Minute by Minute Spanish

Spanish Lessons

Six Step Plan for Talking to that Bully in your Class Tomorrow.

By

Capture

A student being bullied in class in August just came up on a discussion on a Teacher FB page. My name was mentioned because one of my classes had helped a student who struggled with social nuances. He was bullied in the halls before we had cameras, and we were able to change his life for the better with direct intervention.

This time it sounds different. The teacher is seeking advice because she needs to have a conversation with the bully tomorrow. It had become physical and she reported it to her administration who told her to handle it.

Many teachers reacting to this scenario, myself included, are surprised that the admin isn’t taking over once it is physical but our surprise isn’t going to help the teacher with tomorrow’s dialogue with the bully.

There have been many great suggestions on what to do. Their diversity make my heart full as each teacher has his or her own teaching voice and the teacher with this issue must find the answer that best matches her voice:

Here they are:bully corrected

Here’s my six-step dialogue that has been effective with 7th, 8th, and 9th graders.

  1. Find a time to have a private chat with the student. Sometimes it means having someone cover my homeroom and seeking out the student and chatting in the hall.
  2. I ask the student if he or she has a little brother or sister or cousin or neighbor or some younger person they care about. Make that connection because I am hoping he will have empathy for that person.Captureffffffffffffffffff
  3. Tell the student that I hope I have him or her in class before I retire. I ask what kind of student does he think the little one will be.
  4. I pose #1 “What if question?” What if someone did a. b. c. to that little one? Would you want me to keep him or her safe? In theory of course the student agrees. (a. b .c. is what this kid did to the victim.)
  5. I pose #2 “What if question?” What if someone  did a. b. c. to you? Would you expect me to keep you safe? Would you expect me to be nasty if needed to make it stop and keep you safe? (Give one of my I-have -been-doing-this for-30-years-and-no-kid-messes-with-me look.) Capture444444Would you expect me to talk to our police officer, parents, coaches, assistant principals, grandmas and everyone to make it stop and keep you safe? (Still a very I-don’t-take-this-from-anyone-without-making you-pay-tenfold looks.)   Capture3333333Pause, (grandmotherly tenderness and love now radiating from my body – the kid will be creeped out by how I can change in two seconds) I will do everything to keep you safe, (and pause as the other shoe drops), and I need your help to give the same protection to everyone including X in my room. I would not let anyone hurt you because you are to valuable to me. And I will not let anyone hurt X or anyone else.
  6. Direct eye-to-eye contact.  Radiant smiles and gumdrops-dropping-from-mouth sweetness. “Do we understand each other? Can I count on you to help me? That is great – I had a special feeling that you and I would understand each other.” (Little bit creepy-like smile from me as one shark recognizes another)sharks

I have used this over the years because bullies are hurting. By offering to protect them and their loved ones, I reach that place that wasn’t protected and probably turned them into a bully in the first place. Bullies aren’t long in the tooth with empathy. But appealing to protecting someone they care about, helps to pave the path of empathy. They understand strength, which this dialogue demonstrates, without putting anyone on the defense. So far, I haven’t yet had someone not respond to this except for one time when the student was put in a self-contained room for extreme issues.

Practice this. Make it your voice. This is mine. It works for me and good luck to all of you who deal with it this year. You are all about to become some victim’s super hero. Make it right. Thank you for what you do for our students.

 

(Visited 356 times, 1 visits today)
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!

New Spanish Teacher Landmines!

By

New teachers need to infuse their classes with their latest innovation techniques while being respectful of the experience of their colleagues.

Too late, many new teachers overlook the importance of investing time with other members of their department and getting to know all of the support staff.  It has become such a problem that I added a new chapter to my latest edition of Teacher Dialogues.  New teachers come with fresh and innovative ideas and many tend to discount the value of experience and collegiality with everyone in the building, not just their texting buds.

Experienced teachers will prevent you from having endless meetings with unhappy parents, lend you their version of a video when yours is scratched, and use the photocopying machine well in advance of their classes so that as new teachers rush in with the day’s handouts they can use the machine without waiting in line.  Balancing being a valued and respected member of your department with being an innovate teacher is a concern for this teacher:

Hola a todos. I need an advice! I will be starting my first job next year. It is Spanish 1A in a middle school where I substituted the last trimester of 2016-2017. I know the staff and school and I love it. I want to have an immersion class next year. However, most of the high school teachers follow the textbook and are grammar drive. They want me to teach ch.1-4 Avancemos. As a new teacher I do not know if I should follow them or what I think is the best for them, even if they disagree with me). Y es que no quiero los roces desde tan pronto, si saben a que me refiero.

Any advice about immersion classes, and staying in the target language at least 90% of the time. Where can I learn more about immersion languages programas for secondary education ?

My reply:

Welcome to the most rewarding profession!  I have a really good sense that you are going to be one of those wonderful teachers students remembered fondly because you are wise enough to seek advice from veteran teachers!  Over my 30 years, I have noticed that the best teachers honestly analyze what they do, seek advice from veterans, admit mistakes, and try new things.

I run my 7th grade classes as 90% target language classes and I think that is what you want to do as well!  For me, immersion means bilingual and I have no expertise with that.  The key to running a 90% target language class is to have everything be 100% compelling and engaging.  The best way to do this is to create a daily tech guide and use direct instruction for Survival Phrases.  Many people have their handouts and posters for these expressions – but my 50 are put to music that enters their brains like nothing else I have seen!

Video Player

 

Every day I create a flipchart with our activities and musical transitions.  You can, too!  And you can teach what is expected of you so that you fit into your department.  Be circumspect. Let your colleagues come to you about what you do rather than flouting it to them.  Because not only are you paid to teach, but also to be a supportive colleague.  Even when your students make comments about how much they love the transition videos and the music, and that other students are jealous they don’t have your, be circumspect.   If you can  teach what they require and quietly do it with your flipcharts, you will be successful and rehired.

You can download the first day’s flip chart and watch videos of the first week, here

If you feel that this fits your teaching style, let me know and I’ll be glad to help you.  Welcome to the profession, I’m so delighted to be your colleague.

 

 

 

(Visited 216 times, 1 visits today)
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!

Google Translation Cheating – How to Approach Student and Parents.

By

It is important for students to be able to tell their parents disappointing news.

Recently a teacher, Amelia, asked for help in dealing with a student who denies using Google translator while being unable to explain what she wrote and how she came up with the tenses that hadn’t been taught yet.  Unfortunately, the teacher asked her, which is the wrong approach, in my experience, and I’ll explain a better approach later on.  For now this is the reality and here is the dialogue for sharing with the parents.

“I really like your daughter and believe in her having a bright future.  She recently chose to use Google Translator on an assignment. This is a common mistake that I see every year.  Usually I talk about the mistake with the student who apologizes and promises not to do it again.  But this time (insert name) just can’t bear to admit her mistake.  This worries me because if she applies to a college that use the common app, teachers will be asked to rate her on her honesty, and this could prevent her from getting a glowing teacher evaluation.  It also worries me because in my experience (x number of years times X number of students per year) of over 3000 students, the students who can’t admit a mistake, often get into bigger problems because they are afraid to admit a mistake.

Tellling children to call and you will get them no questions is not enough if they don’t have the experience of surviving a difficult conversation with you.

I know of one student who couldn’t admit she was with a driver who had been drinking and got into the car that ended up in a serious accident.  Her parents always told her to call, but she really didn’t have the experience of surviving admitting a bad choice and getting over to the other side with her parents.  I’d hate to see this happen to her.  I am worried about her and I am hoping with this conversation that you are able to help her to get past this. because she really has so much going for her.  Can you help her with this?”

I have many versions of this dialogue and more in my book, Teacher Dialogues.  It also includes advice on how to start the conversation.  Rather than asking the student, tell the student in a private moment. “You know how you are one of my favorite students? Well I can tell that you must have been really pressed for time to not trust your language skills and just go with a Google translator or a friend.  Can you help me to understand what was going on that guided your decision? Ok, I understand.  Can you just write it on the paper so that I can remember while I get back to the class?”

Once they explain what happened, I take the paper and then tell them that X reason (that they gave) is something they have to tell their parents. I give them 24 or 48 hours to figure out who and how to tell and ask for an email or note from their parent.

Being able to tell one’s parents about a bad choice is the key to getting help when there is a big problem.

Most students blanche at this, yet time after time, they later feel so much better that they told their parents.  Carrying around deceit does hurt a lot of them.  They even counsel other students to tell their parents and get it over – after they stop being mad it feels so much better.

Good luck Amelia, with helping this family to address the issue of sharing disappointing choices.  It is why we teach students first, curriculum a close second.

Perfect gift for new teacher or any teacher refining his or her “teacher voice.
(Visited 1,232 times, 1 visits today)
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!
Thanks for Visiting For the Minute by Minute Spanish!