Blogging Challenge, Day 7 of 20

Today's challenge: Share a classroom management tip. What is one thing that you do that works for you? How could it be adapted to others?

IMHO, classroom management begins with demonstrating respect, caring and compassion for my students and their lives outside my classroom walls. When students recognize these qualities in me, they reciprocate. Classroom management takes care of itself. 

On those rare occasions when a student does NOT return respect for me or for other classmates, it is often his/her peers that put a stop to the undesirable behavior. The class takes shared ownership in what goes on during our time together.

I realize my students have 4-6 classes in addition to mine; they are involved in sports, may have a part-time job, are experiencing the pain of a divorce, a terminal illness or a death in the family; they may be taking on the role of care-provider for younger siblings, etc., etc.

To quote Stephen R. Covey, "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." (Emphasis mine)

Blogging Challenge, Day 6 of 20

Today's challenge: What is ONE thing you wish you were better at? Just one! Why? What could you do about it?

I would like to be better at planning lessons well-enough in advance to prepare more/better visual aids. If I  want to provide a language/culture-immersive experience for my students, I must maintain the language (French, in my case) 90-100% of the time. Students at ALL levels become frustrated by this, I realize. But I also know that they understand better if visuals are associated with the spoken/written target language (TL). 

What am I doing about it? I am updating my curriculum based on themes. I am the only French teacher in my district, and doing 4-5 preps daily is crazy! In my new curriculum, the same theme will be addressed at the same time across all levels. The difference will be in the complexity of language expected at each level. For example, if the theme is Personal and Public Identities, at Level 1 students will be expected to list adjectives and nouns to describe themselves. Level 2 students can describe themselves as well as  friends & family, with a more diverse choice of descriptors, likes & dislikes, etc. Level 3 might make comparisons between the person they were before high school, the person they are now and the person they want to become. Levels 4 & 5 can do the same, give opinions, justify their responses, etc.

By working the same theme across levels, I can prepare visuals to incorporate in class; for example, photos of people familiar or unknown. At every level, I can introduce the concept of Personal and Public Identities by describing the images in language appropriate to the abilities of my students, thus modeling my expectations for their own descriptions. 

Visuals bring an element of familiarity to the classroom (I could start with photos of myself, teachers in the building, celebrities students love/hate, etc.), the comfort level is raised, humor & surprise can be injected into the lesson (because the internet is loaded with funny images) and culture is embedded (now I can start introducing francophone celebs)when images are authentic, rather than contrived or cartoonish. 

I'm ready to dive in to this new format!     

Blogging Challenge, Day 5 of 20

Today's challenge: Give a tip for assessment. What is an example of an assessment you give? Share any tips for designing/administering/grading assessments.

 Assessments...the bane of my existence. Actually, I think inviting students to show what they know and can do with their language acquisition is a natural classroom activity. But WHY do I have to assign a numerical value to it? 

If I could throw out the gradebook and regularly update students on their language proficiency progression, we would accomplish so much more! If we had time to read books (at any level) and discuss (at any level) the stories, if we had time to share current events, or use a day each week for Show & Tell, if we had time to explore language learning/practice games. But, students, parents, college admissions and the voting public want us to STOP TEACHING/LEARNING to provide evidence that we have taught/learned. Whaaaat?!!

We DO have time for all of the above, but then have to STOP in September/October for pre-assessments, in  December for mid-year proficiency checks, in January we administer mid-term exams, in March the Sophomore class takes the OGT, by mid-April we have to give post-assessments, and before students leave for summer break, they take final exams. 

Now, include regular skill checks throughout the year (context & structure in my classes) and we have significantly reduced the time available for students to use the language in natural, conversational circumstances.

In my perfect world, students would be assessed at the beginning of the year to establish their baseline proficiency level and would be provided with a target for the year, as well as a "road map" to get there. Mid-year, we would set aside time for another check, so students could be encouraged by evidence of their progress, and finally, at the end of the year one final assessment to prove they achieved the target. Any skill checks along the way would be formative. Students wouldn't be punished for what they don't know or can't do; they would be celebrated for acquiring new/improved skills.

So, I haven't addressed the challenge today. I guess I'll have to come back to it in the future!

(18 June 2014) P.S. I just read this article and think it fits beautifully with my thoughts! 

http://http://starrsackstein.com/category/miss-can-i-get-some-extra-credit/

Blogging Challenge, Day 4 of 20

Today's challenge: Share a topic/idea from class [this week]. What's one thing you did with students [this week] that you will (or will not!) do again? Why?

Oh my... This challenge really should be addressed during the school year. Even though my last day with students was less than a week ago, their exams were more than a week ago and those last days were spent "cleaning house"... Finishing up overdue assignments, submitting last minute extra credit :-\ , studying for exams in other classes.

That being said, one of my favorite semester activities (and one my students initially dread) is a series of 20 conversation topics. For just the past 2 years in my French classes, students in all but French I are given this assignment at the beginning of the second semester. This gives them 18 weeks to sit with me & have a CONVERSATION using the 20 topics. I learn so much about the lives of my students during these conversations, and I hope they learn not just some conversational French, but also that I truly care about each of them! We sit at a café table in my classroom, on comfy chairs, look each other in the eye and simply chat. While the first 2-3 are painful and awkward, by the time they complete 10-12 conversations, they have demonstrated remarkable improvement with their interpersonal language skills, have relaxed into the activity and are learning 21st Century Skills (and in a second language!).

Of course, a small group of students start right away on completing the assignment. The vast majority, however, were scrambling in those final weeks, days (and hours!) to finish. Students in French II show the biggest growth, and begin French III much more confidently than my classes before I began this 

assignment. 

The image below is a game I also provide for students in order for them to do some interpersonal speaking with one another.

 

Blogging Challenge, Day 3 of 20

Today's challenge: What is a website that you cannot live without? Tell about your favorite features and how you use it in your teaching/learning.

Schoology.com; my Learning Management System (LMS) of choice! I used Moodle for a couple of years, tried Edmodo in order to collaborate with other teachers who were using it, but have had the most success with Schoology. Student reviews are much more positive for Schoology than for Moodle or Edmodo. And if the students react positively, it's a winner!

Schoology has the look of Facebook, is very user-friendly and is loaded with "bells & whistles"! There is a calendar for communicating upcoming events; a Materials list that includes online quizzes, which I use daily for formative assessment; a Resource library, where I can save important/useful links, documents & files; the ability to create a Discussion forum, encouraging peer collaboration & tutoring. I use the Update feature every day to post learning objectives, class activities, page numbers, links, images, etc. Schoology links with your Google, Facebook & Twitter accounts (if you choose to do so); incorporates Dropbox for assignment submissions, and the list goes on and on.

This summer, I intend to discover additional features of Schoology with which I am unfamiliar. Schoology already works for me, but I want it to WORK FOR me!

Blogging Challenge, Day 2 of 20

Today's challenge: Share an organizational tip from your classroom. What is one thing you do that works for you?

With all the paperwork that crosses my desk daily, the best thing I have done for myself and my students is a hanging pocket file, labelled with class periods, for assignments. At the end of the day, I collect the papers from the hanging file for checking/grading. If a student's paper is missing, it's on them, not me. I don't misplace student assignments. They can't tell me they handed it to me directly, because if they try, I send them to the hanging file. No problems, no excuses! In this image, you can see the bright red hanging folder between the map and the chalkboard. I have been using it for years, and students learn the procedure right away.                

Blogging Challenge, Day 1 of 20

Today's challenge: a favorite book to read and/or teach. Provide an example of an extension or cross-curricular activity.

Yesterday was the last day of the school year for students. I still have work to do in the classroom, and am looking forward to time for  reading for my own pleasure and education!

As for TEACHING a piece of literature...I struggle with this. Every year I have upper level students beg for Le Petit Prince, but they don't understand all the nuances, the metaphors, the mystery of the story. I am always reticent to introduce the story, and explain to them how truly complex it is. They insist, I give in, we do the story. By the time we finish, I am disappointed and they are frustrated. I have broken the book down into manageable chunks for creative activities, group projects, and numerous class discussions. We have watched excerpts from the comédie musicale, starring Daniel Lavoie as well as other strategies, rarely with success. In conclusion, I have to confess, this is NOT a favorite book to teach.

I would have to say my favorite book to teach is whichever book students fall in love with!