The Learning Highway: January 2014

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Parent-teacher communication-Juliana

Have you ever made a mistake on something you have sent home?

How do you handle it?

I work with two very special teachers in my kindergarten team. One of them is Ms. K.
Ms. K is simply amazing. She is efficient, effective, fast, always positive, and thoughtful. She is also a really hard worker and goes above and beyond for her students and activities.Last week, she received a "not so nice" note from a parent.
The parent found a typo on an assignment, specifically an extra “k” on the word “than”. The parent wrote “I find it very difficult to teach my kid when you send stuff like this…”
Mrs. K., who like most of us, works 10-12 hours per day, does not have an assistant to proofread all of the papers that are sent home, and that creates her own activities, was very disappointed when she read the note. She was also upset for making a mistake, since she tries really hard not to be careless. Her approach to the situation was remarkable, and something I would not have thought of as my first option. She addressed the situation by calling the parent right away. As she talked to the parent:
1.     Her tone of voice was really calm and relaxed.
2.    She greeted the parent nicely and said “I am calling you because I received your note”
3.    She thanked the parent for correcting her error.
4.    She let her know that when she makes a mistake in class she uses it as a teachable moment.
5.    At the end of the conversation, she told her that this was not going to be the last time she makes any mistakes.

What was the parent reaction?She said her daughter and her family appreciate everything that she does for her child. She said she was tired when she wrote the note because it was really late and they were doing homework.

When we make mistakes in class, we have to show our kids that we all make them. Let’s not go to the extreme of being careless or extremely anxious for making them, let’s learn from our mistakes and turn them into a teachable moment. Let's all learn that it is okay! Maybe that way, when our students become parents, they will approach the same situation differently.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Personal Space: Teaching Boundaries & Free Diagram

Special needs children may struggle to maintain personal space when talking to others or when they are upset. The student may stand too close to another person or even grab at them when they are talking. The student may take things that they want without asking. Also, physical aggression may be shown when a child does not know how to communicate his/her frustration or anger. Fortunately, special needs children can learn about and maintain personal space through books/discussions, fun exercises, and hands-on activities.

It is important to lead discussions about personal space. A teacher can do this by simply talking about different scenarios, by acting them out with assistants, or by reading a book. It's important to let students know that it can be scary when we invade each other's personal space. It can make it hard to make friends, and it can get them into trouble for breaking classroom rules.

After talking about personal space, it is important to follow-up with an exercise or activity. Diagrams are a nice way to show which physical boundaries are appropriate. It gives the student a concrete image of what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. Another fun activity is to have the student stand in an open area. Have them put their arms straight out and spin around in a circle. It gives them a feel for their own personal space.

I'd love to hear your ideas on this topic!!

Click here for your diagram freebie!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Super Saturday Sale!!!!

Hello there sweet friends!!!

One Saturday a month, us sweet girls from TLH, will have a super Saturday sale! This is our first sale of the year, speaking of new year's resolutions!!!