My first week of Level II has been amazing! The first day I didn't do anything other than observe, but the second day I set the goal for myself to talk to some of the students, and I did. Doing so got me to wondering... how does one effectively break the ice with their students on the first day of class? Just jumping in and starting to teach certainly will not do the trick. Does anyone have any suggestions for good ice breaker activities?
I also started to wonder about how, as a teacher, one is able to tell they their students are getting what they want them to get out of the lesson. Easy, a test right? Not necessarily... to me, its possible that a student can do well on a test but still not completely understand the material (especially if its a multiple choice test). This led me to wondering how in the world to decide how to teach (and even what to teach) in the first place.
Despite these doubts and fears about how to be a good teacher, I am still just as excited to become one as ever. I know that these questions (and more) will be answered as I continue with my experiences, and I am very excited to learn everything I can learn. I still love being in the classroom, and (as much as this will reveal me as an English nerd, I'm saying it anyway) I am excited for the day when I can engage students in discussions over novels and other texts, and am even more excited to read the pieces they come up with on their own.
Can't wait to see what the days ahead will bring!
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I can't believe how fast your first week went, Jamie! You pose a lot of great questions in your first journal. Ice breakers are very important, especially in a Language Arts classroom where writing is involved. It is important to set the foundation for your classroom at the beginning of the year, set the tone and expectations for your students, as well as some "get to know you" activities. At the beginning of this year, I had the students write 'Where I'm From' poems. The activity involved writing, but also gave the students an opportunity to share information about their lives in a creative way. I wrote a poem too and we went outside (when the grass was still green:) and read them aloud. I'd be glad to share the handout with you! The ideas for ice breakers are limitless and you are definitely on the right track to notice their worth.
ReplyDeleteYour second point really reminds me of a lot of the educational initiatives our school is currently involved in. Educational reform is currently moving in a "process-oriented" curriculum, one that values the learning process and skills students are acquiring over the "product" or test. It's about teaching students to ask questions and think critically instead of memorizing answers for a test. The new Iowa Core Curriculum does not focus on the content students need to know, but instead, mastering skills and concepts that will help students conquer in the future! I think it's an exciting change! We'll definitely talk about how you can begin to integrate some of this philosophy into your time at PLS!
Great questions and even greater job in the classroom this week. I'm excited for you to become more and more involved with the students. It will be great to begin at the start of a brand new unit Monday.
I really like the "Where I'm From Poem" idea... it breaks the ice while at the same time letting them know that you expect them to think creatively and work hard in your class (all without preaching it at them, which is whats great about it!). I would love to see the handout, I love that idea!
ReplyDeleteI think the CORE changes are great too! I know that when I was in high school, I memorized what I needed to for the test and then forgot it as soon as the test was over. Now, I wish that we had used it in a better way so that I could remember it... especially in history; I have to relearn different events that I know I learned in high school because the information didn't stick past me after the test.
Im excited to become more involved as well! I am pumped for the new unit, it will be really fun!
Jamie, I found the best way to break the ice is for you to be the one to break the ice. Put the students on the spot and have them explain to you what they're working on. It's one thing for them to put something on paper, but it's a completely different thing for them to orally express what they have on paper.
ReplyDeleteIf you are the one to break the ice, that sets to tone for the students to know that you're not shy and bashful about being in the classroom as the role of the instructor. I believe a teacher needs to be comfortable in their surroundings in order for them to effectively communicate with their students.
My ice breaker was simple. I just told the students to give me their names and something unique about them. One student said he plays the guitar, so I'm bringing my Ipod in with me today to show him some stuff that I listen to that he might be interested in trying to learn to play. Also, during some of my interactions, I took notice of what some of them were trying to put together with their writing, and I have a couple examples that might help them think through and evaluate their own writing.
I think it's a building process. Take what you gained from the first few days and build upon them. The relationships with your students will grow as time progresses.
I'm glad to hear your first week went well.