So many things are going so well so far... Friday, I went to one of my administrators, who I've worked closely with in the past on some problem students. I said to him, "I don't think I'll be needing your help this year...I really feel pretty comfortable with classroom management and how my classes are acting this year." He asked me to elaborate and said, "I'm glad to hear you say that. I've noticed a difference just in the way you carry yourself this year." He then asked me to send a staff-wide email on what has been working for me this year in the classroom. I haven't done that yet...not sure I have the balls to pat myself on the back in front of the whole staff.
Here's something that hasn't been going so well. Maybe we can work together to find a solution... Today, after the lovely three-day weekend, my fire wasn't there. I was talking about my students and what they like to do, but I wasn't really excited about it. I think I've been so worried about the kids getting bored that I'm projecting that to the kids. I'm worried about it, so it's becoming boring. I have to sell it more...
My other problem is that my second year kids, who went wild last year, are getting fidgety sitting all day. I've tried to mix it up by singing active songs and having a couple of students act...but I'm still telling one story (one really really long story) and they all want to be part of it. Thoughts?
Perhaps you could tell a few different stories, using the same vocabulary, using different actors for each. You could even have the students write the stories using the same structures.
ReplyDeleteThen, a compare-contrast discussion is easy.
Erin's suggestions are great!! If you are committed to a long story (and sometimes it happens because it's the perfect story!) then it sounds like you and your students are ready to add a few new "tricks" to your storyasking!! Assign students to different "jobs" during the story in addition to your actors.(Ben is really good at this but here are some ideas...)
ReplyDelete*You've already got blurters. :o)
*Sound effects. Make sure characters go to doors at every location in the story. The character knocks and a student knocks on the desk......or rings a doorbell (student makes doorbell sound....or opens door (a student makes a squeaking sound)
^stand ins "Standing in for So and So today is _________________. and switch actors for the character. Let the original actor know that people who are the actor for more than one day often get the lowest grade on quizzes about that story so the actor realizes that you have his/her best interests at heart.
^tres and beaucoup de
give one student the "tres" role and another the "beaucoup de" role. Whenever you use and adj like "jolie", point to your "tres" student who then says "TRES JOLIE". Whenever you use noun like "argent" point to your "beaucoup" student for a "beaucoup d'argent" (apologies if that is bad French, but I think you get the idea.....
with love,
Laurie
Thanks for the ideas! I basically split the long story into two pieces and then abandoned it when it stopped working. I just needed a reminder that it's about the repetitions...not the awesome story!
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