Keeping Staff and Students Motivated Through the End of the Year

Spring Break seemed to be the perfect boost of energy for both students and staff.  Making it to the end of the year, without getting worn out, seemed promising. Students were here and attentive, seemingly ready and willing to begin new units. Likewise, the teachers were able to recharge and mentally prepare for the remainder of the school year. For most of April, all was good. As the month began to wind down, however, I noticed a change in the dynamic of the building. I soon discovered that this change was occurring all throughout the district. Put simply, everyone seems tired. Our students' attendance is growing progressively worse. Teachers are on edge and, collectively, students and staff are ready to get through these last few weeks.

                Still, the fact remains that there are two and a half weeks of school left. So much can be done in this time frame, so it is imperative that students and staff don’t check out just yet! I’ve done some research concerning ways to combat this ‘end of the year slump’. The most common suggestion for ways to wrap up the year and stay motivated at the same time is to do some reflection. I saw this repeatedly in the articles I looked at. There are several ways to frame a unit based on reflection. Length of time is also flexible, spanning from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the school and the activity.

One of the ideas I thought could be fun and relevant is having students create a scrapbook. Students could reflect on their favorite unit or part of the semester and tell why they made the choice they did. Students can be prompted to write their explanations and also include photos and other individual additions. Another great way to reflect could be having the students put together a class newsletter. In doing this, teachers can incorporate meaningful writing into the last few weeks of school. Students could pick events they really liked from the school year and write about them. This is a great way to mix independent and collaborative work. Students can also reflect via multimedia projects. All of these would be a great way to increase both student and staff motivation. The students will enjoy the freedom and, as educators, it will be delightful to see what they come up with.                          

Reflection is a great way to end a school year, but certainly not the only way. I was able to find some other great ideas. One of my favorites was read aloud marathons. For this, each day of the last week of school (or weeks if you have the material) the teacher would read excerpts from several books that students may be interested in reading over the summer. Students can keep a log of the titles that interest them. This is also a great way to promote discussion. Another excellent idea, which we did in our English II class, is to put the textbooks aside and get into a final project. We centered ours around Julius Caesar. Upon completing the reading (which we did from a graphic novel) students will create a conspirator resume and also a newspaper clipping for an event in Caesar. There were many great ideas. The last one that I will discuss is taking learning outside. This is perfect for literature classes and, when the weather permits, students really enjoy them.      

What other suggestions do you all have for keeping students and staff motivated until the year ends? How can we keep learning first, yet incorporate a fun and enjoyable environment that students and teachers, alike, can enjoy. The year will come to a close. That much we can be sure of, but until then we have a job to do!

http://www.teachhub.com/12-ways-keep-kids-motivated-end-school-year

http://www.edutopia.org/motivation-final-weeks-school

Getting Our Students Out Into the Community

Today I participated in an event called Aces in the Community. The high school that I am placed at participates in this event on an annual basis. How it works is, one day out of every school year, the entire school takes part in community service of one kind or another. This service can be indirect, where students are not having direct contact with members of the community, such as making care packages to be distributed via a third party. The students can also engage in a direct method of community service, that is having direct contact with other members of the community. Our class, for instance went to an elementary school to help in whatever way individual teachers deemed necessary. Since our students came in direct contact with the community members they were serving, they are considered to have done direct community service.               

                Upon first hearing about Aces in the Community, I thought it was an amazing idea. I wish I was given the opportunity to voluntarily participate in community service when I was growing up.  It would have been extremely helpful to have a school help organize such an event because usually an individual, even if they wanted to help out, would not know where to start and who to contact. In preparation for Aces in the Community, however, students were able to suggest events, and, as a group, we came together to make it happen. I cannot say enough about the impact that doing Aces in the Community had on both my students and me.

I was surprised to learn that this high school is the only school in the district that participates in such an event. The benefits for the student body would be immeasurable if all high schools participated in at least one day of community service. There are many positive effects community service on our students, some of which I’ve listed below:

• Students in over half of the high quality service-learning schools studied showed moderate to strong positive gains on student achievement tests in language arts and/or reading, engagement in school, sense of educational accomplishment and homework completion (Weiler, et. al., 1998).
• Service-learning participation was associated with higher scores on the state test of basic skills (Anderson, et. al., 1991) and higher grades (Shumer, 1994; Shaffer, 1993; Dean and Murdock, 1992; O’Bannon, 1999).
• Eighty-three percent of schools with service-learning programs reported that grade point averages of participating service-learning students improved 76 percent of the time (Follman, 1999).

If there are obvious benefits in incorporating such programs, I have to wonder why we have not, as a district, encouraged more of our schools to participate in community service. Participating in such an event can make giving back to the community a fun and productive routine or learned behavior. High school students who participated in service-learning and service are more likely to be engaged in a community organization and to vote 15 years after their participation in the program than those who did not participate (Youniss, et. al., 1997; Yates and Youniss, 1998). Programs like Aces in the Community should be deeply considered. There are positive results for our students and the community members that they serve, regardless of whether that service is direct or indirect.

It cannot simply be an issue of the number of students enrolled in the other schools because this school has the largest enrollment in the district. Still, they manage to get all of their students involved in one way or another. The students enjoyed the work they did in the community. I spoke to several students, some who were in my class and some who were not. Students participated in everything from picking up trash to washing planes on the base. Every student I spoke with had positive comments about their experiences. I’m sure students in other schools would appreciate and learn from the opportunity as well. . .

http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.black/benefits_of_participation_in_service

Appealing to All in Education: Inclusion in the Classroom

In any classroom a range of skills is to be expected. Students, even if they are in a common grade, more often than not have differing levels of performance. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but simply a reality. As teachers we witness such reality day in and day out and find that we must develop lesson plans in a way that comprehension is acquired by all of our students. The struggle is usually finding a balance between developing lessons that are too tough for the students who struggle more with comprehension and making lessons that are not challenging enough for those who struggle less. This struggle becomes even more complex when teaching in a class within a class or CWC setting. What this means is that there are several Special Ed students who are placed in a Regular Ed classroom.

There are some pros to the CWC movement but there are also many, many flaws. Many seem to believe that the CWC classroom setting can hurt more students than it helps. Due to IEP’s and accommodations within them the range of levels teachers must prepare for is very widespread. For instance, I am in a few class rooms where we have students being recommended for honors beside students who cannot spell “free”. Because of this we must try to tailor our lessons in a way that Student A benefits, while ensuring that Student B is not left behind. With the proper training and intentional placement of students in these CWC classes I believe this is fully possible. However, the training regular education teachers are getting is slim to none and the placement appears to be completely random. Tornillo (1994), president of the Florida Education Association United, is concerned that inclusion, as it all too frequently is being implemented, leaves classroom teachers without the resources, training, and other supports necessary to teach students with disabilities in their classrooms. Consequently, "the disabled children are not getting appropriate, specialized attention and care, and the regular students' education is disrupted constantly."            

On the opposite side of the debate inclusion is said to have many positive effects, specifically for SpEd students. Some people argue that the movement has become so popular because of budget cuts rather than the students we are serving. Still, we must take into consideration the benefits that Special Education students have reaped during this movement. Researchers from Concordia University say that by using both the regular classroom and individualized time in special education classes, pupils are exposed to mainstream students but get the attention they need for their specific challenges. Several studies have suggested that overall, including disabled children in mainstream classrooms improves academic achievement, self-esteem and social skills.

            I see and understand both sides of the debate and tend to agree with various points of view. My question has been, since I started observing and am now teaching, is how we, as educators, promote higher level thinking for students who have come to understand that answers, no matter how generic, will be provided eventually. What they do not know is that we must provide notes, guided or in full, to accommodate certain IEP’s. I’ve found that what this has done is create a laziness or reluctance in some students because they know that, even if they are asked to think and come up with their own answer, an answer will be provided eventually. I know some will say why not simply provide the notes to the students who need them? What I say to this is to keep in mind that the idea is not to single out our SpEd students. We also do not want them sitting and doing nothing until notes are finished.

As a way to work on issues such as these I have started to informally assess students. I often walk around and note the students who have at least attempted to come up with their own answers and give them points for doing so. The students who simply refuse, unless specified that they require guided notes in their IEP will lose points. This has seemed to be improving participation from those who are fully capable. Also, we have students that require their tests to be read out loud to them. In those cases we offer for anyone, RegEd or SpEd, who would like a smaller setting or the test read aloud to take the test with a Para or Co-Teacher in a separate setting. CWC settings come with its challenges, but I believe with the proper training and more intentional placement it could be relatively efficient.

 

http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/special-ed/mainstreaming-special-education-in-the-classroom/

http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues43/concerns.html

 

Relax Replica

Student teaching WILL be challenging!

There will be days that things don’t go your way—

Change directions.

Students will ask seemingly redundant questions,

Such as, “Are you a real  teacher!?”

You’ll think Is that a real question??

Instead of saying that, though, you’ll smile and respond, “I plan to be.”

“Professionals” will voice very unprofessional opinions

Concerning students, colleagues and anything else they can rant about.

Ignore them. Don’t allow them taint your passion for the profession.

The very first time you teach independently one of the

Assistant Principals will walk in the room—

You’ll stumble over a few words, compose yourself and then proceed.

A student will run into your classroom and inform you that

There is a boy vs. girl fight right outside your door.

Your CT will try to intervene only to never return to class for the remainder of the day

(Or the day after that).

You’ll be left, suddenly with the four remaining classes.

Breathe; it’s not the end of the world.

This is an opportunity to stand on your own two feet.

A brilliant idea for a lesson will escape your mind

Just as your are trying to tell your CT about it.

The lessons will come and go faster than it seems

You can plan them.

The pressure of student teaching, the KPTP, kids, family

A social life, Licensure Exams, Interviews and everything else

Will have you feeling like you’re slowly suffocating.

Take five, step back, prioritize your responsibilities

And exhale.

How to Effectively NOT Teach Your Students: A Compilation of Bad Teaching (GR2)

Be contradicting! Tell your students that they will receive proper guidance on their assignments, but only offer vague, unclear directions. Be sure to fail them when they do not meet your unclear expectations.

            Be the teacher, but fail to teach. Unload countless amounts of information onto your students. Yet, neglect to deliver any of the information in a comprehensible manner.

            Think for your students! Because it is proven that the notion of allowing them to think for themselves is absolutely absurd.

            Allow the students in the back of the class to sit and talk during instruction. After all, they are a lost cause anyways.

            Often stray away from school and class related topics. The students are obviously there to hear your uneventful, far from relevant, life story.

            Under no circumstances should you give feedback! Why bother? Students could care less why they received one grade or another. Don’t even burden yourself with telling them what they did well and what they could improve on. This would be a great time to pass up an opportunity to teach. After all, there is NEVER any possibility for improvement.

            Avoid differentiating instruction. It is a fact that there is no lesson more effective than the classic, “I talk, you listen” methodology. Students will undoubtedly fall asleep, but that is not a result of hearing the same monogamous voice the entire period.

            And if I’ve taught you nothing so far make sure you remember to absolutely, positively never, ever include your students in any way shape or form. If you do that, they may actually learn something!! I know . . . scary right?

Is Homework Really Necessary?

The first few weeks of the school our students weren’t assigned any homework. I didn’t pay this much mind until the semester continued on with to take home work assigned. About six weeks ago my CT confirmed that she does not assign homework. Because of this my CT constantly emphasizes the importance of class time. She is always reminding our students that all of the points that they receive come from in class work. Therefore, in order to be successful in her class students must be in class, on task, and completing assignments. They don’t have the option to “do it later” because all work stays in class.

 I see the benefits of such a system. The students are, much more often than not, on task and paying attention. They also have good attendance, overall. However, and this could be that I was always assigned homework in school; I also see a downside to this philosophy. I feel like homework, as tedious as it may be, comes with many advantages. It is a mechanism that can be used to encourage our students to practice independence. It is also a way to get them to look deeper into the literature being studied. Assigning homework is a way to get students to utilize their own brains. They will not have their teacher or classmates to lean on.

I am conflicted on the matter, but I believe this is another instance in which there has to be a set medium. I do not believe in overloading students, but at the same time I don’t think that absolutely no homework is an effective policy. Homework has many uses. Extra credit may be one way to incorporate homework, perhaps for the few students who do have an issue with attendance. They tend to struggle with making up assignments that they have missed in their absence. Letting them complete these assignments for homework would enable them to make up points they may not be able to make up otherwise.

I read an article about the pros and cons of homework. In it were some interesting strategies in deciding whether or not to incorporate homework or to what extent to incorporate it. A few of these were to: 1.) Reduce the amount of homework, 2.) Rethink standardized homework policies, 3.) Involve the students. I think all of these are good ideas and can be effectively utilized. I definitely like the suggestion of involving the students. Perhaps it would be useful to talk to them and try to establish a homework policy guided by their lifestyles. I’ve posted the link to the article below.

http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/rethinkinghomework.htm            

                I am amazed to be in a classroom with no homework. This whole concept is new and intriguing to me. I certainly didn’t think any educators would consider this. It makes me wonder how prevalent this is. Is homework dying out, or am I just a part of a unique classroom setting?

Genre Reflection #1

Just Gettin’ By

I’ve crossed paths with so many students that have just gotten by.

Is it inattention, neglect, or carelessness that has silenced their cry?

Their plead for help to those who have an obligation to provide,

and their inability to do the work that they are assigned.

I’ve witnessed kids struggle with tears in their eyes

and I ask myself how on Earth are these kids gettin’ by?

How do you make it to Algebra, but you can’t do the basics,

Why is it that the educators seem so complacent?

Well I’m worried; I see a very real problem.

Simply passing students who are undeserving is not goin to solve ‘em.

We have to find a way to make the concepts we’re teaching apply,

it is our job to stop the cycle of letting kids get by.

I see high school students who can’t write for their lives.

Kids from various ethnicities with dialects that affect how they write

As teachers we will face a number of difficult tasks,

but when it comes to our students we cannot turn our backs.

If a student requires we should put forth the extra effort and time

Lend our ears to their cry, teach them, and not just let them get by.