I've been reflecting a lot on my first week of school and how I can "Set the Stage to Engage". What can I do that takes my student's learning beyond the worksheet? My first task was creating a more engaging introduction to my classroom procedures. Teaching procedures can be boring, but it's such an incredibly important aspect of teaching!
Here's my plan:
- Put students into groups of three and assign their procedure and give them a card that outlines the procedure and my expectation.
- In their group, students must create a skit that reflects the right and the wrong way to do the procedure.
- Have groups perform their skits for the class.
It's not a crazy change, but instead of me doing all of the talking and they just sit and listen, they're interacting with each other and learning the procedures. I'm also looking at creating a game to "test" them on how well they learned the procedures. I went to the Dollar Tree and picked up Mini-Jengas (at a dollar each, it's easy to grab a bunch!). They're super cute 4 1/2" tall Jenga games. I'm thinking I will create task cards with questions or scenarios about the procedures. In pairs, they will take turns answering the questions. If they answer the question correctly, they can remove a piece.
My goal this year is to look for fun and engaging ways to help students learn. High engagement + rigor = success!
What can you do this year that will engage your students?
This sounds like fun! I am planning on implementing a STEM activity monthly with all grade levels. I'm basing the activities on Folktales. I'm excited to start the STEM center. I've always incorporated similar activities but now it's going to be themed and monthly so all grade levels will have the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteOh I love that idea! Tying STEM to reading is awesome!!!
DeleteThis is an awesome approach to teaching procedures. Your students will definitely remember the procedures and expectations if they come up with silly skits and then play games with the procedures they just learned. I think I'll have investigate my own game ideas for helping my students practice and remember procedures. Thanks for your thoughts!!
ReplyDeleteReading the book has been eye opening in looking for new and fun ways to approach learning.
DeleteThis sounds great! I will be putting this book on my to-do list. I try to rethink how I am going to go over procedures every year and how to make it so the students understand them, but not bore them to death. I have heard of teachers brainstorming a list of expectations so they are involved in building the classroom environment. Then they get into small groups to expand on the expectations. This I believe helps them be more engaged and takes the pressure off of the teacher. I'm hoping to engage the students this year by having a PBL unit and potentially adding Genius Hour projects to the mix. The thought is that it will motivate the students and allow for them to create something they are passionate about.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great when you involve the students in creating expectations. Then it's not your rule, but theirs! How fun to add PBL and Genius Hour!
DeleteIt sounds like you have a plan (rigor + high engagement) that will result in amazing student achievement! I really like your idea of having them act out the right and wrong way to follow procedure. I've incorporated a long of project based learning into my classroom and I find myself doing less and less whole group instruction and focusing more on individual conversations with specific students or groups to help with understanding. I might have to borrow this idea as a fun activity at the beginning of the year.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a lot of fun! For secondary students who likely listen to the same speech multiple times during the first day and the first week of school, they will definitely appreciate the change!
ReplyDeleteHow fun!! For my high-schoolers, I try to find activities that get them up and moving. Around the room scavenger hunt problems are always a hit with my students. - Haley Oyervidez
ReplyDeleteYour students will definitely be engaged. I plan on having my students take turns assisting with training. We usually have student leads who take care of all the student training but this year I plan on having new students start training others students early in the process.
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