Invitational Education and Reclaiming Our Students

 Invitational Education

Purkey and Novak assert that there are four types of educators: 1) intentionally inviting, 2) unintentionally inviting, 3) unintentionally uninviting, 4) intentionally uninviting. Fortunately, I can only think of one teacher in my 28 years of teaching who was intentionally uninviting teacher--a teacher that relished failing students and zapped the love of learning for even honor students.

Intentionally inviting teachers are consistently positive and actively seek ways to build trust, rapport and relationships with students. They are purposeful in their actions and demonstrate a growth mindset by believing in their ability to positively influence each student, and they are supportive to the needs of their students and take necessary steps to ensure their success.

Unintentionally inviting teachers are energetic but unaware. While positive with students they sometimes can be inconsistent because they sometimes get caught in the doldrums when things go poorly

Unintentionally uninviting teachers want to do well but are often stuck in a rut of low expectations for students and for themselves.

While Purkey and Stanley’s Invitational Theory has many elements (you can read a great synopsis here), I’d like to focus on intentionality. Each of you are passionate and reflective practitioners. As I reflected I’m reminded of a question that Dave Burgess asks in Teach Like a Pirate, “If the students didn’t have to be there, would they be [in your class]?” Herein lies one of the unique challenges of virtual school, skipping class or not paying attention are much easier. School is compulsory, but learning is not.

It takes two to tango.

Learning is a pact between the teacher and the student. In virtual land, the parent often taps in. I’m not much of a dancer, but I know that in most dances one leads and the other follows. We are the leaders and by being intentionally inviting we can make even the worst dance partner look good (this is part of what makes Dancing with the Stars attainable for the worst celeb dancers and enjoyable for viewers).

Purkey and Novak ascribe that four domains exist in being intentionally inviting: trust, respect, optimism and intentionality. An invitation to learning means that everything that we do is designed to convey trust, respect and optimism to all.

Intentionally inviting teachers know that personal growth, both their own and their students’, are key. They are fully invested in relationship-building, generating trust, and believe that everyone adds to or subtracts from the classroom.

What are ways to be intentionally inviting?

  • Increase student voice in your classroom.
  • Check-ins (see Nearpod and our school for some pre-designed activities)
  • Trust-generators
  • Seek student feedback on your teaching
  • Be clear and consistent in how you communicate with your students what they are supposed to be learning and how they will show they have learned it (success criteria).
  • Maintain high expectations for yourself and your students. Incorporate student choice and collaborative learning when possible.
  • Provide quality and timely feedback to students. This really builds on the previous 3 items.

Reclaiming Our Students

This is written mostly with many of older students in mind.

Each of us has been called to teaching. We want our students to become the best version of themselves that they can; to fulfill their potential. Historically, March is a difficult time. The end of the academic year is just around the corner and we are both focused on finishing strong and contemplating next year. You still have hopes and dreams for your students but the challenges seem to be getting in the way, perhaps even getting the better of you.

Chances are you have identified what’s getting in the way. Some are beyond your control, many more are not. Together, we can reclaim our students.

Even before COVID, our culture shifted and building relationships with students has been made more difficult. Our adolescent children move from dependency on their parents to independence. As they experience biological, cognitive, social, moral and spiritual changes, they are also dealing with more responsibilities. As they learn through their successes and failures, coalescing the newly acquired skills takes time and patience as anyone who has been a parent of an adolescent can attest. As they often see themselves as adults, many adolescents go it alone, feeling they have all of the answers and are invincible. Adolescence can be both stressful and anxiety provoking.

Many children are disconnected from adults and therein lies the challenge and the answer. Students are less likely to respect, listen, learn from, or be receptive to (insert any other verbs/actions) us because we are teachers. The answer then is to determine what type of relationship our students need from us.

Our students are stuck in survival mode. Battling the ills of society and their own internal struggles. Disrespect, avoidance, and aggression are ways of coping and for some the overwhelming stress they’re experiencing makes it more challenging for them to function and for us to build relationships with them. Our frustrations are compounded as we feel confused and frustrated, which in turn, makes it even more difficult to form the student-teacher relationship with challenging students.

There are no easy answers to reclaiming our students. Getting them back starts with

  1. Continuing to be true to who you are. You are the leader of your classroom.
  2. Being a caring leader who provides each student with the care they need.
  3. Maintaining your expectations for students by being clear and direct. Support them when they need help, but do not give them an out.

Elementary Announcements 

Monday:https://youtu.be/cTJBRcAsfJs 

Tuesday: https://youtu.be/rcHnsGmw2o4 

Wednesday: https://youtu.be/xX2d0Pik2_M 

Thursday: https://youtu.be/xuaujCnewoI 

Friday: https://youtu.be/8u8w8c5Zqpk 

Secondary Announcements 

Monday: https://youtu.be/4kR9UOI-PNA 

Tuesday: https://youtu.be/51FgXBkOtRU 

Wednesday: https://youtu.be/c86RmqxiO0c 

Thursday: https://youtu.be/ogq4usXx3LI 

Friday: https://youtu.be/2Z8en3eW42g 

Monday’s announcement speaks to our students about the importance of having their cameras on. To ensure we all have a consistent message, based on Thursday’s meeting, please watch it. I think you’ll see the technocrat in me.

Mindful Messages


Mindful Message

Activity

Follow-up questions

Monday

Without struggles, we never grow and never get stronger.

It’s important for us to tackle our challenges on our own and not over rely on others.

I am in control of my progress.

How have you learned from your struggles?

What’s a current struggle that you are experiencing and what can you learn from it?

How are you going to tackle your struggle?

Tuesday

Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.

Carpe diem is Latin for seize the day.

What is a way that you live for the moment?

Wednesday

Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.

~Dean Jackson

http://bit.ly/ListeningIsNotEasy

Thursday

Happiness is many things.

What makes you happy?

Think of something you did that was fun. What made it fun?

Friday

Gaining knowledge helps me reach my full potential.

How does gaining knowledge help you reach your full potential?

What is your potential? How will you find out?

Middle School Advisory

StoryCorps has an adaptable lesson (obviously the telephone game at the beginning) will not work well. https://storycorps.org/discover/education/lesson-the-power-of-active-listening/ 

Wednesday’s announcement focuses on the importance of listening. It includes a link to this worksheet which is a great way for students to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses. Use the questions as part of a class discussion.

I think these lessons build on the importance of cameras on.

Elementary Information

Parent teacher conferences are Tuesday.  I double scheduled the BrightArrow meeting at the same time. If you are available at 3:30, please join us for the presentation. I will record the presentation as well.

Some helpful information information about student led conferences including debriefs for all can be found in this folder 

I had put this Parent Tips together based on our equity conversations and identifying the parent’s increased role in education.

Secondary Information

 Tier 1-4 Spreadsheet

  • Each teacher needs to add comments for students that they teach.
  • For students in tiers 1-2, click the hyperlink and add any comments on that page. Initial next to comments that you agree with.
  • For students in tier 3-4, add the comment to the master spreadsheet (middle and high school)
  • Contacting families
  • We have approximately 65 families to connect with. That would be about 6 for each of us, knowing some Tier 3 students are doing poorly in individual classes.
  • The goal is for us to conference with families. This strengthens the partnership and nobody knows the child better and has more impact than a family. Of course, some families are skeptical, distrusting of schools, but we have the power to change that! Interpretalk and Script
  • When the family requests a conference or more information, please add that to the spreadsheet. Conferences should be added to the Conference Slots tab.
  •  Add your zoom link to the spreadsheet and invite other teachers. Please invite me as well, although I will not be able to make many. I will work at adding the school counselor and others as needed.

Monday and Thursday Academic Support

  1. While attendance was not perfect, we did have over 10 students attend the various sessions. If an assignment is assigned, it’s worth doing. If it’s worth the student doing, let’s require it to be done. Before signing a student up, contact the family. I also follow up with an email/text to the family. Please share the Zoom link as well (it’s on the top of the spreadsheet).
  2. Here’s the spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1P8TNWtKQBCZEmiUCK2r2Fz5DT1QYAvf5J8QVZOw7a1Q/edit#gid=0
  3. This a great way of modeling high expectations and high care.

Calendar Tests/Surveys

Please join us at 3:30 on Tuesday (you can end class a couple of minutes early) for the BrightArrow meeting.

March 22: 7th grade advisory > Pathway Exploration

March 23: SAT for juniors who signed up; CCRA+ for 12th graders



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