Setting Them Up For Success

It is impossible for me to be able to capture all I do to set students up for success in one little blog post.

But...

If I could only choose ONE strategy to write about that has the most impact?

It would be this one.

Think about it...

You have been called to a staff meeting. (Can you feel the hives already?)

You have been told where to sit and how to sit. You feel the need to move your body but know that if you do you will be told to quit it. You know you do your best when you are hydrated but you have been told this is a no Diet Coke/Starbucks/your drink of choice zone. You listen best when you can doodle and take notes about what you are hearing there will be no pens allowed. You don't know when the meeting will end, what will happen after the meeting and what life holds for you when this shi...... I mean shtuff is done.

How is your heart rate? Have you bought in to whatever is being talked about at this meeting? Do you feel like you can show up as your best self?

No?

Shocking.

Now, let's relate this to our students.

Welcome to my MENU OF STUDENT SUCCESS!

Let me explain a little more about this concept, how it came to be and why it works so well for us.

I have shared a lot about my philosophy of teaching and how problem solving, productive struggle, autonomy, voice, choice and independence are so valuable in our classroom community. But just for fun, let me break it down:

1. Problem solving creates a sense of belonging and accountability to one another in our space. I am only one adult. There are MANY more of them. I cannot solely be the one relied upon in the space to solve problems. Relying on one another through a series of thoughtful, meaningful, well planned and practiced problem solving solutions creates connection and community between students.

2. They won't always have the supports they have in kindergarten. Moving on to other grades in this province in particular means that many students that rely on supports in the classroom will not receive them in the same way in Grade 1. Allowing them to build trust in themselves and their peers and to take accountability for their learning is a necessary and essential in becoming active participants in their educational journeys and in life in general.

3. A needs based approach to learning acknowledges that we a don't all learn in the same way, at the same time. What a wonderful way to have conversations around equity, inclusion and empathy!

4. No matter our moods, mindset or mistakes, we all deserve the chance to use voice and choice when it comes to what we need for success. Self advocacy is a critical skill that contributes to boundary setting, acknowledging our needs and confidence to ask for help when needed, knowing that no one can do this alone.

This menu of student success is about giving kids voice and choice about their individual learning needs and strategies in a safe and mindful way.

(And SPOILER ALERT! Although it truly is what is best for kids using this menu, it is as much for the adults in the room as it is for the kids... )

HOW WE USE THE MENU

This menu was born out of need for the adults in our kindergarten classroom to be on the same page when it came to what students needed in order to show up as best they could in our classroom community.

After sitting down and and revisiting our values, we knew that there were four main areas we could see that students needed support with when completing tasks in our class:

Flexible seating
Sensory output and input
Visuals
What comes next?

These were often the things we saw that contributed to success for ALL in our space.

So, we started using the menu as a visual reminder for ourselves.

When behaviours arose? We checked the menu to see what WE were missing. Was this student communicating a need about needing an alternative seating choice or change of environment? Had we provided them with a visual for either the steps they needed to follow, a sample to follow or an affirmation so they could cheer themselves on through the task? Did they have the necessary sensory tools they needed in order to meet physical, emotional and proprioceptive needs? And what about knowing what came next? Was there as plan for a break or a first/then so they knew what transition would take place next?

I am no statistician but I would like to say from our perspective?

99% of our problems were being solved when these 4 pillars were in place.

In kindergarten, this menu is used mostly as a reference, a visual for US to know what we might be missing. Our students mostly can't read or write yet so giving them the options verbally (usually we don't offer ALL but a choice) still gives them input into advocating for their needs and sense of belonging as we work to meet those needs together.

And as word spread that I was using this in our class? Others adapted it as well. We talked about how each menu could be adapted to classrooms based on what level the kids were at and what options would be best for them.

And then I was shown this one day.

Thank you Miss S. for sharing this with me that day! This particular table was the original version I started with.

This particular student in Grade 2 was able to circle and print his own choices and have them visible to all the adults in the room with him.

How you might use this graphic and choice chart in your own room can be up to you.

THE CHOICES THEMSELVES

The examples listed on the PDF's are merely suggestions. They are what worked for us in our community. It is also why I have created blank templates so you can add in your own choices.

You can see that sometimes we have even changed and adapted the headings like in the picture above where the student didn't just need to know "what comes next" but needed to know a BREAK always came next.

And how can you use it?

Perhaps it is a visual for the adults to use?

Maybe students get their own and practice writing and circling their own choices as they identify them?

Maybe you as a class community have this blown up on a bulletin board reminding students of the choices they have to be successful?

Either way...

Think about that staff meeting scenario we started with...

Now think about it knowing you have voice and choice in the situation when it comes to how you show up in your seating, that there are visuals to support you as you are guided through, that your sensory needs are being met through tools AND that you know what it is coming next...

How does it change your feelings?

(And yes I know, I know... it is still a staff meeting but you can also relate THAT to the students in your class... but we will save that blog for another day...)

I know it helps me breathe a little deeper.

And it makes me feel like I am supported, I belong and I am a valuable part of a community.

I cannot wait to see how you use these in your spaces.

Let the magic begin.

(SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO DOWNLOAD ALL FOUR SAMPLE PAGES IN ONE PDF)