Listening

On Friday, we had professional development.  The focus was on Common Core Literacy, specifically “Speaking and Listening”.  As I listened to the first speaker talk about listening with respect, I found myself thinking about her and if she listens to others with respect, does she listen carefully to herself, and more importantly to the message she is sending to others?  We are being charged with changing teaching and learning in multiple ways right now.  Telling teachers they have been doing it wrong, or missing the point, or that if we don’t have proficient learners by grade 3 we are sentencing them to prison isn’t going to work.

Real and lasting change begins with listening, and listening well.  Listening engages us in ways we are not always able to predict.  When we listen respectfully, by honoring the humanity in others, truly listen to the message they are sending, we can open the door to honesty and understanding.  Listening provides an opportunity to be heard.  

If I am respectfully listening, I am not:  critiquing, dismissing, challenging or otherwise engaging in disrespectful behavior.  I am not making assumptions, reading a “tone” or jumping to conclusions.  I am allowing the message to come in unfiltered and understood the way the speaker (or writer) intended it to be.

To get others engaged, try asking questions, then LISTEN.  If we want children to be good listeners, we should model the skill.

When a student wants to tell a story during instruction, make an appointment to hear it later.  And, keep the appointment.  You will be amazed at the relationship you will develop by just listening and following through with the promise to do so.

Take time to hear the full message:  The story, the emotion, the pain, the joy, the hurt, the plea, or the celebration.  Listen to build trust, relationships, and success.

Listen … until it hurts.  You may be surprised at what you hear.

Assessment for Learning

Fall in the classroom is a busy time!  We are learning procedures, rules, getting to know each other and we are gathering data.  Assessments, assessments, assessments…..

I have a large data sheet started for my class and have some great data collected at school and with the help of parents.  I am grateful for the great wealth of information I have for my kiddos in 6 short days!  I am also grateful that parents have shared their deep understanding of their child with me..

Why collect formative assessment data?

Assessment supports learning in two ways:

I can adapt and plan instruction on the basis of evidence, making changes and improvements that will benefit student learning.

Students can use this information to measure goals, activate prior knowledge and show a teacher what they already know.

All formative assessment practices have the potential to increase student learning, and offers a number of distinct benefits:

Lessons and Units of instruction tailored to the needs of the students.

The timeliness of results enables teachers to adjust instruction quickly, while learning is in progress.

The students who are assessed benefit from the adjustments.

The students can use the results to adjust and improve their own learning.

Improved real-time teaching and learning at every turn.

So, I will return to work tomorrow and continue to collect more assessment data on the adorable kiddos I share a classroom and my day with!

The first day of school…. there is nothing like it!  All teachers have stories of lack of sleep, crazy dreams the night before, the excited faces of students and teary eyes of parents.  Teachers know that they can maximize the learning potential of every student in their class by developing positive relationships. Building a trusting relationship with your students can be both challenging and time consuming.  But, it is essential for students to learn.  

Here are some tips that help foster the development of relationships and good classroom environments:

Provide Structure:  Children positively to having structure in their classroom.  It makes them feel safe and leads to increased learning. It is essential that teachers set the tone early by establishing clear expectations and practicing class procedures.  A structured classroom is one with minimal downtime.  Each day should be loaded with engaging learning activities with little to no downtime.

Teach with Enthusiasm and Passion:  Excitement is contagious! When a teacher introduces new content enthusiastically, students will buy in.

Have a Positive Attitude:  Everyone goes through personal trials that can be difficult to handle.  It is essential that your personal issues do not interfere with your ability to teach

Incorporate Humor into Lessons:  Laughter is good for our health! Teachers should incorporate humor into their daily lessons.  This may be sharing an appropriate joke related to the content you will be teaching that day.  It may be getting into character and donning a silly costume for a lesson or laughing at yourself when you make a silly mistake.

Make Learning Fun:  Learning should be fun and exciting.  Students love teachers who incorporate creative, fun, engaging activities into their daily classroom.

Use Student Interests to Your Advantage:  Every child has a passion for something.  Use these interests and passions to their advantage by incorporating them into lessons.  Student surveys are a fantastic way to measure these interests.  This will see increased participation, higher involvement, and an overall increase in learning.

Incorporate Story Telling into Lessons:  A good story will allow students to make connections that they may not have made otherwise.

Show an Interest in Their Lives Outside of School:  Talk to students about their interests and extracurricular activities that they participate in.  Also, be considerate when assigning homework. Think about the extra-curricular activities occurring on that particular day.

Love your student:  Enough said.

Go the Extra Mile:  Going the extra mile may mean donating clothing, shoes, food, or other household goods that a family needs to survive.  It is about recognizing and assisting in meeting student needs inside and outside of the classroom.

Good luck establishing relationships with your students and have a great school year!