Since I teach EL students, I am used to checking on their grades and asking them about work in other classes that they have not completed--basically checking on them--to see if they need help with their English. I have a case management class period, and this gives me time to do this. Many times, when I check with colleagues about students who haven't completed their work,the colleagues feel that this is too much handholding to check if all students have projects turned in. I understand that many teachers feel overburdened with large classes, and they feel they don't have time to be checking. It is part of my job to check on the students' successes and check with them if they need help. I do get different responses from the students--some don't care, some don't know how to do the assignment and need help but don't know how to ask for it. In fact, many of the "I don't care" students will start to care when they realize they may have to repeat a course that they fail. And they also start to care when they see the steps they need to take to get help.
I am curious about what people feel about this topic. Do many of you feel that students should be reminded--or that students should be left on their own--or do you do something somewhere in the middle? I know it depends on the age of the student, but I have worked with older students that needed to have reminders as well.
I think that it is important to check in with students occasionally, but with older students there has to be a point where they need to take responsibility. I feel this way even with first graders. The first couple months of school I give reminders every day about certain routines, like making sure they get their mail that has their homework, turning in homework in the morning, getting their lunch in our lunch basket, etc. etc. Once students have most of those routines down I give very few reminders and expect them to do it on their own. Some things have their own logical consequences if they don't end up doing it, so that alone is enough to keep them following it. When it comes to homework and getting work done I can see how students don't see the initial consequence of not doing it, until it comes to the point that they fail and have to repeat a class. I guess in a nutshell I think as teachers we should check in with students on those things from time to time, but on a daily basis I think would be too much. A gradual release of responsibility model works well with this too. Once they leave high school they are on their own and we need to teach them how to be responsible with these things. They won't have college professors checking in with them daily, especially if they go to a big school.
ReplyDeleteI think there has to be a balance. I check in with students, especially if I know they are missing work, however the hard part is finding time to get those students to accomplish the work if they haven't done it. I think in middle school it is acceptable to check in with kids, but we should also be helping them learn to do that on their own. For example, if we could teach students who don't understand an assignment how to approach the teacher before the assignment was due, that would be a positive improvement and that way they could figure out a plan before hand, instead of not doing anything until it shows up missing. I will do what I can to help students be successful, but the students also need to do their part in order to make it work. If they need help and guidance for a while that is fine, as long as the students know it is still their responsibility.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is something essential to do in 6th grade for struggling students. They should feel the success and pride that comes from hard work and getting credit for it. If they don't feel their hard work is going to be rewarded, or if they never taste success, they really don't know what they're missing. As they get used to the secondary setting, they will need to be weened off the "hand-holding" but right now, especially with ELL, I think they could use the additional support considering many of them lack support at home.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the comments! I like Alison's point about it being a gradual release of responsibility for younger students. I also like Laura and Eric's comments about the fact that middle school is a transition, and there are students who could benefit from a additional support that we can provide. As Eric pointed out, many ELL students can use the additional support--as well as other students who are struggling in general. I am also sensing a difference between 6th grade teachers ( who are more apt to be more elementary-like in their approach to students) and 7th grade (who are more like secondary teachers in their approach). I understand the need to hold students accountable, but if students are still not succeeding, it feels a bit like a stalemate between the teacher and the student, rather than the teacher finding a way to help the student.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your thoughtful feedback.
I agree, there is a fine line with over-helping and not letting the student be accountable. I know I tend to lean towards over-checking in with students and providing additional support, however, I think that if a student is left to be "accountable" for their actions (or in-actions) and are NEVER successful, the consequences are a lot worse (drop-out, failures) than getting their hand-held too long. For many of the students, they will "figure" things out in time to enter the real-world, even if they need a bit longer "hand-holding" time.
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