Strahan, et al describe three distinctly different classrooms. Let's talk about them.
What are the advantages and potential problems of involving students in decision making? Suggest some traditions and rituals that you might consider for your classroom to recognize and celebrate student accomplishments. Suggest ways to involve the community in your own teaching.
Talk about Jay's and Betty's classrooms if it fits with your thoughts.
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Some rituals with which I engage my students include the "lightbulbs, stars, & hearts" response and if anyone wants to hear about this I will be happy to share on Wed. - I have just started a student mediation council where 3 students are chosen each month to mediate difficulties in class. Our first one occurred this week and the results were amazing!! I really like involving students in decision making as long as, like Jay Burns says, 'there is a high sense of structure and guidance'...and I would add purpose as well.(again I will be happy to share if interest...) My philosophy statement sounds lifted straight from these pages and I actually wrote it 2 weeks ago - ARRRGH :)...perhaps I should be satisfied that things I am reading underscore my beliefs! Does anyone know of the TRIBES system by Jeanne Gibbs. I will bring the book Wed. - All about learning communities. NW
ReplyDeleteI think there are many advantages in allowing students to help with decision making in the classroom. First, they take ownership and this causes more interest and engagement in the activity. Students work collaboratively and learn to listen to others, not just the teacher. They feel valued – they know they are important members of the class community. I honestly don’t think there is a downside to this. I can only think that if a teacher is the controlling type, and doesn’t like to let go of that, then it would be a problem. Also, the teacher has to be willing to follow student lead sometimes and that might be difficult. Teachers should consider goals when planning lessons and then determine if the lessons lend themselves to being open for student input. There are times when they do, and times when they don’t.
ReplyDeleteI like to encourage and honor student writing. I put up “picture pages” (pictures for creative writing) and give prompts. These are quick write activities and then students are encouraged to share their stories “Under the Spotlight.” I have a spotlight in the corner of my room (an old chicken house light actually). I darken the room and kids sit on a tall stool and share “under the spotlight.” Even students who are a bit shy want a turn and feel free to take the risk. I also have a “Bravo Memo” I send home to parents when a student has achieved something special or done something that deserves a pat on the back. It has been well received by students and families. Students in my class make a “ME” shirt. They do this the first week of school. It is simply a T-shirt cut out of poster board. The students then create a T-shirt that reflects who they are. They add pictures and text (captions). They each share their special shirt with the class. They are so proud. I then hang the shirts from the ceiling. They stay up all year long. It is amazing how many people come in to check them out. Students learn a lot about one another and make some amazing connections (helpful for friendships and newcomers). We also create an all- school bulletin board at the beginning of the year. This year’s theme, “It’s a Three Ring Circus Under the Big Top” “What’s Your Arena?” The bulletin board is decorated like a circus tent. Each student’s picture is taken on the first day. They cut out just their head and glue it onto a body they draw of themselves in some sort of circus act. It is a fun community building bulletin board. Guests in the building enjoy checking out the bulletin board, too.
Students in my class raise money through what we call the “magic penny.” This is a penny that goes home in the “Mystery Bag” (a sharing bag) with a student each day. The student brings in his or her mystery item and also the penny, which has magically grown during the night. Whatever money comes in with the penny is placed in a piggy bank. During the holidays, the students decide how this money will be spent in the community. They love this and feel so proud of what they accomplish. Another way to involve community is to invite them into the classroom to work on a project or presentation. Extending personal invitations to people (each student writes an invitation) to attend a special event or just to come for lunch always helps guests feel welcome. It is also fun to invite some of the district administrators into the classroom to join a “Literature Circle” meeting, have lunch, attend a math session, etc. Superintendents and others love to be invited.
I really liked Betty’s informal assessments - students raise hands if they thought working with the group was fun or easy, or if they learned something new. Such validation! I do something similar, but I use a “fist of five.” Students hold up a closed fist and on the count of three, flash their fist to show 1 – 5 fingers. Ex. “How do you think you worked with your group today?” Five being great down to one being not so great. Informal assessments can give a teacher good information.
ReplyDeleteJay offered his students lots of feedback. This is so important. Students want to please and they will work harder for you when they get positive feedback. Jay really employed his students as helpers and this gave them the message, “I respect you and know you can do this.” Great organizational skills.
I think that we do need to give students the opporunity to voice what they think and how to work in a community of learners...This makes student accountable and feel like they belong. I do beleive that there are times when you have to put your foot down and be the leader of the group....mixing of the two is a way to make students stronger and more envolved in the class room community....
ReplyDeleteI love giving students the chance to shine...one thing we do in the 1/2 is have a every other week Authors chair where kids writing gets celebrated...they read their work and have the others listen and give ideas....it's so much fun to see all the growth in the writing throughout the year and to see what others are working on their classrooms....I also use the document camera to show kids work to celbrate it...post in the hallway and the usual stickers and what not...I love to give kids verbal feed back on their work....I think that is respectful and to share with them that its okay to make mistakes...we all do it...and they are wonderful ways to learn.....I am always looking for new and excititng ways to help my students feel motivated and part of a caring community....
I think that giving students a choice in what they learn is so important when you can! The students are really engaged and feel valued. The down side is that often it is hard to have everyone agree on a choice or few choices. When you give choices I feel that "some" students are more likely to complain than if you just said we are doing THIS. I try to give choices at free time, in creative writing time, and even in reading groups with what kind of books we will read.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to celebrating students accomplishments I do the typical things like stars, hanging up work, verbal feed back, but I also try to send notes home to parents and have projects that culminate with a project celebrating the students learning such as a play, a math fair, or a diversity celebration. In addition I try to provide intrinsic motivation (feeling good about what they have done) as well as extrinsic motivation (reward systems) for community projects, reading logs, and behavior in the classroom.
I felt that in the article each teacher didn't do anything EXTRAORDINARY, they just followed good principals of teaching. Each had a different way to promote caring, but most teachers I feel have comparable things.
I have found that one way to create a caring learning community is to treat your students like you would treat your best friends. Not saying that you are friends or have to be... It is all about being a good person and respecting people. I have seen teachers preach, RESPECT each other, and not display that same respect. I have seen classes take on the personality of the teacher. If the personality includes respect that is displayed everyday than it often is translated in the behaviors of the students.
ReplyDeleteAt the heart of constructivist teaching is the self connection. How can the material be related to some type of prior knowledge or interest? I love the idea of giving freedoms to explore learning that is valued by the students. With ownership will come the sense of pride in the work!
Posted around our classroom are all about me posters that the students do in the beginning of the year. We do all about me bags. The students have to fill the bag with five items that best describe them, and the class has to guess who the person is based on the items.
I would venture to guess that in whatever anyone does... if they feel valued then they will work harder, be more pleasant, and more productive!
I would have to agree with Ed's posting about classrooms taking on the personality of the teacher. If teacher's model respect and care everyday and to everyone, then their students too will show respect and care for one another.
ReplyDeleteAs a new member of my cluster, I have seen many examples of caring and community in just 4 short weeks: from brief conversations everyday before class, All About Me bags and posters, quick on-the-side jokes, high fives, and weekly whole-cluster get-togethers. I believe that these rather easy methods of establishing rapport, community, and care in our classrooms have instilled a trust in our students so that they are willing to take risks and begin learning.
Like these teachers and yourselves I work very hard to create a sense of community and trust in the classroom. Adolescents are so worried about being wrong in front of others. One way I encourage student participation is by putting my homework answers on a clip on the board so students can "check" their work. Students go up in pairs to work on problems. I also use mini whiteboards to check in with students.
ReplyDeleteLike Ed I agree that students deserve respect the minute they walk through my door. I made it a policy right away to not read or listen to negative stuff about students. Now what I do do is ask which parents I need to be more proactive with. I try to soften them up by calling home with good news as soon as it happens.
I think it is imperative to involve my students in decisions because I always tell them: "This is our classroom, not just mine!" I also know that there are times when I make the decision because either the students cannot decide due to their maturity level or it is a decision that is based on my administrator's direction which I cannot question. Student Accomplishments-my favorite!! The best idea I have had is to give my students the gift of my time! I have lunch with them and bring dessert! They love that one on one and I am able to find out so much about them during our time together! I also have lots of note cards, etc. and write to my students. Our classroom has a mailbox that is very busy with letters sent and replies made! I also keep close contact with my parents through phone calls and meetings. Especially for the positives in their children's lives!!
ReplyDeleteIf this is to be an environment from which we expect learning to occur, then the students need to be part of the process. They need to have opportunities to voice their opinions, make choices and decisions that ultimately impact them. The advantages and disadvantages to this can be a paradox. For example, it is great that everyone is heard. Each person has their own perspective to add.There may be times however, that too many different perspectives may detract from the process and the cohesiveness of the student body.
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