Several Hoggatteers could find themselves on the KOAM evening news, yesterday, as our report finally aired. Manners Matter, a special report put together by education reporter and weekend anchor Lisa Olliges, centered around Joplin Schools' initiative to focus on behaviors as a primary support for academic improvement. Of course, a look back at previous posts here on The Hoggatteer Experience will show that this started five years ago in our classroom.
The full transcript and video appears on KOAM's website, complete with interviews featuring Hoggatteers KARSIN, ALLIE, and CADEN. They represented our class, our school, and our district well.
The full transcript and video appears on KOAM's website, complete with interviews featuring Hoggatteers KARSIN, ALLIE, and CADEN. They represented our class, our school, and our district well.
The report emphasized our daily morning greeting.
“Good morning, Mr. Hoggatt! How are you today?" Karsin Shephard greets his fourth grade teacher using hand shaking skills teacher [Mr.] Hoggatt taught at the beginning of the school year and continues to reinforce. For fourth graders at Cecil Floyd elementary, not just Hoggatt’s class anymore, shaking hands is now routine.
Karsin said, “It’s actually really good cause it gets a conversation going. You start it by, you look confident. You don’t bend your shoulders down like this...(He demonstrates slouching)[.] And you look the person in the eye. You have it web to web. Your hands are web to web and you ask them a question."
Classmate Allie Krumsick added, "You don’t need a floppy fish, limp noodle or too tight. And Mr. Hoggatt will tell us that when he greets us in the morning."
Greetings are part of the Joplin Schools' Core Behaviors.
For Hoggatt, it’s also about teaching, yes sir, no mam [sic], please[,] and thank you. Greeting is the first of four core behaviors being taught in the district. They are, greet one another, follow instructions, get along, and participate.
Hoggatt said, "This does affect that (participate) too[,] because they are more apt to participate with people they are more comfortable with and they're mutually respectful of. Those things, getting along with others[,] are things affected by these respectful approaches."
In our classroom, we take the greeting and the other Core Behaviors to a higher level, and it transfers to other areas of our school and even into the community.
Good manners are on display when guests arrive in the room. Students greet people at the door and stand to shake hands and talk about what they’re doing in class. They are getting comfortable conversing with adults.
Hoggatt said, "Calling somebody by name, looking them in the eye with confidence, transforms behavior, which then again affects their academics."
Dr. Norm Ridder, interim superintendent said, "Learning is very rooted in the ability to listen and then also the ability, the eye contact."
Students have noticed a change in the classroom atmosphere. Krumsick said, “Like last year our class was really noisy and talkative, but this year we're kind of all focused and learning the same thing and we'll encourage each other.”
Fellow fourth grader, Caden Bright said, "We have less arguments here than we used to.” We asked why he thought that is. Caden explained,“[']Cause we show each other respect and, as I said, once when you show respect other people would show you respect."
Other teachers see a difference, too. Speech Pathologist Mrs. Timpe brags on us quite often, and just this week I received an email from Mrs. Oster, our teacher of stringed instruments. She write, "Oh my goodness! Your students are so polite!! It is absolutely wonderful. I just wanted you to know that they are showing this with other teachers. Thanks for all you do!"
Hoggatt says enforcing common courtesies and being consistent changes children which he has heard from his student’s parents.
Sandi Krumsick, Allie’s mom said, “We were taking groceries into the house one day and she was just very eager, eager to help and with a great attitude. She’s very aware of how she’s perceived and easily embarrassed and I think having these skills in her back pocket has helped her feel more confident, self-assured."
Classmate Karsin said he's used greetings at home, "You get to know how their day has been going and you get to know how you can improve how their [sic] feeling. And if you improve how you’re feeling, it improves them and you are happy because they don’t get onto [sic] you as much.”
I keep hearing of my students using these skills outside of the school day. It's rewarding for this teacher, and parents seem to appreciate it, as well. It's interesting to note that Interim Superintendent Norm Ridder would like for these "soft skills" to be adopted by adults as well as children. Imagine if all of Joplin caught on to this revival of decency and kindness. What would passersby and visitors and to our fair city think?
