So the 2×10 “miraculous” behavior management strategy really resonated with a lot of teachers. It’s a simple method for making the nebulous goal of relationship building much more concrete and achievable—simply spend 2 minutes a day for 10 consecutive days talking with a challenging student about anything she or he would like. Though many people indicated this is just best practice and something they’ve already been doing on a regular basis, the vast majority of commenters admitted they struggle to build a rapport with their most challenging kids. I can relate to that struggle—it’s not always easy to get students to open up and trust you. It also takes a lot of time to build a strong rapport, and time is probably a teacher’s most precious and limited commodity. 98% of the questions I got about this strategy in the blog comments, on Facebook, and via email were related to one of the 3 issues below. I thought I’d address them here because I know they’re common issues that many of us are grappling with. 1) The student doesn’t like me or want to talk to me. This was a concern especially with middle and high school teachers..but it’s not a deal breaker. If a student thinks it’s a punishment to have a 2 minute conversation with you on anything they want to talk about, don’t take that as a sign that this won’t work and you should leave them alone. After all, it’s not like you can avoid the kid—you’re the teacher! You will have to interact throughout the day, and if you don’t pursue relationship building, chances are good that the majority of your interactions will be impersonal/academic or negative…which means the chasm between the two of you will only grow wider. Kids typically enjoy talking to people that they like and respect. So, focus on being that type of teacher in general and don’t worry at first about winning over this particular student. Initiate and join more informal conversations with other students that are friendlier toward you. When challenging students see their peers participating willingly and realise that talking with kids is just naturally what you do because you genuinely care, they’ll be more likely to open up. It’s okay if the students is suspicious of your motives for chatting, or is distrustful of authority figures in general. A full 2 minute conversation might not be possible at first. Don’t give up. Try for one short, non-work-related, positive interaction a day, and build on that until you’re having a full-fledged conversation on a regular basis. Making the effort to get to know a student and showing that you care is never a waste, even when you don’t see results right away. 2) I don’t have time to talk individually with kids. You may not be able to create a structured, dedicated time for talking individually to students…and that can actually be a good thing. The 2×10 strategy doesn’t mean pulling the child away from a task to corner him at your desk, then setting a timer and forcing the kid to bond with you for exactly 120 seconds. Relationship building works best when it happens naturally and authentically! You don’t have to stop everything you and the child are doing to talk: just look for and seize opportunities during the school day. Stand in the doorway when students enter the room and ask them how they’re doing—not as as a rhetorical greeting, but as a sincere question which you genuinely want to talk about. Chat as you’re walking students to lunch, or waiting for busses to be called at dismissal. Talk briefly while kids are cleaning up and transitioning into the next activity. When you’re starting or ending small group instruction, take a moment to talk casually. When you’re assisting a child one-on-one (even just to look over their work and see if they’re understanding the concept), say, “By the way, ___” and extend the conversation into a topic of interest to the child. Another—and much bolder–approach is to use your instructional time for relationship building and do so unapologetically. When students are disruptive, we have no qualms about stopping the lesson to address what happened, help students problem solve, issue consequences, and so on. We dislike doing it, but we know it’s necessary in order for the lesson to proceed smoothly afterward. Think about it—how many minutes a day are you spending on those off-task behaviour discussions? Why not spend 2 pro-active minutes preventing the problems from occurring by building a rapport with challenging kids? Get the rest of the class involved in a warm-up activity or other independent assignment and start a quiet individual conversation. If you don’t have to stop your lesson 10 times afterwards to deal with misbehaviour, you’ll actually accomplish a lot more. 3) I don’t know what to ask or how to start the conversation. My best advice here is to avoid overthinking it. 2×10 should not be a big production where the child knows you are Implementing a Very Serious Relationship Building Strategy as a Behavioural Intervention. You’re just talking to the kid casually. Observe the child and look for insights into his or her personality. Pay attention to what the child talks about with friends and the topics she writes about for assignments (even student-created sentences for spelling words can reveal something about the child’s life and interests.) What sports teams, hobbies, and music does he mention? What can you tell about the child’s personality and interests from the photos on her notebook or the after-school activities she joins? Try to make authentic connections between the child’s interests and your own. It only takes one common interest to start building a relationship. If you can’t find one, don’t force or fake the connection—kids (like all people) absolutely hate inauthenticity. Instead, seek to learn more. Say, “I noticed you like ___. I really don’t know anything about that, but I’m curious about it because I know you enjoy it so much.” Also notice what the child does NOT enjoy and try to relate on that level, too. We all like finding someone else who just doesn’t get it when everyone else is raving about a music video we thought was dumb or a sports team we hate. If you can genuinely be the “odd man out” with a student, a surprisingly strong bond might be formed. Remember that you don’t have to lead with a question, so it’s okay if you don’t know what to ask. Shy, distrustful, and non-talkative students will probably give you one word answers to your questions, anyway. Instead, share a little of your life and personality. Talk about your plans for the weekend, a great book you’re reading, or a movie you’d like to see. Let the student see you not only as the person in charge, but as a person. After all, no one relates to an authority; we relate to people. Give kids a chance to learn about you and find their own ways to relate to and connect with you. When they realise you sincerely care about them, they WILL open up! |
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Catherine Ross is here today to share practical ways to bring fun into the learning process! Catherine is a former elementary school teacher (now a stay-at-home mom) who believes learning should be enjoyable for young minds. She loves coming up with creative ways through which kids can grasp the seemingly difficult concepts of learning easily, and believes that a ‘fun factor’ can go a long way in enhancing kids’ understanding. Check out her blog at Kids Learning Games. A fun, vibrant and positive atmosphere will always make your students excited about coming to class every day. And THAT (not begging, not bribery, not cajoling, not threatening) is what effective classroom management is all about. Surprisingly, it’s not as complicated as you might think. Today, many teachers use a variety of interactive online and mobile learning games to keep the class on its collective toes, and find them very effective. But if you need extra help, here are five tips that will make students look forward to your class and give you leverage to influence their behaviour like almost nothing else.
1. Have the right attitude Creating an enjoyable classroom requires the right attitude and you, the teacher, must show how it’s done. The right attitude stems from your enthusiasm for your job; the desire to build strong, no-strings-attached relationships with your students; genuine concern for their welfare and a great urge to make your classroom a unique and special experience for everyone in it. Stressed-out teachers who find their job a burden create excitable, negative and undisciplined classrooms. A simple smile, a deep breath and a warm greeting each day will go a long way towards establishing a good rapport with your students. The right attitude will make you a calmer, more relaxed teacher who knows what he or she is doing. 2. Be yourself Fear of encouraging bad behaviour leads many teachers to hide their real personality under the cloak of humourless, no-nonsense attitudes that alienate students and usually inspire fear and dislike. You also end up making the classroom a dull, boring and repressive place that repels students and makes them dread your classes. It is important to express your sense of humour, enjoy the class and share laughs with students – it makes you more likeable, more approachable and in the end, gives you more control over classroom behaviour. Throw off your inhibitions and give full expression to the passion and enthusiasm that you feel for your calling and watch how eagerly students respond to it! 3. Be a storyteller Stories are motivating and inspiring tools that can transform a humdrum class into a magical land with endless possibilities. A teacher who can tell a riveting tale will soon have students eating out of his or her hand. You can use this leverage to encourage good behaviour and to inculcate desirable classroom values. And you don’t have to be another Scheherazade – start off with short anecdotes about embarrassing or funny or touching experiences; as you get more comfortable, use stories to introduce lesson units or to make a point. As long as the narrative is interesting and relevant, it will generate a stronger response than the usual classroom drill. Teachers who are good storytellers can always build a strong behaviour influencing bond with their students. 4. Be a communicator If you aren’t one already or if you think there’s scope for improvement, change the way you interact and communicate with your class. Your tone of voice and body language make up a large part of your communication style, so make sure it’s positive, confident and inspires confidence in turn. Demonstrate that you have complete faith in each student’s capabilities and potential for success. Have a smile, a warm greeting and an encouraging word for all students and maintain frequent eye contact. You will leave them basking in the warmth of your belief in their abilities and this is usually enough to inspire them to do their best, simply to justify your confidence. 5. Set a limited number of class rules Having too many rules will make your classroom resemble an army boot camp, and you a drill sergeant. If you want students to remember and abide by your rules, do not set more than four or five at a time. Replace rules once they have been internalised by the class; students must still follow this rule, but it will now be an unwritten rule. For a more positive classroom environment, make your rules “Do’s” rather than “Don’ts” such as “Respect everyone around you” instead of “Do not be rude to others.” Make up a few sensible rules and stick to them to make your classroom a disciplined but not intimidating place. After recess or lunch can be one of the toughest times to transition back into instruction. Often the kids are so wound up that it takes 10 minutes (or more) to get everyone ready to learn again, and with the amount of curriculum we need to teach during the school day, that’s 10 minutes we can’t afford to lose!
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get students back into learning mode. The key lies in creating structured, orderly routines and providing engaging, calming tasks that kids are excited to begin tackling. Here are 10 great tips to help you settle students down after lunch or recess: 1. Allow only a few students to enter the room at a time. Rather than having 30 overexcited students tear into the classroom all at the same time, set a calm, controlled atmosphere right from the moment they step through the door by allowing them to enter and settle down in small batches. Stand in the doorway and let the first 5 kids in, pause for a few seconds while the area around your coat hooks clears out, then let in the next 5 children, and so on. You can have a student helper lead stretching or breathing exercises with the group waiting in line while you focus on getting everyone transitioned inside. Be careful not to make this a long, drawn-out process, because then you’ll have kids playing around in the hallway AND in the classroom! The idea is to get everyone inside as quickly as possible without having the entire class crowded into a tiny corner of the room hanging up coats all at once. Alternatively, you could have the whole class enter the room at one time, go straight to their desks to take off coats/hats/mittens/etc, and then walk over to hang up their belongings once all the winter gear is off. 2. Set a calm ambiance with dim lights and relaxing music. The old “lights half on” trick really does help, and playing classical music is a great way to further the calm atmosphere. Classical music is known to have a calming effect on kids–and adults. This can be a great way for you to decompress, too! I downloaded a number of classical music songs and organized them in iTunes by tempo so that I had a playlists that ranged from super mellow and relaxing to more upbeat and energizing. If you need quick song recommendations, check out this post with the 10 best classical music tracks for calm and tranquility, which has YouTube videos embedded so you can just hit play. Of course, you can venture beyond the realm of classical music: you might find jazz, Native American flute music, piano solos, and other instrumental tracks very calming for your students. I love to expose kids to all kinds of genres, and you can make playlists with relaxing songs of any type. 3. Engage kids in a read-aloud. My teachers used to use this strategy when I was in elementary school, and I still remember everyone gathering around the rocking chair, enjoying the special treat of sprawling out on the rug and having a moment to unwind, listen to a story, and maybe even daydream a bit. You may want to read a chapter of a novel per day, or choose classic stories that are known to be very engaging for kids. Try to give kids input on the books you choose–the more interested they are in what you’re reading, the more likely they are to pay attention–and they’ll make sure their peers aren’t preventing them from hearing the story. 4. Have kids read (or write) independently in different places around the room. If you have a D.E.A.R, S.S.R., or other silent reading time built into your reading instruction, after recess is the perfect time to schedule it. Let the kids self-select their books and choose “their spot” in the classroom to read: on the carpet, at a table in the back, on a bean bag, and so on. It’s helpful to have students stick with the same spot for about a month so you don’t disrupt the calm atmosphere with kids trying to figure out where they’re supposed to sit. This provides a great opportunity for kids to reap the benefits of independent reading, and the element of choice as well as the break from the normal “sit at your desk” expectation creates a routine that kids are often anxious to dive into. A similar option is to have them do journal writing or other silent writing time. 5. Use GoNoodle brain breaks. GoNoodle is a website that provides very short video brain breaks. These are games and exercises designed for helping kids stay focused and motivated, and they’re free! GoNoodle has an entire section dedicated to calming activities. I recommend doing the same brain break each day for a week so it becomes automatic for students and they can reap the calming benefits instead of focusing on the directions. 6. Lead students in yoga, breathing, or stretching exercises. You can find these within the GoNoodle video collection, or lead them yourself! Having students spend a few moments stretching, practicing yoga, taking deep breaths, doing breathing exercises or yoga breathing exercises. Meditating or directing their thoughts toward particular topics can also be very calming and focusing. Once students get good at this, you can have them take turns leading the exercises. 7. Do handwriting practice (yes, really!) Even if your district doesn’t require handwriting practice, 5 minutes a day can make a difference in students’ legibility and could be a great use of their time while they wait for the class to finish hanging up their coats, getting drinks, and using the bathroom. And if your state standards include legible handwriting, there’s no better time for kids to write than after recess. Practicing handwriting is a slow, repetitive task that requires concentration and helps students slowly adjust back to the quiet energy of the classroom. 8. Dive right into a warm up activity. Transition times tend to expand and fill however many minutes you allow, so I often prefer to give kids 30 seconds to enter the room, hang up their belongings, and start right away on a warm up activity. Try to choose tasks that are not too complex (as students will need to be able to work independently while you get everyone settled down and prepare to start teaching), but do select activities that require some level of focus. You might choose vocabulary building exercises, a simple math game, or practice problems similar to ones students learned how to complete the day before. I find it helpful to give similar warm-up tasks each day for several weeks so that students get used to the format and know exactly what’s expected. The idea is to help kids switch back into learning mode and prime their brains for the next lesson you’ll be teaching. 9. Call the quietest group to go to the water fountain first. Kids love going to the water fountain and they’re usually thirsty after recess, so establish a routine in which kids complete a warm-up activity and the quietest table is called to get drinks first. If the class is especially rambunctious, resist the urge to nag or threaten, and up the ante a bit by approaching it like a game in which getting called to get drinks is the prize: “I wonder which team will be the first to get drinks today? Team 1 is all sitting down, they’re getting their pencils out for the warm up, it could be them! Oh, but wait! Team 2 is also all in place! Team 3 has only one person they’re waiting for…oh, this is going to be a close one today!” Keep the hype going even after you called the first team: “Now, let’s see which team is going to be next … I see a lot of people following directions, so it’s going to be awfully tough for me to decide!” No child wants to be the person that causes their team to lose because they were off-task, so this technique tends to be really effective. 10. Let kids doodle while listening to audio content. This is a great special incentive to use on hectic days right before long weekends, holiday breaks, and so on. More than just a relaxing activity, doodling is proven to increase concentration, memory, and focus, and giving your students a few minutes to doodle or draw anything they want can be a great calming activity after recess. Play some soft music if you like, or, make the task more academic by having students doodle while listening to audio content that is related to your lesson. Many textbooks and curriculum series come with CDs or MP3 downloads that read the text aloud: play a section of the recording that reviews yesterday’s lesson or introduces students to today’s topic, and then begin your lesson by asking questions about what students heard. You can also play podcasts, web clips, radio interviews, or any other media form that’s relevant to your subject area. Written by Angela Watson for the Cornerstone. We’re heading into the home stretch here in 2014, and it can be one of the hardest times in which to maintain order in the classroom. Fortunately, there are ways to make the last few days count and maintain your sanity:
1. Don’t build anticipation. Assemblies, presentations, and other holiday events are unavoidable in December, but you can prevent your class from getting over-excited by staying focused on daily routines instead of special activities. I list my schedule changes in a prominent place for the type of children who need to have a plan, but I don’t mention the special events at all unless we need to prepare. If a student asks when the holiday party is, I point to the schedule, then change the subject. Right before an event, I explain what’s happening in a calm voice: “We’re going down to the cafeteria now for the chorus performance. That will take up part of our math time. When we get back, we will complete our math warm-ups just like we usually do, and then continue with our graphing activity.” 2. Resist the urge to ease up on your behavioral expectations. Believe me when I say that easing up will backfire completely. When the teacher is lackadaisical, it just adds to the environment of chaos that the students are slowly creating and makes it harder to get the class back on track. If the kids run to line up, shake your head and nonchalantly tell the whole class to sit back down and try again. “I know you’re excited about the chorus performance. But we need to line up in a quiet and orderly way, just like we always do. Let’s see which table is ready to try again. Watch Team Three as they walk at aappropriate pace over towards the door. Notice how they pushed their chairs in. Do you see how they are facing forward and not talking? Excellent. Team Four, your turn to try.” Yes, it’s December. And yes, you still have to do this. 3. Review your procedures and expectations. It’s probably been a few weeks or months since you’ve articulated and modeled some of your classroom procedures for the entire class. (Just because you tell the same four kids over and over that NO, they cannot get a drink in the middle of a lesson, does not mean the rest of the class was paying attention when you reiterated your expectations.) A fun way to reinforce the rules is with my Class Rules Review Games: Fun paper-based & PowerPoint activities. There’s one PPT slide for each category of expectations (Papers, Homework, Moving Around Campus, Working Cooperatively, etc.), and each slide has questions about related classroom routines. The slides don’t include the answers so that the kids can supply them (bonus: you can modify your rules without redoing the PowerPoint). This can be used as a teaching tool and to spark discussion, or can be played as a competition between teams (who knows our classroom routines the best?). I always liked to do a few slides each week during December and again when we returned in January, and it made a remarkable difference in how smoothly my classroom ran. 4. Integrate high-interest projects and group work into your regular routines. like to finish the majority of my content instruction early in the month so that students can spend most of the last week before break just practicing and applying skills. On the last few days of December, they typically published their narrative essays in writing, completed main idea partner activities in reading, created multiplication fact houses in math, and made land form changes pop-up books in science. These activities are interesting enough to keep the kids focused on their work, and don’t require them to be sitting still and following along with me. We did, however, continue with regular routines for morning work, reading groups, math and writing warm-up assignments, and so on, to send the message that this is a regular school day with regular expectations. The idea is that the kids don’t notice a change in the way the day is run; only you as the teacher are aware of the subtle differences in the way content is presented and activities assigned. 5. Don’t feel pressure to do all of the elaborate holiday stuff that other teachers do. So what if the teacher across the hall covers her room in tinsel and lights and creates extensive holiday-themed centers which culminate in a life-size replica of the first North Pole expedition? Don’t compare yourself, and don’t wear yourself out trying to keep up. New teachers, especially, need to resist the urge to take on more than they can handle. Figure out some simple festive things you can do that won’t create a lot of stress, and stick with those. You can always add a little more next year. This advice goes double for buying students presents. Your teammate may choose to spend $50 on trinkets, and that’s fine. But you’re not a bad teacher if you don’t. 6. Keep the last day before break low-key. Three hours before you pack up your whole family and make an eight hour trip to grandma’s house is NOT the time to plan an elaborate fraction-review-gingerbread-house-decorating activity. You’ll be distracted by your own holiday plans, the kids who actually show up to school will be too excited to follow directions, and you’ll be running around like crazy to clean up so you can leave on time. Instead, give meaningful work assignments that the kids will enjoy completing, and enjoy the last day together. This will also help you… 7. Get prepared for January before you leave. Try to use the day before break to take down any seasonal decorations you have up, change the calendar, finalize your lesson plans and materials for the first day back, etc. There’s nothing worse than coming back to work after a week off to discover silver glitter and unwritten thank you cards all over your desk. A new year is coming. Give yourself a new start! Children force us to acknowledge realities that many of us can and would chose to ignore. How is it that I regularly hurry past the homeless, hoping to avoid interacting, while my son intentionally slows down and registers that there is a human being in need right there in front of him? After I give my son change to put in the donation cup, we walk away and he asks me, "Why can’t we do more to help her?"
Young people are uniquely positioned to recognize injustice and question dominant paradigms. When she was younger, my daughter described the skin of the people that she knew as part of a spectrum of light brown, medium brown, or dark brown. My partner and I hesitated to provide her with our society's accepted terminology to describe race. Why teach her to replicate a system of racial separation that oppresses millions? Fortunately, the place where she did learn the terms "black" and "white" was a progressive school committed to empowering children to combat and undo racism. Such education aims to hold onto the child's innate ability to see the world differently, while arming her with the historical and cultural knowledge to name injustice and fight it. In our society, it is widely believed that because young people lack experience, they aren't smart, capable, or insightful. (These beliefs are often referred to as young people's oppression or adultism.) In reality, young people share the fresh perspective of children and are able to develop deep understandings, make intellectual connections, and take action in ways that adults often can't or won't. For school to matter, students must be given opportunities to engage with the world around them and ask questions about issues that are often ignored or overlooked. The most important and meaningful way for students to engage is by reflecting on their experiences, learning about our society, and envisioning and working for social change. A Classroom Example Recently, I was inspired by the work of a group of students in one of my 12th grade classes. The four students were planning a lesson to teach to a sixth grade class at a nearby middle school. Over several days, I had conversations with them as their ideas slowly evolved. Their initial idea of a lesson about LGBT rights was a good one that they seemed excited to pursue. "How can you design the lesson in a way that will challenge the sixth graders to think in new ways?" I asked them. "How will you frame the discussion?" Several consultations later, they had designed a powerful lesson. They planned to begin by showing some images from the civil rights movement and then asking the younger students to share their knowledge and insights about this period of history. Then they would share information about the Stonewall riots in 1969 and present the movement for LGBT rights as an example of a current, continuing human rights struggle. Finally they would ask the sixth grade students to use their knowledge of social movements to identify strategies that could be used effectively by the LGBT community and allies. My 12th grade students were excited about and empowered by the lesson they had designed -- it was an opportunity for them to focus on the world they want. I was worried when, on the day of the scheduled lesson, I had to miss school because my son was home sick. It turned out that my students were so committed to what they had designed and so empowered by the idea of stepping into the role of teachers that they took care of the final details themselves, taught the lesson, and then entertained me at home with emails about their success and exclamations about how much they had enjoyed teaching. I share this story as an example of students excited about, inspired by, and dedicated to their work. The assignment allowed for student choice and encouraged groups to choose topics they felt passionate about. The structure integrated an authentic audience. Providing students with an opportunity to pursue justice by doing work that had meaning in the world led to deep engagement and ownership of the process. Focus on Justice Thoughtfully and Passionately There is a danger that a focus on injustice can leave students feeling overwhelmed without feeling empowered to act. For this reason, curriculum should be designed around ideas of creation, change, agency, and empowerment. My colleagues at Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia have inspired me with examples of science classes studying the politics of food and working in a local community garden, math classes investigating the different costs of groceries in different neighborhoods, history classes creating walking tours of people's history, Spanish classes studying art and social change, and English classes creating publications for and by teens. Powerful learning experiences examine the flawed world we know while moving toward creating the world of our dreams. Giving students permission and encouragement to do this work leads to engagement and empowerment of young people while giving them opportunities to do real, necessary work. The most important work teachers can do is to create experiences that help students understand themselves, their potential as intellectuals, and their power as agents in the world. In classrooms, smartphones are slowly shifting out of the toy-and-liability-to-attention category, and into the tool-and-engaging-students category. It's part of the movement to "meet students where they are" that's being embraced by teachers who believe in a non-standardized approach to education. Jeremy Mettler, social studies teacher at Batavia (New York) High School, puts it this way: "Students all have them and they love using them, but they don't realize they're walking around with a computer in their pocket."
Yet computers, helpful as they are, can be a distraction. So how do you incorporate smartphones into the teaching process without compromising the learning process? I talked to a number of teachers around the country to see how they're addressing this challenge. A Powerful Participation Tool Mettler finds smartphones helpful to encourage participation in class. He observes, "Kids are shy or ashamed to ask questions because no one wants to look like an idiot. So they text me their questions. Eventually they become comfortable with not knowing something and they stick their hands up to ask a question." One place he's found smartphones to be invaluable are his outdoor classes. "I really like to take my class outside when I can. It breaks things up, and it can really bring things to life for my students." Example In a recent unit on cultural diffusion and physical geography, students spent the morning visiting the mountains (aluminum bleachers in the football field) and the desert (baseball diamonds). Everyone used their smartphone for note taking, either typing or using a voice recording app to dictate. Mettler's motivation for incorporating their phones is simple: "I want my kids to enjoy my classes. If they're stressed, they're not learning. This way, they get to use their phone, which they love. And I have a roomful of eager, engaged kids. Plus I don't have to deal with loose or blowing paper or forgotten pens." Mettler also encourages his kids to use their phone for taking pictures of class assignments or lecture images. He notes, "I want them to have different options to access information. This is just another tool in their tool belt." Enhanced Literary Units Meredith Tabscott teaches high school English at Granite City (Illinois) High School. She uses smartphones with literary units. "I choose a particular piece of literature, The Grapes of Wrath or Lord of the Flies, for instance, and create a Google+ community for my class. The students use smartphones to access and participate in that community." Example During their unit on The Grapes of Wrath, the students need to understand the difference between Hoovervilles and Government Camps. Tabscott asks her class to read excerpts from the novel demonstrating differences, using their smartphones for research. Then they post pictures of Hoovervilles and Government Camps in Google+ for discussion. Cooperative Learning Through Apps Jessyca Matthews, another high school English teacher, employs apps in her classroom, incorporating phones into weekly lessons. "My students work in groups. It's easier to manage from a logistics perspective, and students who don't own smartphones aren't singled out," she explains. Example In a recent study of the novel The Great Gatsby, groups of students became movie producers for a week, using apps such as iMovie and Videolicious. They created a movie, movie trailer, or some other visual representation of the novel, demonstrating their understanding of the narrative and key themes. The project concluded with the "JMatty Awards," modeled after the Academy Awards -- students voted for Best Actor/Actress, Supporting Actor/Actress, Musical Score, and Picture. One project that combined technology, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking to deliver it ended up spanning far beyond the in-class lesson. Keeping the Focus Keeping students focused on the task at hand can be challenging. When she notices students doing something else on their phone, Tabscott often says, "I see you typing, and I look forward to seeing what you have to say about. . ." And she will, because she sees who posts in Google+ and responds to surveys in her forums. Mettler also builds breaks into his class because, as he says, "If they know a break is coming up, they're less likely to use the phone for personal stuff during class time. Plus the breaks are good for the brain." Matthews spends a lot of time walking around during smartphone units, because, as she notes, "Once you give ownership and responsibility to someone, they tend to want to please you in doing the job correctly. If a person isn't using the smart phone for the right reason, the other team members will usually say something." Tips for Getting Started Tabscott, Mettler, and Matthews suggest that you follow these steps to begin incorporating smartphones into classroom activities. 1. Get Comfortable With Your SmartphoneWe all know that smartphones can be used for more than making calls and texting. Spend some time learning how, from basic browser usage to downloading apps, from note-taking functionality to editing photos and videos. Your comfort level will set the tone for your students. 2. Start With a ConversationMeet with school administrators and parents to discuss your plans and address concerns. Solicit input from students -- how would they use smartphones in class? 3. Rules of EngagementDevelop, with the help of your students, an agreement or contract governing the rules for smartphone usage in class. Clearly outline consequences if the agreement is broken. 4. Set ExpectationsAccept that there are going to be times when students are off task, just like when they talk in class. 5. Periodic Check-InsThis is uncharted territory for everyone. Monitor the progress of your students and revise the agreement as necessary. Technology is changing. Our knowledge of how the brain learns is growing, and information is freely accessible. Let's meet our students where they are, and together, let's use all of the tools we have to understand the information and employ it to meet our collective needs. "Do you have any homework tonight?" I asked my daughter Mercedes.
"No, I don't have any homework! Yeah!" she exclaimed. "When is your next test or quiz?" I countered. "It's Friday," she quipped. "Today is Wednesday, shouldn't getting ready for the test be your homework?" I questioned. "That's not homework. That's just study," she responded, as if I didn't know anything. "Oh, I get it, homework is not study...it's..." I conjectured while Mercedes finished my sentence. "...it's worksheets and problems at the end of the chapter. Just busywork," she told me. It's an obvious myth that students think homework is for their benefit. I wonder how many other students also view homework as pure busywork, or as something you do just because the teacher assigned it for a grade? With that attitude, a student may think, "It doesn't matter how I get the homework done, just as long as it is done before the teacher checks it. Right?" This is why on the day the homework is due a group of students can typically be seen frantically huddled over the "smart girl" copying her answers. This of course applies to students that are motivated by grades. If not motivated by grades, what is the incentive to do homework, for the joy of learning? Hm, let me think -- not! I know it wasn't until I went to college that I understood that I always had homework whether it was assigned or not. I had to review my notes, read the chapters, and prepare for the exams on my own homework schedule. As a teacher, I became a proponent of homework in my master's degree program when I learned that by assigning homework, the teacher significantly extends the classroom learning time. I also learned that a teacher should never assign homework on a topic that has not been practiced first in the classroom. It should be focused on one concept and should be difficult enough to challenge a student, but not so difficult that the student feels overwhelmed. Students need the habit of homework and that every day homework should be graded and feedback should be provided. Those ideas made sense to me at the time because I didn't really understand the conceptual myths that they engendered. Myths vs. Reality It didn't take too long for me to figure out that were some things about the homework strategies I had learned that were more mythical than real. For example, while daily homework was supposed to be a major part of the learning, the myth was that I typically only made it worth a quarter of the student grade. Additionally, I soon discovered the myth that in assigning homework, the students would be doing the heavy lifting. I realized that giving homework every day was exhausting not only my energy but also my time. I felt a huge burden in grading the 120 workbook papers daily. Another myth that I debunked was that homework would actually save time in the classroom. Because I assigned homework every day, I felt compelled to take valuable classroom learning time to review the homework, that sometimes took half the class period, or more, leaving little for instruction and practice of new concepts and skills. I justified this investment of time because I wanted to make sure that the students were "getting it" before we moved on. Feeling defrauded about my fervor for homework, I began questioning my original thoughts on homework:
Homework: Facing Reality I had to come to the determination that homework was extended learning time only if the students were inspired enough to want to practice the skills obtained in class. My worksheets were hardly inspiring, so I had to change what I assigned as homework. I heard other teachers, and I still hear teachers, recite this worn out myth, "I don't assign homework because my students aren't the kind of students that do homework. Now if I had Mr. Sullivan's students, I would assign homework because they would do it." My answer then and now was, "Then make homework worth doing so they will want to do it." A New Approach I began assigning projects that required the students to apply their learning from class. Instead of filling in the blanks on a worksheet I requested that students find a Spanish speaker and have a discussion with them using what they knew. I asked the students to teach a family member how to introduce themselves in Spanish. I asked them to fill out a family history tree by interviewing family members. I had them reporting on Spanish language movies and television shows they watched at home. I assigned the task of finding Spanish advertisements, news articles, and personal ads. I had them creating Spanish menus, trip itineraries, and illustrated dictionaries. I assigned groups of students to create reader's theaters, reenactments of historical events, game shows, detective who-done-it similar to CSI, Spanish class newspapers, fashion shows, sidewalk art, food bazaars, travel agencies, restaurants, and department stores. I also had to change how I graded the homework assignments. I was savvy enough to know that if the homework was not recorded in some fashion, students would see it as optional and not do it. I also knew I could not sustain the daily grind of 120 papers to grade, dealing with late work, and keeping up with the grade calculations. One of my mentors suggested a method that simplified this for students and for me. Homework was due at the beginning of class every day. Class started with a warm up sponge activity while I took roll. I asked the students to pull out their homework so I could see it as I walked around the class, recording one of three things on my grade book: full credit if the homework was completed, half credit for not fully completed, zero for less than half completed. Stamp of Approval: Grading Students needed to know that I had recorded their work so I stamped their papers with a smiley face if it was completed, a frowning face if it was not completed (I turned the stamp upside down). Students who had done their work or even tried to do it were insistent that I stamp their completed papers. It took me five minutes to look at the homework and give feedback to every student. To check their understanding, I asked the students to teach their elbow partners what they learned in the homework. They then traded papers and we quickly went over the correct answers to the homework on the overhead projector, again it took only five minutes. I found that the students liked this system because it was less tedious and provided immediate feedback. I liked it because I had more time to inspire learning and I got an immediate pulse of where my students were in their learning progress and what students needed my attention for that class period. What about Blended Learning? As a teacher I have never experienced blended learning; I have observed teachers in schools over which I was the administrator be successful in flipping the classroom and turning homework into the major learning tool. During my time as a high school principal, students all had iPads and some of the teachers set up learning management accounts (LMS) on places like Moodle. They assigned students work and research projects through the LMS and students did the work at home. When they came to class, the teacher would either review what they had done individually, or step up the learning by providing further opportunities to apply their knowledge in group projects. So, as I understand it, in blended learning at home or wherever they are, students acquire the skills and gained content knowledge, and in class the teachers prepare scenarios, case studies and projects in which the students could apply the skills and content knowledge. This brings me back to the question of what is the purpose of homework. I would say that the purpose of homework is to not only extend classroom learning time, but to create independent and enthused learners. Creative writing can be a daunting task for students who struggle to think of story ideas or who don't love the writing process. For kids who have trouble putting pen to paper, there are a handful of fantastic iPad apps that just might inspire them to tell a story. Your students will be able to gather ideas, brainstorm and publish writing straight from their tablet.
For students at all levels, creative writing is an important part of English language arts curriculum. Not only do the Common Core State Standards specifically outline the expectation that students should be able to express themselves through the written word, but this is also an essential real-world skill. Students should have the ability to write narratives that tell a story from their own life or a story that they've imagined. The following apps will inspire young writers and give them a vehicle for sharing their work. Writer's Studio ($4.99)Writer's Studio is a dynamic app that gives kids lots of flexibility for creating storybooks. Perfect for upper elementary and middle school students, this app has lots of features that allow it to double as a presentation tool. Kids can add clip art from within the app and import pictures to each page. They also have the ability to add audio recordings to their final product. This app gives them a handful of options for exporting their creations. Writing Prompts for Kids ($1.99)If your students are having trouble thinking up an idea for a story, you'll definitely want to check out Writing Prompts for Kids. There are four buttons on the screen that kids can press to set the stage for a new story. With a tap on the screen, they can combine a random situation, character, setting and object to inspire their creative writing. Foldify ($3.99)A fun idea for inspiring student writers can involve the super cool iPad app Foldify. With this tool, you can create a cube with images on each side. After printing out your three dimensional creation and assembling the cube, have children roll it across their desk and write a story inspired by the image that it lands on. Write About This ($3.99)Write About This will help students find story ideas and give them a space to record their thinking. Great for elementary school students and English language learners, this app generates images and writing prompts that should inspire students to write a story. They can choose from a range of ideas that fall into different categories. Kids are also given the space to free write within this app. Book Writer ($4.99)An easy-to-use app, Book Writer will let students of all ages create high-quality eBooks that show off their creative writing. If your students are familiar with Keynote and Pages, they'll have no trouble navigating the layout of Book Writer. In addition to letting them work with pictures and text, this app also lets kids add audio, video and songs to each page. Your students' eBooks can be read as PDFs or in iBooks. Writing Challenge ($0.99)Writing Challenge lets teachers turn creative writing into a game for students. Whether this app is used as for whole-class, small-group or individual activity, you'll immediately see the potential of this powerful writing tool. Children will be given a writing prompt and a countdown clock. The goal of this challenge is to have students incorporate the prompt into their story before the time is up. As soon as the timer finishes, they'll be given something new to add to their story. Nothing can undermine a classroom climate that's conducive to learning more quickly than a host of minor disruptive behaviours. These behaviours alone may be no big deal, but collectively they steal instructional time and the positive energy that our students need to attain success. Although effectively managing student behaviour is a multifaceted practice, there are four central things that you can -- and should -- do very early in the school year to set the proper tone.
1. Make your first words and actions confident, enthusiastic, and welcoming. Let your students know how glad you are to meet them or see them again. You might say something like this: I am really pleased to have you all in this class. There are a lot of great things we'll be doing, and there's lots of new stuff to learn. I'm excited about the year ahead. I want to tell you a little bit about myself. [Share something personal, such as a few sentences about your family, your hobbies, how you spent your vacation, etc.] My goal is to be the best teacher I can be -- but I am not perfect. Sometimes I make mistakes, and so will you. But there is no shame in mistakes. Every day, I expect myself to be on time and ready to go. I expect the same from each of you. Does anyone have any questions you'd like to ask me? 2. Set guidelines for how you plan to handle misbehaviour. Most teachers are good at letting students know routines, rules, and even consequences, but many neglect to share what might be the most important component that preserves everyone's dignity when rules are broken. Tell students that while most of what happens in class will be for everybody to hear, individual feedback including consequences will almost always be given privately. Here are two statements that you might make: 1. There will be many times this year that I will be dropping by your desk with an individual message that is only for your ears. It is the way I usually give feedback that tells you what I think you are doing well or how I think you could do better. 2. I don’t expect rules to be broken, but whenever lots of people share the same space, there are times when someone might do something inappropriate. I rarely stop a lesson to deal with unacceptable behaviour. It may actually look like I am ignoring it, and maybe I am. I hope you do, too. But ignoring it doesn't mean that I'm not going to do anything about it. It just means that I think teaching is more important in that moment. It means that I'll get with that person later when it won't steal our time to learn. 3. Let students know when and how they can give you feedback. Establish a time and place when students can give you feedback. I like the idea of having "conference time" where students can schedule a time with you for this purpose. If you prefer, have a "Feedback for Teacher" box where students can leave notes to express appreciation as well as suggestions about how you can be a better teacher for them. This could be your message about feedback: It's very important for me to be the best teacher that I can be for each of you, and I will try very hard to be respectful even if you do things that I don't like. That's why most of the time I will give you feedback privately. In the same way, if you have ideas about how I can be a better teacher for you, let me know. You can write me a note and put it in the feedback box, see me at conference time, or tell me after class. 4. Define the difference between fair and equal. Make clear that if a student breaks a rule, you will do whatever you think is best to help that student fix the mistake: Since everyone doesn't always learn the same way, consequences may not always be the same, and it will up to me to decide which consequence(s), if any, would be best for that student. There will be times that I might even ask you what consequence(s) you think would work best. Anyway, if you ever think there is a more effective consequence, let me know in a respectful way, and I might change my mind. What I won't accept are complaints like, "It's not fair because Max did the same thing as me and you called my mother but not his." I'll talk to you about you, but not about Max. What I did with Max is between him and me, and what I do with you is between us. I will only listen to suggestions that you think could work better for you. Written by Elizabeth Garcia Founder and Head of School, Discovery Day Academy, America Achieves Fellow A marble rolls down a ramp, and children cheer as it reaches the target they have adjusted numerous times. After a small-group reading of Frog and Toad, children gather in a community of inquiry to discuss the nature of being scared and brave at the same time. In an adjacent area, two children complete their construction of treasure chests. They begin classifying rocks as gems or geodes, sorting them into the compartments of their wooden creations. A child preserves flowers using waxed paper and heavy books in the science center. These are activities occurring in a project- and play-based early learning classroom, where children are exploring the concepts of living and non-living things. These and other early learning experiences that support inquiry and creativity have significant long-term benefits. Thinking is an art form, similar to the actions of a visual artist perfecting his or her craft. We must focus on creative learning dispositions early, during the brain's most active period of synaptic growth. I suggest five strategies that can be implemented in early learning classrooms and beyond, to support children's long-term success with rigorous learning standards. The strategies range in complexity and cultural commitment. Therefore, I recommend starting small and building a culture of student-centered learning and flexibility, prior to full-scale implementation. 1. Practice PBL and STEM Within Community PartnershipsPBL (project-based learning) supports teachers in developing authentic learning experiences with a focus on inquiry-based instruction. Content is key, so I recommend outlining flexible project guides vetted through learning standards within the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. For example, the traditional community helpers project can extend beyond the policeman, firefighter, and grocer careers by focusing on a marine biologist, astronaut, civil engineer, or architect. Then align the project guides to relevant community partners and request that they provide you with authentic problems to solve. You can guide or assist professional project partners to ensure the creation of age-appropriate questions with a focus on community impact. Align each project with a greater good by allowing young students to be change agents within their local communities. Whether it is planting milkweed for an endangered butterfly species or donating excess crops from your edible schoolyard to the local food bank, there are many ways to make impact tangible for children. 2. Engage in Purposeful Play Purposeful play should be the central learning experience in early learning classrooms. It's a natural way of learning that supports creativity and imagination. Learning centers should include a library, manipulative, science, dramatic play, engineering/blocks and art/makerspace areas. Provision these learning centers to support your project work and learning objectives. Intentional teaching opportunities can be incorporated through open-ended literacy and mathematics games, science experiments, and fine motor skills, to name a few. Couple these materials with oral language and Bloom's Taxonomy poster prompts placed in each center for quick reference. Use the prompts to intentionally scaffold children's thinking as you coach and model their play. 3. Provide Opportunities for Student-Centered ConstructionismTurn your art center into a mini-makerspace, as it abounds with DIY materials. Engage students in the design process by creating a visual poster about design steps. Include the following steps:
4. "Bloom" Your BooksBloom's Taxonomy is complex, so rather than tackling the content in its entirety, vet out age-appropriate question prompts and use them to guide your read-aloud conversations. Planning ahead and intentionality are key. Repurpose the library pockets that are used for checking out books and index cards to intentionally level comprehension questions in your weekly picture book selection. The tactile prompt can be placed in the back of the book for future use, allowing you to build a library of "bloomed" books. Support your children's deeper understanding of the picture book's purpose through small group discussions, advancing your level of questioning each day. 5. Partake in Picture-Book PhilosophyPicture books hold deep philosophical curiosities. Create a community of inquiry as a social-emotional tool to build a respectful discussion community. Teach children to listen and respect the ideas of others. Give them freedom to change their minds when new information arises. With time and ongoing discussion, you will witness your students' thinking evolve.Teaching Children Philosophy offers an excellent resource for free book suggestions with accompanying guides. A strong house must be built upon a solid foundation. We must nurture children's minds in early learning through play, wonder, imagination, and exploration to ensure success as they move forward in their learning careers. You have the power to make a change in your school or classroom. I encourage you to take the first steps! |
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