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The Three C's of Middle School, Comfort, Community, and Chaos
The Three C's of Middle School, Comfort, Community, and Chaos
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Comfort
Comfort
When I say comfort, what I really mean is safety (but it doesn't start with C). Kids need to feel safe. Safe with you, safe in your space. A huge cornerstone of my teaching philosophy is Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Just above the most basic Physiological needs (food, water, and sleep), Safety is a human's first priority.
I believe that the kids are always trying their best, even when it looks like they're not.
How Do I Create a Safe Environment?
How Do I Create a Safe Environment?
Let them know me
Have confidence
Kids can tell when you're not confident and it makes them feel uneasy... that's when they act out
Make eye contact
Pay attention to status, and how my position in the room communicates status
Apologize when I make a mistake
Let them know when I don't know something
Recognize that everyone's best looks a different every day
Understand reasons for acting out:
Scared? Lonely? Lack of understanding? Can they help it?
Community
Community
In my experience kids love to be a part of something. They always to feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves. This makes feel bad when they make choices that lets down the group. This connects with Maslow's tier just above Safety. As the group leader they need to feel connected to me as well. Rita Pierson said it best in her TED Talk: "Kids don't learn from people they don't like."
Ways I Create my Class Community:
Learn about them, show that I'm truly interested in learning more.
A simple sharing time once in a while is great for this
Validate, validate, validate
Make myself the butt of a joke
Inside Jokes
Common Language that only exists for our class
Make sure they know that I am their biggest fan
Chaos
Chaos
Middle School is constant chaos. Once I learned to embrace the chaos, my life got a lot easier and honestly more fun! My philosophy with middle school chaos is the same as any improv artist... "Yes, and..." all day.
Chaos Tips:
Kids are weird; don't be afraid to be weird with them; Whatever weirdness comes to me, I give it back
I'm excited about whatever new weirdness is coming
I like to ask an unhinged question to start the class
Ex. "Is cereal soup?"
Match the unpredictability with my own
Speak Their language
So often we ask students to go on this Drama journey with us; we also need to be prepared to go on their journey as well.
As a final thought, some students will be tough. Some of them may not be able to connect. Michael Rohd says it best when he says "Give them an opportunity but don't sacrifice 23 youths who are with you to feel less guilty about the one who isn't." (Rohd 114)
As a final thought, some students will be tough. Some of them may not be able to connect. Michael Rohd says it best when he says "Give them an opportunity but don't sacrifice 23 youths who are with you to feel less guilty about the one who isn't." (Rohd 114)
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