This is my tenth year teaching. (Eleventh, if you count my year long internship for grad school.) But, this is my FIRST year, of which I am aware, that I have an invasive inattentive problem within my classroom. I'm totally serious.
I wonder why some of my students do not grasp the most basic concepts I teach in a group setting as I verbalize, model and document the focus of my lessons (which are accessible "on the cloud")?
If you are judging my teaching practice right now, please watch this video I made for the parents of my students to share my teaching theory. Read about me too; you will see that I foster the Responsive Classroom approach so I know how to manage behavior "issues." Most years, my class community has strongly developed within the first couple weeks of school so we're quickly ready and able to jump into the curriculum and make huge progress. This year, I focused on the Responsive Classroom for most of the First Six Weeks of School and I am floundering. I've lost count of what week we're on.
I am doing my best to create active listeners. After consulting with my colleague/ friend who specializes in inattentive behaviors, I have recently changed my practice so that my students now sit on chairs in a curve so they can each see the Smart Board and have their own personal space. They each have a whiteboard and marker to record the focus of my lesson, their burning questions and doodle (as long as masterful artwork does not overtake the whiteboard).
After the lesson, my students independently work while I confer with individual students as they practice implementing the lesson and their individual goals; I am able to review what they believed to be the focus of the lesson by reading their whiteboard and asking them to verbally explain their understanding. At this time I can reteach, back up and/or extend my lesson. Even with all of these accommodations, I have many students who continue to struggle to listen to my lesson and/or directions with this class.
I am questioning if my students don't listen to what I teach them because they may have learned how to not listen? Possibly many of the students of this class expect me to copiously repeat the information until they "get" it? Perhaps prior to fifth grade, some students have been successful not listening because they are smart enough to figure the "stuff" out on their own but the depth added this year has been their "tipping" point? I am doubtful; but maybe they never learned how to listen? Of course, there might be a tiny malfunction somewhere in a few of their brains or other underlying issues. Or, maybe, just MAYBE there are some traditional aspects of teaching and learning that should change in order for students to learn best?
I feel frustrated that instead of being able to find out where each student is and push him/her farther and/or towards depth through individual conferences, that I spend this time reteaching the focus lesson to half of my students. This independent work time for my students (my conference time) is cut short because my lessons are too long.
I am aware that regardless if any of my students have ADHD, or not, they do need to learn strategies to listen well. But, do they really have to look at the person who is talking? I listen, think and learn the best when I type my reflections. (And I am NOT looking at the person speaking!) I learn even better when I connectedly share my reflections to collaborate with others so that they help push my thinking deeper (via Twitter). It is very difficult for me to learn without a connected devise. I don't often look at the person who is talking during a lecture, keynote or meeting type of situation; but, I actively listen to the information while I utilize my device to blend my strategies for more meaningful learning.
My invasive inattentive problem
...A few [unnamed] intelligent students in my class are fully capable to listen when they're passionate about what and how they learn...but they struggle to listen when they are not passionate about the topic and/or approach. I have empathy for them. (I continuously alter my teaching in attempt to make the curriculum more interesting.) For many reasons, I am confident that this particulate inattentive problem is not a result of my students' inability to understand. We have not yet been able to "go deep" as we are still focused on building a classroom community and creating guidelines to set us up for a great year as well as preparing for, and taking, standardized tests. (Deep breath.)I wonder why some of my students do not grasp the most basic concepts I teach in a group setting as I verbalize, model and document the focus of my lessons (which are accessible "on the cloud")?
If you are judging my teaching practice right now, please watch this video I made for the parents of my students to share my teaching theory. Read about me too; you will see that I foster the Responsive Classroom approach so I know how to manage behavior "issues." Most years, my class community has strongly developed within the first couple weeks of school so we're quickly ready and able to jump into the curriculum and make huge progress. This year, I focused on the Responsive Classroom for most of the First Six Weeks of School and I am floundering. I've lost count of what week we're on.
I am doing my best to create active listeners. After consulting with my colleague/ friend who specializes in inattentive behaviors, I have recently changed my practice so that my students now sit on chairs in a curve so they can each see the Smart Board and have their own personal space. They each have a whiteboard and marker to record the focus of my lesson, their burning questions and doodle (as long as masterful artwork does not overtake the whiteboard).
After the lesson, my students independently work while I confer with individual students as they practice implementing the lesson and their individual goals; I am able to review what they believed to be the focus of the lesson by reading their whiteboard and asking them to verbally explain their understanding. At this time I can reteach, back up and/or extend my lesson. Even with all of these accommodations, I have many students who continue to struggle to listen to my lesson and/or directions with this class.
I am questioning if my students don't listen to what I teach them because they may have learned how to not listen? Possibly many of the students of this class expect me to copiously repeat the information until they "get" it? Perhaps prior to fifth grade, some students have been successful not listening because they are smart enough to figure the "stuff" out on their own but the depth added this year has been their "tipping" point? I am doubtful; but maybe they never learned how to listen? Of course, there might be a tiny malfunction somewhere in a few of their brains or other underlying issues. Or, maybe, just MAYBE there are some traditional aspects of teaching and learning that should change in order for students to learn best?
Concern for my students
I feel frustrated that my mini lessons are becoming maxi lessons (way too long) because over half of my students struggle to listen to me. I get distracted from those who are hyperactive and/or inappropriate which causes me to lose my focus as I try to get their attention. I find myself speaking way too loudly and slowly and animatedly...I’m basically dancing as I teach. I’m regularly popping ibuprofen which isn't cool.I feel frustrated that instead of being able to find out where each student is and push him/her farther and/or towards depth through individual conferences, that I spend this time reteaching the focus lesson to half of my students. This independent work time for my students (my conference time) is cut short because my lessons are too long.
Does eye contact effect learning?
I felt guilty teaching and publishing the Open Circle: School Listening Look blog post today. I LOVE the Open Circle curriculum for so many reasons*, but I am truly questioning the validity for the need to look at the person who is talking/teaching in order to listen and learn. Some people do so out of respect (in many situations, I agree). But, is it essential to look at the person who is teaching in order to learn? Why do teachers (including myself until recently) make students look at them while they teach?Should this rule be revised?
Disclaimer: it is sometimes still hard for me to focus on my teaching when my students are not looking at me because I am so USED to ASSUMING that the lack of my students' eyes on me is an indicator that they may not be paying attention. Bad assumption, I know. (I will get over it.) Here are my class signals for this year; I'm no longer making my kids stop what they're doing and/or look at me when I talk.I am aware that regardless if any of my students have ADHD, or not, they do need to learn strategies to listen well. But, do they really have to look at the person who is talking? I listen, think and learn the best when I type my reflections. (And I am NOT looking at the person speaking!) I learn even better when I connectedly share my reflections to collaborate with others so that they help push my thinking deeper (via Twitter). It is very difficult for me to learn without a connected devise. I don't often look at the person who is talking during a lecture, keynote or meeting type of situation; but, I actively listen to the information while I utilize my device to blend my strategies for more meaningful learning.
My fear
I have learned that many of my students are actively listening regardless if they're looking at me, or not; but, I still believe that many of my students have a difficult time listening to me, and I have a difficult time teaching them, while some students are verbally or physically interacting with one another. Is that okay?What if I damage my students (with or without attention difficulties) as I demand that they listen to me without giving them effective strategies and/or tools to help them listen, process and learn better? What if they cannot listen?
Schools are guilty
Karen Janowski's keynote at the NHSTE Annual Meeting last week was on The Most Important Technology Trick Every Teacher Needs to Know: TEXT TO SPEECH. Check out her blog to learn more. She shared Misunderstood Minds, an interactive website by PBS, with us to experience what it's like to suffer from an inattentive disability. It's so cool. I found more compassion for myself as I explored the simulation.Shouldn't schools conform to the needs of each student?
I feel like I'm forcing my students to learn in a way that is NOT conducive for multifaceted learning. Until my class and I make magical progress, or until every student has access to a connected device, I believe that I will continue to struggle to find a balance to push ALL of my students forward. I am very overwhelmed and I am pleading for help in order to set myself, and my students, up for success. How can we make faster positive changes in the world of education?*I use the Open Circle program to teach students explicit techniques to calm down with deep breaths, conduct positive self-talk and express appropriate feelings. Utilizing the Open Circle curriculum also helps my students learn how to solve problems as well determine the difference between destructive and annoying behaviors. I truly believe that if all children learned and utilized these skills, world peace could be attained. I just don't agree 100% of Open Circle's School Listening Look.
This is a great article Rachel. I really understand the problem with the school listening look. As a parent who had a child who had extreme difficulty processing information across modalities. We are lucky that he was diagnosed relatively early in his school years, but teachers would often assume he wasn't paying attention because he wasn't making eye contact. Then one day I was there to help in the classroom and watched him sit on the rug with his head down, playing with his shoelace. I tried to get his attention to prompt him to focus (thankfully, he didn't see me). He sat there, listened to the directions and then waited until everyone got up and went to their desks to start their work. He got up, went to the book the teacher had been using (talking and showing pictures simultaneously) and looked carefully at the book for a few minutes. He then went to his seat and started to work. When he was diagnosed, I shared that moment and the OT said that the shoelace quieted his hands so he could think and that the lack of eye contact was his strategy for him to process the language and once he was done with that he was then able to layer on the pictures. It would have been impossible for him to do it any other way.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. This was one child, my own child. Now imagine a classroom filled with unique personalities that are all demanding some sort of accomodation for their individual learning styles. This is somewhat like a 'perfect storm' group of students - so many unique personalities in one group and each with their particular set of needs.
For what it's worth, know that I am here for you - whether a shoulder to cry on, an open ear to just listen (or scream!) or a body to slide in and cover the room when you may need to find a quiet place to take some deep breaths of your own. We all get by with a little help from our friends ....
Thank you, Liz. Your insight is incredibly meaningful to me because not only do you GET it because your own child suffers from this attention difference, but you KNOW these kids. Today was my first GOOD day and it was because I found clarity from spending all of the evening last night (until 3am) writing this post. I was finally able to put all of my thoughts together to understand what I have to do to make this year successful. It's going to continue to be a struggle, but at least now I can see the light!
ReplyDeleteCutting up the cards for my Social Studies simulation was super helpful; however, your compassion is priceless. I appreciate you so much and may take you up on your offer to go hide in the bathroom to take deep breaths.
Because you enlisted parental guidance to glean a better understanding of our child to alter your approach in your attempt to improve the school year for our child, all of your students (including yourself) we took a good look at all the different factors that could be contributing to this problem for our child. After realizing that at least half of your students (and not just our child or a few) are having attention/listening difficulties in class, we wondered if there was any common denominator for the students who are struggling to listen. We thought that asking the following questions may help to complete the picture and be beneficial in finding a solution:
ReplyDelete-are all/most are boys?
-have most been in the same class in the past?
-have they usually had access to paraprofessionals?
-are they pretty smart/bright/intelligent (not Einstein's per se) kids?
-do all/most believe that school is unimportant (stupid/a waste of their time)?
-do all/most believe that the Open Circle meetings are kind of lame?
-like you said, are they are bored with all this setup, review, and NECAP prep.? Maybe things will improve when you get into more of the meat of the new information.
We also wonder:
-Is it possible that moving chairs and sitting in a group is too disruptive and time consuming for both you and them to get them back on task.
-Is there any way to positively create that space into your day that gives them those few breaks to purge themselves and then regroup and move on. That just might save your sanity and work for you all; lunch and recess just don't cut it.
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