It's nice when you hit your stride. Now that I feel really comfortable with my students as a whole, I am getting to know them on a more personal level. The resume/interview block day class was a success. One student from first period even returned during fifth. I asked her why she was there and she told me, "today's class was really good. I want to do it again." That's a moment I won't ever forget.
Now I am working on wrapping things up -- my juniors are reading Catcher and we are having an awesome time with it. I have so many resources and ideas that I have to be selective with what I teach. It's a really nice feeling. Unfortunately for my seniors, Siddhartha is a bit more tricky; with a handful of mundane resources, I am doing a lot of creating. I can't get lazy, though -- I planned a lot of cool stuff with The Stranger and my seniors are counting on me! So here are the lessons I am excited to teach:
-- I will present this novel more as a window and mirror than a closed book. I intend to inspire students to use it as a tool of reflection.
--After reading most chapters, students will journal. The prompt will always ask students to reflect on their personal lives. Of course, the prompt will also compliment what is going on in Siddhartha's life. For instance: Reflect! Siddhartha says he has “become distrustful of teaching and learning.” You have been in school for more than 12 years; can you relate to Siddhartha’s mentality? Why or why not?
--Nearly half-way through the novel I will lecture on the Hero's Journey. This way, students can engage in a problem-solving based activity where they chart Siddhartha's journey so far.
--We will analyze songs or other pieces of writing inspired by the novel.
And so on and so forth. Still, I am quite hungry for more exciting activities. Advice is welcome!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Outside Interview
The last two weeks before spring break were awesome; I had cracked the code and solved the mystery of teaching seniors. My seniors were laughing with me, writing better, and actually reading the novel (wow!). My standing at the door and greeting them made them smile, and I was learning more about their hobbies, pasts, and aspirations.
However, spring break has come and gone. Now my juniors and seniors seem to have a case of spring fever, senioritis, and I-don't-know-what. I have noticed more attitudes and unhappiness among students. Today, as students were working on a thesis workshop, I took one student outside for an "interview." I started things off by complimenting him to set the tone positively. I then explained to him why his behavior was inappropriate. We talked some more and then I asked him how I could help him. His response was "I don't know, now you probably don't like me." This made me so sad.
"Of course I like you!" I told him! I was unsure if his confession was an act of manipulation or an admission, but I wasn't willing to risk it. I explained to him that I wouldn't take the time to talk to him like this if I didn't care. It made me sad though because I think that teaching is all about caring. If there is anything I can hang my hat on at the end of the day, it is that I truly care about my students and their successes and struggles. But I can't feel good knowing that even one student might think I don't care about him.
With that said, I am on a mission to make sure that every student knows it. I had my students write a journal describing their spring breaks (don't worry -- it was standards driven, too. They used metaphors, similes, personification, and imagery). I spent a few hours writing detailed comments on every journal. I wrote several questions as well. As I passed back the journals, many students answered my questions with excitement and enthusiasm. It worked.
Tomorrow is a new day and I cannot wait to teach: I am devoting the block day to a resume workshop! I am going to discuss some of my stories (and snafoos) with job interviews and resumes. Another way to show your students you care? Tell them an embarassing story about yourself. Hey -- at least it gets their attention.
However, spring break has come and gone. Now my juniors and seniors seem to have a case of spring fever, senioritis, and I-don't-know-what. I have noticed more attitudes and unhappiness among students. Today, as students were working on a thesis workshop, I took one student outside for an "interview." I started things off by complimenting him to set the tone positively. I then explained to him why his behavior was inappropriate. We talked some more and then I asked him how I could help him. His response was "I don't know, now you probably don't like me." This made me so sad.
"Of course I like you!" I told him! I was unsure if his confession was an act of manipulation or an admission, but I wasn't willing to risk it. I explained to him that I wouldn't take the time to talk to him like this if I didn't care. It made me sad though because I think that teaching is all about caring. If there is anything I can hang my hat on at the end of the day, it is that I truly care about my students and their successes and struggles. But I can't feel good knowing that even one student might think I don't care about him.
With that said, I am on a mission to make sure that every student knows it. I had my students write a journal describing their spring breaks (don't worry -- it was standards driven, too. They used metaphors, similes, personification, and imagery). I spent a few hours writing detailed comments on every journal. I wrote several questions as well. As I passed back the journals, many students answered my questions with excitement and enthusiasm. It worked.
Tomorrow is a new day and I cannot wait to teach: I am devoting the block day to a resume workshop! I am going to discuss some of my stories (and snafoos) with job interviews and resumes. Another way to show your students you care? Tell them an embarassing story about yourself. Hey -- at least it gets their attention.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)