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!
Monday, March 11, 2013
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!
 |
| 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
Monday, November 12, 2012
A Unit of My Own
A couple of weeks ago I finally taught my own unit. My CT is awesome and extremely easy to work with, so when I approached him about a possible unit topic he basically let me pick whatever I thought sounded best.
Over the past couple of years I have come to absolutely love poetry, which surprises me because I thought I despised poetry in high school. Analyzing every line for symbolism, meter, rhyme, and the many other poetic devices left me weary, and instead of appreciating the poems we read, I hated them for being so confusing! I recently read an article by C. K. Williams who said, "When I was in school, we began our study of poetry with boring technical matters, then read a few mostly unfathomable poems. Poetry was presented as an artifact from the distant past, and by the time I graduated, I, like everyone I knew, despised it. I didn't start writing poems until I'd finished my last required English course in college."1 Yea, I can definitely relate to that.
While I do believe that students do need to learn about the poetic elements, as they are important, I don't think that poetry units should become so focused on analyzing for important devices. Instead, I think students need to be introduced to the beauty of poetry, and shown a wide variety of styles. We so often see Shakespeare's Sonnets and other classic poems presented in the classroom, but there are thousands of great modern poems out there that speak to the human experience. Students should also have the chance to practice creating poetry on their own, as writing poetry can be an excellent form of self-expression. Writing poetry allows students to practice writing in other genres, instead of constantly writing essays.
I explain my feelings about poetry because it is something I am passionate about, which is exactly why I decided to take on a poetry unit. As I designed the unit I knew I wanted the students to do a lot of writing, so I decided to center many lessons on student creation. There were a couple days that I showed PowerPoints explaining poetic elements, and we identified the use of these elements in a few different poems. However, the majority of the unit was spent writing. I had students write poems following several guides, and I wrote each type of poem as well. This way, I was able to explain my thought process as I wrote. At the end of the unit, we had a "Poetry Cafe" in the library, where the students got to have snacks and present their poetry.
My teacher, Dr. Mason, attended the Poetry Cafe for my unit observation, so I was definitely a little nervous about how everything would go. However, I have a class full of wonderful students, and I was mainly just excited to hear what they had written. Things started off a little slowly, as no one ever wants to be the first to volunteer, but as more people presented the level of anxiety seemed to decrease a little. Students were reluctant to be chosen to present during the required portion, which is funny because when told them anyone who wanted to could share another poem, they all started volunteering to read again. High-schoolers are awesome.
The poems my students created were fantastic, and I was more than pleased with the way everything turned out. We had a great time at our Poetry Cafe, and I think the students really enjoyed the opportunity to listen to the poems their peers had written. I know I did!
1 www.edutopia.org/redemption
Over the past couple of years I have come to absolutely love poetry, which surprises me because I thought I despised poetry in high school. Analyzing every line for symbolism, meter, rhyme, and the many other poetic devices left me weary, and instead of appreciating the poems we read, I hated them for being so confusing! I recently read an article by C. K. Williams who said, "When I was in school, we began our study of poetry with boring technical matters, then read a few mostly unfathomable poems. Poetry was presented as an artifact from the distant past, and by the time I graduated, I, like everyone I knew, despised it. I didn't start writing poems until I'd finished my last required English course in college."1 Yea, I can definitely relate to that.
While I do believe that students do need to learn about the poetic elements, as they are important, I don't think that poetry units should become so focused on analyzing for important devices. Instead, I think students need to be introduced to the beauty of poetry, and shown a wide variety of styles. We so often see Shakespeare's Sonnets and other classic poems presented in the classroom, but there are thousands of great modern poems out there that speak to the human experience. Students should also have the chance to practice creating poetry on their own, as writing poetry can be an excellent form of self-expression. Writing poetry allows students to practice writing in other genres, instead of constantly writing essays.
I explain my feelings about poetry because it is something I am passionate about, which is exactly why I decided to take on a poetry unit. As I designed the unit I knew I wanted the students to do a lot of writing, so I decided to center many lessons on student creation. There were a couple days that I showed PowerPoints explaining poetic elements, and we identified the use of these elements in a few different poems. However, the majority of the unit was spent writing. I had students write poems following several guides, and I wrote each type of poem as well. This way, I was able to explain my thought process as I wrote. At the end of the unit, we had a "Poetry Cafe" in the library, where the students got to have snacks and present their poetry.
My teacher, Dr. Mason, attended the Poetry Cafe for my unit observation, so I was definitely a little nervous about how everything would go. However, I have a class full of wonderful students, and I was mainly just excited to hear what they had written. Things started off a little slowly, as no one ever wants to be the first to volunteer, but as more people presented the level of anxiety seemed to decrease a little. Students were reluctant to be chosen to present during the required portion, which is funny because when told them anyone who wanted to could share another poem, they all started volunteering to read again. High-schoolers are awesome.
The poems my students created were fantastic, and I was more than pleased with the way everything turned out. We had a great time at our Poetry Cafe, and I think the students really enjoyed the opportunity to listen to the poems their peers had written. I know I did!
1 www.edutopia.org/redemption
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Reflecting on the KATE Conference
Attending the KATE Conference this week definitely increased
my desire to become a teacher. Seeing so many people who share my same passion
for teaching English in the same place was inspiring, and I loved the
opportunity to meet new people and share ideas. Luckily, I was able to attend
the entire conference, so I had the chance to listen to an excellent variety of
presentations and listen to the keynote speeches.
I absolutely loved the first Keynote address by Brent
Crawford, who wrote Carter Finally Gets
It, as well as other books. His speech was hilarious, and the way he told
stories had me laughing the entire time. However, Crawford’s speech wasn’t just
funny, it contained a good message as well. I loved the fact that he wanted to
write books that would get boys interested in reading, since many books about
high school seem to be aimed towards girls. The excerpts he read were engaging,
and they were definitely books high school students would want to read. I know
I wanted to read the books after he was done presenting.
The second keynote address by Rachel Hawkins, author of Hex Hall, was inspiring as well. The
background she gave in her story about how she became a writer was extremely
interesting. I thought the way Rachel just went with anything that was offered
to her was inspiring. She didn’t hesitate to take chances. The stories she
shared about her time teaching in high school were entertaining as well. Her
high school sounded very interesting, and I was glad I got the chance to hear
her stories. I occasionally think about seriously writing, and Rachel’s speech
inspired me to consider doing so!
The breakout sessions I attended were quite informative as
well. These sessions were great opportunities to hear presentations about ideas
for the classroom, and share with other teachers as well. I was given tons of
great examples of lesson ideas, management plans, first year teaching tips, and
exciting programs. My attendance at this conference will definitely help me
become a better first year teacher, because I got to learn from those who had
already been through it all!
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