The year is over but the communication hasn't stopped.
Though I don't fully embrace social media I have been using Edmodo for 5 of my 5 years of teaching. As it has evolved so has my use of it. My first year I only used it to publish links and reading assignments for the computers. Every time we restarted a computer it went to default and so I lost all shortcuts. By my second year I was using it for posting assignments. Two years ago I dove into pen pals and partnered with groups around the U.S. We were less than impressed with others dedication and had our best group partnership with an Australian School! Now we use Edmodo for multiple projects, we attached finished work and we communicate daily. Every day (of the last two) I have had students posting on the site since we were out on Summer break. I am posting work too so the students can see all the variety of things I am learning and sharing with them. The most common question this month: TELL ME the baby's name Mr. H? I won't tell anyone else. My wife is pregnant with our first child and the students are invested in our relationship. They want updates so they can find out the name. No one knows it but us. I feel like if you aren't building a relationship where they ask about your family then it is not a true relationship!
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Every year there is one classroom in every building that is a revolving door in my district. Students move in and out like the phases of the moon. This year it is my room with 7 different changes in my roster between additions and losses I still have kept my class size about the same. This newest one will be tough though. Today is May 1 - his first day in my classroom. We only have 14 more school days left in the year though.... So this is the question for all of you in the world: What would you do if you only had 14 days with a student? Tag #14dayStudent to share your thoughts and ideas for others who might run into this conundrum of education. List 3 things you will do with that student: 1) Form a bond 2) Find a friend 3) Let him breathe 1) When he first walked in he was shy, bashful and timid. Who wouldn't be?!To counteract this I immediately pulled him into my room and kept him 1:1 while parents toured the building. We talked about my classroom pets, favorites, books, our upcoming field trips, anything and everything to establish a bond. We both like comic book heroes (Batman) and Football. 2) Once school was started I gave a very short introduction of him to my class. I didn't have him stand up and talk just had everyone say Hi and anyone who was new stood up. It showed he was not alone in my room. The very next thing: Art. What better way to get a student excited but to start Part 1 of our Art Project with him. He worked 1:1 with the student in my room elected as one of our leaders by peers. Within 15 minutes he was comfortable and had a bond with a person in my room. 3) I plan on continuing this trend for the next 14 days to help him find comfort and friends. To help him find something to look forward to next year. I will test him - like everyone else, but I won't be filling out a real grade card so he won't hate school at the end of the week. I want to give him some breathing room so he doesn't have this instance connection between school and testing. |
AuthorI am a 2nd Grade teacher with years of experience in digital editing and film. I have a 2nd Degree Black Belt, am a professional wedding photographer, and instruct fine art painting classes. Archives
July 2017
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