You Earn a Gold Star!

Ever since I started working in Independent Studies, I have wanted to implement a spirit of competition for my students. Every student needs to be a little competitive. Competition is what keeps kids on their toes, motivated and goal-oriented.

One way I've wanted to do this is to have students see how they relate to their fellow peers when it comes to credit completion. Unfortunately, I was often told it wasn't a good idea to--essentially--keep a scoreboard. I was told students might end up feeling bad about themselves, they might have major medical or psychological issues that keep them from coming in and therefore keeps them from turning in credits. Lastly, I was told that I can't really have a lot of stuff on or around my desk.

But, I think times are a' changin' at my school because I've implemented a Credit Tracker scoreboard!

I've displayed it for all my students to see. I even got some gold stars for them to use! Here's how it works and how it has worked for my students so far:

• When a student completes a credit, I let them know their grade and then keep all gold stars visible. They put the gold star by their names themselves. 
• It doesn't have to be gold stars, it could be My Little Pony stickers, too.
• Students ask: "where's my gold star?" and have even set goals to beat other students' credits, too.

The Credit Tracker scoreboard

 What do you think? Would you want to try this with your students? 

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Why Reaffirming Goals Works!

So, here's the deal about those goal letters: I was kind of --maybe just maybe --was a goal voyeur. Yup, I peeked at their goal letters before I sealed them and now I know my students' goals. Now, I have the task of reminding them constantly.

Of course, I have to remind them in ways that are sneaky. So, every first week of the learning period, I casually write on their academic plan (a paper defining their monthly progress) goals they can achieve for the month or reminders and words of encouragement. 

We will see how it goes, but so far, students have taken as much liking to it as any student would: with a very meh attitude. Of course, this is on the outside, so maybe on this inside they're happy someone reminds and encourages them of their progress.

In the meantime, I'm thinking about establishing other progress activities. For example, I can make a very large board with my students' names. Each time they earn a credit, they can a put a gold star by their name. It may just instill the spirit of competition. They may also see they're not alone in the progress they're making. 

What do you think? Do you think reaffirming goals works? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Top 3 Reasons to Snack!

Snacks: sometimes they're so delicious, we can't stop. I know when I get my hands on some Trader Joe's Baconesque popcorn, I will eat the whole bag. Yes, some snacks have earned a bad rep for being unhealthy, full of calories or full of unnecessary fats. But, sometimes, you need them. Here's why:

1. Your students probably haven't had anything to eat today. Whether we want to believe it or not, sometimes our students haven't eaten by the time they see us. I know of a handful of students whose sole food source is our school. So, healthier snacks like: granola bars, lower-calorie crackers, etc., may be helpful for them.

2. If your student is crabby, it might be because they're hungry. I have lost count of the amount of students who are cranky and spout off an attitude purely because they're hungry. While some are polite enough to ask for a snack, some unfortunately are not. But, if there's ever a cranky kid in your midst, a snack might just deter their attitude.

3.  Snacks are like a gold star. If you spontaneously provide a snack, students feel like you care for their best interests. Of course, they'll never tell you. But, one of the things I strive for is to make school feel safe. This might just be the only safe place your students attend for the day. So, providing a snack is an extra special way to make them feel safe and cared about.

Can you think of any more reasons to snack? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Playing Nice

Earlier this year, I was challenged to inject a little joy in my classroom. As an Independent Studies teacher, I technically don't have a classroom. But, I do have a roster of students I supervise as they work towards graduation.

Most Independent Studies teachers don't have an actual classroom and that makes it difficult to build social-emotional learning and classroom bonding. After all, students are there to get their stuff done and go home.

However, there are a couple of things you can do if you want to build joy in your classroom. My favorite is called Say Something Nice. Here's how to play:

1. Create a list of at least ten questions increasing in intensity and thoughtfulness. For example, your first question can be: "what's your favorite food and why?" Your last question can be: "what is your end goal here at school?" or: "What is one thing you would want your teacher to know to help you succeed in school?"

2. Hand out flyers to your students and pick a time that is reasonable for them to all show up to school. Pump up your game and let them know it should be a lot of fun (see the link for a sample flyer and Say Something Nice instructions!).

3. On the day of your Say Something Nice game, have your students stand in two circles: one inner wheel and one outer wheel. Both wheels face each other and the outer wheel moves clockwise after every question. Remember that list of ten questions? Now, students have one minute to answer per question.

4. After the group has rotated around once, end the game and tell them to collect one sheet of paper with a safety pin already in it or some tape already attached. Instruct the students that they must try to find something nice to write on every person's paper. Yes, it may be hard, and yes, students may not know each other, but that's the point: being nice is about putting other peoples' feelings first, which is an amazing life skill for students to learn, while getting to know each other better (see the link for a sample of students saying something nice on my paper).

So, there you go, as an Independent Studies teacher, you can still instill joy in your classroom!

If you have any ideas on how to spread joy in your classroom and build the bonds between your students and yourself, share them in the comment section below! 

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Communication = Structure

Remember when you were younger and your parents enforced bed time? Or when you wanted to eat chocolate before dinner, they touted the ol' line: "You'll ruin your appetite." As a kid, it was pretty annoying, but today there's a lot of value in these boundaries:

They created structure.

Everyone needs structure. It could be small things, like setting your own bed time or big things, like enforcing willpower. But, you need it, and most likely you structure your life without even knowing it.

Your students also need structure.

In the Independent Studies environment, sometimes students are allowed to attend on their own time, sometimes just once a week. It's not like the traditional classroom environment where your students must show up daily promptly at 8:00 am.

Therefore, it's up to you to set up that structure for them. The key to this is communication.

• If you have the resources, provide your students with a planner. It could also be as simple as a monthly paper calendar that they must carry with them in their binder.
• Set up an email distribution list where they can receive weekly news blasts.
• If they claim not to have an email, make them set one up. Most students have a smartphone and have access to their email. It's a life-skill to know how to check your email.

• Call your students if you will be on vacation or if there are planned changes to your schedule. 

If you set up structure, your students will be more likely to come in an even feel like they belong.

What can you do to increase communication to your class?

More Ideas for New Student Intake

If you're looking for extra ways to get to know your brand new students, consider getting interactive!

• Show them an "About Me" Powerpoint presentation slide and have them make one of their own! 
• Have them discuss their "About Me" slide to you and during their speech, you can listen for their reading comprehension skills, background knowledge or any speech issues.
• They could even do a Piktochart
• Or a short movie
• Or an essay.

In all these interactive methods, you can further get to know their educational background and understanding, which will help you further personalize their education.

Check out this sample Interactive "About Me" slide and have students create one too!

What interactive method would you use?

Welcome Your New Students with a Welcome Letter!

In my teacher prep classes, there was one phrase that always stuck out to me:

Students perform for who they love.

If they love themselves, they will perform their best. If students love their parents, they will try to impress them. If they love their friends, teachers, tutors, pastors, etc., they will try to perform their best for those people.

Students crave performing their best for someone. It gives them purpose. So, what happens when a student doesn't love anyone? Not even themselves? That's the attitude you want to nip in the bud from the very beginning. Give your your students the structured environment that allows them to express themselves and get to know you while you get to know them. 

Provide them with a welcome letter on their very first day. This letter will set the tone for the rest of their time in independent studies. You can also provide pertinent information like:

• contact information
• a little bit about yourself and your life
• school rules
• their appointment time and hours.

See the attached link for a sample welcome letter!

What else can you add to your welcome letter?

Calling all Independent Studies Teachers!

Welcome!

I've been an Independent Studies teacher for over two years now. In all this time, I have found a wealth of information for traditional high school teachers, but not a lot for Independent Studies teachers.

The thing is that Independent Studies teachers and their students already have the odds stacked up against them. Most likely, your students couldn't make it in a traditional high school setting. They were on the verge of dropping out for reasons that feel out of their control. When they sign up with you as a new student, their self-confidence is most likely already broken. They may feel like failures before they even meet you.

Consider this blog your resource bank, a place where you can get ideas to run your classroom successfully; a place where you can get the tools to lead your students to success. They need you and you need them.

Thank you for tuning in and enjoy!

Ms. Ling.