With-it-ness
by Ann Larson Ericson
How with-it are you? What do you see happening in your classroom, in the halls, and on bus duty? Are you a teacher who notices everything? Development Designs’ philosophy says that we can never not notice things. We always have to be aware of the kids in our room and all the overt, as well as covert, behaviors that are going on. It can be exhausting, but what a difference it makes in your classroom when you’re with-it and your kids know you’re with-it.
I observed a seventh grade English teacher recently and walked away thinking, “Wow, how did she see all that?” She was teaching reading strategies to a small group of students, and at the same time she gave a nonverbal signal to a student in another group to open his book, signaled a student to stop side-talking, redirected a student who was wandering around the room, gave a sharpened pencil to a student so he could start a written reflection, gave a thumbs-up signal to a student who was staying on task, sent a student to the nurse, and sent a student to the “take-a-break” chair. And, she did all this while never losing her place in the discussion with her small group. I managed to miss the student who needed a pencil and the student who wasn’t reading, and my only responsibility in the classroom was to observe!
I realized this teacher is adept in her ability to notice so much and not break her stride, and my guess is that she, like most of us, developed these skills over time. It takes practice. It is also a key part of starting your school year as you build the classroom culture. I watched this same teacher early in the year. I observed that she modeled each of her classroom expectations for her students. She modeled the nonverbal signals the students were likely to see her use and showed what they meant. Once students knew the expectations and understood the messages, they were able to respond quickly and appropriately.
After modeling, with-it-ness requires noticing. We notice when a student is beginning to lose focus, when a student needs support, when a student needs a pencil, when a student is side-talking, and we act quickly to redirect and get that student back on track.
Here are a few simple steps we can all take to increase our “teacher radar”—our with-it-ness:
- Positioning. Place yourself in a location where you can give your attention to a student needing help but can simultaneously scan the room.
- Exaggerate your watchfulness. When students see you scanning the room and making eye contact, they will feel acknowledged and understand that you’re in control of the classroom.
- Use nonverbals. A silent signal can send a powerful message without drawing attention to the student and making him or her feel singled out. Teach your students the nonverbals you use so they know what each one looks like and how they are expected to respond.
- Notice and acknowledge positive behaviors. Take some time at the end of a lesson to name the positives, such as, “So many of you stayed on task during work time,” or “You really followed our expectation for quiet during independent work.”
- Consistency. Make sure you notice everything the quiet kids are doing or not doing as well as the students who disrupt with more obvious noise.
- Breathe. Take a deep breath, relax, and remember that when our students are acting out they aren’t acting out against us. Adolescents are looking to have their needs met, and we have to calmly help them figure out how to meet those needs in appropriate ways.
What do you notice in your classroom? How do you simultaneously provide instruction to a small group or individual, while also noticing the edges of your room? How do you respond to kids who need redirection? Let’s have a conversation about how we grow our with-it-ness and improve our teacher radar.
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About Ann Larson Ericson
For more than nine years, I've been using the Developmental Designs approach in my school. I am currently the 7–12 Instructional Coach at Community of Peace Academy, a public charter school on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota. Before starting my new position, I taught high school chemistry and physical science at Community of Peace Academy. Since 2011 I've spent my summers as a Developmental Designs facilitator of professional development. Previously, I've taught science at urban and suburban schools, served as a director of gifted and talented education in a rural Wisconsin school district, and taught English in Shanghai, China. I hold a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College and a Master of Arts from St. Catherine University. Contact me at Origins@OriginsOnline.org
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