Who is to blame?

Why is it that we often place the blame on the wrong people? I hear quite often that it is the teacher's fault when a student failed to turn in their work or did not do as well as they would have liked on a quiz. On the other hand, students are blamed for their misbehavior, disruption, and lack of attention. With the constant input of negativity when are we able to process anything positive? While I was reading this week I stumbled across something brilliant and honestly, quite simple! The problem can lie in many different factors. Most commonly, we tend to overlook what is going on in the classroom and how that can affect the individual student. Instead of blaming and pointing fingers perhaps, it is time for educators that run into "brick walls" to start looking within their class and see if the answers will reveal themselves.

First Impressions....

The impressions we make on students the first two weeks of school will live with them for the rest of the year (one of my friends says this every year). What impression did you make? Are you a caring teacher? I can only hope that the impression sent out the first two weeks of school was positive. My students are settled into the routine of my classroom, and they feel confident enough to raise their hand and answer a question on week three. I can only assume that the rapport built last year was strong enough that their relationship with me gives them confidence to attempt and succeed in my class.

What rapport are you building with others?