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| He's pretending to be a little girl in this picture, wearing my headband. :) |
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
What's been on my mind?
This is my little boy Evan.
He is the reason why I am so concerned about the future of education in this country. Public schools are not what they used to be when I was in school. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about possibly homeschooling. I really do not want to home school Evan because I believe in the idea of public education and the socialization that he'll get from going to school. Thankfully, I have some time. This little guy is only 20 months old. I still have a few years to make a choice! :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
What To Teach, What to Teach
This post is mainly for those teachers that have the privilege to teach reading.
There is so much involved with teaching reading and literature, just like all the other subjects. But, the best part about being a Reading/Language Arts/English teacher? By the time students hit middle school, reading is a review.
By 7th grade, most students have been taught elements of plot, characterization, mood, tone, and theme. The majority of students have also learned the basics of reading functional, expository and persuasive texts. In my opinion, this gives reading teachers a little bit more leeway in planning their reading lessons.
The best way to approach what to teach is to incorporate a few tools:
1) State standards
State Standards are a overview of what teachers are expected to teach and what students are expected to learn. A lot of districts take their own state standards and make a pacing guide or curriculum map for teachers. Most teachers are expected to follow these pacing guides. I DID NOT! I really, really tried to. But, other factors were more important than following each story during each quarter of the year.
A lot of times, the persuasive, expository, and functional texts were left until the end of the year, when I tried to incorporate those texts throughout the entire year. And the story choices were horrible. My students didn't like most of the stories that were selected by the district. So, I picked stories that I thought they would enjoy more. I taught the same literary elements that I was supposed to teach with the other stories.
2) Textbook
This is the most obvious answer. Every subject has a textbook or curriculum. Become best friends (or BFFs as I like to say) with your Teacher's Edition and any supplemental materials. Take them home during the summer when you're planning out your curriculum map for the rest of the year. A lot of times they have lots of worksheets (I'll talk about worksheets later!), but they also have unique project ideas. Lots of ideas for hands on activities, discussion topics, team projects, and suggestions for instructional differentiation, especially for gifted and lower level students. The more familiar you are with your instructional materials, the better you'll be able to implement those activities.
A lot of time I think teachers take for granted these materials, but these supplemental materials are written by education experts. However, you always will know what's best for your students, so if some of those ideas don't work for your classroom, then don't feel obligated to do them. Remember, teaching is all about experimenting, tweaking and trying again. Teaching should never be perfect---if it is, how will you be able to grow?
3) District Pacing Guide or Curriculum Map
Try it out. If following the district pacing guide or curriculum guide doesn't work for your students, then make your own. I did not have a guide like this my first year teaching! It would have helped so much! I had no idea what I was doing, just kind of following what the other teachers were doing and looking at the textbook a week, (sometimes a day) before I was teaching the topic.
I just realized that some teachers may not be familiar with a pacing guide or curriculum map. This is a document that shows what you will be teaching throughout the entire school year. It is usually divided up by quarters or semester, and it is specific. My curriculum maps always had the name of the story, page numbers, standards, objectives and key ideas and literary elements that I was teaching.
If your district does not provide you with a curriculum map, I would try to meet up with other teachers that teach the same curriculum as you, and make complementary curriculum maps. It's always a good idea to get ideas from other teachers, especially those more seasoned teachers. :)
4) Student results from previous state tests and pretests
As always, assessments should guide instruction. The objectives you write, should be geared to your students and their needs, not what you, as a teacher are supposed to teach.
If a class is better with tone and mood than plot, you'll just need to review tone and mood a little bit. You'll most likely have to cover plot a bit longer for your students to get a hang of it. There will always be discrepancies between students--- No two students have the same exact level and ability!
NO matter what I was teaching, no matter how far behind a student was or how far ahead a student was I always pushed my students to keep reading and to keep going. I'm a firm believer that anybody will become a better reader the more they read.
Figuring out what to teach can be emotionally, mentally, and even physically exhausting. The important point is to keep moving forward! You can do this. Even with all the problems that education is having these days, know that you are making a difference in the lives of your students, and they are our future! You are doing a wonderful work---just keep going!
There is so much involved with teaching reading and literature, just like all the other subjects. But, the best part about being a Reading/Language Arts/English teacher? By the time students hit middle school, reading is a review.
By 7th grade, most students have been taught elements of plot, characterization, mood, tone, and theme. The majority of students have also learned the basics of reading functional, expository and persuasive texts. In my opinion, this gives reading teachers a little bit more leeway in planning their reading lessons.
The best way to approach what to teach is to incorporate a few tools:
1) State standards
State Standards are a overview of what teachers are expected to teach and what students are expected to learn. A lot of districts take their own state standards and make a pacing guide or curriculum map for teachers. Most teachers are expected to follow these pacing guides. I DID NOT! I really, really tried to. But, other factors were more important than following each story during each quarter of the year.
A lot of times, the persuasive, expository, and functional texts were left until the end of the year, when I tried to incorporate those texts throughout the entire year. And the story choices were horrible. My students didn't like most of the stories that were selected by the district. So, I picked stories that I thought they would enjoy more. I taught the same literary elements that I was supposed to teach with the other stories.
2) Textbook
This is the most obvious answer. Every subject has a textbook or curriculum. Become best friends (or BFFs as I like to say) with your Teacher's Edition and any supplemental materials. Take them home during the summer when you're planning out your curriculum map for the rest of the year. A lot of times they have lots of worksheets (I'll talk about worksheets later!), but they also have unique project ideas. Lots of ideas for hands on activities, discussion topics, team projects, and suggestions for instructional differentiation, especially for gifted and lower level students. The more familiar you are with your instructional materials, the better you'll be able to implement those activities.
A lot of time I think teachers take for granted these materials, but these supplemental materials are written by education experts. However, you always will know what's best for your students, so if some of those ideas don't work for your classroom, then don't feel obligated to do them. Remember, teaching is all about experimenting, tweaking and trying again. Teaching should never be perfect---if it is, how will you be able to grow?
3) District Pacing Guide or Curriculum Map
Try it out. If following the district pacing guide or curriculum guide doesn't work for your students, then make your own. I did not have a guide like this my first year teaching! It would have helped so much! I had no idea what I was doing, just kind of following what the other teachers were doing and looking at the textbook a week, (sometimes a day) before I was teaching the topic.
I just realized that some teachers may not be familiar with a pacing guide or curriculum map. This is a document that shows what you will be teaching throughout the entire school year. It is usually divided up by quarters or semester, and it is specific. My curriculum maps always had the name of the story, page numbers, standards, objectives and key ideas and literary elements that I was teaching.
If your district does not provide you with a curriculum map, I would try to meet up with other teachers that teach the same curriculum as you, and make complementary curriculum maps. It's always a good idea to get ideas from other teachers, especially those more seasoned teachers. :)
4) Student results from previous state tests and pretests
As always, assessments should guide instruction. The objectives you write, should be geared to your students and their needs, not what you, as a teacher are supposed to teach.
If a class is better with tone and mood than plot, you'll just need to review tone and mood a little bit. You'll most likely have to cover plot a bit longer for your students to get a hang of it. There will always be discrepancies between students--- No two students have the same exact level and ability!
NO matter what I was teaching, no matter how far behind a student was or how far ahead a student was I always pushed my students to keep reading and to keep going. I'm a firm believer that anybody will become a better reader the more they read.
Figuring out what to teach can be emotionally, mentally, and even physically exhausting. The important point is to keep moving forward! You can do this. Even with all the problems that education is having these days, know that you are making a difference in the lives of your students, and they are our future! You are doing a wonderful work---just keep going!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Groups v. Teams
Group work is an important part of cooperative learning. Most experts agree that the best way for students to learn and retain the content that their learning is to teach that content to others. And doesn't that make perfect sense? As teachers, aren't we the best at what we teach?
What is the difference then, between groups and teams? A lot of it has to do with the noun. Oftentimes when people think of the word group, they think of a bunch of people together. The word team usually has people think of sports teams and working together. Personally, I think the word team has a more positive connotation than the word group, which is more of a neutral connotation. It's probably because I played on sports teams growing up.
Teams are groups of people that are working toward a common goal. Because I feel this way, I often used the word team instead of group when I talked about grouping my students together.
My teams were all created based on ability. I used the pretest that I gave my students the first week of school. After I graded the pretests, I put the scores in order from highest to lowest. I then divided the number of students I had by four. I used the Kagan Cooperative Learning system for organizing my students. On the list, each student will be determined by 1 of 4 categories: High, Med-High, Med-Low, Low. For example, if I have 24 students, the top 6 will be my High students, the next 6 Med-High, etc. until I am finished assigning the students.
Ideally, you will have teams of 4. That always doesn't work out. Go for teams of 5 over 3 and teams of 3 over 6. 5 is the maximum amount of students you want in a team. Grouping teams based on ability is better than by grouping by behavior. BUT, do what you have to. You need to have control of your classroom before you can effectively teach.
When students are in their groups, assign them a partner letter or number. I used partners: A, B, C, D. I just did it from where they were sitting. I even had each desk labeled at the beginning of the school year! Another thing: Where you arrange your team members is important. They will be working with each other and in pairs. We used face partners (the person sitting across from you) and shoulder partners (the person sitting next to you). Never partner your High with your Low.
The seating arrangement should go like this:
Face Partners: High-Medium High; Medium Low- Low
Shoulder Partners: High-Medium Low; Medium High-Low
I wish I could draw a diagram on here. Sorry, but just remember that High and Low NEVER partner together.
Last, but not least, do some team building exercises after you get your teams together. If you want them to work together well, they need to be comfortable with each other. Have them make goals together; do a get-to-know-you activity, create a team name together, make a team cheer and encourage them to become friends. I know it sounds corny, but the more comfortable students are in their learning environment, the better they learn. And when they get too comfortable and start talking too much, you know it's time to switch it up. :)
I also cannot stress how important it is for students to become properly social with others. I think this is huge. Character education is shoved aside so often now because of standards and the rushing to teach curriculum. When students are in teams, they learn to work with others and hopefully, eventually, understand that the world is not about them alone, but about others just as much. I hope that in the running around and teaching students day after day, that teachers remember that students are also kids that need social interaction.
I highly recommend the Kagan Structures Seminars for teachers of all ages. A wealth of knowledge is found in these seminars and well worth the time spent!
What is the difference then, between groups and teams? A lot of it has to do with the noun. Oftentimes when people think of the word group, they think of a bunch of people together. The word team usually has people think of sports teams and working together. Personally, I think the word team has a more positive connotation than the word group, which is more of a neutral connotation. It's probably because I played on sports teams growing up.
Teams are groups of people that are working toward a common goal. Because I feel this way, I often used the word team instead of group when I talked about grouping my students together.
My teams were all created based on ability. I used the pretest that I gave my students the first week of school. After I graded the pretests, I put the scores in order from highest to lowest. I then divided the number of students I had by four. I used the Kagan Cooperative Learning system for organizing my students. On the list, each student will be determined by 1 of 4 categories: High, Med-High, Med-Low, Low. For example, if I have 24 students, the top 6 will be my High students, the next 6 Med-High, etc. until I am finished assigning the students.
Ideally, you will have teams of 4. That always doesn't work out. Go for teams of 5 over 3 and teams of 3 over 6. 5 is the maximum amount of students you want in a team. Grouping teams based on ability is better than by grouping by behavior. BUT, do what you have to. You need to have control of your classroom before you can effectively teach.
When students are in their groups, assign them a partner letter or number. I used partners: A, B, C, D. I just did it from where they were sitting. I even had each desk labeled at the beginning of the school year! Another thing: Where you arrange your team members is important. They will be working with each other and in pairs. We used face partners (the person sitting across from you) and shoulder partners (the person sitting next to you). Never partner your High with your Low.
The seating arrangement should go like this:
Face Partners: High-Medium High; Medium Low- Low
Shoulder Partners: High-Medium Low; Medium High-Low
I wish I could draw a diagram on here. Sorry, but just remember that High and Low NEVER partner together.
Last, but not least, do some team building exercises after you get your teams together. If you want them to work together well, they need to be comfortable with each other. Have them make goals together; do a get-to-know-you activity, create a team name together, make a team cheer and encourage them to become friends. I know it sounds corny, but the more comfortable students are in their learning environment, the better they learn. And when they get too comfortable and start talking too much, you know it's time to switch it up. :)
I also cannot stress how important it is for students to become properly social with others. I think this is huge. Character education is shoved aside so often now because of standards and the rushing to teach curriculum. When students are in teams, they learn to work with others and hopefully, eventually, understand that the world is not about them alone, but about others just as much. I hope that in the running around and teaching students day after day, that teachers remember that students are also kids that need social interaction.
I highly recommend the Kagan Structures Seminars for teachers of all ages. A wealth of knowledge is found in these seminars and well worth the time spent!
Student Assessments and Feedback
Because of the state of affairs in a country at the moment, I believe every single state has a state test that they give to measure how well the students,teachers, schools and states are meeting national standards.
I don't know how many people actually like state testing, but I do know that it can be used an effective tool in helping our students progress. Yeah, I just said that state testing can be effective. There are so many issues and arguments about state testing, but I will not get into it here!
Before your school year starts, it's likely that you'll get class lists (hopefully) AND if you're lucky, you may even get a print out of student's test scores from the previous year or years. If you happen to get that list, please please please look at it before the school year starts!
By knowing how well a student has done the previous year on a test, you will be able to anticipate what they need to work on and what they just need a basic review on. SERIOUSLY, this is huge. Imagine you walk into class on the first day of school, and you have a decent idea of where every student is at in your content area. There are issues with state tests, but they do give you a general feel of a student's progress.
Another thing I am going to say: Give your students a pretest. Make it on what they will be learning either the semester or throughout the year. And, again, type up the results.
My last year of teaching, I gave my students a pretest and I made a list, from highest score to the lowest score of all the students. Based on this knowledge, I then put students into teams.
And last, but not least with student assessments: tell them their scores. Pull them aside and have individual conferences with them. I gave students a print out of this: Student Feedback. This details test scores and shows students what they need to improve in. I've had several students that used to keep these in the front of their clear binders, displaying proudly their test scores!
I don't know how many people actually like state testing, but I do know that it can be used an effective tool in helping our students progress. Yeah, I just said that state testing can be effective. There are so many issues and arguments about state testing, but I will not get into it here!
Before your school year starts, it's likely that you'll get class lists (hopefully) AND if you're lucky, you may even get a print out of student's test scores from the previous year or years. If you happen to get that list, please please please look at it before the school year starts!
By knowing how well a student has done the previous year on a test, you will be able to anticipate what they need to work on and what they just need a basic review on. SERIOUSLY, this is huge. Imagine you walk into class on the first day of school, and you have a decent idea of where every student is at in your content area. There are issues with state tests, but they do give you a general feel of a student's progress.
Another thing I am going to say: Give your students a pretest. Make it on what they will be learning either the semester or throughout the year. And, again, type up the results.
My last year of teaching, I gave my students a pretest and I made a list, from highest score to the lowest score of all the students. Based on this knowledge, I then put students into teams.
And last, but not least with student assessments: tell them their scores. Pull them aside and have individual conferences with them. I gave students a print out of this: Student Feedback. This details test scores and shows students what they need to improve in. I've had several students that used to keep these in the front of their clear binders, displaying proudly their test scores!
"I do it---We do it---You do it." Giving Directions only Once!
Have you ever given directions or told somebody something only to look at them and see their eyes staring off into space?
Have you ever asked somebody to do something and five minutes later, it's still not done?
I loved teaching middle school. But this happened so much. I think a lot of times, teachers expect middle school students who are older than elementary aged kids to be able to listen and behave better. What people don't understand is everything that students are going through. Sometimes there are issues at home or at school with friends; and in the case of almost all middle school kids, there is something going on with their bodies that can be awfully distracting.
So, when the time comes for you to give directions or instructions, how do you do it? I remember I've been so frustrated before when I told students their assignment, only to have to go to every single student in the class and explain it individually.
Here are some tips that I learned through the years that help me:
1) Have the directions written out some place that all students can see (on the white board or SmartBoard)
2) Break the directions down into steps. (Step 1, Step 2)
3) When you read each step, make the class chorally read with you.
4) Do each step at a time. Show the students how you will do it. Ask the students in class to tell you what to write on an example. Give the students the direction to do it themselves.
5) Check for understanding by monitoring.
Sometimes giving directions can be really time consuming, but if you're doing a big project or class assignment, you can afford the time to take 5 minutes to give directions. You probably don't want to take the time to give directions like this to students who are answering comprehension questions. When you do a new type of assignment though, this is a really good idea. Remember: Teaching your students how to do everything in your classroom will result in less frustration for you and your students. It will also help you manage and teach your classroom more efficiently. Good luck!
Have you ever asked somebody to do something and five minutes later, it's still not done?
I loved teaching middle school. But this happened so much. I think a lot of times, teachers expect middle school students who are older than elementary aged kids to be able to listen and behave better. What people don't understand is everything that students are going through. Sometimes there are issues at home or at school with friends; and in the case of almost all middle school kids, there is something going on with their bodies that can be awfully distracting.
So, when the time comes for you to give directions or instructions, how do you do it? I remember I've been so frustrated before when I told students their assignment, only to have to go to every single student in the class and explain it individually.
Here are some tips that I learned through the years that help me:
1) Have the directions written out some place that all students can see (on the white board or SmartBoard)
2) Break the directions down into steps. (Step 1, Step 2)
3) When you read each step, make the class chorally read with you.
4) Do each step at a time. Show the students how you will do it. Ask the students in class to tell you what to write on an example. Give the students the direction to do it themselves.
5) Check for understanding by monitoring.
Sometimes giving directions can be really time consuming, but if you're doing a big project or class assignment, you can afford the time to take 5 minutes to give directions. You probably don't want to take the time to give directions like this to students who are answering comprehension questions. When you do a new type of assignment though, this is a really good idea. Remember: Teaching your students how to do everything in your classroom will result in less frustration for you and your students. It will also help you manage and teach your classroom more efficiently. Good luck!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Procedures and Routines to Consider--The Basics
A few ideas for procedures/routines in your classroom.
Entering the Classroom---Do you want them to come in the room in a line? Do they go straight to their desks or do they get their supplies first? My students were supposed to wait in a line until I told them they could come in. When they entered the room, they would come in quietly, go to their seats, take out their supplies and start their bell work. If students came in too loudly, we practiced again and again and again and again until they got it right.
Starting Class (bell work)---Most teachers and teaching experts agree that having a bell work assignment is best in getting your class settled and on task to learn. My bell work was usually a review of the work from the day before. Students should be able to finish their bell work within 5 minutes. You don't want bell work to go on forever. It's happened to me where we've discussed the students' bell work assignment and I look at the clock and cringe because the rest of my lesson will be rushed. This should not be the most important part of your lesson!
Getting textbooks--My students were in teams, pairs or rows. I excused parts of the classroom (1 row, 1 group or 4 pairs) at a time to get their text books. When they were done, I excused another part of the class until everyone had their books.
Turning in homework--Homework was always tricky for me. I usually assigned homework, always due on Friday. On Friday, during bell work, I would have students take out their homework and putting it on the left hand corner of their desk. I would walk around, and while monitoring students, would stamp their work. This way I knew that these students turned in their homework on time. I then excused the students one row or team at a time to turn in their homework. For the homework, I had in-trays for each class period. Sometimes the students would get lazy, and put their work in a different period's tray. If this happened, I would reteach the procedure and, if one student specifically was bad about it, I would take them aside and talk to them about it. I usually didn't have too many problems though.
Getting supplies--Supplies were usually in a specific spot. I had a table at the front of the classroom where I put all the supplies I needed for the day. I then told the students, one row or team at a time, to go and get the supplies they needed to bring back to their group. When students worked independently, I was more relaxed about them getting their supplies as long as they did it quickly and were on task! Sometimes that was a huge struggle though!
Passing out papers--If it seems that I didn't do anything in the classroom, it's not true. I did teach. BUT, I let the students work also. I kept papers in a pile at the table in the front of the room. I told the students "One person from each row, get enough papers for your row." The students took turns getting the papers from the front of the room and passing them out to everyone else.
Passing back work--I kept student's graded work in a crate. Each class period had a hanging file folder, and I just put their work when it was graded. I then had students that finished their work early (usually toward the end of the class period), pass out the papers to everyone else in class. If there was a student that wasn't there that day, the students just put their paper back in the correct folder.
Sharpening Pencils--When do you let them sharpen their pencils? I was never strict about students sharpening their pencils, as long as it wasn't when I was teaching or other students were talking. I told them to sharpen their pencils at the beginning of class. Some students use it as an excuse to dawdle and talk to their friends. So, I also told the students that there was only one person allowed to be at the pencil sharpener at a time. I also told the students that they needed to raise their hand in order to sharpen their pencils.
Going to the restroom--The good old restroom. So many students like to use the restroom as an excuse to leave the room and avoid class. And sometimes to meet up with buddies or girlfriends or boyfriends. So, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, have a sign out sheet. Teach the students that they need to ask to go the bathroom, sign the sheet with their name and the time that they left. They should also have a pass. If possible, try to give students an allotment each semester for "free" bathroom passes. Maybe 5 a semester is a good number? It all depends on you.
Second of all, make sure that your students know the appropriate time to use the restroom. I always told my students that the appropriate time to go to the restroom was when I was NOT teaching. A lot of times, unless the students have a health issue, they are fine with "holding it" until the end of the class period. I often told students, "When you finish working on this, then you can go." Most of the time, the students forgot they even asked me. If the students finished their work and remembered to ask me again, then I let them go. There are, of course, times with real emergencies. I always thought it would be hard to distinguish between a kid faking it and a kid that really needs to go. Honestly, you'll know the difference.
Classroom discussion/Answering questions--- Students need to raise their hands when answering questions in a whole class discussion. This is extremely important, otherwise students will believe that it's okay to shout out. Choral answers and reading are completely okay as long as students are taught how to do it properly.
Working in Groups--- This routine will differ with each teacher depending on their personality. But the important thing is this: If you want your students to work successfully in teams, they NEED to be taught how to work in teams. Tell them your expectations before they start working. I always told students that every student had to have their own paper, the noise level couldn't get too loud and if they were goofing off they got one warning from me to go back on task. I tell students beforehand what the consequence: I call it team or partner probation. I will break up the groups and partners and they can't work together for the rest of the assignment. And sometimes, if the kids are super naughty, they can't work with that certain friend of theirs that makes them want to act naughty.
Working in Pairs--Same as above!
Working independently-- Solo time or independent time means students are to be working by themselves. I didn't do this a lot, because I think 7th graders work best in a social settings by teaching and helping each other. I also want to add that I did play music in the background when students were working. I told my students that as long as I could hear the music, the noise level was okay.
Cleaning up the classroom and Class Dismissal--- Cleaning up the classroom is important. I got in trouble from the custodian my first year of teaching for having a dirty classroom. I was too exhausted at the end of the school day to make my students clean up. After I got a scary notice from the custodians, I made my students clean up for me. I wouldn't let anyone leave until the classroom floor was spotless. Sometimes I told students to each pick up 5 pieces of trash before they left. Making your students clean up after themselves after each class period will really help you keep your room tidy.
On another note, just putting supplies away can take a long time for students. They like to dawdle and talk. I always waited until there were just a few minutes of class left to have my students clean up. Just make sure that you watch the time. There have been COUNTLESS times that I have lost track of time and we are chaotically scrambling to clean up.
I also liked to make students sit in their seats until I told them they could leave. I was kind of bratty, but at the beginning of the year I would tell my students: "I dismiss you, not the bell." Sometimes students would be a little eager to leave. I would just gently remind them to sit back down and I usually made them wait until everyone else had left, to prove a point to them.
Remember, the key to any successful procedure is practice, practice and more practice!
If you have any other procedures/ comments please tell me so I can add them in! Also, I will be getting two new awesome contributors to this blog to give another point of view, so you're not just hearing from me!
Entering the Classroom---Do you want them to come in the room in a line? Do they go straight to their desks or do they get their supplies first? My students were supposed to wait in a line until I told them they could come in. When they entered the room, they would come in quietly, go to their seats, take out their supplies and start their bell work. If students came in too loudly, we practiced again and again and again and again until they got it right.
Starting Class (bell work)---Most teachers and teaching experts agree that having a bell work assignment is best in getting your class settled and on task to learn. My bell work was usually a review of the work from the day before. Students should be able to finish their bell work within 5 minutes. You don't want bell work to go on forever. It's happened to me where we've discussed the students' bell work assignment and I look at the clock and cringe because the rest of my lesson will be rushed. This should not be the most important part of your lesson!
Getting textbooks--My students were in teams, pairs or rows. I excused parts of the classroom (1 row, 1 group or 4 pairs) at a time to get their text books. When they were done, I excused another part of the class until everyone had their books.
Turning in homework--Homework was always tricky for me. I usually assigned homework, always due on Friday. On Friday, during bell work, I would have students take out their homework and putting it on the left hand corner of their desk. I would walk around, and while monitoring students, would stamp their work. This way I knew that these students turned in their homework on time. I then excused the students one row or team at a time to turn in their homework. For the homework, I had in-trays for each class period. Sometimes the students would get lazy, and put their work in a different period's tray. If this happened, I would reteach the procedure and, if one student specifically was bad about it, I would take them aside and talk to them about it. I usually didn't have too many problems though.
Getting supplies--Supplies were usually in a specific spot. I had a table at the front of the classroom where I put all the supplies I needed for the day. I then told the students, one row or team at a time, to go and get the supplies they needed to bring back to their group. When students worked independently, I was more relaxed about them getting their supplies as long as they did it quickly and were on task! Sometimes that was a huge struggle though!
Passing out papers--If it seems that I didn't do anything in the classroom, it's not true. I did teach. BUT, I let the students work also. I kept papers in a pile at the table in the front of the room. I told the students "One person from each row, get enough papers for your row." The students took turns getting the papers from the front of the room and passing them out to everyone else.
Passing back work--I kept student's graded work in a crate. Each class period had a hanging file folder, and I just put their work when it was graded. I then had students that finished their work early (usually toward the end of the class period), pass out the papers to everyone else in class. If there was a student that wasn't there that day, the students just put their paper back in the correct folder.
Sharpening Pencils--When do you let them sharpen their pencils? I was never strict about students sharpening their pencils, as long as it wasn't when I was teaching or other students were talking. I told them to sharpen their pencils at the beginning of class. Some students use it as an excuse to dawdle and talk to their friends. So, I also told the students that there was only one person allowed to be at the pencil sharpener at a time. I also told the students that they needed to raise their hand in order to sharpen their pencils.
Going to the restroom--The good old restroom. So many students like to use the restroom as an excuse to leave the room and avoid class. And sometimes to meet up with buddies or girlfriends or boyfriends. So, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, have a sign out sheet. Teach the students that they need to ask to go the bathroom, sign the sheet with their name and the time that they left. They should also have a pass. If possible, try to give students an allotment each semester for "free" bathroom passes. Maybe 5 a semester is a good number? It all depends on you.
Second of all, make sure that your students know the appropriate time to use the restroom. I always told my students that the appropriate time to go to the restroom was when I was NOT teaching. A lot of times, unless the students have a health issue, they are fine with "holding it" until the end of the class period. I often told students, "When you finish working on this, then you can go." Most of the time, the students forgot they even asked me. If the students finished their work and remembered to ask me again, then I let them go. There are, of course, times with real emergencies. I always thought it would be hard to distinguish between a kid faking it and a kid that really needs to go. Honestly, you'll know the difference.
Classroom discussion/Answering questions--- Students need to raise their hands when answering questions in a whole class discussion. This is extremely important, otherwise students will believe that it's okay to shout out. Choral answers and reading are completely okay as long as students are taught how to do it properly.
Working in Groups--- This routine will differ with each teacher depending on their personality. But the important thing is this: If you want your students to work successfully in teams, they NEED to be taught how to work in teams. Tell them your expectations before they start working. I always told students that every student had to have their own paper, the noise level couldn't get too loud and if they were goofing off they got one warning from me to go back on task. I tell students beforehand what the consequence: I call it team or partner probation. I will break up the groups and partners and they can't work together for the rest of the assignment. And sometimes, if the kids are super naughty, they can't work with that certain friend of theirs that makes them want to act naughty.
Working in Pairs--Same as above!
Working independently-- Solo time or independent time means students are to be working by themselves. I didn't do this a lot, because I think 7th graders work best in a social settings by teaching and helping each other. I also want to add that I did play music in the background when students were working. I told my students that as long as I could hear the music, the noise level was okay.
Cleaning up the classroom and Class Dismissal--- Cleaning up the classroom is important. I got in trouble from the custodian my first year of teaching for having a dirty classroom. I was too exhausted at the end of the school day to make my students clean up. After I got a scary notice from the custodians, I made my students clean up for me. I wouldn't let anyone leave until the classroom floor was spotless. Sometimes I told students to each pick up 5 pieces of trash before they left. Making your students clean up after themselves after each class period will really help you keep your room tidy.
On another note, just putting supplies away can take a long time for students. They like to dawdle and talk. I always waited until there were just a few minutes of class left to have my students clean up. Just make sure that you watch the time. There have been COUNTLESS times that I have lost track of time and we are chaotically scrambling to clean up.
I also liked to make students sit in their seats until I told them they could leave. I was kind of bratty, but at the beginning of the year I would tell my students: "I dismiss you, not the bell." Sometimes students would be a little eager to leave. I would just gently remind them to sit back down and I usually made them wait until everyone else had left, to prove a point to them.
Remember, the key to any successful procedure is practice, practice and more practice!
If you have any other procedures/ comments please tell me so I can add them in! Also, I will be getting two new awesome contributors to this blog to give another point of view, so you're not just hearing from me!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Organizing the Classroom: Routines and Procedures
Organization... Organization... Organization...
Do you have to be super organized to be a master teacher? Probably not.
Will it help you stay sane, get your school year on the right track and make your life a whole lot easier? Yes. Most definitely.
I've always been a fairly organized person. But it takes a completely different level of preparedness and organization to efficiently teach middle school students.
You literally have to plan out how everything will be run in your classroom, from how students will get papers (do you have one student hand them out? Do you hand them out?) and sharpening pencils (when are they allowed to sharpen pencils? Do they raise their hand or just get up?) to lining up for fire drills (no, it's not okay to run, screaming from the room) and dismissal from your classroom. If you're lucky, you'll have a team that you work with, and there's a good chance that you will have some common procedures.
And the best part about figuring out all of this stuff, is you have to effectively teach, and have your students practice these procedures. After enough practice, they will become routines.
And you have to keep teaching those routines and procedures. Just learning them once at the beginning of the year is not enough. They probably weren't listening the first time anyway!
In preparation for the beginning of new school year, here is a check list of things to do. I will post specifically about successful and not-so successful routines and procedures that I practiced in my classrooms.
1) Figure out your classroom set up.
Groups, rows or pairs? Seriously, this is important. The first step to getting your routines and procedures set up is knowing the physical layout of your classroom. And this can be tricky. Make sure that you have enough room in between desks. Make sure that you have an area for students that have a harder time staying on task. And make sure that you have an area for you to pull students for individual conferences. Individual and detailed feedback is extremely important for student success. Draw out your classroom map on a piece of paper in pencil. Ideally, you should draw a new map every time you move desks or your room around.
2) Give yourself a budget and make a list.
Make yourself a list of any supplies that you need for the school year. If you're lucky, and the school pays for you or provides you with all your supplies, then you don't have to worry too much about a budget. Some of the things to keep in mind for helping you and your students stay organized are folders. The folders that were found in my classroom were: file folders, hanging file folders, portfolio folders (with the pocket on the inside), and binders. Also, pencil boxes, baskets and/or boxes are wonderful to have for organizing supplies, such as scissors, coloring pencils, crayons, glue sticks and index cards. Crates and boxes are wonderful for holding folders containing student work, class folders, absent or make up work and graded work.
Most stores have AWESOME back to school sales in the summer. Keep an eye out especially for Staples ads. They used to have Penny Sales when I was teaching. Other good places to shop for organization supplies are: Target, Wal Mart, and Dollar Tree.
3) Start writing your procedures and routines.
Honestly, write them out. Don't just say "I'll just remember to teach the kids that they need to come in quietly." Write it down as a note for yourself so you won't forget. On the first day of school, most teachers are as nervous as their students. You're bound to forget it if you don't write it down. When you start writing down your routines and procedures, start thinking of how you're going to teach it to your students and ways to enforce the routine. I would also consider prioritizing your list. Which procedures will take longer to teach? Which ones are the more important routines? Which routines can students wait to learn about?
4) Ask other teachers for help.
Teachers are really good at copying each other. And most teachers part willingly with the things that work for them. But what may work for one teacher, won't necessarily work for another. We all have different personalities, and I know that there are some things that I see people do really well, that would have been a complete disaster in my own classroom.
The key is consistency. We should be constantly improving ourselves. Be consistent in your routines and procedures. If something is not working for you, don't be afraid to ask for help. A lot of teachers don't suggest ways to help struggling teachers because they're afraid that they'll offend said teacher.
Don't be too proud. When it all comes down to it, it's really about the students, not you. And if you're not teaching what you're supposed to because the students haven't learned the procedures or you haven't enforced them enough, you are at fault. I've been there, and it's tough. But keep going and remember the better prepared you are before the first day of school, the easier your school year will be.
Tomorrow I will be posting a list of the procedures and routines that I used in my classroom. Enjoy!
Do you have to be super organized to be a master teacher? Probably not.
Will it help you stay sane, get your school year on the right track and make your life a whole lot easier? Yes. Most definitely.
I've always been a fairly organized person. But it takes a completely different level of preparedness and organization to efficiently teach middle school students.
You literally have to plan out how everything will be run in your classroom, from how students will get papers (do you have one student hand them out? Do you hand them out?) and sharpening pencils (when are they allowed to sharpen pencils? Do they raise their hand or just get up?) to lining up for fire drills (no, it's not okay to run, screaming from the room) and dismissal from your classroom. If you're lucky, you'll have a team that you work with, and there's a good chance that you will have some common procedures.
And the best part about figuring out all of this stuff, is you have to effectively teach, and have your students practice these procedures. After enough practice, they will become routines.
And you have to keep teaching those routines and procedures. Just learning them once at the beginning of the year is not enough. They probably weren't listening the first time anyway!
In preparation for the beginning of new school year, here is a check list of things to do. I will post specifically about successful and not-so successful routines and procedures that I practiced in my classrooms.
1) Figure out your classroom set up.
Groups, rows or pairs? Seriously, this is important. The first step to getting your routines and procedures set up is knowing the physical layout of your classroom. And this can be tricky. Make sure that you have enough room in between desks. Make sure that you have an area for students that have a harder time staying on task. And make sure that you have an area for you to pull students for individual conferences. Individual and detailed feedback is extremely important for student success. Draw out your classroom map on a piece of paper in pencil. Ideally, you should draw a new map every time you move desks or your room around.
2) Give yourself a budget and make a list.
Make yourself a list of any supplies that you need for the school year. If you're lucky, and the school pays for you or provides you with all your supplies, then you don't have to worry too much about a budget. Some of the things to keep in mind for helping you and your students stay organized are folders. The folders that were found in my classroom were: file folders, hanging file folders, portfolio folders (with the pocket on the inside), and binders. Also, pencil boxes, baskets and/or boxes are wonderful to have for organizing supplies, such as scissors, coloring pencils, crayons, glue sticks and index cards. Crates and boxes are wonderful for holding folders containing student work, class folders, absent or make up work and graded work.
Most stores have AWESOME back to school sales in the summer. Keep an eye out especially for Staples ads. They used to have Penny Sales when I was teaching. Other good places to shop for organization supplies are: Target, Wal Mart, and Dollar Tree.
3) Start writing your procedures and routines.
Honestly, write them out. Don't just say "I'll just remember to teach the kids that they need to come in quietly." Write it down as a note for yourself so you won't forget. On the first day of school, most teachers are as nervous as their students. You're bound to forget it if you don't write it down. When you start writing down your routines and procedures, start thinking of how you're going to teach it to your students and ways to enforce the routine. I would also consider prioritizing your list. Which procedures will take longer to teach? Which ones are the more important routines? Which routines can students wait to learn about?
4) Ask other teachers for help.
Teachers are really good at copying each other. And most teachers part willingly with the things that work for them. But what may work for one teacher, won't necessarily work for another. We all have different personalities, and I know that there are some things that I see people do really well, that would have been a complete disaster in my own classroom.
The key is consistency. We should be constantly improving ourselves. Be consistent in your routines and procedures. If something is not working for you, don't be afraid to ask for help. A lot of teachers don't suggest ways to help struggling teachers because they're afraid that they'll offend said teacher.
Don't be too proud. When it all comes down to it, it's really about the students, not you. And if you're not teaching what you're supposed to because the students haven't learned the procedures or you haven't enforced them enough, you are at fault. I've been there, and it's tough. But keep going and remember the better prepared you are before the first day of school, the easier your school year will be.
Tomorrow I will be posting a list of the procedures and routines that I used in my classroom. Enjoy!
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