Scenario 1: Student is faced with a multi-step word math problem. Tries to rush through and gets the answer wrong. When the teacher begins to walk through the problem, she puts her head down and refuses eye contact. Where can we go from here? by Cheryl Drew

2024-03-07 16:44:28 UTC

As a school with struggling black students (our biggest achievement gap), we often already come into the classroom as teachers with mindset that these students are going to underachieve. The reality is that these students are just as capable as any other student. This is proof of the culturally responsive work that we need to continue to do collaboratively. Not only do we have to support the mindset shift of our students, but also ourselves, as eduators.

2024-03-11 15:26:42 UTC

In a situation like this, I would find a way to connect with the student. I may have to revisit it through a lunch and learn session or a small group of students who need a little extra help. I would find a way to connect with the student to make sure he or she understands and feels confident with this skill. There is a way to reach all students!

2024-03-11 19:34:39 UTC

Regarding the scenario, I think I would probably give the student some space in the moment and then return to it later when emotions are not so high. At this later time, I would have the student walk through his or her thinking about how they solved the problem and offer some coaching/suggestions/alternate strategies to help in the future. I think at Woodbrook, often the dominant narratives about black and brown children are manifested by seeing the same students struggling year after year. It is often the same kids in intervention each year and, over time, they get the message that they are not "good enough" at school, so engagement and effort decrease. Finding ways to help students envision their academic lives differently and work towards those goals with the help of tight, aligned, data driven instruction on the part of the classroom teacher and the interventionist might be the key to breaking the narrative some children have about themselves.

2024-03-11 19:44:05 UTC

In a scenario where a kid puts their head down when asked a problem, the first thing I am going to assume is that this is hard for them or they don't know how to do it, or they don't understand. Here is when I would pull the student over to talk with me one on one and help try to explain what I am looking for to them. I feel like too often teachers see this and immediately give up on those students, assuming they just don't want to try, but I feel like normally, the student is just looking for help in some way and don't know how to ask or is embarrassed to ask.

2024-03-11 21:47:48 UTC

Too often the answers are "right" or "wrong" in school. Students often bring familial expectations of achieving well and when they don't, they shut down. Because if there are only right or wrong answers, where do you go from there? This student may have no insight of how to proceed, especially if the answer were wrong. As teachers we can model for the student what this might look like or sound like. We could have anchor charts in the classrooms that even provide stems or prompts of what to stay, since the action is unfamiliar to the student. And above all, create a classroom climate that is safe - for being wrong or right with your answers.

2024-03-11 22:52:40 UTC

I believe that oftentimes, the curriculum rushes through our students by providing them with overly rigorous content that is not appropriate for many students. We rarely consider the readiness of each student and often try to fit all students in one measure. These repeated challenges often lead the students to negative self-talk. We could step back and work with specific strategies so students experience more successes than failures. It is hard to work with students who display the emotion presented here, but by the same token, it could be a good opportunity to offer this particular student a different approach. By simply stating that the student could revisit this assignment later, the teacher can help her gain confidence; the student is now empowered to learn the multi-step math problem at a pace that is better suited for her understanding.