RMS Weekly Event Calendar
September 24 - September 28
What's going on at RMS?
Welcoming Students With a Smile!
As educators, we spend a great deal of time trying to find ways to improve student academic achievement. We research strategies, methods, and programs attempting to locate a solution that will improve learning for our students. But what if there was something very simple, costs nothing, and was right at our fingertips that could help us improve student academic achievement. What if it was something as simple as a smile!
In an article I read last week, it stated that research shows greeting students at the classroom door will set a positive tone, which can increase student engagement and actually reduce disruptive behavior. When students are welcomed at the door by their teacher, it promotes a sense of belonging and provides them with the social and emotional support they need which helps them feel invested in their learning.
In a recent study, when teachers began their class by welcoming students at the door, academic engagement increased by 20 percentage points while disruptive behavior decreased by 9 percentage points. The author stated, as most teachers already know, it is just as important to meet the emotional needs of the student as it is to meet their academic needs.
Why do positive greetings work? Positive greetings help teachers establish a positive classroom climate where students feel a sense of connection and belonging. Since research connects student achievement motivation to their feeling of social belonging; therefore, when students feel more welcome in the classroom, they are more willing to put their effort and energy into learning.
In addition to the positive classroom greetings, the author encourages teachers to use "precorrective statements". Precorrective statements are positive statements that remind students of correct behavior or any other positive message that encourages them to improve. Precorrective statements work to stop disruptive behavior before it actually begins and helps teachers create a proactive classroom environment rather than a reactive classroom, which addresses misbehavior after the fact.
So how should we greet students at the door:
- Say the student's name
- Make eye contact and smile
- Use a friendly, nonverbal greeting such as a handshake, high five, or thumbs-up
- Provide the student with a few words of encouragement
- Ask how their day is going
An additional benefit of a welcoming classroom is that it can also improve the teacher's mental health! A classroom where misbehavior is reduced and student engagement is increased leads to less stress for the teacher and provides benefits to both teacher and student!
I encourage all of you to greet your students by name at the door each period. Provide a smile or say something positive. Give the student a high five or a hand shake. See how it works for you in your classroom!
Monday, September 24
- SADD Sign-Up - 8th Grade - Cafeteria - Students will sign up during mentoring time.
- RMS Volleyball vs. Florence - Away - 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 25
- School Picture Day - Pictures will be taken during students' PE classes.
- SADD Sign-Up - 7th Grade - Cafeteria - Students will sign up during mentoring time.
- RMS Football vs. Haleyville - Away - 7th grade @ 5:00 p.m. and 8th grade @ 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 26
- Student Support Team Meetings - Office Conference Room - Core curriculum teachers (math, science, English, social studies) will meet.
- SADD Sign-Up - 6th Grade - Cafeteria - Students will signup during mentoring time.
- RtI Meeting - Office Conference Room - Immediately after school
- REA Meeting - Media Center - 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 27
- RMS Volleyball vs. Moulton - Home - 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.
- RCS Cross Country - Warriors Invitational - Boys @ 5:15 p.m. & Girls @ 5:45 p.m.
Friday, September 28
- RHS Football vs. Haleyville - Away - 7:00 p.m.
Weekend Activities
- RCS Cross Country - Cold Springs Kudzu Hills - Bremen, AL - September 29th - Girls @ 9:15 a.m. & Boys @ 9:45 a.m.
- RMS Volleyball Tournament -September 29th - Home - TBD