Martha Allen, an adjunct professor at Dominican University’s Teacher Credential Program in San Rafael, California, asked her students teachers to use the Two-by-Ten Strategy with their toughest student. The results? Almost everyone reported a marked improvement in the behavior and attitude of their one-targeted students, and often of the whole class. Many teachers using the Two-by-Ten Strategy for the first time have had a similar corroborating experience: Their worst student became an ally in the class when they forged a strong personal connection with that student. This can be counterintuitive. But the students who seemingly deserve the most punitive consequences we can muster are actually the ones who most need a positive personal connection with their teacher. When they act out they are letting s know they are seeking a positive connection with an adult authority figure and that they need that connection first, before they can focus on learning content (Smith & Lambert 19). Continue reading Testing the Two-by-Ten Strategy
All posts by Stephanie Beck
Are You in Control?
Every drug user starts out as an occasional user, and that initial use is a voluntary and controllable decision. But as time passes and drug use continues, a person goes from, being a voluntary to a compulsive drug user. This change occurs because over time, use of addictive drugs changes the brain – at times in big, dramatic ways, others in more subtle ways, but always in destructive ways that can result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use. The brain changes range from fundamental and long-lasting changes in the biochemical makeup of brain to mood changes to changes in memory processes and motors skills. These changes have a tremendous impact on all aspects of a person’s behavior. In fact, in addiction the drug becomes the single most powerful motivator in the life of the drug user He will do virtually anything for the drug (167 Phillip). Continue reading Are You in Control?
Cultural Practices vs. Adolescent Well Being
“After facilitating the group, I would walk with the girls to the subway. I would often hear snippets of their conversations with each other about their home lives. They would talk about their family, their friends as school, and occasionally their husbands…..I couldn’t imagine how these giggly high school girls could possibly transition to be someone’s wife once they left the playful space of our girl’s group (Yetu 3.). Continue reading Cultural Practices vs. Adolescent Well Being
The Effect of Gender Based Expectations on Self Perception
When girls do well on a test- particularly in math and science – they tend to report that maybe the exam was easy or that they just got lucky that day. And if they don’t do well they say that they have never been good at that subject, or that its very difficult for them…these findings seem to support Gilligan’s data showing that girls become unsure of themselves in adolescence, particularly in male dominated domains (as math and science traditionally have been) (Sadowski, 88). Continue reading The Effect of Gender Based Expectations on Self Perception
Social Relations for Newcomers
Relational engagement it’s the extent to which students feel connected to their teachers, peers, and others at school. Successful adaptation among immigrant students appears to be linked to the quality of relationships they forge in their school settings. Indeed, social support at school has been implicated in the academic adaptation of all students, and immigrant students appear to be no exception. Social relations provide a variety of protective functions – a sense of belonging, emotional support, tangible assistance and information, guidance, role modeling, and positive feedback. Research suggests that relationships in school play a particularly crucial role in promoting socially competent behavior in the classroom and fostering academic engagement and achievement (Sadowski, 51). Continue reading Social Relations for Newcomers