So many changes have occurred since my last post. Of course, since the last post was in August, there should have been some changes.
Most of my students bought into Class-Yes! but were becoming a little bored. I did well with lower my voice to a whisper for them to mimic me, but other voices I am seriously uncomfortable with. However, when my new class came along about 9 weeks into the school year, I simply just didn't feel like or have the time to "train" them.With all the common core and my alter "perfectionist" persona, I also begin to struggle with even remembering Class-Yes! I always push my students and myself. With common core implementation I am wanting my students to meet and surpass the standards with minimal effort. AND, guess what? Yep, seventh graders just aren't buying it! Mostly, they just are not academically motivated. They are happy to pass. They do not want to take their knowledge to a higher level. Thankfully they are not high in the misbehavior department.
The scoreboard never took off for me in the classroom. I tried all the possible/ suggested ways and a few of my own. I think so many of my students have either (a) burned out on any type of reward because last year they were rewarded for everything or (2) are apathetic to most positive motivation. After 20+ years of classroom management being done one way, it sure is hard to make a consistent change. The scoreboard is still up (I tried to erase it before Christmas Break and the ink is dried to the board!). Maybe I will try it again...or wait until next year.
Mentioning next year, I was informed that I will be teaching eighth grade next year. My principal really liked me implementing Genius Ladder. We call it the Genius Paragraph since we are in middle school. So new common core, new textbooks, BUT the same students. So I am being careful with what I use for presentations because I do not want a repeat for the students next year.
Another change was the school dropped a couple of teachers because our numbers did not qualify us for the number of teachers. So no longer do I teach language and reading but only language. Now if you don't know common core doesn't differentiate. Reading and language go hand in hand. Also, once my classes had settled down ( We have a lot of transition until September), and I had learned just about everyone's name, I received a whole new class of 30 students! Initially, the students were bucking me and my ways because I am "old" school. Naturally, they wanted to return to their former teacher. Secretly, I wanted them to return also! Time was cut by 15 minutes in all classes. Stressful because now I teach only language arts, yet I help with the lesson planning for the reading also since the teacher has NEVER taught middle school (and shhhhh!doesn't want to learn)
Finally on a personal level my husband's 3rd vertebrate has slipped and we have been driving almost every other month to a hospital 3 hours away for various tests etc. to convince insurance that the only solution is surgery. That or him living with his head chopped off!
Now a reflection on the words "on a personal level". Exactly what effective teacher out there has a personal life during a school year?
I have done a couple of wholebrain implementations with a little twist. I will talk about at least one of them this weekend. Don't want to share without pictures.
Have you tried http://www.learnzillion.com ? Great site offerring support for common core teaching! AND, as always meeting my standard...... FREE!
Welcome back to blogging ElizaBeth! Sounds like you have had an interesting first semester! I'm sure the winter break was needed! I teach 6th grade science, and began implementing WBT in August. My biggest advice to you is DON'T LOSE HOPE! My kids buy into class-yes only because I don't give them the option not to. If they don't do it with enough energy, we don't move on until they do - and the scoreboard is KEY to helping with this. Now that my kids are trained I find myself able to do more cooperative group work, more differentiation, and dig DEEPER into common core - because I don't have to waste time. We start the second the bell rings and use every second. Also, the 5 step lesson plan template has really helped me to focus on common core (and the new gen science standards). Good luck to you - don't lose hope!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. We have a county based lesson plan format that also includes three teachers getting together weekly to collaborate on the next week's lp. In our lp we must include evidence of differentation for not only the "average" student but also for the 9 IEPs and my excel students. I have not even looked at the 5 step lp from WB. All of our activities must have posted on the handout/ power point/ etc. the common core standard the activity is applicable to. When I read back over this I can now see why new teachers to our school spend their first year twitching! I suppose I feel the pressure to move into the lesson/activity rather than remaining on something as "trival" as Class-Yes! I know it isn't trival though because once the students are "broken down" to following the format, I gain instruction time. Thanks for the motivation to get back on the WB horse tomorrow! What is your reward for the class when they beat you on the scoreboard? I gave mine a really fun, upbeat music video related to a standard I found on youtube. They wanted to know if that was all they got. They come from a sixth grade year where their teachers went all crazy and gave out large rewards for simple things like everyone bringing a pencil to class. So the sevnth grade teachers are having a time "helping" students adjust to the reality of intrinsic rewards more so than extrensic. Tomorrow is a new beginning! I will just again begin with WB!
ReplyDeleteCome join the middle school FaceBook discussion about whole brain teaching at https://www.facebook.com/pages/WBT-Middle-School-Certification/523453861034222. I added your blog link to our list of great middle school blogs on the site! This page will be used to help guide middle school teachers through the process of certification. Come "Like" the page and join in the discussion!
ReplyDelete:)