Fire-Up Conference

Session 1: ADD- When is it Not?

Normal o Abnormal behaviors when encountering new things or people o Anxiety and worry to a degree New school year, parental problems, genetically prone Disorder o Anxiety is more common (10-21%) than ADHD o Emotional problems are typically displayed in a behavioral way with adolescence. You think the behavioral is ADHD but it is actually anxiety centered. Triggered by events and situations Not cognitively flexible ADHD o Difficult time attending to tasks, overactive, impulsive One symptom will often dominate o Common problems Learning or communication problems Poor school performance Difficulty interacting with other children/misbehavior Mood/anxiety problems o Worse thing is for them to be bored o 5% of children (90% of those are boys) 35-60% continue with symptoms into adulthood Assess o Look at several environments Treatment o Medication, behavioral therapy Physical Complaints o Anxious children Will not verbalize because they want to please the adult Headaches, stomachaches Occurs during transitions, absent from parents Behavioral signals o Anxious children Temper tantrums that are prolonged Re-enforcement is more beneficial

Session 2: The Five Love Languages for Educators

Primary Love Language (my love language) o How you give/receive love, carry emotional pain, withdraw when feeling hurt Love Tank o Full: ready to deal with anything o My love language is the plug

Fly-byes! o Miscommunication, missed love Learn to do all FIVE o Connect to everyone, unconditional Words of Affirmation o Most loved when Verbal compliments/encouragement Statements of appreciation Quality Time o Most loved when Undivided attention Focused attention Quality conversation Gifts o Most loved when Visual, physical symbols of love Acts of Service o Most loved when Services that support various needs/save time or energy A sacrificial act Touch o Most loved when Physical/playful touch

Session 3: Dos and Donts of Classroom Discipline

Advice o Have something for students to d o when they walk in, let students think first Tip #1 o Make sure on day 1 that all procedures/expectations/discipline and policies are clear Procedures: how do we Expectations/Discipline: what happens if Policies: How do I 1st ten minutes of class determines the day Tip #2 o Start class effectively and efficient Do meet students at the door Dont ignore them Do meaningful work Dont assign busy work Do take attendance Dont just yell to settle down Dont flick lights Dont send e-mails/facebook Do see absent students

Tip #3 o Say often that expectations are high for work, effort and behavior Do state positively Dont state not allowed Do fairness Dont do equal Do Shout Praise/whisper criticism Dont ignore behavior Do be consistent Dont pick and choose Do Respond to what you see Dont leave room for guess work o Students will respond to consistent enforcement o Students will behave how you let them o Dont handle a 1 like a 10 and a 10 like a 1 o Offer options when possible o Doing nothing is NOT an option Tip #4 o Policies are based on student success in mind Do count tardies Dont be the cool teaching Do grades as rewards Dont use grade as a threat Do grades based learning Dont trick kids on tests Do limit hall passes Dont allow open passes Do curricular based Extra Credit Dont use grades as hoop jumping Policies: base them on best practices and benefit student learning, you will never have to defend them. Advice o Students are not friends o Youre in chargealways o Yelling = rare o Students are someone elses kids o Professional face always o Communication with parents constantly o Conferences are meant to be used as a how to fix it time Mom/Dad, I need help Call with good news 1st if possible You cant call home too much You arent on trial, the kid is Call before going to the administrator Honesty, dont exaggerate/understate

Session #4: Creating a Climate of success for At-risk Students

Solutions o Develop a highly structured classroom climate SLANT o Use positive behavior support Teach expectations, re-teach expectation, practice, reward, re-teach o Use frequent, specific praise for academic and social behaviors o Deliberately teach social and emotional skills: dont be condescending o Post directions for fulfilling other key social skills o Have consistent procedures for when things go wrong o 10 second conversations o Reality Rub o Understand your won cultural background and bias o Have high expectations for all students and have 100% engagement o Be a reading teacher o Develop trusting relationships o Work together o Know the student o Meet students where they are o Allow a student to save face o Do action research Keep records o Be compassionate and dont forget the golden rule

Session #5: Things I wish I knew sooner

Gold o o o Dont give any orders you are not willing to enforce Be consistent There has to be consequences Teach, warn + re-teach, discipline (no warnings) Student helpers o Paper hander-outers o Paramedic: absent connections o Attendance taker o Time timer setter