I was one of these kids. Any of my morning teachers from high school will tell you that I was the one sleeping by the window. They kind of left me alone because I completed all my work on time, but my grades were suffering because I was never awake. I had a long commute and bad sleep habits. This combined with a subject or two that weren't my favorite bought me a one way ticket on the dreamland express every single day.
What changed for me? My teachers talked to me. They asked me why I was so tired. They took that information to help me find better ways to be successful in my classes other thank "wake up or fail you stupid kid." It made a difference.
I notice tired kids in my class and I've tried to follow the example my teachers set for me. I keep a box of play-doh and stress balls in the back so my students can help themselves stay awake by keeping their hands busy and I also allow them to stand if they are really struggling. I also explained up front the importance of staying awake and shared my own story as a student. It's working for most of them.
The extreme example - I have a few kids working themselves so hard they aren't sleeping. Kids pull all nighters 3 weeks into school. Some of it is being assigned a lot of work in several classes, but the other part is not understanding how to prioritize their work and complete it efficiently. We've talked through that. I've also helped my kids figure out the best way to bring this up to their teachers. I'm helping my kids advocate for themselves.
I'm already seeing the positive changes in my classroom, but more important than that is the health of my students. I'm not making class any easier and neither are their other classes, but they are becoming better students and are happier for it. They are learning to manage and talk about their stress.
What changed for me? My teachers talked to me. They asked me why I was so tired. They took that information to help me find better ways to be successful in my classes other thank "wake up or fail you stupid kid." It made a difference.
I notice tired kids in my class and I've tried to follow the example my teachers set for me. I keep a box of play-doh and stress balls in the back so my students can help themselves stay awake by keeping their hands busy and I also allow them to stand if they are really struggling. I also explained up front the importance of staying awake and shared my own story as a student. It's working for most of them.
The extreme example - I have a few kids working themselves so hard they aren't sleeping. Kids pull all nighters 3 weeks into school. Some of it is being assigned a lot of work in several classes, but the other part is not understanding how to prioritize their work and complete it efficiently. We've talked through that. I've also helped my kids figure out the best way to bring this up to their teachers. I'm helping my kids advocate for themselves.
I'm already seeing the positive changes in my classroom, but more important than that is the health of my students. I'm not making class any easier and neither are their other classes, but they are becoming better students and are happier for it. They are learning to manage and talk about their stress.
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