Teacher Testimonials
The Season Experience is designed to assist teachers and students in improving the classroom environment. Since Summer students constitute the highest number of dropouts in our high schools, their absence is conspicuous in institutions of higher education.
Teachers who took part in the program experienced major changes in their classrooms. The following excerpts were submitted from teachers who geared their lessons to the needs of their students who had Summer personalities. (Note the one Summer teacher who learned the benefits of being more Autumn!)
Spring Teacher:
“I found it amazing to see at-risk students who walked into the room looking tough and unaffected, walk out of the room smiling, laughing and feeling more comfortable about who they are after they had the Season Experience.”
Spring Teacher:
“Ninety percent of my students are Summer personalities, so I gave them an enjoyable, hands-on experience that utilized their sense of artistry and craftsmanship. The students made a patchwork quilt comprising the fifty states, their shapes, dates of union entry, and annual rainfall. Boys were encouraged to use sewing machines as artistic tools rather than approach them as feminine objects. My quilt project was a perfect way to keep their attention and validate their self-esteem.”
Winter Teacher:
“To keep the interest of my Summer students during a history lesson, I divided the class into four groups and conducted the class as if it were a quiz show. The students were not allowed to shout out answers or give them individually. They had to discuss possible answers with their teammates. When a decision was made, the captain was called upon for the answers. The winning team was dismissed five minutes earlier from class and was allowed to come to the class five minutes later the next day. I realized that making a game out of learning appealed to the Summer needs for competition and excitement.”
Autumn Teacher:
“I tend to lecture less in Algebra and developmental math now. I also allow students to work independently when I see their desire to work on their own. Now I tell them to come and see me when they need help. It seems to satisfy their need to move around. Besides, it gives me a chance to sit still for a while! Ever since I created this more mobile, verbal group, there are no more discipline problems. To me, the most important thing about the Season program is the way it recognizes the different ways people approach life. We need to find those ways so that we are able to reach certain students.”
Winter Teacher:
“My main application has been with remedial classes in which I have a majority of Summer personalities. First I developed games that could be structured into repetitive activities. By working as teams and setting up first, second and third places, I thought I could utilize their energy socially. I decided to roll dice as a way of combining the lesson with a game. It was very successful. These students were second from the bottom in ability level. After the dice rolling game, I gave them a test on probability. They had the highest average of any test given so far.”
Autumn Teacher:
“I don’t jump on my Summer students like I did in the past. Now I’ll ask those students to run errands for me when I realize their bodies need more activity. I realize that people aren’t deliberately trying to annoy others. It’s without malice. But what others do often creates hostility simply because of misinterpretation.”
Winter Teacher:
“Numerical reimbursements became tangible rewards with the kids no one had answers to. We created token economies by establishing specific tokens for completed work. The tokens bought rewards that the SUMMER personalities indicated a desire for and businesses donated as prize packages, such as posters, tapes, T-shirts, or hamburger passes to MacDonald’s. By setting up a snack bar on school grounds, points were earned for specific behavior like being on-task or turning in a report. The points were then traded in at the snack bar.”
Spring Teacher:
“I was having problems with one particular Summer student. He is bright and spirited, but with a 30-second attention span. He was doing poorly in my class but was the star of our drama department. Now, when he becomes disruptive, I tease him about how he wishes he could be in drama class rather than be stuck in my class. Letting him know that I’m aware of his individuality and difficulty adjusting to a confined environment seems to let the air out of his pent up energy. He just settles down willingly.”
Summer Teacher:
“After experiencing Seasons, I recognized the benefits of planning an Autumn schedule for the following calendar year of musical events. Although our productions have always been presented on time, a scrambling process always preceded them. It worried and frustrated my Autumn students. By developing my own Autumn side, I noticed less frustration among those students and easier facilitation for myself. I also decided it was in my best interest to get an Autumn assistant to keep the music room together!”
Teachers who took part in the program experienced major changes in their classrooms. The following excerpts were submitted from teachers who geared their lessons to the needs of their students who had Summer personalities. (Note the one Summer teacher who learned the benefits of being more Autumn!)
Spring Teacher:
“I found it amazing to see at-risk students who walked into the room looking tough and unaffected, walk out of the room smiling, laughing and feeling more comfortable about who they are after they had the Season Experience.”
Spring Teacher:
“Ninety percent of my students are Summer personalities, so I gave them an enjoyable, hands-on experience that utilized their sense of artistry and craftsmanship. The students made a patchwork quilt comprising the fifty states, their shapes, dates of union entry, and annual rainfall. Boys were encouraged to use sewing machines as artistic tools rather than approach them as feminine objects. My quilt project was a perfect way to keep their attention and validate their self-esteem.”
Winter Teacher:
“To keep the interest of my Summer students during a history lesson, I divided the class into four groups and conducted the class as if it were a quiz show. The students were not allowed to shout out answers or give them individually. They had to discuss possible answers with their teammates. When a decision was made, the captain was called upon for the answers. The winning team was dismissed five minutes earlier from class and was allowed to come to the class five minutes later the next day. I realized that making a game out of learning appealed to the Summer needs for competition and excitement.”
Autumn Teacher:
“I tend to lecture less in Algebra and developmental math now. I also allow students to work independently when I see their desire to work on their own. Now I tell them to come and see me when they need help. It seems to satisfy their need to move around. Besides, it gives me a chance to sit still for a while! Ever since I created this more mobile, verbal group, there are no more discipline problems. To me, the most important thing about the Season program is the way it recognizes the different ways people approach life. We need to find those ways so that we are able to reach certain students.”
Winter Teacher:
“My main application has been with remedial classes in which I have a majority of Summer personalities. First I developed games that could be structured into repetitive activities. By working as teams and setting up first, second and third places, I thought I could utilize their energy socially. I decided to roll dice as a way of combining the lesson with a game. It was very successful. These students were second from the bottom in ability level. After the dice rolling game, I gave them a test on probability. They had the highest average of any test given so far.”
Autumn Teacher:
“I don’t jump on my Summer students like I did in the past. Now I’ll ask those students to run errands for me when I realize their bodies need more activity. I realize that people aren’t deliberately trying to annoy others. It’s without malice. But what others do often creates hostility simply because of misinterpretation.”
Winter Teacher:
“Numerical reimbursements became tangible rewards with the kids no one had answers to. We created token economies by establishing specific tokens for completed work. The tokens bought rewards that the SUMMER personalities indicated a desire for and businesses donated as prize packages, such as posters, tapes, T-shirts, or hamburger passes to MacDonald’s. By setting up a snack bar on school grounds, points were earned for specific behavior like being on-task or turning in a report. The points were then traded in at the snack bar.”
Spring Teacher:
“I was having problems with one particular Summer student. He is bright and spirited, but with a 30-second attention span. He was doing poorly in my class but was the star of our drama department. Now, when he becomes disruptive, I tease him about how he wishes he could be in drama class rather than be stuck in my class. Letting him know that I’m aware of his individuality and difficulty adjusting to a confined environment seems to let the air out of his pent up energy. He just settles down willingly.”
Summer Teacher:
“After experiencing Seasons, I recognized the benefits of planning an Autumn schedule for the following calendar year of musical events. Although our productions have always been presented on time, a scrambling process always preceded them. It worried and frustrated my Autumn students. By developing my own Autumn side, I noticed less frustration among those students and easier facilitation for myself. I also decided it was in my best interest to get an Autumn assistant to keep the music room together!”