Discussion Blog
as part of the Book Study
provided by
www.TransformYourClassroom.net
Friday, March 3, 2017
Blog Post 2:
Victor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do
you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
After watching Victor Rios’s TED talk on the school-to-prison pipeline, I took some time to reflect on my own school community. In a large middle school like mine, I believe only a small percentage of students appear to be on this path, maybe around 2–3%. However, I also acknowledge that this number could be higher, as I don’t work with every student and may not be aware of what some are navigating outside the classroom. One thing I can do to support students who may be at risk is to intentionally build strong, positive relationships with them. Even small, consistent interactions, greeting them at the door, checking in during work time, or noticing when something seems “off," can help students feel seen and valued. As Rios emphasized, many students need just one adult who believes in them. By offering encouragement, structure, and a safe place to land, I can help interrupt the narrative that leads some students toward disengagement and instead guide them toward connection, confidence, and opportunity.
My school is near a reservation. I would say 10% are in this pipeline. Now saying we are near a reservation does not mean that the 10% is all native. The lifestyle that seems to follow these locations happens to all races. One thing that I have done, I dont keep a scorecard. Every day, every year, is a new day or year. A fresh start. One kid in particular comes to mind. This kid was hell on wheels in middle school and his freshman year he was terrible. By the time he graduated, he had calmed down, so to speak, and had big plans for college and is still in track with them. Be there for them and dont label them.
I have had classes that had as much as 25-30% that I felt fit this pipeline. Currently in my classes it is much lower, but those kids still exist, they just aren't in my classes this year. The greatest success I've had with these students is just treating them like people and with respect. They are so used to being the "problem kids" that they expect to be treated poorly. When they are treated with respect, the respond much more favorably, and several have told me years later that they appreciated how they felt human and appreciated in my classroom, even though they still hated math.
Victor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
This year I would say that 10-12% of my students are currently in the pipeline. One thing that I can do to help these students is to be there for them. To check in on them daily and find resources for them that they can benefit from. Also, be an advocate for them, to make sure their needs are being met and that they are safe.
I work in a small rural school district with elementary and middle school students. I would think that possibly 1-2% of the students I currently work with could be on this path for their future. I think that the best way to alleviate this situation is through relationship with students from the time they are young up through older developmental years. Giving the students opportunities to interact in positive environments is helpful in building a base for a changed path for their future. Treating all children with high expectations and the attitude that they all can achieve helps promote self worth and a growth mindset in all students regardless of their background.
I do believe this differs from year to year. I would say on an average most of my classes would be about 10-20%. My team would generally get a larger number of these students. I strongly believe the biggest thing we can do as teachers is make sure students know we are there for them, we are in their corner, and we want to see them succeed. We need to build relationships with them the best we can. We might be the only person in a day that shows these kids that we care about them. We are some kids' only structure in their day or week. Giving the students standards to work towards, but also making them attainable, showing them success is possible. Another big thing is to make sure to let them know there are resources out there to whatever services or help they need, not only letting them know they are out there, but helping them get the help or leading them to the help as much as possible.
In my self-contained classroom, I don't see any of my students on that path for their future. My students have such high needs and will most likely never be living on their own. Our district I believe may have a couple students. We work hard to make sure we connect with each student everyday to check in with them. Our staff sends out "Handle with Care" emails so all teachers that student works with are aware of what students may need a little extra support or care for the day. If they check in with needing an adult check-in, our counselors are made aware and will check in with those students along with their homeroom teacher or another teacher on that student's connection list. We have also implemented another connection aspect into our school day called Houses. This group of 10-12 students are with one of their grade level teachers and they work on building connections with that smaller group of students and they will follow them until they go up to the high school.
Wow, this TED talk brought me all the feels. In AZ where I have spent that majority of my teaching in Title One Schools, Inner City, the percentage I would have of students on this path each year would truly be 70-85%. These kids are the ones who touched my soul so deeply. When I taught in a Mormon Community and my current private school, the percentage would be about 1-5%. Thinking of my current student down this path. I will continue to believe in him, celebrate his success and keep encouraging him. With him and the many other students like this that I will teach, my main strategy is the quote he said in the video. You have to teach to their heart and then the academics will follow. I believe this to my core,
Working in a low socioeconomic area with a high poverty/homeless rates I would say the number is 15-20%. I would hope I'm wrong in those numbers, but after teaching for 8 years I have seen what has happened to former students. I think we need a better system to see these kids succeed and find the "at promise" parts they have to offer society instead of the at risk. Many of these students have great talents outside of math or American literature. I think the idea of mentoring and job training that lets students see real life examples and scenarios will only benefit them. Visually seeing how hard work pays off can help. Getting out of the suspension mindset will be difficult for districts, but providing other resources to these students could prove beneficial.
I am at a small rural school, and fortunately I don't feel I have any students in this category. However, some of the students I have do need a lot of support. Other students in the main school I am sure fit into this category, probably 5 to 10 percent. I recognize that in certain cases, a teacher or school official may be the only support present in some of these young students' lives. By being present and having a caring attitude could make all the difference to some of these individuals. Don't let the school counselor be the only person that can have a positive effect.
I believe about 10% of my students may be at risk of entering the school-to-prison pipeline due to behavioral, social-emotional, or developmental challenges. In Early Childhood Special Education, these difficulties can appear early through struggles with communication or self-regulation.
One important thing I can do is continue building strong relationships with my students and their families. By understanding their backgrounds, strengths, and needs, I can respond with empathy and support, while offering resources, rather than punishment. Helping students feel safe and valued can positively influence their school experience and reduce long-term risk.
I would say 10-20% of my students fit in this category. One thing I do to try to help my students is by helping to show them success so that they are able to see their abilities and use that to do better outside of school. I also try to make my classroom a positive environment that they feel comfortable in. They know that they can talk to me when they are struggling and that I am here to help them. I do my best to help my students understand that their actions have consequences and if they continue on the negative path, they are going to have some very severe consequences that could affect their whole life.
Victor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
Teaching in a larger school district with an increasingly diverse population a would guess around 10% would be in the school-to-prison pipeline. One thing that I do and probably do better and more of is building student-teacher relationships. I have a handful of students who walk or stop by in the morning to say hi, joke around, or just simple visit but I need to reach out more to others I may not have in the classroom. I also have a few that I make regular check-ins with to see how they are going and like Mrs. Russ I let them know that I am there for them. As a social studies teacher I also try to stress to students the importance of being proud of their ancestry/culture it is what makes them who they are and our nation is built on diversity.
The majority of the students that I teach live in poverty. It's hard to tell what percent of my students that would fall in the pipeline of school to prison at such a young age. One thing that I can do to help my students is be a constant positive influence even after they leave my classroom. By doing this, they feel safe to come to me, even years after being in kindergarten.
Victor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
I know that teaching middle school it's hard to see my students in this pipeline but I'm not blind either. I think I have about 5% in this pipeline. I have some that are truent and have parents that are in jail and struggle just getting up and coming to school. The last thing they think about is school work. When they come to school they want to be fed and feel safe and that is where I come in. I try to offer a safe environment and always check up on the few students I see in this category. I want them to know my door is always open and I will always be their person!
Currently, I am not teaching. I think back to when I was. I taught 5th grade in a rural school district in South Dakota, and many students had strong family homes with much home support so there, I would guess less than 1%. Many of those students have stayed in that community or have ventured out to be successful individuals. I have also taught kindergarten for two schools Omaha, Nebraska. Of those two schools many students had minimal parent involvement, parents in jail, low economic households and were often times coming to school in inappropriate clothing and most times hungry. I was guess that of those students the dropout rate and pipeline to jail is substantially higher, 20%. While teaching in Omaha, a constant conversation was most of the kids I worked with did not have concern knowing how to read, it was concern for food and in some cases safety. I tried to really connect with all the students I have taught. My goal as a teacher has always been trying to be my student's favorite person. Hoping that one, they would want to come to school each day. Two, giving students stability and hopefully helping them to aspire to achieve. In a lot of instances, it was amazing with some student's home lives how they could come to school and achieve but in some, behaviors were prevalent and it was really hard to break through. Victor Rios is doing GOD's work. Amazing! This was an inspiring TED talk to watch.
Victor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
Victor Rios message was very powerful as the district that I work for currently is more urban compared to the district that I worked for two years ago. The percentage of kids in my last district in the pipeline described by Victor would have been almost 0%. However, the percentage of kids in this pipeline in my current district would be higher. I'm not exactly sure of the exact percentage, but I would estimate around 5 - 10%. Our district has issues with attendance, behavior, drop-outs, grades, etc. Parent involvement is low and many live below the poverty level.
One thing that I can do to help these students is build relationships with as many of these students as I can. At the same time, I can identify resources within and outside of my building to support these students such as transportation for student that can't get to school, food for those experiencing food insecurity, academic support for those struggling in their classes, shelter for those experiencing homelessness. I need to be someone that students feel comfortable and supported by...someone they can trust and encouraged by.
After watching Victor Rios’s TED talk on the school-to-prison pipeline, I took some time to reflect on my own school community. In a large middle school like mine, I believe only a small percentage of students appear to be on this path, maybe around 2–3%. However, I also acknowledge that this number could be higher, as I don’t work with every student and may not be aware of what some are navigating outside the classroom. One thing I can do to support students who may be at risk is to intentionally build strong, positive relationships with them. Even small, consistent interactions, greeting them at the door, checking in during work time, or noticing when something seems “off," can help students feel seen and valued. As Rios emphasized, many students need just one adult who believes in them. By offering encouragement, structure, and a safe place to land, I can help interrupt the narrative that leads some students toward disengagement and instead guide them toward connection, confidence, and opportunity.
ReplyDeleteMy school is near a reservation. I would say 10% are in this pipeline. Now saying we are near a reservation does not mean that the 10% is all native. The lifestyle that seems to follow these locations happens to all races.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that I have done, I dont keep a scorecard. Every day, every year, is a new day or year. A fresh start. One kid in particular comes to mind. This kid was hell on wheels in middle school and his freshman year he was terrible. By the time he graduated, he had calmed down, so to speak, and had big plans for college and is still in track with them. Be there for them and dont label them.
I have had classes that had as much as 25-30% that I felt fit this pipeline. Currently in my classes it is much lower, but those kids still exist, they just aren't in my classes this year. The greatest success I've had with these students is just treating them like people and with respect. They are so used to being the "problem kids" that they expect to be treated poorly. When they are treated with respect, the respond much more favorably, and several have told me years later that they appreciated how they felt human and appreciated in my classroom, even though they still hated math.
ReplyDeleteVictor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
ReplyDeleteThis year I would say that 10-12% of my students are currently in the pipeline. One thing that I can do to help these students is to be there for them. To check in on them daily and find resources for them that they can benefit from. Also, be an advocate for them, to make sure their needs are being met and that they are safe.
I work in a small rural school district with elementary and middle school students. I would think that possibly 1-2% of the students I currently work with could be on this path for their future. I think that the best way to alleviate this situation is through relationship with students from the time they are young up through older developmental years. Giving the students opportunities to interact in positive environments is helpful in building a base for a changed path for their future. Treating all children with high expectations and the attitude that they all can achieve helps promote self worth and a growth mindset in all students regardless of their background.
ReplyDeleteI do believe this differs from year to year. I would say on an average most of my classes would be about 10-20%. My team would generally get a larger number of these students. I strongly believe the biggest thing we can do as teachers is make sure students know we are there for them, we are in their corner, and we want to see them succeed. We need to build relationships with them the best we can. We might be the only person in a day that shows these kids that we care about them. We are some kids' only structure in their day or week. Giving the students standards to work towards, but also making them attainable, showing them success is possible. Another big thing is to make sure to let them know there are resources out there to whatever services or help they need, not only letting them know they are out there, but helping them get the help or leading them to the help as much as possible.
ReplyDeleteIn my self-contained classroom, I don't see any of my students on that path for their future. My students have such high needs and will most likely never be living on their own. Our district I believe may have a couple students. We work hard to make sure we connect with each student everyday to check in with them. Our staff sends out "Handle with Care" emails so all teachers that student works with are aware of what students may need a little extra support or care for the day. If they check in with needing an adult check-in, our counselors are made aware and will check in with those students along with their homeroom teacher or another teacher on that student's connection list. We have also implemented another connection aspect into our school day called Houses. This group of 10-12 students are with one of their grade level teachers and they work on building connections with that smaller group of students and they will follow them until they go up to the high school.
ReplyDeleteWow, this TED talk brought me all the feels. In AZ where I have spent that majority of my teaching in Title One Schools, Inner City, the percentage I would have of students on this path each year would truly be 70-85%. These kids are the ones who touched my soul so deeply. When I taught in a Mormon Community and my current private school, the percentage would be about 1-5%. Thinking of my current student down this path. I will continue to believe in him, celebrate his success and keep encouraging him. With him and the many other students like this that I will teach, my main strategy is the quote he said in the video. You have to teach to their heart and then the academics will follow. I believe this to my core,
ReplyDeleteWorking in a low socioeconomic area with a high poverty/homeless rates I would say the number is 15-20%. I would hope I'm wrong in those numbers, but after teaching for 8 years I have seen what has happened to former students. I think we need a better system to see these kids succeed and find the "at promise" parts they have to offer society instead of the at risk. Many of these students have great talents outside of math or American literature. I think the idea of mentoring and job training that lets students see real life examples and scenarios will only benefit them. Visually seeing how hard work pays off can help. Getting out of the suspension mindset will be difficult for districts, but providing other resources to these students could prove beneficial.
ReplyDeleteI am at a small rural school, and fortunately I don't feel I have any students in this category. However, some of the students I have do need a lot of support. Other students in the main school I am sure fit into this category, probably 5 to 10 percent. I recognize that in certain cases, a teacher or school official may be the only support present in some of these young students' lives. By being present and having a caring attitude could make all the difference to some of these individuals. Don't let the school counselor be the only person that can have a positive effect.
ReplyDeleteI believe about 10% of my students may be at risk of entering the school-to-prison pipeline due to behavioral, social-emotional, or developmental challenges. In Early Childhood Special Education, these difficulties can appear early through struggles with communication or self-regulation.
ReplyDeleteOne important thing I can do is continue building strong relationships with my students and their families. By understanding their backgrounds, strengths, and needs, I can respond with empathy and support, while offering resources, rather than punishment. Helping students feel safe and valued can positively influence their school experience and reduce long-term risk.
I would say 10-20% of my students fit in this category. One thing I do to try to help my students is by helping to show them success so that they are able to see their abilities and use that to do better outside of school. I also try to make my classroom a positive environment that they feel comfortable in. They know that they can talk to me when they are struggling and that I am here to help them. I do my best to help my students understand that their actions have consequences and if they continue on the negative path, they are going to have some very severe consequences that could affect their whole life.
ReplyDeleteVictor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
ReplyDeleteTeaching in a larger school district with an increasingly diverse population a would guess around 10% would be in the school-to-prison pipeline. One thing that I do and probably do better and more of is building student-teacher relationships. I have a handful of students who walk or stop by in the morning to say hi, joke around, or just simple visit but I need to reach out more to others I may not have in the classroom. I also have a few that I make regular check-ins with to see how they are going and like Mrs. Russ I let them know that I am there for them. As a social studies teacher I also try to stress to students the importance of being proud of their ancestry/culture it is what makes them who they are and our nation is built on diversity.
The majority of the students that I teach live in poverty. It's hard to tell what percent of my students that would fall in the pipeline of school to prison at such a young age. One thing that I can do to help my students is be a constant positive influence even after they leave my classroom. By doing this, they feel safe to come to me, even years after being in kindergarten.
ReplyDeleteVictor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
ReplyDeleteI know that teaching middle school it's hard to see my students in this pipeline but I'm not blind either. I think I have about 5% in this pipeline. I have some that are truent and have parents that are in jail and struggle just getting up and coming to school. The last thing they think about is school work. When they come to school they want to be fed and feel safe and that is where I come in. I try to offer a safe environment and always check up on the few students I see in this category. I want them to know my door is always open and I will always be their person!
Currently, I am not teaching. I think back to when I was. I taught 5th grade in a rural school district in South Dakota, and many students had strong family homes with much home support so there, I would guess less than 1%. Many of those students have stayed in that community or have ventured out to be successful individuals. I have also taught kindergarten for two schools Omaha, Nebraska. Of those two schools many students had minimal parent involvement, parents in jail, low economic households and were often times coming to school in inappropriate clothing and most times hungry. I was guess that of those students the dropout rate and pipeline to jail is substantially higher, 20%. While teaching in Omaha, a constant conversation was most of the kids I worked with did not have concern knowing how to read, it was concern for food and in some cases safety. I tried to really connect with all the students I have taught. My goal as a teacher has always been trying to be my student's favorite person. Hoping that one, they would want to come to school each day. Two, giving students stability and hopefully helping them to aspire to achieve. In a lot of instances, it was amazing with some student's home lives how they could come to school and achieve but in some, behaviors were prevalent and it was really hard to break through. Victor Rios is doing GOD's work. Amazing! This was an inspiring TED talk to watch.
ReplyDeleteVictor Rios, in his TED talk, discusses the school-to-prison pipeline. Without naming names, what percent of your students do you think are currently in this pipeline? What is one thing you can do to help these students?
ReplyDeleteVictor Rios message was very powerful as the district that I work for currently is more urban compared to the district that I worked for two years ago. The percentage of kids in my last district in the pipeline described by Victor would have been almost 0%. However, the percentage of kids in this pipeline in my current district would be higher. I'm not exactly sure of the exact percentage, but I would estimate around 5 - 10%. Our district has issues with attendance, behavior, drop-outs, grades, etc. Parent involvement is low and many live below the poverty level.
One thing that I can do to help these students is build relationships with as many of these students as I can. At the same time, I can identify resources within and outside of my building to support these students such as transportation for student that can't get to school, food for those experiencing food insecurity, academic support for those struggling in their classes, shelter for those experiencing homelessness. I need to be someone that students feel comfortable and supported by...someone they can trust and encouraged by.