http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2010/11/29/thank-you-and-next/ A School Library Journal Blog Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:26:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2010/11/29/thank-you-and-next/comment-page-1/#comment-14469 Marc Aronson Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:48:18 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/?p=829#comment-14469 Surely there are many different themes and subthemes in classroom learning -- from, as you say, kids whose parents cannot understand their school behavior, to kids who only want to do what they will ace, to kids who say little but know a lot. The point I liked in the article was at least the starting point of recognizing that kids (boys) who are not well-behaved may in fact be very engaged with the material and have all kinds of independent thinking that goes beyond recitation. That at least is a place to begin, even if it is not the place to end. Surely there are many different themes and subthemes in classroom learning — from, as you say, kids whose parents cannot understand their school behavior, to kids who only want to do what they will ace, to kids who say little but know a lot. The point I liked in the article was at least the starting point of recognizing that kids (boys) who are not well-behaved may in fact be very engaged with the material and have all kinds of independent thinking that goes beyond recitation. That at least is a place to begin, even if it is not the place to end.

]]> http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/2010/11/29/thank-you-and-next/comment-page-1/#comment-14466 Mira Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:31:39 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/nonfictionmatters/?p=829#comment-14466 I need to read this again carefully. One thing I have found is that the compliant students often being enraged when the non-tradional learners are appreciated for their contributions. This sometimes becomes a classroom management problem. Those compliant kids get on my nerves but since I was one of them as student, I know that they most likely suffer from poor self-esteem. They are very invested in their ability to perform. I am very interested in learning how to integrate the traditional high achievers into a community where they can appreciate themselves as well as others achievements. Some of them have enormous untapped talent that is overshadowed by their need to outdo and outperform everyone else. I had an open ended art project once and I saw a ten year clench his fist under his desk and say to his nieghbor " God , I hate this stuff ". A environment where he was not sure of success was very anxiety producing to him. I have never seen this particular issue addressed. Another concern is that parents of the non-traditional learners have sometimes just given up on their children's ability to succeed in school or they themselves were traditional learners and don't understand their children. I need to read this again carefully. One thing I have found is that the compliant students often being enraged when the non-tradional learners are appreciated for their contributions. This sometimes becomes a classroom management problem. Those compliant kids get on my nerves but since I was one of them as student, I know that they most likely suffer from poor self-esteem. They are very invested in their ability to perform.
I am very interested in learning how to integrate the traditional high achievers into a community where they can appreciate themselves as well as others achievements. Some of them have enormous untapped talent that is overshadowed by their need to outdo and outperform everyone else. I had an open ended art project once and I saw a ten year clench his fist under his desk and say to his nieghbor ” God , I hate this stuff “. A environment where he was not sure of success was very anxiety producing to him. I have never seen this particular issue addressed. Another concern is that parents of the non-traditional learners have sometimes just given up on their children’s ability to succeed in school or they themselves were traditional learners and don’t understand their children.

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