Discipline Answers

I’d like to share a picture book by Jacqueline Briggs Martin that connects wonderfully to many different types of lessons. Snowflake Bentley won the Caldecott Medal in 1999.  It could be integrated into science, literature, a snow and winter theme, a study of biographies, symmetry, art and beauty, and in addition could be used to [...]

Everyone knows the whimsical fantasies of Bill Peet, but you may not be familiar with his less well-known non-fiction book, Capyboppy. It’s one of my all time favorite children’s books! Capyboppy is the true story of a South American capybara that was brought into the Peet home by Bill’s oldest son, a natural science major in [...]

I just got a book out of the public library entitled, ANYWAY – The Paradoxical Commandments; Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World by Kent M. Keith. In this book, the author tells the story of how the Paradoxical Commandments came to be written. They are sometimes attributed to Mother Teresa but were in fact [...]

Recently I came across this poem by Portia Nelson.   AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS by Portia Nelson I I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk I fall in. I am lost … I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes me forever to find a way out. [...]

QUESTION: What’s the correct way to introduce the DWS Hierarchy to primary students? I want to do this right! RESPONSE: There isn’t any one correct or best way to introduce the DWS Hierarchy to students but I can share a few starting points that seem to work well for many people. On pages 70-72, of [...]

QUESTION: I’ve heard there is a book written by a primary teacher that can be used to teach the DWS Hierarchy to young students. Do you know this book? Where can I find it? RESPONSE: Yes, there is such a book! It’s called, Children of Rainbow School. The author is Tanis Carter, a primary teacher [...]

QUESTION: I understand what a Level B student is but sometimes I hear teachers asking, “Do you want me to become a Level B teacher?” Can you explain what this is all about? RESPONSE: One important understanding students receive when the teacher introduces the DWS Hierarchy in the beginning of the year is that people [...]

QUESTION: I find that sometimes my high school students resent me asking them their level. At first I was giving them lots of essays and self-diagnostic referrals from the back of the book, but I understand that you don’t really recommend that either. Can you help me better understand how I should deal with difficult [...]

QUESTION: We use DWS at our school–a high-poverty, high-needs school, with many angry, disruptive, disrespectful students. As the social worker, I really like the philosophy that DWS espouses, but I do notice one problem. Students often see the “essay” as a punishment. It can become a power-struggle with some teachers. Do you have any suggestions [...]

QUESTION: I once had a grade 8 student who said, “It doesn’t matter what level I say I’m on, you’re always going to find a way to tell me that I’m on an unacceptable level.” I’m wondering what a teacher might say in response to something like that? A response from Tammy Shared on the [...]