Why make a Positive Phone Call Home?

I became interested in a positive phone call home when it was apparent that I was teaching students who were struggling with behavior issues, poverty, hunger, and other issues I was not even aware.  I noticed these students struggling with behavior issues in all environments of the school setting (art class, music class, the lunch room, and even recess).  I worried about these students and how they could possibly be learning and I worried about the education of the other students around them.  I could see that their unacceptable behavior was “rubbing off” on other students and that when they acted out the other students began to believe the actions they were seeing as acceptable.  These students were constantly being fussed at, sent to time-out, and seldom encouraged in a positive way to do the right thing.  I decided, for my sanity, to take a few of these students and make positive phone calls home after music class hoping for a positive change.

All the students that I made a positive phone call home for really liked knowing I was calling home to tell their parents something positive.  I spoke to them individual before they entered the music room and said, “Hey, you do a good job today and I will call mom and tell her.”  They stayed engaged in the learning, raised their hands, and smiled.  The smile was the most important part to me.  These positive phone calls worked some of the time and other times they did not work at all.  I believe when the child comes to music class already discouraged and upset it is very hard to turn it around for them with thirty students waiting for me.  I see these students in class once per week for forty minutes and it is difficult to reach far enough into all issues that are plaguing the students, but I can take a few minutes and make a positive phone call home.  Who knows if a positive phone call home will work today, but if it doesn’t let’s try again tomorrow, because every student deserves a champion and a positive phone call home.

Check out Rita Pierson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw&noredirect=1

She discusses how every kid needs a champion and the importance of building a relationship with students.  Maybe she can motivate everyone into taking a few minutes to make a positive phone call home.  J