Skip to main content

Using Personal Stories to Encourage Good Behavior

By Earlene Coleman, Special Education M.A.


After teaching Special Education for twenty-five years, I've found that sharing personal stories with my students helps build positive relationships.

How NOT to be around your students

Now that the school year is off to a start, teachers are busy getting to know all their students. However, spend some time letting your students learn about you. Tell them about where you grew up, your family, about your children, your favorite ice cream, and what your hobbies are. Maybe tell them about what type of child you were. 

One year, I recall describing in detail how I had a tantrum on my mother because I couldn’t go outside to play with my friends when she wanted me to do my chores. All my students thought it was very funny and shared what makes them act out. This sharing was beneficial. Remember, at the beginning of the school year, you are a stranger to most of your class. These conversations will help build positive relationships with students that will pay off later.

Therefore, let your students know you are will to be understanding, calm, and patient like many of their parents. This can prevent many future classroom disruptions. Do not think your students are miniature adults. They do not have experience in dealing with their emotions. You will see some tantrums but if you react appropriately, consistently, and let them know you went through the same things they are when you were younger, the disruptions will diminish or stop altogether.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Science fairs: Nurturing the 21st century thinker

3D Tessellation model A bespectacled 6th grader enthusiastically explains ‘efficiency of 3D space tessellations’ with myriad equations and handmade tessellation patterns to address the needs of the packaging, storing, shipping and construction industry. Another middle school student, was inspired by his little brother’s telescope and built a simple vacuum chamber using a PVC pipe with a microphone and a speaker on both ends to find out how sound travels on Mars! This 8th grader from Granada Islamic School used an oscilloscope his mother found at an auction to measure the sounds. “I poke around and find junk to build my projects. It’s fun.” Science projects today have become fun for many students as they use more hands on activities to experiment and understand concepts. These two middle school students were among 996 participants at the recent Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship , where RAFT was one of the special judges. Moenes Iskarous, President, S
18 comments
Read more

Why I Chose a Career in Education

There are many moments where I am reminded why I chose a career in education. These moments arise when I am engaged in conversation with other teachers, conducting professional development workshops, developing new lessons, or simply reading about changes and latest developments in the field. Education is a dynamic field, and it has provided me with many opportunities to positively impact the lives of young learners as well as provide inspiration and support to new teachers. One such occasion occurred in mid-April when I was invited by Dr. Rosalinda Quintanar to conduct a presentation to students in a class entitled Meeting the Needs of Second-Language Learners (EDTE 162), a course within San Jose State University’s Teacher Education Department and a credential requirement. The class consisted of approximately 30 credential candidates, and its primary focus is applying theory and practical classroom techniques for providing equitable access to content for English language learners.
Post a Comment
Read more

Plastic to art that’s fantastic!

With Valentine’s Day round the corner, one of RAFT ’s upcoming weekend workshops – ‘Shrink Art Fun’ shows you how to recycle plastic into awesome shrink art! This year learn how to make some meaningful gifts using donated plastic material, available at RAFT in the form of trays and take-out containers, thus preventing them from ending up in a landfill.  Shrink plastics encourage creativity, and can be used to supplement a variety of classroom activities.  Students can create models, manipulatives, and displays. They can make maps, pins, book report characters, and even cards!  But there is also a science behind this hands on art form! Says Instructor Georgina Patterson, who has been in the education field for 40 years, “The science behind the shrinkage process is a chemistry lesson in itself, and the excitement young children get when they watch the plastic change size in the oven is worth the effort!” The base material consists of thin, flexible polystyrene plastic (#6) sheets
3 comments
Read more