Virtual School Dispatches

  Teaching Decision-Making Strategies The below is  modified from Laura Barron and Patti Kinney’s   We Belong: 50 Strategies to Create Community and Revolutionize Classroom Management Many students do not have go-to strategies for making decisions, whether they are academic, social or internal. Teaching these will help your students integrate effective decision-making into their lives. When teaching these strategies, be sure to hold a discussion on what types of decisions the particular strategy will best support. STP: Situation-Target-Plan This is a good option for students to have when they need to slow down and think through a complicated course of action. Identify the   situation :   John and I don’t get along. This project is due in three weeks, and I’m a procrastinator. Identify the   target   that you want to have happen.   For John and me to work together in class without arguing. I want to complete my project two days before it’s due so I can be sure to turn it in on time. Det

Behavioral Expectations   “What a jerk! And there’s another one. And another. Oh my, this is ridiculous.” Over break, I was in a mini-traffic jam that closed 1 of 2 lanes. The construction crews had marked the lane merge and closure but the lane that was being taken away was still open for cars making a right turn. The open lane, the one I was in, was backed up for more than a mile. But every 30 seconds, a vehicle zoomed past, bypassing the traffic and merging at the last minute.    I was going to be late for an appointment and that had me on edge. As vehicles snuck past, I became increasingly frustrated, muttering to myself, ““What a jerk! And there’s another one. And another. Oh my, this is ridiculous.” The driver of the truck behind me was more aggressive and vocal. He blew his horn at the offending drivers, and as we neared the merge point, he positioned his truck on my bumper and straddled both lanes, preventing cars from merging at the last minute. Looking in my mirror,