This past year was the most challenging year I've had in 20 years as far as management goes. Grade 1 and 2 students are always a bit wiggly and chatty - that is to be expected. However, even by Halloween I could barely get through a lesson without interruption (or some other drama taking place on the other side of the carpet that took students' focus away from the conversation). To make matters worse, while I normally have 2 or 3 students reading below grade level, this bunch included 14 students reading below grade level! I really felt pressure to get them focused enough to learn to read. I tried all of my usual management systems, incentives, consequences... but none of them seemed to be as effective as in the past. Finally I realized that this group of low readers didn't have a problem with their intelligence; they had a problem with self-regulation! How can you learn to read when you can't sit still or focus on a book for more than 3 seconds? Or when every interaction with peers is misinterpreted and filled with conflict? My support teacher informed me that 3/4th of them qualified under the descriptors for having ADHD. Oh dear....it was going to be a long year!
My approach was to try every behaviour management system I'd ever used, plus a few new ones I found this year, layering one of top of another. First, I used an online program called Class Dojo for immediate rewards. The basic idea is that each student is given a cartoon character that collects (or loses) points. It's a very engaging program, especially when projected on the board during quiet work times. I could even add points for on-task students from my phone as I walked around the room!
I also used the Mind Up program, which is based in neuroscience and that teaches mindfulness awareness skills. Our school staff was trained with this program, and it's very useful for teaching self-regulation, optimism, empathy and self-awareness. Interestingly, it was founded by the actress Goldie Hawn. It's truly a wonderful program, although not enough on it's own for me this year.
I also used "How Does Your Engine Run", which helps students become more aware of their own state by drawing attention to how their body was feeling. For example, when they are excited, their engine is running too high for the situation. It also uses common language, so you can discuss "turning their engines down" by taking some deep breaths and playing soft music before a lesson. This really works! Again - a great program, but not enough on it's own for this bunch!
Noticeable improvement came when I started implementing the Second Step program in conjunction with the other programs. This program contains large picture cards depicting situations that occur often at school. On the back of each card is a teacher's script, guiding students through a discussion about what's going on and how they can relate.
The topics were just what I needed: impulse control, conflict resolution, anger management, assertiveness, self-talk. Topics of discussion were, for example, how to react appropriately to typical conflicts that arise with peers, how to handle waiting for your turn, and how to count down from five when you are angry. All of these scenarios are role played by student volunteers, and those lessons really transferred when they played later.
The program also explores important concepts such as respect; what does respect mean, and how do we show respect to others in the class? We did several art and literacy projects to go along with these concepts, and posted them for a constant reminder (as shown below).
To further promote kindness and empathy, I collected many different books that explored these same themes, such as Ordinary Mary's Extraordinary Deed and Have You Filled A Bucket Today? Spending time with these books each day reinforced the importance of these topics, as did the extension projects and class discussions. For example, we set up a daily routine where students write a "Happy Note" for the helper of the day, dropping them all into a paper "Happy Bucket". We read them together and then the helper gets to keep them. It's an easy way to reinforce kindness as the culture of our classroom.
In addition to these programs, I started creating work times during which all students were required to sit quietly, focus and not get up for a few minutes. I know this seems like a normal thing to do in class, but it was a massive challenge for this bunch. I had a silent visual timer on the wall (a red section slowly shrinks as time runs down), and just for two minutes they had to focus on their work without distraction. They'd use self-talk to stay focused, and we created personal offices to help prevent distraction.
If they were successful in focusing attention for that few minutes, they were allowed to go outside for 10 minutes to play. (My class borders the playground and forest, so it's easy for me to send them out.) I realized how much benefit there was to taking those small "brain breaks" with fresh air and movement.
Going outside for short periods was a meaningful incentive for them, and as they all became successful, I gradually lengthened the quiet work time. It's true that some of the squirmy ones were simply so bored sitting there that they just started reading their book because there was no other option! Still, after much practice and praise for "being good concentrators" and how great it was "that their brains were growing every time they read their whole book"...soon every one of them could sit through a twenty-minute seated activity and get it done.
If they were successful in focusing attention for that few minutes, they were allowed to go outside for 10 minutes to play. (My class borders the playground and forest, so it's easy for me to send them out.) I realized how much benefit there was to taking those small "brain breaks" with fresh air and movement.
Going outside for short periods was a meaningful incentive for them, and as they all became successful, I gradually lengthened the quiet work time. It's true that some of the squirmy ones were simply so bored sitting there that they just started reading their book because there was no other option! Still, after much practice and praise for "being good concentrators" and how great it was "that their brains were growing every time they read their whole book"...soon every one of them could sit through a twenty-minute seated activity and get it done.
Another routine involved using ipods in class. Oh, how they love to play educational games on my six ipods! However, they had to read their levelled book with me first. Once again, a meaningful incentive kept their attention focused; you've never seen students working so hard to decode text! Here is a picture of them finishing their books before playing.
Another detail that I found increased students' attention this year was bringing the written text down to their level so that they could touch it or manipulate it. Along with many different tactile sight words centers each day, I made a set of sight words that hung down right in front of them as they sat at the carpet together, below the white board. This set has words with raised surfaces (I traced each word with thick white glue, so when it dried, the letters were bumpy). Students loved to trace their fingers over the letters as they practiced their words.
I'm happy to say that 12 out of the 14 are now reading at grade level because they learned, bit by bit, how to focus. After a while it became a habit for them, and as long as they had some sort of release at the end, such as free play or even running around the field, they could "hold it together" for the short amount of time required. It took a long time and a lot of patience, but we got there.
I'm happy to say that 12 out of the 14 are now reading at grade level because they learned, bit by bit, how to focus. After a while it became a habit for them, and as long as they had some sort of release at the end, such as free play or even running around the field, they could "hold it together" for the short amount of time required. It took a long time and a lot of patience, but we got there.
As far as group lessons sitting together at the carpet, they're much better, but still quite chatty. I'm still searching for the solution to that one!
Most of all this year I've learned that there will be new challenges even after 20 years of teaching, and that as teachers we have to continuously adapt to new situations, constantly search for new resources, and most of all share our discoveries! So that's what I'm doing here today. :-)
Do you use any of the programs I've mentioned, or do you have others that have worked well in your class? I'd love to hear about them.
I can be reached over at Whimsy Workshop, and also through my Facebook page and my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
I even have a freebie for you over at my TPT Store for Random Acts of Kindness. Feel free to go grab it.
I even have a freebie for you over at my TPT Store for Random Acts of Kindness. Feel free to go grab it.
I look forward to hearing from you!
