“Is that what I told
you to do?”
“No.”
“Then why did you do
it?”
“I don’t know.”
x15 of my students at least once a week. x5 at least once a
day. x2 at least once per hour.
Everyone makes mistakes. So my students don’t always follow
my directions. They don’t listen. Don’t understand. Or they just choose to do
something else because of habit or stubbornness or creativity. I give directions
verbally, twice. I demonstrate procedures at the board. We discuss. They ask
questions. If it is an art project I have an example (not colored) hanging on
the board so they can see how it is assembled. If it is something complicated I
ask them to leave their desks, sit on the carpet, and listen more attentively.
Most of my students try their best. When they make a mistake
they don’t realize it. They were temporarily lost in thought or peering around
at their classmates or confused by a new concept. Their answer to the big
question is “I thought so.” or “I’m not sure.” Or “Maybe.” Correcting the mistake
is usually just a matter of repeating the direction, waiting for the “oh!” and
then giving them more time or another paper.
But some make mistakes so often and in such a predictable
pattern that it is frustrating and exasperating to call them up to my desk to
even discuss the problem. One child has to redo almost all of her work because she
rushes through it with very little thought, intent on being the first one to
finish. Doesn’t matter if it is paperwork, group work, or reading a book. No, I
don’t give prizes. She is just that
competitive. Another wastes so much time “getting started” that he forgets
what I said. Another wants to show off for his peers. I can say “take out a
blue crayon” and he will take out his pencil and then look around to see if
anyone noticed. Another is lazy. She consistently copies work from her desk
mate, not realizing I purposely put the lowest student in class next to her. She
can follow directions and do better work, but it’s easier to just copy someone
else’s.
This all becomes a major problem when giving a standardized,
scripted test such as the Gates-McGinite reading test. It takes several minutes
to get everyone on the same page, listening to directions, and following them.
Yesterday one of my students opened her test booklet to the middle instead of the
first page. Then she tried to start on the second row instead of the first.
When we answered the practice question “fill in the circle under the fish”, she
filled in the circle under the butterfly, even though she can correctly
identify both! Later, when we took a break she turned her booklet clockwise
until it was “upside down” instead of “over to the green side”, even though
everyone else in the room turned theirs over so the bright green cover was
showing. I can only hope that she was more focused on the actual questions. She
is a bright girl, but following directions is a daily struggle.
This is just another example of “you can lead a horse to
water…” and why presenting information to students is such a tiny part of what
we do in kindergarten. I sat at my desk yesterday wondering why, after six weeks of instruction and
repetition and practice, I still have four students who cannot count to 100 by
5s. The problem may be theirs, but solving it is my job. Have they been
listening? Are they following directions? Are they completing their practice
work? Are they using their number chart?
We will continue testing today and tomorrow and I can only hope
that most of my students follow the directions.
