Slow and Steady...

The classroom structure and routine I'm trying to build with my Language Support students paid off this week. 
My English Language Learner mentor advised me to emphasize structure for these students. It's important in general but especially with students new to America and in need of the stability structure provides. I decided to begin each class period with a current event news story. The students view one story twice and attempt a summary listing the who, what, where, why, how, and when. We then discuss as a class. This strategy employs listening, speaking, and writing skills--3 of the 4 components of language learning. 

I felt this was only working to an extent--the story content is often intricate and we couldn't always answer all of the elements. I kept the procedure going, though and was hopeful. 

Thursday, on a whim, I asked a student to lead us in our discussion. That felt stilted to me and I wondered if the class wasn't ready to tackle the discussion on their own, without help from my parapro or myself.

Friday's class was different.

After our news story a student volunteered to lead the discussion. I hesitated for a moment and then agreed we would try it again. Then the magic happened. This student led the discussion and every single student responded, surprising me with their insights and the way they interjected ideas and added on to other comments. They were professional and encouraging and I couldn't have been prouder of them. 

I knew they had it in them but I didn't think it would come together so soon. What a powerful way to help me realize they are ready to lead! It's the boost they need and it proves that these students feel encouraged and safe to take educational risks--this is a tribute to all of the teachers working with these students in our school! Teaching this class is humbling and reaffirming. What a way to end our week!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Historical Perspective and Peel the Fruit Thinking Routine

Image
Practicing historical perspective is an essential social studies skill. Historical perspective is being able to step into a historic situation and examine the motivations, biases, and beliefs of a person or group of people. Students have to revert to the beliefs of a group of people even if those beliefs completely contradict the views we have today. They must weigh decisions based on the situation of the time, not necessarily how situations are viewed today. The C3 Framework for Social Studies states that "Historical understanding requires recognizing this multiplicity of points of view in the past, which makes it important to seek out a range of sources on any historical question rather than simply use those that are easiest to find. It also requires recognizing that perspectives change over time, so that historical understanding requires developing a sense of empathy with people in the past whose perspectives might be very different from those of today." http://www.so
Read more

Industrial Revolution Haiku

Students have been learning about the Industrial Revolution in the mid1800s and how it changed life in New England. Today students processed their learning by creating haiku poems on the subject. They were challenged to think about and evaluate this topic within the structure of a haiku, a 3 line poem with 17 total syllables--5 in the 1st and 3rd lines and 7 in the second line. The poems have been impressive and some will be posted here soon.
Read more

Name That Executive Role!

Image
Students today learned about the many roles of the head of the Executive Branch, the President of the United States. I found several images of former Presidents in these roles--can you guess which is which? Post your answers below or email them to me. Choices: Commander-In-Chief Chief Executive Political Party Head Chief Diplomat 1.  President Eisenhower 2. President George HW Bush (on the right side of the picture) 3. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt  4. President Reagan meeting with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (this one's a bit of a giveaway!)
Read more