Flexible seating

There’s so much in the teaching world about flexible seating - allowing choices and providing comfort.

The pictures are so cute, bright, happy, and fun!

For me, they cause stress - appearing pricey, overwhelming, and not doable. Besides not having the money, I may change rooms or schools each year. I don’t have a lot of space. How do I give a test when they are laying down or sharing a sofa? I also have a limited amount of energy and I put that into lesson planning and activities. Currently, I have 6-foot tables in a tiny room with wired computers that doesn’t allow any rearranging of the tables and only has room to walk around them.

My solution for flexible seating with regular desks has been to move the desks around - often and in many different patterns. Sometimes a circle or square. Sometimes in groups of four or six. My favorite is to put them in varying groups - some 2’s, 3’s, and 4’s.

AND ALWAYS have some individual desks by themselves.

I allow the students to rearrange them as they need. Some students pull six or seven together and some pull them apart. There are no assigned seats, so they can move around every day, but most students have a favorite spot.

I allow them to move the desks to the front or back of the room. I had one student who used my stool and a clipboard for most classes, while another stood in the back of the room using a file cabinet as the desk.

Currently, with the non-moving tables, I allow them to choose their own seats, move the chairs to either side of the tables and sit on the floor. There are few options in the current set-up.

Back to those individual desks. Individual desks (as well as the ability to move their own desk) allow my students to practice self-control and self-regulating. I can suggest or require them to move to a desk (or move the one they are in). Or they can choose a desk away from the others. And they do. Some prefer to sit alone, but others will move on a bad day or when they realize they are too loud. They desks are not punishment or timeout. They have no negative connotation. They are positive desks - to keep someone out of trouble, to keep someone from being rude, to give someone some space.

I had one student who always sat with a group, but one day he came in and picked an individual desk. As his friends came and started to pull desks near him, he said, “Don’t you dare. I picked this desk.” They all slid the desks back. He got his work done and the next day went back to his friends.

One of my talkative students moved his desk up to the board everyday of second semester. After explanations were given, he moved back to his group for the assignment.

This is my version of flexible seating. It doesn’t cost anything, but giving up a little bit of control. It gives them choices and allows them to practice self-control and responsibility.

Silent reading doesn't have to be torturous

The ability to read silently for fifteen to twenty minutes is a life skill.

And too many times we fail our high school students by not teaching this skill because it is difficult.  It is difficult for us to teach and difficult for them to learn.

But it can work and it can happen!  I know because it happened in my classroom with all five classes multiple years.

I teach High School Intensive Reading.  Few of these students are readers and most are very vocal about not reading. I love challenges and puzzles, so how to make silent reading effective and enjoyable? 

Here’s what works for me and my students:

Tell the students the week before and take them to the library for books.  I also have books and magazines in the room on a variety of topics and levels.  No excuses.  Everyone has something to read! 

I write it on the board Thursday and Friday before it starts on Monday. 

Mon, Wed, Fri:  Silent Reading 15 – 20 minutes, graded

 (You may not read a textbook for another class.)

As a teacher I have to remember that most of them hate reading and find it exhausting.  Like any other muscle, reading muscles have to be built up, which takes time and practice. 

THE PROCESS:

Me:  Get your books out or find one on the shelf.

Students: (some get them out, some get up and look, some just sit)

Me(walking around checking on everyone):  Everybody’s got something to read?  No, you may not read your history – doesn’t count….Your  grade is for reading – not looking around, not on one page the entire time, not looking at other stuff, not sitting with your eyes closed – reading the words and turning the pages.  

Me (going to those with nothing to read):  Do you have something or do you need something from the bookcase?  (Usually they get up and go look, but sometimes I bring them choices.)

[This part is repeated multiple times every time and may take 10 - 15 minutes the first 2 weeks.  It must be said patiently, but persistently - like you just noticed they don't have a book, instead of "this is the 8th time I've told you to get one".]

THE GRADE:  I do not ask them to write anything down.  I watch and observe.  Students get credit for the time they read, so if someone starts later or stops early, they get 60% - 75%.  Typically the grades are 0% (very rare), 30%, 50%, 75% and 100%.  The first two to three weeks I am a bit more generous to encourage the behavior and reward the effort.

THE TIMING:  The first two to three weeks some students will only read about five minutes.  I start timing from when they start getting books out.  I stop timing once the last few have read five or six minutes and at least fifteen minutes have passed.   It is truly exhausting for many of them!

ME: (when everyone’s settled, I  read)

ME (when the last few to get books have read five or six minutes and at least fifteen minutes have passed):  Finish the sentence you’re on and put your books up.

YOU, the teacher, MUST READ!  It is vitally important that you read something fun, not a textbook or academic.  It must be fun.  You MUST MODEL it.

REALITY:  Students often take ten minutes to start reading the first couple of weeks.  I repeat the “get books out, everybody reads, do you need a book” comments every day of silent reading initially.  Even after they settle in more quickly, they will tire quickly and get restless.  For this reason, weeks two and three may only involve ten to twelve minutes of actual reading.  

I watch the point at which they get restless and add one or two minutes.  I maintain the same time for three days before increasing it by another minute or two.  At about four weeks most classes take two to three minutes to get settled and read about fifteen minutes.  I then vary whether we read fifteen or twenty minutes depending on the rest of the day’s assignments.  Some classes settle in and read comfortably for the time and some classes still get restless by the end.  It’s ok either way.

ASK ABOUT THEIR READING MATERIALS!  From day one ask those that read the shortest time what they chose, did they like it, do they want to read it next time or choose something different.  This is essential to getting them engaged in their material.  Some students will choose a different item every time and start in the middle on a random page.  That’s ok; let them have that freedom.  It gives them control and power, which will increase their joy of reading.  They just have to read something.

I allow them to read digital copies, but the device must be visible, so I can walk by and see that it is actual paragraphs and not social media or texting.

THAT ONE CLASS:  I had one class that was unique from all the others.  They always took ten minutes to get settled – ALWAYS.  After nine weeks, they still took ten minutes.  At the end of the semester, they still took ten minutes. HOWEVER, after four weeks they were easily and comfortably reading for twenty minutes every time – EVERY SINGLE TIME!  So, I adjusted the lessons to allow that class the thirty minutes needed for silent reading.  Your unique class may be unique in a different way, but when they work up to reading fifteen to twenty minutes, then it is well worth it.

One other cool story:  That student who chooses a different book each day and opens to a random page to start reading....Yeah, that one.  I've had several of those.  One day when I said to finish the sentence time was up, I hear "NO!  NO! NO!"  I look up and ask what.  He says it's not fair and he has to know what happens.  (He had opened to random page in a random book and gotten drawn into the story.)  I smiled and said, "Welcome to our world.  Yes, read and see what happens."  A few minutes later he joined us in the assignment.  

Silent reading is wonderful.  We must take the time and make the effort to teach our students this skill.

Gibbs' Rules

I'm an NCIS fan.  And I have noticed that some of Gibbs' rules apply quite well to the classroom.

Rule 3:  Don't believe what you're told. Double check.

Always - no matter who told you.

Rule 5:  You don't waste good.

Your students are good.  Don't waste that.

Rule 8:  Never take anything for granted.

Rule 14:  Bend the line, don't break it.

Sometimes you have to in order to teach.

Rule 15:  Always work as a team.

Rule 18:  It's better to ask forgiveness than ask permission.

Rule 20:  Always look under.

For lost papers.  For the real reason they aren't working or are angry.

Rule 28:  If you need help, ask!

You and them

Rule 36:  If it feels like you're being played, you probably are.

You don't have to explain why you think you're being played.  You can just call them on it.  I took away bathroom privileges from a class because when two students returned to class, they made me suspicious and I couldn't tell you why.

Rule 39:  There is no such thing as coincidence.

Rule 45:  Clean up your messes.

Rule 51:  Sometimes - you're wrong

Apologize to students - in front of others, if possible.

Sometimes you have to be the bad guy

I'm not talking about the bad guy because you gave a low grade or corrected behaviors.  I'm talking about letting them blame you as the bad guy.

Ashley did not like me from day one.  I had her last period and she was usually the first to arrive.  I greeted her daily with "Hey, how're you?" or "Hey, How's your day?" or something similar.  She rarely spoke to me at all, not even if asked to answer a question in class about the assignment.  Nothing!

It's the end of first semester.

The class was getting too loud and unproductive one afternoon. 

I told them. 

Then warned them. 

Then warned them of assigned seats. 

Then assigned seats for the rest of the period.

Ashley refused to move to the assigned seat. 

I explained she could move to the other seat or she could move her desk up against the wall facing the wall.  She opted for this choice.  We got her desk moved.

The class got it together, so the next day they would be able to seat where they wanted.

Ashley arrived first, as usual.

"Why am I not up against the wall?"

"Ya'll got it back together, so no assigned seats today....unless you want one."

"yeah"

I moved her desk just as others start to arrive and I tell them they don't have assigned seats.

Ashley's friends ask her to join them and she says she can't.

They ask why and she says she has an assigned seat.

Her friends ask what happen.

"You know how she is." 

So, they turn to me with promises that Ashley will behave.  They promise.  What did she do?

I respond, "It's between us."

---------

She went back to her seat and friends the following day.  And she spoke to me and greeted me and smiled when she saw me from then on.

I have no idea why she needed an assigned seat and I never asked.

Sometimes they don't know how to separate and take time for themselves.

Sometimes you can show them and teach them. 

Sometimes you have to be the bad guy.

Silent reading CAN work!

The ability to read silently for fifteen to twenty minutes is a life skill.

And too many times we fail our high school students by not teaching this skill because it is difficult.

But it can work and it can happen!  I know because it happened in my classroom with all five classes multiple years.

I teach High School Intensive Reading.  Few of these students are readers and most are very vocal about not reading. I love challenges and puzzles, so how to make silent reading effective and enjoyable? 

Here’s what works for me and my students:

Tell the students the week before and take them to the library for books.  I also have books and magazines in the room on a variety of topics and levels.  No excuses.  Everyone has something to read! 

I write it on the board Thursday and Friday before it starts on Monday. 

Mon, Wed, Fri:  Silent Reading 15 – 20 minutes, graded

 (You may not read a textbook for another class.)

As a teacher I have to remember that most of them hate reading and find it exhausting.  Like any other muscle, reading muscles have to be built up, which takes time and practice. 

THE PROCESS:

Me:  Get your books out or find one on the shelf.

Students: (some get them out, some get up and look, some just sit)

Me(walking around checking on everyone):  Everybody’s got something to read?  No, you may not read your history – doesn’t count….Your  grade is for reading – not looking around, not on one page the entire time, not looking at other stuff, not sitting with your eyes closed – reading the words and turning the pages.  

Me (going to those with nothing to read):  Do you have something or do you need something from the bookcase?  (Usually they get up and go look, but sometimes I bring them choices.)

THE GRADE:  I do not ask them to write anything down.  I watch and observe.  Students get credit for the time they read, so if someone starts later or stops early, they get 60% - 75%.  Typically the grades are 0% (very rare), 30%, 50%, 75% and 100%.  The first two to three weeks I am a bit more generous to encourage the behavior and reward the effort.

THE TIMING:  The first two to three weeks some will only read about five minutes.  I start timing from when they start getting books out.  I stop timing once the last few have read five or six minutes and at least fifteen minutes have passed.   It is truly exhausting for many of them!

ME: (when everyone’s settled, I  read)

ME (when the last few to get books have read five or six minutes and at least fifteen minutes have passed):  Finish the sentence you’re on and put your books up.

YOU, the teacher, MUST READ!  It is vitally important that you read something fun, not a textbook or academic.  It must be fun.  You MUST MODEL it.

REALITY:  Students often take ten minutes to start reading the first couple of weeks.  I repeat the “get books out, everybody reads, do you need a book” comments every day of silent reading initially.  Even after they settle in more quickly, they will tire quickly and get restless.  For this reason, weeks two and three may only involve ten to twelve minutes of actual reading.  

I watch the point at which they get restless and add one or two minutes.  I maintain the same time for three days before increasing it by another minute or two.  At about four weeks most classes take two to three minutes to get settled and read about fifteen minutes.  I then vary whether we read fifteen or twenty minutes depending on the rest of the day’s assignments.  Some classes settle in and read comfortably for the time and some classes still get restless by the end.  It’s ok either way.

ASK ABOUT THEIR READING MATERIALS!  From day one ask those that read the shortest time what they chose, did they like it, do they want to read it next time or choose something different.  This is essential to getting them engaged in their material.  Some students will choose a different item every time.  That’s ok; let them have that freedom.  It gives them control and power, which will increase their joy of reading.  They just have to read something.

I allow them to read digital copies, but the device must be visible, so I can walk by and see that it is actual paragraphs and not social media or texting.

THAT ONE CLASS:  I had one class that was unique from all the others.  They always took ten minutes to get settled – ALWAYS.  After nine weeks, they still took ten minutes.  At the end of the semester, they still took ten minutes. HOWEVER, after four weeks they were easily and comfortably reading for twenty minutes every time – EVERY SINGLE TIME!  So, I adjusted the lessons to allow that class the thirty minutes needed for silent reading.  Your unique class may be unique in a different way, but when they work up to reading fifteen to twenty minutes, then it is well worth it.

Silent reading is wonderful.  We must take the time and make the effort to teach our students this skill.

It's the most difficult time of the year!

It's the holidays!  For many of us that means fun, family, excitement, and some stress.

For many of my students that just means stress - more alcohol and drug use by them or others, how to get presents for younger siblings when money's tight, uncomfortable family times, more violence at home, more being home alone, more people in the house, more unpredictable behaviors, more guilt for not being happy, more tears and sadness and loneliness.

Mary came in one day very panicked and upset:  Dad had announced she would bake the Thanksgiving turkey this year.  She was on her own to figure it out.  We did a lesson on text structure, including sequence and cause/effect and reviewed cooking turkeys and other traditional foods. 

In his "What I did over break" paper, Tarrell said that he was crying Christmas morning, because he missed his brother who had died two years ago.  His dad came to his room and told him "cut it out and get dressed."

One year I had five students who were spending their first holiday season without significant loved ones and they weren't suppose to talk about it, because it might make Mom cry.

Julie hates the holidays because her uncle always visits.  He is creepy and tries to be alone with her.  She spends most of her holiday at a friend's house or right next to her parents.

I don't ignore the holidays.  We always do holiday related stories and articles.  Among those are articles on dealing with stress and what causes stress at the holidays.  Challenging behaviors can increase, because there are too many emotions going on and they spill out. Acknowledge the hard parts and the emotions.  Use stories to talk about it and let them write about it.  Be compassionate when they have a hard day.

Be sensitive.  The best advice I ever got for the holidays was "find a rut and stay in it".  Have fun, but don't do too much that's new and different.  Stability is very calming and reassuring.

What are you gonna write about?

The blog will mostly be stuff I've learned teaching, counseling and working with kids. Suggestions I give new teachers, parents, and students. Some will be teaching ideas. Some will be observations. Some will be how teaching influences us outside of class and how outside of class influences teaching. Our life experiences and our students' life experiences all come together so no two classes are the same.

Once in a while I will comment on current events and issues in education or other areas of life.  Everything influences you and your classroom.

Why Jolly Ranchers & Rabbit Trails?  An awesome title thanks to a friend.

Jolly Ranchers refer to the actual candy themselves.  They are great as a reward, a just-because treat, and as motivation.  I have had students who would complete the work for the Jolly Rancher, but not for a grade. 

The rabbit trails refer to chasing rabbits, which are called Teachable Moments in the classroom.  A great deal of learning takes place in the stories and off-topic conversations and discussions.  Usually the topics do relate back to the academic topic, but not always.

About me & why I am writing

Who am I?  

My name is Kathryn Coxwell.  

I love family & friends, the beach, travel, puzzles, mysteries, mountains, horses, science, history, teaching, learning, dogs, campfires, 'smores, and adventures.  I was married almost fifteen years before he died.  I have a stepson.  I have three dogs. I love Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Disney.

I have a Bachelor's in Social Work from Baylor University with a minor in Russian. (No, I can't speak or read it much any more and I wasn't good at it back then.)  I have an MBA from the University of West Florida.

Most of my time has been as a counselor or teacher with at-risk teens and adults, known as alternative ed in most schools.  I have worked at an Eckerd Wilderness Camp, Waterfront Rescue Women's Homeless Shelter, PACE Center for Girls, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Santa Rosa County School District, the USO, Escambia County School District, and currently Pensacola State College Collegiate High School as well as just starting with VIPKID.  

I prefer working with teens and adults.   I don't do middle school well.

So, why am I writing?

The idea of me writing a book or blog has come up sporadically over the last several years and quite a few times in the last six months.  So, here I am!

There's so much for an experienced teacher to share with new teachers, especially in classroom management.

There's so little on teens and high school that's easy to find.  My time at the PACE Center had an enormous impact on my classroom management style and I cannot imagine being a new teacher without those skills.

My teaching style is eclectic - a little of this, a little of that.  I teach like my grandmothers cooked (I don't cook that way, though.)  

So, that is me.

About Me.....Home

This first entry was to be about me - who I am, why I'm writing.  But as I started writing, the focus turned to the idea of Home.

I teach, and have primarily worked with, challenging populations, often called at-risk populations.

As I was writing about me, I recalled the moment that I realized many of my students don't have Home, as a warm, loving place or person, not just a physical location.

I was raised in a loving, stable home with friends and family who were there when needed.  I always knew I was loved and had many people with whom I could talk.  No matter where I was or what was going on, I could always go home - sometimes physically, sometimes mentally. Often I could just go home to my house and parents and family, or call them for support, advice, and love.  If I couldn't go home physically, I could go home in my imagination - memories of holidays, dinners, grandparents, numerous conversations of advice, stories, love.

Many of my students don't have that - life is not stable, there are few stories (few happy ones), there aren't great memories, no one to ask questions.  Even when there is love, there is a lot of chaos.

They don't have Home to go to - physically or mentally. 

Everyone needs Home.  

I realized my classroom needs to be that kind of space for them - a safe, stable place to be.  A place to regroup, ask questions, learn, hear stories, feel safe, make mistakes, vent.

I try to be fair, consistent, encouraging, listening.

Often I get it right.  Sometimes I don't.  

Their behaviors will tell me far more accurately than any words.

And I adjust and we adapt and we create our own version of Home for our short time together.