Sunday 10 June 2018

Class lists - Reframing 'that' child

As the school year winds down, the discussions in the staff room begin in earnest about who has what teaching assignment next year and what students are on which class list.  And, unfortunately, you may sometimes hear talk about who is going to have 'that child' in their class.  The child with the challenging behaviours; the child who hits, or kicks or misses so much school that their learning is fragmented at best. Aviva Dunsiger wrote a blog in September 2017 that you may wish to share that asks us to reframe 'that child.'

Aviva says: This student is doing the very best job that he/she can. This student — like all students — deserves a positive space in the classroom. At one time or another, any child can be “that child”, and every child needs to know that he or she has the additional love and support to make it through a challenging time. 

 A former principal said of Aviva's blog, This is one of my favorites. I have shared this with former colleagues in the past. “That child” was the reason I took the Foundations course in the first place. I knew there was something I was missing; something he needed that I wasn’t giving him. This would make an awesome staff meeting discussion starter.

Years ago, I went to visit a very experienced kindergarten teacher and she had a student with some really challenging behaviours in her class.  As I watched him, she said to me, "He's making me a better teacher." She was reframing his behaviour which made it a positive experience not only for the student but for her as well.

As you and your colleagues consider your class lists for next year, think about how you might reframe 'that child.'







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4 comments:

  1. Unknown10 June 2018 at 06:32

    Oh my gosh, yes, Lisa, yes!!! It is because of "that child" that I often struggled with going into the staffroom in June, when talks about next year were so prevalent. How do we help people see the benefits of teaching that child (for that child, for the other children, and for the teacher)? That said, how do we also create the program and receive enough support to make the classroom space a positive one for all of our children? For you see, I'd like nothing more than to fill our classroom with every one of those children. I know that my teaching partner feels the same. But then comes the reality of programming for everyone, and creating a supportive environment for each child. How do we do it all?! So many good things to think about on this Sunday morning ...

    Aviva

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    1. Lisa Cranston, EdD10 June 2018 at 11:28

      Thanks for your response Aviva. I know it's so hard to meet the needs of all the students in our classrooms - those who present with special needs and those quiet students who may have needs that are immediately obvious. As dedicated educators, we want to support every single child in our classroom, and often end up supporting the families as well. I'm not sure we ever reach our goal, but continuing to strive is a worth endeavour.

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  2. Lisa Corbett10 June 2018 at 12:11

    Such good points! I always ALWAYS try to answer the "What is so and so really like?" question with a list of positive traits. Likely the teacher for the coming year has heard of this child by reputation only, or has dealt with them during recess ( a difficult time for many!) So I try to highlight the good stuff and turn their perception around. There is always something positive to say!

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  3. Unknown15 June 2018 at 04:11

    I always ask for that child. They end up being longtime favorites.

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