Happy Tuesday! As promised yesterday, below is the conclusion to my three part summer piece regarding the six texts I read in preparation for my new classes. Today I will share my takeaways from Dive Into Inquiry by: Trevor Mackenzie and published by EdTechTeam Press and The Greatest Class You Never Taught by: Alexis Wiggins and published by ASCD. Let's DIVE IN. Get it?
INQUIRY
1. Have students help in creating course syllabus. Discuss how they like to learn, be assessed, and graded. Have them list traits of positive and negative experiences from the past (without names). Introduce then evaluate the pros and cons of inquiry style learning.
2. There are four types of inquiry: structured, controlled, guided, and free so that teachers are able to scaffold students into full on autonomous inquiry.
3. The four pillars of inquiry are: passion, goals, curiosity, and new learning. Once students reach free inquiry they can develop their own essential questions.
4. Students should pitch their free inquiry projects to their teachers and once approved let the exploring begin!
5. Reflection is built in with journals, conferences, and feedback from authentic audiences.
My takeaways: I will be using this method with my freshmen next year as we engage in the different types per quarter (beginning with structured, moving to controlled, next to guided, and ending in a fourth quarter of free inquiry. I will be mixing this idea with the genius hour presented in Empower. I also really like this idea for how to begin the year with syllabus and a reflection of the past/look towards the future.
SPIDER WEB DISCUSSIONS
1. Spider web discussions must be an unweighted group grade and the teacher must sit back to collect the data and make the "web." The SPIDER is an acronym for what the students are expected to do.
2. Teachers can code the discussions while mapping to indicate who made great points, who interrupted, who built upon previous concepts, anything.
3. The book explained how to quiet some superstars and extract some quiet kids so that everyone in the discussion shares an equal amount. Some ways to help can be to assign students specific "roles" within discussions.
4. Be empathetic towards all kinds of children throughout the process and assess the class based on clear rubrics and debriefing sessions that follow the general principles of what comprises a spider web discussion.
5. Spider web discussions allow us to teach our content while vastly improving our students' social skills - thus preparing them for the real world.
My takeaways: I will be using Spider Web discussion in my APLang classes next year to ensure that all students are able to openly discuss the nonfiction articles we read and they will use these discussions to help them better understand and debrief their argument, rhetorical analysis, and synthesis writings. We will also weave in and employ the high level of literary vocabulary into these discussions that students will need in order to be successful on the AP exam at the end of the year.
That's it for now! I will write back in September to discuss the past three posts in action and let everyone know how my lines are going and how my students are doing. Enjoy your end of summer!
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Teacher's Attitude by: TQ Williamson
The start of the school year can be a stressful time for some, and the best part of the year for others. Personally, I try to always go into it being optimistic and hopeful for what's to come. The first day of the school year is an important time for me and many students. No matter what attitude students bring with them to the classroom on the first day of school, the teachers attitude is what will effect the rapport and environment of the classroom for a large chunk of the beginning of the school year. People always say how important first impressions are and it's true. Students will most likely enter the class with an idea of the type of teacher they have based off of what past students have told them.
This means that before a student even hears a teachers voice, they already have thoughts about the teacher. Negative or not, these ideas about who their teacher is can be swayed with a simple introduction. If I walk into a class and the teacher starts talking about getting to work right away and how much homework we are going to have throughout the year, I am immediately discouraged. On the other hand, if my teacher starts class with a smile and gives off a positive vibe than i am excited for what's to come.
A great way to start off the year is icebreakers. Lots and lots of ice breakers, and the craziest ones you can find. Going around in a circle and saying names and favorite color is far better than nothing at all, but multiple games that involve throwing my shoes across the room and pterodactyl screeching in front of a peer I've never met before, make the class much more interesting to me. The goal of icebreakers is not only to share your name and learn others, but to “break” the “ice” and even embarrass yourself a bit. The teachers can also involve themselves in the ice breakers to possibly increase their rapport with their students.
The teacher’s attitude is what sets the mood for the rest of the year. Not only on the first day, but every single day after it. My mood will change no matter what type of day I'm having based on my teachers mood, or their mood in past classes. A positive teacher leads to positive, ready to learn students.
Friendships by: Aaron Eichenlaub
As the school year starts, setting up new friendships is very important. Most of the friendships that form at the beginning of the school year last until summer, or longer. Unfortunately, some kids are very shy and don’t like getting out there. For me, personally I find it easier to connect with new people when there is an activity or challenge for us to complete. If the teacher just talks the whole time, there’s no chance for the students to connect.
On the first day of school, the class should mainly be about the students, and making new friendships. Have the students split into groups of 4 to 5 with people they don’t know. Then bring in some board games they can play. This can be just what the students need to have fun and make new friends. During these games good conversations can start, and students can actually get to know each other.
Whereas, when everyone stands up and states their name we don’t know anything about each other.
It is also important to establish the classroom as a fun place at the start of the year. This can really affect the student’s views of this specific class. First impressions are important, and a student doesn’t want to start off the year in a dry and boring class. The start of the school year is very important in building bonds that could last throughout the whole year.
On the first day of school, the class should mainly be about the students, and making new friendships. Have the students split into groups of 4 to 5 with people they don’t know. Then bring in some board games they can play. This can be just what the students need to have fun and make new friends. During these games good conversations can start, and students can actually get to know each other.
Whereas, when everyone stands up and states their name we don’t know anything about each other.
It is also important to establish the classroom as a fun place at the start of the year. This can really affect the student’s views of this specific class. First impressions are important, and a student doesn’t want to start off the year in a dry and boring class. The start of the school year is very important in building bonds that could last throughout the whole year.
Relationships by: Connor Grady
Another year. Some of us are readily awaiting it. Others are dreading it. Despite having been at my school for a whole year now, there are still plenty of students in my grade with whom I’ve never so much as exchanged a glance. As for teachers, each new class is almost certain to introduce new people to act as my mentors for the rest of the year. This is likely the same for many other students across America this August. Our relationship with these people, whether we like it or not, is going to shape our educational experience throughout the course of the 2018-19 school year.
It can be difficult, and admittedly daunting, to go out and seek relationships with people you don’t know. Especially in high school. To start of this year, capitalizing on my retrospect of last year’s successes and shortcomings, I want to revise my previous suggestions regarding the first days of school.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that students naturally expect teachers to be distant. Commonly, this distance comes in the form of a lack of interest (or ability) to get to know all of their students personally. However, the lesser known twin of this distance, overzealousness, can be just as damaging to a teacher’s rapport with their students. I’m sure that many of the teachers reading this post are genuinely interested in making their classroom environment the best place to learn. If this is the case, the question must be asked; why are ice-breakers the standard for building relationships? Ice-breakers are the epitome of this distant/overzealous disconnect between students and staff. If the activity clearly displays that the teacher’s objective is to gain the compliance of their students in class, then the ice-breaker fails. Similarly, if the teacher seems too excited (or even falsely so) then the activity can feel invasive and ingenuine. To make the best use of your class time, the genuine interest of the teacher must be to better know their students. They want to feel that the teacher respects them as individual and intelligent people, rather than opinionless vessels of learning.
These first days of school, and the relationships founded in them, are the most important days of the year. Teachers must initiate the respect that they hope to gain from their students throughout the academic year.
Life Skills by: Christian Sporre
Once again summer has flown by and it is time to go back to school. Summer has always been a blink and you miss it event, but this one seemed like it was over before I blinked. I did a ton of running this summer. Summer training for cross country is one of my favorite things. I don’t have to worry about anything else, just running. I spent six days in the rolling hills and mountains of West Virginia, running and learning how to become a better athlete. I also did another camp, which was twice a week until cross country season starts. I am super excited to see where my team and I go during this season.
As much as I love summer, I am not incredibly sad to see it go. I am actually kind of excited to start the new school year, despite all the comments I have heard about junior year being the most difficult. I know colleges primarily look at your performance in junior year, and that is why I am determined to be on top of my work. In order to do that, I need to learn new time management and study skills. I think these two things should be introduced and taught on the first day of school.
If these are introduced early on in the school year, students can build on these skills as time goes on. I have built solid skills in these two areas, but nothing is ever perfect. Cross Country and track has forced me to explore new ways to manage my time, and study more effectively. For example, last year I did the majority of my homework in the morning, at school. This was combining both time management, and study skills. I decided to do my work in the morning because after practice I was never focused on my work, which means I could not study effectively. I solved this problem by managing my time, making sure I had enough to get my work done in the morning. I could of completed my homework at my house, but I find it hard to concentrate there.
When I am at school I know it is time to work, so I like to get as much as my work done there as possible. I consider where you chose to study to be a study skill, it always has a big impact on concentration. I am taking AP courses for the first time this year. I am trying to prepare myself for the workload these classes will bring. Social skills should also be focused on along with time management and study skills during the beginning of the year. These are other skills that provide a good base students can build upon.
You can introduce social skills with an ice breaker. This will get your students to talk and connect with one another. After this, students can collaborate and share ideas. Students are never ready for school after a 3 month break, that's why it is important to ease them back into the schooling environment. Going over these skills is a great way to get students back into the flow of things. These are just a few tips to help students in the long run and help them get acclimated to school life again. I am excited to tackle this challenging year and see what I can do
As much as I love summer, I am not incredibly sad to see it go. I am actually kind of excited to start the new school year, despite all the comments I have heard about junior year being the most difficult. I know colleges primarily look at your performance in junior year, and that is why I am determined to be on top of my work. In order to do that, I need to learn new time management and study skills. I think these two things should be introduced and taught on the first day of school.
If these are introduced early on in the school year, students can build on these skills as time goes on. I have built solid skills in these two areas, but nothing is ever perfect. Cross Country and track has forced me to explore new ways to manage my time, and study more effectively. For example, last year I did the majority of my homework in the morning, at school. This was combining both time management, and study skills. I decided to do my work in the morning because after practice I was never focused on my work, which means I could not study effectively. I solved this problem by managing my time, making sure I had enough to get my work done in the morning. I could of completed my homework at my house, but I find it hard to concentrate there.
When I am at school I know it is time to work, so I like to get as much as my work done there as possible. I consider where you chose to study to be a study skill, it always has a big impact on concentration. I am taking AP courses for the first time this year. I am trying to prepare myself for the workload these classes will bring. Social skills should also be focused on along with time management and study skills during the beginning of the year. These are other skills that provide a good base students can build upon.
You can introduce social skills with an ice breaker. This will get your students to talk and connect with one another. After this, students can collaborate and share ideas. Students are never ready for school after a 3 month break, that's why it is important to ease them back into the schooling environment. Going over these skills is a great way to get students back into the flow of things. These are just a few tips to help students in the long run and help them get acclimated to school life again. I am excited to tackle this challenging year and see what I can do
Summer by: Joseph O'Such
Ah summer, the pinnacle of student laziness and binge watching the entire Office series twice in a week. Summer is a time of relaxation and stress free. As some people know, the original purpose of an extensive summer break was for the children to head back to their homes and help the summer harvest. This was clearly when most people did indeed farm, something that has changed a lot to this day.
Although summer does clearly hold this calm lazy mindset, by the time high school rolls around, I felt that path of thought increasingly harder to belief. Not only are high school students sometimes bombarded with summer assignments, but also often feel obliged to prepare for college, whether it be via working a job to save up some money, vying to win scholarships, PSAT/SAT prep, summer classes to cram in the ever growing number of AP and other college level classes, the list goes on and on.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of time to do other wants (for myself at least). Even then, the peskiest thing about summer duties isn’t the working a job, scholarships or even the PSAT/SAT prep classes. It is the summer assignments that proves most annoying. Although in many of my classes, I received no or applicable summer assignments. In my science classes, the past few years we have had to read a singular book, about different topics. One book was about globally impacting substances that changed the world forever, tying together history through a more scientific lens, and was truly an enjoyable and interesting book.
This was in my mind an example of a good summer assignment. But then were the packets, and whenever you thought you were done, it just kept on going. And the fact that these packets that were supposed to “refresh” our knowledge just inclined us to continuously google until the answer was found, and this would all be done likely the night before that dreaded first day, if it was done at all. That’s not to mention that fact that many students particularly in high school already participate in a variety of different academic activities, which in my mind actually refreshes my memories far better compared to any summer packet.
The point is that the best way to preserve learning throughout the summer is to give minimal enjoyable work and encourage different summer camps and jobs/internships, offering some personal examples, because getting some real world experience and prep early can greatly benefit students later on in college, so that they can pull money and skill learned from those jobs and camps. I’m not sure how many people can feel even a remotely similar thing from camps.
Although summer does clearly hold this calm lazy mindset, by the time high school rolls around, I felt that path of thought increasingly harder to belief. Not only are high school students sometimes bombarded with summer assignments, but also often feel obliged to prepare for college, whether it be via working a job to save up some money, vying to win scholarships, PSAT/SAT prep, summer classes to cram in the ever growing number of AP and other college level classes, the list goes on and on.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of time to do other wants (for myself at least). Even then, the peskiest thing about summer duties isn’t the working a job, scholarships or even the PSAT/SAT prep classes. It is the summer assignments that proves most annoying. Although in many of my classes, I received no or applicable summer assignments. In my science classes, the past few years we have had to read a singular book, about different topics. One book was about globally impacting substances that changed the world forever, tying together history through a more scientific lens, and was truly an enjoyable and interesting book.
This was in my mind an example of a good summer assignment. But then were the packets, and whenever you thought you were done, it just kept on going. And the fact that these packets that were supposed to “refresh” our knowledge just inclined us to continuously google until the answer was found, and this would all be done likely the night before that dreaded first day, if it was done at all. That’s not to mention that fact that many students particularly in high school already participate in a variety of different academic activities, which in my mind actually refreshes my memories far better compared to any summer packet.
The point is that the best way to preserve learning throughout the summer is to give minimal enjoyable work and encourage different summer camps and jobs/internships, offering some personal examples, because getting some real world experience and prep early can greatly benefit students later on in college, so that they can pull money and skill learned from those jobs and camps. I’m not sure how many people can feel even a remotely similar thing from camps.
Monday, August 13, 2018
UNCOMMON LEARNING & GROWTH MINDSET by: Jason Augustowski
Hello again! Since my last blog, our incredible students at Belmont Ridge Middle School successfully put on 13, The Musical. A hilarious coming of age piece about growing pains in middle school (originally starring Ariana Grande on the West End). We were also able to attend a musical awards night hosted by the incomparable NYA (National Youth Arts) and Rob Hopper to graciously accept our awards for last year's shows: Grease, Crybaby, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The students who won offered eloquent and thoughtful acceptance speeches and the pride in the eye of the kids and their parents encompassed exactly why we as educators do what they do. They have found their people and are doing what they love. What could be better?
Continuing on with my takeaways from summer reading, today I will share with you my thoughts on the professional texts: UNCOMMON LEARNING by: Eric C. Sheninger (and published by Corwin) and THE GROWTH MINDSET COACH by: Annie Brock & Heather Hundley (and published by Ulysses Press). I have no idea why I just introduced these books in this order because I am going to speak about them in reverse. Summer brain! Here we go!
THE GROWTH MINDSET COACH
1. Defines and encourages a growth mindset. Also defines a fixed mindset and discusses how easy it is to fall into this line of thinking and why it can be so counterproductive.
2. Discusses the importance of sharing the idea of growth mindset with your students' parents so they can help perpetuate that mindset at home as well.
3. Encouraged brain breaks in class to re-energize students' neurons. Use these breaks to continue developing rapport with students.
4. Suggested being transparent with kids about your pedagogy and teaching them metacognition so that they can think about their own line of thinking and share that with others.
5. Used the image of three kids looking over a fence at a baseball game to explain the difference between equality and equity. Look it up - it is such a classic.
6. Advocates that ALL students can learn and grow. We as teachers should hold high expectations, nurture our students at all levels, differentiate, and praise kids for HARD WORK (not for intelligence). This also improves equity. Everyone can work hard and hard work is a life skill that makes one successful later in life. This also allows students to move away from trying to maintain an aura of "smartness."
7. We should teach students GRIT. They need to know how to bounce back from setbacks. They will not always win. Students should create a routine for when they fail: highlight the positives, analyze how to fix, and how to engage others in problem-solving.
8. They offer a comparative between video games and teaching and how students find video games fun and engaging because they are so well scaffolded and they increase in rigor as a student develops their skills. This is exactly what the English classroom should look like too. (Including players "leveling up" or earning badges for acquired skills (mastery).
9. Grades should not be about FAILING. They should be about growth mindset so students can get valuable data and continually improve.
10. Finally, practice what you preach: if you expect students to have a growth mindset, you better have one too. (Including areas where you are the student: faculty meetings, professional developments, etc).
My takeaways: I plan on using this mindset in my Creative Writing and Public Speaking electives this year. These classes are typically areas where students believe themselves to be fundamentally weak. Very few students identify as a powerhouse writer or speaker and they often speak with fixed mindsets. I believe teaching them how to think in and utilize a growth mindset (including all of the aspects mentioned above) will set them up for great success and exponential rewards (in writing, speaking, and life).
UNCOMMON LEARNING
1. Create environments that foster student autonomy and choice. The classroom is for students not for teachers.
2. Model any new initiative. Don't boss impersonally from afar. If you integrate technology - work with it yourself and show the students your thinking and where you struggle.
3. Social media follows a lot of the same narrative as an English classroom. Utilize this and support it with time-tested and sound pedagogy (like teaching rhetorical devices in APLang) to engage kids.
4. Create maker-spaces in your classroom and encourage genius hours and student designed/led inquiry projects.
5. Get on Twitter and establish a PLN! :-) (Follow me @misteramistera)
My takeaways: I plan on using much of these themes in my sophomore English classes this year (paired with leadership activities that worked last year) to not only improve my students' skills in their social interactions and oral presentations but also to engage them in their reading and writing of British literature.
Stop back tomorrow as I review my final two for the summer!
Continuing on with my takeaways from summer reading, today I will share with you my thoughts on the professional texts: UNCOMMON LEARNING by: Eric C. Sheninger (and published by Corwin) and THE GROWTH MINDSET COACH by: Annie Brock & Heather Hundley (and published by Ulysses Press). I have no idea why I just introduced these books in this order because I am going to speak about them in reverse. Summer brain! Here we go!
THE GROWTH MINDSET COACH
1. Defines and encourages a growth mindset. Also defines a fixed mindset and discusses how easy it is to fall into this line of thinking and why it can be so counterproductive.
2. Discusses the importance of sharing the idea of growth mindset with your students' parents so they can help perpetuate that mindset at home as well.
3. Encouraged brain breaks in class to re-energize students' neurons. Use these breaks to continue developing rapport with students.
4. Suggested being transparent with kids about your pedagogy and teaching them metacognition so that they can think about their own line of thinking and share that with others.
5. Used the image of three kids looking over a fence at a baseball game to explain the difference between equality and equity. Look it up - it is such a classic.
6. Advocates that ALL students can learn and grow. We as teachers should hold high expectations, nurture our students at all levels, differentiate, and praise kids for HARD WORK (not for intelligence). This also improves equity. Everyone can work hard and hard work is a life skill that makes one successful later in life. This also allows students to move away from trying to maintain an aura of "smartness."
7. We should teach students GRIT. They need to know how to bounce back from setbacks. They will not always win. Students should create a routine for when they fail: highlight the positives, analyze how to fix, and how to engage others in problem-solving.
8. They offer a comparative between video games and teaching and how students find video games fun and engaging because they are so well scaffolded and they increase in rigor as a student develops their skills. This is exactly what the English classroom should look like too. (Including players "leveling up" or earning badges for acquired skills (mastery).
9. Grades should not be about FAILING. They should be about growth mindset so students can get valuable data and continually improve.
10. Finally, practice what you preach: if you expect students to have a growth mindset, you better have one too. (Including areas where you are the student: faculty meetings, professional developments, etc).
My takeaways: I plan on using this mindset in my Creative Writing and Public Speaking electives this year. These classes are typically areas where students believe themselves to be fundamentally weak. Very few students identify as a powerhouse writer or speaker and they often speak with fixed mindsets. I believe teaching them how to think in and utilize a growth mindset (including all of the aspects mentioned above) will set them up for great success and exponential rewards (in writing, speaking, and life).
UNCOMMON LEARNING
1. Create environments that foster student autonomy and choice. The classroom is for students not for teachers.
2. Model any new initiative. Don't boss impersonally from afar. If you integrate technology - work with it yourself and show the students your thinking and where you struggle.
3. Social media follows a lot of the same narrative as an English classroom. Utilize this and support it with time-tested and sound pedagogy (like teaching rhetorical devices in APLang) to engage kids.
4. Create maker-spaces in your classroom and encourage genius hours and student designed/led inquiry projects.
5. Get on Twitter and establish a PLN! :-) (Follow me @misteramistera)
My takeaways: I plan on using much of these themes in my sophomore English classes this year (paired with leadership activities that worked last year) to not only improve my students' skills in their social interactions and oral presentations but also to engage them in their reading and writing of British literature.
Stop back tomorrow as I review my final two for the summer!
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