Term 1: August 30th, 2017 - November 2nd, 2017
Goal 1: Classroom environment; each student will participate, in class, at least once per cycle.
What am I proud of this term? I was able to take steps towards achieving my goal through the use of participation stickers and pre-written questions. In particular, the pre-written questions gave students the opportunity to participate in class discussions where they likely would not have before.
What were my challenges? I found that the stickers motivated a couple students to participate where they wouldn’t necessarily have before. However, the majority of students did not seem enthused by the prospect of stickers nor the class marks associated with them. Further, my hope was that pre-written questions would have served as a rehearsal for students asking their own questions. Unfortunately, students did not go past asking the pre-written questions.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? For students that increased their participation in class, they seemed to be more engaged in the lesson and enjoying themselves more during class time. Unfortunately, in general, this did not translate into higher performance on formal assessments that were not based solely on participation. The exception to this is in Sec I Science where marks are generally on the upswing; this may or may not be a direct result of an increase in student participation.
What am I still wondering about? I would like to experiment with mandatory participation. However, I am fearful that students may refuse to participate which would lead to consequences for the student. I am wondering if there is a way to enforce mandatory participation in a positive manner.
Where to next? I would like to make Think, Pair, Share groups in math to allow for more interaction between the teacher and students. Groups will need to be arranged heterogeneously with respect to general student fluency in math.
What were my challenges? I found that the stickers motivated a couple students to participate where they wouldn’t necessarily have before. However, the majority of students did not seem enthused by the prospect of stickers nor the class marks associated with them. Further, my hope was that pre-written questions would have served as a rehearsal for students asking their own questions. Unfortunately, students did not go past asking the pre-written questions.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? For students that increased their participation in class, they seemed to be more engaged in the lesson and enjoying themselves more during class time. Unfortunately, in general, this did not translate into higher performance on formal assessments that were not based solely on participation. The exception to this is in Sec I Science where marks are generally on the upswing; this may or may not be a direct result of an increase in student participation.
What am I still wondering about? I would like to experiment with mandatory participation. However, I am fearful that students may refuse to participate which would lead to consequences for the student. I am wondering if there is a way to enforce mandatory participation in a positive manner.
Where to next? I would like to make Think, Pair, Share groups in math to allow for more interaction between the teacher and students. Groups will need to be arranged heterogeneously with respect to general student fluency in math.
Goal 2: Differentiation; students will work in small groups, at least once per cycle, to receive more personalized instruction.
What am I proud of this term? I am particularly pleased with small group work during science labs. Modified students have received authentic lab experience through small group work. Moreover, in math classes, students are working collaboratively in their table groups with the advantage of being able to visit other groups for additional assistance. This has significantly reduced the number of questions that I fill on a one-on-one basis for students. As such, it has freed me up to visit groups and provide personalized instruction through mathematical inquiry and additional support for students on modified programs.
What were my challenges? Scheduling group time in advance did not fit well in the flows of my lessons and, ultimately, distracted me from the needs of students who may have been struggling with a particular topic of the day. I find that the perpetual group work is far more organic and allows each student greater support on demand.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Formal assessment in science shows that student retention is up, though this may or may not be a direct result of more personalized instruction. In math, I observe that students are finding greater ease to do their work in class. This may have yielded higher quiz marks on formal assessment for Sec I but nothing similar in Sec II.
What am I wondering about? I was hoping to see a stronger correlation in results on formal assessment with the level of personalized instruction. For some students, the correlation is there but, for many, it is not. I am wondering if I should dispense with traditional methods of formal assessment and move to more project-based assessment as a way for students to better demonstrate what they have learned. My fear with that type of approach is that it may create a disparity in terms marks versus marks on the board exam.
Where to next? I am satisfied with the level of personalized instruction in my classes. I believe there is a need to position students as the ones that bring personalized instruction in keeping with a constructivist framework. In order to do this, I would like to assemble expert groups on topics in math and science and have students teach certain lessons. Another technique to try would be forming the expert groups and jigsawing expert groups with each other.
What were my challenges? Scheduling group time in advance did not fit well in the flows of my lessons and, ultimately, distracted me from the needs of students who may have been struggling with a particular topic of the day. I find that the perpetual group work is far more organic and allows each student greater support on demand.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Formal assessment in science shows that student retention is up, though this may or may not be a direct result of more personalized instruction. In math, I observe that students are finding greater ease to do their work in class. This may have yielded higher quiz marks on formal assessment for Sec I but nothing similar in Sec II.
What am I wondering about? I was hoping to see a stronger correlation in results on formal assessment with the level of personalized instruction. For some students, the correlation is there but, for many, it is not. I am wondering if I should dispense with traditional methods of formal assessment and move to more project-based assessment as a way for students to better demonstrate what they have learned. My fear with that type of approach is that it may create a disparity in terms marks versus marks on the board exam.
Where to next? I am satisfied with the level of personalized instruction in my classes. I believe there is a need to position students as the ones that bring personalized instruction in keeping with a constructivist framework. In order to do this, I would like to assemble expert groups on topics in math and science and have students teach certain lessons. Another technique to try would be forming the expert groups and jigsawing expert groups with each other.
Figure 3, This abridged lesson plan, for Secondary I Science, showcases a conscious effort to organize students into small groups for more personalized instruction.
Term 2: November 6th, 2017 - February 1st, 2018
Goal 1: Planning; Divide each class into distinct periods of time to maximize teaching, learning, and practice time.
What am I proud of this term? I was able to integrate this goal into my planning immediately by beginning each class with a five-minute segment occupied by a minds-on activity, homework catch-up, or other types of quiet work. This allowed me to address administrative elements of the classroom (attendance, handing back assignments, etc.) more efficiently. I have been able to increase my instruction time substantially compared to Term 1.
What were my challenges? While the five-minute segment at the beginning of the class is consistently implemented with precision; I would like to be equally as clear on the bounds of instruction and class work time. These segments of the lesson have been more fluid.
Certain students do not take advantage of the increased instruction time as they do not do the class problems nor take notes. I have made particular efforts for these students by increasing my prompts and involving them in class conversations.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students seem more confident with the material during their work periods (particularly in Secondary I). I field many more questions during instruction time and far less during class work time.
What am I still wondering about? While flexibility has its advantages, on some occasions, when there is a high level of student participation during instruction, there is little time left for students to complete homework (sometimes around 5-10 minutes). If possible, I prefer to extend the amount of time that students may complete homework in class.
Where to next? Generating a class agenda for the day, and posting it conspicuously in the classroom, would help to enforce a balance been instruction time and work periods.
What were my challenges? While the five-minute segment at the beginning of the class is consistently implemented with precision; I would like to be equally as clear on the bounds of instruction and class work time. These segments of the lesson have been more fluid.
Certain students do not take advantage of the increased instruction time as they do not do the class problems nor take notes. I have made particular efforts for these students by increasing my prompts and involving them in class conversations.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students seem more confident with the material during their work periods (particularly in Secondary I). I field many more questions during instruction time and far less during class work time.
What am I still wondering about? While flexibility has its advantages, on some occasions, when there is a high level of student participation during instruction, there is little time left for students to complete homework (sometimes around 5-10 minutes). If possible, I prefer to extend the amount of time that students may complete homework in class.
Where to next? Generating a class agenda for the day, and posting it conspicuously in the classroom, would help to enforce a balance been instruction time and work periods.
Figure 5, Example of a minds-on activity for Secondary I Science. Students must fill in the crossword, referencing their notes as appropriate. This activity was great because students were able to return to it multiple times during the unit.
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Goal 2: School Teacher; Facilitate a math/science club, once per cycle.
What am I proud of this term? Math/science club has met consistently, every day 6, since our first meeting. We have done some really cool activities including:
What were my challenges? I would like to see greater participation among a broader range of students. Currently, all participants are from Secondary I and come in groups of 2-3. There was some difficulty arranging for weekly announcements of our club meetings.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students were exposed to science and mathematics applications which are not normally included in the day-to-day implementation of the curriculum. This has led to broader interest in the applied sciences among participants.
What am I wondering about? I am unsure how to strike a greater balance between math activities and science activities. Despite my best research efforts, I am struggling to find math activities with the same “wow” factor as the science activities. The best which I have found was the digital image production; though this is more in the field of computer sciences.
Where to next? I would like to produce photos and videos of our activities, as marketing materials, to encourage broader student involvement. As well, I would like to branch out to other fields such as computer science, robotics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.
- Frequency of sound waves with tuning forks.
- Ignition temperature with Potassium Nitrate.
- Digital image production with pixels.
What were my challenges? I would like to see greater participation among a broader range of students. Currently, all participants are from Secondary I and come in groups of 2-3. There was some difficulty arranging for weekly announcements of our club meetings.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students were exposed to science and mathematics applications which are not normally included in the day-to-day implementation of the curriculum. This has led to broader interest in the applied sciences among participants.
What am I wondering about? I am unsure how to strike a greater balance between math activities and science activities. Despite my best research efforts, I am struggling to find math activities with the same “wow” factor as the science activities. The best which I have found was the digital image production; though this is more in the field of computer sciences.
Where to next? I would like to produce photos and videos of our activities, as marketing materials, to encourage broader student involvement. As well, I would like to branch out to other fields such as computer science, robotics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.
Term 3: February 5th, 2018 - June 22nd, 2018
Goal 1: Classroom Environment; Adopt classroom management strategies to address specific issues such as calling out and traveling.
What am I proud of this term? I brought consistency to our classroom routines by clearly outlining how class time was divided between instructional segments and independent work. This yielded the intended result of students remaining on-task and staying at their spots to complete assigned work. As well, by praising students who followed class rules, I reinforced these positive behaviours and positioned students as models for other students.
A list of classroom management strategies was synthesized through observations of other teachers, selected readings from Harry K Wong & Rosemary T. Wong’s The First Days of School, and my own experimentation within my classes.
What were my challenges? On particularly rowdy days, I still find it challenging to apply classroom expectations consistently. Sometimes, I may become "worn down" by the end of the period if I feel as though I am juggling multiple lapses in class decorum. In these instances, I resort to my "tick" system whereby the whole class is kept in after three strikes. This is often a sufficient means to maintain a productive classroom environment.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students are spending more time on task which increases their practice time. As a direct result, their skills in math and science have improved at a faster rate as compared to previous terms. I believe this is evidenced by a steadily rising class average in May/June.
What am I still wondering about? I am hoping that as a remain at Golden Valley School, and as the student-teacher relationship continues to develop, that I will be able to further leverage my stock value with students to keep them on task and motivated.
Where to next? At the beginning of this year, I had the class rules posted. Now that I have a deeper, and more fluid, understanding of the school/student culture, I would like to return to this strategy with an approach which is better tailored to our students. That is, now that I know where the most serious issues arise, I may ensure that class rules specifically target those lapses in class decorum.
A list of classroom management strategies was synthesized through observations of other teachers, selected readings from Harry K Wong & Rosemary T. Wong’s The First Days of School, and my own experimentation within my classes.
What were my challenges? On particularly rowdy days, I still find it challenging to apply classroom expectations consistently. Sometimes, I may become "worn down" by the end of the period if I feel as though I am juggling multiple lapses in class decorum. In these instances, I resort to my "tick" system whereby the whole class is kept in after three strikes. This is often a sufficient means to maintain a productive classroom environment.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? Students are spending more time on task which increases their practice time. As a direct result, their skills in math and science have improved at a faster rate as compared to previous terms. I believe this is evidenced by a steadily rising class average in May/June.
What am I still wondering about? I am hoping that as a remain at Golden Valley School, and as the student-teacher relationship continues to develop, that I will be able to further leverage my stock value with students to keep them on task and motivated.
Where to next? At the beginning of this year, I had the class rules posted. Now that I have a deeper, and more fluid, understanding of the school/student culture, I would like to return to this strategy with an approach which is better tailored to our students. That is, now that I know where the most serious issues arise, I may ensure that class rules specifically target those lapses in class decorum.
classroom_management_strategies.pdf | |
File Size: | 36 kb |
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Goal 2: Classroom Environment; Utilize new strategies in classroom interventions.
What am I proud of this term? Several elements of The Bumping Model (Barrie Bennett & Peter Smilanich) were implemented to better intervene in the classroom. Specifically, in order of escalation:
I have developed a list of intervention techniques rooted in The Bumping Model, observations of other teachers, discussions with colleagues, and various approaches which I have piloted myself in the classroom.
What were my challenges? Conflicts occur less frequently in my classes though some still escalate quickly and I feel unsure how to proceed. Often, the resolution involves leaving the student alone even if they are refusing to complete a task. At times, the infraction is serious enough that I ask the student to report to the office.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? By keeping individual students on task, and diligent in respecting the class' codes, a virtuous cycle has emerged wherein good behaviour encourages good behaviour from other students. Similar to my classroom management strategies, praise for good behaviour (or a successful resolution after an intervention) sets an example for the entire class. This results in more time for students to focus on their class activities without losing time to several disruptive interventions.
What am I still wondering about? Developing additional strategies to motivate students and resolve conflicts within the classroom are a priority for me going into next year. I aim to build my ability to intervene independently and only require external assistance in the most dire situations.
Where to next? Continued partnership with stakeholders (parents, guardians, other teachers, etc.) leading to a global approach for individual students will ensure that interventions will continue to have the desired effects on teaching and learning. Moreover, I would like to continue receiving regular feedback from colleagues to take advantage of existing approaches which are known to work. Of course, the continual building of student-teacher relationships will also assist in more effective, and less frequent, interventions within the classroom.
- Making eye contact with a student.
- Walking towards/next to a student.
- Delivering a verbal reminder of classroom expectations.
- Giving a clear reminder of consequences for a lapse in decorum.
I have developed a list of intervention techniques rooted in The Bumping Model, observations of other teachers, discussions with colleagues, and various approaches which I have piloted myself in the classroom.
What were my challenges? Conflicts occur less frequently in my classes though some still escalate quickly and I feel unsure how to proceed. Often, the resolution involves leaving the student alone even if they are refusing to complete a task. At times, the infraction is serious enough that I ask the student to report to the office.
What impact did my goals have on student learning? By keeping individual students on task, and diligent in respecting the class' codes, a virtuous cycle has emerged wherein good behaviour encourages good behaviour from other students. Similar to my classroom management strategies, praise for good behaviour (or a successful resolution after an intervention) sets an example for the entire class. This results in more time for students to focus on their class activities without losing time to several disruptive interventions.
What am I still wondering about? Developing additional strategies to motivate students and resolve conflicts within the classroom are a priority for me going into next year. I aim to build my ability to intervene independently and only require external assistance in the most dire situations.
Where to next? Continued partnership with stakeholders (parents, guardians, other teachers, etc.) leading to a global approach for individual students will ensure that interventions will continue to have the desired effects on teaching and learning. Moreover, I would like to continue receiving regular feedback from colleagues to take advantage of existing approaches which are known to work. Of course, the continual building of student-teacher relationships will also assist in more effective, and less frequent, interventions within the classroom.
classroom_intervention_strategies.pdf | |
File Size: | 35 kb |
File Type: |