Classroom Conversations with LaShona Dickerson

It takes a village to .... "raise a child."  Let me add to that statement, "and educate a child." The days of sending your child to school to be returned to you with the knowledge and skills to become successful adults are long gone. Learning does not occur only during the hours of 7:45 and 3:30. It is continuous. Therefore, the village has to be prepared and committed to invest in the wonderful human resources we are so privileged encounter. Learning is continuous and there are so many aspects we have to develop. Children require emotional, social, intellectual, and kinesthetic stimulation and development. Which means, we have to build their knowledge about subject matters, teach them how to behave and interact with others, and how to be mobile beings. Who is the "Village?" The village is the parents, teachers, administrators, custodians, bus drivers, extended family, business owners, and community members. No individual teacher can prepare students ...

Schools across the nation are now in session. Along with the initial hustle and bustle of a  new school year, are placement tests and academic reviews and updates. Papers are being sent home for your signature, and routinely you sign. But WAIT! don't allow your child's academic review and updates be a part of that routine.  We mustn't be passive with something that has a huge impact on children's success in schools.  Let me get a bit more specific and personal. I just received my son's notification for SBLC Meeting (School Building Level Committee). My son is a junior in high school and is ADHD.  In the education system, they label it 504 and he is required to have an IAP (Individual Academic Plan). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 grants rights to students with disabilities. These disabilities include ADD, ADHD, vision and hearing impairment, behavior disorders, academic difficulties, broken limbs, and etc.  Some classifications of 504 are t...

Words have the power to hurt or heal, to encourage and empower or destroy. What we say has a lasting impact on the spirits of our youth. From a personal experience, I watched one of my sons work hard in math at an early age (1st grade to be exact) to feeling defeated the moment he entered a math classroom.  This was the imprint on learning that his 1st-grade teacher left by saying he wasn't good in math. He believed her because after all, she was the teacher. That comment resonated in his spirit and still does. It didn't matter that he always scored well on the standardized test because in class he felt defeated. Communicating with students should be no different from communicating with any other human being. While we are to be firm and clear about our expectations of them, we must allow respectful expressions of self.  I have observed teachers speak to students as if they were mindless beings taking up space. When the students responded (not reacted) with respectful ...

Communication is a cycle of active listening and responsiveness.  Cliche and true, it is a 2 way street and the key to successful relationships.  Why do we make this so difficult in education?  I'll tell you why... we are too busy trying to get our message across to others without regard for their readiness to receive it; ability to comprehend another perspective or willingness to be present in the realm of communication (face to face, e-mail, letter home, phone call, etc.)  The message then gets lost and the relationship takes a hit. Whether it is school-home, school-school, parent-teacher, teacher-student, or parent-student we should never enter a conversation with preconceived notions. Parents do not have the right to attack educators, nor educators the right to disrespect parents or students based on limited information, external factors, or previous relationships.  Steven Covey noted it best, seek first to understand then to be understood. School com...

Whatever happened to getting to know people? It seems like we are so caught up in shoving knowledge down students' brains that we forget one of the most important essentials to learning, RELATIONSHIPS. Has education system labels become a detriment to the very reason we are in education? Let's get BACK TO THE BASICS . Most schools have been in session for a week or more now, but it's never too late to make things right with students, to show them that you care, or that their state of being is most important in your classroom, school, program, or home. Be genuine, they know if you are not. Handle their minds, hearts, and spirits with great care (the whole child). A little theory... Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs  Every teacher is exposed to this in their teaching programs. Simply stated, these needs must be satisfied (starting from the base) for an individual to be receptive to any content (school content or work skill).  Once the basic needs are fulfilled the others ...

Louisiana offers several options to give each student an opportunity to graduate. Currently, the state offers 2 diploma pathways. Students must decide on a path by the end of their sophomore year. Failure to do so could affect the student's graduation date. This is simply because students are required to take courses specific to their pathway. I know it seems like a lot and it is, but if you have real conversations with your child about their future, the decision is fairly easy and you will thank me for it later. There are 2 pathways:   Jump Start TOPS Tech Career Diploma  and  TOPS University Diploma . One major difference between the two is the option to attend a 4-year college. The TOPS University Diploma requires all courses (4 English, 4 Math 4 Science, 4 Social Studies, 1 Art, 2 Foreign Languages, 2 Physical Education, and 3 Electives) to attend a 4-year university such as LSU, ULL, Grambling, Southern, and etc.  The Jump Start diploma requires a career...

Welcome! This blog was created to educate, build awareness, bring clarity, and link professionals to what happens in the classroom. While I am no expert in any one area, I do have 22 years of experience in diverse roles in the education system. The expressions of these matters are based on my experiences and do not represent any particular school system. A little about me... My name is LaShona Dickerson, I am a wife and mother of 3 sons. I currently serve as a technology director in Louisiana. I enjoy all activities that allow me to exercise the 5 Cs (Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Content, and Critical Thinking).  I am no writer; however, I am a talker and have a lot to share. I look forward to seeing this blog grow as I refine my skill and help those who are in education purgatory.