“Learning From Others” For Inservice #29, teachers are asked to bring one idea or story about something that was working really well for them in their classroom. We’re going to do that here! Please share one idea or story about something that is working really well fro you in your classroom. (It can fall under any topic: classroom management, teaching practices, digital tools, distance learning...anything that is working well for you!). Feel free to leave your e-mail address, Twitter handle, etc. if you want to be available for others’ questions or requests for sharing.
One thing that works really well for me is telling my students how happy I am to see them when they get on camera. I get lit up and excited. I say, "HEY! I've been thinking about you guys. So here is what I've been waiting to tell you!" -- And a lot of times, it's true -- I have been waiting to tell them something. But I also want them to know that someone lights up when they come to class.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing -- I love sharing my fascination with little tidbits about texts. I tell them these weird details I've learned over time. Sometimes it might be about the ghost who still haunts Edgar Allen Poe's grave in Baltimore and appears every year on his birthday. Or it might be about how I made a list translating all of the ingredients in the witches potion from Macbeth into modern plants and animals and humans so we have a real-life list of what they're putting in there. I'll give them historical background and perspective that I researched. I'll tell them that chemo therapy came from mustard gas we used in WWI (learned that from researching a text for background info). I make it real.
I also connect why what we're doing is important. I tell them -- hey! I get it. You aren't going to remember everything about Macbeth's hands being stained red for the rest of your life. But you might remember someday that killing the king might not be worth the cost. Blood begets blood, amiright? (Gotta say that in the right tone -- real hard here in text.)
Something that is working well in my classroom is being consistent and holding students accountable to the procedures that I have implemented. Such as, when students are working independently and I need their attention, I say, “PAWS UP” and they stop what they are doing, turn to me and say, “ZEROS ON”. They know that when I say PAWS UP, they stop what they are doing and they look at me and respond. This has been a work in progress as I have to wait until all 26 students look at me and I get their attention. But, as as we have practiced many times, they know that I’m going to give directions until I have everybody’s attention. They also know that if they are not following through with the procedure is that we will practice at a different time. It has been really beneficial for me to stay consistent and firm when waiting for ALL students to stop and look at me. This has impacted transitions in a positive way as they are going smoother and all students know the next direction.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is working really well in my classroom is family involvement through regular communication. I share pictures and short notes with families about their child’s day or week at school.
ReplyDeleteThis allows families to see what their child is learning and experiencing throughout the day. It also gives them the opportunity to ask questions, celebrate their child’s successes, and feel more connected to the classroom.
I have noticed that when families see these updates, they often talk with their child more about school and show excitement about what they are doing. This helps strengthen the connection between home and school and supports students in feeling proud of their learning.
One thing that works well in my classroom is lots of positive praise and positive interactions. The kids start there day off better when I greet them at the door with a smile, "hi," and asking them any question. When certain students are participating and acting appropriately and I praise them for it, they all get proud of themselves because they are listening, it helps encourage them to keep doing better each day. High fives are loved in my class. When students do something they haven't done before, I get real happy for them and give them a high five. They all want high fives no matter what they are doing!
ReplyDeleteOne strategy that’s been working really well for me in my classroom lessons is starting each session by telling students how happy I am to be there and excited I am to work with them as they explore. I make a point to bring energy that engages them, and show that I’m eager to learn alongside them and get to know their goals and interests. I truly believe our energy is influential, though I’m careful not to overdo it in a way that feels forced. I structure small, focused classroom lessons with interactive activities and reflection time. For example, during lessons on goal setting, career exploration, or decision making, students respond to prompts, discuss with partners or small groups, and then share with the class. I also integrate SDMyLife so students can explore post-high school options, set goals, research careers and colleges, save their findings, and compare opportunities across the country. This tool makes planning more exciting for students, personalized, and gives students a sense of ownership of their future. This approach engages students who might not normally participate, sparks thoughtful questions, and helps them understand the variety of paths available after high school. By combining reflection, discussion, and SDMyLife exploration, lessons become interactive, meaningful experiences.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that has been working very well in PE/ the gymnasium is SIMPLE SIMPLE tasks. These simple activities are usually fan favorites. I believe this is because everyone is able to understand it/ capable of doing it, so students are less prone to shy away. For example we just did a super simple warm up called "don't drop the egg". The students LOVED IT.
ReplyDeletesee the video attached: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVtO9x3jHT3/
“Learning From Others” For Inservice #29, teachers are asked to bring one idea or story about something that was working really well for them in their classroom. We’re going to do that here! Please share one idea or story about something that is working really well fro you in your classroom. (It can fall under any topic: classroom management, teaching practices, digital tools, distance learning...anything that is working well for you!). Feel free to leave your e-mail address, Twitter handle, etc. if you want to be available for others’ questions or requests for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTeaching PE is typically a space where kids tend to be a little wild and full of excitement. Sometimes their excitement comes out with a lot of talking. I have found that when I am trying to give directions and students are talking if I say, "the more you talk, the less time you have to play", and then I wait until everyone is quiet is very effective. Students want to play the games so this usually is a good reminder for them. Now, I have had classes that still talk, the quickly realize that I will not talk over them and that I will wait, and unfortunately I have had a few classes find this out the hard way where they talk so much that they only have about 10 minutes left to play the game. I love that it is a natural consequence, and thankfully it only takes one time for them to have this happen that the next time they are ready to listen to instructions right away.
One thing that I implemented this year that is going really well is my "Nows and Laters". I post up on my board what they have to get done and the order it is to be completed in (nows). Once it is all complete they make pick a later to work on. It alleviates all the students from constantly asking what they can do when they are done, keeps them in their seats and quiet so others can finish their work, and it motivates them to get their work done so they can pick a "later" choice.
ReplyDelete“Learning From Others” For Inservice #29, teachers are asked to bring one idea or story about something that was working really well for them in their classroom. We’re going to do that here! Please share one idea or story about something that is working really well for you in your classroom. (It can fall under any topic: classroom management, teaching practices, digital tools, distance learning...anything that is working well for you!). Feel free to leave your e-mail address, Twitter handle, etc. if you want to be available for others’ questions or requests for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is going really well in my classroom check-ins and exit tickets. They help me identify what information students have learned and what they still need help with. I really like how they have helped guide my teaching with immediate feedback so I can adjust instruction based on student understanding.
This has had a strong impact on my classroom management. When student enter the room they know they need to answer the check-in question which gets them working right away. They also know that the information they provide will guide the direction of the class. They know that their understanding matter to me as I listen to what they are showing and telling me.
Students are learning, students are managed, students know that I care about their learning, and relationships are being built. I love how this strategy has impacted the management of the classroom. We are all benefiting.
One thing that has worked well in my classroom is station work. I have found that my second graders do best when the learning is short and to the point, and then they can rotate to something new. I used Daily 5 in reading with them, but I did slightly change up some of the areas to better fit my class. They would rotate through these stations (we usually rotated through three stations a day) for the last half of reading. I used: read to self, read to someone, word work (spelling), Core 5 (on the iPads), and work on writing (I would give them a prompt). The students loved this, and it was a good way to hold their attention. They got practice reading to themselves and also out loud to a buddy. They got to practice their spelling words for the week. They got to practice their writing skills, and they got some technology time. It worked very well in my classroom.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure this exactly answers what the question is asking for or not! I think so! One thing that I started doing last summer was listening to a lot of history podcasts. One that I found is "History That Doesn't Suck". It follows American History from George Washington to modern history with EVERYTHING in between. The podcaster tells the story from different perspectives from people and situations not normally heard. I loved listening to them! I decided to implement them into my classes periodically along with content that we are learning about at the time. They are around one hour long so I split them into 2-3 different days of listening. I turn the lights out and let them just listen. They have the understanding these will end if they can't handle the situation. My students love these podcast days. They know they need to fully listen because they write me a short paragraph about a few things they learned. This just ensures they are paying attention, but I've learned I really don't need to add the assignment because the storyteller is so good they truly love listening to the podcasts! I recommend any history teacher check these out!
ReplyDeleteHistorythatdoesntsuck.com
https://www.htdspodcast.com/
Deletesorry I wrote the wrong website!