May 1 and 2, is filled with love, charity, and hope. This is how I would describe a teacher and a principal. You must love being a teacher and a principal because if you did not love your job, you would be in another profession.
I used the word charity to describe a teacher and a principal because we are always giving to others out of our pockets and if you knew what we make you would know that our pockets are bare at times, but we still give to others. Hope is what both teachers and principals have and give to all those they minister to. Hope is what teachers feel. Principals hope that teachers feel good about what they do too, and principals hope that what they do will also have an impact on the students.
Time to celebrate School Principals’ and Teacher’s Day!!!! When we think of a principal the first thing that comes to mind is that terrorizing figure who administers suspensions, expulsions, and detentions, but that is not all they do.
They get to share their wonderful leadership skills with his/her teachers. National Principal’s Day is celebrated on May 1 annually. A teacher from Michigan with the help from her teacher organizations decided to dedicate a day to celebrate these special principals and to spread the awareness of their importance of their role in our schools.
So, this year we get to recognize the importance of principals, from elementary to high school, and all the work they do for the betterment of the school, even though we do get to honor their teachers too on May 2. May 2 is National Teacher’s Day. It is a day to honor the kind, hardworking, and patient individuals who create an everlasting impact on their student’s lives. Teachers facilitate learning, spread knowledge, and push their students to explore the possibilities that are beyond the walls of their classroom.
When we put teachers and principals together, we create success. One of the simplest and most effective ways to motivate teachers is with praise. This goes hand in hand when we praise our students. Words of encouragement is a contribution to students, teachers, and principals that is highly appreciated by all educators. Given how we entrust teachers with the care and future of the children, shouldn’t we praise them for all that they do? I think that we should make every day teachers’ and principal’s day. What do you think?
Rivette Pena
Designers:
Rivette Pena
Stephane Bowker
Contributing Photographers and Stock Libraries:
Adobe Stock
Unsplash
Andy Dominguez
Advertisements: Dr. Cathy Coker
Marketing: Alicia Grace
Thank you to Stephane Bowker at Working Dog Resources for providing tailored training for the layout of Teachers Making a Difference.
Some children say that reading is the hardest thing they must learn in school; therefore, we need to find ways to make learning to read easier for children. With vowel clustering, we use hands-on learning. Start with a positive, supportive group or class that creates an atmosphere of acceptance for every student. Then, add a simple craft project as a teaching tool. For example, a simple pop-up house can become a hands-on way of teaching decoding or encoding skills, spelling, comprehension, story writing, or practicing oral fluency when reading. Working together as a class on a hands-on project can also teach social group skills, a method for initiating positive interaction, polite participation in a group activity, the initiator for intrinsic motivation for reluctant children, and the means to provide step-by-step directions which helps to increase comprehension. Yes, a simple construction paper pop-up house can become a major teaching tool in the classroom.
At my Reading Orienteering Club after-school program, each workstation incorporates handson exploratory activities to strengthen the learning process. Hands-on teaching techniques encourage creativity, determination, persistence, commitment, and even control over actions and behavior. Research shows that children learn better through hands-on structured activities. Hands-on projects when used as teaching tools increase intrinsic motivation or the child’s desire to work on a difficult task. Research has proven that intrinsic (internal) motivation is better than prizes or awards. Working with others in a positive group-centered structure also helps to motivate struggling students. The key to success lies in how the hands-on project is used. Hands-on learning can become a key ingredient for student success in the classroom.
Students may make a fancy house and write a story about their house. Have students choose a color for their house. Then, write a story. “At the pink house, everyone….”
Students may also make a very simple house. Place their spelling words on the back of their house to help them practice. They can even make a book. Pop-up houses are easy to make. The student decides how simple or fancy the house should be.
A hands-on project may be simple or fancy, but it must connect with the lesson being taught.
For more on using this simple little house as a teaching tool and for the pattern, see my blog post from February 19, 2022: https://www. groupcentered.com/reading-blog/a-handson-project-helps-create-a-positive-learningenvironment-to-help-students-correct-learninglosses-part-5-of-a-series
If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact me at clantonharpine@hotmail.com
At my reading clinics, we never just stop and finish a craft project so that children may take their project home. Remember, the project is a teaching tool. If the craft project is not finished at the end of a session, the student’s name goes on the project and it goes on the “to be finished” table. Why? Because the hands-on craft project is teaching decoding, encoding, spelling, comprehension, or reading fluency. Because the hands-on craft project is teaching teamwork, completion skills, and self-efficacy (belief in one’s ability to finish a task). Hands-on crafts projects tied to the learning process create a standard for completing what you start. When the students return, they finish their project during free time, not just by finishing the craft project, but by returning to the teaching task and completing the decoding, encoding, spelling or comprehension task from the original workstation assignment.
As educators, building relationships early on is at the heart of what we do. However, not all students are easy to connect with. Have you ever found it difficult to connect with a student? Have you ever wanted to “throw in the towel” when times got rough?
While some educators work hard to cultivate positive relationships with their challenging students, some of these same students work just as hard, if not harder to build walls to avoid relationships with teachers. This resistance is difficult to endure day in and day out. Nonetheless, it is imperative that teachers remain diligent and not give up on their attempts to reach their troubled students.
Trying to build a relationship with a student that does not accept or reciprocate your efforts is frustrating and stressful. However, many students have various issues that lead them to believe that having a meaningful relationship with adults is something to be avoided. They may have experienced difficult relationships with adults in the past. They may have experienced disappointment, betrayal, abandonment, or even abuse by an adult in their lives that should have been someone they trusted. Their relationship avoidance results in a lack of positive adult role models in their lives which can lead to behavior patterns that only deepen their at-risk status. These types of students can be intimidating to work with, let alone build a relationship with.
This is because building positive relationships with students is crucial for their academic and socioemotional development. According to a study by Pekrun and Elliot (2017), positive teacherstudent relationships have a significant impact on students’ motivation and engagement in the classroom. Students who have a strong connection with their teachers are more likely to be involved in classroom activities, demonstrate better academic achievement, and exhibit positive attitudes towards school. Furthermore, positive teacherstudent relationships can have a long-lasting impact on students’ lives, fostering positive social and emotional development and improving mental health outcomes (Roorda et al., 2011). Therefore, it is essential for teachers to focus on building strong, positive relationships with their students.
Supporting students with trauma can be challenging, but it is vital for educators to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. According to a study by Felitti et al. (2019), traumatic experiences during childhood can have a significant impact on a student’s academic and socioemotional development. Trauma can result in feelings of fear, anxiety, and a lack of trust, making it difficult for students to engage in the learning process. Teachers can support students with trauma by providing a safe and predictable classroom environment, validating their feelings, and creating opportunities for them to build positive relationships with peers and adults (Graham et al., 2017). Additionally, it is crucial for educators to receive professional development on trauma-informed practices to effectively support students who have experienced trauma. By taking these steps, teachers can create a supportive environment where students feel safe, valued, and engaged in the learning process.
When examining the causes for unruly student behavior that hinders academic success, several factors deserve scrutiny. A majority of the research on school discipline suggests that poverty, lack of social skills, lack of parental involvement, disintegration of family structure, television and media, and students’ home environments contribute to disruptive behavior (Atkins et al., 2002; Bear, 1998; Skiba & Peterson, 2003). These are powerful—and sometimes impossible—factors for educators to overcome.
Because these factors are beyond educators’ control, it is easy to point to them whenever disruption festers in classroom settings and when a negative school climate persists after failed attempts to repair it. I have been guilty of this myself. When I was a dean of students working in a Chicago suburban high school, I took it personally when students misbehaved or when the negative school climate didn’t improve. I viewed my successes and failures on the job as reflections of who I was as a person. On days when student behavior was good in the building and there were no fights, I felt proud. On days when I had to process numerous discipline referrals for disrespect and insubordination or constantly break up fights, I carried a negative attitude around with me. Unfortunately, for quite some time, I had far more bad days than good.
In the first chapter of my book, Building Bridges: Engaging Students Through the Power of Relationships, I describe how to adopt a relationship-building mindset. Educators that have a relationship-building mindset make a commitment to persevere, be relentless in showing their students that they care about them, and go above and beyond to build trusting relationships with them. The greater the number of teachers committing to this style of growthfostering education, the greater are students’ chances for success.
To be more effective at helping students at risk behave appropriately, I wanted to learn the best methods for doing so and become skilled in their use. As part of earning my doctorate in educational leadership, I studied research, conducted a study of my own, and wrote a dissertation on the most effective methods to use with students at risk to decrease behavior referrals. My experience and educational research has revealed that the most effective methods involve authoritative counseling and building relationships with students (Baker, Grant, & Morlock, 2008; Wang & Maureen, 2013).
While the teachers I’ve worked with don’t universally agree that this is the case, ample research and numerous publications indicate that building relationships with challenging students is key to improving behavior and promoting academic success (Boynton & Boynton, 2005;
Juvonen, 2006; Rimm-Kaufman & Sandilos, 2018). Building relationships with students increases engagement, motivation, test scores, and grade point averages while decreasing absenteeism, dropout rates, and discipline issues (Brown, 2010; Martin & Dowson, 2009; Roorda, Koomen, Split, & Oort, 2011).
During my workshop “Building Trusting Relationships With At-Risk Students,” attendees share how they struggle to build relationships with some of their more challenging students, sometimes falling into the trap of indifference. They describe the backgrounds of the students and some of their behaviors. They talk about different incidents that have occurred and how their irritation levels rise. They share stories of enduring disrespect, insubordination, and contempt and how they are cussed at, ignored, and even threatened.
work with this population of students as well. Studies show that teacher-student relationships affect students’ academic achievement, social and emotional development, behavior, and feelings of belonging, as well as classroom management and school climate, just to name a few outcomes (Cataldi & KewallRamani, 2009; Gallagher, 2013).
Educators and teachers are some of the most resilient people you’ll meet, possessing qualities of strength and determination. Does this describe you? Know this: even when the task is difficult— perhaps especially when the task is difficult— the potential for amazing outcomes is worth it. Maintain optimism and frame the challenge as an opportunity for life-changing success. No matter how adamantly these students attempt to push teachers away, they will so greatly appreciate knowing that their teachers care for them that they may develop an unwavering loyalty in return.
To get to this place, the teacher has to have not only the will but also a relationship-building mindset that will prevent him or her from throwing in the towel when times get rough. We as educators have to know that we do have the ability to connect with and role-model for our students. When we have the right mindset and refuse to give up, then we do not look at other alternatives or accept any other options; we keep trying until we are successful. This is the same mindset people adopt when they set a goal that they truly want to accomplish.
Some state that they do not receive any help from their students’ parents and lament the many factors giving rise to poor behavior and low academic performance. At times, some even state they lack interest in building relationships with some of their students. Many teachers tell me that they feel themselves going into survival mode within the first quarter of the school year, followed by a period of self-reflection to decide whether they want to continue to teach.
I tell them, “I’ve been there and done that! Now let’s do something about it.”
My passion for working with students of trauma prompted me to support other educators who
We do not always know the right answers, but we have to persevere. Just as students in the classroom need to work to learn new concepts and master new skills, educators must work to understand students and figure out how to support and connect with them. We may not know what difficulty a particular student has, or what happened to the student, but we know that we have the power to make a difference. The reward is greater than the challenge. Realizing the goal means feeling that tremendous sense of accomplishment while enhancing students’ lives. Our lives and the students’ lives will mutually benefit as we forge and develop relationships that are worth every ounce of work that goes into them.
To develop a relationship-building mindset, think about how your relationships with your students can be enhanced. Picture the ones who are at risk academically or display challenging behaviors and have avoided your previous attempts to establish a trusting relationship with them. Imagine how their achievement or behavior would improve if you had a connection with them. Now set a goal of establishing a relationship with these students, allowing reasonable time for this to be accomplished.
As you set this goal for yourself, reflect on a time in your life when you set a goal that would take a considerable amount of time and effort to accomplish. Think about how determined you were to achieve this goal and the sense of accomplishment you felt when it was met. Recall some of the challenges or roadblocks that you had to overcome in order to meet your goal. Think about the strength, mental fortitude, or resources you enlisted to overcome these obstacles. Remember the time it took, and remember how you got through it by anticipating both the reward of finishing what you started and the ways in which your life would be enhanced as a result.
Now picture the students you have difficulty with, and use this same mindset of determination to forge positive and trusting relationships with them. Parallel the goal of establishing a relationship with them to the goal you have already brought to fruition through your hard work and willpower. Tell yourself that since you were capable of investing the necessary amount of time, energy, physical effort, and mental effort into that goal, you are also capable of investing what is necessary to build a positive and trusting relationship with your students who may be at risk. This is how you develop a RELENTLESS relationship-building mindset.
Because this is not easy, remember the resources and supports that were available to you when you were going through the process of accomplishing your previous goal. Think of any resources or supports that are available as you face challenges building relationships with challenging students. As you set out to do this, you may also draw
motivation from the feelings of elation that you experienced when you met your previous goal. Envision the mutual benefits as the reward of building those relationships, and use that anticipation of the end result to keep working, despite the difficulty or challenges that will arise. Do not allow yourself to give up! Be relentless in Building Bridges with your students!
- Dr. Don Parker
Research shows that discipline problems are prevalent in public schools and continue to be one of the greatest challenges in education. In Building Bridges, author Don Parker shows educators how to address this issue head-on. He shares an array of evidence-based strategies to build teacherstudent relationships and create a welcoming learning environment that fosters student engagement, motivation, and achievement.
Support students at risk by creating a positive school culture and building trust:
Consider the student behaviors, characteristics, and experiences that are typically barriers to success in school.
Learn how and why punitive punishments and zerotolerance policies have failed to curb poor behavior in schools or provide adequate interventions for struggling students.
Understand the importance of teacher-student relationships in teaching students at risk and the ways in which trust and positive relationships improve student behavior.
Develop your ability to build positive teacherstudent relationships through educational techniques, classroom management strategies, and teaching methods.
Study the research that supports the many academic and social benefits of positive teacherstudent relationships when teaching students at risk.
Examine the ways in which school culture and climate affect the behavior of students and classroom engagement.
Dr. Parker is a former principal and served at Posen School in Posen, IL where he improved the school climate, staff collaboration, parent engagement, and student achievement. Before that he was the principal of Lincoln Avenue School, a K-8 school in Dolton, IL, where he improved the culture, implemented a resilience program, managed the implementation of restorative justice, and increased attendance and student achievement.
Dr. Parker has been an educator since 1997 with a background as a teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal of Student Life, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, and Assistant Principal for Activities and Athletics.
His teaching experiences include working in innercity Chicago Public Schools. Dr. Parker was also an Adjunct Professor and instructed graduate courses to students seeking their master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at National-Louis University in Bolingbrook, Illinois. His diverse background in education has provided him with the knowledge of how to best apply evidencebased methods and student interventions to improve student behavior and increase student achievement.
belonging.
Dr. Parker’s specialty is supporting school leaders and teachers to build trusting relationships with students. He provides strategies to improve culture and climate to enhance the education experience for staff and students. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Parker has held the roles of...
Dr. Parker has a strong belief in creating a school climate in which the entire staff strives for excellence to meet the academic and social emotional needs of each student. He has presented throughout the United States at distinguished educational conferences including ASCD, Every Student Succeeds Act Conference, the National Principals Conference, Illinois Principals Conference, Oklahoma Secondary and Elementary Conference, the Raising Student Achievement Conference, and the Innovative Schools Summit Conference just to name a few.
Dr. Parker holds a Doctorate in Education and his Superintendent License.
His PD is offered nationally through keynotes, workshops and corporate retreats. He is also the author of,
• Teacher | Dean of Students
• Asst. Principal of Student Life
• Asst. Principal of C & I
• Asst. Principal of Activities & Athletics
• School Principal
Building Bridges: Engaging Students Through the Power of Relationships.
Dr. Parker is the author of the book Building Bridges: Engaging Students Through the Power of Relationships and Be the Driving Force: Leading Your School on the Road to Equity. He is a keynote speaker and expert workshop facilitator and delivers professional development on the topics of “Building Trusting Relationships with
Challenging Students”, “Building Resilience in Students”, “Culturally Responsive Schools”, “Taking Students from Trauma to Triumph: Supporting ACE Students”, and “Burning Up Instead of Burning Out! Teacher Mental Health Awareness” and “Culture Strong: Strengthening School Culture”
Dr. Parker received a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Health from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Governors State University, a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University in Chicago, IL., and his Illinois Superintendent Certification from St. Francis University in Joliet, IL.
Dr. Parker resides in Chicago with his wife and two daughters, the younger of which has autism. He and his family regularly promote autism awareness and support the autism community.
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., & Nordenberg, D. (2019). Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 56(6), 774–786. doi: 10.1016/j. amepre.2019.01.001
Approach. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 493–529. doi: 10.3102/0034654311421793
/58hMwC4TioS3cyOi5AnZqz?si=6840fb1f4513442a )
It is our hope that our podcast will bring forth information and ideas that will help to “heal” education in the United States, and elevate educators in our culture. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow! Together, we can do better!
Graham, F., Phelps, R., Maddalena, V., & Fitzpatrick, M. (2017). Supporting Students Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Guide for School Leaders. National Association of State Boards of Education.
adrianamenchaca exprealt y com
Pekrun, R., & Elliot, A. J. (2017). Theories of Academic Emotions. Handbook of Competence and Motivation, 361–383. doi: 10.1016/ bs.hrm.2017.06.002
adrianamenchaca.sat xrealtor@gmail .com
adrianamenchaca sat xrealtor
adrianamenchaca sat xrealtor
Roorda, D. L., Koomen, H. M. Y., Spilt, J. L., & Oort, F. J. (2011). The Influence of Affective Teacher–Student Relationships on Students’ School Engagement and Achievement: A Meta-Analytic
in/adrianamenchaca-sat xrealtor
$adrianascraft yproj
Dr. Parker’s specialty is supporting school leaders and teachers to build trusting relationships with students. He provides strategies to improve culture and climate to enhance the education experience for staff and students.
With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Parker has held the roles of...
• Teacher | Dean of Students
• Asst. Principal of Student Life
• Asst. Principal of C & I
• Asst. Principal of Activities & Athletics
• School Principal
Dr. Parker holds a Doctorate Degree in Education and his Superintendent License. His PD is offered nationally through keynotes, workshops and corporate retreats. He is also the author of, Building Bridges: Engaging Students Through the Power of Relationships.
• Effective strategies to diffuse challenging students’ misbehavior through relationships.
• Foster a relationship building mindset.
• Recognize risk factors.
• Employ protective factors for A.C.E. students.
• Teach students to demonstrate resiliency after making poor choices or unintended mistakes.
• Provides educators with tools to check biases.
• Advance culturally responsive teaching skills.
• Enhance physical, mental and emotional health.
• Recognize signs of burnout and secondary trauma.
• Proactively manage anxiety and stress.
Dr. Parker presents on many different topics in a variety of areas. We never have a problem filling his sessions, as his outstanding reputation precedes him. The evaluations for his sessions are always excellent.
- Dr. Vanessa Kinder Executive
Director
South Cook ISC Chicago Heights, IL
Dr. Parker's workshop is one of the best that I've ever been to. He gave us practical strategies that for sure will help us build relationships with our students.
Darryl Powell Principal Pulaski Heights Middle School Little Rock, Arkansas
by Richard Lasley
am a retired educator of 32 years, of which the past 20 years were spent as a HS administrator. I started a journal on Day 1 of this past school year as a means of ‘therapy’ to help me process the conditions we were working through.
It wasn’t until my closest education confidants encouraged me to publish my work that I contacted a publisher. I now have two books published, Humanity in Peril - Current Conditions in Education Through the Eyes of a HS Principal and Glimmer of Hope - Book 2, that chronicle this past school year from beginning to end. In Book 2, I offer solutions to ‘fix’ the issues that are most troublesome for education today...
My sole purpose for publishing the books is to bring AWARENESS to the conditions that exist in education, with hope that readers will agree that support for education and a CHANGE is very much needed by the hands of our elected officials.
This book was published as an afterthought but is based on a compilation of journal entries of a veteran high school principal working through the Coronavirus Pandemic... I made the decision while venting to my wife that this would be my last year in education (making a total of 32 years). I also decided that I would write this journal and make entries as often as I felt the need to reflect on experiences that unfolded for that day, or, just VENT... So, the journal took a life of its own and soon became more than just ‘therapy’ to get me through the year. After trends became apparent regarding student behavior and ‘rock star’ teachers feeling more overwhelmed than I had ever witnessed, it seemed that this journal may actually have a higher purpose than to simply provide me therapy. After tragic events had taken place at Apollo HS, after continued concerns with student absenteeism and the trouble we were having with our youngest students engaging in learning, I reached out to some of my most trusted educator confidants for advice and I sent them the 1st quarter journal entries to read.
This book was published based on a journal written by high school principal Rick Lasley during his final year of a 32-year tenure in public education. Glimmer of Hope (Book 2), chronicles the spring semester 2022 journal entries and follows Humanity in Peril (Book 1, published May 2022), which is based on the fall semester 2021 journal. Education is in dire straits while teachers are working through the pandemic with student apathy at an all-time high, student misbehavior on the rise, concerns with mental health/ emotional well-being reaching unprecedented manifestation, and the decrease in certified candidates for teaching approaching never seen before vacancies. Glimmer of Hope focuses more on the positive aspects that still remain, giving hope for the future of education. It also represents the rallying call to communities, parents of schoolaged children, legislators, district administrators, principals, and teachers for what each group can do to help bring the appeal and respect that it so profoundly deserves BACK to education. This advice given by Rick Lasley, retired HS principal, can only lead to more respect given to education and more certified teacher applicants in the pipeline over the next five to ten years...
The following may have value for anyone in the position of stewardship.
Students and parents may wonder, “Is that teacher (and how they grade) fair, equitable, respectable, etc.?”
In a perfect world where we were trained to behave compassionately, thoughtfully, and yes lovingly, and take responsibility for our choices, the answer may be… yes. But we live in a greed based, I-Me-Mine - I want it now, power-rules, society where people suffer from the fallout or consequences of these unnecessary and tragic behaviors.
I believe the bottom line here rests on the shoulders of the person in the mirror. I have found that our Level of Awareness (LOA) is key to this discussion. LOA is a fundamental Workplace and Life Skill. Seeing behavior, such as the incivility epidemic today, I suggest that with some people’s LOA, the “mirror” and self-assessment process is still unknown and needs to be taught, learned and practiced.
The curriculum I developed, titled Restorative & Workplace Skills includes this awareness
blended into my Decision Making, Goal Setting, Conflict Resolution and Job Finding curriculum. I am honored to collaborate and support all who are interested in applying this at all ages as an alternative to just feeling and behaving mad, sad, violated, or entitled.
How might this unwind in the world of assessment or ‘grading’?
A, B, C, D, F ... Is this fair? Does it work? How does it translate in the world? How does it play out in the work world, the continuing education world and in the personal world?
If the students are going to learn behavior that motivates them academically, professionally and personally in life, I need to be clear about what the end result of the prescribed lesson or work needs to look like.
These are basic life communication skills we are teaching and mentoring here. Ponder just for a minute and consider that we are needs driven individuals, i.e., Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Dr. Marshall Rosenberg’s Non Violent Communication* (NVC) needs based model. How we choose to behave to get those needs met,
determines our quality of life and what kind of world we create and live in.
In the classroom, of course this is not new but for me it became more important and obvious while teaching and learning from home during the pandemic. Not being able to easily watch the work being performed and give guidance, I rewrote and fine-tuned my step-by-step instructions to include visual instructional rubrics which included short videos. Rubrics are simply tools used to communicate needs and show how those needs are to be met.
Did this create more work? Oh yes indeed, but it saved much more time for the students and me versus the cost of chasing each and every student whose performance was in need and saved time required to research missed or misunderstood parts of their lesson. This provided a safety net for the students to help them learn more the first time around, avoid frustration and, for some, not give up. It also provided a learning context for getting the kids together to help each other when the higher performers helped their friends in need. They could do this on their own because they had the rubric and knew how to connect with each other, and I found that this was a non-threatening tool to give to those parents who are willing to take an active role with their children.
Another important piece of this is that the students learn what doable instructions look like. I consider this a vital life skill. In personal, professional and in continuing education endeavors we all need to know what doable instructions look like. This will help us translate unclear expectations into clearer ones and be able to move toward success as opposed to going down the dark hole of missed targets. That dark hole leads to blame, shame, depression, and casts a debilitating cloud over the student and the entire learning community. I find that using these communication tools helps me enjoy teaching and supports both the kids who suffer under such clouds and the super stars alike.
In the classroom, when performance standards missed the mark, the rubric served as a nonjudgmental road map to reaching the targets.
For the students who were no-shows, bail-outs or were just a bit confused I could refer them to a specific rubric and point them to the steps required in those instructions. The rubric becomes the students’ self-grading assessment worksheet.
A, B, C, D, F? So, is there a one size fits all way of showing how close the students came to reaching the goals of the lesson? Is it subject specific? Do they get a trophy for “trying?” Teachers had better figure this out and administrators need to facilitate it because in the real world our livelihoods and sanity and family life are hinged on us having some mastery of these skills. These skills are essential in order to enjoy happy, prosperous and compassionate lives.
For those who only know how to react when having their hot buttons pushed and then fly off the handle any way they want and take no responsibility for who gets hurt along that path… I suggest that this uncivil behavior is what we get when we have people who never learned to understand and follow through on what is needed in their life situations. Yes, these life situations start at home and are reinforced in the classroom, social groups, churches, and the workplace. Yes, of course, the media opinion masters also play a powerful roll. I suggest that identifying such needs via targeted rubrics may serve as valuable directional signs along life’s journey.
Every person I know who manages or owns a business tells me that with new hires they desperately seek workers who will show up before their shift starts, use digital devices at appropriate times, dress and appearance meets business standards, resolves conflicts peacefully, follows instructions and asks for help as needed. This is similar to choosing which workers to promote.
Paul Ruez, M.Ed.www.linkedin.com/in/careertechedu
RuezArt@gmail.com
INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 pound bacon strips
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) frozen fully cooked breakfast sausage links, thawed
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
Directions
1. Cut bacon strips widthwise in half; cut sausage links in half. Wrap a piece of bacon around each piece of sausage. Place 1/2 cup brown sugar in a shallow bowl; roll sausages in sugar. Secure each with a toothpick. Place in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat air fryer to 325°. Sprinkle wrapped sausages with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. In batches, arrange sausages on a single layer in greased tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until bacon is crisp, 15-20 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
3. Enjoy!
Love yourself and your family with this easy delicious recipe. Please submit any recipes you would like to share by sending them to articles4magazine@gmail.com subject: recipes visit www.testprepcertification.com for submission requirements
Journey To Real Vision was founded by Chris Shaffer who spent 40 years working in a corporate environment and has over 20 years in a coaching capacity. Chris specializes in self-discovery. When you don’t know who you are, you don’t know your worth. You have to make time to understand more about yourself. So, why work with me?
You will discover at least 1 new thing about yourself during our initial free discovery session;
I provide additional resources for deeper self-discovery that no one else offers;
I ask the right questions to help you maximize your potential – you will see clear results by your 3 rd session; and
I am relatable, empathetic, and a deep listener.
I offer 1-2-1 coaching plus mini-courses, workshops, and a membership program WOW “Women of Worth” which includes the self-paced YOU-niversity that has over 50 courses.
I specifically created an educational course that is tailored specifically for individuals working in the education industry. Below is an outline of the mini-course:
You can schedule a free self-discovery call by visiting www.journeytorealvision.com and clicking on the purple button directly from the main page of the website. Included in your free session is a Strengths + Core Values assessment.
If you’re experiencing burnout, exhaustion, frustration, and a lack of direction in your career, please make time to schedule an appointment. I will support, guide, and encourage you to discover more about yourself. If you have questions, please feel free to email me: chris@journeytorealvision.com.
This is a multi-part article. This is part 3 of 3.
Andrews (2013) received a response from a secondary school principal relative to his experience with merit pay in his school in Caledonia, Michigan: The introduction of merit pay can ultimately slow or stop the process of school improvements. Competition, through merit pay, leads the culture of a building, school, or school district in the opposite direction. He saw the idea of ‘recognition’ providing an opportunity for growth for all teachers in a much more cooperative setting (p.3).
A second response received on recognition vs. merit pay came from a public school teacher who had lived under a merit pay system in her school:
One of the reasons I went into teaching is because I knew I’d make the same as my male counterparts. The large factor I learned with merit pay is that it pits teachers against each other. How do l know? I worked in a district that issued merit pay. If my reading scores were higher than my colleagues I got more pay. This
made us scramble not to take on special education students or physical or other health impairment (POHi) students, and we hoarded our ideas. It was awful!
An elementary teacher from Colorado, USA, submitted the following comments on her experience with both merit pay and recognition climates in schools she had worked:
The first school I worked had a pay for performance and there was virtually no collaboration and none of the first grade teachers got along at all or worked together. It was horrible! Throughout my teaching career I have only worked at one school where there was any teacher recognition, and the morale, collaboration and congeniality at that school was significantly higher than it was at the other two schools I taught.
There are very few of the weakest teachers removed from their teaching positions as they are ranked as positive in most of the evaluations. Grissom (2017) studied why principals gave such high ratings to almost all of their teachers through their evaluation processes. When I 00 principals in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools district reported their evaluation findings to these researchers (Susanna Loeb and Jason Grissom, 2017) they rated many more of their evaluated teachers at the lower end in their instructional ratings.
A total of 15% were listed in the ‘ineffective’ range. On the other hand, when reporting on what was called their high-stakes personnel evaluations, it was found that almost everyone was given a 3 or 4 rating (effective and highly effective). In these ratings the number dropped to 3% who were identified as less than ‘effective’.
The evaluator concluded that if the low performers were to be properly identified and given remediation, and/or dismissal, the formal assessments as given to the researchers need to be closer to the principals’ assessments that were given in the high-stakes personnel evaluation in the teachers’ file. This study pointed to one of the reasons that nothing appears to happen to those teachers who are not performing if they are being given ratings that are higher than they have been observed in their teaching by their supervisors in the evaluation process.
Thomas (2010) in his Newsweek article on the need to fire bad teachers referred to the fact that far too often the weakest teachers get assigned to teaching the neediest students in the inner-city schools. He referred to a study by Kati Haycock of the Education Trust whose research found that those children having two weak teachers in a row will never recover.
This same writer referred to how strong
the teachers’ unions have become very powerful. In New York City he found in 2008 only three teachers were dismissed for cause. This was out of over 30,000 tenured teachers in the system. Some of the other statistics presented on the number of teachers dismissed for their poor performances were:
Chicago, Illinois 2005 - 2008 0.1%
Akron, Ohio 0%
Toledo, Ohio 0.01%
Denver, Colorado 0%
Thomas also pointed out that the administrations of many schools, while not removing their poor teachers, move them around into other district schools in a process widely known as ‘the dance of the lemons.’ He summarizes his comments by showing that across the country 99 percent of the teachers evaluated are given ‘satisfactory’ ratings. Mathews (2017) criticized the reformers of the American education system. He referred to a 2009 study as ‘The Widget Effect’ by the New Teacher Project (TNTP).
It was found in the study that the classroom assessment systems were a sham. There were less than one percent of the teachers rated in the ‘unsatisfactory’ category. He further stated:
Since reform seems to be crumbling as test results have proved erratic and unusable with subjects such as science and history that don’t have standardized state tests. So are principals triumphant, eager to assert their assessment responsibilities, show some spine and rate teachers honestly? The answer is no.
Mathews further reported that an Education Week reporter Loewus (2017) found principals try to make nearly all of
their teachers happy and that ‘it takes too much time’ as a reason that principals do not let their sub-par teachers know they need to make improvements.
Loewus quoted one school principal: It’s even worse if several teachers need help. It’s not possible for an administrator to carry through on 10 unsatisfactory teachers simultaneously. Once somebody is identified as unsatisfactory, the amount of work, the amount of observation, the amount of time and attention that it requires to support him/her can become overwhelming.
In a review of a policy in Australia on how they dealt with removing some of their poorest teachers, offering $50,000 ‘retirement incentive’ bonuses developed in Southern Australia, Victoria and Queensland, Andrews (2011) responded:
It is amazing to see the Southern Australia Education Minister’s recent announcement to pay poorly performing teachers with a $50,000 ‘retirement incentive’ bonus! How unbelievable in this day and age. At a time when school districts around the world are unable to properly staff their classrooms, provide adequate supplies and attract our best students into the profession, this comes as a kick in the rear to our profession. When will our educational leaders ‘bite the bullet’ and properly apply accountable teacher evaluation principles and either improve these incompetent teacher perfonnances or remove them?
Williams (2017), in a follow-up survey by the Southern Australia (SA) Association of State School Organizations, presented the key results as finding over 90 percent of parents opposed this program. In addition, 70 percent of the 76 principals who responded also opposed these type of payouts. Teachers gave support for the program at a 60 percent level. The largest outcome of the survey was finding that overwhelmingly parents and principals indicated that governmental units should
change the focus to rewarding the good teachers and make it easier to fire the bad ones.
The movement of high stakes testing in school in the U.S. and numerous other countries has changed both the curriculum and teaching environments for teachers and their students. In order to encourage states and school districts to ‘buy-in’ to this movement large monetary incentives have been made available. In the Race to the Top (RTTT) program states vied against each other to show how they would improve hiring practices to bring in better teachers, develop much improved teacher evaluation processes, move to dismiss incompetent or low performing teachers, offer
large monetary incentives (merit pay) to those teachers who had the most success in raising test scores of their students. The earlier research on merit pay and teacher evaluation practices should have been a red flag that there would be little chance that merit pay would now work. It was not found successful in almost all schools across the U.S. that had tried merit pay in the past 40+ years.
The promises made by states and school systems were not carried out seriously, or competently, and the results of these very high financially funded programs have now been reviewed and evaluated as producing few positive results. Teachers were not given better evaluation processes but were left to let the school administrators evaluate them, in large part, by their student test scores.
Merit pay did not reach the amounts that were promised to teachers. Improved teaching efforts seemed to be neglected as an outcome of lack of improved evaluation, smaller pay than anticipated, and the
inability or neglect of administrators learning to evaluate teachers beyond their student test scores. The removal of the incompetent, and low performing, teachers was not carried out with the exception of a very small number. In fact, many more teachers were moved into a higher rank than were moved down and dismissed. It seems that it is now time to deemphasize the high stakes testing, move back to emphasizing a well-rounded curriculum, offer ‘recognition’ rather than ‘merit pay’ to teachers in all areas of our schools who are performing at a high level in their subject and curriculum areas. Merit pay should now go the way of the junk pile of tried and unsuccessful experiments in education.
Governing boards, administrators, teachers and students will all benefit from a future in their schools absent of the high stakes testing and merit pay presently offered as the incentive for those having improved testing scores and that now dominate the curriculums in so many of our schools around the world.
References
Alderman, C. (2017, Spring). The teacher evaluation revamp, in hindsight. What the Obama administration signature reform got wrong.Retrieved July l 7, 2018, from http://educationnext. org/the-teacherevaluation-revamp-in-hindsight-obamaadministration-reform/
Andrews, H.A. (2013). Recognition vs. merit pay for our best teachers.: Matilda Press. Ottawa, Illinois.
Andrews, H. A. (2011). $50,000 bonuses to incompetent teachers - it should never happen! Your Say, Schooldays Magazine, Sydney, AU
Education for Excellence (2018). Voices from the classroom: A survey of America’s
educators. Retrieved from https://e4e.org/ sites/default/files/20 l 8_voices_from_ the_classroom_ teacher_ survey.pd[
Educational Research Service (1979). Merit pay for teachers. ERS Report, Arlington, VA.
Futrell, M. ( 1986). How principals, teachers can improve relationships. NASSP Bulletin, 70(489): 52-65.
Grissom, J.A. (2017, July 6). Do principals really think all teachers are effective? Education Next. Retrieved August 19, 2017, from http://educationnext.org/ do-principals-really-think all-teacherseffective/, pp. 1-3.
Harris Interactive (1999). Teachers recognized for excellence rate career satisfaction higher. Rochester, N.Y. March 19, 1999. Retrieved March 2, 2006, from http://www.harrisinteractive. com/news/ printerfriend/index.asp?NewsID=303
Hess, F. (2018, July 11). Arne Duncan’s unlearned lessons. American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., July
10. Hood, L., Ed. (2011, January 29). Teachers given $50,000 to retire. The Advertiser. Retrieved from http://www. adelaidenow.com.au/teachers-given40000-to-retire/storyefrea6u- l 22599642
Loewus, L. (2017, August 18). Why principals lie to ineffective teachers - honestly takes too long. Education Next.
Koretz, D. (2017). The Testing Charade: Pretending to Make Schools Better. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.
Kraft, M. What have we learned from the Gates-funded teacher evaluation reforms? Education Next, pp. 1-2.
Mathews, J.(2017). Why principals lie to ineffective teachers - Honesty takes too long. Education Next (August 18).
Million, J. (2004). Honor your teachers. National Association of Elementary School Principals.
January 27(5), pp. 5-6. Retrieved February 26, 2006 from http://www.naesp.org/ ContentLoad.
do?contentld=1145 ‘
National School Board Association. (1987). Rewarding excellence: Teacher compensation and incentive plans. Alexandria, VA: National School Board Association.
Scherer, M. (1983). Merit pay-the great debate. Instructor 93(3), 22-25.
Shanker, A. (1985). Collective bargaining with educational standards. Education on trial. Strategies for the future. (pp. 224-225). San Francisco: Institute for Contemporary Studies.
Shinbun, S. M. (2012, September 11). Difficulty in differenciating good teachers from the rest in the new teacher evaluation system. International Education News. Retrieved August 8, 2018 from https:// internationalednews.com/tag/merit-pay/
Strike, K. A. (1990). The ethics of educational evaluation. In J. Millman and L. DarlingHammond (eds.), The new handbook of teacher evaluation: Assessing elementary and secondary school teachers (pp. 175190). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Stutz, T. (2009). Study: Texas’ teacher merit pay program hasn’t boosted student performance. The Dallas Morning News, Nov. 4, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2010 from http://www. dallasnews.com/ sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/ stories/110409dnmetmeritpay
newsweek.com/why-we-must-fire-badteachers-69467
Vasagar, J. (2012, May 30). Teachers could have pay frozen after poor school inspection reports. The Guardian. Retrieved August 8, 2018 at http://intemationallednews.com/ tag/merit-pay/
Williams, T. (2017, March 25). Parents have rejected ‘burnout bonuses’ to encourage older teachers to leave the profession. The Advertiser- South Australia News.
Hans A. Andrews, EdD is Distinguished Fellow in Community College Leadership, Olney Central College, IL, USA; Instructional Administrator and Community College President. Author: Recognition vs. Merit Pay for Our Best Teachers and Accountable Teacher Evaluation: Toward Highly Qualified and COMPETENT TEACHERS. He can be reached at Ottawa, Illinois, 61350 USA. Email: andrewsha@sbcglobal.net. Phone: 815-431-8934
Thomas, E. (2010, March 5). Why we must fire bad teachers. Newsweek. Retrieved on July 7, 2018, from http://www.
As a math teacher I work with students to teach them to be solution drive. I am solution drive so why not teach that to your students? In that, I also have to work with reading comprehension within the classroom as students are faced with more rigorous reading content in the math and science classrooms. It can be extremely frustrating and overwhelming at times to know that a student in a 3rd and up classroom can not read well, therefore you as an educator realize the hindrance it can potentially cause a student.
I am also facing it myself at times. However, when you decide to take ownership of your career, this is how you can help reduce your burn out, if not get rid of it. Why, because, choosing to break the mold and bend the rules is always more fun.
What could help solve this? Most teachers will say, a literacy station. I’ve heard teachers for years talk about putting a literacy station in the math classroom, but what does that mean and what does that look like? Literacy is reading but are the students actually going to read the books? Where is the accountability in that? Cross-curricular matters, but how you apply cross-curricular in the classroom makes the difference. With Amira you will have students read aloud, record their reading, and provide reports to help continue to drive instruction not just in the reading classroom but the math classroom. It also provides just that extra piece of data to supply committees with.
I invite you to look into Amira Learning. It is a reading program with an avatar that serves like a teacher. It will record students while they read and will create a running record. I got the grandiose idea to write a grant for the program to add into my math classroom. We know cross-curricular works, and we know most students are not able to practice reading aloud at home to build fluency so why not steal intentional time in the math and/or
science classroom and help support students with their reading? This will not only support the RLA classroom, but all subject areas as well. The better the student’s fluency the better they will become at writing and reading comprehension. Once that foundation is more stable then the other subjects start to fall into place.
I am always looking to change and better my learning environment for not just myself but my students. If I am excited and passionate, they will be too. You never know, Amira Learning might be the breath of fresh air that you need and I hope it has given you more thought on how to better benefit your learners in a cross curricular way to enhance your subject matter’s instruction, like math and science.
If you are looking for something to put into your math class to help support word problem comprehension, look at Amira Learning.
by Rivette Pena
All excerpts are taken from this delightful children’s book Anxious Andy Learns to swim.
Anxious Andy suffers from Anxiety. He is having a very hard time with the new swim class his mother has forced him to take.. Learn how Andy conquers his fears with a little help from his friends and family.
Available on Amazon
Submit Teacher Author information to articles4magazine@gmail.com
Subject: Teacher Authors visit www.testprepcertification.com for submission requirements
Name:
1. What type of animal is Andy?
A. skunk B. beaver
C. mouse D. hedgehog
2. In paragraph 1, Andy reflects why he likes swimming in the pond. What is the main reason he prefers pond?
3. What condition does Andy suffer from?
A. Anxiety B. Depression
C. Covid D. Low Self-Esteem
4. Anxiety is a crippling fear that keeps a person from doing everyday activities. TRUE FALSE
5. Who helps Andy back to the pool?
6. What happens when Andy floats in the pool?
7. Does Andy learn to swim?
8. Why do you think the author wrote this story?
9. Andy ___________ when he couldn't touch the bottom of the pool.
A. laughed B. cried
C. panicked D. swam
10. What did Andy's mother tell him to do if he panicked in the pool?
1. What type of animal is Andy?
A. skunk
C. mouse
B. beaver
D. hedgehog
2. In paragraph 1, Andy reflects why he likes swimming in the pond. What is the main reason he prefers pond? He can stand up in the pond.
3. What condition does Andy suffer from?
A. Anxiety
C. Covid
B. Depression
D. Low Self-Esteem
4. Anxiety is a crippling fear that keeps a person from doing everyday activities.
5. Who helps Andy back to the pool? his friend the skunk
6. What happens when Andy floats in the pool? Everyone thinks he is dead because he is floating with his eyes closed.
7. Does Andy learn to swim? yes
8. Why do you think the author wrote this story? To inform people about anxiety.
9. Andy ___________ when he couldn't touch the bottom of the pool.
A. laughed
C. panicked
B. cried
D. swam
10. What did Andy's mother tell him to do if he panicked in the pool? float
by Richa Parasher
Richa Parasher is a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Diploma in Elementary Education. She has qualified the National Eligibility Test for Lectureship in India. She is the recipient of Young Scientist Award from Indian Science Congress Association. She is also the recipient of scholarship for the Global Competency Course (GCC) and was trained by AFS USA. Currently, she is working as a school educator and AFS International volunteer. AFS Intercultural Programs is a global not-for-profit network that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop their knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. AFS is her passion as her mission in life aligns with the AFS missions. She is the AFS volunteer since 2018 and Facilitator for its GCC, Global You and Changemaker (GYC), Effect+ (for educators), Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Accelerator and STEM academies, Student Learning Journey (SLJ) programs. She has mentored these programs
for participants around the globe. She develops understanding for sustainable development goals, design thinking, intercultural values, softskills like being empathetic, suspend judgement, etc. through these programs. The participants then develop capstone project connecting with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and through design thinking.
Ms. Parasher was the AFS School coordinator with her previous affiliation where she helped children to get Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (KL-YES) scholarship, Asia Kakehashi fellowship to study one academic year in US and Japan, respectively. She organized the domestic exchange program, hosted the meetings with various schools for shortlisting the candidates, interviewing the participants for various scholarships, guest speaker in various schools for promoting the AFS programs, taking selfinitiative to talk in school assemblies for various AFS exchange programs and scholarships. She is one of teachers who loved by all because she
connects science and maths to the real world. Her classes have been found interesting and joyful by students. She had led a yearlong project in partnership with University of Kentucky along with six schools in India and US where she helped children to develop scientific skills and have an intercultural experience.
Before stepping into the school as an educator, Ms. Parasher had worked as a Project Scientist in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, India, Visiting Scientist in ENGEES and IMFS, France, and Senior Project Associate at IIT Kanpur, India. She has published research papers in conferences. She has also received awards and honours for her academics and research, such as the Best paper award in the NERC 2022 at IIT Guwahati, Best Poster Presentation Award at the workshop on “AEPS”, First Prize in Model Presentation at Research Conclave 2019 organized by IIT Guwahati, to name a few. She also received a certificate for qualifying regional-level competition at the 26th State Level Children’s Science Congress. For her excellent teaching skills, she
has received the Teachers Warrior Award from IIHM Kolkata and also, a recipient of certificate for qualifying the regional round of class edge classroom championship from Tata Class Edge Classroom Championship.
She thrives in high-pressure and fast-paced situations, striving for positive results by applying her positive attitude and critical thinking abilities. Further, she possess expertise in organizational skills and acumen for maximizing performance and inspiring colleagues. She is able to visualize success and identify unconventional yet highly effective strategies for achieving it. Her greatest strengths are empathetic, resilient and optimistic nature. Her mission is to help in setting up international schools, develop active global citizens, promote intercultural learning, educating and igniting young minds hence bringing peace in this world.
For more info please write to her: richaparashersharma@gmail.com
kelseyrodriguez223@yahoo.
Are you wishing for learning and growth opportunities? We have something great for you.
Come join us for a free workshop that trains you on The Science of Teaching Reading.
Get in on the groundfloor of a lucrative endeveor. We will train you to become a Trainer of Trainers. You can go forth and conduct your own seminars.
Whether you are interested in the Science of Teaching Reading or starting your own side business. Come to this free workshop. Earn six hours of continuing education hours. You will leave with some very engaging activities and methods. You will learn how to integrate reading into other content areas. Join us. All that is required is you filling out the interest form.
