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September 2007

PREPARING FOR THE UNEXPECTED, PART II

Change comes in many forms. Throughout the school year, a class could experience gaining or losing students mid-year, unexpected classroom interruptions and more. Preparation mixed with creativity and flexibility is the recipe for readiness.

Surprises can be fun, but not always when they come in the middle of the school day or year. We can’t possibly cover every unexpected event you might encounter, but we’ve listed quite a few that should give you some food for thought.

NEW STUDENTS

Transferring after school has started can be very frightening, regardless of the student’s age. Depending how transient your school is, it can also be an adjustment for your students. Prepare your students (and yourself) ahead of time as much as you are able:

Meet with parents. Give them a tour of the school and your room. Take the opportunity to find out more about their child; give them the opportunity to ask questions. If appropriate, invite the student, as well. If the parents have another child in the same school, make arrangements with that child’s teacher to have a joint meeting.

Have students meet with counselors. This gives students an opportunity to discuss their feelings about moving to a new school, how it differs from their previous school and what they like and dislike about it.

Obtain records. Get the student’s previous academic record to ascertain their learning level; make no assumptions. If after a while you feel they are on a different learning level than you expected, talk with your superiors to find a solution.

Have extra. Before school starts, create student FOLDERS. Include schedule, school maps, phone numbers, class rules, etc. Make more than you need so you are prepared for new students who may come later. If you have any systems requiring students’ names ( LIBRARY CHECK-OUT CARDS, center rotations, computer time assignments, etc.), make or have extra on hand so you can easily add a new student. Have more desks in your class than your enrollment.

Be prepared. Add the new student to your class list, assign them a seat, create a nametag and assign a locker or storage area. If the student is an ELL, have the language resources you need to help them.

Inform your students. Tell your students a little bit about the new student before he/she comes to class. Feature the new student in our STUDENT-OF-THE-WEEK CHART. This will give the class information and will happily surprise the new student at the same time.

Create a buddy system. Assign each new student to a peer helper. Peer helpers can give school tours, explain school procedures (lunch, recess, library, etc.) answer questions, make introductions and provide general support when needed. Peer helpers are assigned at the beginning of the year, so make sure you have “understudies” ready so none of your helpers has more than one buddy.

Role play. Have students practice making introductions, shaking hands, etc. Explain what “small talk” is and give examples of how to find out about the other person. This is great practice for students when they meet anyone new. It’s also a good time for a lesson in tolerance! Our CHARACTER EDUCATION READERS teach friendship, cooperation, sharing and other vital character traits necessary for dealing with others.

Have students wear name tags for a week. Desk name plates are also a good option. Our HANDY HOLDERS are designed just for that!

Cut them slack. Don’t expect new students to complete all the homework assignments right away. Make sure they are up to speed before giving them this responsibility.

Monitor learning methods. Sometimes new students will use a different approach to achieve the same results. Don’t discourage students from using this method. Instead, meet with them to make sure you understand their thought process, then help them translate it into the process you would like them to use.

Monitor relationships. If new students do not seem to be making friends or participating in activities, encourage their peer helper to include them more, or assign a new buddy more suited to their personality. Recommend school activities for them to get involved in. Talk to the parents to find out their interests if you need to.

LOSING STUDENTS

It is inevitable that students will leave your class. Sometimes you will have advance notice; sometimes not. Either way, it will affect both the student leaving and his/her friends. There are steps you can take to lessen the impact:

Create a going-away gift. This could be a scrapbook of class activities, a T-shirt, poster or card that everyone has signed, an address book, etc.

Write letters. Send them very soon after the student moves. This gives the class practice in letter writing and gives the new student something familiar to help them adjust. This is especially helpful if you had no time for a going-away gift.

Research. Ask the departing student (and the class depending on the circumstances) to research his/her new town, school and/or country.

Have a class discussion on moving. Find out what it means to your students to relocate. Brainstorm on ways moving can be made easier.

Calm fears. If your student seems extremely anxious about moving, talk with the parents and encourage the student to talk to the school counselor. Have another student who has moved into the area talk to his/her classmate and explain what it felt like for them. Focus on the excitement and possibilities of going somewhere new.

Say goodbye. If a student has to leave unexpectedly, try to give him/her time to say goodbye. If the student’s friends are in multiple locations throughout the school, allow him/her to go to the class (or the friend(s) to leave the class) to say goodbye.

MAJOR LIFE, CLASS OR SCHOOL-WIDE EVENTS

An unexpected change in a student’s personal life might affect a sudden change in their behavior. Recognize the signs (apathy, aggression, illness, etc.). Talk with the student, as well as his/her parents and refer them to the school counselor if necessary.

For unexpected school- or nationwide events that affect the whole class, don’t be afraid to discuss it. Invite questions. Give students activities to express their feelings such as plays, puppet shows (with a little help from our PUPPET THEATER), drawing, painting or writing a poem. (Our YOUNG AUTHORS’ BLANK BOOKS are perfect.) Determine if showing news coverage and/or creating an assignment would be appropriate.

CLASS DISRUPTIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS

They come with the territory. However, sometimes even experienced teachers can be taken by surprise by the unexpected:

Unexpected questions. With younger students especially, you never know what they are going to ask. Take every question seriously and answer as honestly and as objectively as you can. If you feel the subject is too sensitive to offer help, refer the student to his/her parents or to the school counselor.

Missing lunches. Keep extra change or healthy but filling snacks like fruit, crackers, peanut butter, etc. on hand for students who forget their lunch. If a student makes a habit of forgetting, have a gentle discussion with the parents or make arrangements to help them.

Noise disruptions. Outside distractions such as school construction; lightning; a traffic accident or other alarm-sounding incident, or inside distractions like a coughing student; malfunctioning PA system or a clanking radiator might cause unexpected attention-shifting. If closing your windows or blinds doesn’t help and you can’t take your students elsewhere, try using a portable PA SYSTEM to talk above the noise, or simply shift the schedule. Having students work in centers or do something fun can help them focus.

Dress-code violations. Even if consequences are in place, too-skimpy clothes and other dress-code violations might take you by surprise. Keep extra (clean) clothes on hand. It might be embarrassing for the student, but it might also deter them from repeating their offense.

Accidents. You name it, and some teacher has had it happen: soiled clothing, gum in hair, vomiting, erasers up noses, tripping over objects, nosebleeds, playground injuries and the like. Don’t take valuable classroom time to address these issues. Enlist the help of your aide or responsible student to take the student to the bathroom or nurse. If that is impossible, involve the rest of the class in an attention-diverting activity while you deal with the issue.

Surprise guests, uninvited pets or unplanned snacks. Include in your class rules comprehensive instructions for bringing in pets, snacks or visiting the class. If a parent or student breaks these rules, do your best to be gracious and accommodate. Send the pet back home if you can, but make time for snacks. If a parent or other guest arrives without permission, ask them to visit the school office before returning to your class.

HOT TIP: It’s school-picture time! Keep a few personal-care items on hand (combs, hair clips, etc.), as well as maybe a shirt or two for students who may have forgotten the important day or those who may have become rumpled during recess or gym.

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