Dear Natalie Skidmore,
Congratulations on finishing your student teaching semester with your sanity still (mostly) intact. This may be premature, as there are still a couple of required weeks left, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm sure you'll make it through! This semester has been a whirlwind of activity, I know, but I hope you feel that you've learned a lot and have become a better teacher because of it.
When you first began student teaching you were enthusiastic, excited, and passionate about the craft. NEVER LOSE THAT. There is a reason teachers start out with passion, and I believe it is because this profession is one of the greatest in the world. What could be better than waking up each day and getting to go work with young people and educate the future of our country? Not much. However, I do need you to realize that the students will NOT always appreciate how hard you work, how much you care, or how much thought you put into the class activities. This is not because they hate you, or think you're weird (even though they definitely do), or want to make your life miserable. They will act this way, on occasion, because they are teenagers, high schoolers, essentially still kids, and they haven't learned how to act appropriately yet.
At times this will be overwhelmingly frustrating. Your late nights spent planning and replanning lessons to engage the students and make learning fun will occasionally seem useless. That "awesome" activity you worked so hard on will be received with statements like "This is stupid. Why do we have to do this?" And you will have to take a deep breath, remind yourself that they are not attacking you personally, and use these questions as a learning opportunity. You will spend entire days reminding students to get to work, and trying to explain why your activities and assignments are important. But, you WILL make sure that you can justify every assignment you give, because you know that work without a purpose only hurts you and your students.
Above all, use what you learned during student teaching to become a better person and teacher. There have been good and bad experiences, but they are ALL learning opportunities. Don't get caught up in petty, meaningless thoughts and discussions. Keep your head held high, and always think about what is best for you and your students. You may be a student TEACHER, but this is a learning experience. And you will experience a lot.
You will be proud.
You will laugh.
You will get to know students and never want to leave.
You will cry (but only when no one is around)
You will experience more frustration than you have ever known.
You will be overwhelmed by pride.
You will doubt yourself.
You will be proud of yourself.
You will work hard.
You will work harder.
YOU
will succeed.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Romeo, oh Romeo
I have to admit, I'm not a Romeo and Juliet fan. Yes, I realize Shakespeare is brilliant the play is a classic but...I'm just so over it! After taking many, many English classes over the course of my educational career, I have come to love many of Shakespeare's plays. Titus Andronicus immediately captured my attention, and I absolutely love the story. Maybe I'm just into creepy, dark tragedies, but Titus' story enthralled me. There are so many excellent things about Shakespeare's other works, and I've always felt that it was sad that Romeo and Juliet continues to outshine them all.
However, I am in a 9th grade English classroom, and the themes in Romeo and Juliet definitely apply to many of the life issues my students are currently dealing with. Forbidden love, family misunderstandings, lust; all of these themes can definitely be related to a group of 14 and 15 year old students. In my high school experience, we discussed the story of Romeo and Juliet as the tragic story of two young people who were desperately in love, and were forced into taking desperate actions.
I disagree.
I've always looked at Romeo and Juliet as two confused (and possibly not so bright) teenagers who chose to make a series of ridiculous choices without thinking. Over the course of three days, the lovers decide that they cannot bear to live anymore since they can't be together. I think it is important to focus on these details, because they play an important role in how students interpret the story. In my classroom, I would like to address these issues, and find new ways to present the story we all know so well.
I love incorporating reader's theater into my classroom, and I think Shakespearean text works wonderfully for this activity. Students really get into acting out the different scenes, and they tend to remember the main points and understand ideas more clearly when they actually perform a section of text and write it in their own words.
I recently read a blog on edutopia.org that discussed one woman's choice to have her students put on a modern performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet for a fundraiser. She stated:
"So, I sat down with the Drama Club and presented this year's play: Romeo & Juliet: The Ferguson Way! And I wanted their help. How can we bring Shakespeare's romantic tragedy into the 21st Century? Who would the feud be between? Juliet was 13 in Shakespeare's version. In today's world, would a 13-year-old girl fake her own death? Would they get married? How can we have this sense of drama, yet make it realistic? Should they die? From these early meetings came the framework for our script."
I love the fact that she made her students think about how the events in the play would unfold in today's world, and how she connected the story to her students' personal lives. Creating meaningful lessons and connections to the text is so important, and activities that encourage student involvement really make a difference!
However, I am in a 9th grade English classroom, and the themes in Romeo and Juliet definitely apply to many of the life issues my students are currently dealing with. Forbidden love, family misunderstandings, lust; all of these themes can definitely be related to a group of 14 and 15 year old students. In my high school experience, we discussed the story of Romeo and Juliet as the tragic story of two young people who were desperately in love, and were forced into taking desperate actions.
I disagree.
I've always looked at Romeo and Juliet as two confused (and possibly not so bright) teenagers who chose to make a series of ridiculous choices without thinking. Over the course of three days, the lovers decide that they cannot bear to live anymore since they can't be together. I think it is important to focus on these details, because they play an important role in how students interpret the story. In my classroom, I would like to address these issues, and find new ways to present the story we all know so well.
I love incorporating reader's theater into my classroom, and I think Shakespearean text works wonderfully for this activity. Students really get into acting out the different scenes, and they tend to remember the main points and understand ideas more clearly when they actually perform a section of text and write it in their own words.
I recently read a blog on edutopia.org that discussed one woman's choice to have her students put on a modern performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet for a fundraiser. She stated:
"So, I sat down with the Drama Club and presented this year's play: Romeo & Juliet: The Ferguson Way! And I wanted their help. How can we bring Shakespeare's romantic tragedy into the 21st Century? Who would the feud be between? Juliet was 13 in Shakespeare's version. In today's world, would a 13-year-old girl fake her own death? Would they get married? How can we have this sense of drama, yet make it realistic? Should they die? From these early meetings came the framework for our script."
I love the fact that she made her students think about how the events in the play would unfold in today's world, and how she connected the story to her students' personal lives. Creating meaningful lessons and connections to the text is so important, and activities that encourage student involvement really make a difference!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Final Days, Final Projects!
As we approach the end of the spring semester, my students are beginning work on their final projects. My teacher has students create autobiographies at the end of each year, and from what I can see, these are going to turn out to be amazing!
We have copied a RIDICULOUS amount of sheets for the students to complete, and each of these sheets asks the students about their personal lives. Students fill out a "birth certificate" with all of the information about their family background, and physically describe themselves in a 'Mirror Mirror' activity. It was quite entertaining to watch students as they worked on these sheets. We all think we know what we look like, but when you have to describe literally every aspect of yourself it becomes a little difficult! I also had no idea how exciting a tape measure would be, but the kids were absolutely obsessed with measuring each other and figuring out exactly how tall they were. (Unfortuately, I figured out that I'm still only 5'4...barely).
Students are also writing about their typical day, favorites, and personality types. I've been doing this project with the students, and the personal reflection has actually taught me a lot about myself as well! I think projects like this are so cool, because it allows me to learn a lot about my students and their lives. I would love to do an activity like this at the beginning of the year to help me get to know my students right off the bat, but I don't think it would work quite as well.
By the end of the year we have made connections with our students that allow them to open up in their autobiographies. While it would be awesome if this could happen at the beginning of the year, I don't think it would be the same because students just are not as comfortable sharing personal experiences with a person who is basically a stranger. My CT has told me about the material he has received in the past, and students do share some very personal details. I think that tells you a lot about both the teacher and the students, because it means that the teacher has fostered an environment in which students feel comfortable sharing, and know they are respected.
Activities such as this autobiography project are so important in the classroom, because personal connections allow for authentic learning. Students are still practicing writing, reflection, and analytical skills, and they are actually having fun with it because they get to talk about themselves! I was reading a blog written by Stephen Hurley, and he had his students participate in the same sort of project. In his blog, he explained why he chose to have students tell their personal stories, explaining; "Throughout the year, we have been exploring how the arts can help us both understand our stories more deeply and express those stories to others." We have been doing the same in our classroom, especially during the Night unit, so the autobiographies were the perfect project to move on to. Hurley had his students actually present their work to family and friends, which I think is an excellent idea. We won't be doing that in our classroom, but I think that having students present their ideas through both speaking and writing would be very beneficial.
I can't wait to see what the students turn in, because they already have such great material, and we've only just begun!
We have copied a RIDICULOUS amount of sheets for the students to complete, and each of these sheets asks the students about their personal lives. Students fill out a "birth certificate" with all of the information about their family background, and physically describe themselves in a 'Mirror Mirror' activity. It was quite entertaining to watch students as they worked on these sheets. We all think we know what we look like, but when you have to describe literally every aspect of yourself it becomes a little difficult! I also had no idea how exciting a tape measure would be, but the kids were absolutely obsessed with measuring each other and figuring out exactly how tall they were. (Unfortuately, I figured out that I'm still only 5'4...barely).
Students are also writing about their typical day, favorites, and personality types. I've been doing this project with the students, and the personal reflection has actually taught me a lot about myself as well! I think projects like this are so cool, because it allows me to learn a lot about my students and their lives. I would love to do an activity like this at the beginning of the year to help me get to know my students right off the bat, but I don't think it would work quite as well.
By the end of the year we have made connections with our students that allow them to open up in their autobiographies. While it would be awesome if this could happen at the beginning of the year, I don't think it would be the same because students just are not as comfortable sharing personal experiences with a person who is basically a stranger. My CT has told me about the material he has received in the past, and students do share some very personal details. I think that tells you a lot about both the teacher and the students, because it means that the teacher has fostered an environment in which students feel comfortable sharing, and know they are respected.
Activities such as this autobiography project are so important in the classroom, because personal connections allow for authentic learning. Students are still practicing writing, reflection, and analytical skills, and they are actually having fun with it because they get to talk about themselves! I was reading a blog written by Stephen Hurley, and he had his students participate in the same sort of project. In his blog, he explained why he chose to have students tell their personal stories, explaining; "Throughout the year, we have been exploring how the arts can help us both understand our stories more deeply and express those stories to others." We have been doing the same in our classroom, especially during the Night unit, so the autobiographies were the perfect project to move on to. Hurley had his students actually present their work to family and friends, which I think is an excellent idea. We won't be doing that in our classroom, but I think that having students present their ideas through both speaking and writing would be very beneficial.
I can't wait to see what the students turn in, because they already have such great material, and we've only just begun!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Educating a Human Being, Not Just a Student
This week I have been thinking a lot about my role as an educator, and simply as a human, in stopping injustice.
I just finished teaching my unit on Night by Elie Wiesel, which we wrapped up by writing a mini research paper on current genocides. Over the course of this unit, my class participated in many discussions about the theme of bearing witness, and we explored how the questions about humanity Wiesel raises apply to our own lives. Listening to my students' thoughts about their role in stopping prejudice and social injustices was so inspiring. Their passion, empathy, and intelligence becomes so evident during these discussions, and it is so cool to see the light come on when a student realizes that they can connect, and that they play an important role in the way our society functions.
Many of my students were shocked to find out that genocide still occurs in the world today, and were upset that they didn't know about a lot of the instances of genocide and oppression that we learned about. I admitted regularly that I did not know about many of these instances either, and this stemmed some great discussions about WHY we don't know these things, and what that says about our society.
As the unit progressed we got into discussions about race, religion, gender, bullying, ect., and the students shared their experiences and thoughts about these subjects on a regular basis. I think that it is important to cultivate these types of discussions within a classroom, because education is about so much more than just learning content. I personally believe that, as educators, one of the greatest things we can do to prevent social injustices is to help our students see that they do play a role in preventing prejudice, and that they can make a difference.
I recently read an article that addressed this idea, and talked about ways that you can foster an environment within your classroom that supports these types of discussions. At the end of the article, it states, "Strom and Nelson say young people are moral philosophers. 'They care about the world they live in,' Nelson adds. 'They want to belong. They want to do right. They want to make a difference.' Help students show their smarts, not only to you or to their classmates but also to themselves" (Smith 2006). I love this statement, because I completely agree with it! We all want to live in a world where we feel safe, and unfortunately that is not the state of our society at the present moment. But our students want this too, and they want to talk about how people can make a difference! I believe that if we all work to create an environment where students can explore these ideas together, we will all benefit. So that's what I'm going to keep attempting to do!
I just finished teaching my unit on Night by Elie Wiesel, which we wrapped up by writing a mini research paper on current genocides. Over the course of this unit, my class participated in many discussions about the theme of bearing witness, and we explored how the questions about humanity Wiesel raises apply to our own lives. Listening to my students' thoughts about their role in stopping prejudice and social injustices was so inspiring. Their passion, empathy, and intelligence becomes so evident during these discussions, and it is so cool to see the light come on when a student realizes that they can connect, and that they play an important role in the way our society functions.
Many of my students were shocked to find out that genocide still occurs in the world today, and were upset that they didn't know about a lot of the instances of genocide and oppression that we learned about. I admitted regularly that I did not know about many of these instances either, and this stemmed some great discussions about WHY we don't know these things, and what that says about our society.
As the unit progressed we got into discussions about race, religion, gender, bullying, ect., and the students shared their experiences and thoughts about these subjects on a regular basis. I think that it is important to cultivate these types of discussions within a classroom, because education is about so much more than just learning content. I personally believe that, as educators, one of the greatest things we can do to prevent social injustices is to help our students see that they do play a role in preventing prejudice, and that they can make a difference.
I recently read an article that addressed this idea, and talked about ways that you can foster an environment within your classroom that supports these types of discussions. At the end of the article, it states, "Strom and Nelson say young people are moral philosophers. 'They care about the world they live in,' Nelson adds. 'They want to belong. They want to do right. They want to make a difference.' Help students show their smarts, not only to you or to their classmates but also to themselves" (Smith 2006). I love this statement, because I completely agree with it! We all want to live in a world where we feel safe, and unfortunately that is not the state of our society at the present moment. But our students want this too, and they want to talk about how people can make a difference! I believe that if we all work to create an environment where students can explore these ideas together, we will all benefit. So that's what I'm going to keep attempting to do!
Monday, March 11, 2013
This I Believe
This week my class wrote "This I Believe" statements. On Wednesday we watched a video and listened to Elie Wiesel's essay for NPR's "This I Believe" segment. Afterwards, I decided to have my students create their own statements in order to reflect on personal beliefs and values. I believe activities like this are important, because students need to explore who they are and what they value. If I can do that AND link it to literature, then I get pretty excited! I love learning more about my students as people, and activities like this really demonstrate their creativity, talents, and interests.
Before we began the assignment, I told students to reflect on what they find important about life. I shared some examples of my own personal beliefs and values, and told students that as long as they took it seriously their statements would be wonderful. I always try to encourage my students to trust their own thoughts and feelings, and to have confidence in the answers they give and the ideas they share. I've noticed that many of my students are overly concered with being wrong. They are constantly asking me things like, "Can I write this? I don't know if this is right. No, I'm not sure. Is it okay that I put down what I thought?" Statements like this make me cringe, because they often ask these questions in association with activities that are supposed to be all about sharing individual thoughts and feelings. No matter how many times I reiterate, "There are no wrong answers, I want to know what YOU think," they still seem to struggle with trusting their own ideas.
I personally believe that this is because our culture has put such a huge emphasis on being right ALL the time. An article by Ben Johnson addressed this idea, stating, "Unfortunately, we have socialized our students into the believing that not being certain is a bad thing, and as a result, few students are willing to take a risk and demonstrate their vulnerability." I definitely see this reflected in my students, and I've been working hard to show them that being 'wrong' is actually okay! No one can be right all the time, and when you are wrong it is simply something to learn from.
Regardless, my students powered through and completed some AMAZING "This I Believe" statements. Probably the most fun I've ever had grading! Each statement was so personal and touching, I was absolutely amazed. We published these statements on Friday, and the students got to demonstrate their creativity by turning their statements into works of art. I have now complied these statements into a huge class book, and it looks amazing. My students did such a fantastic job, and I was absolutely blown away by their insight. Working with students everyday is so rewarding!
Before we began the assignment, I told students to reflect on what they find important about life. I shared some examples of my own personal beliefs and values, and told students that as long as they took it seriously their statements would be wonderful. I always try to encourage my students to trust their own thoughts and feelings, and to have confidence in the answers they give and the ideas they share. I've noticed that many of my students are overly concered with being wrong. They are constantly asking me things like, "Can I write this? I don't know if this is right. No, I'm not sure. Is it okay that I put down what I thought?" Statements like this make me cringe, because they often ask these questions in association with activities that are supposed to be all about sharing individual thoughts and feelings. No matter how many times I reiterate, "There are no wrong answers, I want to know what YOU think," they still seem to struggle with trusting their own ideas.
I personally believe that this is because our culture has put such a huge emphasis on being right ALL the time. An article by Ben Johnson addressed this idea, stating, "Unfortunately, we have socialized our students into the believing that not being certain is a bad thing, and as a result, few students are willing to take a risk and demonstrate their vulnerability." I definitely see this reflected in my students, and I've been working hard to show them that being 'wrong' is actually okay! No one can be right all the time, and when you are wrong it is simply something to learn from.
Regardless, my students powered through and completed some AMAZING "This I Believe" statements. Probably the most fun I've ever had grading! Each statement was so personal and touching, I was absolutely amazed. We published these statements on Friday, and the students got to demonstrate their creativity by turning their statements into works of art. I have now complied these statements into a huge class book, and it looks amazing. My students did such a fantastic job, and I was absolutely blown away by their insight. Working with students everyday is so rewarding!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Managing a Classroom While Maintaining Sanity
A successful classroom depends on the consistent implementation of classroom management. It's important. WAY important. And unfortunately, classroom management definitely is not something you can learn out of a book. That's not to say there aren't hundreds of books out there that can help you develop a unique management style, but in the end, you have to manage a classroom in a way that fits with your own personality.
As far as my management style goes, I tend to be pretty laid back, and so far that has worked for me. Instead of focusing on what students can and cannot do, I choose to let my students know that as their teacher, I will always treat them with respect, and as fellow human beings they should treat their classmates and myself with respect as well. Obviously, this does not prevent problems from arising, but when disruptions occur I remind them that I have consistently treated them with respect, and if they choose not to do the same then it is simply a sign of immaturity. I have had one on one converstaions with multiple students about the idea of respect and why it is so important for us to demonstrate respect in the classroom, and these conversations tend to make a huge difference in attitude.
One such occurence actually happened yesterday. Students were participating in small group discussions, and I was walking around the room, listening in, observing, and occasionally joining in with the students as they discussed a variety of famous quotations. Obviously, when students get together and are allowed to talk, the conversation will inevitably change topics. Any time I saw this occuring I would simply walk up to the group and ask them about their thoughts on one of the quotes. This usually helped redirect them.
Usually.
Unfortunately, one group of students chose to completely ignore the discussion topics. Apparently chatting, messing around, laughing, and generally being disruptive sounded like a better time! I repeatedly reminded them to get back on task, and each time they disregarded my request. In an attempt to get them engaged, I shared my thoughts on a quote and asked them what they thought. They did begin discussing at that point, so I walked away, happy. As soon as I turned my back the messing around started again. Multiple reminders about proper behavior later, I had had it.
I'm not a yeller, and I didn't yell, but I definitely raised my voice. I let them know that the way they were acting was extremely immature and disrespectful, and that they were hindering the learning of others in the class, which is simply unacceptable. I also let them know that they were basically telling me that my time is not valuable, nor are my lessons, because by refusing to participate they were showing me that what I worked hard on for them was simply not important. Yes, I do like to play the emotions card. I personally think honesty and feelings-based sharing can be extremely effective. I've been reading a lot of articles on the benefits of social and emotional learning, and Traci Vogel has some very informative pieces. In one I recently read she states, "We believe emotions are the backbone to good learning. For example, in order to pay attention, you need to be emotionally involved in the learning process. Plus, there are certain aspects of emotional intelligence -- such as the ability to regulate one's emotions -- that are quite important for test taking and being able to sit in class." Kids have a lot more going on than what we present to them in class, and they're also dealing with hormones and physical changes at the same time. That's a lot to handle!
They really are good kids (ALL kids are good kids) and I think my outburst made them realize how rude they were being, because after that they did begin to actually discuss. I think that my students often forget about the impact their side-conversations and distractions have on other people. Most of the time, I think they just get so caught up in what they want to say and do that they forget about proper classroom behavior. I try to remind myself of this fact often, and that definitely helps maintain my sanity on the days where it seems like I'm running side-conversation city.
Later in class I pulled the three students aside and explained to them why I had gotten upset. I told them that as their teacher, they needed to listen to and respect me, because I'm there for them. I explained that there is a purpose to everything we do, and that I spend a lot of time trying to come up with fun activities that allow them to share their thoughts and feelings. After I finished explaining, I asked these students if they felt like I came in everyday and treated them with respect. "Yes." So I asked why they thought it was appropriate to talk over me and treat me with disrespect when I was trying to help them. After a pause and three hangdog stares, they all apologized and said they hadn't realized that was what they were doing.
I reminded them that it was nothing personal, I think they are all excellent people and the reason why I got upset was because I knew what great insights they could bring to discussion and it was disappointing that they would choose to waste that opportunity. I also told them that I had no doubt that from this point on they could manage themselves properly, and that I was proud of the bits of discussion I had heard from them. I think repeatedly reinforcing the positives is so much more important than hounding students about what they did wrong. Nobody likes to be lectured, and generally most students already know what they should change about their behavior. Encouraging students and reminding them of what they do well, even during times when you may feel like you're about to lose it, has always seemed to work better for me than telling students what they're doing wrong and need to "fix."
Student teaching has definitely helped me create a solid classroom management plan of my own, and I am so grateful for that. I see every disruption as a learning opportunity, because it gives me the chance to figure out how to deal with a new situation in a positive way. I love it!
I came across this picture and thought I would share. I've definitely found my passion and my purpose through my journey to become a teacher, and I hope you all have too!
Friday, March 1, 2013
Managing a Classroom Without Losing My Sanity
A successful classroom depends on the consistent implementation of classroom management. It's important. WAY important. And unfortunately, classroom management definitely is not something you can learn out of a book. That's not to say there aren't hundreds of books out there that can help you develop a unique management style, but in the end, you have to manage a classroom in a way that fits with your own personality.
As far as my management style goes, I tend to be pretty laid back, and so far that has worked for me. Instead of focusing on what students can and cannot do, I choose to let my students know that as their teacher, I will always treat them with respect, and as fellow human beings they should treat their classmates and myself with respect as well. Obviously, this does not prevent problems from arising, but when disruptions occur I remind them that I have consistently treated them with respect, and if they choose not to do the same then it is simply a sign of immaturity. I have had one on one converstaions with multiple students about the idea of respect and why it is so important for us to demonstrate respect in the classroom, and these conversations tend to make a huge difference in attitude.
One such occurence actually happened yesterday. Students were participating in small group discussions, and I was walking around the room, listening in, observing, and occasionally joining in with the students as they discussed a variety of famous quotations. Obviously, when students get together and are allowed to talk, the conversation will inevitably change topics. Any time I saw this occuring I would simply walk up to the group and ask them about their thoughts on one of the quotes. This usually helped redirect them.
Usually.
Unfortunately, one group of students chose to completely ignore the discussion topics. Apparently chatting, messing around, laughing, and generally being disruptive sounded like a better time! I repeatedly reminded them to get back on task, and each time they disregarded my request. In an attempt to get them engaged, I shared my thoughts on a quote and asked them what they thought. They did begin discussing at that point, so I walked away, happy. As soon as I turned my back the messing around started again. Multiple reminders about proper behavior later, I had had it.
I'm not a yeller, and I didn't yell, but I definitely raised my voice. I let them know that the way they were acting was extremely immature and disrespectful, and that they were hindering the learning of others in the class, which is simply unacceptable. I also let them know that they were basically telling me that my time is not valuable, nor are my lessons, because by refusing to participate they were showing me that what I worked hard on for them was simply not important. Yes, I do like to play the emotions card. I personally think honesty and feelings-based sharing can be extremely effective. I've been reading a lot of articles on the benefits of social and emotional learning, and Traci Vogel has some very informative pieces. In one I recently read she states, "We believe emotions are the backbone to good learning. For example, in order to pay attention, you need to be emotionally involved in the learning process. Plus, there are certain aspects of emotional intelligence -- such as the ability to regulate one's emotions -- that are quite important for test taking and being able to sit in class." Kids have a lot more going on than what we present to them in class, and they're also dealing with hormones and physical changes at the same time. That's a lot to handle!
They really are good kids (ALL kids are good kids) and I think my outburst made them realize how rude they were being, because after that they did begin to actually discuss. I think that my students often forget about the impact their side-conversations and distractions have on other people. Most of the time, I think they just get so caught up in what they want to say and do that they forget about proper classroom behavior. I try to remind myself of this fact often, and that definitely helps maintain my sanity on the days where it seems like I'm running side-conversation city.
Later in class I pulled the three students aside and explained to them why I had gotten upset. I told them that as their teacher, they needed to listen to and respect me, because I'm there for them. I explained that there is a purpose to everything we do, and that I spend a lot of time trying to come up with fun activities that allow them to share their thoughts and feelings. After I finished explaining, I asked these students if they felt like I came in everyday and treated them with respect. "Yes." So I asked why they thought it was appropriate to talk over me and treat me with disrespect when I was trying to help them. After a pause and three hangdog stares, they all apologized and said they hadn't realized that was what they were doing.
I reminded them that it was nothing personal, I think they are all excellent people and the reason why I got upset was because I knew what great insights they could bring to discussion and it was disappointing that they would choose to waste that opportunity. I also told them that I had no doubt that from this point on they could manage themselves properly, and that I was proud of the bits of discussion I had heard from them. I think repeatedly reinforcing the positives is so much more important than hounding students about what they did wrong. Nobody likes to be lectured, and generally most students already know what they should change about their behavior. Encouraging students and reminding them of what they do well, even during times when you may feel like you're about to lose it, has always seemed to work better for me than telling students what they're doing wrong and need to "fix."
Student teaching has definitely helped me create a solid classroom management plan of my own, and I am so grateful for that. I see every disruption as a learning opportunity, because it gives me the chance to figure out how to deal with a new situation in a positive way. I love it!
I came across this picture and thought I would share. I've definitely found my passion and my purpose through my journey to become a teacher, and I hope you all have too!
As far as my management style goes, I tend to be pretty laid back, and so far that has worked for me. Instead of focusing on what students can and cannot do, I choose to let my students know that as their teacher, I will always treat them with respect, and as fellow human beings they should treat their classmates and myself with respect as well. Obviously, this does not prevent problems from arising, but when disruptions occur I remind them that I have consistently treated them with respect, and if they choose not to do the same then it is simply a sign of immaturity. I have had one on one converstaions with multiple students about the idea of respect and why it is so important for us to demonstrate respect in the classroom, and these conversations tend to make a huge difference in attitude.
One such occurence actually happened yesterday. Students were participating in small group discussions, and I was walking around the room, listening in, observing, and occasionally joining in with the students as they discussed a variety of famous quotations. Obviously, when students get together and are allowed to talk, the conversation will inevitably change topics. Any time I saw this occuring I would simply walk up to the group and ask them about their thoughts on one of the quotes. This usually helped redirect them.
Usually.
Unfortunately, one group of students chose to completely ignore the discussion topics. Apparently chatting, messing around, laughing, and generally being disruptive sounded like a better time! I repeatedly reminded them to get back on task, and each time they disregarded my request. In an attempt to get them engaged, I shared my thoughts on a quote and asked them what they thought. They did begin discussing at that point, so I walked away, happy. As soon as I turned my back the messing around started again. Multiple reminders about proper behavior later, I had had it.
I'm not a yeller, and I didn't yell, but I definitely raised my voice. I let them know that the way they were acting was extremely immature and disrespectful, and that they were hindering the learning of others in the class, which is simply unacceptable. I also let them know that they were basically telling me that my time is not valuable, nor are my lessons, because by refusing to participate they were showing me that what I worked hard on for them was simply not important. Yes, I do like to play the emotions card. I personally think honesty and feelings-based sharing can be extremely effective. I've been reading a lot of articles on the benefits of social and emotional learning, and Traci Vogel has some very informative pieces. In one I recently read she states, "We believe emotions are the backbone to good learning. For example, in order to pay attention, you need to be emotionally involved in the learning process. Plus, there are certain aspects of emotional intelligence -- such as the ability to regulate one's emotions -- that are quite important for test taking and being able to sit in class." Kids have a lot more going on than what we present to them in class, and they're also dealing with hormones and physical changes at the same time. That's a lot to handle!
They really are good kids (ALL kids are good kids) and I think my outburst made them realize how rude they were being, because after that they did begin to actually discuss. I think that my students often forget about the impact their side-conversations and distractions have on other people. Most of the time, I think they just get so caught up in what they want to say and do that they forget about proper classroom behavior. I try to remind myself of this fact often, and that definitely helps maintain my sanity on the days where it seems like I'm running side-conversation city.
Later in class I pulled the three students aside and explained to them why I had gotten upset. I told them that as their teacher, they needed to listen to and respect me, because I'm there for them. I explained that there is a purpose to everything we do, and that I spend a lot of time trying to come up with fun activities that allow them to share their thoughts and feelings. After I finished explaining, I asked these students if they felt like I came in everyday and treated them with respect. "Yes." So I asked why they thought it was appropriate to talk over me and treat me with disrespect when I was trying to help them. After a pause and three hangdog stares, they all apologized and said they hadn't realized that was what they were doing.
I reminded them that it was nothing personal, I think they are all excellent people and the reason why I got upset was because I knew what great insights they could bring to discussion and it was disappointing that they would choose to waste that opportunity. I also told them that I had no doubt that from this point on they could manage themselves properly, and that I was proud of the bits of discussion I had heard from them. I think repeatedly reinforcing the positives is so much more important than hounding students about what they did wrong. Nobody likes to be lectured, and generally most students already know what they should change about their behavior. Encouraging students and reminding them of what they do well, even during times when you may feel like you're about to lose it, has always seemed to work better for me than telling students what they're doing wrong and need to "fix."
Student teaching has definitely helped me create a solid classroom management plan of my own, and I am so grateful for that. I see every disruption as a learning opportunity, because it gives me the chance to figure out how to deal with a new situation in a positive way. I love it!
I came across this picture and thought I would share. I've definitely found my passion and my purpose through my journey to become a teacher, and I hope you all have too!
Monday, February 25, 2013
Character Development in the Classroom
Last week I finally started teaching the unit I have prepared for Night by Elie Wiesel and let me just say that I have definitely chosen the right profession. No doubt about it. I love everything about being in the classroom, and getting to interact with my students is so rewarding.
As an introduction to Night, I posed several questions to my students in order to promote discussion. While all of my students generally knew that the Holocaust was bad and we needed to know about it, none of them could really tell me why. In fact, most wondered why we should read the book, since we had already discussed the events of the Holocaust as a class. I asked them to think about why it is important to read and learn about the experiences of others when we don't know those people and probably never will. I was shocked when the reply I received was generally, "Well, I don't know, it isn't really that important. We already know bad things happen to people, so I don't know why we have to talk about it. It's depressing."
This transitioned into some of the most wonderful discussions I have ever had with my students. We talked about how our lives connect with the experiences of people we had already read about, and why reading and learning about these experiences allows us to connect. The importance of empathizing with others and making sure we as humans are aware of injustice was discussed, and hearing my students express their insights was amazing. Students who rarely contribute shared their thoughts, and everyone really got involved in and excited about the discussion.
When I told my classes that events such as the Holocaust and other instances of oppression still happen today, many of them were completely shocked. They all knew bad things obviously happen, but they had no idea that horrible acts of genocide and oppression were currently occurring in the world. And they all wanted to know, HOW? Don't we all? Listening to my students discuss reminded me that, as teachers, we are responsible for so much more than just educating. Our students are forming their personalities, beliefs, and character as they sit in class, and it is important to focus on how we all operate in this world as members of the human race. Sometimes it's easy to just stick to the facts and skip over why they are connected and how they resonate within.
An article I saw on edutopia.org was addressing this idea, and it offered some great insight and explanation about the importance of character development in the classroom. I personally view social and emotional learning as a very important part of education, and strive to incorporate this type of learning in my classroom. In the article Traci Vogel states that, "Good literature has long been a window into our psyches. As historian Barbara W. Tuchman put it, 'Books are humanity in print.' Incorporating SEL lessons into reading curriculum can put students in touch with the universality of literature, its power to transport us to different experiences and to connect and even change human beings."
"Books are humanity in print." I just love that. And it's completely true!
As an introduction to Night, I posed several questions to my students in order to promote discussion. While all of my students generally knew that the Holocaust was bad and we needed to know about it, none of them could really tell me why. In fact, most wondered why we should read the book, since we had already discussed the events of the Holocaust as a class. I asked them to think about why it is important to read and learn about the experiences of others when we don't know those people and probably never will. I was shocked when the reply I received was generally, "Well, I don't know, it isn't really that important. We already know bad things happen to people, so I don't know why we have to talk about it. It's depressing."
This transitioned into some of the most wonderful discussions I have ever had with my students. We talked about how our lives connect with the experiences of people we had already read about, and why reading and learning about these experiences allows us to connect. The importance of empathizing with others and making sure we as humans are aware of injustice was discussed, and hearing my students express their insights was amazing. Students who rarely contribute shared their thoughts, and everyone really got involved in and excited about the discussion.
When I told my classes that events such as the Holocaust and other instances of oppression still happen today, many of them were completely shocked. They all knew bad things obviously happen, but they had no idea that horrible acts of genocide and oppression were currently occurring in the world. And they all wanted to know, HOW? Don't we all? Listening to my students discuss reminded me that, as teachers, we are responsible for so much more than just educating. Our students are forming their personalities, beliefs, and character as they sit in class, and it is important to focus on how we all operate in this world as members of the human race. Sometimes it's easy to just stick to the facts and skip over why they are connected and how they resonate within.
An article I saw on edutopia.org was addressing this idea, and it offered some great insight and explanation about the importance of character development in the classroom. I personally view social and emotional learning as a very important part of education, and strive to incorporate this type of learning in my classroom. In the article Traci Vogel states that, "Good literature has long been a window into our psyches. As historian Barbara W. Tuchman put it, 'Books are humanity in print.' Incorporating SEL lessons into reading curriculum can put students in touch with the universality of literature, its power to transport us to different experiences and to connect and even change human beings."
"Books are humanity in print." I just love that. And it's completely true!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Rewards of (Student) Teaching!
Waking up every morning excited about where you are going to go, what you are going to do, and who you are going to see is a pretty amazing feeling. I can honestly say that for the first time in my life, I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. By doing what I love and being around others who share my same passion, I grow as a person, and I can already tell that student teaching will be quite the exciting journey.
On the first day of my instructional course for student teaching, the instructor asked us to share the worries and fears we had about the upcoming semester. At this time, we had only been in the classroom a few days, so it was a good way to get everything out in the open at the beginning and brainstorm solutions. As we were sharing, however, I realized that I really was not facing the upcoming semester with any trepidation! I had made a point to get to know all of my students by name, involved myself in the classroom, and entered the semester with an immense amount of excitement. While I do worry about things like not being able to reach certain students, making sure I get everything done on time, and ensuring that I'm not an unemployed teacher next year, I generally do not stress about school often. I'm simply having too much fun!
I believe the reason for my enthusiasm stems from the students themselves. Even though I've only been with my classes all day every day for a few weeks now, I have witnessed an extraordinary amount of growth. Three of these stories particularly inspire me, and so I'd like to share them with you.
Last semester, I had one student in my class who talked all the time, refused to work, and generally chose not to participate in class. Finally, my CT and I pulled him aside to have a talk about his performance, choosing to focus on how much we wanted him to succeed and how smart we knew he was as opposed to berating him about the ever-growing pile of missing work. Within the week, he was contributing to discussion, reading aloud, and working in class. Yes, there were still times when I had to remind him to put his phone away or stop talking, but the frequency decreased drastically.
Sonya Robbins shared her thoughts about dealing with behaviors like this, stating, "The challenge of being a good teacher is being able to balance your status as a clear authority figure with the need to connect with your students and relate to them. You have to remember why a kid might not be focused, why they want to make stupid comments, why they want to socialize. I make a conscious effort to remember that it's normal for kids to do all those things. And I remember that when they do, it's not a failing on my part or theirs." We probably all need to remember that. Things happen, and it's okay! This semester, my student has 100% in our class, and really seems to be getting involved. I've also found that if I ask those around him to help him with group work instead of just letting them sit there, the talking turns from off-topic conversation to meaningful discussion about the lesson. AND, they turn in some marvelous work!
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| I'm corny, but I want all my students to develop and flourish. They're amazing people! |
This semester I've noticed a huge development in another student as well, and it's been amazing to watch. He missed a ton of class, and generally only came when someone forced him to. Needless to say, his grades weren't good, and I didn't know how to help him because he was never there! I tried to make sure I said hello and talked to him every time he was in class, but this generally did not elicit much of a response. This semester I was determined. I was going to get this kid to come to class! Luckily, he was in class during the first week back, so I made sure to explain what we were doing and try to help him catch up. When I was telling him about the assignments he could still make up from the past couple of days, he said, "I failed everything last semester anyway, so this doesn't really matter. I'm not going to graduate." Statements like that break my heart. But I refuse to believe them, so I simply said, "Well, I know how smart you are and I think that you can graduate if you want to . But it's your choice. Here's what you can do to get started." That day he turned in his work halfway complete. This may not seem like a big accomplishment, but it sure did put a smile on my face!
Every day since, he has come to class, and my CT and I have made a point to repeatedly remind him how glad we are to have him in class and praise his accomplishments. While I don't think giving praise for every tiny thing is good, I do think it is something we should consciously do more of. We spend so much time focusing on what our students are doing wrong, that we forget about the wonderful things they do right! When Chris Collins interviewed Robbins about her thoughts on praise and she stated, "There's another teacher from my past -- Mr. Olson, from second grade -- who I also think of these days. He made me feel smart. He'd publicly praise me for being a good speller, for example. I do that a lot as a teacher now. If you have a student that has a bit of talent in something, no matter what it is, find a way to celebrate it. " I agree wholeheartedly, and attempt to implement this in my classroom! He has also started interacting with a group of other students, and I think this has made a huge difference as well. They're all cool kids, and I'm pretty sure it's thanks to them that he keeps coming back!
Good Lessons From a Bad Teacher interview with Sonya Robbins
http://www.edutopia.org/teacher-interview-student-memories-robbins
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