Successful leaders create a climate of success. Since our district is on the cusp of hiring a new superintendent, I find the following list to be timely and important.
1. True leaders arrive early and stay late--not for show, but because there is work to accomplish.
2. True leaders do not mind group discussions that explore conflicts because they know that problems cannot be solved unless those who observe or experience the problems are part of the solution.
3. True leaders know what they hope to accomplish.
4. True leaders coach their players to MVP status in the roles they are most qualified to play.
5. True leaders offer simple solutions without secrecy. They are open books.
6. True leaders toughen when big problems arise. They welcome challenges.
7. True leaders foster people's opinions because they are good listeners who respect all people's desire to experience a safe, happy environment.
8. True leaders know how to swiftly fix what is broken without threatening, intimidating, ignoring, or dramatizing.
9. True leaders take the blame rather than look for a scapegoat.
10. True leaders are honest in all situations but especially when under pressure.
11. True leaders admit their mistakes, set good examples, care about those they lead, keep promises, and communicate well.
12. True leaders know their actions communicate more than their words ever will.
13. True leaders prevent fires whenever possible.
14. True leaders are firm but fair, communicate clear boundaries, establish reasonable protocol, and deal with problems as they arise.
I hope Storm Lake hires a true leader for the superintendent's position. Our students deserve a leader who only expects the very best from them, from their teachers, from the support staff, from their parents, from our community and most importantly from him or herself.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Emma Needs Access to Her Accountant
The title of this post is an actual email I sent to Kim Johnson asking her to fix a student's inability to access her account, not her accountant. Mistakes like this filled my entire Monday, the last day of February, the only Feb. 28, 2011 I will ever experience, and I lived it as a fumble-bumbling error machine.
In my head my lesson plans were perfect, which as usual, is the first hint that the day will go wildly askew. So as Mrs. Morgan and I pushed mobile lab #5 to my room and we laughed at her funny statement about tight squeezes and mobile carts, I had in the back of my mind the agenda for the day. I pictured my students working hard on their papers showing their scholarly poise and earnest desire to accomplish their tasks.
In Composition I, 37% of the class was missing. Oh yes, I had forgotten to account for the DECA students and Dance Squad teams who were gone to their respective performances. I still gave my spiel about Bibme.org, Diigo, Webspiration, Evernote and Google docs. The students patiently put up with my unprofessional acting debut as tech teacher, and we made it through.
Intro. to Lit was a disaster. I was reminded instantly of what I tweeted last week: that teachers need to integrate technology naturally. My attempt here was as artificial as the list of ingredients on low-carb. low-fat ice cream. Librarything.com was the convertible I intended to drive my students around in while they spouted off brilliant observations and connections from the novels they read on the post I'd created yesterday at that site; perhaps the wind of their peers' breeze would even muss their hair a little on this journey. Instead we stalled. Some of us were hung up on logging onto the computers; others were waiting to log onto their gmail account; others made it to librarything.com and were so bored they had time to claim our group was from Watertown, SD. The biggest snag was my assumption that I could quickly enter the user names of the students I had to invite into my group. Of course, I set up two groups with the exact same name: Intro. to Literature Spring 2011. I couldn't figure out how to delete one of the groups, but I figured I'd remember to just pick one when I added names. Nope. I selected from both groups. So after one student volunteered to clean up the mess I made and came up with the idea to rename the group to help me remember which one to invite members to, I was feeling a little anxious and wanted to give up. Eventually the students posted a mini summary of their novels. Not exactly a deep and scholarly way to use my students' time.
My prep time was glorious. I had a chance to fix the errors of my planning. I created a step-by-step word document to help students log onto their Google accounts. I must admit I was proud of the way I solved my problem (note that this is another hint that life will not cooperate).
Fourth hour rolled around, and my confidence in what I'd prepared for Composition II faded when Kim made a surprise appearance to my classroom to break the news that I was teaching students the wrong information--that they had to launch from a particular domain, not the one I so carefully put on that word document. Egads.
Aside from squirting ketchup on my sweater during lunch, taking three sips of my milk to absolutely, positively make sure it was not fresh (ironically, I turned away a March 2nd expiration due date thinking the milk would be spoiled, and didn't bother to look at the expiration date of my newest milk: Feb. 26 eww--left a bad taste in my mouth--plus the moisture from the outside of my milk sogged up my cookie) and finding out I sent Kim the message that "Emma needs to access her accountant," the day was not all lost. A student in 7th hour said we should use Google docs when we do our paper critiques, so I hopped on the server and reserved the mobile lab for that and saved a tree or two in the process. Another student, who shall remain nameless except in the title of this blog, said we should still give librarything. com another try--that I need to be patient. I was also happy to hear that another student said she tried using the Diigo account and liked it. So the lessons were not all for naught. But I'm still glad this is the only February 28, 2011 I will ever experience.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
How Teachers Show Students They Matter
1. Expect quality work that consistently moves students to a higher level.
2. Offer feedback to what students say, write, request. This human interaction reminds students they are worthy of a quality education because they are worthy of your time.
3. Know exactly why each assignment is given, each unit is taught. Be able to explain it to every student, including the skeptic who assumes all your assignments are busywork, all of school is pointless.
4. Welcome questions that encourage independent students; discourage questions that encourage needy students.
5. Know when to nurture; know when to kick students out of the nest.
6. Encourage students to think about their future--using both practical and fanciful methods to remind students to set goals that they envision themselves accomplishing in their wildest dreams as well as in their most practical moments of realism.
7. Avoid imposing judgments because therein creates the expectations of success and failure that students feel subconsciously. These judgments are the most insidiously harmful judgments because the negative ones taint the core of our students who internalize the message that they are not worthy or are not smart enough to "get it." If they feel this way, they will not move forward in the classroom.
8. Create boundaries of respect. Feeling safe enough to experiment and share thoughts means students will feel safe enough to do the same outside the classroom and make our world a better place.
9. Have faith that the next generation will find its way, as the generations behind us found their way.
10. Constantly reflect on successes and failures we, as teachers, make in the classroom. Ask before designing lessons, "What can my lesson do that will help students succeed?" After a lesson has been completed, ask, "Did this assignment really get to the heart of what the students need or do I need to try something new?'' "Why did some students succeed?" "Why did other students not understand?" "What is the problem?"
11. Deal with issues that need correcting--from discipline to errors on work. Students respect those who right wrongs.
12. Learn to appreciate each and every personality, soul, child, learner in the classroom. Modeling this sincerely will teach students to do the same to others. All students want to find a place where they feel at home. Make your classroom that place.
2. Offer feedback to what students say, write, request. This human interaction reminds students they are worthy of a quality education because they are worthy of your time.
3. Know exactly why each assignment is given, each unit is taught. Be able to explain it to every student, including the skeptic who assumes all your assignments are busywork, all of school is pointless.
4. Welcome questions that encourage independent students; discourage questions that encourage needy students.
5. Know when to nurture; know when to kick students out of the nest.
6. Encourage students to think about their future--using both practical and fanciful methods to remind students to set goals that they envision themselves accomplishing in their wildest dreams as well as in their most practical moments of realism.
7. Avoid imposing judgments because therein creates the expectations of success and failure that students feel subconsciously. These judgments are the most insidiously harmful judgments because the negative ones taint the core of our students who internalize the message that they are not worthy or are not smart enough to "get it." If they feel this way, they will not move forward in the classroom.
8. Create boundaries of respect. Feeling safe enough to experiment and share thoughts means students will feel safe enough to do the same outside the classroom and make our world a better place.
9. Have faith that the next generation will find its way, as the generations behind us found their way.
10. Constantly reflect on successes and failures we, as teachers, make in the classroom. Ask before designing lessons, "What can my lesson do that will help students succeed?" After a lesson has been completed, ask, "Did this assignment really get to the heart of what the students need or do I need to try something new?'' "Why did some students succeed?" "Why did other students not understand?" "What is the problem?"
11. Deal with issues that need correcting--from discipline to errors on work. Students respect those who right wrongs.
12. Learn to appreciate each and every personality, soul, child, learner in the classroom. Modeling this sincerely will teach students to do the same to others. All students want to find a place where they feel at home. Make your classroom that place.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Metacognition
Dana Schroeder and I spent our lunch today discussing the many questions that run through our minds, including the idea that metacognition, thinking about thinking, is an important practice that helps students move forward. If students know that learning is messy and jumbled, they are not as hard on themselves. In other words, if students think they are stupid, their academic success suffers, even to the point where they will not ask the questions that are on their mind, but if students think they will eventually figure out what needs to be learned, they are more patient with the learning process and more gentle with themselves.
Student: I don't get this.
Teacher: What?
Student: This.
Teacher: You know you have to give me more than that. What about this do you not understand?
Student: I don't understand what you are asking us to do.
Teacher: Which part?
Student: I don't really get what you mean by your question.
Teacher: Which part of the question trips you up?
Student: The part about gender roles.
Teacher: Now I can help you.
Teachers can help students find the right questions to ask, find the right vocabulary to express what is not understood, and to pinpoint exactly where confusion is hindering understanding. Students who do not analyze their own thinking tend to perceive academic success as luck(good or bad), whereas students who see learning as a process full of hurdles usually persist through the difficult times knowing hard work pays off.
So how do teachers help students explore metacognition? Asking questions like "At what point did you know you understood this topic? Or perhaps, "At what point did you get lost and confused?" Even, "Can you see connections between how you answered this portion correctly and this portion incorrectly? What is the difference? How can you use what you did correctly to solve your incorrect problem?" These questions create the foundation for independence and self-discovery, which is what metacognition is all about.
As a writing teacher, asking questions like "Is the idea finished?" when students ask, "Is this paragraph long enough?" helps students learn to trust themselves and not go to me for the thoughts that should be coming from their own minds--mostly this is a confidence issue, and as students gain confidence, they take more academic risks.
Directly telling students that the goal is for them to become independent thinkers who can troubleshoot errors also fosters the persistence to keep working when they feel like giving up.
Thinking and writing are two sides of the same coin; when students gain confidence in their thoughts, they gain confidence in their writing. Frequently writing about their thinking process allows students to essentially record their progress over the course of a semester and ideally a lifetime.
Teachers cannot underestimate the far-reaching effects they have on students. If teachers notice that students are not using metacognition, the solution is as easy as working it into the lesson plans that in a perfect world are created after teachers practice metacognition about their own classroom successes and failures.
Teachers cannot underestimate the far-reaching effects they have on students. If teachers notice that students are not using metacognition, the solution is as easy as working it into the lesson plans that in a perfect world are created after teachers practice metacognition about their own classroom successes and failures.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Questions
The most important educating tool teachers use are questions.
Peruse the following about "Questions for a literature class."
1. Which questions encourage the students to think in ways they hadn't before?
2. Which questions help students think about their own experiences?
3. Which questions deal with general facts from the novel?
4. Which questions encourage students to build a context beyond the world they already live in?
5. Which questions encourage a deeper understanding of humanity?
Questions for a literature class
Who are the characters in the novel?
What motivates each character to act as he or she does?
Which character do you empathize with most?
Who has the harshest burden in the novel?
What about life do readers learn in this novel?
What role does the setting play in the outcome of the conflicts between the major characters?
What historical era is represented in this novel?
What do the characters in the novel have in common with people in the news today?
Are the characters static or dynamic, round or flat?
What characterization techniques are found in the story?
The questions asked shape what students think about a piece of literature. The goal, then, is for students to start asking their own questions about the literature--to be confident enough to trust that their questions are valid and worthy.
Look what happens when students ask questions they want answers to
One of my favorite assignments in Composition I is the profile paper wherein students choose a relative as the subject of a 3000 word paper on that person's life. The goal is to create an heirloom, a tribute to someone's life. So the basic question, who is the subject of the paper is dwarfed by what does the student want to know about this significant figure in his or her life. The answers the author seeks shapes the rest of the paper. Students get a chance to ask the questions they want answers to, and voila, within a month, the final product is produced based entirely on questions the students have asked. It is an amazing process. The task is also satisfying for most students because they created the entire paper based on their own interests.
Questions lead to corrections
Questions also create the foundation of correction in a writing class. When students polish a paper, they are to answer questions like those listed below about their peers' papers during large group critiques. Without these questions, students see the papers as being fine. But eventually, they begin to see what needs correcting and offer good advice, taking the writing to the next level.
Questions for large group critiques in a writing course:
1. How well does the introduction flow with the body and conclusion of the paper?
2. Where does the author give the best examples to support main points?
3. Where is the writing vague and general?
4. How can the author appeal to the audience better?
5. Is the organization smooth and constantly moving forward or does it stop and start jerkily?
6. Has the author tied up all of the loose ends in the paper?
Final thoughts
Questions are meant to be answered. If they are not asked, there is no answer. If educators teach students how to use these priceless tools, students will build for a lifetime.
Peruse the following about "Questions for a literature class."
1. Which questions encourage the students to think in ways they hadn't before?
2. Which questions help students think about their own experiences?
3. Which questions deal with general facts from the novel?
4. Which questions encourage students to build a context beyond the world they already live in?
5. Which questions encourage a deeper understanding of humanity?
Questions for a literature class
Who are the characters in the novel?
What motivates each character to act as he or she does?
Which character do you empathize with most?
Who has the harshest burden in the novel?
What about life do readers learn in this novel?
What role does the setting play in the outcome of the conflicts between the major characters?
What historical era is represented in this novel?
What do the characters in the novel have in common with people in the news today?
Are the characters static or dynamic, round or flat?
What characterization techniques are found in the story?
The questions asked shape what students think about a piece of literature. The goal, then, is for students to start asking their own questions about the literature--to be confident enough to trust that their questions are valid and worthy.
Look what happens when students ask questions they want answers to
One of my favorite assignments in Composition I is the profile paper wherein students choose a relative as the subject of a 3000 word paper on that person's life. The goal is to create an heirloom, a tribute to someone's life. So the basic question, who is the subject of the paper is dwarfed by what does the student want to know about this significant figure in his or her life. The answers the author seeks shapes the rest of the paper. Students get a chance to ask the questions they want answers to, and voila, within a month, the final product is produced based entirely on questions the students have asked. It is an amazing process. The task is also satisfying for most students because they created the entire paper based on their own interests.
Questions lead to corrections
Questions also create the foundation of correction in a writing class. When students polish a paper, they are to answer questions like those listed below about their peers' papers during large group critiques. Without these questions, students see the papers as being fine. But eventually, they begin to see what needs correcting and offer good advice, taking the writing to the next level.
Questions for large group critiques in a writing course:
1. How well does the introduction flow with the body and conclusion of the paper?
2. Where does the author give the best examples to support main points?
3. Where is the writing vague and general?
4. How can the author appeal to the audience better?
5. Is the organization smooth and constantly moving forward or does it stop and start jerkily?
6. Has the author tied up all of the loose ends in the paper?
Final thoughts
Questions are meant to be answered. If they are not asked, there is no answer. If educators teach students how to use these priceless tools, students will build for a lifetime.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Rebounding from a Failure
"In the story 'Dancing Girls' why does the neighbor vacuum and then dump the dust in the corners? It doesn't make any sense."
"And why are the girls dancing? Why did they leave?"
"Uhh, I don't remember. To be perfectly honest, I remember Ann who is set apart from the neighbors she talks about, but I didn't get that far in my reading."
Guess who failed here? Guess who spoke the last sentence in response to the two students' questions? I did. Me. The teacher. The one who creates the syllabus. The one who makes the reading assignments. The one who is supposed to lead students to new experiences. Here it is, day six of the semester, and I had no answer for the clarification students were seeking because I had miscalculated the time it would take me to get all seven short stories read. Monday and Tuesday had been snowdays, Wednesday I handed out the syllabus that was created before the snowdays, Thursday class time was dedicated to reading, and here it is Friday, and I had not read two of the stories: "The Dancing Girls" by Margaret Atwood and "The Chaste Clarissa" by John Cheever.
Oh, I had read them before, many times, but the details escaped me. That is why I take my own advice and keep track of plots, settings, characters, ironic twists, figurative language, in my notebook. Every time I assign these stories, I read them like I have never read them before because I can remember big picture ideas, but the details leave my memory as soon as we move from short stories to poetry.
But I've since read the stories and answers to the students questions come back to me. The boarder was quirky, odd, unstructured. He left piles of dust in the corners. He and his friends had girls over and they danced the plaster off the ceiling, so the landlady kicked them out. Ann, the boarder who shared a bathroom with the rarely seen, odd neighbor, merely sat by the door, smoked cigarettes and waited for the party to leave because she was afraid to peek out of her room. She missed out on the ruckus by living her careful life.
I have answers for the students now. But it is too late. The class period is over. But another one begins tomorrow: a fresh start, a clean slate, a new beginning; I am striving to be the prepared teacher, the cliche in the classroom who leads students to new experiences.
"And why are the girls dancing? Why did they leave?"
"Uhh, I don't remember. To be perfectly honest, I remember Ann who is set apart from the neighbors she talks about, but I didn't get that far in my reading."
Guess who failed here? Guess who spoke the last sentence in response to the two students' questions? I did. Me. The teacher. The one who creates the syllabus. The one who makes the reading assignments. The one who is supposed to lead students to new experiences. Here it is, day six of the semester, and I had no answer for the clarification students were seeking because I had miscalculated the time it would take me to get all seven short stories read. Monday and Tuesday had been snowdays, Wednesday I handed out the syllabus that was created before the snowdays, Thursday class time was dedicated to reading, and here it is Friday, and I had not read two of the stories: "The Dancing Girls" by Margaret Atwood and "The Chaste Clarissa" by John Cheever.
Oh, I had read them before, many times, but the details escaped me. That is why I take my own advice and keep track of plots, settings, characters, ironic twists, figurative language, in my notebook. Every time I assign these stories, I read them like I have never read them before because I can remember big picture ideas, but the details leave my memory as soon as we move from short stories to poetry.
But I've since read the stories and answers to the students questions come back to me. The boarder was quirky, odd, unstructured. He left piles of dust in the corners. He and his friends had girls over and they danced the plaster off the ceiling, so the landlady kicked them out. Ann, the boarder who shared a bathroom with the rarely seen, odd neighbor, merely sat by the door, smoked cigarettes and waited for the party to leave because she was afraid to peek out of her room. She missed out on the ruckus by living her careful life.
I have answers for the students now. But it is too late. The class period is over. But another one begins tomorrow: a fresh start, a clean slate, a new beginning; I am striving to be the prepared teacher, the cliche in the classroom who leads students to new experiences.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Being the Teacher Students Need Me to Be
I have spent much of my English teaching career experimenting, gathering information, and reflecting on what it means to be a teacher the students need me to be. So here is a brief (to me long to you) list of my ideas.
1. I go into new semesters being grateful for whichever students I am lucky enough to have in my classroom. These students are entrusted to me, and I take the responsibility of nurturing students to the next level of their education very seriously.
2. I know all students want to learn, so my lesson plans must be true to that belief. My challenge as a teacher is to design lessons that reach all personality types and all types of learners. Students need repetition without getting bored, practice with genuine examples, new information to avoid stagnancy, inspiration that reaffirms their goals, and a reason to accomplish what is asked of them.
3. I try to make sure all students feel at home in the classroom by learning names as soon as possible. After all, the class is for them. To help with this, I assign a seating chart from day one so students never feel like they do not have a place to go in the classroom. Also, I keep a box filled with each student's name on slips of paper. I can quickly and randomly draw names to select a person to answer a question or to help me choose small groups quickly or to draw a door prize for a surprise. The added bonus of this little step is that students quickly learn they are expected to participate, which makes it more likely they will do their homework and pay attention in class.
4. I aim to use class time for students to practice and for me to assess. Reading aloud, practicing grammar exercises, completing freewrites, presenting information, thinking aloud, and identifying what is being studied in reading materials are all ways students can practice and I can assess. Later I can redesign lessons to help students practice their weak areas or move on to the next challenge.
5. My goal is to create win-win situations, not power struggles. Sometimes that means I must laugh at myself. Sometimes that means I must reassess an assignment. Other times it means I must say with a soft voice to a complaining student, "It is time you do what is asked of you."
6. I allow myself at least three mistakes per class period which takes away the pressure for the students and for me to never err. Instead, we can make mistakes together; we can learn together.
7. It is my responsibility to make sure students are on task. If I take the attitude of, "It's their loss if they miss this information," I am not doing my job. Granted, I cannot MAKE a student do anything. Here is an example that creeps up every now and again. If students are working on a freewrite and I see a student who is ten minutes into the task and has no words on the paper, it is my job to check things out. Some students are thinkers and use mental time to organize thoughts--I respect that. But other students will not ask for help, so I ask, "Hey, are you stuck?" The student responds, usually yes or no. If the answer is yes, I ask, "What is puzzling you?" Most of the time in two or three seconds, I can clarify what is expected and the student can move forward. If I would have never asked the question, the student would stay stuck the entire class period (I know this through trial and error). I am the teacher. I must act like one.
8. I apologize when I make mistakes. Ironically, even though I teach English, I have a hard time communicating what I am thinking. Students often get confused. I cannot hold my flaw against them. Instead I have found a way to counter that weakness: modeling. We constantly compare other essays, readings, other people's works, etc. . . that repetition allows students to see again and again what works or does not work and they learn what is required in that unit.
10. Students must do the work or the class is for naught. Here is an example. If I truly want students to remember vocabulary words, I ask them to point out examples of that word in action. For example, when we study appeals in persuasive writing, I will ask students to highlight where they identify logos, pathos and ethos. And they will repeat this in a variety of genres until the students are comfortable with those words in any setting. They need to know the words, so they need to be able to find them, to label them, and to discuss them. Eventually as they practice, they gain knowledge and confidence in their skills.
11. Ask students to do tasks that encourage them to go beyond the obvious. Ask them to make connections they might not have thought to do otherwise. Ask students to do their best so it becomes habit. Trust students to do what is asked of them, and if they do not, hold them accountable by making them redo it.
13.Finally, students must evaluate me, and I expect honest answers. I use this information to better future classes.
There are so many ideas I want to interject; however, I will stop writing for now, but I will never stop striving to be the teacher my students need me to be.
1. I go into new semesters being grateful for whichever students I am lucky enough to have in my classroom. These students are entrusted to me, and I take the responsibility of nurturing students to the next level of their education very seriously.
2. I know all students want to learn, so my lesson plans must be true to that belief. My challenge as a teacher is to design lessons that reach all personality types and all types of learners. Students need repetition without getting bored, practice with genuine examples, new information to avoid stagnancy, inspiration that reaffirms their goals, and a reason to accomplish what is asked of them.
3. I try to make sure all students feel at home in the classroom by learning names as soon as possible. After all, the class is for them. To help with this, I assign a seating chart from day one so students never feel like they do not have a place to go in the classroom. Also, I keep a box filled with each student's name on slips of paper. I can quickly and randomly draw names to select a person to answer a question or to help me choose small groups quickly or to draw a door prize for a surprise. The added bonus of this little step is that students quickly learn they are expected to participate, which makes it more likely they will do their homework and pay attention in class.
4. I aim to use class time for students to practice and for me to assess. Reading aloud, practicing grammar exercises, completing freewrites, presenting information, thinking aloud, and identifying what is being studied in reading materials are all ways students can practice and I can assess. Later I can redesign lessons to help students practice their weak areas or move on to the next challenge.
5. My goal is to create win-win situations, not power struggles. Sometimes that means I must laugh at myself. Sometimes that means I must reassess an assignment. Other times it means I must say with a soft voice to a complaining student, "It is time you do what is asked of you."
6. I allow myself at least three mistakes per class period which takes away the pressure for the students and for me to never err. Instead, we can make mistakes together; we can learn together.
7. It is my responsibility to make sure students are on task. If I take the attitude of, "It's their loss if they miss this information," I am not doing my job. Granted, I cannot MAKE a student do anything. Here is an example that creeps up every now and again. If students are working on a freewrite and I see a student who is ten minutes into the task and has no words on the paper, it is my job to check things out. Some students are thinkers and use mental time to organize thoughts--I respect that. But other students will not ask for help, so I ask, "Hey, are you stuck?" The student responds, usually yes or no. If the answer is yes, I ask, "What is puzzling you?" Most of the time in two or three seconds, I can clarify what is expected and the student can move forward. If I would have never asked the question, the student would stay stuck the entire class period (I know this through trial and error). I am the teacher. I must act like one.
8. I apologize when I make mistakes. Ironically, even though I teach English, I have a hard time communicating what I am thinking. Students often get confused. I cannot hold my flaw against them. Instead I have found a way to counter that weakness: modeling. We constantly compare other essays, readings, other people's works, etc. . . that repetition allows students to see again and again what works or does not work and they learn what is required in that unit.
10. Students must do the work or the class is for naught. Here is an example. If I truly want students to remember vocabulary words, I ask them to point out examples of that word in action. For example, when we study appeals in persuasive writing, I will ask students to highlight where they identify logos, pathos and ethos. And they will repeat this in a variety of genres until the students are comfortable with those words in any setting. They need to know the words, so they need to be able to find them, to label them, and to discuss them. Eventually as they practice, they gain knowledge and confidence in their skills.
11. Ask students to do tasks that encourage them to go beyond the obvious. Ask them to make connections they might not have thought to do otherwise. Ask students to do their best so it becomes habit. Trust students to do what is asked of them, and if they do not, hold them accountable by making them redo it.
13.Finally, students must evaluate me, and I expect honest answers. I use this information to better future classes.
There are so many ideas I want to interject; however, I will stop writing for now, but I will never stop striving to be the teacher my students need me to be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)