Ruby Payne, author of ‘A Framework for Understanding Poverty’, and ‘Research-Based Strategies for Students in Poverty and Low-Performing Schools’ provides great insight into the socio-economic reasons for the behaviours we experience in many of our classrooms across the globe, and strategies that reduce the achievement gap for under resourced students. We have been lucky enough here in Shepparton to be provided with two days (well, almost – the power went off at the venue more than an hour before day two was finished and we had to leave!) of PD covering her strategies to deal with improving student teacher relationships.
At the request of the presenter, we all brought along a manilla folder, six ‘peel and stick’ envelopes and some small squares of paper. The presentation was divided into chapters and we were asked to label each of the envelopes with a chapter heading then peel the covering from the sticky seal, fold it backwards and arrange the six envelopes inside the manilla folder to create a portable filing cabinet. I wish I’d had the fortitude to stand up in my place, in a tiered theatre space jammed with hundreds of teachers, and photograph everyone balancing these folders, envelopes and squares of paper on their laps in what was essentially less space than economy class on a long haul flight. Stop for a moment and picture it now…
Well, I could certainly see the point in stopping at various intervals throughout the presentation to make notes of salient points under the appropriate headings. But where would these gems end up? Would I treasure this manilla folder and have it readily on hand to draw upon in a sticky classroom situation?
Awesome Note to the rescue. The iPod touch / iPhone is something that is always close by. The folders took a couple of minutes to set up, and then as the presentation progressed, I was able to add the pertinent ideas as notes to each folder, including photos of the presentation screen when relevant. They couldn’t do that with the paper based version!
Two important notes I made were to be aware of the differences between ‘parent voice’ and ‘adult voice’ when dealing with students. Also to explain the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of rules and requests to students, not just the ‘what’.
So if you haven’t already, give Awesome Note a try, it is as it’s title suggests, a great way to categorise and store important snippets of information.
