Zen Moment Consequences

My last post detailed the activity I give for a co-safe referral. It did not, however discuss the consequences of receiving a co-safe. The activity the student will complete during the co-safe minutes are to color a mandala. The consequences are the same if a student has to color or write.

The consequences of receiving this redirection are two-fold. One and most importantly is the dreaded phone call to a parent. In my experience, the best way to redirect a child's behavior is to contact a parent. I'm a notorious parent phone caller. Mostly because I'm a mom and I would prefer to hear from a teacher first if there is a problem before I hear it from my son. But, also... because I'm a middle school teacher, communication with parents is just the best way to ensure success.

The second consequence is the co-safe is recorded in our in-house violation system. Regardless of the activity the student has to complete during the co-safe, if it is assigned, it is recorded. A recorded co-safe violation results in exclusion from the beloved Fun Friday activity our school provides every other week. And if you know anything about kids, you know exclusion is the worst form of punishment.

Finally, exclusion from my vibrant Drama classroom is always a consequence. Having to sit in another classroom and miss out on the fun that goes on in a Drama classroom is a consequence of co-safe. I almost always get a hand-written apology from a child who was sent out of my room. Mostly because he/she heard about all of the fun we had in class and nobody likes to feel left out.

However, the co-safe consequence is intended first and foremost to serve the student. Meaning, the student's behavior was so inappropriate, he/she got kicked out of class. But, the reason for that behavior must stem from somewhere... some kind of discontentment or emotional turmoil. Happy kids don't act inappropriately. Sad kids do. So, the zen moment meditation of coloring a mandala serves to allow the child to reflect, calm down and feel accomplished. It is intended to serve the child. Serve. And that is the most important verb all teachers must remember.

What is best to serve the child's need?

Zen Moment Consequences

My last post detailed the activity I give for a co-safe referral. It did not, however discuss the consequences of receiving a co-safe. The activity the student will complete during the co-safe minutes are to color a mandala. The consequences are the same if a student has to color or write.

The consequences of receiving this redirection are two-fold. One and most importantly is the dreaded phone call to a parent. In my experience, the best way to redirect a child's behavior is to contact a parent. I'm a notorious parent phone caller. Mostly because I'm a mom and I would prefer to hear from a teacher first if there is a problem before I hear it from my son. But, also... because I'm a middle school teacher, communication with parents is just the best way to ensure success.

The second consequence is the co-safe is recorded in our in-house violation system. Regardless of the activity the student has to complete during the co-safe, if it is assigned, it is recorded. A recorded co-safe violation results in exclusion from the beloved Fun Friday activity our school provides every other week. And if you know anything about kids, you know exclusion is the worst form of punishment.

Finally, exclusion from my vibrant Drama classroom is always a consequence. Having to sit in another classroom and miss out on the fun that goes on in a Drama classroom is a consequence of co-safe. I almost always get a hand-written apology from a child who was sent out of my room. Mostly because he/she heard about all of the fun we had in class and nobody likes to feel left out.

However, the co-safe consequence is intended first and foremost to serve the student. Meaning, the student's behavior was so inappropriate, he/she got kicked out of class. But, the reason for that behavior must stem from somewhere... some kind of discontentment or emotional turmoil. Happy kids don't act inappropriately. Sad kids do. So, the zen moment meditation of coloring a mandala serves to allow the child to reflect, calm down and feel accomplished. It is intended to serve the child. Serve. And that is the most important verb all teachers must remember.

What is best to serve the child's need?

Zen Moment

If a student has not responded to numerous redirects, but hasn't actually broken any rules to be "sent to the office", our school has what's called "co-safe". We send the student to another teacher's classroom with an assignment for a "time out". It's an effective method that also decreases office referrals which allows for both the student and teacher to take a breather. And when teaching middle school students, sometimes we all need a breather.

However, I was stumped as to what to create for my co-safe assignment. As an English teacher, I obviously don't like to assign writing as "punishment". Rewriting the school rules doesn't seem very productive either. So, when my students showed an interest in mandalas (because our genius Math teachers use mandalas in our school), I was inspired.

I bought a mandala coloring book and copied pages from it. Attached is a little note that reads, "You need what I call a Zen Moment. Take the coloring pencils and spend your time coloring in this mandala. You may return to my classroom tomorrow with a clean slate".

Obviously from the popularity of adult coloring books, the research proves that concentrated time coloring is a great way to calm down, focus energies and rejuvenate. Meditation is a great way of redirection. At the end of the activity, the student can feel a sense of accomplishment. I have yet to meet students who don't enjoy coloring and the purpose of "co-safe" is not punitive, but redirection. I think this co-safe assignment is inventive and productive. Not only that, meditation as a method of redirection is research-based. Proven effective. And a great method to help students learn to concentrate to de-escalate. The goal is for the student to be able to attend the rest of his/her classes productively. Coloring a mandala is an obtainable goal with quick result. At the end of co-safe, the child has something beautiful he/she created and feels a sense of calm.

And I believe that is the goal of disciplinary redirection.

Leestown OUTLOUD

Leestown OUTLOUD performing at TEEN HOWL POETRY SERIES 2016

Hello, Year Two!

It's the start of my second year at this middle school developing a drama program and I could not be more happy. For one, I have established relationships with so many students, discipline and classroom management are just not issues. What's more important? I am delving more deeply into the academic aspect. I'm no longer creating, I have the luxury to tighten and to more sharply focus the lessons.

I am delighted. Wake up every morning so excited to spin magic in the classroom. Lesson plans consume my thoughts and the students inspire more creativity than I ever thought possible.

The spoken word performance poetry group that I organized last year grew from five members to twelve members in just this one year. Eager, beautiful minds delighted by the idea of their words dancing on the page and coming to life on the stage.

I'm grateful to break this blog back open because when I begin rehearsals for the overly ambitious full-length school play I intend to stage... you are going to be privy to all of the delicious drama that comes with daring to reach for the stars.

And why not? What else is there to do in life, really?