Hello Teachers, Readers, Writers, and Social Media aficionados.
Did you...are you, enjoying your summer? I mean REALLY REALLY TRULY enjoying it? If you went swimming, attended a concert, a craft show, or a berry or fruit festival of some sort, I can guess that yes, you are probably on the right track.
While so many teacher-authors were out in Vegas learning new things and making new friendships. . .
I have been staging my house. . .I mean each room....like an
So that me and my husband can put our house on the market and hopefully, ONE DAY......
MOOOOOVE! Ta-DAH!
Wish me well during this arduous but happy process...
If you haven't heard much from me, this is why. ANNNND, this is why I look like this....
BUT, my house looks like this!
I won't be having much fun at all (you know....packing) so I can't wait until the fall gets here. I need a vacation FROM my VACATION! Plus, Back to school might just mean settling in to a new place! I've always found being good to others is the best antidote to feeling BETTER!
THANK YOU to all my readers and customers. Because of so many of you, I love writing, blogging, and creating more than ever.
Starting AUGUST 3, I am offering 20% off everything in the PerfettoWritingRoom Store . And you all know you can always get those freebies, so feel free to just pop in and visit, too! Leave a little note below, or in my Q and A section in the store. I love hearing from you.
What to do the First Few Days of School?
Some GREAT IDEAS for YOU
1. FOR YOU. Always get a writing baseline. Why? You'll be FAR ahead of the game if at the very beginning of the school year you know the writing strengths and weaknesses of your students. Once you know all of your lessons will be TARGETED ONES!
A fun, relatively easy writing prompt on the second or third day even on something as simple as: A. Discuss the MOST exciting thing you did this summer. If you did nothing exciting, you have permission to invent something. Make sure you use your best writing style and obey spelling and grammar rules.
2. For YOU, and For Class Team Building. Set Firm Expectations but Make STUDENTS a Central Part of it. Why? Students are far more likely especially in the upper grades to get hung up on the idea of fairness. When they are able to argue, explain and rationalize the reasons why a rule is a "good" rule and the class can agree to it, the rule is much more likely to meet with agreement and COMPLIANCE, by both students. Later on, there will much less stress for you should an infraction occur.
What is more convincing than: "Every single student debated, then agreed upon, then wrote up, and then SIGNED this class rules agreement. Then, you as a parent signed it!" We all know you'd love to GET started on your year.... I'm telling you....TAKE THE TIME to set up your rules.
3. For Student Character. Do a Class Bonding or Get to Know You Activity. - Especially in Grade 9, or in classes where new students are coming in on the first day, it is important to focus on "how we are all similar." Sure, this seems "like a waste of time." I am ADAMANT and can assure you that is it NOT. As humans we are herd animals. When frightened and uncomfortable, we tend to pick on the weak to solidify our own position. I have seen GROWN people do this. As teachers it is our job to remind students of our unity, and to "demonstrate uniqueness in a positive way." The middle of the year, the"anti-bullying assembly" is just TOO LATE.
A. Have Students Stand up. Ask questions they will agree or disagree with. Please note you can add as many extra questions as you want.
GOAL: To find they have more in common with each person in the class.
Directions: Divide class in two so that each half in on the left or right side of the classroom. AS you read each provided statement, students will move towards the CENTER of the class when they relate to, or agree with the statements posed. You or the students may ask additional questions after the provided section concludes. Hopefully, students should find the information about each other revealing and interesting.
B. Once Finished with the Main Activity, Move on to the Discussion Question Section.
Please note that despite the directions provided here, do whatever you feel most
comfortable with. Here is what it looks like:
Directions: Students will fill out the Comment Section individually. When completed, hold a while group discussion. This is an opportunity for students to bond, explain what most surprised them about what makes similar. More importantly there is a section regarding the ideal behaviors they would like to see and model in the class during the year. This reinforces class character, rules and management (see #2).
If you see fit, use the questionnaire as a rewrite opportunity (see#1). Students take this discussion worksheet home after discussion day, rewrite and polish it as the writing sample mentioned in #1 above.
Would you like this for FREE? Available here at my Blog...
Other Great News.....
MOVE ON To meet OTHER Great Educators, also have a sale. View their freebies...and get ready for the best next school year of your career.
MOVE ON To meet OTHER Great Educators, also have a sale. View their freebies...and get ready for the best next school year of your career.
Darlene Anne- ELA Buffet
Mrs. Spangler in the Middle
Created by MrHughes
The Classroom Sparrow
The Daring English Teacher
ELA Everyday
Juggling ELA
Nouvelle
Literary Sherri
Making Meaning with Melissa
2 Peas and a Dog
Secondary Solutions-Simply Novel
Addie Williams
Linda Jennifer
Fisher Reyna Education
The Creative Classroom
Stacey Lloyd
Room 213
Brynn Allison
Open Classroom
Perfetto Writing Room
Secondary Sara
Tracee Orman
James Whitaker
The Superhero Teacher
Created for Learning
Brain Waves Instruction Danielle Knight
No comments:
Post a Comment