THE GRAYDONIAN
SENTINEL Vol. #11
It All Counts!
SOUND ADVICE! This piece was making the rounds on
The true reality is that principals and teachers have to grapple with children who have very little regard or appreciation for the education they are
WhatsApp in the aftermath of the two stabbing
getting, while battling bad behaviour and lack of
incidences that occurred in Barbados over the past two
support from homes.
weeks involving school-aged children. Take a read. For those of us who are parents, take heed. For those
So before you condemn and criticize principals and
among us who are not, be mindful that you also have a
teachers remember that you child's earliest educational
role to play. Children were not put here already
experiences were in your care and your home, and it is
knowing everything that there is to know about life, that
difficult to "unteach" bad teaching.”
is why they have parents. As teachers, we provide a
Essentially, as a society we must return to the
supporting role to the parents of these young humans.
teachings that helped to shape and guide our
However, who they eventually become is in part a result
development into the people that we have become. We
of what we as parents and society have collectively
need to recognise that children are just that, children,
trained them to become.
and must be treated accordingly. They are not our
Have a read and take stock. “I would like to say to all parents and guardians of school age children that no child was born or brought up
friends, even though we can be friendly. They MUST take their place and addressing them as ‘big man’ and ‘big woman’ does not help. If the events of the past two weeks have not
in a school. They visit schools for the purpose of getting an education but they bring their dirty habits, nasty
caused us to put on the brakes to our callous way of
attitudes and disrespectful behaviours with them.
‘bringing up’ our young people, then I am very afraid for the future of this little rock in the sea.
The rude and disrespectful behaviours which you as parents thought were cute in their pre-school years, principals and teachers have to deal with and address because those same behaviours have now become the children's reality. Many of your children do not even know when they are being disrespectful or rude because that is what they know, how they were trained and socialised.
We CAN do better. In fact, we MUST do better.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS
Celebrating birthdays this week are …
Cherry Ann Wallace Sunday 24 November
NOTICES THURSDAY
MONDAY
Full Assembly – Cheryl Williams – Octagon Club –Theme … Inquiry The Duke of Edinburgh Awards club meets today. Come, join and be inspired. Rehearsals for Independence concert in period 4. Please note the substitution to facilitate this activity.
TUESDAY Year Prayers. BSL Athletics training session – 3:00 p.m. at the Garrison Savannah. Regular session of the #14 Cadet Company . WEDNESDAY
Form Prayers. Rehearsals for Independence concert in period 4. Please note the substitution to facilitate this activity.
House Prayers BSL Athletics training session – 3:00 p.m. at the Garrison Savannah
FRIDAY
Full Assembly - Cheryl Williams – Octagon Club –Theme … Inquiry Rehearsals for Independence concert in period 4. Please note the substitution to facilitate this activity. Regular session of the #14 Cadet Company . End of Week 11. Have a GREAT WEEKEND.
Under 13 Hockey Graydon Sealy’s under 13 hockey team defeated Deighton Griffith, 2 to1. A last minute goal by Zaire Austin Jemmott gave Graydon Sealy the advantage in the quarter finals and allowed them to book a place in the semi-finals against Combermere. However, we were defeated with a score of 0 to 2. This was a very good showing by these boys who were thrown in at the deep end. Well done lads. Keep on striving for excellence.
Dominoes In dominoes, Graydon Sealy defeated Barbados Community College (BCC). A dominant 30 points by Derrick Lashley on table 4, gave Graydon Sealy a hard fought 45 to 42 win over BCC in defence of their title. Excellence as usual guys. Keep it up.
Cricket In the final match of series. Graydon Sealy played Princess Margaret. Princess Margaret scored 236/9 declared. Bowling for Graydon Sealy, R. Archer grabbed 3/61 while J. Skeete-Maxwell snatched 2/20. Graydon Sealy responded with 103 all out. Scoring for Graydon Sealy… J. Durant… 27 E. Currency-Barnett G. Mapp …18 J. Crichlow …13. Cricket Stats…
Most Runs - Edwin Currency-Barnett Most wickets - Rashoun Archer Most catches - Jayden Crichlow Wicket- keeper with most dismissals Jaden Durant Edwin Martindale
Michael Linsin
Rule #2: Don’t argue.
April 23 – 2011
When you argue with difficult students, it puts them on equal footing with you, creating a “your word against theirs” situation. This negates the effects of accountability. It also opens the If you’re like most teachers, two or three difficult
floodgates: everybody will be arguing with you.
students take up most of your time. On the days when they’re absent, or pulled from
Rule #3: Don’t lecture, scold, or yell.
your class, everything goes smoothly. Lecturing, scolding, and yelling will Teaching is more fun. You’re more relaxed. And
cause all students to dislike you, but when you
you can cruise through your lessons without
direct your diatribe toward one particular
interruption. Hooray!
student, it can be especially damaging. Creating friction between you and your most challenging
But when they’re sitting in class, which seems
students virtually guarantees that their behavior
like all the time, they can make you want to pull
will worsen.
your hair out. Unfortunately, the frustrations you feel dealing with
Rule #4: Don’t give false praise.
difficult students can cause you to make mistakes. The following is a list of 7 rules–all don’ts–that will help you avoid the most common pitfalls, and turn your most difficult students into valued members of your classroom. Rule #1: Don’t question.
Teachers often shower difficult students with praise for doing what is minimally expected. But because these students can look around at their fellow classmates and know that it’s a sham, false praise doesn’t work. Instead, give only meaningful, heartfelt praise based on true accomplishment.
It’s normal for teachers to force explanations from difficult students as a form of accountability.
Rule #5: Don’t hold a grudge.
But asking why and demanding a response from them almost always ends in resentment. And angry students who dislike their teacher never improve their classroom behavior.
“Every day is a new day” should be your mantra with difficult students. They need to know that they have a clean slate to start each day–and so do you. To that end, say hello, smile, and let them know you’re happy to see them first thing every morning.
Rule #6: Don’t lose your cool.
Your classroom management plan merely nudges them in the right direction. Done
When you let students get under your skin and you
correctly, it gets students to look inward, to
lose emotional control, even if it’s just a sigh and
self-evaluate, and to feel the weight of their
an eye roll, you become less effective. Your
transgressions. But by itself, it can only do so
likeability drops. Classroom tension rises. And
much.
when difficult students discover they can push It’s your relationship with your students that
your buttons, they’ll try as often as they can.
makes the greatest difference. Rule #7: Don’t ignore misbehavior. When you build trusting rapport with Given that there is an audience of other students,
them, which anyone can do, you then possess a
ignoring misbehavior will not make it go away. It
tidal wave of influence that can change their
will only make it worse. Instead, follow your
behavior, improve their academic performance,
classroom management plan as it’s written. If a
and profoundly impact their lives.
difficult student breaks a rule, no matter how trivial, enforce it immediately.
It’s About Relationships What if the two or three (or more) difficult students in your classroom admired you? What if they looked up to you, respected you, trusted you, and liked being in your company? What if they embraced whatever you had to say to them? Your success in helping them change their behavior would go through the roof, and you’d have peace in your classroom. The fact is, everything hinges on your ability to build
We’ve got to get here!
relationships with your students. Article extracted from: https://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2011/04/23/7-rules-ofhandling-difficult-students/
As part of our end of term staff activities we will be having a "Secret Santa" Staff Motivation Challenge. The objective is for each participate to secretly motivate a colleague in this chosen profession of teaching while learning more about them. Each participant will fill out a form which would be placed in a hat. On November 22nd, each participant will pull a form from the hat. This form will provide basic information on who you will have to motivate. On 13th December each "Secret Santa" will be revealed while presenting their mentored partner with a gift ranging between $20-$25. The staff member who shows the most creativity and enthusiasm will be awarded a special prize. Miss S. Chase Santa's Little Helper
Let’s take the time to support each other!
Disengagement Problems Disguised as Discipline Problems Amy Rodriguez Article retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol13/1311rodriguez.aspx?utm_source=ascdexpress&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Express-13-11
Cell phones, Safety and School Discipline Article by Barbados Today Article retrieved from:
https://barbadostoday.bb/2017/10/24/cell-phones-safety-and-school-
discipline/
NB: Printed copies of the articles are also available in the office.