I have spent a couple posts talking about the first few steps of Whole Brain Teaching, and how I implement them in my classroom, but I want to take a step back to share an amazing resources that has really helped me. (I hope I don't get too preachy or sappy!)
This resource is the book and website, "The Dream Class" by Michael Linsin.
He has a website called smartclassroommanagement.com, which you can find HERE. And you can grab this book for yourself below:
This book and his website really CHANGED MY LIFE! You can literally spend hours on his website!
But, the REAL bonus is the fact that the author also allows you to give an email address, and every Saturday afternoon he emails out his latest post to you (he's is not paying me to say all of this! I just love it that much!) The posts are amazing and they are for the most veteran of teachers to the first year teacher. I'll be sitting on my couch or out running errands and my emails will go off and I get giddy with excitement over them.
The reason I say these tips are for first year teachers through veterans is because I believe that no matter how many years you have in, these simple emails are a constant reminder or a refocus for any teacher.
I am going to be honest and throw it out there. There have been many days, I am sure of it, in all of our teaching lives, where we want to scream and run for the hills. We have those hard days when our patience is tested and we want to cry with exhaustion. We're enjoying a nice quiet dinner at a restaurant and the children at the table next to us are going bonkers and we want to SHOUT to the world, "YEAH TRY 30 AT ONCE!!" When I get these emails every week, all of THAT is put into perspective for me. Especially after a hard day, these simple reminders take me back to my purpose for doing what I do, and being with these amazing kids. For the most part he gives classroom management tips and ideas, on how to have an amazing class. My Classroom Procedures to Teach (Back to School Classroom Management Tool) was created with this book and his ideas in mind.
But this week, my thoughts changed a bit from classroom management 101 to the love, trust and the relationships we build with our 30+ kiddos. The article I received in an email was titled, "Handing Difficult Students The First Week of School", which you can read HERE. While I may know or think I know how to handle these students, I enjoy and welcome the reminder.
His strong words spoke to me when he said, "Even before the bell rings on the first day of school, teachers peruse their new roster looking for those whose reputation precedes them. They chat up previous teachers. They scrutinize student files. They nervously begin conjuring up creative ways of dealing with them-all before they even set foot in the classroom." I have to admit, I have been guilty of this in the past. But reading this book and reading the author's weekly emails have changed all of this for me. They have given me an entirely new perspective on the 30 children sitting in front of me. He says, "When you treat difficult students differently than their classmates, when you employ strategies, tactics and teacher behaviors meant only for them, in effect you're telling them that they're incapable of behaving like a successful student." Many teachers' nightmare. He then goes on to give some amazing ideas of how to handle these situations in your first few weeks.
As many of us gear up for a new group of 30 children each so unique and special in their own way, it's these simple reminders that help me to remember how to break through to many of my kids and LOVE them the way they deserve to be loved.
Just this past year, I took my then fifth graders on a field trip to the middle school so they could see what it was all about, not be nervous, meet some teachers, etc. While there, I was floored and wanted to go into the ugly cry when I heard my name, "MISS NANNINI!!!!" and down the hallway comes running this HUGE 7th grade boy (like football player status- let's remember I am 5'2!). He was a boy from my first year teaching 5th grade. He ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug and told me how much he missed me and reminded me of the memories we made in our 5th grade class together. It was my first year teaching when I had this student. He will be the first to admit that he gave me a run for my money. I have to be honest in saying, he was tough. He didn't want to be at school and he tried to test me on a daily basis. But, through my love, my respect and by ignoring what his past teachers told me, I saw this "tough" boy transform into one of the kindest, most caring kids in our classroom that year. When he ran up to me that day he reminded me of why we all do what we do for our kiddos.
Ms. Jasztal said it best, "Your students are meant to have you, you are meant to have them, and you must believe in yourself because you have the power to create miracles." I couldn't agree more.
So, to those of you that are already back "in it" with your awesome kids, and those of you about to go back, check out this website. I hope it helps you in some little way to have an awesome year, all year.
So, to those of you that are already back "in it" with your awesome kids, and those of you about to go back, check out this website. I hope it helps you in some little way to have an awesome year, all year.