Does anyone have any suggestions to help motivate these students and get them to stop talking and participate? My co-operating teacher sometimes sends them to A-212 which is the discipline room. There they are given a slap on the wrist and then sent back to history class. HELP!!!!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Debbie and Lauren share a concern
I am doing my student teaching in a school where there is obvious socio-economic diversity. I am teaching three US History II CP classes and two US History II classes. There is a special education teacher in the room for the two US History II classes. The two US History II classes (Period 1 and 5) have over ten students who have IEPs. Many times, especially in my fifth period class, the students have no desire to participate in any of the lessons. They seem to not want to be there. For some of the students this is the second time taking this class and they are there because they need it to graduate. Some the students are turning 18 and have no intention ies that I have prepared. If I ask them to do any work they usually just say no. The special education teacher can sometimes get them to do work, but not always.
Does anyone have any suggestions to help motivate these students and get them to stop talking and participate? My co-operating teacher sometimes sends them to A-212 which is the discipline room. There they are given a slap on the wrist and then sent back to history class. HELP!!!!
Does anyone have any suggestions to help motivate these students and get them to stop talking and participate? My co-operating teacher sometimes sends them to A-212 which is the discipline room. There they are given a slap on the wrist and then sent back to history class. HELP!!!!
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I would talk to the Special Education teacher about their IEPs and how to modify the lesson. I have some students with IEPs who will shut down if they do not understand a lesson and I have to find a different method of giving them the information. Usually, I will pair them up with an advanced student for activities as most of the activities are done in partners or groups. This helps guide them through the lesson. Another thing I usually do with these students is find their interests and try to relate the material to whatever interests them. For example, when I had students do a family tree project, I suggested to a child with an IEP that he makes up a fictional family tree incorporating his favorite band (The Beatles) and he was able to learn the same information and I was able to get him to participate. However, I've had a student who is 15 (I'm at a Middle School) due to failing and will not participate in any class. He has already stated that once he turns 16 he has no intention of staying in school. The administration has had extreme difficulty trying to get him to participate because he lacks motivation.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a really tough issue. How do you motivate someone who has no desire to learn?? I guess the best idea is to find something that they really care about and somehow work that into your lesson. If you have low SES students, maybe you need to focus on people who worked for social justice in our country and get the students involved in whether or not things have changed because of that person's work. (It's just an idea. I'm a math teacher, so history is not my strong suit. :) )
ReplyDeleteI think we all struggle with the issue of motivation in some way. Fridays are the hardest with my classes - especially the afternoon classes - because the students are not in the mood for math and their minds have moved on to the weekend. So, I try to offer them an incentive/motivator of time at the end of class to get the homework assignment done IF they participate and we can get through the entire lesson at a good pace. It helps that they are young - 7th grade - but I think this might work for you with the high school kids, too. You might also need to have a very straightforward talk with your difficult classes about the reality of how they need to pass this class to graduate. Just put it all out there. Tell them what your expectations are and that if they CHOOSE to comply they will pass. If they CHOOSE not to comply they will not be successful and may not graduate.
I was actually wishing today during one of my classes that we could factor "good behavior" into the grades, like they do in elementary school, because I have a few boys who really need to have their grades lowered because they can't control themselves and behave appropriately. It's really frustrating!
I have many of the same issues that you have. The only advantage I have is that my students are middle schoolers so it does not take as much motivation to get them into their work. Seeing as these students are taking the class to graduate, I think it is imperative that you and the special education teacher make it very clear that participating and completing classwork is essential in the passing of the course. Many times my students do not do the work because they do not see the point or they do not understand. I base my tests on homework and everyday class work which has made them grow to realize doing classwork is the key to a good test grade and a passing score. Also, I would try your best to give your students choices with certain things, you may come to find which students prefer certain types of learning. Engagement is key. Like Cyndy said, it is highly stressful!
ReplyDeleteAlthough my current experience as a student teacher doesn't reflect these types of students I have taught them in other situations and my best advice is to find a point of interest for one or more of these students. They are frustrated to be in the course again, ready to get out of school (18 yr olds) or just not interested because they probably don't see the point...I always found that if I could redirect it to focus on the student interest in a sneaky way because unfortunately you gotta manipulate them to turn things around in a positive direction. Find a topic that will draw their attention tailor the lesson to the personalities of such students (no power points, writing assignments) rather focus on allowing them to physically move around the classroom, learning stations to investigate the information either on laptops, books or in the library...Perhaps have them create a group project that can be presented after completion inviting other classes in to see their work. Peer involvement is a great motivator, peer to peer work (maybe someone of a higher level teaching from another class if they can be spared on an occasional basis). The cooperating teacher may not have had their attention in the first place which extended into your experience with them...Also is there a teacher they do respond to? If so ask that teacher what their experience is or what they are doing differently regardless of the subject matter, students when relating to themselves find more interest in any subject...What if they made a digital story of the topics and presented it with music to an audience? I got tons of ideas...I've worked with students who were very rough, and it seemed like a correctional facility so I had to be very inventive but I eventually got them. It took time, but they needed to know I cared before they trusted me and showed interest.
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