Attendance
What is it.
Attendance is simple calling each students name and having them give a thumbs up and saying 'Here' or 'Present' or 'Check'.
Why is matters
Students learn that they are expected to give their attention and respond,
In this curriculum, attendance is not just about who did or didn't get to class. Attendance helps guide students to be connected in a way that they are 'here', 'present', and 'engaged'. We support them to feel safe enough that they can respond without collapsing or hinding in anxious silliness.
Always we are encouraging student to bring their bodies, eye contact and vocal tone work together.
Directions:
When I call you name say 'Here', or 'Present' or 'Check' and give me a thumbs up.
What is most important, is how we respond to the student. If we meet the student with contact they will feel more safe and welcomed.
If a student mumbles or shouts
or gets inappropriately silly, we redirect them to a better reponse. If the dont give a thumbs up, we ask them to do it again with their thumb.
"I love how to said 'Check, can you do that while you give a thumbs up?"
Deeper Dive
From the polyvagal perspective which unlies this program, making contact is one of the ways to be safe. And the safer we are, the more we can make contact.
The teacher calls a students name. The student responds 'here' or present or check. The are encouraged towards 'ventral vagal'- moderate voice with some prosedy.
Congruently giving a thumbs up and making eye contact.
This is like the phrase in the movie Avatar "I see you".