Comments on: The Webster Way to success http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/ Free-linking and thinking on education by Joanne Jacobs Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:00:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Jason http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-75219 Jason Sun, 11 May 2008 07:17:33 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-75219 I remember my Classroom Management professor telling us that if a kid is stealing it might be because he doesn't know that stealing is wrong. This shocked me. How could anyone not know that stealing is wrong. Then I thought about it. If I was raised by a family that just took what they needed, and they never taught me that it was wrong, then I might not know. If I had to take food in order to eat, I might see myself as a Robin Hood of sorts, taking from the rich to give to the poor. I think that directly teaching behavior is important. There are a couple programs that do it, but even in schools that expect it to be taught, not every teacher does. It is hard to teach behavior, but every teacher I've talked to that teaches behaviors says that for ever 10 minutes they spend teaching behavior they gain an hour (figures might differ). That is about a 50 minute gain. In the short time we have to teach so much, gaining this time is so important. I remember my Classroom Management professor telling us that if a kid is stealing it might be because he doesn’t know that stealing is wrong. This shocked me. How could anyone not know that stealing is wrong. Then I thought about it. If I was raised by a family that just took what they needed, and they never taught me that it was wrong, then I might not know. If I had to take food in order to eat, I might see myself as a Robin Hood of sorts, taking from the rich to give to the poor.

I think that directly teaching behavior is important. There are a couple programs that do it, but even in schools that expect it to be taught, not every teacher does. It is hard to teach behavior, but every teacher I’ve talked to that teaches behaviors says that for ever 10 minutes they spend teaching behavior they gain an hour (figures might differ). That is about a 50 minute gain. In the short time we have to teach so much, gaining this time is so important.

]]> By: Heather Wolpert-Gawron http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74838 Heather Wolpert-Gawron Sun, 04 May 2008 20:57:13 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74838 You know, I'm not fully on board yet with dress code, but it certainly goes along the same line as this. Sometimes requiring external standards, helps to advance intrinsic motivation. It's a lot like the old saying, "dress for success." And, as a once-drama teacher and a current coach of a Nationally ranked Speech & Debate team who also happens to be made up of Title I, ELL students, the fact that they must dress up, nod a thank you to a judge regardless of their verdict, and shake the hands of their competitors is definitely a bonus for a "Manners at School" argument as a means to boost achievement. Wow, that was some run-on sentence. Anyway, thanks for the article. You know, I’m not fully on board yet with dress code, but it certainly goes along the same line as this. Sometimes requiring external standards, helps to advance intrinsic motivation. It’s a lot like the old saying, “dress for success.” And, as a once-drama teacher and a current coach of a Nationally ranked Speech & Debate team who also happens to be made up of Title I, ELL students, the fact that they must dress up, nod a thank you to a judge regardless of their verdict, and shake the hands of their competitors is definitely a bonus for a “Manners at School” argument as a means to boost achievement. Wow, that was some run-on sentence. Anyway, thanks for the article.

]]> By: BadaBing http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74760 BadaBing Sat, 03 May 2008 00:44:16 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74760 Thanks for the great link, Chris. Touchy-feely feel-good compassionate do-gooder bleeding-heart liberalism comes with a high price tag: Destruction of the family unit. I also like what Newmark says next: <i> I can foresee a time when a less prosperous and more realistic public gets tired of picking up the pieces of the wrecked lives of the n'er [sic] do wells. Then the public will demand that the kids be taken away at an early age and the trashy parents be sent to prison, or a "reeducation" camp. Call me cynical but I see nothing but dystopia in the future. I am fairly certain western societies cannot go on the same way we have been. Something radical is going to happen.</i> Unlike Newmark, however, I highly doubt that anything "radical" will happen to save us. People get used to lowering their expectations and it becomes a habit. Thanks for the great link, Chris. Touchy-feely feel-good compassionate do-gooder bleeding-heart liberalism comes with a high price tag: Destruction of the family unit. I also like what Newmark says next:

I can foresee a time when a less prosperous and more realistic public gets tired of picking up the pieces of the wrecked lives of the n’er [sic] do wells.
Then the public will demand that the kids be taken away at an early age and the trashy parents be sent to prison, or a “reeducation” camp.
Call me cynical but I see nothing but dystopia in the future. I am fairly certain western societies cannot go on the same way we have been. Something radical is going to happen.

Unlike Newmark, however, I highly doubt that anything “radical” will happen to save us. People get used to lowering their expectations and it becomes a habit.

]]> By: ChrisA http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74750 ChrisA Fri, 02 May 2008 18:25:36 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74750 This seems to tie in to some extent with a post over at Newmark's Door referencing a NY Times article: http://newmarksdoor.typepad.com/mainblog/2008/05/35-words-about.html The critical 35 words are: “Most of the kids come from broken homes,” he said. “Their parents are dead, in jail or on drugs. You can tell the kids from two-parent homes. They’re getting straight A’s, and they are respectful.” Chris This seems to tie in to some extent with a post over at Newmark’s Door referencing a NY Times article:

http://newmarksdoor.typepad.com/mainblog/2008/05/35-words-about.html

The critical 35 words are:

“Most of the kids come from broken homes,” he said. “Their parents are dead, in jail or on drugs. You can tell the kids from two-parent homes. They’re getting straight A’s, and they are respectful.”

Chris

]]> By: Right Wing Nation » That Reminds Me http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74748 Right Wing Nation » That Reminds Me Fri, 02 May 2008 15:47:37 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74748 [...] Joanne Jacobs points to this interesting article about a school that is teaching students how to behave like students, and getting excellent results: Top achievers, they found, had mastered a behavioral code that equaled school success. They spoke up in class. They balanced when to speak and when to listen. They turned toward the speaker. Those behaviors — not their brightness — separated them from their lower-achieving peers and enabled them to absorb information. If the school explicitly taught students those behaviors, White reasoned, wouldn’t they do better? [...] [...] Joanne Jacobs points to this interesting article about a school that is teaching students how to behave like students, and getting excellent results: Top achievers, they found, had mastered a behavioral code that equaled school success. They spoke up in class. They balanced when to speak and when to listen. They turned toward the speaker. Those behaviors — not their brightness — separated them from their lower-achieving peers and enabled them to absorb information. If the school explicitly taught students those behaviors, White reasoned, wouldn’t they do better? [...]

]]> By: Myrtle http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74745 Myrtle Fri, 02 May 2008 14:40:40 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74745 "It works because you don't want to disappoint your teacher or yourself. That's better than a piece of licorice or a star, at the end of the day." In other words it's a cognitive approach rather than a behavioral approach. “It works because you don’t want to disappoint your teacher or yourself. That’s better than a piece of licorice or a star, at the end of the day.”

In other words it’s a cognitive approach rather than a behavioral approach.

]]> By: Rob http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74744 Rob Fri, 02 May 2008 13:55:48 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74744 This is unpossible. There's no way that a strategy that is simple, direct and costs nothing to implement could possibly do anything to enhance the educational experience. This is unpossible. There’s no way that a strategy that is simple, direct and costs nothing to implement could possibly do anything to enhance the educational experience.

]]> By: Andromeda http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74741 Andromeda Fri, 02 May 2008 12:14:55 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74741 I have a class which just hasn't -- as ninth graders (!) -- mastered how to behave, and every time I give them extremely explicit instructions I am amazed at how well they respond. (And then, of course, promptly forget, because it's so hard to internalize that <I>ninth graders</I> don't understand these things.) Go Webster. I have a class which just hasn’t — as ninth graders (!) — mastered how to behave, and every time I give them extremely explicit instructions I am amazed at how well they respond. (And then, of course, promptly forget, because it’s so hard to internalize that ninth graders don’t understand these things.) Go Webster.

]]> By: Tracy W http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74740 Tracy W Fri, 02 May 2008 11:32:01 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2008/05/02/the-webster-way-to-success/#comment-74740 It's interesting how being explicit keeps showing up as a good strategy in teaching. It’s interesting how being explicit keeps showing up as a good strategy in teaching.

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