I'm gearing up. I know some of you are already back in the classroom, but I'm still two weeks from first period English 9. This will be year nine for me, and past summers about this time I'd be shopping for school supplies and focusing on what kinds of posters to put up and how to organize my classrooms. However, all that external preparation is no where near as important as the internal preparation.
Now is the time for reflection: examination of what has worked in the past, what to reframe, and what to roundfile.
In much of the reading I've done about effective teaching and impacting student learning, again and again I see reference to one of the trait of an effective educator: the thoughtful and purposeful examination of one's own practice in order to develop oneself as a practitioner. Again and again, I hear about this internally driven introspection as "the most valuable professional development." I'll keep that in mind as I sit in staff meetings and trainings all next week.
For me, my one thing to do is the writing goal activity I did last year with my kids' short writing samples. Instead of becoming a teacher-turned-proofreading-service, with my feedback on each short writing sample I gave the kids two or three specific individualized writing goals. Then, in the next sample, they had to explain how they addressed those specific goals and improved their own writing. It made for quick turnaround, very meaningful feedback and very rapid progress in their writing.
As for what I vow to never do again: I tried this twist on creative writing and writing workshop. I don't want to say it went down in flames, but let's just say that there's not enough wreckage to piece it back together and if I do creative writing workshop again I'll be starting with factory-fresh parts and expert advice.
Think back to last year. What one thing did you do last year that you feel is most important to do again in order to teach effectively? Or, conversely, what one thing did you do last year that you vow to never do again?
My clipboard. Last year I started carrying a clipboard around with every kid’s name on it. And I used it to make sure I was calling on everyone, all day long. It helped immensly.
Thanks for posting, Kristin… I’m looking ahead at my calendar and cautiously optimistic that I’ve found a balance of small writing samples.
I’ll be teaching one English class (four times) this year…and it will be the first time since my first year teaching that I have only one English prep. I’m hoping that this too will help me focus, reflect, and refine since my attention won’t be split between two preparations.
Funny, the one thing that was a huge “why did it take me 13 years to figure this out??” last year is similar to yours – decreasing my grading and increasing student growth by assigning a short writing sample each week with one specific skill target. The samples had to be one page or less, depending on the task, and students earned a “R” for redo until they submitted a sample that met the objectives.
I can’t believe I spent 13 years assigning 1500 word essays only to spend days and days editing poor writing. Until they can write clearly, they shouldn’t be writing for 1500 words.
What flopped last year? Turning my 3rd period standard level into an honors class. The students were bright and capable, and we spent a lot of time first semester talking about what it takes to be a successful honors student. They all felt ready and we were psyched to make it happen, but when second semester came many of them fell apart – they didn’t do their reading, they didn’t do their homework, they didn’t bring their materials. I tutored at lunch, but they didn’t come. In June, when I asked some of them, “what happened?” The answer was that they just didn’t want to spend time out of school on school, simple as that.
So now, because I’m still certain that all of those students are capable of the highest level of work, I’m trying to solve the riddle of how to get them to do the work.