Some things change and some stay the same.
Even though Covid has now been around two years there’s something distinctly different about what’s being asked of Teachers and School Leaders as we kick off 2022. Good luck with all of that.
But one thing that will stay the same is that your radar will ‘ping’ very shortly. At least one student is going to snap capture your attention with her/his conduct and you’re likely to immediately shift into problem solving mode.
I want you to resist that urge, chiefly because it’s starting in the wrong place. Waiting until problem behaviours happen and then hypothesizing about what might “work” in those circumstances is a habit that isn’t serving us.
Get in earlier.
As soon as your radar pings, book a lunch date with that student. Or give that student a prized role of responsibility. Or establish her/him as a mentor for younger students. Or frame a couple of your first lessons through that student’s interest. Or send a message to that student’s family about how excited you are about the progress you’ll be making together this year.
Context is the key driver of behavioural choices. If you change yours for that student, you’ll generate some positive behaviours that you’d be happy to have habitualised.
Keep fighting that good fight,
PS. The Real Schools App and the Kokoda Schools App are now live! Your school can get full access to both at this link. It’s affordable support in the pocket of every educator in your school and I reckon we could all do with a little extra support right now.
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