What my Year 3 students thought of me
I gave the Year 3s some evaluation questions. Here are the most interesting answers I received. In brackets, I added what the student said when I asked the questions verbally.
What did you learn?
I learn how to be good at maths (learned a lot of things from me teaching maths)
I was happy with all their responses here. I think they all learned a lot.
What was too hard?
when we had to work hard
Hasn't this child just summed up life?
What did you like the most?
Game's. Math. being sensebl. art
I made a breakthrough with the student who gave this answer. I had a lot of difficulty with him in the first few days - out of his seat, mucking around, being sneaky and causing mischief. I started giving him positive recognition when he did good work or the right thing, and suddenly I found him on side - trying to make sure other wandering children were on task, refusing to be distracted, trying his hardest to do good work.
Lots of them said Maths. Yay!
What didn't you like?
Lots said the "staying in" column. The regular class teacher hadn't left any information about consequences for poor behaviour, except the fines list. (There was a pretend money system for class rewards - 80c for a reward, -50c for a fine. Children could use this money to buy items from the class shop, such as pencils, rubbers etc.) The children who needed consequences didn't care about their fines, and resigned themselves to the fact that they would never get any money. The gratification was far too tokenised and deferred for these children. I added another column on the board, the staying in column. I would put names up there with tallies beside them - one tally equalled one minute staying in at lunchtime. This worked, but it set the rest of the class on edge it seems as they were worried they would have to stay in. In keeping with this whole behaviourist approach, I think more immediate and desirable rewards would have worked better for the few children who didn't care about the money system. The more ethical approach would be to try to get to the root cause of the behaviour problems of the few, try to meet their needs through peer recognition and support and to work towards intrinsic motivation to work well and behave in a way that is acceptable to both teacher and peers.
And the funniest response for this question:
What did you like about me?
you spoke lead (loud)
helpful
that you let me on the computer when I'm finish my stuff
that you was nice
I liked how you helped us (in Maths and other things)
you halped if we nedin heple
you tart well sometims (designing the poster)
the way you spock (loud voice, expression)
that you wir nice
you spoke to me nicle
that your really good at helping people. that you wite neatly
I lik you because you put more stuf in the class room shop
that you are nise
that if you forgot to put people on the fines list it does not matter
I like you because you did a party for as
that you are a good teacher
you are nise
you tart me nicely
you was fune (funny, nice)
you tort me lots of nwe things.
how you tort us (learned a lot)
Interesting that I got similar responses to the ones given by my Grade Sixes at a different school, that they liked how I spoke loudly. The comments about me being helpful and nice also echoed my Grade Sixes. I was lucky enough to get a bigger sample this time, because the whole class answered all of the questions. I'm really glad that students, even young ones like this, appreciate that teachers need to set boundaries and can't give them what they want all the time. They still said I was nice, even though I was cranky with them sometimes.
What didn't you like about me?
that wen I first saw you, I thght you war men (mean) (Heh! I wish I knew why.)
that I can not trick you (Love it.)
I dont like you becase in maths rotushins you only let us have one maths game (This made me laugh too. This is an adequate reason to not like someone?)
Finally, one of the students added this to the bottom of their page: you rock
What did you learn?
I learn how to be good at maths (learned a lot of things from me teaching maths)
I was happy with all their responses here. I think they all learned a lot.
What was too hard?
when we had to work hard
Hasn't this child just summed up life?
What did you like the most?
Game's. Math. being sensebl. art
I made a breakthrough with the student who gave this answer. I had a lot of difficulty with him in the first few days - out of his seat, mucking around, being sneaky and causing mischief. I started giving him positive recognition when he did good work or the right thing, and suddenly I found him on side - trying to make sure other wandering children were on task, refusing to be distracted, trying his hardest to do good work.
Lots of them said Maths. Yay!
What didn't you like?
Lots said the "staying in" column. The regular class teacher hadn't left any information about consequences for poor behaviour, except the fines list. (There was a pretend money system for class rewards - 80c for a reward, -50c for a fine. Children could use this money to buy items from the class shop, such as pencils, rubbers etc.) The children who needed consequences didn't care about their fines, and resigned themselves to the fact that they would never get any money. The gratification was far too tokenised and deferred for these children. I added another column on the board, the staying in column. I would put names up there with tallies beside them - one tally equalled one minute staying in at lunchtime. This worked, but it set the rest of the class on edge it seems as they were worried they would have to stay in. In keeping with this whole behaviourist approach, I think more immediate and desirable rewards would have worked better for the few children who didn't care about the money system. The more ethical approach would be to try to get to the root cause of the behaviour problems of the few, try to meet their needs through peer recognition and support and to work towards intrinsic motivation to work well and behave in a way that is acceptable to both teacher and peers.
And the funniest response for this question:
What did you like about me?
you spoke lead (loud)
helpful
that you let me on the computer when I'm finish my stuff
that you was nice
I liked how you helped us (in Maths and other things)
you halped if we nedin heple
you tart well sometims (designing the poster)
the way you spock (loud voice, expression)
that you wir nice
you spoke to me nicle
that your really good at helping people. that you wite neatly
I lik you because you put more stuf in the class room shop
that you are nise
that if you forgot to put people on the fines list it does not matter
I like you because you did a party for as
that you are a good teacher
you are nise
you tart me nicely
you was fune (funny, nice)
you tort me lots of nwe things.
how you tort us (learned a lot)
Interesting that I got similar responses to the ones given by my Grade Sixes at a different school, that they liked how I spoke loudly. The comments about me being helpful and nice also echoed my Grade Sixes. I was lucky enough to get a bigger sample this time, because the whole class answered all of the questions. I'm really glad that students, even young ones like this, appreciate that teachers need to set boundaries and can't give them what they want all the time. They still said I was nice, even though I was cranky with them sometimes.
What didn't you like about me?
that wen I first saw you, I thght you war men (mean) (Heh! I wish I knew why.)
that I can not trick you (Love it.)
I dont like you becase in maths rotushins you only let us have one maths game (This made me laugh too. This is an adequate reason to not like someone?)
Finally, one of the students added this to the bottom of their page: you rock