Responses to recent emails

Hello everyone,

There have been a variety of comments on some of the most recent emails. I thought it would be instructive to include excerpts with commentary. My words are in CAPS.

IN RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL ON STUDENTS OUT OF CLASS DURING 6TH PERIOD:
When I was doing campus security for a few weeks I found the biggest problems were intersession students on campus early and PE students who were on teams that weren't meeting.

IN MY ORIGINAL, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE INTERSESSION STUDENTS. INTERSESSION IS A MOSTLY WONDERFUL, BUT MIXED BLESSING. THE WORST PART OF IT IS THE PROBLEM OF INTERSESSION STUDENTS OUT OF CLASS. I WELCOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.

ANOTHER RESPONSE:
I give 20 daily points; 10 for being on time and 10 for 10 minutes of silent reading. On-time attendance has improved.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND A PARTICIPATION GRADE IS A GOOD WAY OF CREATING ACCOUNTABILITY. DAILY POINTS ARE A CARROT FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THEY'RE RELATIVELY EASY TO EARN AND THEY CAN AFFECT THE OTHER GRADES. THEY ARE A GOOD STICK FOR CORRECTING BAD BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THEY'RE EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND IMMEDIATE ("YOU LOST 10 POINTS FOR BEING LATE.")

THE EXCERPT BELOW IS IN RESPONSE TO ONE OF MY EMAILS ABOUT SELF-ESTEEM:
A few days ago I told an emotionally disturbed student she was great. Smirk and disbelief (utter something to that fact) were her responses.

PERSONALLY, WHEN I WORK WITH STUDENTS WHO REACT THIS WAY, MY FAVORED APPROACH IS TO BE VERY HONEST AND VERY SPECIFIC: "YOU HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH UNDERSTANDING THIS CONCEPT [OR 'WORKING THIS SORT OF PROBLEM'] IN THE PAST, BUT TODAY YOU SHOWED IMPROVEMENT IN THIS SPECIFIC WAY. [DESCRIBE THE MANNER OF IMPROVEMENT.] I THINK THAT THE IMPROVEMENT YOU SHOWED WAS HARD FOR YOU, SO I CONSIDER YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT TO BE GREAT." IT'S DIFFICULT TO SMIRK AT AND DISBELIEVE PROVABLE FACTS.

THE FOLLOWING THREE EXCERPTS WERE IN RESPONSE TO MY DAILY EMAIL ABOUT NOT ENDORSING BAD THINGS:

1. I would caution the blanket statement of you can take away cell phones. Once we take them away we are responsible for them. I’ve been involved in a couple angry parent conferences [about] a ... lost a cell phone or ipod. If they have to be taken, give them to a person of authority (dean/AP) and tell the student to pick them up from them. According to [the District] students can posses cell phones but they must remain off. In my opinion we should take the stance that we will not tolerate use of these devices in the classroom and any infraction will result in confiscation. If the student refuses then it becomes an act of defiance and then it is a disciplinary issue not a cell phone issue.

We live in a world where Ipods/cell phones are as common as opeechee folders. We as educators must learn to adapt because they are not a fad like finger boards or Magic Cards.

POINT TAKEN.

2. I hate getting into a pissing contest over cell phones/MP3s etc. Frankly, it just doesn't seem worth it. After a verbal altercation my first year at GHS over asking a student to surrender a cell phone, I decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

I CONFESS THAT IT'S NEVER EASY. IF IT LOOKS LIKE AN ALTERCATION, IT MAY REQUIRE TURNING THE CHILD, NOT THE CELL PHONE, OVER TO THE DEANS. YOU MIGHT LOSE THE IMMEDIATE BATTLE OVER THE INDIVIDUAL CELL PHONE BUT WIN THE LARGER WAR OVER CELL PHONE USE IN YOUR CLASS.

3. The biggest point you make is when you suggest that upholding these rules uniformly in the classroom gives the students a perception of the school as a whole.

CORRECT.

JEFF COMBE