Voice and Choice! For blog reflections, Please pick 2-3 in total for chapters 1 and 2, you will reflect in comments and they can be separate comments or all in one, whichever fits you best:
- Answer a reflection question
- React to an image posted here
- React to a meaningful quote to you or concept that you plan on acting on in the upcoming school year
- Write about something you have been reflecting on while reading these chapters
Reflections on Chapter 1:
- What is one behavior you are consistently correcting (or that drives you bananas) in your classroom? How you could reset your expectations, what can you do to reteach those expectations to students through-out the year?
- List the 10 traits you value most in your classroom. Can you narrow them to five? How about three? Why did you choose them? What are clear ways you can communicate them with students, including the WHY? What is a reasonable time schedule to revisit them for your age-level?
- Do you think there are other teachers who value the same classroom expectations? Do you think that children would benefit from common language, or do you think independence an autonomy is necessary to support teacher’s individualized styles?
- This book crew has teachers from all walks of their career, and lots of expertise amongst you. What are some unique ways you handle classroom management?
Images (p.3):
Do you feel we operate this way in schools? Is this common discussion amongst teacher teams and PLT’s – should it be?
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Reflections on Chapter 2:
- What are some ways you can engage some of the disconnected students in your classroom? What content do you teach that could be reworked into an engaging experience for students?
- What are some of your personal interests that you could share with your class to engage disconnected or invisible students?
- Think about your own experience with compliance and student engagement. What do you wish you could go back and tell yourself at the beginning of this week? This year? Your career?
- Have you imagined redesigning your learning space? What would an ideal classroom look like? Could you take small steps toward it? Obstacles?
- What aspects of your classroom are designed for compliance, and how can those be reimagined to foster community?
- There is a technique called 3 by 5 (also called 5 by 5 or 1 by 5, depending on your scenario). Pick 3 kids for 5 days and every day, speak to them. Ask them an interest, comment on a book they are reading, work with them first during group activities, etc. I (Sarah) tried this last year and was really amazed at the increased engagement I saw. Have you tried something similar you could share?
- What are some ways you hook your students?
August 29, 2019 at 3:38 pm
Image – I found this image very interesting. We often talk about teaching the whole child but we sometimes look at behavior and academics differently. At the middle school level, we need to remind ourselves that our students are still children and need to provide instruction on how to foster positive behavior. We cannot expect that they walk in to our classrooms knowing what this behavior looks like every day in every situation. Some children may be able to tell you what positive behavior looks like but not yet have the skills and/or maturity to put it into action. I feel we do not operate this way in schools nor do we talk about it.
Reflection – I think we all know how important planning is and how it can promote positive behavior. Chapters 1 and 2 have reminded me how vital this is to helping my students learn and to help them become more independent and to ask questions as they go through their day.
August 29, 2019 at 9:35 pm
“Nor do we talk about it”- agreed. It’s an expectation that leads to a lot of frustration on behalf of both parties. A favorite quote of mine is that middle schoolers (and high schoolers) have up to 11 different bosses with 11 different expectations- and like you mentioned they don’t necessarily have the maturity to “figure us all out”.