Every teacher has a similar struggle each day. The struggle starts with a question. How can I reach a particular student, group of students, or even that entire class? Some people would label those students as the tough ones. They are disenfranchised at best. Often they are just plain angry.How am I supposed to get through to them and make them care about my class? I don't care if it is your first year or your twenty-ninth year. We've all been there.
Many days, to quote my students, "the struggle is real". Those struggling students misbehave, try to sleep, ask to go to the restroom multiple times, or simply refuse to do the work. Sometimes they sit at their desks and glare at you when you ask them to pick up a pencil or reply to a question. Other times, they are downright unruly and do their best to get tossed out of your class. And yet, you keep trying. Failing. And trying again. Most days you walk out of the building exhausted. Some days you are ready to apply as a greeter at Wal-Mart because, clearly, teaching isn't your gift. Yet, you walk back in to your classroom the next day ready to try again. Why? Well, it turns out, teaching IS your gift.
And then one day, something magical happens. During a conference, the mother of one of your struggling students says that her child loves your class. In fact, she says you are one of the few teachers that "get him" and that you make reading a book seem easy. You quickly pick your jaw up off the table. You had no idea you were getting through to this student. Actually, you were certain he wasn't even listening to you during class.
As you float out of the conference feeling good about the mother's comment and your teaching skills, you begin your analysis. What was it that made him cue into your class? Maybe it was the fact that you always speak to him in the hall even though he rarely responds in return. Or maybe it was because you don't let him get away with saying "I don't understand", shoving his paper aside, and pulling out his phone to escape from doing work. Maybe it is the fact that you give him challenging work and believe he can do it. Or it could be the fact that you invited him back to class like nothing happened after he was suspended.
You know if you could just figure out the formula that worked with this student, you could reach the others. Then maybe you could write that book that becomes required reading at every teacher prep program across the nation. If only it worked that way.
The reality is that we work with human beings. That means our work is unpredictable. Just because this student thinks you "get him" today doesn't guarantee that he won't glare at you tomorrow or tell you that you "expect too much". And, even if you have won this student over permanently, there are still others you need to reach.
That's when the struggle starts all over again.
Showing posts with label Classroom Reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Classroom Reflection. Show all posts
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Come to the Edge
During the first few weeks of school, I make a focused effort to get to know my students and to build a sense of community. This year I wanted to do something that would connect all of my classes to one another. So, I decided to adopt a poem as our yearlong theme. After all, I am an English teacher.
Each year I tell my students that I am training them like an athlete. I take them through reading, writing, and speaking training exercises. Each lesson I craft is designed to help their muscles remember what to do when the time comes to perform. And, like a coach, I will ask them to do things that are difficult and sometimes out of their comfort level. The productive struggle, I tell them, is all a part of the training. In the end, I promise them that they will be better writers, readers, and speakers.
Last week I introduced the poem "Come to the Edge" by Christopher Logue to my students. I asked them to read and annotate the poem. The only direction I gave them was to tell them that I have chosen this poem as our yearlong theme. Here is the text of the poem:
Each year I tell my students that I am training them like an athlete. I take them through reading, writing, and speaking training exercises. Each lesson I craft is designed to help their muscles remember what to do when the time comes to perform. And, like a coach, I will ask them to do things that are difficult and sometimes out of their comfort level. The productive struggle, I tell them, is all a part of the training. In the end, I promise them that they will be better writers, readers, and speakers.
Last week I introduced the poem "Come to the Edge" by Christopher Logue to my students. I asked them to read and annotate the poem. The only direction I gave them was to tell them that I have chosen this poem as our yearlong theme. Here is the text of the poem:
Come to The Edge
by Christopher Logue
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and we pushed,
And they flew.
I was amazed by their responses. Some students thought the "edge" was a cliff and others thought it meant the edge of their confidence. Yet others thought the "edge" was the end of their abilities. The poem has given us a sense of community. Students good-naturedly tease one another about "coming to the edge" when someone begins to sigh about a particular assignment. In the hallway, I have overheard students explaining the poem to their friends. A couple of students have suggested we make t-shirts with our theme poem on it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and look forward to the many ways we can use the poem this year. I shared with students that I am coming to the edge of my comfort level by trying new things professionally--a new blog, being a club sponsor, and speaking up for my profession. The other day when I made a vague reference to my new blog and how I wasn't sure if anyone thought it was worth reading, one of my students said I should keep going to the edge until I was able to fly. Point taken. I love when my students become the teachers.
Come join us this year. Find a way to connect to your students, co-workers, and family.
Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and we pushed,
And they flew.
I was amazed by their responses. Some students thought the "edge" was a cliff and others thought it meant the edge of their confidence. Yet others thought the "edge" was the end of their abilities. The poem has given us a sense of community. Students good-naturedly tease one another about "coming to the edge" when someone begins to sigh about a particular assignment. In the hallway, I have overheard students explaining the poem to their friends. A couple of students have suggested we make t-shirts with our theme poem on it.
I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversations and look forward to the many ways we can use the poem this year. I shared with students that I am coming to the edge of my comfort level by trying new things professionally--a new blog, being a club sponsor, and speaking up for my profession. The other day when I made a vague reference to my new blog and how I wasn't sure if anyone thought it was worth reading, one of my students said I should keep going to the edge until I was able to fly. Point taken. I love when my students become the teachers.
Come join us this year. Find a way to connect to your students, co-workers, and family.
Come to the edge.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Teaching. It's Personal.
My thirteenth year of teaching officially began August 15th. I excitedly stood outside my classroom door and greeted all of my students--probably a bit too exuberantly for my still-sleepy high school students. It was an important first interaction with them.
This practice seems like such a small thing--to greet them positively at the door each day. Yet, I have found that it is a really important part of creating a healthy classroom environment. For me, teaching is personal. Getting to know my students is a major part of classroom success during the school year. This short interaction between classes is an opportunity I can't afford to miss.
Likewise, I strive to learn my students' names as soon as possible. My goal is to know all of their names after the first three days of class. I use whiteboard name tents and ask the students to draw or write something down that will help me remember them. As the students are working, I walk around and interact with them, asking lots of questions. The students laugh when they catch me repeating their names over and over as they work. Then I ask students to come up to me in the hallway and quiz me. It's a game the students enjoy every year.
Another important part of creating a positive classroom environment is connecting to my students outside of the classroom. Throughout the school year I attend my students games, performances, and awards ceremonies. Students and their families really appreciate it when I show up with my family in tow.
The connections I make with my students helps them trust me and recognize that I care about them. That connection helps them persevere in my class when I ask them to do tough work. It helps them hear my voice in the hallway when they are about to make a bad choice. It helps them receive my instruction, correction, and redirection. It is why students will do their best on the state-mandated tests when they would rather draw hand turkeys.
Teaching isn't only about what happens in the classroom. It's personal. I have already begun laying the ground work for this year. I can't wait to get to get to know my students as the year goes on.
This practice seems like such a small thing--to greet them positively at the door each day. Yet, I have found that it is a really important part of creating a healthy classroom environment. For me, teaching is personal. Getting to know my students is a major part of classroom success during the school year. This short interaction between classes is an opportunity I can't afford to miss.
Likewise, I strive to learn my students' names as soon as possible. My goal is to know all of their names after the first three days of class. I use whiteboard name tents and ask the students to draw or write something down that will help me remember them. As the students are working, I walk around and interact with them, asking lots of questions. The students laugh when they catch me repeating their names over and over as they work. Then I ask students to come up to me in the hallway and quiz me. It's a game the students enjoy every year.
Another important part of creating a positive classroom environment is connecting to my students outside of the classroom. Throughout the school year I attend my students games, performances, and awards ceremonies. Students and their families really appreciate it when I show up with my family in tow.
The connections I make with my students helps them trust me and recognize that I care about them. That connection helps them persevere in my class when I ask them to do tough work. It helps them hear my voice in the hallway when they are about to make a bad choice. It helps them receive my instruction, correction, and redirection. It is why students will do their best on the state-mandated tests when they would rather draw hand turkeys.
Teaching isn't only about what happens in the classroom. It's personal. I have already begun laying the ground work for this year. I can't wait to get to get to know my students as the year goes on.
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