Student Engagement
At this time of year, with the pressures of state testing either behind us (or soon to be), how do we re engage our students? There are opportunities to both reflect on what has worked so far and try some new approaches that may require some change in practice and experimentation. Both opportunities will help you keep students engaged in instruction as the year starts to wind down and also start shaping new and more developed ideas for instruction next year.
What are some new strategies you will use to engage students in instruction?
What are some interesting project ideas or instructional approaches you’ve heard about and want to try?
Behavior Management
Students enjoy classrooms with a good management plan. In fact, students desire interesting, engaging teachers who create an effective learning environment. Watch a veteran teacher who has strong management skills. Somehow, management becomes nearly invisible, and the teacher seems relaxed and confident while students appear to be engaged and learning. How do they do this? It doesn’t happen by accident. Experience helps, but one difference is a strong management plan that builds on a foundation of good teacher/student relationships, clear expectations with consequences, and thoughtful organization that empowers instruction. A strong, well-thought-out plan prevents management problems before they arise.
What intervention strategies do you use to handle student behaviors?
TEACHER APPRECIATION
Whether it be the week or throughout the year how do YOU feel appreciated for all you do? What is your favorite to give and to receive? What is the best idea you have ever seen in action to boost teacher morale?
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April is poetry month, what are your favorite poets to share with elementary aged children and how do you encourage students to write their own poems?
How do you teach opinion writing to 1st and 2nd graders? I like to use graphic organizers to help my students to organize their thoughts. I also like to introduce it with a book called Duck! Rabbit! This book really gets the students to think about why they see what they see. I also like to discuss the different seasons with my students and have them decide which one they like best. I tell them to think about what they can do, see ,eat and celebrate to help them decide on which season they like best.
What end of the year activities does your school do?
My school likes to do ABC countdowns and field day.
How do you prepare for Open House? What do you have students share or leave out for their families? What is the overall structure of your Open House? Do families stay for length of time or do they come and go?
What’s your Goal this Year?
At the beginning of every school year, effective teachers will set a goal for themself. Why? Setting a goal gives you a purpose and can point you in the right direction of improving your teaching performance. As your skills improve, a new idea might be discovered that keeps you motivated, which in turn will also improve your students’ performance.
As you begin setting your goal, remember to consider the “why” behind it. Try to decide where you really need to improve. As a new teacher, you might have several areas that come to mind. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, try to focus on one thing.
Start by reflecting on your past year. Did you have a feeling of dread with certain educational buzz words like technology, differentiation, data, etc.? As you reflect on some of your students, were there some that made you lack confidence? How about your engagement with other teachers in the building, is there anyone that you might need to build better relationships with?
Once you have decided on your goal, create an action plan. What steps do you need to take to achieve it? How often will you address it? How will you know if you have been successful?
What are some examples of goals that teachers might set for themself?
How are your schools transitioning to Science of Reading practices if they have not already? What resources are you using to support and guide you?
What does this look like in an ideal situation?
Meet the Team! This is something we recently created to share with families to help ease into staffings or REED meetings. How do you help your families feel at ease prior to difficult conversations and/or meetings?
How are your schools preparing for the solar eclipse? We are 100% in the path of totality, so we are having an elearning day.
I am looking for information on standards based report cards—do you use letter grades or a numerical score? How would a numerical score be determined?
Does anyone else use ESGI to help assess their students? What assessments do you find most useful in Kindergarten?
Do you host spring parent-teacher conferences? If so, what do you include and how do you prepare?
Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to build language and so many other skills. How do you incorporate storytelling into your daily routines?
Here are several pages of story stones icons you can easily glue, Modge Podge, etc to rocks of your choice!
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF-IMgGcTc/jb8xTDALz6pU8tgzhc69Zg/edit?utm_content=DAF-IMgGcTc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
I have designed a lot of flash cards and other documents but cannot find a place that prints quality products without having to order 100 packs! Any ideas?
What advice do you have for supporting 5th graders that are have a hard time learning to keep track of assignments/homework as they prepare for middle school?
How do you share info for families about Title 1 services? Here is an info graphic I created for our family night. Feel free to use!
https://www.canva.com/design/DAE7t7qNRao/UiPM_EZ-N4CKYziunQuyoQ/edit?utm_content=DAE7t7qNRao&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
