Something from Saldivar
Week of Dec. 7, 2015 - Dec. 11, 2015
Are you "In-tune" with your students?
When things don’t seem to be going according your plans, sometimes what you need most is a push in the right direction from someone who cares about you. Our students are no different. They need us to be available to guide them in the right direction. It can be during important times in our student’s lives when we intervene that makes all the difference in terms of them moving in the right direction. Roberta Espinoza (2012) stated, “A pivotal moment occurs when a college-educated adult often a teacher, counselor, academic outreach professional, or professor makes a concerted effort to support and mentor a disadvantaged student, whether in an informal or formal way and sometimes both.”
Teachers who purposefully intervene to initiate pivotal moments as a practice create a transformative culture in their classrooms. Creating pivotal moments can be accomplished by educators who take key steps. The first step would be to gain an understanding of the social and economic obstacles that some of their students face. Second, educators should be aware of the crucial role they play in the life of their students. Third, educators should be well versed in the academic knowledge and skills of low-income and minority students. The chart below contains the three main components identified by Espinoza that can be used to create pivotal moments.
How to Create Pivotal Moments Roberta Espinoza, 2012
Build Trust
• Know your students and their backgrounds
• Provide a safe space for students to express their opinions and concerns.
• Show sympathy and care toward students’ dilemmas and struggles.
Mentor and Advocate
• Provide students with emotional and moral support.
• Hold students to high standards of academic excellence and raise aspirations for college.
• Model behaviors for productive participation in a school community.
• Develop relationships with important and influential school leaders to advocate for students.
Share Academic Knowledge and Skills
• Advise and guide students in making a concrete plan to prepare for college.
• Show students how to use academic and instructional resources.
• Help students become independent self-advocates who know how to seek help when they need it.
• Coach students on social networking and communicating with adults.
• Teach students how to navigate school processes, such as filling out college applications.
• Promote and guide effective problem solving and decision making.
The Ron Clark Experience!
Things to remember...
Please have the following ready for data meetings this week:
- Update all student data profile sheets in your data binder
- Bring a hard copy for Mrs. Saldivar of all Beginning of the Month Screener reports
- There will be no I-time next week. I-team will be assisting in providing small group for semester assessments.
- Please ensure that if you are absent, adequate sub plans are left and you are communicating with your team of your absence.
- Classroom restroom breaks for only for 3rd-5th. Students will not be allowed to go to the restroom during lunch.