Today at the Liberty Principal Summit, the principal told the story of Malik. She told us how she kept telling Malik that he was a good boy. Every time he came to the office on a behavior referral, she told him she knew he was a good boy inside, he was smart and hard-working, and that he could do better. By the end of the year, Malik was hitting less and smiling more. He went from basic to proficient. Most importantly, at the end of the year Malik said, I AM a good boy. That personal connection is something that makes a big difference to our kids' success.
Sitting in the AP office, I see a lot of behavior referrals. I see students who have been told they are troublemakers, that they can't learn, that they are "bad". Of course I have to help the understand that their behavior is unacceptable. But I also need to let them know that I believe they can do better. I need to help them identify strategies that they own that help them to take charge of their own learning and behavior. And I need to help students believe that not only do they have the power to implement the strategies, but once they do they will see results.
One of the main reasons I wanted to go back to a school site is to live the belief that I can make a difference in the life of a student. Every interaction is an opportunity to do just that.
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