This week I worked with my student on writing. One of the really cool things we did as a team was allow the students to research on their own. The student were given a fact card for four animals, each day last week and this week we had them copy facts they felt answered the question about the animal's habitat, diet, adaptations, and fun facts. Then the students will were able to go onto San Diego Zoo and find their own research to add to make sure the student had more than one fact for each category. The end task was to transfer one animal to a self-written book. To begin, the students were able see the rubric we would be grading and work to get the grade they wanted to achieve. The students were independant and worked hard to get facts. Students at all levels, from my struggling students to the excelling students, were so successful. It made me really proud to see each of the student work hard for to accomplish the best book they could create. It was really helpful to have the students work toward a goal. The students were able to self edit and recheck their work with the rubric provided. We kept it simple, a 4 for 4 details, 3 for 3 details, etc. and points for full sentences, spacing, and capitals.
This week is one of the last full weeks that I have the students. It has really made me aware of the connections that I want to build with them. I can see the bond that I have with the students. I also see the example of a love of learning that I have modeled for the students as well. The impact that I have, whether the lesson was successful or not, is not the what the students cared about. The students noticed the attitude that I had toward learning and toward the other students. They encouraged each other as I have in class. I also noticed that if I lost patience or let things get me frazzled the students noticed. One day after a long personal night, I came in feeling drained and unmotivated. Within minutes, one of my quieter student came up to me, and asked me why I was sad. I had to check my approach for the day, and tell her I wasn't said I just need a warm up, we did a stretch as a class, and I told that they brightened my day and now I was ready to get going with reading. It is important to leave my personal things at the door, so that the students are not affected negatively.
This week I want to focus on making meaningful connection with the students as I start to transition my CT back in charge. As emotional as I will be during this time, the students do not want to lose me either. I want to make sure that every student feels like the CT is their champion as I am. I also want them to know they will be successful in their future. I want to make sure that I transition smoothly out of the classroom, even though I don't want to go.
In chapter seven, Schmitt talks about eight reasons why community-based learning is essential. Number two says community based projects are academically and socially rigorous. One of the things I really liked that we did; was a community based research project on the Schaumburg Library. The students are able to engage in the online library and this really encouraged to students to go to library outside of school time. After doing researching the library and writing about it, The students made a brochure for the library with all information they learned.Weeks after the brochure was finished students were still talking about the Schaumburg Library and all of its activities. It was very cool to see second graders so engaged in their community.
I really believe that teaching things like character and kindness are actually more important then content, like animal habitats. I know that leaving will be hard, but it's also what teachers do every year, at least in losing their students to the next class.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about the animal research project, and I'm wondering if you thought about raising the level of thinking for an assignment like this. Instead of finding facts and reporting them in a book, how could they raise the level of thinking? For example, they might select an animal for the new school mascot and justify their reasoning based on the characteristics of the animal.