What has gone well this summer? What have you done to engage our students? What have been some challenges? What lesson would you like to share with us? What else would you like to share with us?
I'm trying to work on building community and relationships. I enjoy using Council to do this. So far, we have had 3 class councils. I am still facilitating, but I hope to have students start taking over. Students are working hard to develop better listening skills. A huge part of Council is "listening from the heart", or listening with compassion and without judgement. It has been great and the kids are finally slowing down and feeling more at ease in the circle. They really like it! Challenges? The book that we are using is very dry and the assignments are not very rigorous. After a lesson I wonder, did they get it? Also, I'm mostly doing whole group lessons due to behavior. Another challenge is being in a classroom with no reading material and no Elmo. Our trip will be to LACMA and I've been teaching art for the "fun hour"- the projects are pretty easy. I've been working with the students to have more of a "growth mindset" and to welcome feedback. I notice a lot of, "I can't"- I really appreciate the access to supplies! Makes my job so much easier! Thanks!!!
I am happy to hear that you are using Council in your class in order to build community and relationships. What a powerful tool to use in the classroom. I wouldn't be too hard on yourself with turning it over to the students but I am glad that is where you are trying to go. "Listening from the heart..without judgment is challenging for adults and students. What a life skill that is. So glad that you have had three Councils! Wow! Technical issues are always a frustration. Please stop by and let's see if we can get it fixed. In regards to reading materials...let me know what you would like or what would help.
So far things have gone well over the first two weeks. At the beginning of each class we participated in KAGAN strategies like pair/share, stand up/hand up/pair up, four corners etc. The goal of these KAGAN strategies at the beginning of class was to both engage the students and build community. It seems to have been effective. For example, the first day of the summer program, I posed the question, why did you come to summer school. It was great to hear their respective responses, and then re-direct some to look at the program as an opportunity to develop skills and be empowered for future academic success.
One of the challenges I faced last summer was keeping the students' focus after the break, so I have made it a practice to engage in academic games toward the end of the day after the break. The students seem to appreciate it and look forward to it and it facilitates their focus in a different way. I personally like the lessons in the workbook and have been following them step by step, but I have been adding things here and there. For example, one lesson the students needed to work on based on their pretest scores had to do with analyzing the structure of play. We did all the required assignments in the workbook, but I added a performance element. I had the students implement what they learned by breaking them into groups and having them perform the scene of a play that was provided in their workbooks. The students got a kick out of it.
I am glad to see that you have implemented KAGAN strategies. What a great way to get your students moving and engaged. It is never easy to stay seated in a class for hours and hours. I like your building on their positive behavior of coming to school and letting students know that they are building a transferable skill that will help them later in life. Your idea of engaging in academic games towards the end of the day is brilliant. It is also something that I am sure your students look forward to on a daily basis. What a great incentive based strategy. Finally, your performance element is impressive. Dialogue, voice, enunciation, spontaneity, fun, movement, vocabulary, modeling. Great summer ideas to better help in developing our language and listening skills.
I'm trying to work on building community and relationships. I enjoy using Council to do this. So far, we have had 3 class councils. I am still facilitating, but I hope to have students start taking over. Students are working hard to develop better listening skills. A huge part of Council is "listening from the heart", or listening with compassion and without judgement. It has been great and the kids are finally slowing down and feeling more at ease in the circle. They really like it! Challenges? The book that we are using is very dry and the assignments are not very rigorous. After a lesson I wonder, did they get it? Also, I'm mostly doing whole group lessons due to behavior. Another challenge is being in a classroom with no reading material and no Elmo. Our trip will be to LACMA and I've been teaching art for the "fun hour"- the projects are pretty easy. I've been working with the students to have more of a "growth mindset" and to welcome feedback. I notice a lot of, "I can't"- I really appreciate the access to supplies! Makes my job so much easier! Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to hear that you are using Council in your class in order to build community and relationships. What a powerful tool to use in the classroom. I wouldn't be too hard on yourself with turning it over to the students but I am glad that is where you are trying to go. "Listening from the heart..without judgment is challenging for adults and students. What a life skill that is. So glad that you have had three Councils! Wow! Technical issues are always a frustration. Please stop by and let's see if we can get it fixed. In regards to reading materials...let me know what you would like or what would help.
DeleteSo far things have gone well over the first two weeks. At the beginning of each class we participated in KAGAN strategies like pair/share, stand up/hand up/pair up, four corners etc. The goal of these KAGAN strategies at the beginning of class was to both engage the students and build community. It seems to have been effective. For example, the first day of the summer program, I posed the question, why did you come to summer school. It was great to hear their respective responses, and then re-direct some to look at the program as an opportunity to develop skills and be empowered for future academic success.
ReplyDeleteOne of the challenges I faced last summer was keeping the students' focus after the break, so I have made it a practice to engage in academic games toward the end of the day after the break. The students seem to appreciate it and look forward to it and it facilitates their focus in a different way. I personally like the lessons in the workbook and have been following them step by step, but I have been adding things here and there. For example, one lesson the students needed to work on based on their pretest scores had to do with analyzing the structure of play. We did all the required assignments in the workbook, but I added a performance element. I had the students implement what they learned by breaking them into groups and having them perform the scene of a play that was provided in their workbooks. The students got a kick out of it.
I am glad to see that you have implemented KAGAN strategies. What a great way to get your students moving and engaged. It is never easy to stay seated in a class for hours and hours. I like your building on their positive behavior of coming to school and letting students know that they are building a transferable skill that will help them later in life. Your idea of engaging in academic games towards the end of the day is brilliant. It is also something that I am sure your students look forward to on a daily basis. What a great incentive based strategy. Finally, your performance element is impressive. Dialogue, voice, enunciation, spontaneity, fun, movement, vocabulary, modeling. Great summer ideas to better help in developing our language and listening skills.
Delete