Every Day Issues

[Sarah]

Yes I agree. However, it needs to be
modeled by the teachers. Acknowledging them as a part of the class,
Instead of it being the teachers class, is the best way to start.
Getting to know the students individually, is the first thing teachers
should learn. When little disputes happen in class, help by
acknowledging feelings, give words they may not have, ask if you are
right, facilitate the discussion, offer support, then thank them for
helping solve… Do this often and the children will start to solve
issues without assistance, however, be flexible when your presence is
required for a disagreement. Even if you have to say, let me finish
this and I will be right there. If they are asking for help, they do
not feel confident yet in their new abilities.

[Kate]

Totally agree! When kids hit those everyday snags, it’s like a golden opportunity to teach them some life skills. Conflict resolution is a biggie, it’s all about showing them how to navigate tricky situations and find solutions that work for everyone. The earlier we start teaching them this stuff, the better prepared they’ll be to handle whatever life throws their way down the road. Plus, it’s a win-win- they learn, we learn, and hopefully, we all grow a little in the process!

[Ashley Fugate]

One thing I have found very useful this year is creating a flip schedule for one of my students. In one of my college’s courses, I had to observe a child and a specific behavior. I had a student who didn’t do well with transitions and most of his day was taken over by tears. Doing research on how to help him I found an idea on TeachNC for a flip schedule. The flip schedule is something that he can have in his hands and as we complete each thing he closes a flap. He can physically see the how many items we have left before it is time to go home. This has helped him tremendously with his day and his transitions. He hasn’t had any tears, and we even came back from spring break with a successful week back without tears.