Episode 311: Tailoring Instruction: Meeting Students Where They Are

Meet students where they are by implementing personal learning plans! Join us in conversation with Jeanine Bunn of Lamar County Schools to learn how tailoring instruction to individual students can make a difference in your classroom.

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TRANSCRIPT

Ashley Mengwasser: Hey, Georgia Educators. We have new discussion guides available to use with Classroom Conversations episodes. These discussion guides include open-ended questions to facilitate great discussion and professional learning. After listening to each podcast, find the new discussion guides posted with the Classroom Conversations episodes and blogs in Georgia Home Classroom. Hello, educators. Welcome back to Classroom Conversations. I'm Ashley Mengwasser, host of the platform for Georgia's teachers. The Classroom Conversations podcast series is presented by the Georgia Department of Education with media partners, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and our inspired leaders from each agency are here in the control room watching, waiting. But first, do you hear that? It's a hint about today's topic, that worrying is a sewing machine. We're talking tailoring, altering your approach to instruction based on student background. Altering is just a little sartorial humor for you. No hemming and hawing here. I want to weave into our teacher guest right away. This woman is a 26-year fixture in Georgia's classrooms. Jeanine Bunn is here to discuss her strategies for tailoring instruction, responding to student background. Jeanine is a fifth grade gifted math and science teacher at Lamar County Elementary School. Let's play a little clue. Welcome, Jeanine.

Jeanine Bunn: Thank you.

Ashley Mengwasser: Are you excited to be here?

Jeanine Bunn: I am so excited. Thank you for having me.

Ashley Mengwasser: All the way from Henry County.

Jeanine Bunn: I do. Yes. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: I love it. Well, I want to introduce you to these listeners. So let's dive in. I'm going to give you an item that represents your life, and you're going to tell us how, okay?

Jeanine Bunn: Okay.

Ashley Mengwasser: Our first little clue is Jeep. How is a Jeep relevant to your story?

Jeanine Bunn: So my husband and I are Jeep enthusiasts, and he, more so than me, a little bit, but he's brought me into the Jeep world. And we go out to Moab, Utah and guide trails during their Jeep Fest.

Ashley Mengwasser: When is Jeep Fest?

Jeanine Bunn: Well, it's Easter Jeep Safari, and it's usually right around Easter.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's funny.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: When I think of Easter, I think of Jeeps.

Jeanine Bunn: Doesn't everyone? Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Or I will now. That is so adventurous.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: See, teachers are so interesting. Okay. Here's our second clue. You ready, Jeanine?

Jeanine Bunn: I'm ready.

Ashley Mengwasser: Barn.

Jeanine Bunn: Hey. So a barn is located on my farm where I live. Yes. Yes. And we raise cattle.

Ashley Mengwasser: How many cattle?

Jeanine Bunn: Too many to count. Too many. And they are in their calving season right now, so we're having a lot of little babies.

Ashley Mengwasser: You're having a baby cows.

Jeanine Bunn: Why yes, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: What other creatures live on this farm?

Jeanine Bunn: So we have some sheep and we raise, well, we don't raise, but we have horses. We used to have chickens, but they had to go to my daughter's house.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh, why?

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. Because she's better attending them than I am.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh, okay.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: I bet you wish you had some of those chickens right now with these egg prices.

Jeanine Bunn: Actually, she brings me the eggs. Yes. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's important.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: 26 years in the classroom. It's a long time, Jeanine.

Jeanine Bunn: It is.

Ashley Mengwasser: It is. When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?

Jeanine Bunn: So funny you should ask, but I think when I was a child, I knew I wanted to be.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wow.

Jeanine Bunn: I may not have recognized it, but I was one of those student or one of those little girls that came home and I emulated my teachers. I got my stuffed animals out. I talked to my stuffed animals. I just always, I loved everything about school.

Ashley Mengwasser: We hear that sometimes. Do you feel like you were called to this?

Jeanine Bunn: I think so, yes. I think that's my purpose.

Ashley Mengwasser: Really?

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. I do.

Ashley Mengwasser: Do you think that's true for all teachers?

Jeanine Bunn: I don't know. I think probably. I think you have to have some little flicker or amber just to even step into a classroom.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's true.

Jeanine Bunn: I think that there's probably a little bit in every teacher that steps into a classroom now.

Ashley Mengwasser: They have that thing.

Jeanine Bunn: I think so.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wow.

Jeanine Bunn: At least I hope they do.

Ashley Mengwasser: It's funny you mention that because I don't think I've ever even considered being a teacher. So my pilot light must be out, Jeanine, and so I can talk to teachers like you and have this job. Tell us a little bit about what you teach and whom you teach: your students.

Jeanine Bunn: So currently I'm teaching fifth grade gifted math and science in Lamar County. But I have had vast experience, I've co-taught autism transitional classrooms. I've taught second grade, third grade, first grade, kindergarten. I've pretty much done everything but drive the bus.

Ashley Mengwasser: Well, there's still time, Jeanine.

Jeanine Bunn: I know. I know. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Before you retire. How do you feel about fifth grade?

Jeanine Bunn: I love fifth grade. And it's so funny because until this year I always saw myself as a primary teacher, and now I'm thinking, why didn't I try this a few years ago?

Ashley Mengwasser: Really?

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. I love my fifth graders. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's interesting. As you have proven today, teachers are very dynamic human beings, which I love, with full and robust lives outside of the classroom. What else do you do out there in the real world, Jeanine?

Jeanine Bunn: Oh my, so in the real world, I have several other things that I do, of course, with my family, but one of my, I guess my most interesting side gigs is serving as a commissioner on the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Ashley Mengwasser: Interesting. So that's an appointment?

Jeanine Bunn: It is.

Ashley Mengwasser: Appointed by?

Jeanine Bunn: Governor Kemp.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wow.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's a big job.

Jeanine Bunn: It is. And they're a very eye-opening experience. I feel like it's important. I feel like it's an important job to do and to take it seriously. And I'm just so fortunate that I was selected and appointed.

Ashley Mengwasser: Georgia Professional Standards for Teachers, I presume.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yes. Okay, wonderful. I got it. And you also do a little something on Sundays?

Jeanine Bunn: I do. I teach Sunday school.

Ashley Mengwasser: Always teaching.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wherever you are, you can't get away from it.

Jeanine Bunn: That's right.

Ashley Mengwasser: What age are your little Sunday school kids?

Jeanine Bunn: My little Sunday school kids are seven, eight, nine.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh that's a wonderful.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes, they are. Yeah, it gives me that break from the older kids. So I get a little bit of my primary kid fix, I guess, if they want to call it that.

Ashley Mengwasser: Well, after talking to you, Jean, I know that training for project-based learning is really what first got you interested into tailoring instruction. Tell us a little bit about that.

Jeanine Bunn: Okay. So several years ago, as you get older, time feels like it was yesterday, but it was probably more like five or six years ago. But there was an initiative in the county I was teaching to incorporate more project-based learning. So my school participated in the Buck Institute, project-based learning, project-based works learning. And so we all went through training and I was certified as a project-based learning educator. And that led to creating and writing different units that really incorporated the standards, but put them in a place where the kids could be engaged by just creating projects.

Ashley Mengwasser: Cool activities.

Jeanine Bunn: Right. Right. Collaboration, communication with the kids, creativity. So yeah, it incorporated all those.

Ashley Mengwasser: So you've got to know who you're teaching to to develop the best projects to meet the standards. I see that. Let's dive into our subject today, tailoring instruction. What does tailoring instruction mean to you?

Jeanine Bunn: Tailoring instruction to me really just talks about finding that best fit for a student, whether it be providing supports, whether it be providing enrichment, incorporating all those things. It doesn't always have to be part of a project-based learning project. It can be every day. It can be those little things.

Ashley Mengwasser: Little supports in the classroom.

Jeanine Bunn: Exactly. Exactly. So that's kind of what, it's meeting the kids where they are, where they come to you, and then building from that and thinking about the picture down. Where do they need to go?

Ashley Mengwasser: Right. When you say meet them where they are, what kind of things about them, characteristics, cultural information, student background? What kind of stuff are you looking for?

Jeanine Bunn: So when I like to get to know my students, I know I spend the first month of school really trying to make connections with my students. Because I feel like until they really trust you a little bit or really connect with you, learning can take place but enhanced learning really happens after connections.

Ashley Mengwasser: After you're able to do that.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Okay. Well, how do you implement personalized learning plans to meet the needs of your students?

Jeanine Bunn: So there's a variety, and there's so much good professional development out there about that. But what I like to do, I like to goal-set and conference with my students. I like to get some baseline data, kind of talk about, and not just academic. So we collect baseline data. In the beginning of the year, we find out where they are. And then I conference with my students and we goal-set and we keep track of it in a binder that they keep in the classroom.

Ashley Mengwasser: That they keep. Nice.

Jeanine Bunn: It's like a little portfolio. So things that they are proud of, they put into those portfolios, and it's what they're most proud of.

Ashley Mengwasser: I don't remember doing that until I was a senior with a senior portfolio. So to introduce it in fifth grade, that's pretty interesting.

Jeanine Bunn: And it's also handy. So we do something called Student Led Conferences where the students are actually leading the conference with parents.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh wow.

Jeanine Bunn: And so that helps them pull out these artifacts.

Ashley Mengwasser: Present their work.

Jeanine Bunn: And present to their parents. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's cool.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. Yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: And that's a really good snapshot for parents too, to look in this one repository of major projects of the year.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. And parents are, they're always in awe or surprised at how well their students can speak to their learning and their academic progress or what's happening in the classroom.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's brilliant. Those personalized learning plans and notebooks. Is tailoring instruction only about academics or are things like student behavior, classroom expectations included in how you tailor the instruction?

Jeanine Bunn: Right. And so that's a huge piece of it.

Ashley Mengwasser: Really?

Jeanine Bunn: It is. Because you have to start pretty much at day one, ground zero. I like to, at the beginning of the year, we make classroom agreements.

Ashley Mengwasser: Nice.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. So they're co-created with the students, I don't call them classroom rules, we create together a list of agreements that we feel like we need to abide by while we're in the classroom to have healthy learning. So those are things, and we all sign it, and then I make it into a poster and it's placed in my classroom and I refer to it daily.

Ashley Mengwasser: I love it.

Jeanine Bunn: So yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: It's like your shared contract.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. And the students even take ownership of it. And from time to time, I'll even hear them say, "But you know in our agreement it says."

Ashley Mengwasser: That is brilliant. What sort of things might we find in your classroom agreement?

Jeanine Bunn: You can find all sorts of things. So mostly it's things like, and it's their language. One that I can think of offhand is to be kind, use kind language. If you see others are struggling, help them. And we try to, of course there's always raise your hand. If we're in a group discussion, take turns, make eye contact. And they really, it's their language. I do guide it a little bit.

Ashley Mengwasser: Of course.

Jeanine Bunn: Especially when I've done it with younger kids or lower grades, because they may not always have that background to, they know what rules are, but to actually turn it into, this is an agreement, this is what we're going to agree that we're going to do in our classroom.

Ashley Mengwasser: Right. So you have these agreements for classroom expectations, and that's one way that you tailor instruction collaboratively. Are there any other things you do for student behavior and engagement?

Jeanine Bunn: Our school is actually a positive behavior school.

Ashley Mengwasser: Tell me more.

Jeanine Bunn: So that is where an initiative where the whole school is focused on... We're focused on in our school three rules, be safe, be respectful, and be responsible. And then we have certain guidelines that when we're in certain parts of the building, that's what we adhere to. There's certain level zero, is a zero like a no talking voice, level one is just like a whisper.

Ashley Mengwasser: Rules of decorum.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: What are some regular ways, all the time, common leg, Jeanine, that you gain background knowledge about your students?

Jeanine Bunn: So there's always teachers like to check out their permanent records at the beginning of the year. That gives you a little just data. But at the beginning of the year or throughout, I like to survey my students. And one way that I also gain background knowledge besides just the regular parent surveys and student surveys, we have a class meeting or a morning meeting. And so students are, they come to the floor, we have a circle and we meet, and we talk about things that either were struggles, maybe they had a presentation that was difficult. We talk about what parts of those, that presentation might have been difficult. We also give feedback to each other. We call it Grows and Glows.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh, that's nice.

Jeanine Bunn: So the students give a grow, maybe an area that they feel like they're working on. And a glow, something that they feel like they're doing well in.

Ashley Mengwasser: I love that.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: Grows and glows.

Jeanine Bunn: Right. And then throughout the day, it's small group instruction. It's pulling kids. I will say that I know that in the beginning I struggled is how to manage all this, because I know it can be a huge barrier. But the more you do it, it's like anything else the more practice you become, and so your management becomes a little better. As far as being able to assign different tasks or let students, I'm a big on advocacy, self advocacy. So I like it when students know what their weak in and they come and say, "Could you help me find something?" Or, "Can we work on this in math?" Decimals are a huge thing right now.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh yeah. And those decimal points matter if I've learned anything about life. And once you have that knowledge that you've gleaned, how do you use it to tailor the instruction?

Jeanine Bunn: So let's just say for example, one of my students, so I have students right now working on eighth grade math all the way down to on fifth grade math.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wow.

Jeanine Bunn: So I know, but thank goodness for technology.

Ashley Mengwasser: Right.

Jeanine Bunn: So that's a huge help. But I don't only rely on just the technology. I try to provide activities and hands-on activities. So in my room, there's a whole wall, a whole shelf full of manipulatives and math tools that if a student needs some hands-on instruction or hands-on practice, then I'll go and pull those little hands-on manipulatives and give them a practice activity.

Ashley Mengwasser: And that sounds very engaging actually. It breaks up the learning. They can go do something active for a bit if they need some reinforcement.

Jeanine Bunn: Exactly. Exactly.

Ashley Mengwasser: How do you encourage your kids to take responsibility for their learning? You've mentioned some ways they check in with you, they advocate for themselves when they need some help in an arena.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. And so one way is to, well, what I said before about the student-led conferences?

Ashley Mengwasser: Yes.

Jeanine Bunn: When they know that there's going to be a real product or a real scenario that they're going to have to present their learning, that makes it a little bit more of a challenge. And so they're a little bit more prone to be responsible in finishing and completing. They want it to look nice. They want it to be presentable. In the past, we have presented to other classrooms, we've presented to experts. And so when you give them a reason or a, maybe accountability, they're going to be presenting this in a real world situation, it steps up their responsibility a little bit.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yeah. That requires some extra motivation.

Jeanine Bunn: It does. It does.

Ashley Mengwasser: And you mentioned your student led conferences, which I love as an idea. What are some other ways that you're interacting with families?

Jeanine Bunn: Okay. So in my classroom this year, we use something called ClassTag. And it's just another digital platform that we communicate with our students. Our whole school uses it. But on Fridays, my students create a weekly wrap up. So there is a videographer, which is just the person that holds my phone, student that holds up my phone.

Ashley Mengwasser: Hashtag videographer. Yes. It's all takes these days.

Jeanine Bunn: But they love that. The reporter, the person who's actually recording the news and the producer. So the person that makes sure that everything gets put into the weekly wrap up. And so I have found by having students present the weekly wrap up, rather than me just sending out. It just adds that parents are looking for their student.

Ashley Mengwasser: They're looking to see their kids.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. Yes. Yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: And that's fun for students too. That's another way for them to take responsibility in their learning, which we were just talking about before. How do the parents react to these student-led conferences in particular?

Jeanine Bunn: So like I said before, some of them are really amazed that the students can speak to in depth in such detail. I don't think they really realize what goes on daily in our classroom. I think they just, and I'm guilty of that as a parent too. You send them off to school and you're like, "Okay-"

Ashley Mengwasser: Are you learning?

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. What did you learn today? But when they really sit down and a student has documentation and they're speaking to it, and they're talking about their last formative assessment or whatever, their last checkpoint. And either giving their grows and glows about that, parents are, I think amazed. I think they really enjoy hearing their students talk about it. Rather than me just presenting the data. Now I do sit, I'm there, and I don't just let them-

Ashley Mengwasser: You proctor.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah, I do. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser: That's what it is.

Jeanine Bunn: So but we have a template and they have a script that they present to their parents, and they've already practiced it a few times with a friend. And so they're at ease to talk about their learning.

Ashley Mengwasser: And now they're ready for their dissertations. I mean, that is amazing to me.

Jeanine Bunn: I've had second-graders do it, so it can be done. I know. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: I applaud you. Tell us a particular story where tailoring instruction, using a particular student's background knowledge, made an impact on their learning. I know that this one is a bit of a heavy one.

Jeanine Bunn: It is. It is. This is a heavy one, but I think it's important to share.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yes.

Jeanine Bunn: When I was teaching second grade a few years ago, about five years ago now, six years, I had a student who was, he was in... So this particular year I was teaching gifted, co-taught, autism transition all in the same classroom. It was a busy year.

Ashley Mengwasser: I'd say.

Jeanine Bunn: But this particular student, he was gifted, but he was, I think by others he was always, or other students, he was always viewed as unmotivated. He had friends, but he just wasn't...

Ashley Mengwasser: Was he just quiet or aloof?

Jeanine Bunn: Well, that he was a little aloof. He just liked what he liked to learn about, and he didn't really want to enjoy on other things. Sometimes in the classroom there's a relationships are, especially at that age, they're all a little egocentric at that age.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yeah. Yeah.

Jeanine Bunn: So anyway, he had a little hard time getting, first of all, being engaged in class and then with friendships. So I went through, started digging a little deeper and into his background and realized just by looking at his data in the IC or in his permanent record, that he was Hawaiian Pacific Islander native. And so I thought that was so interesting. I thought. So I started having conversations with him. I was like, "Tell me a little bit." So he would tell me a little bit about his grandparents or things that he knew. And then I started trying to, or going to the library and pulling books that I felt like were a little bit centered towards that culture.

Ashley Mengwasser: Interesting.

Jeanine Bunn: And he began to read those. And then he would talk to me about him, and I'd say a little bit, "Could you share that? Do you feel like sharing this morning at morning meeting?" And so he would, and that it opened the door for engagement.

Ashley Mengwasser: With his peers. Yeah.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. Yes. And then they wanted to know more. And so it was just a great way for him to break through some barriers that he had as far as social and academic. He started reading more. He started taking AR tests. He started motivated more to participate. And then that year in Honolulu, there was a volcano eruption in May. And he and I just looked on Scholastic News. We just read all about it. And he was reporting about it daily. So he had a lot of to offer. And the year went on and he left me like they do. Well, about a year and a half after that, he was diagnosed with childhood cancer.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh no.

Jeanine Bunn: He was. And he later ended up passing.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh.

Jeanine Bunn: Yeah. And he was my little Kalani love bug. He had a special place in my heart.

Ashley Mengwasser: You had a connection.

Jeanine Bunn: We did. We had a connection. And when I went to the funeral home to visit, his mother told me that she just thanked me for trying to find ways to engage. And because he had told her that his second grade year was his best in school.

Ashley Mengwasser: Look at that. And it was with you.

Jeanine Bunn: And it was with me.

Ashley Mengwasser: And it was because of tailoring instruction.

Jeanine Bunn: It was. It was finding, and it doesn't always have to be huge. It can be finding, sorry, finding that little-

Ashley Mengwasser: Access point.

Jeanine Bunn: Access point to, and you do, it's all about relationships. It really is. You really have to, I know it's easier said than done sometimes, but it really is about building those relationships.

Ashley Mengwasser: Thank you for sharing that story, Jeanine.

Jeanine Bunn: Thank you.

Ashley Mengwasser: I'm so sorry. I'm glad he had you.

Jeanine Bunn: Well, I am glad that I was fortunate enough to be his teacher.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yes. Look at that. And now you're touching your current students' lives in meaningful and measurable ways. Is there a big unit or a big project you're working on now that you're using tailoring instruction to achieve?

Jeanine Bunn: We are. So in fifth grade, electrical circuits are a big science unit.

Ashley Mengwasser: Wow.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. So I'm having to learn along with my students. So that's a good thing. But we are going to-

Ashley Mengwasser: So you're not a part-time electrician in addition to the farm or the Jeep?

Jeanine Bunn: No, but all my friends that are electricians, they're probably getting a little tired of me calling. But we are about to, we're going to do some labs with circuits, and then they're going to create their own game, like the Operation game. If you were familiar with the kids' game Operation.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh, I hate that game. I cannot play that game and get any organs out of that body. Yes.

Jeanine Bunn: So they're going to work in small groups. They have rubrics and certain checkpoints that they have to go through, but they're going to create their own circuit game to present to each other in other fifth grade classes.

Ashley Mengwasser: Oh, that'll be cool. And what particular personal detail about each of them are you looking for? How are they adapting it for themselves?

Jeanine Bunn: Okay. So that's great. I'm glad you asked. So one of my students is a huge Georgia Bulldog fan. And so being that they just won the second national champion-

Ashley Mengwasser: That is a big deal.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes, it is. He wants to make a Stetson Bennett. He wants the Operation. So instead of just being the little guy on the Operation game, they get to create a sports figure. They get to create any character that they want to put into their game. And he wanted to choose an athletic.

Ashley Mengwasser: Well, that is timely.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: I would say great choice on his part.

Jeanine Bunn: Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: What tools or tips would you give a new teacher on incorporating personalized learning plans in their classroom, Jeanine?

Jeanine Bunn: My advice would be to start slow and try to do everything all at once. Find one thing that you want to focus on until you feel like you're comfortable with that, and then proceed. If it's creating class portfolios, if you feel like you might be better at starting at goal setting, try not to, because you can get, as teachers, we can get overwhelmed. We always want to make everything perfect, and we want it to be our best product.

Ashley Mengwasser: Before you've even started.

Jeanine Bunn: Exactly. Exactly. So I would say to new teachers, or just starting out in tailoring instruction or personalized learning, just start slow. Start with one small area and grow from there. Find what you feel is you're in your comfort zone.

Ashley Mengwasser: Yes. Any other tips?

Jeanine Bunn: Just be patient.

Ashley Mengwasser: Be patient.

Jeanine Bunn: Be patient. Yeah. Just try to get overwhelmed and be patient.

Ashley Mengwasser: Right.

Jeanine Bunn: Be patient with yourself and be patient with your students.

Ashley Mengwasser: Right. And when you feel overwhelmed, just go home to your farm and talk to your sheep.

Jeanine Bunn: That's right. That's right.

Ashley Mengwasser: Thank you so much, Jeanine, for being here today.

Jeanine Bunn: Thank you for having me. Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser: You tailored us better than a bespoke suit, my lady. Thank you so much.

Jeanine Bunn: Thank you.

Ashley Mengwasser: Teachers, by noticing student background, you bring them to the foreground and they're learning. Spotting cues and access points to reach each child will fundamentally change the way your classroom feels to each of those young people looking up at you, knowing their story could be the key to their achievement. Try it now and later like Jeanine. You're a great teacher. Classroom Conversations is back next week. I'm Ashley Mengwasser. Goodbye for now. Funding for Classroom Conversations is made possible through the School Climate Transformation Grant.