Tharptown Elementary School
August 26 - August 30
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 recently read, 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. In turn, this support helps students 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. 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 day. 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!
Spending One-on-One Time With Students
I love going in classrooms! It is such a joy to watch learning taking place. It is a pleasure watching students and teachers interact and work together. Last week I walked into Mrs. West's classroom as she was working with individual students. What a powerful practice and a great opportunity to develop stronger relationships with her students! So how important is one-on-one time with students?
When teachers spend one-on-one time with students, it helps teachers see their students as individuals and feel more connected. As teachers spend individual time with their students, they can pinpoint specific areas where students need help and can work more effectively to meet their needs. Teachers can also provide additional support, practice, and coach students on their work habits or simply talk with them on a variety of issues that are related to academics or their social-emotional needs. Spending individual time with students helps build trusting relationships, confidence, and shows the student that you care about them.
With all that being said, spending one-on-one time with students is not an easy thing to do with all the demands that you face each day. However, as you approach each day, seek out segments of time that you could spend with individual students, even if it is only for a few minutes or a just a quick conversation. It's okay to start small and work towards carving out more time for each student. See how something that seems so small can have such a huge impact!
Reading Aloud to Students
"In 1983, the Department of Education funded the Commission on Reading, a national reading research study. The commission’s report, Becoming a Nation of Readers, claimed that the “the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.” Reading aloud to children throughout their childhood may lead to more frequent reading and longer lasting reading habits. Adults who read aloud to children can model metacognition so that children understand that reading is thinking. Teaching reading comprehension through "read alouds" helps children grow as readers."
Taken from: https://academicpartnerships.uta.edu/articles/education/why-reading-out-loud-to-students-is-beneficial.aspx
Bus Evacuation Drill
Lockdown Drill
Fall Fundraiser
Air Evac Life Team
Just a Reminder....
Upcoming Events This Week
- Performance Series Express - Mrs. Vincent - 8:00 - 2:30 - Reading - Library Cart, Mrs. Elgin - 11:30 - 1:30 - Math - CL or Tracks Cart, Mrs. Elliot - 11:30 - 1:30 - Reading Foundations - Building Cart
Tuesday, August 27
- Bus Evacuation Drill
- Performance Series Express - Mrs. West - 8:00 - 2:30 - Science - Library Cart, Mrs. Petree - 11:30 - 1:30 - Math - CL or Tracks Cart, Mrs. Ward - 11:30 - 1:30 - Reading Foundations - Building Cart
- Lockdown Drill - 9:00 a.m.
- Fall Festival Committee Meeting - Mrs. Harris' classroom - Immediately after school.
Wednesday, August 28
- Performance Series Express -Mrs. Beason - 8:00 - 2:30 - Math - Library Cart/Classroom Chromebooks, Mrs. Campbell - 11:30 - 1:30 - Math - CL or Tracks Cart, Mrs. Garrison - 11:30 - 1:30 - Reading Foundations - Building Cart
- Fall Fundraiser Begins!
Thursday, August 29
- Performance Series Express Makeup Assessments
Friday, August 30
- Payday!
- Data Meetings - You will be receiving an email concerning our first data meeting.