Capturing teachers’ hearts as important as connecting with students

I’ve taught in Alaska since 1997. I was an eager 24-year-old looking for an adventure and full-time job teaching Russian.

It was no problem to move up from Iowa. Down there I was teaching part-time and trying to make a living by hodge-podging together several jobs to help pay the rent and college debt. The first several years of my teaching career in Alaska, I’d jump at the chance to get more training and professional development. I was a PD junkie. Each new training was an opportunity, a chance for growth whether through NEA-Alaska and the union, the school district or various universities. I was constantly taking classes.

Now 17 years later, I’m less eager to have someone else tell me how to teach. I want to spend the time in my classroom during the school year. I’ve seen trainings come and go. I’m older and more cynical about new trainings and workshop. I want to just teach.

This past summer, the Mat-Su Borough School District started training its staff in a new program called Capturing Kids’ Hearts. I admit that I was resistant to the training. I sat back and watched the presenter talk about using the training in his classroom. Weren’t we already capturing our students’ hearts?

But I tried using this new framework in my classroom. We had a social contract and not just rules that I created. We now begin class by looking at our social contract, based on four questions:

1. How do students want to be treated by the teacher?

2. How does the teacher want to be treated by students?

3. How do students want to be treated by classmates?

4. How should we deal with conflict?

Each period has a separate social contract, but the contracts are surprisingly similar. Students chose to include respect, honesty, integrity, maturity and equally. It is our contract, not just my rules for them to obey while in the classroom.

The students were instrumental and partners in creating the contract. They came up with the answers. They consolidated answers, and one of the students wrote the words on a poster board. Students keep themselves in check throughout class. It’s the students who make sure they follow the contract. Teachers still intervene when needed, but for the most part, it’s the students who are actively engaged in managing their behavior.

Capturing Kids’ Hearts also has a series of questions that are used when a student is off-task or being disruptive.

• What are you doing?

• What should you be doing?

• Are you doing it?

There are several more questions, but I’ve honestly never needed to ask them. Students respond sheepishly when off-task and know how to correct their behavior. And they do. They make a positive change in their behavior, not just for 10 minutes or the rest of the class. They have become more responsible for their learning. Granted, some days are better than others. We all are working at getting more used to the framework. We all are getting better and more practice with the framework.

And this somewhat cynical teacher is shifting her perspective of professional development. I’m glad the Mat-Su Borough School District brought in Capturing Kid’s Hearts. I look forward to additional training with the organization and collaborating with colleagues so we all can capture kids’ hearts.

Jill Showman teaches English at Wasilla High School.