It's snowing outside...and any elementary teacher reading this knows exactly what that means: Chaos. Couple the falling snowflakes with the full moon we had last night and today just became very, very interesting.
I have to be honest, it's hard for me to focus also. When I see the snow start to fall all I can think about is building snowmen, snowboarding and throwing snowballs for my dog, Zibby, to chase. Because of this, I understand that it is hard for students to focus also. This brings me to the following question -
I have to be honest, it's hard for me to focus also. When I see the snow start to fall all I can think about is building snowmen, snowboarding and throwing snowballs for my dog, Zibby, to chase. Because of this, I understand that it is hard for students to focus also. This brings me to the following question -
What am I doing to ensure that my lessons are just as engaging as the outside world?
I try my best to make school fun. I want my students to enjoy their time they spend with me, but it's getting harder each year to complete with the distractions from outside.
A mindshift is needed in schools...
I don't think that we as teachers will have any fighting chance to keep our students engaged if we don't work to understand what students are truly interested in! I have a lot of kids on sports teams: baseball, basketball, volleyball, dance, etc and if they have a HUGE competition coming up in a few days, it's only natural for their mind to be focused on that major event!
In order to stay relevant in students' lives, we need to be making real connections to them. In math class, it could help students to be more focused if we make up a word problem related to a basketball game coming up - or in reading to pull articles that align with students' interests. It's not realistic any longer to expect students to forget about the outside world. They have too much going on! As a teacher, it's my job to meet them where they are, and bring them into the classroom.
In order to stay relevant in students' lives, we need to be making real connections to them. In math class, it could help students to be more focused if we make up a word problem related to a basketball game coming up - or in reading to pull articles that align with students' interests. It's not realistic any longer to expect students to forget about the outside world. They have too much going on! As a teacher, it's my job to meet them where they are, and bring them into the classroom.
Celebrations in class lead to engagement.
In my experience, students (and teachers...most people as a matter of fact) love being celebrated! I've tried hard this year to set goals for students and dedicate significant amounts of time to those who accomplish goals. Most Friday mornings, we spend having some sort of a class meeting. This is an ideal time for my class to celebrate one another and our growth throughout the year. These goals and celebrations are another way I've worked to keep my students engaged.
I was at a conference this summer and someone asked the audience (a group of teachers), "Are students learning because of, or in spite of school?" I'm working hard to ensure that my students are working because of school
Have a great day, everyone!
I was at a conference this summer and someone asked the audience (a group of teachers), "Are students learning because of, or in spite of school?" I'm working hard to ensure that my students are working because of school
Have a great day, everyone!