A "crew" mentality builds trust

Self-sabotaging individualism is being pushed onto children as a magical fix for life. it is not.  Most places saying "we are a team" are lying and absolutely do not care about the student's future outside of that space.  Community works better than being a loner because it's like a chosen family.  I find the best way to get students to understand this strategy to succeed in class, I use familiar ideas.  "Do you have a crew?" "Do you trust your crew? "Why?"

Group think is old school and so am I. I let every student identify for me which adults and kids they trust to be in their "crew". I prove myself to every family every year. I convince them to let me be in their "crew".  Since seeing is believing, Students and parents need to see what work is being turned into the teacher.  Students often forget what they did or didn't do.  Apps and digital data and notes from a teacher or dean is not the same as a seeing an actual crumpled-up test paper on the floor with a student's first name on it. Teachers and parents must have trust. Work is proof.  Missing work is also proof.  It is a best practice of mine to keep all papers from at least one report card period show patterns in study and work habits or lack thereof.  Parents need to experience how the student and teacher are interacting.  If the student is to succeed, the parent, student and I must become a "crew." All curriculum and instruction are useless if the student does not trust you.

Samples

Here are actual materials from Ms. Ztaoui's classes.

Syllabus 3-4 pp

I have a business number where parents can contact me. I use text, email, unpublished photos zoom and video conferences with my families.  I use all school required Apps to share information with parents and students.  My class always requires supplies because we do not use technology on purpose.  Tech in class is almost always abused by students, and I do not allow students to argue/fight with me in my class or elsewhere. My class has a behavioral caveat, just the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Formative Assessments

I enjoy using discussion and essay writing to gage my understanding of the students' progress within a unit of study.  I save multiple choice questions for midterms or finals.

Summative Assessments 

I use summative assessments to gather and analyze information   about how well the student understood themes in the entire unit.  I like to prep my students with task timed pop quizzes.  Testing can become second nature instead of a storm cloud of anxiety. 

The Integrated Classroom

The average classroom has over 18 students.  Facts are most classrooms are out of ratio, and schools cannot afford 2 teachers per class.  I have systems and materials and strategies in place to help or refer my students and their families to the people, places and things that can best deliver the services needed. I can not do this alone.  I must have parent/guardian reinforcements or support for the student to succeed.  The average American school is understaffed and overworked.  I have learned to work smarter not harder, with positive results.

Professional Training

Every school where I have taught has a different curriculum, pacing guide and text.  They also have different frameworks to judge the teacher's ability to instruct.  Drexel trains us to use the Danielson Framework if the school as no preference.  Pennsylvania does have general standards of what skills need to be taught in order for a student to move up to the next grade.  "History"/ "Social Studies" is a required core roster class for graduation in PA.

Approach to Curriculum and Instruction

I have learned "traditional" theories on learning and teaching SPECIFICALLY to disregard white supremist "best practices".  I use the studies and techniques of a selection of women human development theorist.  I use unromantic, inclusive and unedited accounts of history unapologetically in my course.  I attend professional development trainings given by women and BIPOC leaders in their field.  My graduate pedagogy is from one of Americas top graduate schools in Education, Drexel University.  I have learned about disability laws, educational accessibility, the ongoing debate about History-v-Social studies courses, how to design and administer accurate testing, how to modify and accommodate all students including trauma informed practices.  I have taught general education students, special education students, IEP, EL, 504 and students on the autism spectrum.

The Full Package

I am not trained to be JUST a general education teacher. I design and develop pacing guides for digital and traditional textbooks.  I include updated search engines to make sure my students have access to materials never before seen or used in "history" or "social studies" classes before.  'History is alive and made every day'. This what I teach my students.  My specialty is getting students to identify quality sources, master citizenry in a way that gives them the most power and learn to control and use government goods and services to increase and maintain their quality of life.  A great history education teaches you that no one is coming to save you. My students leave with the confidence to make their own decisions or find the resources (necessary to help them get the best data), to make the best decision.  I attempt to build courageous thinkers and creative problem solvers. No one fails my class.  In order to do so a student must completely abandon all self-care and human responsibility, every day for 10 months straight. I make it excruciatingly hard for students to fail themselves.