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.

Work Time in Class

In the 7th grade language arts class that I co-teach, we decided to give the students a couple of work days where we provide work time during class to complete the work they need for their novel unit (and we are there to assist them): finish reading the book, complete dialectical journal entries (and type them), character charts in their notebook, and generally getting ready to take a test on their novel, as well as start a paper on a character next week. We felt that we were doing the right thing since most student needed to work on their own, they are reading different books, and they are at different places in their books and their work.

I was really surprised at some students lack of motivation during work time. It really made me think about the questions I ask students about why they don't have their homework done for class. The first thing was how many students hadn't brought their notebook or novel to class, even though they knew it was a work day. When we would ask them, they said they didn't want to go to their locker for fear they would be late to class.(UGH) We asked why they didn't bring their notebook and book to the class before so they wouldn't have to go back to their lockers--problem solving out loud. It made me wonder about the 7th grade problem solving and thinking ahead ability! It seems like planning is a real challenge for this age.

Many of them were still far behind on their reading--when we had them write their pages of what they were supposed to read by what date in the planners--and we had them check the dates to see if they were caught up as we went along. It seems like it is such a good idea for students to have an individual reading opportunity based on their interest, but it seems like for many students, having a book they read on their own with a due date they are in charge of is a REAL challenge. It almost seems like we need to teach an organization curriculum--or make that a part of every 7th grade class.

Scheduling Consderations

Within my program (settings I-III EBD) I am responsible for scheduling paraprofessional support to address student needs. When student needs change (i.e., the addition of students into my program), I have to make scheduling changes...enter frustration :). How do I determine which students/target service times should lose support/change so that new student needs can be met; tough! Different factors come into play when thinking about this, such as relationship building, intensity of behaviors, topography of behaviors.

I am hoping for comments/experience you may have on a "type" of need that you find just requires para support (such as, on task/proximity support or organizational support). Or, do you feel that a paras' relationship with the student is a key factor. In all cases, it is hard to target the reason why a student's schedule of support should stay the same or be changed (as all students have individualized needs); I am finding it difficult to explain to staff why/for what reason their schedules/service models are changing when they don't/can't have all of the information. Thanks!