What+We've+Learned

= = =Lauren:= I've learned that even though I'm teaching AIG students, they still require some level of scaffolding in order to be successful. In addition, I've learned that I need to take into consideration their levels of frustration. Maybe I should have posed the same question Dr. Duncan did at the conference to my students: What level of frustration are you willing to go to? I think it //is// important for us as AIG teachers to know, however, that our students are used to "getting it" right away. They are most definitely not used to struggling and change, but these are two things that they will HAVE to face. They need to have experienced it so they'll be able to handling it when it comes again. I guess its a good thing I read __Who Moved My Cheese for Teens__ with some of my students last year. I'm thinking that is a must read for all new AIG middle school students at the beginning of the year! I've also learned that "relinquishing control" takes a lot of work :) It's not just handing over the reins to the kids. They've got to be TAUGHT how to take control, and most of them, in truth, don't want it yet. They want to continue with the status quo where we tell them exactly what they're supposed to do to get the A. As teachers attempting this, we've got to be prepared for the backlash from the students. Some will embrace it, while others will not. After saying this though, once all the work is done, it'll be there ready to go next year, and your students will be so much more prepared for "the real world" than if we'd kept right on in the same way we'd always been. = = =Heather:= I've learned that the students are looking for you to tell them what you want and have a difficult time when you won't. They seem to want what they already know, which is "if you do this then, you will get this grade". I am trying to help them realize that everything is not for a grade, sometimes you do something to reach the next level. My goal for the next few months is to use more descriptive feedback and less "gradebook" feedback. Change is difficult for any student, but I think for the AIG student it is sometimes harder because most of the time they understand right away. When they don't it is frustrating and they don't want to work at it. It is a slow and steady process to get to the top of the hill, but they are getting it, and it is awesome when the "lightbulb" moment occurs!