In my last blog post, I listed three actions I will implement when I reenter the classroom in just a couple weeks. In a nod to one of my favorite structures for reflection - the good ol’ Add, Keep, Stop analysis - here are three actions I plan to keep from my 23 years as a teacher:
Call Backs - The easiest, quickest no-dollar, high-impact tool I ever used. It’s so simple: “I say ‘welcome’ and you say ‘back!’” Then add words, phrases, claps, etc. throughout the year, following the students’ lead. Here’s why call backs are so powerful:
It’s a team effort. Everyone joins in and helps create the daily call back.
As the teacher, I’m saying it’s OK to be loud and use your voice in here.
Most importantly, it’s joyful. It creates a warm, inviting slice of the day. Love it!
Daily Exit Tickets - These are just little scraps of paper I collect each day as students exit the room. Students respond to a question from me, based on the day’s lesson or perhaps it’s a preview for the next day’s learning, and sometimes it’s just a silly question that helps me learn more about my students.
Learning Zone/Performance Zone - Inspired by the TED Talk video How to Get Better at the Things You Care About, I tried to be super open with students about what each assignment was intended to provide for them: practice or performance. It’s sometimes a hard sell to convince students that the goal of each class isn’t to get the most points, but this idea helps them change a game-the-system mindset and inspire them to seek learning and improvement.
I’m heading to New Teacher Training next week - so amped! - and will share the three actions I’m leaving in my previous classroom, with no plans of looking back.
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