Teachable Moments

The moment: While engaged in student teaching at a local high school I encountered a small of group of students, 5 males, who decided they did not want to do what was asked of them.  They simply walked out of class and did not heed calls to return.

My mistake: Believing that students would follow directions led me to be unprepared for those who did not choose to follow instructions.

The solution: Upon reflection it dawned on me to try to communicate in a way that "spoke" to the audience, specifically students who lived in a football-centric (soccer) area.

I bought a football referee pack of a yellow and a red card.  The next time one of the boys decided to engage in non-acceptable behavior during class I simply held up a yellow card. The look on his face told me what I needed to know: message received.  He knew he'd received a penalty, one delivered wordlessly. It was an invitation for him to check himself. He did. 

Lessons for me: 

• Expect the unexpected. Don't be surprised if someone goes "rogue".

• Take the time to consider the audience.

• Use cultural norms and practices to your and your students' advantage.

The moment:  An older student often wore sunglasses in class and did not perform very well when tasked with engaging in higher-intensity exercises. 

My mistake:  I had already checked PowerSchool to confirm she had no medical issues listed (none were), spoken to her, and emailed her. Her responses were vague and confusing. I concluded she was being lazy and disrespectful.  I did not contact her parent.

The solution:  Mom contacted the school to schedule a meeting with me and the nurse. The student did have a serious medical condition, one that had slipped through the PowerSchool data entry cracks and that the student downplayed so as to not stand out. Mom thought I knew, daughter had difficulty explaining it, and I hadn't attempted to contact the parent.

Note: procedures were changed at the administrative level to address the lack of proper notification.

Lessons for me: 

• Parents have insights into their child that I do not have. Don't wait!

• Sometimes PowerSchool does not have all the answers.

• Including parents in conversations early can help one maintain a healthy learning environment.