Friday Feedback - Power of Hope
January 22, 2021
"Reaching the Wounded Student" - Joe Hendershott
One of the most challenging aspects of working with students who have experienced trauma is discipline and classroom management especially when they have emotional outbursts; it takes a lot of patience and listening (two skills I am not great at) during those moments to let them know first and foremost we care about them. One of my former colleague counselors Dave Wendt, a huge advocate and champion of serving those in need in SE Iowa, was spot on when he would say something to the effect - "many of our students live their daily lives well below the federal and state poverty line, and some have been exposed to absolutely awful things, yet we expect them to understand and abide by our middle class public education expectations and rules = they do not live their lives by these same set of rules that we have here at school so we have to teach them these rules and let them know we care".
In closing, when consequences are handed out to students one of the strategies I found most beneficial as a teacher was requiring a 1 on 1 meeting with me to gain access back in to class if they were removed; it gave me an opportunity to just listen to their needs and ask a lot of questions so I could better understand their life and what may have led up to the issue. This allowed me to reteach the expectations but more importantly it gave me a chance to ask important questions about their lives and circumstances so that I could gain some insight into their lives and build a positive relationship built on trust; it gave me a chance to tell them I care.
Many of our kids have already experienced more in their young lives than we have in ours; trust is hard to gain from these students because of the damage that has been done to their young brains from trauma they have experienced, but once you capture their heart they will succeed beyond our wildest expectations and their learning gaps will close quickly.
Thanks for taking time to really get to know our kids and Capture their Hearts, holding them accountable for high levels of learning once you have their heart, and building lasting relationships with them = once a solid trusting relationship is established they won't want to let you down and misbehave. Once that happens, the sky is the limit for them.
One supportive relationship nearly doubles the likelihood of success
Be their engine of hope...
We have GREAT STUDENTS
A quick story on why it's important to ask kids "Are you All Right"?
What's Coming Up?
Monday 1/25 - 2 Hour Delay; MS Boys Bball @ Pella
Tuesday 1/26 - MS Boys Bball @ Pekin
Thursday 1/28 - MS Boys Bball vs. EBF
Monday 2/1 - PD Day
"Reaching the Wounded Student" - Joe Hendershott
You work with kids every day. And for you, it's not just a job. You signed up for this because you wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people; to positively influence them like a couple of special people influenced you.
But there's a problem.
So many kids are beyond "at-risk" -- they are wounded. There has been trauma in their lives, sometimes unending trauma. Their wounds often lead them to struggles at school and in society. You desperately want to help these wounded youth....To give them as many chances as possible to succeed while still meeting the needs of the other children in your charge. - Joe Hendershott,