No "Bad Kids"

"There is no such thing as a 'bad kid'-- just angry, hurt, tired, scared, confused, impulsive ones expressing their feelings and needs the only way they know how. We owe it to every single one of them to always remember that."

-Dr. Jessica Stephens

One of the things I tell people I am most proud of about Sullivan Middle School is that our teachers truly seem to understand that many our students are not coming to us from perfect home lives and that often manifests in imperfect behavior. It is difficult sometimes to keep this perspective as the year moves on, but this quote reminds me of something I came across during an online Admin Academy I took over the summer. The point was to change our mindset when dealing with student misbehavior. Instead of asking "What is wrong with you?", we should be asking "What is going on with you?"

Many people read these kinds of statements and jump to the conclusion that this means we do not hold students accountable for their actions. This is absolutely not true. What it does mean is that while we are holding them accountable for their actions, we also take the time to connect with them on a human level to understand what is at the root of the behavior. This is why teacher detentions are so vital to our disciplinary matrix. That time should be spent speaking with the student about the behavior, yes, but also about the antecedents to the behavior. Often times, these students are carrying stress from outside our walls into our classrooms, and they simply do not know what to do with it. While it has not traditionally been the job of the school to handle these things, we can't change the fact that our students are coming to us with an increasing number of social and emotional concerns. We can either lament this added responsibility or embrace it. I choose to embrace it.

One of the quiet changes we are making at Sullivan Middle School this year is the addition of scheduled counseling with Mrs. Ehlers for some of our most vulnerable students. This list seems to grow daily, and I know Frankie is going to do a tremendous job of helping to equip our students with coping strategies that are healthier for them than acting out in class. I hope that this becomes a critical element in our grade level meetings as well as we work together to get clearer pictures of what is affecting our students behavior and consequently their ability to be productive learners.

I can't imagine a better team to have assembled to tackle this assignment. Remember, they will not care what we know until they know that we care.