Students Nervous for Break

A couple of students in my advisory expressed some tension that they feel in their families over break due to family tensions, divorce, being with a parent they don't like as much, etc. I was thinking about this--and about how much our jobs entail. What we do has so much to do with the whole student--not just what they do in class. I know more about these students since they are in my advisory, so I do get to know them more than I would in a large classroom setting. I am glad that the district sent out the email about how some students may be having a hard time around this time of year. For many students, coming to school is a safe place and a refuge. They know and understand the routine, and they have some control over some of the factors. For some students, they DO have a hard time at home.
I just wanted to put this out there and was wondering if other people have experienced this with students.
Happy holidays to everyone--it is important for us to take care of ourselves and rest, relax, and be around supportive family and friends!

Reading plays and doing acting exercises with students

For the language arts class that I co-teach, we have been reading the play "A Christmas Carol" out loud with class members taking parts. In hearing some kids, it occurred to me that the students were pretty nervous reading parts and very hesitant about getting into character. I was thinking that before reading a dramatic piece, it may be useful to have students do some theater exercises, like throwing an invisible ball of energy to each other, doing voices to get them loosened up,etc. I feel like there are time constraints to doing this, but I feel that theater is something that is alive, and if we let them have some fun, we will help facilitate an enthusiasm for the art and craft of theater.

I'm curious if other people have used more acting type exercises when they read plays out loud first, and what that experience was like. Also, I am looking for some feedback on what people have found successful, especially with middle school and junior high.

Movie Time Useful?

In English 7 this week we are reading a Christmas Carol to study the concept of theme and its connection to the world today. After reading the play we will be watching the movie fo the play. I always have mixed feelings about watching movies in class because they take up so much time. I wonder if the time is worth it. We watch the movie because we want to cement the plot in students' minds before we ask them to write about the progression of Scrooge and his relevance in today's society. I will have students taking notes during the movie on moments of change for Scrooge. These elements make me feel alright about watching the movie. But what does everyone think about movie viewing in classrooms? Do you think it is a waste of time? Do you see a purposeful use for them in the classroom? What activities do you do with movies that you feel makes them more purposeful?

Gradual Release

One of the middle school focuses this year is using the gradual release of responsibility model to ensure student success. I tried this with the character analysis paper my students are currently writing in English, and while I would like to say I have done it perfectly, I think that I still lack the ability to successful transfer students to their independent work with ease. Students still seem to look at me when I say that they will now do what we practiced independently and say they don't know what to do. I think that the second to last step of the gradual release is where I need the development. I feel successful modeling doing things as a class, but I don't think that I give enough pair practice before I send my students off on their own.

I think the larger concern for me is not how to transfer students to independent work, but rather to transfer them to independent thinking. Getting them to think on their own and be comfortable with the idea that they may not have the answer right away is challenging. I don't know quite how to do that. So I guess I am looking for ways for students to practice independent thinking in pairs. Or I would also like to hear if there are ways anyone teaches students that it's ok to struggle with a concept before they get the correct answers.

Progress and Balancing Acts

I just wanted to share some success that I am seeing with a kindergartener who is new to my program. For the first 7 weeks of the school year, this kiddo was demonstrating high frequency/intensity of aggression (hitting/kicking 5-8 times per day). After being fast tracked through the sped process, he qualified for my program. I have his incidents of aggression down to zero for the last 4 days with a significant decrease in work expectation :). Now comes the balancing act of incremental increases in expectation versus triggering aggressive behaviors. I love this part of my job; measuring/documenting the small successes towards the goal of full (and safe) inclusion with his peers.