STUDENT STRENGTHS By: Reginald T. Hardaway, Sr., MS, Ed.D Educators, like other entities, are very dubious about surrendering power. However, the classroom, unlike other entities, is the place to share power and feel great when the student responds to the concept of empowerment. While teaching school in Chicago, I decided to change the entire paradigm of my classroom both physically and academically. After changing the physical classroom arrangement and grouping students into teams of fours, I decided to change the academic framework as well. Prior to this change, I had requested and gotten the most at-risk students in the school. These students had given up on education and lost their love for education. One day, I asked them how did you lose your love for education? They pointed to an earlier classroom experiences and a sea of disrespect from their 4th grade teacher. I knew if I continued to give them the same humdrum experiences, that I would get the same out-dated results. When I invited them to buy into the quality classroom experience, they discussed the QUALITY idea with their teammates and classmates and decided to trust the idea and me. The Quality School by William Glasser, MD, influenced the QUALITY CLASSROOM idea. I discussed with the students the importance of QUALITY being involved in every area of their lives, their class work, their conduct, their love for school and their relationships with the facilitator and fellow classmates. I also revealed what my responsibilities were and what they could expect from me. We
discussed mutual respect, my love for them and my belief in them. When they decided to buy into this new idea of QUALITY, one could see the excitement in their faces and hear it in their voices. I began to build on their strengths. When I discovered they had a love for discussion, I began to assign written and oral reports to individual teams. They were allowed to assist each other in their teams without any consequences; they were also, empowered to leave their seats to discuss their assignments with their teammates and other classmates when I was not teaching before them. We discussed world issues and in our discussions, they learned critical thinking and problem solving. Their joy for writing and discussion improved along with their joy for school. A change was taking place before I very eyes. Those who were previously absent were now present nearly everyday. We also incorporated technology into our daily assignments. Those individuals who worked a bit slower were assigned a tutorer and individual technology lessons. Volunteers, like my sister, would come in and assist with the tutoring. One young man, who had come to the QUALITY CLASSROOM reading 1.6, doubled his score in just one year. I saw their pride re-enter their spirits and their heads lifted high as they walked the halls of the school. They were proud to be known as students from the QUALITY CLASSROOM. Academically, each year their reading and math scores improved a year or more on the Iowa reading and math examinations. At the end of their fourth year, before their graduation from 8th grade, the Chicago Tribune (1998) reported in their Annual Report Card that the Schmid Elementary 8th grade class
was the most improved 8th grade class reading class in all of Cook County. Cook County includes the city of Chicago as well as other smaller towns and villages around the area. My reward came when I saw that sparkle in their eyes and their love for school return to their lives. One day prior to the Christmas break, a student whose attendance had improved from being absent 95 percent of the time in 4th grade to being present 98 percent of the time in the QUALITY CLASSROOM, raised his hand and told me that he thanked God for me in his life! This young man, who once had disdain for teachers and education, was one of the most appreciative and respectful students in the classroom. He moved from recruiting students for gangs to enjoying and appreciating the quality and fun of an education.