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 Building self esteem 
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I'm convinced more than ever that if we can convince a student they can succeed, they will. We have to tell them daily they can do it. I love the story of "The Little Engine that Could". I have seen it happen too often when a child builds their self esteem and they began saying, "I know I can do it", then it will happen. What do you think? I'm I being naive?

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Sharon Shoupe


Fri Apr 01, 2005 12:30 am
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Sharon,
As you know that has been by philosophical approach to teaching for years. During the last few weeks before testing I spend as much time telling students how wonderful they are and how much the know as I do teaching and reteaching the curriculum. Students(children) are just like adults they need to be told your doing a great job and I'm proud of you.

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Kathy Wagoner


Sun Apr 03, 2005 5:31 pm
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I think it is particularly difficult for my Hispanic students who are just beginning to learn English to feel competent in school. I am so glad that I speak Spanish, so that in my class all students can participate and feel comfortable. Many times, I have told a teacher that a certain child seems very intelligent because of his/her contributions in my class, and the teacher is surprised because the child does not contribute in a class in which the teacher speaks only English. Learning a second language is not accomplished overnight and I am very concerned that these students will be overwhelmed by the demands placed upon them and will start to believe that they cannot succeed academically. Sandi Johnson


Sun Apr 03, 2005 10:27 pm
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Sharon,
I think if a teacher does not have that attitude they should not be in the classroom. A teacher must be positive to the children. A teacher must encourage and support as well. If you don't believe in the kids, then your instruction will be different. You will not push and pull that child to succeed. Some children face obsticles that we can not understand because they are so big. More than test scores, we should be motivators and cheerleaders for our kids. We should help them face those obsticles. As a principal, I need to be aware of needs and address those, especially in trasition times. If we can get them to believe in theirselves, then the outcomes of their lives may be different. 8)


Mon Apr 11, 2005 11:43 am
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Sharon,
I don't think you are being naive at all. You just approach things differently than some other teachers. I too often teach students that I hear other teachers complain about by saying they don't try or care. In my class they strive to do their best. It is because they are in an environment that supports learning and success for every child. Self-esteem building should probably be what I name my first unit each term. In my mind that is what I am doing and by the next "regular unit" students are already starting to say, "Hey, I can do this."

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Kristine Kelley


Mon Apr 11, 2005 5:56 pm
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I think it is very interesting that you are all speaking to an idea that has been around for a loooong time, self fulling prophesy.
:D

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Chris Sardler


Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:43 pm
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Sharon,
Just as most of us has repeated, attitude matters in student success. Chris calls it a self-fulling prophesy and that is not far from my thoughts. In the alternative school where I work, I find attitude to be the second most important characteristic for grading. Of course, intellegence is still at the top, but attitude can make such a huge difference. I have a quote on my door in big letters. The quote is this "If you believe you can, or if you believe you can't, YOU ARE PROBABLY RIGHT!!!! A+++" I have found it to be a good guide to my passing rates.
Ken

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Ken Robbins


Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:21 am
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My parents need to read your responses. I just spoke with a parent Thursday who kept telling me over and over again all the negative things that was going to happen to her child if she did not pass the EOG. I told the parent to try positive comments. She might be surprised at the result....

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Kathy Wagoner


Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:27 pm
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Sharon,
I am all for keeping positive and I implore my teachers and coaches to always look for the positive in students' performances. A lot of the problem with students' success or failure can be traced back to the teacher, administrator, or coach. On the other hand, simply boosting self esteem for self esteem's sake can be counter productive. In elementary and middle school, the students need all the "warm fuzzies" they can get. But when students reach high school, they need to transition to the real world where they will have to compete for college admissions and later for jobs. Students come to me all the time in tears because they didn't get into the college of their choice. I look at their grades and scores and I see why they were rejected. The students had always been praised regardless of their effort. The world can be a cruel place and I want students to be prepared.
John

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John Parsons


Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:49 am
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Sharon,
Self-esteem is important to everyone. Even as adults we are subject to failing if we don't believe in ourself. Everytime I have started out with an attitude of defeat I have had to struggle to succeed. Life is much easier when you have a cheerleader in your corner. The real world can be cruel, but if we teach with caring and act with caring we can pass on to the children the knowledge that life doesn't have to be cruel.

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Kristine Kelley


Sun Apr 17, 2005 3:41 pm
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I believe students in high school (and maybe all grades) struggle with mixed messages from different societies. At home, in the media, and in the communities they may be hearing disparaging remarks that destroys their self confidence and self image. In many cases they hear these remarks so much that when we tell them positive things they do not believe what is being said.

Have you ever had a student that you compliment and they argue with you or make excuses (yes, I ment excuses) for doing good. It's because they are so programed that they are not capable of doing good that when they do good they must have done something wrong or they just believe you are saying good things because you have to.

It's not isolated to students. Adults suffer from this same problem. I had an assistant teacher work with me and she was very good at what she did and always put the kids in before all else even when she was dealing with personal hardships. I would thank her and compliment her on the job that she did and we would banter back and forth about it until I finally said what someone told me a long time ago..........just say thanks.

Even as an adult she could not accept or believe she was as good as she was. If adults have this problem, what must it be like for our students.

I see these young men that could be outstanding if they just had some one that cared. They crave male attention and need (and want) a positive role model. I wonder, many times, what if I could just take them home with me a showed them some one does care ............................

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Phil Thompson


Wed Apr 20, 2005 4:44 pm
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John

Although I agree, when students reach middle and high school they need to see the real world, however, a little nurturing in elementary does not hurt. I tell my students frequently "Your six grade teacher will not allow you to do this.... " Thursday I saw one of my former students. Sharon and I constantly told him he could do this. This EC student now maintains a B average in the regular classroom. His former behavior problems are now gone. He is liked by everyone and does not need that nuturing I think I can speach. I guess you have to pick your battles and for this child it was a battle of encourgement that I wanted to fight.

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Kathy Wagoner


Sat Apr 23, 2005 9:07 pm
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John-
I think students of all ages need "warm fuzzies." However, I do think that even elementary age students need to be dealt with in such a way as to "prepare them for the real world." This can be done with compassion, empathy, and even sympathy, but we have got to be honest with them. We do not do elementary students favors by excusing or overlooking behaviors/actions, not consistently having high expectations, or even "blessing their heart" because of what is going on at home. I know this may sound harsh coming from me, but year after year I see our 5th graders (no, I don't teach 5th grade) go to the middle school and get the shock of their lives because the "environment" they had been accustomed to, many for as long as 7 years, suddenly no longer exists. Many of the things that are accepted in elementary school are simply not tolerated in middle school. You may very well have experienced what I am referring to when you were at Central Middle. I am not blaming any teacher at my school, they are simply following an example and many times being told what and what not to do.

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Sandra Burchette


Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:35 pm
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Teachers can make or break students with the attitude they portray. I have even known teachers that talk the talk, but don't walk the walk. They might as well say the kids can't succeed, because that is what they believe anyway. The students can read us so well...you have to be genuine.

We see it all the time...the student who is a cut up one period and the stellar student the next. We as teacehrs set the tone for the classroom. If you are passionate about what you do and pass that along to your students they will buy in.

Teahing is just not something you can do half-heartedly.

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out the door and running...

oh by the way, this is ben!


Fri Apr 29, 2005 5:37 pm
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