[ola] Re: Trust Falls - Help!
- From: Darcy Rogers <darcy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 08:13:18 -0800
Warren, thank you for sharing this! And thank you all for being so
supportive and sharing your own struggles as well. This is not meant to be
perfect, but a journey. The 'mistakes' that happen along the way are all
part of the bigger picture. Perseverance and trying again..and again..and
again is what makes the magic finally happen.
So excited to hear this! Keep up the sharing and support, this community is
amazing!!
Abrazos,
Darcy
On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 7:06 AM, Warren Billings <
wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Good morning!
>
> Thank you for your kind words and help!
>
> We nailed it today. It went perfectly. A learner wanted to read the giving
> tree at the beginning of class so we did that which was really nice.
> Learners took turns reading. They would stop and ask if anyone else wanted
> to read which was really sweet and thoughtful. Two learners read. I told
> them that we could read if there was zero English, and there was zero
> English. That was really successful. We stopped along the way with words of
> interest to get vocab words. We took mini brain breaks were we repeated old
> vocab that came up on the page or new vocab from the page. It was really
> great.
>
> I then said that I'd like to try confianza again. I had previously spoken
> to the boy that was letting his friend fall too far yesterday afternoon. We
> lined up in two lines and I went through announcing the pairs. I then
> modeled a trust fall with a learner at the end. I said we have to touch the
> back of the person, showed the footing and hand position. I then said
> distancia a lot and showed with my fingers about two inches saying short
> distance.
>
> Then I modeled a trust fall and the student let me go down the normal
> amount, about six inches, which is to be expected. I said it's OK, let's
> repeat, and showed with my hands very little distance. We did it again and
> did a super small trust fall. It went perfectly. The student knows I trust
> him even at the normal limit but I set the expectation for him, me, and
> everyone that two inches is the maximum and you have to be touching the
> back before you begin.
>
> We then went through one pair at a time and everyone watched, some
> clapped. We said thank you, high fived, and switched. It went well. Doing
> it one pair at a time made maximum visibility which creates a safe space.
>
> After class we didn't debrief mainly because one learner said "That was
> really good." and the whole class heard. It was such a positive end note I
> didn't want to insert a driving/restraining forces protocol because it
> would have felt forced.
>
> All in all, we are happy, restored, and ready for the weekend!
>
> Abrazos,
> Warren
>
> On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 2:48 PM, Warren Billings <
> wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Thank you! I feel the support all the way over here in New Hampshire.
>>
>> I bit off more than I could chew. Trust falls turned out to be a very
>> difficult activity to do with nineteen people.
>>
>> I will try the yurt circle first. I've had success with that. Then I
>> think I will pair them up and have the pairs form two lines, separate and
>> everyone visible. We'll do mini (small) trust falls one at a time, maybe
>> teach how to say three inches, etc. Just once each way so that there is a
>> positive feeling.
>>
>> I realize that I should use another activity to build trust before trying
>> this again. Something we can be successful with. We do need to try it one
>> more time to restore the trust that was lost today though. We'll debrief it
>> tomorrow. I'll share the debrief protocol with you all tomorrow.
>>
>> Thank you!!!
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 1:58 PM, Cathy Bird <mcwathbird@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I had a similar problem with one of two classes last year. There just
>>> wasn't enough trust there to do any trust activities. I was lucky, though,
>>> in that when I said no to their suggestion to try in/out trust circle, that
>>> seemed to make them want it more. They would beg and I would explain that
>>> 'I' didn't trust them. That led to what did I see... and so I modeled some
>>> of the untrustworthy behavior in a light way so as not to nail any
>>> individual too much.
>>>
>>> Around that time I started doing evals of OWL skills every few weeks.
>>> Students did a self assessment, sometimes providing an example, and then I
>>> went over it in a different ink. I used it as a grade and a few of the kids
>>> failed the first time; talk about a wake-up call. I would also pull kids
>>> aside for a reminder of what they need to be working on when they were
>>> reviewing vocab or doing a reading activity.
>>>
>>> *ORGANIC CLASSROOM - LEARNING SKILLS EVAL *
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *everyday*
>>>
>>> *mostly*
>>>
>>> *sometimes*
>>>
>>> *mostly *
>>>
>>> *every day*
>>>
>>> Silent or in mostly English
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Lots of French and/or sounds
>>>
>>> Indifferent
>>>
>>> "whatever"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Supportive
>>>
>>> "you can do it"
>>>
>>> Reluctant to get involved in circle or pair activity.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Active Drawing. Miming. Acting. Engaged.
>>>
>>> Checked out when meaning is unclear.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Infer meaning. until proven differently.
>>>
>>> Give up when communication is difficult
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Circumlocute: use what you know to say what you don't.
>>>
>>> Afraid of trying or afraid of failing.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Taking risks and failing fabulously.
>>>
>>> Concerned with self and with getting/doing what you want. Side convos.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Concerned about the group and doing what the group needs.
>>>
>>> Laughing at peers or mocking their efforts.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Laughing at self and at humor of the group.
>>>
>>> Disregard for speaker. Not listening to others.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Respectful and attentive. Good listener.
>>>
>>>
>>> There were three of my ten students who really needed to open up in
>>> order to be trusted. One was your typical, unpredictable, impulsive boy who
>>> thought everything was funny. The other two were girls who just didn't
>>> trust anyone outside of their clique.
>>>
>>> Warren, you are doing great things and are *so* good at reflection.
>>> Once this disappointment wears off, envision what you want to see more of
>>> from this class and don't be shy about using repetition of earlier
>>> activities to get there. The Spanish can still move forward, but the circle
>>> activities that we do are scaffolded in a way that students have to earn
>>> the privilege.
>>>
>>> Cathy Bird
>>> 1354 S. Pearl St.
>>> Denver, CO 80210
>>> e: mcwathbird@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>> c: 303.995.3425
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 13:20:00 -0500
>>> Subject: [ola] Re: Trust Falls - Help!
>>> From: heidihewitt13@xxxxxxxxx
>>> To: ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I had a hard time getting my students back into the swing of things
>>> after break and they were really not being good about paying
>>> attention/staying in Spanish.
>>>
>>> I broke out the writing the ESPANOL on the board and erasing a letter
>>> when English was spoken rule. It quieted them down REMARKABLY. I recommend
>>> this if the problem is English. Talking about how you're going to suffer if
>>> others speak English and emphasizing the phrases of "No English" "Attack,"
>>> etc. is important. Students yell at each other and then get afraid of being
>>> yelled at and keep themselves in Spanish much more readily. Then it's not
>>> me yelling at them, it's them against each other.
>>>
>>> As far as the trust fall, I haven't done it. I think this might be a
>>> tough activity for them to do even in English. A different setting might
>>> help. I only really remember doing this as part of a ropes course and we
>>> were outside.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 1:10 PM, Martin Kathryn <kmartin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> I have to chime in—this year has been much more challenging than last
>>> year with the use of English in class and lack of participation. Anything
>>> you all have to suggest would be greatly appreciated!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *From:* ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ola-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On
>>> Behalf Of *Shahla Brown
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, January 15, 2015 9:56 AM
>>> *To:* ola@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> *Subject:* [ola] Re: Trust Falls - Help!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> It is so great to know that others continually deal with students who
>>> are unengaged or constantly distracted.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 11:45 AM, Jody Soberon <
>>> jodyso@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I am so looking forward to responses on this. I haven't even dared to do
>>> this yet, though I probably could have success with my Span 2 classes that
>>> are pretty much on board with immersion. But my Span 1 classes have so many
>>> issues similar to what Warren describes about English, being off task,
>>> playing on their phones, uninvolved, non-participatory, chatting in English
>>> in circle, not following instructions etc.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 15, 2015 at 8:11 AM, Warren Billings <
>>> wbillings@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>> Good morning!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I just did trust falls with my first period class and honestly it failed
>>> and I am discouraged by this.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> QUESTION: Does anyone have tips on how to make trust falls successful? I
>>> think I just brought the class backwards in their trust for each other.
>>> Again, I am discouraged and frankly upset by this. Give me some basic
>>> advice on how to make it work!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There is a split of half the class that works super hard and does well
>>> and the other half of the class talks in English, doesn't have notebooks,
>>> plays on phones, wants to eat their breakfast, is late, absent often, etc.
>>> I've been talking to them and to their parents but the issues are
>>> continuing to come up. I maintain those high expectations in class but they
>>> are still exhibiting this behavior even though I have created a safe
>>> environment where it is easier to simply participate than to be off task.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> They just had a writing performance assessment and those that aren't
>>> working just had a reality check - lots of 1.0's (equivalent to D or F).
>>> They are performing at NM with incomplete sentences. It was a true
>>> assessment though because all the ones that I expected to pass did pass.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I am planning on doing a critique session of exemplar work later but
>>> wanted to first establish that community of people that trust each other
>>> when they need help.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Today I did trust falls to fortify the feeling of community before we
>>> start critiquing tomorrow. Here is the process that I went through:
>>>
>>> 1. Hook: sing the song we just learned
>>>
>>> 2. Modeling: I modeled a trust fall (with one of the struggling
>>> students) saying in L2 Ready? Yes! Trust!
>>>
>>> 3. Pairing Activity: Sneakers inside the circle, boots outside
>>>
>>> 4. I wrote the key words on the board: ready? yes! trust!
>>>
>>> 5. Modeling: I asked one pair to perform the trust fall and had everyone
>>> watch.
>>>
>>> 6. I then counted down from three and asked everyone to fall onto their
>>> partners.
>>>
>>> 7. They said thank you and gave their partner a high five and switched
>>> to do it again.
>>>
>>> 8. I asked if trust was important in class and said that trust was like
>>> saying help
>>>
>>> 9. I wrote trust = help on the whiteboard and we drew pictures of people
>>> needing trust and people needing help.
>>>
>>> 10. We then drew pictures of people helping the drawings on the
>>> whiteboard.
>>>
>>> 11. We then shared some sentences as a group
>>>
>>> 12. We then wrote five sentences about help and trust.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The trust falls were a fail because one boy let another boy fall and I
>>> didn't do anything because I thought it was an accident. I will talk to
>>> them tomorrow. Lots of people doing the shuffle step when they fell back.
>>> They were too clumped up with room to hide and misbehave. I should have
>>> stopped, made space, then had those two boys do it again in front of
>>> everyone.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Tomorrow I am doing it again. We need to have success here. Today was
>>> not successful. I know that this is only one step in our journey of
>>> establishing a positive community. Everything we do in class either builds
>>> or takes away from that community.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> QUESTION: Does anyone have tips on how to make trust falls successful? I
>>> think I just brought the class backwards in their trust for each other.
>>> Again, I am discouraged and frankly upset by this. Give me some basic
>>> advice on how to make it work!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Un abrazo,
>>>
>>> Warren
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Warren Billings
>>>
>>> Spanish Teacher
>>>
>>> Pittsfield Middle High School
>>>
>>> Pittsfield, NH
>>>
>>> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>>>
>>> Visit our Website! http://pittsfieldspanish.weebly.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Warren Billings
>> Spanish Teacher
>> Pittsfield Middle High School
>> Pittsfield, NH
>> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
>> Visit our Website! http://pittsfieldspanish.weebly.com/
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Warren Billings
> Spanish Teacher
> Pittsfield Middle High School
> Pittsfield, NH
> Telephone: (603) 435-6701 x4226
> Visit our Website! http://pittsfieldspanish.weebly.com/
>
--
*Darcy Rogers*
Organic World Language (OWL)
Phone: 541.601.4509
Fax: 541.776.4099
Website: www.organicworldlanguage.com
Facebook: tinyurl.com/organic-language-facebook
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