SNOT: A Simple Strategy For Getting Help Your Students Will Remember!
Once upon a time, I was a new middle school special education teacher in a school full of struggling students. By the end of my first year, I felt like I had a permanent bruise on my forehead from figuratively banging my head against the wall, trying to get students to be more independent and persevere. Every day I would walk into my inclusion support classes and have to ask certain students to pick their head up off the desk and find a pencil (really buddy, c'mon!!! This is school. You ALWAYS need a flippin' pencil!) and have other students run across the room to ask me how to do their work without even attempting to start on their own.
Using the CHAMP system has made a huge difference across our school. Actually, it's officially CHAMPS but we haven't adopted the "S" schoolwide (yet). The one area that our students consistently struggle with is the "H": Help. The two most common directions for getting help are "Raise your hand" or "Ask 3, then me." Nothing wrong with those, but many of our students need more specific instruction.
Enter: S.N.O.T.
There are two reasons I fell in love with SNOT when I saw this pin. First, it provides students a procedure that is clear and second, the gross mnemonic is easy for middle schoolers to remember and refer to. The gross factor is huge for middle schoolers. A few years ago, I team taught with a math teacher who taught the introduction to ratios using real life facts about farts (how many times a day boys vs girls farts, how many times your grandma has farted in her life, etc) and the kids remembered that lesson all year and in 8th grade. Gross = memorable. I have also had great success using mnemonics as a strategy for reading comprehension so I knew I had to give this mnemonic strategy a try. My poster is huge and eye catching, purposefully, and every single small group I have has asked about SNOT before I can even go in to what it is for.
S: Ask Yourself for Help!
This can be a mind blowing concept for many students, but it is essential for students to start with this step in order to be successful learners. It also reinforces the reason why we require them to take notes. Many of my students never study at home and firmly believe that taking notes is just a way for teachers to torture them.
N: Ask Your Neighbor
Can't figure it out even after using your own resources? Ask a neighbor. We practice what that looks and sounds like; for instance, copying answers is not getting help. At the beginning of the year I use sentence starters to give students structured examples.
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Sentence frames are helpful for all students and essential for ELL students and those with special needs. |
O: Still stuck? Get creative with "Other"
This step requires some guidance on how and when to use and "Other" resource for help.
T: Ask the Teacher for Specific Help!
Nothing makes me crazier than this scenario:
Student: "Mrs. M., I need help."
Mrs. M: "Sure, with what?"
Student: "I don't get this." Gestures in direction of work.
Mrs. M: "What part can I help you with?"
Student: Shrugs. "I just don't get it."
Mrs. M: "Did you read the directions?" (keep in mind I'm not talking to students who cannot read the directions on their own here)
Student: "No, but I don't get it."
Mrs. M: Mentally banging head against the wall.
The best way to avoid this frustrating (for myself AND the student!) scenario is to give them examples of how to ask for help, like these sentence starters on the SNOT poster.
Overall, the SNOT strategy has been very powerful in my classroom. Soon I'll be making them a personal sized SNOT poster to keep in their binders and reference in other classes to help generalize the strategy.
Want to Try SNOT in Your Classroom?
Click here to download the posters free!
Enjoy!
Mrs. M.
