. Being sent notes that read “I work days” came across as a double-edged sword. Yes, here is a parent who is employed, wanting to take care of his/her family’s financial well-being. But I also figured said parent could not take off day during a ten-month school year to come and pick up a report card. There were, too, the parents with whom I have played phone tag all year long. Our only conversations being those where we leave ten-second messages back and forth. Next year, I hope to have every parent participate in at least part of the classroom setting.
Next comes the topic of the students who set to set out to break every rule, not do any assignments, talk incessantly, and swear up and down that the teacher is picking on them. I took an easy way this year. My disruptive players, as I called them, were removed from my class early on in the year. They were placed in the school’s alternative setting, away from activities and interactions with the other students. While this worked, I contend such moves robbed me of employing many of the strategies I had been taught during the summer training. Next year, I want to see if I can better assess what really goes on with the troublemakers.
Given many opportunities to ask questions and state challenges with administrators, I spent too much time saying all was well and the students, while challenging, were nothing that I couldn’t handle. I do not stray too far away from this, but I rather think I need more help in explaining many of the new objectives sixth graders needed to know. Further, there were occasions when I wanted to shout out loud that many of the policies suggested were foolhardy and best left for use in prisons and sanatoriums. In my endeavors next year, I will be calm and courteous, presenting challenges as minor roadblocks that need creative handling.
In sum, I have three things to focus on for next year. I want all my parents to be active and visible, letting me and the students know the parents are willing to participate. I want to improve relations with disruptive students, quickly preventing their rule breaking. Finally, I hope to work with administrators to iron out small problems before they grow larger and thus, more cumbersome.
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