Boundaries and Filters

Perhaps the one thing that has surprised me the most about working with students in an Alternative setting is that deficits in social norms are prevalent.  Without passing judgment on why this characteristic is pervasive, it's best just to offer up some remedies and reminders of how we all need to conduct ourselves, manage our impulsiveness, and "play nice" in a civil society.

BOUNDARIES and FILTERS
How successfully we interact in a civil society is directly related to how well we have learned our boundaries and how well we have learned to control our internal filters.  In any society, there are norms and conventions that determine appropriate behavior.  It’s NOT okay, for example, to pick your nose in public, or to barge into a room and start speaking without checking what is going on. Most of us have learned those basics of how to successfully engage in a social setting.

 

People who lack healthy emotional boundaries are individuals who struggle with interpersonal relationships in specific ways. They say things that are inappropriate, or they ask questions or make statements that are far too personal and invasive, or they come over to your house without calling first, among other annoying habits.

What does this mean at school? Simply stated, these reminders should help guide everyone to assimilate a culture that is conducive to learning.  

         Knock
         Look, listen, pause…..ask permission

         Edit, pause before publishing

FILTERS
Develop internal controls that enable all to feel comfortable in your presence.  Blurting out, burping, passing gas, name calling and offering up unsolicited judgmental comments are examples of lack of filtering.  And in many cases, those outbursts are very offensive.

That being so…….consider that ANYTHING is a judgment call.  Unless you’ve been asked for an opinion, it’s better to say nothing.

There are a few extremely offensive phrases that have become too common in recognized teenage jargon.  Some students are very offended – and I join them in their concern.  I’d like to read what they’ve put together so you can get an idea.

Offensive slang – the “R” word.

Used as a disparaging term for a mentally handicapped individual. When one says “That’s retarded!” it usually means that something is stupid. The use of the work in a derogatory context has become so common that many young people are not even aware that it is slipping into their causal conversations so frequently. Many teens are using it as a filler word to break moments of silence or boredom.

Often, the phrase is not meant to offend a person with disabilities, but rather to insult a person that they think has acted oddly or has done something inadvisable or clumsy. Regardless of the intent, this has become a very touchy subject. Some parents of children with autism will now ask parents of non-disabled children If the term is allowed at their home before accepting a play date invitation. 

There is a movement to eradicate the word from the spoken language.  It has become a very emotional social issue in America and parts of Europe as the phrase is frequently used to degrade or humiliate – with little regard for the term’s true meaning. 

In my opinion, using phrases such as "That's Retarded!" are ways to express displeasure or disagreement when the speaker has limited vocabulary or other means to challenge.  In short, it becomes a catch-all phrase when the inexperienced debater is devoid of other constructive criticism or a means to convey an alternative opinion.  Lacking that experience, an impulsive reaction is blurted out without regard to its implications.  

At the Saline Alternative, a simplistic approach to learning self control is posted:

BREATHE before you speak

PAUSE before you post

Sometimes that brief hesitation will give the speaker just enough time to avoid blurting out potentially offensive corprolalia.  Teaching specific language and phraseology that is more mature, appropriate and germane is the objective to instilling lifelong habits that enable young adults to interact with decorum in any social situation.  

The Second New Year

In education, there are two “new years” to celebrate each school year. The first comes in early September when students return to school to start their studies in a new classroom, school or program. The second, just recently celebrated, begins with the passing of a calendar year and the welcoming of a new year.  Both offer times to renew, reflect, and revitalize.

For all students (and staff for that matter), I offer the following as ways to renew, reflect, and revitalize.

1.     Set goals.  For students in an alternative setting, short-term goals work best.  Instant gratification.  Goals are only goals if they are written down, realistic, measurable, and attainable within the set time period.  Action steps help define the goals, and give the learner a pathway to the short-term success.

2.     Reflect.  What goals did you set in September for your school achievement?  What progress have you made toward attaining those goals?  If you aren’t where you had hoped, what interfered with that progress?  How will you change your actions, thoughts, or behaviors so that your progress will be in line with your goals? What steps will you need to take to avoid those same pitfalls?

3.     Revitalize.  Try something new.  Dream big.  Believe.  Give back: there is always someone less fortunate than yourself. Learn to look ahead. Let go of the past.  Look forward to something, and reward yourself for getting there. Be the most positive person you’ve ever met.

4.     Do the right thing.  Always.  Even when it’s more fun to run with the crowd, or more important to save face, what really matters is your integrity.  Be honest in all that you do; it will help you like that person looking back at you in the mirror.

Let 2012 be a new beginning for you.  If it’s setting goals or just reflecting on what needs to be changed a bit from the first new year, set aside the time to make 2012 your best year ever in public education.  It’s your life. Take charge of it and just see if you can amaze yourself this year.

Do The Right Thing...Don't be a Dirty Diaper

THE SAGA OF THE DIRTY DIAPER

On Thursday last week, as I Ieft work at the end of a busy day, I noticed that someone had changed a baby’s diaper and left all of its contents on the drive in front of the school.  Used baby wipes were scattered about the front of the school and the exposed contents of the diaper were enough to turn my stomach.  Incidentally, I’ve raised four babies to adulthood, so not much grosses me out.

The diaper was still there when I returned to work on Friday morning.  Partially frozen due to the overnight sub-freezing temperatures, it was still there, with all of its exposed fecal material in plain view.  Several students noticed and commented on it as they arrived for school on Friday morning.  “Honestly, who DOES that?”  “That’s gross!”  “Are you kidding me?”  “I’m not picking that up during Service Learning!”

The irony and the parallels to what the Alternative High School is struck me.   While I can promise you that I did not change a baby in front of the school on Thursday afternoon, it occurred to me that it WAS my responsibility to pick up and dispose of what someone had left.  Leaving that diaper in front of the school for anyone, and especially visitors to see is just not acceptable.  Leaving it for someone else to clean up didn’t seem reasonable as the diaper had already been there overnight. Whose job IS it to pick up what others have carelessly discarded?  The answer is very evident:  We are all responsible. 

 I implore to the common sense and sensibility of each student.  What are you doing to help boost the reputation of the school?  Regardless of whether or not you left the lunch tray or dirtied the toilet seat or broke a head set or threw a half consumed sticky beverage container into the recycle bin – aren’t we ALL responsible for what the school looks like? And ultimately, the image of the school speaks volumes about what goes on inside.

So, that dirty diaper has me thinking.  Are we in this together or are we simply continuing to take, continuing to expect handouts and continuing to rape the system with preconceived notions of entitlement and expectation? I can hope and I will continue to encourage that we MUST be in this together or we stand the risk of failing and falling together.  Is our school an eyesore?  If it is, then that’s what the community will think of each of us – right or wrong.

Doing the RIGHT thing, whether it is your mess or something that someone else left – is what we all need to do if we are to develop some sense of pride in the school, ourselves, and in the community.  Don’t be a dirty diaper.  Do the right thing. Always.

Essays, Research Papers....or Tweets?

When is enough, well - enough?

Teaching students to write succinctly is difficult, especially when their vocabulary is limited. The author of this New York Times piece, Andy Selsberg, teaches Freshmen English at John Jay College in New York. Professor Selsberg believes that a lot can be said with few words, if the word choice is correct. Teaching students to write captions, descriptions of clothing posted on eBay, or original hooks for You Tube videos requires critical thinking beyond that required for the five-paragraph essay. Getting one's point across in 140 characters or less is a difficult skill, and developing that skill through expansion of a student's grasp of the English language could tax even the master teacher.

Activities that Professor Selsberg suggests may help students increase their vocabulary by forcing them to use descriptive language with limits on the content. Lessons in vocabulary development will increase their skill level, as will practice, especially when challenging others to describe similar objects or events. I can see applicability to language development in students with language deficits to those born with the gift of proficiency in language fluency. In mastering the art of clarity, careful selection of adjectives and experimentation, students should become better writers of all genre.

I like the experiment.

I Can’t Think!

I Can’t Think!

Online Learning

The instructional format of the NEW Saline Alternative High School has implemented a largely online learning experience, for the majority of the core classes required by the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Students engage in lessons provided through the accredited vendor Education 2020. Tutorial, re-teaching and curricular explanations are provided by certified teachers and instructional para-professional staff. For many, taking classes in this format has proven to be a highly motivating, academically competitive learning experience. The curriculum is consistent. Credit accrual has been swift, and some have achieved early graduation.

However, as instructional leaders, we often question whether this online experience will adequately prepare students for what comes next: post-secondary education, the work force, or the military. Are we doing all that we can to prepare them for the rigors of those experiences?



A review of more than one managerial preparation website questions the validity the total online experience in efforts to prepare the student with other skills necessary for life. Are we neglecting to instruct students in the requisite "soft skills" that they will need for a successful adult life? The Ladders, a web based career preparation company, suggests that even IT executives must posses sensitivity, common sense and people skills in order to keep the job that the hard skills posted on a resume secured for them. Read more at http://goo.gl/dHXq1




In an effort to ensure that all students are prepared for whatever "comes next," the NEW Saline Alternative has employed a thematic programming component to aid students in becoming more well rounded, employable, compassionate citizens of the community. Each week, a theme is chosen that guides instruction in BASE classes. Teachers present the theme and provide talking points to begin discussions. As the week progresses, students practice skills they've learned in a non-threatening, small group discussion format.

While it is difficult to measure what impact this instruction has played, there are some related data: disciplinary referrals are down from October, attendance is up significantly from last year, and students are showing an increase in confidence, self-worth and self-satisfaction.

We will continue to question if this alternative experience, provided largely in an online learning community, is what is best for the traditionally unengaged, at-risk learner. For now, predictions are good that this form of instructional delivery, coupled with valuable instructor face-time, is working and producing students that are informed, curious and ready to contribute.

Saline Alternative Clothing Drive

Saline Alternative Clothing Drive