Author: 4ckn8

Teachers, if you haven’t noticed, the winds of change are blowing, ushering in summer and all manner of crazy restless and challenging behaviors. Though our students might not be able to articulate it in words, they sense the change and are reacting as expected. Routines help ground us. When we get in the habit of doing things a certain way, our brains can predict and anticipate what’s coming....

Since we celebrate the moms of the world today, it seems like the perfect time to reflect on motherly instincts and how they manifest through behavior.  My guess is you can relate to some of these mom behaviors we see in schools: Moms who return home to fetch a project, costume or lunch the child forgot Moms who tie shoes, zip jackets, unpack backpacks, or carry their children to class Moms...

Have you ever heard your voice on a recording and been surprised?  “Do I really sound like that?”  It is safe to say the way we see ourselves is rarely how others see us.  We all have a blind spot – and I first learned that lesson in graduate school.  As part of a class assignment I was videoed while being interviewed.  Afterwards I had to watch the recording and write a paper on what I...

It’s that time of year again.  Teachers frantically looking online as the state opens the flood gate and releases test scores.  I sat down to write my blog on this subject, and low-and-behold, a past post I wrote four years ago popped up on my feed.  Guess it is a sign to just repost: I find it fascinating and disturbing how much emphasis we place on paper/pencil evaluations in the...

It is a busy time for teachers.  Our “to do” baskets are overflowing, kids are getting antsy in anticipation of summer, and every school day brings new fires of some type we have to extinguish.  So in order to avoid overload, I suggest we provide our brains with a specific focus to keep us both encouraged and optimistic.  Luckily, our porch cat Monty came to visit and helped me find just the...

As is often the case, I was in a meeting to help develop a behavior plan for a student when the question was posed: “What is the function of his behavior?  Why do you think he acts the way he does?”  For some reason, I was trying to reflect on the student’s behaviors, but all I could think about was our porch cat, Monty.  “Survival,” I said. Let’s be clear, Monty adopted us, and the adoption...

It’s a common occurrence in kindergarten. A little girl approached me and said, “Mr. St. Romain, Michael ran all the way back from the library.” My response was the same as it always has been. “Who should you worry about, yourself or Michael?” “Myself…but we’re not supposed to do that. Are we?” she retorted in a somewhat questioning manner. There was a long pause as the wheels in my brain...

“It takes two to argue.” This is such a simple concept, but one that can have profound implications. Unfortunately, this sentence is not usually popping into my head when I’m frustrated and trying to manage my emotions. However, recently I didn’t argue. In fact, I said nothing at all, and as it turns out, it was a good strategy – for me, as well as for the son I wanted to kill. Yesterday, one...

Ever run a marathon? It is my understanding you are supposed to pace yourself so you don’t run out of steam before crossing the finish line. I can’t speak from direct experience, as I’m a swimmer. . Whatever the event, pacing oneself is very important – which is something to think about between now and the end of the school year.   As discussed in past posts, some of us have a tendency to...

When the sun sets this evening another spring break comes to a close for me.  It’s been a great week, but I am ready to resume my normal work routine – and fortunately, stepping away for a while positively adjusted my attitude and outlook. As mentioned in my last post, I spent the week gardening.  Little did I realize how much time it would take to clean out my Lorapetulums (Fringe Flowers)....