Focusing on Comprehension

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How do you use reading, writing, speaking, and listening to teach other subjects? Reading a section out of our social studies textbook or an article about a current event was a common activity in my classroom. However, if I asked students to read silently prior to a class discussion, they seemed to struggle and lack focus. I found it was important to give them a structure prior to reading. Sometimes I gave them an outline and key points to find. Other times, I was more open-ended with my directions. For example, I would ask them to read a section of their textbook and place at least three sticky notes throughout the selection. On each note, they can write a comment or a question about what they have read. The notes become the basis for our discussion in class. In addition, there are times I have them take the sticky notes out of the book, stick them on a piece of paper, add their name, and take it up for a grade.

The Heart of a Teacher

 

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you enjoy this 3 1/2 minute
video about the heart of a teacher.

Please remember to vote in the poll to the right!   

Scaffolding and Black History Month

 Don't forget to vote in the poll to the right--What would you like to see as my next free resource?

I've enjoyed connecting with teachers and leaders on Twitter.  A teacher in New York, @dcraig42, shared a great strategy he used with his students.  With a large number of struggling learners in his classroom, he finds ways to scaffold learning for his students. 

For Black History Month, he wanted to develop a timeline of key people.  Ideally, we might ask each student to create a timeline with key African Americans, along with an analysis of their contributions.  In Dave's case, his students would be overwhelmed with the task, so he chose to adapt the activity. First, it became a class project, with each student contributing to the project.  Next, he provided clear direction and chunked the assignment.  Each student researched and wrote index cards about a specific person.  



Notice how he incorporates rigor with this assignment.  Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported to learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels (Blackburn, 2008). 

First, instead of giving up on a research assignment, he chose to keep his high expectations.  Next, he adapted the lesson to provide scaffolding (and success) for his students.  Finally, each student participated, thereby demonstrating learning.  Great adaptation by a great teacher!

How Do You View the Potential of Your Students?

One of the most powerful lessons I learned from my students was the importance of my vision. I needed to see them as more than who they were at that moment.


    Just as butterflies are not in their final beautiful state when they are born, or when they are caterpillars, or when they form into a chrysalis, so our students are not in their final beautiful state when we are teaching them. Think about that for a minute. Where are the students you teach? Are they newborn? Are they caterpillars? Or are they inside a chrysalis? What does that mean to you? If you think about your students as butterflies in the making, how does that change how you view them? One of the most difficult things for teachers to do is to keep our expectations high, especially when our students’ actions make us think less of them. There were days my students challenged me to come up with any positive thoughts about them, but those were the days they needed me the most. I found they needed me to believe they are butterflies when they were most acting like worms! What about your students?  Any of them need you to not only believe in them, but to believe FOR them?
Please don't forget to vote on the right.  What is the next resource you would like to see me write?

Just for Leaders: Rigor Podcast

In December, the wonderful folks over at School Leadership Briefing interviewed me for a podcast. We talked for about 12-15 minutes of Rigor and the Common Core State Standards.  Although a subscription service, you can now listen to it at no charge! A special thanks to Michael Mantell for providing this resource, and please check out the School Leadership Briefing site.  They are an awesome resource for all school leaders.

 

Rigor Made Easy

I'm excited about my new book, Rigor Made Easy. It will be available by the end of the month from Eye on Education.  I've been a bit off the grid this week finishing up the accompanying study guides.  They will be free as downloads on my website as soon as the book is out.

Which Free Resource Would You Like?

I've got a quick poll up on my Facebook page.  I'm working on my next free download for my website and want your feedback!!
By the way, if you haven't checked them out, look at all the options available now!