The lockdown drill scheduled for today will be re-scheduled.
On the one hand, I'm glad we won't have this interruption to our schedule two days before Spring Break begins. On the other hand, my team teacher has been preparing her students with special needs for a week, getting them ready for this practice that will stress them out whenever it occurs.
I've heard the front office is chaos this week. Lots of smaller referrals are falling through the cracks, administrators are no-shows for meetings, they tend to be fast walking (if not running) when they're glimpsed in the halls. Maybe this is why the drill has been canceled for today? Maybe enough teachers trying to squeeze a test in before break complained? Who knows?
At a long ago PD session, I heard a presenter discuss students with trauma backgrounds struggle with executive functioning. They have a hard time focusing their attention where it's needed (academically) and struggle regulating their emotions. She mentioned that there is finite amount of processing power and these students are spending some of theirs looking out for dangers. This is made worse when the environment is unpredictable.
I'm not one of the folks who blames every student struggle or misbehavior on the pandemic, but I do wonder if the unpredictabilty of the lockdowns has impacted students. It wasn't all that long ago that leaving for Spring Break led to months of isolation and fear. I guess we can't be too surprised that students are a little skittish heading into this break.
I do try to make my classes more predictable. I try to prepare my kiddos for changes in our routine. I try to create a comfortable learning environment. And, mostly, my students are able to relax.
Maybe, sometimes, they're too relaxed. Maybe, I wish they were a little more stressed about deadlines and test preparation. But, usually, I'm glad they're comfortable. I have fewer outbursts, and my students are able to focus a little more in my room.
On the one hand, I'm glad we won't have this interruption to our schedule two days before Spring Break begins. On the other hand, my team teacher has been preparing her students with special needs for a week, getting them ready for this practice that will stress them out whenever it occurs.
I've heard the front office is chaos this week. Lots of smaller referrals are falling through the cracks, administrators are no-shows for meetings, they tend to be fast walking (if not running) when they're glimpsed in the halls. Maybe this is why the drill has been canceled for today? Maybe enough teachers trying to squeeze a test in before break complained? Who knows?
At a long ago PD session, I heard a presenter discuss students with trauma backgrounds struggle with executive functioning. They have a hard time focusing their attention where it's needed (academically) and struggle regulating their emotions. She mentioned that there is finite amount of processing power and these students are spending some of theirs looking out for dangers. This is made worse when the environment is unpredictable.
I'm not one of the folks who blames every student struggle or misbehavior on the pandemic, but I do wonder if the unpredictabilty of the lockdowns has impacted students. It wasn't all that long ago that leaving for Spring Break led to months of isolation and fear. I guess we can't be too surprised that students are a little skittish heading into this break.
I do try to make my classes more predictable. I try to prepare my kiddos for changes in our routine. I try to create a comfortable learning environment. And, mostly, my students are able to relax.
Maybe, sometimes, they're too relaxed. Maybe, I wish they were a little more stressed about deadlines and test preparation. But, usually, I'm glad they're comfortable. I have fewer outbursts, and my students are able to focus a little more in my room.