My dilemma has not disappeared, but the past week has seemed better than usual in my classroom. This may or may not be due to some absences (I hate to say it, but there are some days that just seem better when certain students aren't there). Other things (besides pure luck) that may have helped make the week so peaceful could be better lesson planning, more sleep at night, and a few strategic moments of connecting with some of my students. I'm more comfortable with the current science unit I'm teaching than I have been with past units, so my lessons seem to flow better and I've found ways to keep the kids engaged in different types of learning activities. Also, I've begun to make sleep and a healthy lifestyle (including exercise finally!) a bigger priority than planning the perfect lesson. When I am rested, the day goes SO much better because I am able to think on my feet and respond to unexpected challenges more effectively. In addition, I've been working with a fair number of students after school on a service-learning project and cooking club. Even though these interactions take place in the school building, just spending time with students outside of the classroom setting seems to make connecting and developing trust so much easier.
So how long will this good streak last? If I'm feeling worn down, have a so-so lesson, and all my "tough" students are in class will it be a rough day? Quite possibly! I feel like I'm trying to balance all of these things (interesting lessons, improving student relationships, having the energy level of super woman) in the hopes that I can pull my classroom together and end the year on a high note. Clearly, this is not a sustainable solution and it could come back to hit me in the face, but what else can I do? I feel like most of the ideas I've collected over the semester have helped me to create a list of "things to do better next time," but what can I do NOW? We have about 30 days left this year. That time will be over before we know it. Still, I don't want to be in "survival mode" until the end of the year. What can I do now to make up for my past mistakes? Is it too late for this year?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
So the amount of rest that you get seems strongly related to how responsive and present you can be for your students. And this seems highly related to the notion of "attunement" that the text talks about as part of high quality student-teacher relationships. This is a valuable insight for your self. I don't think it's just a fluke. Think about how your experience connects to the research you are reading.
I am a firm believer in the idea of "Mind over Matter". If you approach the school day with the excuse that you are tired and worrying that all of the problem kids will be a problem, then they will. Sometimes just saying "Cait get with it, you got this, lets rock it today" is what I need to say to help motivate me (especially this far into the year).
Also, whenever you are thinking that you cannot do something this year remember that one less thing you do this year is one less thing your kids will learn. They will not have you next year. That thought motivates me to continue to try new things to improve student achievement!
I totally know how you feel about class going better when certain students aren't there. I think it's a good sign though that things are going well getting the rest of the class engaged in the material. If you can get enough students to care about what you're learning, it will be easier to keep that positive momentum going even when your problem students are back in class. I find that having students who care about the lesson correct the behavior of their peers can sometimes be a lot more powerful than doing it myself.
Post a Comment