I like what you say about not feeling the students are any different from you, now matter where they come from. I couldn’t agree more. I think it’s important that we keep in mind the troubles a lot of our kids have, and think about how we would deal with it if we were in their shoes at that age.

In the end, sometimes it’s better to help a kid believe in him/herself than to get them to score a little higher on the STAR test.

believe it or not there were many days i went to work with my father who was a mechanic, and in one of my many days milling around the shop told me never to become a mechanic unless i wanted all ten of my fingers broken by him. sometimes it is as simple as telling a kid a few of the things you appreciate about him or her because when they are in that informative age all they want to do is please people. you know, i once heard my grandmother bragging about me to one of her friends about how i would come straight home from school and immediately do my homework. do yo know I continued that habit up until the 8th grade. this is not to say coddle your children because that same lady who loved my work ethic also called me ‘flicted’ (an old person word for uncoordinated).

while there is no strict formula the method seems pretty simple. stay involved by asking questions. indulge their interest if that means playing a video game poorly once in a while or even watch them play a video game or a sport. Praise them when they are doing good (this is important. while we like to think that we shouldn’t praise people for doing what we think they are suppose to do it makes a world of difference for it shows you are watching). and when they go wrong try to show them a different way of doing things.. and lastly remain consistent because children notice everything (even if they don’t understand what they are seeing) and I mean everything.

alright i am done blogging in your comment box… piece and blessings..

Yes, Yes, YES. It is called the Pedagogy of Poverty by Haberman
http://www.wmich.edu/coe/tles/urban/Haberman.pdf – this is a summary.

I worked in an urban high school for a while, so I feel you. In fact, I written very similar posts and comment about how the Pedagogy of Poverty is deeper than just school interactions. I believe there is something subconcious and perversive in the way society sees and treats urban poor people. And All of these behaviors and attitudes prepare urban poor people for a life of struggle, not success.
Read up on it.

The Urban Scientists last blog post..Blog Action Day: Poverty

Miss Profes last blog post..Are Students Nothing More Than a Number?