Hey Fast Llamas!!
Today we are talking about slow llamas. Slow llamas are an issue due to the fact that they tend to slow down the efforts of fast llamas. We always think good intent of others, the perception of others as a "10" or that others are "bringing their best". However, when other llamas in your building don't address misbehavior or allow their students to not adhere to systems, it certainly makes your job more challenging. If you see a teacher struggling, then, help them, give them advice and ways to get faster. When they get faster, you get faster and guess what? The kids success levels increases school wide.
Systems. Insistence. Belief. Consistency. Confidence.
How to Spot a Slow Llama
Other than these teachers are miserable, you see…
- Very few systems in place, if any. Fast Llama teachers have a system for everything... even small stuff like how to manage your markers and glue sticks and kids know them and practice them.
- Teacher does not greet students at the door. The worst is when the teacher is on their phone... everything we do sends a message whethor we like it or not... control the message. Does that mean you can't step away and go to the restroom? nope... we are human for crying out loud, but, it does mean that most of the time we are at our thresholds.
- Teacher is more reactive than of proactive. Fast Llama teachers have planned everything that could happen in the classroom and have set students up for success. However, that doesn't mean we don't react ever... it's impossible to know or predict what could happen, but, when behaviors pop up, we react to them by reflecting on what occurring, why its occurring and how we can fix it.... usually by creating a new system.
- There is nothing in place for students to do upon entering the room. They must wait for the teacher to tell them what to do. This is called the Opening Tradition... the brain craves a clean beginning and ending... providing, practicing and instilling a task for students helps create this clean beginning. I am thinking about instead of warm-up questions, students could do a retrieval practice activity instead, or mix it up.
- In class, kids talk out at any time. There is no system in place for when they can or cannot talk. Fast Llama teachers are purposeful in their question strategies, including, who and when kids can speak.
- There is no system for getting the attention of the class. Again, students know what the systems are for how they are to act in the classroom. In the absence of a system for getting attention, they will create their own. Teachers who don't have this system in their classrooms, really slow down other llamas.
- If there are systems in place, the systems don’t work because the teacher does not stay consistent. Teachers are masters as thinking that if they have to keep using a classroom management strategy or have to keep reinforcing a system, then it is not working. Nothing could be farther than the truth. One group of kids I taught took until March before they started doing things on their own... some kids are hardheaded. See an example below...
- Teachers do not utilize research proven strategies to support their students success. There is so much we are learning about learning... take advantage of PD like Quantum Learning (district level) and Llama training (at Labay) Consistency
