Working with Alternative Ed Kids

[Miss T]

I've got my first-ever teaching job and it's in an alternative setting: middle school and high school students who have been removed from their district schools for various reasons (drugs, behavior, violence etc.). If anyone has been involved in this kind of school before, I'd love to hear from you. It's been a little tough so far, a lot of trial-and-error. I'd love to hear how you got through it and any advice you have!

Thanks!

[MsCoffeeLover]

I have never been in a school such as this, but I have worked with several students that had come from this type of school or acted in such a way that they needed to go to this type of school.

Things that have helped are getting to know the kids and learn a little something about them.

The next thing is to try to find a way to restore hope in some capacity.

I had a student once that had to go to an alternative school and special programs due to questionable behaviors (anger, violence, outbursts, etc.) They gave him to me my first year. He didn't say a word and kept to himself. The kids didn't mess with him, and he wasn't very approachable. You could tell he was troubled or at the very least easily aggravated.

I started observing doodles, comments, illustrations, etc. and he seemed to have a fascination with religion. We discussed it, and I gave him a book on all the different religions of man. That is how it began for us. We just talked like two people, and we respected each others space and made no demands from one another. Little by little, he became more interactive with the class.

It began with a conversation and an approach different than that of what is traditional.

[Miss T]

Thanks!

All my kids are like that; not so much with the doodling, but they're more of the skater-punk-too cool for school-kids. But I've been trying to relate to them by discussing things they like during downtime (skateboarding, bands, guitar hero). They seem to be responding well so far; it's obviously going to take some time.

[Spectre]

I would say you are on the right track, Miss T. Having rapport with students, without being their "buddy." Building relationships is crucial, no matter where you are.

[Boxcar]

Good luck! It sounds like you are doing the exact right thing. It is so important to be sensitive and observant with students.

[Miss T]

thanks...I'm trying!!

[Miss T]

Ok So I need to vent.

With the kids I work with, I have to plan a lot of activities that are interesting and hold their attention. One of these is games, and I have a prize box filled with dollar-store items. They love it. However, today we played a flashcard review game. If the students, when it was their turn, knew the meaning of the Spanish word, would get the flashcard and keep it as a point. At the end, the person with the most cards would choose a prize from the box.

After my first period class, I noticed some of the flashcards were missing. I also noticed that one of my prizes was missing (a candy bar). I asked the first period about it and everyone denied it. I soon found out that some of the students had stolen some of the cards, crumpled them up, and thrown them in the garbage. Another boy was seen eating the candy bar.

I don't understand. My classes could be so much more boring, so much 'drill-and-kill' like I was taught. We never did things like this when I was in school. And school was boring too. It just hurts when I try so hard for the kids and not only do they not appreciate it (which I could understand more, they don't have to show that) but they go out of their way to do things like this.

I'm done. Just had to get that out there.

I think I'll go read the warm & fuzzies now :-)

-Miss T

[MsCoffeeLover]

You know what? That feeling is the worst feeling!! There is nothing worse than putting your energy into something, getting excited about it, and then have things go awry. It makes me want to cuss for you.

That happened to me recently. I am the power point queen. I love making them, finding really cool pictures, and can't wait to teach whatever lesson has a power point attached to it. Kids take their chances, and do what they do. Whatever. We were doing a power point on the Industrial Revolution, and I LOVE teaching about the Industrial Revolution. I couldn't wait to come to school that day to teach. The kids did so many awful things that day that I literally turned off the power point and made them write a five paragraph essay on the Industrial Revolution.

That afternoon began the implementation of rules for power point. I asked them the biggest crime that went along with this lesson. They had some answers like an awful writing assignment, student behaviors, etc. Yet, to me, that wasn't the biggest crime.

To me, the bigger crime was trampling on my excitement, and I said it to them. They tried to take it away, and I wouldn't let them have it. The next time they tried, I was going to take theirs.

Every time we review the power point rules, a student always says, "Do NOT take away MsCoffeeLover's excitement." Who knew that statement would be the winning statement?

After that day, NO ONE messes with me and my power points. NO ONE! I haven't had a problem since.

Of course, the alternative that I made them do may just have held more weight.:D

[Miss T]

Your post made me smile, thank you!

You're right. The kids didn't see what the big deal was; but it really was that they took away my excitement. I'm def. going to introduce some new rules tomorrow that will hopefully dispel any future problems.

Thanks!

Miss T

[MsCoffeeLover]

You are welcome! For the most part, I have always been pretty straight forward and totally real with my kids. There are times where I just don't have a problem putting myself out there and possibly stating something from the heart. Not too personal and not too cheesy or pathetic, but just enough to let the kids know that I am real and affected by their actions, and that they also have a job/role to make the class as awesome as it can be.

They can choose to have a teacher that is excited about the content because many of these kids don't always have that in a teacher or they can continue with their behaviors and do boring assignments. If they want a little more from a lesson, they are just going to have to get it together and help make it happen.

I try to make the alternative way more miserable--so miserable that the original plan always seems like Utopia.

You know, this actually happened with the cell project. Kids had a hard time with the cell models in general. Many of them copied directly from the book or drew from the book or whatever. The students had the option to take something they enjoy and create a cell from that experience. That was mind boggling to some students. Going around the room and giving them ideas as well as permission to be creative in an appropriate context.

We actually had a discussion about it and choices they actually have. Kids only have a handful of choices during the school day. They couldn't choose the assignment, but they could choose which way they wanted this particular assignment to go. It seemed to be a message taken to heart by my general ed kids.