Just Plain Bill

Observations by a Substitute Teacher IV

Last fall, I substituted in an Alt School, a private school that focuses on “alternative” teaching/learning methods. As I helped team-teach there, I found their slogan – Technology and knowledge are transforming society at an accelerating rate. It’s time to accelerate our thinking about learning – to be lacking in some of the basic understandings of the behavioral and developmental needs of very young children.

You may wonder how I can speak negatively about an innovative program, especially one baked by some prominent leaders in the field of technology. My opinions come from many decades of practical experience in educational leadership and advanced education.

The first clue that this slogan may not be in the best interests of students as young as four-years of age is a young child’s need for physical movement to help facilitate learning, especially first thing in the morning. There are several studies that focus on the link between movement and brain development. Real Mom Nutrition reports on the necessity of Brain Breaks, and Wikipedia provides a comprehensive overview of all the ways that physical exercise can enhance learning.

The following paragraph presents an uncompromising reality: Ideally students should be getting physical activity before they try to learn new material… However, if it is not possible for students to have physical activity before class, there are many ways to get students out of their seats and moving during a class period. Students can get out of their seats to turn an assignment in or to pick up a handout. You could have students stand up to share their answers to questions posed by the teacher… Once they get out of their seats and move around for a bit they will act more alert. Students that struggle to stay focused or are seen as disruptive can benefit greatly from movement in the classroom.

As I observed the four and five-year olds constantly being reminded to “keep still”, I noticed that their feet, with shoes off, were in constant movement. I was reminded of a kindle of kittens in perpetual motion. The youngsters had to wait over an hour before they could let off some of their natural energy, which, if done sooner in their day, would have enhanced learning.   

This is also especially true when working with special-needs learners. A study by Reynolds and colleagues (2003) found that children with dyslexia were helped by a movement program. Those in the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in dexterity, reading, verbal fluency, and semantic fluency than did the control group. The exercising group also made substantial gains on national standardized tests of reading, writing, and comprehension in comparison with students in the previous year.

Finally, in reflecting on my personal experiences as a child, my difficulty in “keeping still” could have been positively addressed by allowing movement before quiet learning.

Just Plain Bill

Observations by a Substitute Teacher III

As a substitute teacher, I was scheduled for duty in a French immersion school and a Mandarin immersion classroom, and I don’t speak either of those two languages.

In the French immersion school, I found myself working with a lively group of kindergarteners. I’d been assured that it wasn’t necessary to speak French to be their substitute, but when I arrived, I found that the lesson plan was in French! Fortunately, the students were all bi-lingual, and it was a great experience having my students become partners in their daily learning process.

I’ve always believed that learning is enhanced significantly when the learner becomes the “teacher”. My belief was reinforced on that day when students translated the directions for their learning activities. The day ended with a review of what was learned, guided by my student “teachers.” I was pleasantly surprised that the majority of my French speaking students praised the accomplishments of their classmates.

In the 2^nd grade Mandarin immersion classroom, the lesson plan was in English, but it proved challenging to lead learning activities that included translating phrases into Mandarin. Thankfully, the six- and seven-year old students demonstrated patience as they attempted to “teach” me the correct pronunciation of the phrases in their lesson.  

A very special part of that substitute assignment was when my second graders paired up with reading “buddies” to read books in Mandarin to kindergarten students. The one 2^nd grade student who was quite hyper and who seemed to follow his own direction turned out to be the best reader and coach in the kindergarten class. He demonstrated patience, allowing the kindergartener time to use the correct pronunciation. The eye contact he made throughout the reading session added extra value.  

Upon returning to our 2^nd grade class, I complimented him on his quality instruction. His classmates cheered as he received praise and not the focus on discipline he was used to. The recognition lifted the spirit of the whole class. A definite “win-win”!

Once again, the language appreciated by students of all ages everywhere was proven to be recognition and praise, which have been called “the breakfast of champions.”

Just Plain Bill

Observations by a Substitute Teacher II

As a substitute teacher, I have the privilege of working with students with learning challenges. In that role, two recent experiences occurred that demonstrated the value of trust in the teacher-student relationship.

In different schools, I was working with two students who were tasked with completing a “match the letter with the picture” exercise. These students were language-challenged in that their use of words was extremely limited, depending on motions and facial expressions to indicate their choices.

In both cases, each student reached out and touched my head – which is absent of hair.

In both cases, each student broke into a huge smile, followed by an increased interest in the task at hand.

Not really sure about the underlying pedagogical basis for this increase in the students’ productivity, but I know that throughout the rest of the school day, each student was engaged to a greater degree than before the “head touch” experience.

I genuinely believe the simple trust earned by allowing a gentle touch to my head – and my gentle acceptance in turn – is as valid as any other pedagogical basis for explaining the increased productivity.