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1. Introducing Pat Krushen, she sees the fuller picture at
school
I discovered Pat Krushen's website "It Happened in School experiences
in education." She takes an interest in the roles of everybody
associated with school who has contact with children. The following
is excerpted from her website. An example of those she features
is in our second story below.
Student, teacher, substitute teacher, paraprofessional/ Signed
English interpreter, parent....... From these different perspectives
I have observed the workings and goings on of the school. I look
back to my years as a student with interest. I enjoyed school
life so much that I decided I wanted to spend my adult life in school.
I became an elementary teacher and special education teacher and
then I became a parent, first a working parent and then a stay-at-home
parent and the day my five year old son began school I hoped his
teachers would love him like I did. When my third baby began school,
I answered an ad in a local newspaper for a teacher aide in the
Kindergarten classroom. I was hired and so began my relationship
with a frustrated but lovable hearing impaired boy. I became his
Signed English Interpreter and followed him through his school life
until he graduated in June of 1999. This experience itself led
me to look at the school system, its values and its goals, in a
new light, while at the same time understanding the limitations
placed upon teachers and administrators.
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2. Regarding custodians
It Happened in School experiences in education This site is
of interest to * students * teachers * substitute teachers * administrators
* school paraprofessionals (teacher aides/assistants/interpreters
for the hearing impaired) * bus drivers * school custodians * parents
* and anyone else who has ever been to school or has an interest
in the school......
SCHOOL CUSTODIANS School custodians have an important role in
the school and have something to say. Many, I'm sure, feel forgotten
and are unaware that special things they have done have warmed the
hearts of many. Had it not been for the kind heart of Tommy Mitchell
forty years ago, my little hands would have frozen for sure. If
you have a story to tell ........... e-mail me with your custodian
story
pr.krushen@sk.sympatico.ca
http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/krushen/schoolcustodians.html
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3. Please share about a caring bus driver, aide, etc.
What story can you share with us about a caring school employee
who was helpful to you or your child ... so we can share about it
with others. For sure, please pass it on to Pat Krushen at her email
address as indicated above.
Marty Kirschen buildcare1@aol.com
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4. Developing a schoolwide approach in using caring approaches
"The real key to school-wide discipline in my estimation
is the 'work before the work'. That is, done well, it usually takes
a year of committee work (say the School Committee on Social Responsibility)
thinking and planning the school-wide policy and proceedure they
want before implementing it school-wide with children and parents.
There are no quick fixes in this business despite our repeated attempts
and failures." Chip Wood, Co-founder Responsive Classroom
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Northeast Foundation for Children
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/
If you want to explore further how to implement caring approaches
in the classroom and school wide you can contact the Northeast Foundation
for Children. I attended several workshops given by them and the
range of areas covered included such areas as building competence
with caring in the classroom, as well as developing a schoolwide
caring based discipline policy.
Marty Kirschen
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5. Inviting
approaches of telephone reception at school (new Jan, 2002)
Martha D. Erwin, from the University of North
Carolina in Greensboro has written an article in the “Journal
of Invitational Practice (2001,Vol. 7, No.2) called “How Inviting
are Inviting Schools? School Receptionists’ Phone Etiquette.”
She surveyed twenty schools in one county in one North Carolina
County, with an overall finding that most schools responded within
the profile of an inviting school although those that did not did
provide an unwelcoming lasting impression. Here are a dozen characteristics
that reflect a receptionists inviting manner. In reviewing her
findings she then ascertained as well whether actions that were
inviting or not were intentional or not. This information is shown
below. For a fuller view of Invitational Education Theory that was
developed by Professor William Purkey and his associates please
go to their website http://www.invitationaleducation.net/
1, number of rings before receptionist
answers
2, tone of voice
3, stated his/her name
4, stated the school’s name
5, stated “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”
6, asked “How may I help you?”
7, accepted the request to talk to the principal
8, assurance to the caller that the principal would be on the phone
soon
9, stated a reason as to why the principal could not be reached
10, asked to take a message if the principal could not be reached
11, recalled and stated caller’s name at any point in conversation
12, any additional comments by the caller.
The four variable used in rating the school receptionist were
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1, intentionally disinviting
2, unintentionally disinviting
3, unintentionally inviting
4, intentionally inviting
The proposition that if the receptionist acts in an inviting manner
the caller will feel valued and respected was found to be true ...
On the other hand, one formed a negative association with schools
in which the receptionists acted in a disinviting way. For example
at one school the receptionists asked in a suspicious and demeaning
tone of voice: “May I ask what this is about? What is your
last name again?” One instantly formed a negative association
with the school because the person was not treated courteously or
professionally.
The receptionist is a callers initial contact with the school; thus,
if the receptionist has inviting phone etiquette, the caller forms
a positive impression of the school. When a receptionist has a kind
tone of voice and asks to take a message, the caller feels respected.
A receptionist’s inviting phone etiquette indicates to the
caller that the school environment itself is inviting.
FYI ... in this particular study, Martha Erwin found that 17 of
the 20 schools surveyed had a positive telephone reception approach.You
may contact the Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice through
the address below ...
The Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice
University of North Carolina
Greensboro, NC
27401-6171At the time the article was written, Martha Erwin was
a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Her email is ... marthaerwin@hotmail.com
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