Emotional Grammar

I am not sure what the heck happens to my students between April of their freshman year and April of their sophomore year. They become so emotional and downright negative. When students show me " who they are", I embrace that moment and use it to help them painfully grow. The brain has not finished developing - the part of the brain that is responsible for personality and judgement has not finished the product. I noticed many of our sophomores were on the verge of emotional breakdowns. Many of them stopped turning in work, stopped studying - stopped caring. So I finally asked, " what the heck is going on? ". Within seconds they told me about their truths and their lack of joy. They shared how much they were hurting over the actions of others. Suddenly there were tears and long faces. "Nobody cares Mama D!" They spoke of their awareness of - mean people. They went on and on about what they had no control over. I finally had to stop them. I asked them one question to answer. " do you like the person you are?". They were quiet. The "will" of their thoughts about those around them was creating so many emotions , and in my opinion, they stopped learning and doing for themselves. Emotion is a glue for memory. Once they loose it, they are done. So we shared what they did have control over, themselves. I reminded that they needed to " learn in Present tense" so that they can "remember in future tense.". Same goes for love and joy. I am not sure if they got it. I am not sure if my own son gets it. But I am not givin up on their brains and and their emotional grammar.

Teach, Preach or Punish?

What will help my students understand that not giving a crap won't help? Often times, my students will tell me that I am lucky that I am liked by them. Hum. Gee.
They should be grateful that I care. There are may teachers that don't and let their personal, unhealthy and unproductive psychology get in the way of reaching kids.
There are some teachers that believe only some students can learn. So they teach to them, and I mean - they only TEACH TO THEM. 
Some teachers think that if a student does not learn, then it is a choice the student makes. Then they often end up preaching to that group of students as if the students are in school for reconciliation with the school system.
Often times,  I hear students say that they are afraid to get me mad. And every single time I ask "Why?"
And almost every single time, they say that they don't like how I make them "think about stuff" or make them "think differently".  So do they see me as a keeper of conscience? I am not sure what I think about that.
How do the choices that a teacher make, affect student learning? Shit, how do teacher choices affect student motivation and confidence? Are we here to teach, preach or punish?

Whatever Works Woman!

   Wondering which teaching strategy works?  It is not the most difficult thing to do.  The most challenging theory about any classroom strategy is basic. Time and Organization. (Let's not talk about resources because I do not have very many).

     If a teacher cannot give a new strategy time and some consistency, then forget it. There are some Teachers who think that if they give it shot once, or half a** it, then BAM! Students will change their behavior. Not. Nope. Far from the ease of middle school chocolate milk.
     I am not sure what some teachers expect when they do not change their approach when it is CLEARLY not working. Do teachers really think that they cannot pin point who's fault it is when 60% of their class is failing? 
     There are a group of students I know, that score well in other areas, but 'stopped working' for one of their other teachers. She complains that it is the kids fault and that they do not want to learn. She blames it on the fact that their parents don't care and that our teachers expect "these kids to learn and whip up an A".  When our classes are compared, she simply states that the students like me becuase I "do fun things to get them to learn and spend too much time on them". Gee, I guess they don't like her then.

The Red Shoe

     It was my first graduating class from the continuation school I taught at. I was really tough on my students, after all some of them had been kicked out of numerous schools and were severly behind. And, of course, I thought it was up to me to teach them all a lesson or two. Or ten. 

    Gabby, a very vibrant and bright African-American student, sashayed her way over to me limping. She was that student that always seemed to get mad at me for giving her a zero for class participation because her comments were either invalid, irrelevant or just plain wrong. I pushed her to find evidence to her learning. I also pushed her to bring a binder with her everyday to school.

    As she limped over to me and my parents, she said, " I ...I... am trying to ....get.... this out...." . As she was saying this she was pointing to her bottom and acted as if she was really  'pulling something out'.
    I thought she had sat on something. But no, she continued to struggle with what she was trying to pull out from under her royal blue gown.  Then she pulled out one red high heeled shoe.  Yes , a shoe. She talked as if she had just been kicked in the butt by a bull. "Mamma D., here..this shoe is for you." I laughed and I was totally confused. My dad asked, "Hey, why are you giving her your shoe?". "OH, IT'S NOT MINE!" she laughed, "It's the shoe Mama D would kick my ass with."
     Then she kissed me, and gave me the best hug a student could give and gave my forehead a blessing. She walked away, and my parents and I laughed with such pride. I still have that red shoe.