Tick Tock

Over the past 3 1/2 years I’ve been working at Project Learn, there has always been one constant in my classrooms:  my students are always late.  Generally, my classroom is pretty relaxed and I try not to impose too many rules on my students.  Usually only two:  ask questions when you don’t understand and have fun.  This has basically worked in all my classes, GED or ESOL; I value the relationships I develop with my students.  My rule of thumb has basically been “they’re adults; let them regulate themselves”; however, it has done nothing to help their tardiness (I generally don’t like that term–reminds me too much of high school). 

Now, you could be thinking if their only a couple of minutes late that’s not too bad…and you’re right.  Heck, I’d be estatic if it was only five minutes.  But an hour and a half?  Classes only last 2 1/2 hours.  I mean why even come.  We’ve discussed this problem more times than I’m willing to admit in the office.  And to be honest, we do have a punctuality rule; I just haven’t been enforcing it.  I’d rather not to.  Deep down I just want them to realize it’s important, and a great deal of students do.  But as Rick has said time and time again that we’re not teaching them to value it.  If we allow them to come in whenever they want, are we showing our students that there is value in what we’re teaching them?  From three years of experience, I’d have to so probably not.

So…this week, to my students dismay, I’ve actually started enforcing our punctuality policy (with my own little caveat).  Now they can only be late three times in a session.  Summer’s working in their favor:  they can be late three times in a month.  But that’s just a trial.  Starting this fall, they will only be allowed to be later than 10 minutes three times throughout September to December.  After that, if they’re late, I won’t let them in the classroom.  Some of you may thing this is still to liberal, but I think it’s a good start.  I doubt that I’ll ever get too much more strict than that–I do my best not to be too fascist.

There hasn’t been a riot, and my students seem to be coming earlier and back from break a lot sooner.  However, we’ll see how long it lasts.

Here’s hoping.

Kolter

Destination College Project Over

It’s been a rough week.  I’ve basically been on the go every second that I’m in the office.  The good news, other than that it’s Friday, is that our Destination College group created some great videos for us to use on our blog or new upcoming website.  While it was definitely challenging to teach a class and guide the DC kids at the same time, it was definitely a rewarding experience. 

Now, sssshhhh, don’t tell the other groups we’ve worked with, but I think they’ve created the best final product and were the easiest group we’ve worked with.  They all brought their own unique contributions and took the lead willingly at different parts of the process.  Plus, we definitely had a good time.  While the project is over, I hope to see them around the office, or at another Destination College event, every once and a while.

Destination College

This week we had some special guests in our offices.  For the third year, Project Learn is playing host to 4 upcoming high school seniors who are participation in the Summit Education Initiative’s Destination College.  Destination College (DC) helps prepare upcoming seniors to transition from secondary school to college.  Destination College members prepare to take their ACT, participate in leadership activities, and also conduct an action research project for an area organization.  Our DC members have been conducting a survey with some Project Learn students to learn why many of them dropped and and to use this information to develop short web videos to encourage young adults who are considering dropping out of school to stay in school or for those that have already withdrawn, to sign up to attend Project Learn classes.

Our group is working hard and should have the videos produced by the end of next week.  They’re doing a wonderful job so far.  So…keep an eye out for their videos over the next year.  

Kolter