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Bring Excitement Into Any Lesson | Edutopia

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Bring Excitement Into Any Lesson | Edutopia

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There is a marked distinction between teachers who seek merely to entertain and those who actually engage, just as there is a difference between teachers who cater to rather than captivate kids. Our ultimate goal as facilitators is for our students to be fully committed to academic pursuits that mean something to them personally and move them profoundly.

By adding one or more of the following engagement techniques-the 10 Cs, I call them-teachers of all grade levels and subject areas can refashion any lesson into an exciting, enriching educational experience for all. Best of all, infusing your classroom with both wonder and worth always enhances your quality and depth of instruction. Cultivating student involvement doesn't entail compromise or invite complacency, so use these strategies liberally and often.

Engagement Through Empowerment

1. Curiosity: Tap into the natural inquisitiveness of children through the use of intrigue, prediction, and inquiry. Allowing students to create their own questions based on careful analysis and thoughtful inference puts them in charge of their learning. To add a deeper layer of scholarship and ownership, require students to employ evidence and explanation in order to find answers to their own and their classmates' questions.

2. Choice: Students feel valued when given a degree of control over their education and respond positively when elements of autonomy are incorporated into class activities. Kids greet the simplest either/or opportunities with enthusiasm, but facilitators can capitalize on this by occasionally offering menus of choices so students can decide how to approach or show off their learning.

3. Creativity: Choice is not just being given the authority to decide between one thing and the other. Investment and authenticity are also enhanced when students are encouraged to express themselves organically and with originality. Move students from being passive consumers of information to active creators by welcoming their ingenuity and imagination.

4. Construction: Project- or problem-based learning forms purpose and practicality for students who naturally crave meaning and hands-on participation. When students create, build, or solve something personally impactful, the buy-in is palpable. These grand, ongoing projects also establish a through line of anticipation, significance, and commitment that keeps students eagerly coming back for more.

Engagement Through Community

5. Collaboration: Working together toward a common goal is invigorating, advantageous, and enlightening. Whether this collaboration is done among pairs of students, small groups, or the entire class, do not settle for mere cooperation. True collaboration necessitates at least two people working closely on a particularly challenging or complex task. If most students can readily accomplish an assignment individually, do not designate that particular task as collaborative.
Related Article: Teaching Group Work: Building Student Collaboration and Agency
6. Camaraderie: The esprit de corps that fascinating facilitators engender in their students must not be underestimated. A sense of belonging, essential contribution, common mission, and mutual celebration transforms what could be an isolating school experience into one filled with rapport and relationships.

Engagement Through Expertise

7. Controversy: Students spontaneously respond to pointed, provocative comments and ideas. They love to add their two cents, especially where issues of justice, equity, and freedom are concerned. Work to elevate your students' impassioned reactions, particularly when those responses are uninformed, into eloquent expressions of opinion and insight. Teach your students respectful debate skills and awaken within them the fire of self-expression.

8. Critique: When specifically asking students for their judgment, the intent is not for them to merely tear things apart and criticize but to expose both the strengths and weaknesses of what is being critiqued. Practice with this type of analysis also prepares students to evaluate their own work, as well as that of their peers, with increasing balance and clarity.

9. Commentary: Every child likes to feel smart, necessary, and listened to. Giving students voice entails providing the encouragement and support that increase confidence. Add the skills of articulation and explication, and kids increasingly open up to share their pertinent, personal ideas and experiences. If you want your students to talk and write like experts, then train and treat them like experts.

10. Critical thinking: Take students beyond what they already know, believe, can do, or think they are interested in. Also take students below the surface to explore and discover new insights and connections to what they previously knew or believed. Finally, take students back inward to reflect on their prior assumptions and to think critically about what they have read or been told. These opportunities for astute analysis ignite the inner scholar that resides in every child.

These 10 avenues of self-expression are potent ways to augment student achievement. Therefore, every teacher's investment in student engagement matters. And this makes school meaningful-which only inspires further student investment.

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Bring Excitement Into Any Lesson | Edutopia

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There is a marked distinction between teachers who seek merely to entertain and those who actually engage, just as there is a difference between teachers who cater to rather than captivate kids. Our ultimate goal as facilitators is for our students to be fully committed to academic pursuits that mean something to them personally and move them profoundly.

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#JokeoftheDay Prepares Students for Learning | Edutopia

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#JokeoftheDay Prepares Students for Learning | Edutopia

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"What's today's joke?" Jess asks-or demands-with a smile on her face. These are the first words I hear walking into my second day of school this year.

Even on day two, my students know that class doesn't start without the #JokeoftheDay. Before the Do Now (a quick activity to start class, hook students, and prepare them for learning), even before attendance, comes a moment of humor, silliness, and wonder.

"How do you make a hot dog stand?" I ask as students smirk and consider possible answers. After the punch line is delivered, it's always a mix of some groans, a few laughs, and some smiles. The answer, of course: You take away its chair!

In the Beginning . . .

The #JokeoftheDay started on a whim, when my fellow teacher friends decided to tell a joke each morning before work. Finding and sharing the jokes quickly became my responsibility, and it evolved from a daily joke on the social app Voxer to how I started each class period. I would walk into class, greet my students, and tell the joke in the corniest, most over-the-top way I could imagine. Each word was exaggerated, and the dramatic pause before the punch line was usually accompanied by students rolling their eyes and smirking.

At first, there was no plan and no real academic intent-it was a simple and authentic way to bring humor to the classroom, build relationships, and see students smile. But it was soon clear that something else was happening: It didn't take long before students started to bring in their own jokes. They researched, wrote, and collaborated on them, and they were also eager to tell the jokes to their peers. We established a simple system to gather jokes, using a Google Form to collect them from the class and crowdsource new ones. Eventually I began to tweet the daily joke out at the end of each school day, adding the hashtag #SchoenTell, to reach our greater school community via social media.

Impacts on Culture and Engagement

#JokeoftheDay not only helped bring my students together and build stronger, more positive relationships, it also encouraged the class to be more prepared for learning, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Students experience real validation and excitement when they hear their jokes told in front of their peers, and then see them tweeted as the "official" class #JokeoftheDay. Their excitement was bolstered even further when, over the course of the school year, they received 89 jokes from students and educators around the world who had discovered the #JokeoftheDay hashtag.

Preparing Students for Learning

So much of the school day is packed with feelings of stress and pressure. Jokes make us laugh, which intrinsically helps reduce stress. A joke has no inherent stakes or pressure. It becomes a game as we all wait for the delivery of the punch line together, running through possibilities as we try to anticipate what's coming next. We must accept that we may not be able to figure out the punch line in time, and react with a smile (or a groan) when it finally comes.

After that small, playful group exercise, our minds are now more active and ready for learning. Creating jokes isn't easy. Neither is guessing punch lines. Both take critical thinking, creativity, and effort. With the typical Do Now, students expect grades, stakes, and sometimes stress. With a joke, that pressure is alleviated and their minds open; they are more prepared for the real learning and engagement to begin.

Staying Power

At the end of last school year, I took a break from the #JokeoftheDay. Not everyone did, however, and jokes continued to come in through the Google Form-one student even tweeted her own jokes throughout the summer with our hashtags. Our jokes extended our classroom community throughout the summer months and created a scaffold to build on for next year's class to start the new year.

The Research on Humor

Education needs more fun, humor, and humility. Humor brings people together, builds community, and increases joy. A meta-analysis in 2011 of 40 years of research on humor in education found that humor positively impacts attention and interest. In addition, the report finds that there is a positive relationship between humor and student evaluations, perceptions about instructor's credibility, and positive learning environments. The authors recommend that educators use humor when it's comfortable with their teaching styles, but warn against too much humor, sarcasm, and negative humor.

The research reinforces what I know from my own experience to be true: Jokes and humor help engage students, reduce the stress of school, and help build positive climates and community. They help open students' minds so that they are more prepared to learn and grow.

Every teacher has heard the clichéd advice not to smile until Thanksgiving, but that's never been true in my classroom. The #JokeoftheDay is one small way to build classroom culture and climate. Students and teachers need to find more opportunities to smile all year round and to build meaningful relationships with one another.

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#JokeoftheDay Prepares Students for Learning | Edutopia

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"What's today's joke?" Jess asks-or demands-with a smile on her face. These are the first words I hear walking into my second day of school this year. Even on day two, my students know that class doesn't start without the #JokeoftheDay.

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21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation

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21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation

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by TeachThought Staff

The best lessons, books, and materials in the world won't get students excited about learning and willing to work hard if they're not motivated.

Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the success of students at all stages of their education, and teachers can play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging that motivation in their students. Of course that's much easier said than done, as all students are motivated differently and it takes time and a lot of effort to learn to get a classroom full of kids enthusiastic about learning, working hard, and pushing themselves to excel.

Even the most well-intentioned and educated teachers sometimes lack the skills to keep kids on track, so whether you're a new teacher or an experienced one, try using these methods to motivate your students and to encourage them to live up to their true potential.
21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation
1. Give students a sense of control.

While guidance from a teacher is important to keeping kids on task and motivated, allowing students to have some choice and control over what happens in the classroom is actually one of the best ways to keep them engaged. For example, allowing students to choose the type of assignment they do or which problems to work on can give them a sense of control that may just motivate them to do more.

2. Define the objectives.
It can be very frustrating for students to complete an assignment or even to behave in class if there aren't clearly defined objectives. Students want and need to know what is expected of them in order to stay motivated to work. At the beginning of the year, lay out clear objectives, rules, and expectations of students so that there is no confusion and students have goals to work towards.

3. Create a threat-free environment.
While students do need to understand that there are consequences to their actions, far more motivating for students than threats are positive reinforcements. When teachers create a safe, supportive environment for students, affirming their belief in a student's abilities rather than laying out the consequences of not doing things, students are much more likely to get and stay motivated to do their work. At the end of the day, students will fulfill the expectations that the adults around them communicate, so focus on can, not can't.

4. Change your scenery.
A classroom is a great place for learning, but sitting at a desk day in and day out can make school start to seem a bit dull for some students. To renew interest in the subject matter or just in learning in general, give your students a chance to get out of the classroom. Take field trips, bring in speakers, or even just head to the library for some research. The brain loves novelty and a new setting can be just what some students need to stay motivated to learn.

5. Offer varied experiences.

Not all students will respond to lessons in the same way. For some, hands-on experiences may be the best. Others may love to read books quietly or to work in groups. In order to keep all students motivated, mix up your lessons so that students with different preferences will each get time focused on the things they like best. Doing so will help students stay engaged and pay attention.

6. Use positive competition.
Competition in the classroom isn't always a bad thing, and in some cases can motivate students to try harder and work to excel. Work to foster a friendly spirit of competition in your classroom, perhaps through group games related to the material or other opportunities for students to show off their knowledge.

7. Offer rewards.
Everyone likes getting rewards, and offering your students the chance to earn them is an excellent source of motivation. Things like pizza parties, watching movies, or even something as simple as a sticker on a paper can make students work harder and really aim to achieve. Consider the personalities and needs of your students to determine appropriate rewards for your class.

8. Give students responsibility.
Assigning students classroom jobs is a great way to build a community and to give students a sense of motivation. Most students will see classroom jobs as a privilege rather than a burden and will work hard to ensure that they, and other students, are meeting expectations. It can also be useful to allow students to take turns leading activities or helping out so that each feels important and valued.

9. Allow students to work together.
While not all students will jump at the chance to work in groups, many will find it fun to try to solve problems, do experiments, and work on projects with other students. The social interaction can get them excited about things in the classroom and students can motivate one another to reach a goal. Teachers need to ensure that groups are balanced and fair, however, so that some students aren't doing more work than others.

10. Give praise when earned.
There is no other form of motivation that works quite as well as encouragement. Even as adults we crave recognition and praise, and students at any age are no exception. Teachers can give students a bounty of motivation by rewarding success publicly, giving praise for a job well done, and sharing exemplary work.

11. Encourage self-reflection.
Most kids want to succeed, they just need help figuring out what they need to do in order to get there. One way to motivate your students is to get them to take a hard look at themselves and determine their own strengths and weaknesses. Students are often much more motivated by creating these kinds of critiques of themselves than by having a teacher do it for them, as it makes them feel in charge of creating their own objectives and goals.

12. Be excited.
One of the best ways to get your students motivated is to share your enthusiasm. When you're excited about teaching, they'll be much more excited about learning. It's that simple.

13. Know your students.
Getting to know your students is about more than just memorizing their names. Students need to know that their teacher has a genuine interest in them and cares about them and their success. When students feel appreciated it creates a safe learning environment and motivates them to work harder, as they want to get praise and good feedback from someone they feel knows and respects them as individuals.

14. Harness student interests.
Knowing your students also has some other benefits, namely that it allows you to relate classroom material to things that students are interested in or have experienced. Teachers can use these interests to make things more interesting and relatable to students, keeping students motivated for longer.

15. Help students find intrinsic motivation.
It can be great to help students get motivated, but at the end of the day they need to be able to generate their own motivation. Helping students find their own personal reasons for doing class work and working hard, whether because they find material interesting, want to go to college, or just love to learn, is one of the most powerful gifts you can give them.

16. Manage student anxiety.
Some students find the prospect of not doing well so anxiety-inducing that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. For these students, teachers may find that they are most motivated by learning that struggling with a subject isn't the end of the world. Offer support no matter what the end result is and ensure that students don't feel so overwhelmed by expectations that they just give up.

17. Make goals high but attainable.
If you're not pushing your students to do more than the bare minimum, most won't seek to push themselves on their own. Students like to be challenged and will work to achieve high expectations so long as they believe those goals to be within their reach, so don't be afraid to push students to get more out of them.

18. Give feedback and offer chances to improve.
Students who struggle with class work can sometimes feel frustrated and get down on themselves, draining motivation. In these situations it's critical that teachers help students to learn exactly where they went wrong and how they can improve next time. Figuring out a method to get where students want to be can also help them to stay motivated to work hard.

19. Track progress.
It can be hard for students to see just how far they've come, especially with subjects that are difficult for them. Tracking can come in handy in the classroom, not only for teachers but also for students. Teachers can use this as a way to motivate students, allowing them to see visually just how much they are learning and improving as the year goes on.

20. Make things fun.
Not all class work needs to be a game or a good time, but students who see school as a place where they can have fun will be more motivated to pay attention and do the work that's required of them than those who regard it as a chore. Adding fun activities into your school day can help students who struggle to stay engaged and make the classroom a much more friendly place for all students.

21. Provide opportunities for success.
Students, even the best ones, can become frustrated and demotivated when they feel like they're struggling or not getting the recognition that other students are. Make sure that all students get a chance to play to their strengths and feel included and valued. It can make a world of difference in their motivation.
This is a cross-post from onlinecollegecourses.com

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21 Simple Ideas To Improve Student Motivation

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by TeachThought Staff The best lessons, books, and materials in the world won't get students excited about learning and willing to work hard if they're not motivated. Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the success of students at all stages of their education, and teachers can play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging that motivation in their students.

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10 Team-Building Games For The First Day Of Class

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10 Team-Building Games For The First Day Of Class

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by TeachThought Staff

Team-building activities are great. Not only can they help establish routines, tone, and expectations, they're also fun, and can help learners feel comfortable. Though many older students in high school and college may groan at their thought, they're usually fun, and great ways to help students feel at ease. Before you dismiss them as too juvenile, try one. You might be surprised.

Note that which game you choose, your rules for the game, and any revisions to the rules depend on the nature of the class you're using them with. Certain students may feel overly liberated-especially in middle school-with the idea of a "game," and so expectations must be carefully given to younger K-8 learners-and even 9-12-to ensure that every student is set up for success.
1. Me Too!
Ideal Grade Levels: K-20

First student gives a fact about themselves-I love basketball, I have two sisters, etc. If that statement or fact is true about another student, they stand up and say "Me too!" They can also stay seated, but simply raise their hand and say "Me too!"
2. Park Bench
Ideal Grade Levels: 6-20

Two chairs are placed together to resemble park bench. Two students volunteer-or are selected-to act out "what happened" in a fictional news story. They are given one minute to prepare a scene where they discuss the "event" without every actually saying what happened. After given time period (1-5 minutes), peers guess "what happened," but they must give up all four important details: Who, What, Where, and When, e.g.:

What: College Basketball game

Who: Kentucky and Kansas

When: Early April

Where: New Orleans
3. Fact or Fiction
Ideal Grade Levels: 3-12

In circle, first student offers two facts and one piece of fiction about themselves. Others raise hand or are called on to identify which were facts, and which were fiction. The correct guesser goes next. Play is completed when all students have gone.
4. Green Door
Ideal Grade Levels: 5-20

Leader chooses a topic, but keeps it quiet, only saying that "You can bring a ____ through the green door." Students are then forced to deduce the topic by asking if other things can be brought through the green door as well, e.g., "Can I bring a _____ through the green door?"

Leader can only reply yes or no. When topic is identified, topic resets. Topics can be content related, such as parts of speech, colors, geometric figures, historical figures, etc.
5. One Minute Talk
Ideal Grade Levels: 5-20

Students are chosen to give 60 second talks on anything, from self-selected topics they are passionate about, have specific expertise in, etc., to topics given from teacher.
6. Count to Ten
Ideal Grade Levels: 3-20

All students stand in circle. First student says "1," or "1,2." The next student picks up where that student left off, and can say a maximum number of 2 numbers. The movement continues clockwise until it gets to 10, where that student has to sit, and the game starts back over at 1 at the next student. Note that there can be no pausing or silent counting-any pauses or indications the student is counting/calculating forces them to sit. Also, pouting or talking during counting results in elimination from future rounds. The big idea is to count strategically so that you can keep from saying "10."
7. I Never
Ideal Grade Levels: K-20

Students form circle. First student says something they've never done. Each student that has done the thing the other student has not steps briefly into the center. The game continues until every person has stated something they've done.
8. Magic Ball
Ideal Grade Levels: K-20

Students form circle. First student is "given" imaginary magic ball. Student sculpts imaginary ball into new shape, handing it to person to their right. Activity is silent. Any talking/noise results in student sitting. After game, guessing may be done to predict what "sculpture" was.
9. Silent Line
Ideal Grade Levels: K-8

Students are given a criteria, and must silently put themselves in a line as quickly as possible, to meet a goal, compete against other classes, or receive some reward (free reading time, no homework, etc.) The criteria can simple (birthdays), or slightly more complicated (alphabetical order of college or career ambition).
10. Inside-Outside Circle
Ideal Grade Levels: 3-20

Students form a circle within a circle with (ideally) equal number of students in both circles. Inside circle members pair with outside circle members. Activity leader (usually teacher, but can be a student) presents a topic, prompt, or question. Partners share for 10 seconds (or less), leader asks inside circle to move clockwise a certain number of spaces to collaborate with new partners directly across from them. This is usually content focuses, and helps spur quick discussion on content related topics, or even current events.
Source: The Advisory Book by Linda Crawford

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10 Team-Building Games For The First Day Of Class

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by TeachThought Staff Team-building activities are great. Not only can they help establish routines, tone, and expectations, they're also fun, and can help learners feel comfortable. Though many older students in high school and college may groan at their thought, they're usually fun, and great ways to help students feel at ease.

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A definite read for the first few weeks of school.

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Copy of 32 Strategies for Building a Positive Learning Environment

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Helping Students Start the Year with a Positive Mindset | Edutopia

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Helping Students Start the Year with a Positive Mindset | Edutopia

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Great strategies for first days of school or anytime to build community

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For students who have had trouble in school, or who have had a negative summer, it is especially important to get the school year off to a fresh start. And for all students, having a positive mindset makes learning much more likely. Here are four activities to help accomplish these goals.

Identity and Purpose: Who Am I?

Now that students are back in school, it's a good time to help them refocus on learning, their strengths, and the personal and other resources that will help them succeed. Students can individually fill out the grid below, and then pair-share, discuss in small groups, and finally share with the class some of their responses. (Students tend to be most comfortable sharing numbers 2, 4, and 6 below when in larger groups.)

You may also wish to use other creative forms of sharing, such as having students create a collage or chart with all of their answers to each question or the top three answers to each question. Consider integrating this activity into any journal writing your students do.

1. What motivates me?

2. What are my best abilities?

3. How do peers influence me?

4. When and with whom am I at my best?

5. Who are my best sources of help?

6. How can I do more of what will best help me to succeed?

A Living Poll

Read each statement and, based on students' opinions, have them move to a part of the room that you designate to represent each of the answers below. The three areas of the room are for those who believe any of these three answers:

It's mostly true for me.

It's partly true and not true.

It's mostly not true for me.

You can choose to present the following questions positively or negatively:

1. "I think school is pointless." OR "I think school is important, and I need to learn so that I can succeed."

2. "I can be violent in some situations." OR "I am more peaceful and would only use violence where there is a real danger."

3. "I think that trying doesn't matter." OR "I believe that the more I try, the more I can succeed."

4. "I do what makes me popular with others in school." OR "I do what I want and what I think is the right thing to do."

5. "I come to class to pass the time." OR "I am someone who wants to be involved in school and learn."

After each statement (or others that you may wish to add), ask students in each area of the room to share why they believe as they do. There is great value in students hearing peers' views about why they have turned to a more positive mindset. And it's instructive for the teacher to get a sense of students' views. Note that students may move to an area where they "think" that the teacher wants them to be.

Asking them to articulate why they believe as they do is your check -- and their reality check -- on whether they really do have the belief that they've endorsed. You may want to end with a discussion of the challenges of sharing honest opinions.

Journaling About Beliefs and Mindset

As a supplement to the above or as an activity in its own right, have students respond in their journals to at least one of each stem:

I used to be _______ but now I am _______

I used to think _______ but now I think _______

I used to do _______ but now I do _______

There is added benefit to revisiting these activities mid-year, or even after each marking period, to see how ideas are changing (positively or negatively).

Make a Good First Impression

First impressions matter. Teachers have told me the importance of decorating classrooms in ways that catch students' attention and gives them something to think about at the same time. Give your students clipboards and a questionnaire asking them to notice different aspects of how the room is decorated. Come together to discuss what differences students noticed, why they think you made those choices, and what they would add if they were you. You can adapt this for younger children, as well.

Share with us in the comments section below your experiences with these activities and especially your more effective adaptations.

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Helping Students Start the School Year With a Positive Mindset | Edutopia

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For students who have had trouble in school, or who have had a negative summer, it is especially important to get the school year off to a fresh start. And for all students, having a positive mindset makes learning much more likely. Here are four activities to help accomplish these goals.

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Strategies for Helping Students Motivate Themselves | Edutopia

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Strategies for Helping Students Motivate Themselves | Edutopia

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To inspire intrinsic motivation in students, schools should focus on nurturing their sense of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance.

My previous post reviewed research on extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and described the four qualities that have been identified as critical to helping students motivate themselves: autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance.

In this post, I'll discuss practical classroom strategies to reinforce each of these four qualities.

Autonomy

Providing students with freedom of choice is one strategy for promoting learner autonomy. Educators commonly view this idea of choice through the lens of organizational and procedural choice. Organizational choice, for example, might mean students having a voice in seating assignments or members of their small learning groups. Procedural choice could include a choice from a list of homework assignments and what form a final project might take-a book, poster, or skit.

Some researchers, however, believe that a third option, cognitive choice, is a more effective way to promote longer-lasting student autonomy. This kind of cognitive autonomy support, which is also related to the idea of ensuring relevance, could include:

Problem-based learning, where small groups need to determine their own solutions to teacher-suggested and/or student-solicited issues-ways to organize school lunchtime more effectively, what it would take to have a human colony on Mars, strategies to get more healthy food choices available in the neighborhood, etc.

Students developing their own ideas for homework assignments related to what is being studied in class

Students publicly sharing their different thinking processes behind solving the same problem or a similar one

Teachers using thinking routines like one developed by Project Zero at Harvard and consisting of a simple formula: the teacher regularly asking, "What is going on here?" and, after a student response, continuing with, "What do you see that makes you say so?"

Competence

Feedback, done well, is ranked by education researcher John Hattie as number 10 out of 150 influences on student achievement.

As Carol Dweck has found, praising intelligence makes people less willing to risk "their newly minted genius status," while praising effort encourages the idea that we primarily learn through our hard work: "Ben, it's impressive that you wrote two drafts of that essay instead of one, and had your friend review it, too. How do you feel it turned out, and what made you want to put the extra work into it?"

But how do you handle providing critical feedback to students when it's necessary? Since extensive research shows that a ratio of positive-to-negative feedback of between 3-1 and 5-1 is necessary for healthy learning to occur, teachers might consider a strategy called "plussing" that is used by Pixar animation studios with great success. The New York Times interviewed author Peter Sims about the concept: "The point, he said, is to 'build and improve on ideas without using judgmental language.'... An animator working on Toy Story 3 shares her rough sketches and ideas with the director. Instead of criticizing the sketch or saying no, the director will build on the starting point by saying something like, 'I like Woody's eyes, and what if his eyes rolled left?' Using words like 'and' or 'what if' rather than 'but' is a way to offer suggestions and allow creative juices to flow without fear, Mr. Sims said."

"And" and "what if" could easily become often-used words in an educator's vocabulary!

Relatedness

A high-quality relationship with a teacher whom they respect is a key element of helping students develop intrinsic motivation. What are some actions that teachers can take to strengthen these relationships?

Here are four simple suggestions adapted from the ideas of Robert Marzano:

1. Take a genuine interest in your students: Learn their interests, hopes, and dreams. Ask them about what is happening in their lives. In other words, lead with your ears and not your mouth. Don't make it a one-way street-share some of your own stories too.

2. Act friendly in other ways: Smile, joke, and sometimes make a light, supportive touch on a student's shoulder.

3. Be flexible and keep your eyes on the learning goal prize: One of my students had never written an essay in his school career. He was intent on maintaining that record during an assignment to write a persuasive essay about what students thought was the worst natural disaster. Because I knew two of his passions were football and video games, I told him that as long as he used the writing techniques we'd studied, he could write an essay on why his favorite football team was better than its rival or on why he particularly liked one video game. He ended up writing an essay on both topics.

4. Don't give up on students: Be positive (as much as humanly possible) and encourage a growth mindset.

Relevance

Have students write about how they see what they are learning as relevant to their lives. Researchers had students write one paragraph after a lesson sharing how they thought what they had learned would be useful to their lives. Writing one to eight of these during a semester led to positive learning gains, especially for those students who had previously been "low performers."

It is not uncommon for teachers to explicitly make those kinds of real-life connections. However, research has also found that this kind of teacher-centered approach can actually be demotivating to some students with low skills. A student who is having a very difficult time understanding math or does just not find it interesting, for example, can feel threatened by hearing regularly from a teacher how important math is to his or her future. Instead of becoming more engaged in class, he or she may experience more negative feelings.

These researchers write that a "more effective approach would be to encourage students to generate their own connections and discover for themselves the relevance of course material to their lives. This method gives students the opportunity to make connections to topics and areas of greatest interest to their lives."

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Strategies for Helping Students Motivate Themselves

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To inspire intrinsic motivation in students, schools should focus on nurturing their sense of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance. My previous post reviewed research on extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and described the four qualities that have been identified as critical to helping students motivate themselves: autonomy, competence, relatedness, and relevance.

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Hands-Off Teaching Cultivates Metacognition | Edutopia

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Hands-Off Teaching Cultivates Metacognition | Edutopia

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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How Student Centered Is Your Classroom? | Edutopia

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How Student Centered Is Your Classroom? | Edutopia

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Reflection questions to consider regarding engagement & community

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In the education world, the term student-centered classroom is one we hear a lot. And many educators would agree that when it comes to 21st-century learning, having a student-centered classroom is certainly a best practice.

Whether you instruct first grade or university students, take some time to think about where you are with creating a learning space where your students have ample voice, engage frequently with each other, and are given opportunities to make choices.

Guiding Questions

Use these questions to reflect on the learning environment you design for students:

In what ways do students feel respected, feel valued, and feel part of the whole group?

In what ways do students have ownership of the classroom? Do they ever make decisions about resources, environment, or use of time? When? How often?

Do they have ownership in their learning? Do they have choices and options for projects, assignments, and partners for group work?

When are students comfortable with expressing who they are and their thoughts and ideas? When are they not?

When do you inquire about the needs of your students? How often do you do this? How often do you check for group understanding and adjust the instruction accordingly?

How are desks arranged? Are students facing each other? Do they have multiple opportunities each week to share with fellow classmates, and to share with a variety of classmates?

As the instructor, what is my "air time" each class session? How much direct instruction is there? How might I change some of that directing teaching to facilitating? (Here's a post I wrote on this topic, How to Transform Direct Instruction.)

Balancing Teacher Roles

So let's talk about that last question, and specifically, direct instruction versus facilitation. When considering various teaching approaches, balance is the key word. If we turn to the work of educational researchers Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, and their seminal book, Understanding by Design (UbD), they suggest educators reflect on the ways they balance the following three teaching roles:

Facilitation: open-ended questioning, problem posing, Socratic seminar, and guided inquiry

Direct instruction: demonstration, modeling, and lecturing

Coaching: providing feedback, conferencing, and guided practice

How do you decide on how much of one role and not enough of another? Well, when designing learning for your students, keep this is mind: There needs to be a healthy balance between student construction of meaning and teacher guidance.

In other words, yes, you need to tell them stuff and show them how to do things, but you also need to let your learners discover, experiment, and practice even if they miss the mark or target. Educational research tell us time and time again that all learners (young or old) need time to muddle through and make meaning of new content, ideas, and concepts with some coaching and guidance, but also independently.

In the comments section below, share with us your ideas and practices for fostering a learning environment that is student centered.

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How Student Centered Is Your Classroom? | Edutopia

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In the education world, the term student-centered classroom is one we hear a lot. And many educators would agree that when it comes to 21st-century learning, having a student-centered classroom is certainly a best practice.

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See Inset Toolbox for Strategies for all content areas

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By Tanya Jury
Tanya.jury@hardin.kyschool.us

Although it used to be the norm for teachers to close their doors, lecture for 45 minutes while students sat in rows, listened, and took notes, times have changed. Over the past several years, student engagement has started to become quite a popular topic in the realm of education. So much so, that if you were to Google "student engagement," there would be about 23 million hits and countless research articles. So, why has such interest arisen regarding student engagement?

Research proves that student engagement can increase student achievement while decreasing negative behaviors. If students enjoy what they are learning, they are more apt to process and retain the information, leading to true life-long learning rather than just memorization for an assessment. It was once said that we remember 10 percent of what we read, 20 percent of what we hear, 30 percent of what we see, 50 percent of what we see and hear, 70 percent of what we discuss with others, 90 percent of what we personally experience and 95 percent of what we teach others. Schools that allow students consistent opportunities to truly experience their learning and then allow them to teach others what they have learned will see great gains in their student academic achievement.

When students are actively engaged, they seek a deeper understanding of the topic. Engagement is not just about doing what's fun, but really getting into deeper intellectual thought, questions, discussions, and letting the students truly experience what real learning is. At that point, students can achieve more than anyone ever thought possible. I know in my own classroom, students continue to talk about opportunities where I allowed them to work independently on a task, discuss it with their group, and then create a product from their learning to share with the class. This engagement strategy encourages students to think on their own, but it also allows them the opportunity to learn from and teach their peers. It was always a favorite among my students and it was evident from their quality of work and discussions during these sessions, true learning was taking place. As an educator, I couldn't be more proud than to watch my students take their learning into their own hands and thrive.

Not only do we see an increase in academic achievement with consistent, active student engagement, but students who are actively engaged are more likely to exhibit positive behaviors. When students have a passion and an interest for what they are learning, they are going to be more focused and better behaved. It is when students are bored, do not understand the content or are disengaged that behavior problems often arise. So, this is really a win-win situation for everyone. Student achievement goes up, positive behaviors go up, and student confidence, interest and learning go up.

We have all sat in meetings and professional development sessions hoping to learn something useful for our classroom presented in an engaging manner. Our students are no different. Today, more than ever, students have so much demanding their attention, especially as we are well within the digital age. Therefore, if it is not something that enables them to experience learning, they will easily become bored. They may be compliant and complete the work, without ever truly learning.

On the flip side, teachers, too, have so much on their plates that it is often difficult to plan lessons day after day that will be engaging. However, as another example of just how important student engagement is, it is now a component on the Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES) and the student survey. Kentucky realizes the impact engagement has on student achievement and wants it to be available to all students.

Student engagement is gaining popularity, but it will soon become the norm. When that happens, we can almost guarantee significant academic achievement gains and a true understanding of learning for our students. As we begin to focus more on engagement, Kentucky students will gain an advantage that will help them in college, the workforce and in life.

Last year I delivered a professional development in which I offered teachers 10 quick engagement strategies that could be used in any content area and with any topic (Please see box). They do not take a lot of planning, but can make a huge difference in a child's engagement. These strategies are a compilation of ideas from various resources used to spark interest and help students to experience true learning. This is far from an exhaustive list, but includes a few ideas to add to your toolbox. Almost all of these have variations! If you would like further information on how to implement these strategies in your classroom, you can reach me at tanya.jury@hardin.kyschools.us.
Tanya Jury, a Hope Street Fellow, is an Assistant Principal at Bluegrass Middle School in Elizabethtown, KY.

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When students engage true learning takes place

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By Tanya Jury Tanya.jury@hardin.kyschool.us Although it used to be the norm for teachers to close their doors, lecture for 45 minutes while students sat in rows, listened, and took notes, times have changed. Over the past several years, student engagement has started to become quite a popular topic in the realm of education.

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Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement | Edutopia

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Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement | Edutopia

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"Teens find it most interesting and exciting when there is a little bit of talking involved. Discussions help clear the tense atmosphere in a classroom and allow students to participate in their own learning."

2. Working with technology

"I believe that when students participate in "learning by doing" it helps them focus more. Technology helps them to do that. Students will always be extremely excited when using technology."

"We have entered a digital age of video, Facebook, Twitter, etc., and they [have] become more of a daily thing for teens and students. When we use tech, it engages me more and lets me understand the concept more clearly."

3. Connecting the real world to the work we do/project-based learning

"I believe that it all boils down to relationships. Not relationships from teacher to student or relationships from student to student, but rather relations between the text and the outside world. For example, I was in a history class last year and my teacher would always explain what happens in the Medieval World and the Renaissance. And after every lesson, every essay, every assignment, he asked us, "How does this event relate to current times?" It brought me to a greater thinking, a kind of thinking where I can relate the past to the present and how closely they are bonded together."

"If you relate the topic to the students' lives, then it makes the concept easier to grasp."

"Students are most interested when the curriculum applies to more than just the textbook. The book is there -- we can read a book. If we're given projects that expand into other subjects and make us think, it'll help us understand the information."

"What I think engages a student most is interactions with real-life dilemmas and an opportunity to learn how to solve them. Also, projects that are unique and one of a kind that other schools would never think of. Also something challenging and not easy, something to test your strengths as a student and stimulate your brain, so it becomes easier to deal with similar problems when you are grown up and have a job. Something so interesting that you could never ever forget."

"I like to explore beyond the range of what normal textbooks allow us to do through hands-on techniques such as project-based learning. Whenever I do a project, I always seem to remember the material better than if I just read the information straight out of a textbook."

"I, myself, find a deeper connection when I'm able to see what I'm learning about eye-to-eye. It's more memorable and interesting to see all the contours and details of it all. To be able to understand and connect with the moment is what will make students three times more enthusiastic about learning beyond the black and white of the Times New Roman text."

4. Clearly love what you do

"Engaging students can be a challenge, and if you're stuck in a monotone, rambling on and on, that doesn't help...instead of talking like a robot, teachers should speak to us like they're really passionate about teaching. Make sure to give yourself an attitude check. If a teacher acts like this is the last thing they want to be doing, the kids will respond with the same negative energy. If you act like you want to be there, then we will too."

"I also believe that enthusiasm in the classroom really makes a student engaged in classroom discussions. Because even if you have wonderful information, if you don't sound interested, you are not going to get your students' attention. I also believe that excitement and enthusiasm is contagious."

"It isn't necessarily the subject or grades that really engage students but the teacher. When teachers are truly willing to teach students, not only because it is their job, but because they want to educate them, students benefit. It's about passion. That extra effort to show how it will apply to our own future."

5. Get me out of my seat!

"When a student is active they learn in a deeper way than sitting. For example, in my history class, we had a debate on whether SOPA and PIPA were good ideas. My teacher had us stand on either ends of the room to state whether we agree or disagree with the proposition. By doing this, I was able to listen to what all my classmates had to say."

6. Bring in visuals

"I like to see pictures because it makes my understanding on a topic clearer. It gives me an image in my head to visualize."

"I am interested when there are lots of visuals to go with the lesson. Power Points are often nice, but they get boring if there are too many bullet points. Pictures and cartoons usually are the best way to get attention."

7. Student choice

"I think having freedom in assignments, project directions, and more choices would engage students...More variety = more space for creativity."

"Giving students choices helps us use our strengths and gives us freedom to make a project the way we want it to. When we do something we like, we're more focused and enjoy school more."

"Another way is to make the curriculum flexible for students who are more/less advanced. There could be a list of project choices and student can pick from that according to their level."

8. Understand your clients -- the kids

"Encourage students to voice their opinions as you may never know what you can learn from your students."

"If the teacher shows us that they are confident in our abilities and has a welcoming and well-spirited personality towards us, we feel more capable of doing the things we couldn't do...What I'm trying to say is students are more engaged when they feel they are in a "partnership" with their teacher."

"Personally, I think that students don't really like to be treated as 'students.' Teachers can learn from us students. They need to ask for our input on how the students feel about a project, a test, etc. Most importantly, teachers need to ask themselves, "How would I feel if I were this student?" See from our point of view and embrace it."

"Students are engaged in learning when they are taught by teachers who really connect with their students and make the whole class feel like one big family. Teachers should understand how the mind of a child or teenager works and should be able to connect with their students because everyone should feel comfortable so that they are encouraged to raise their hands to ask questions or ask for help."

"Teachers should know that within every class they teach, the students are all different."

9. Mix it up!

"I don't like doing only one constant activity...a variety will keep me engaged in the topic. It's not just for work, but also for other things such as food. Eating the same foods constantly makes you not want to eat!"

"Fun experiments in science class...acting out little skits in history...if students are going to remember something, they need visuals, some auditory lessons, and some emotions."

"Also, you can't go wrong with some comedy. Everyone loves a laugh...another thing that engages me would be class or group games. In Language Arts I've played a game of "dodge ball. We throw words at each other, one at a time. If they could get the definition, the person who threw the word would be out...Students remember the ones they got wrong, and of course, the ones they already knew."

10. Be human

"Don't forget to have a little fun yourself."

I'd like to end this post with one more quote, this one from my student, Sharon: "The thing is, every student is engaged differently...but, that is okay. There is always a way to keep a student interested and lively, ready to embark on the journey of education. 'What is that way?' some teachers may ask eagerly. Now, read closely... Are you ready? That way is to ask them. Ask. Them. Get their input on how they learn. It's just as simple as that."

Go on. Try it. Ask.

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A while back, I was asked, "What engages students?" Sure, I could respond, sharing anecdotes about what I believed to be engaging, but I thought it would be so much better to lob that question to my own eighth graders.

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Empowering Student Voice Through Classroom Culture | Edutopia

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Empowering Student Voice Through Classroom Culture | Edutopia

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Empowering student voice transforms a learner from being an observer to an initiator. We've all seen students who walk in the door on the first day of school with a fixed mindset. Their previous educational experience may have led them to believe they may be great in math, but struggle in reading. These students come to us expecting to experience the same struggles and emotions they have in past years. Students may lack confidence, and be unwilling to take risks.

As educators, how can we support the development of a growth mindset that will lead to empowerment of student voice? After all, the most valuable voice in the classroom is the student's.
Ongoing Community Building to Support Growth Mindset
Educators grasp the importance of team building, but to take it further in order to shift the culture, I utilize Laurie S. Frank's "Journey Toward the Caring and Collaborative Classroom 2nd Edition: Using Adventure to Create Community." The structures are designed intentionally to support the development of students into responsible risk takers within the framework of experiential learning. Students participate in collaborative activities that work through the stages of cooperation, trust, problem solving and challenge. The debriefing period at the end of each activity is where students make growth in their ability to process, reflect, and emote. This is the foundation of student voice in the classroom as they progress though stages of growth.

Steps to Establishing Community

1. Create an environment of cooperation: move toward collaboration through pushing one's comfort zones.

2. Establish trust: the cornerstone of all learning organizations

3. Problem-solving: The key to learning - "flexible thinking."

4. Challenge: embrace and persist, opportunity for growth.

For example, in one of the problem-solving activities, students would have to toss a small ball around the circle in the shortest amount of time. After each round, it's critical to evaluate the team's results and retool for improvement in the next round. During the debriefing phase students process emotions, reflect on the experience, and then problem solve for an improved outcome. The teacher would facilitate by asking questions such as:

How did you feel during the activity?

When a peer dropped the ball, how did that make you feel?

If you dropped the ball, how did you feel about it?

What made us go quickly? What made us go slowly?

How could we improve? (Problem Solving)

How might this activity make you more of an effective problem solver?

As you can see the steps follow David Kolb's experiential learning cycle, with the final question(s) being focused on application into real life. The debriefing process allows students to practice speaking in regard to their perspective, emotions, and work collaboratively to problem solve. When they are successful as a team, it develops a cohesive culture where students collaboratively develop their collective aptitude (growth mindset).
Habits of Mind
Each month I focus on one trait from the Costa and Kallick's Habits of Mind. These soft skills are the skills and attitudes that support success in school, work, and life. Students use rubrics to monitor and reflect on their growth. Together we practice perspective taking and I structure activities that provide students with the opportunity to remain open minded. You can select traits to focus on that best support your learning environment.

http://www.mindwerx.com/files/Habits_of_Mind_Summary_Outline.pdf
Empowering Student Voice
Strategically establishing a culture that promotes responsible risk-taking opens the gates for the empowerment of student voice. Those who never envisioned themselves sharing perspective, advocating for a cause, or respectfully disagreeing with another's perspective develop the ability to do so. As educators we need to put all the structures in place to support the empowerment of student voice. Integrating community building and the Habits of Mind promotes a growth mindset. In my classroom, when we make mistakes we fail forward together because our classroom environment is supportive and non-threatening.
Classroom Tip
Create an anchor chart on the art of collaborative conversation. Model it, have students practice, reflect, and integrate it as a part of daily instruction in math, ELA, STEM, and Social Studies. Have students' peers assess each other on the Habits of Mind using a rubric. Students can assess themselves and compare rubrics - then reflect for growth. Personal reflection is the core of growth mindset, which in turn creates a positive culture where empowered student voices echo throughout the classroom.

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Empowering Student Voice Through Classroom Culture | Edutopia

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Empowering student voice transforms a learner from being an observer to an initiator. We've all seen students who walk in the door on the first day of school with a fixed mindset. Their previous educational experience may have led them to believe they may be great in math, but struggle in reading.

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Building Relationships

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Every teacher remembers his or her first "tough kid" experience. Maybe the student ignored your directions or laughed at your attempts to utilize the classroom discipline steps. We all have at least one story to share, and for some teachers, teaching a tough kid is a daily challenge. It seems that no matter what teaching techniques you try to pull out of your educator hat, nothing changes their behavior.

I've had the privilege of teaching some tough kids. I say "privilege" for a reason. Teaching these students pushed me to be a better educator and a more compassionate person. I've detailed below five methods that have reduced misbehavior in my classroom and, better still, helped transform these students into leaders among their peers.

1. Set the Tone

I firmly believe that a student's misbehavior in the past does not necessarily equate to future indiscretions. At the beginning of the school year, I would walk down to the sixth grade teachers with my new class lists and ask questions. I would inquire about who works well together, who probably should not sit next to each other, and who caused them the most grief. Not surprisingly, teachers would share the names of the same students that were their "tough kids." If I had the privilege of having any of these students in my class, I looked forward to it instead of dreading it.

Usually during the first week of school, I would try to have individual conferences with these tough kids. I'd take this as an opportunity to clear the air and wipe the slate clean. Often, these students can feel disrespected because their teachers already have preconceived ideas about how they are the troublemakers. Explain that you respect them and have high expectations for them this year. Lay the foundation for the student's understanding that you believe in him or her, because you might be the only one who genuinely does.

2. Be a Mentor

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that some of the toughest kids to teach come from very difficult home situations. Inconsistent housing, absentee parent(s), lack of resources, and violence are only a few examples of what some of these students have to face every day. Kids that are neglected at home can act out in school to receive attention, good or bad. They want someone to notice them and take an interest in their lives.

Don't forget how important you are in helping your students develop not just academically, but also socially. Make an effort to show you care about them, not just their grades. Be proactive instead of reactive. The key to being a good mentor is to be positive, available, and trustworthy. One year with a great mentor can have a lasting, positive impact on a tough kid's life.

3. Make Connections

Part of being a great mentor is your ability to make connections with these tough kids. Since these students sometimes don't have anyone encouraging them or taking an interest in their lives, have a real conversation about their future or dreams. If they have nothing to share, start talking about their interests -- sports, music, movies, food, clothing, friends, siblings, etc. Find a way to connect so that they can relate to you. Start off small and show a genuine interest in what they have to say. Once you've made a positive connection and the student can trust you, you'd be surprised how fast they might open up to talking about their hopes, fears, home life, etc. This is when you need to exercise professional discretion and be prepared for what the student might bring up. Explain that you do not want to violate his or her trust but that, as an educator, you are required by law to report certain things.

4. Take it Personally (In a Good Way)

Teachers need to have thick skin. Students may say things in an attempt to bruise your ego or question your teaching abilities. Remember, we are working with young children and developing adults. I'm sure you said some hurtful things that you didn't mean when you were growing up. Students can say things out of frustration or boredom, or that are triggered by problems spilling over from outside of your classroom. Try to deal with their misbehavior in the classroom -- they might not take you seriously if you just send them to the office every time they act out. These are the moments when they need a positive mentor the most.

Once trust has been established, remind these students that you believe in them even if they make a mistake. I've vouched for kids during grade team meetings only to have them get into a fight at lunch the same day. They make mistakes, just like we all do. It's how we respond to their slip-ups that will determine if they'll continue to trust us. Explain that you're disappointed in their actions and that you know they can do better. Don't write them off. Tough kids are used to being dismissed as hopeless. Instead, show them that you care and are willing to work with them. Helping a tough kid overcome personal issues isn't something that happens overnight, but it is a worthwhile investment in his or her future.

5. Expect Anything and Everything!

All of our students come from a variety of cultures, nationalities, and home environments, and these five techniques that have worked for me might barely scratch the surface of how you interact with the tough kids in your classroom. If you have another method that has helped you reach out and connect to a tough kid, please share it below in the comments section.

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5 Tips for Teaching the Tough Kids | Edutopia

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Every teacher remembers his or her first "tough kid" experience. Maybe the student ignored your directions or laughed at your attempts to utilize the classroom discipline steps. I've had the privilege of teaching some tough kids. I say "privilege" for a reason. Teaching these students pushed me to be a better educator and a more compassionate person.

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Book resource recommended by PEBC

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The 8 Minutes That Matter Most | Edutopia

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The 8 Minutes That Matter Most | Edutopia

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Creative ideas/resources to Begin & End your class

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John Irving, the author of The Cider House Rules, begins with his last sentence:

I write the last line, and then I write the line before that. I find myself writing backwards for a while, until I have a solid sense of how that ending sounds and feels. You have to know what your voice sounds like at the end of the story, because it tells you how to sound when you begin.

That is the crux of lesson planning right there -- endings and beginnings. If we fail to engage students at the start, we may never get them back. If we don't know the end result, we risk moving haphazardly from one activity to the next. Every moment in a lesson plan should tell.

The eight minutes that matter most are the beginning and endings. If a lesson does not start off strong by activating prior knowledge, creating anticipation, or establishing goals, student interest wanes, and you have to do some heavy lifting to get them back. If it fails to check for understanding, you will never know if the lesson's goal was attained.

Here are eight ways to make those eight minutes magical.

Beginnings
1. Trend With YouTube
YouTube reaches more 18- to 34-year-olds than any cable channel. One hundred hours of video are uploaded to it every minute. There's something for every grade, subject, and approach on YouTube. Not only does it make learning HD visible, it also allows teachers to make connections that could never happen before. I had my students draw comparisons between Carl Sandberg's poem " Chicago" and the Chrysler Super Bowl commercial featuring Eminem. Fifteen years ago, I would have had to keep my finger on the record button of my VCR remote and pray for it to air. YouTube makes anticipatory sets a whole lot easier.
2. Start With Good News
If you want to create a safe space for students to take risks, you won't get there with a pry bar. Edutopia blogger Todd Finley starts his classes with two minutes of sharing good news. Classrooms that celebrate success build the comfort necessary for students to ask critical questions, share ideas, and participate in honest and open discussions. Starting with celebrations is a short, easy way to get there.
3. Cross Disciplines
Toss a football around the class before you teach the physics of a Peyton Manning spiral. Play a song that makes a classical allusion for your mythology unit. Measure the angles of a Picasso painting in math class. Integrating other disciplines teaches students that ideas and concepts do not stand alone but rather exist within a wider web of knowledge. Starting with another discipline can open their senses to deeper learning.
4. Write for 5
Kelly Gallagher says that students should write four times as much as a teacher can grade. Students need to write -- a lot -- if they are to improve. One way to achieve that is to start each day with an essential question that students must spend five minutes answering. If done day after day, it becomes ritualistic and builds stamina. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe have a diverse list of essential questions.

Endings
1. Level Up
GameStop operates 6,457 retail stores throughout the world. It's no secret that kids love video games, partly because of the constant reward for reaching new levels and earning higher rankings. This creates a sense of accomplishment, competency, and worth. Teachers can play upon this need and develop levels of proficiency based on standards. At the end of a lesson, have students chart their own progress toward mastery based on standards. A popular game offers beginner, heroic, legendary, and mythic as levels, and they may be just the right motivation to get reluctant learners to overachieve.
2. Exit Tickets
Robert Marzano classifies exit tickets into four different categories: formative assessment data, student self analysis, instructional strategy feedback, and open communication. However they are used, they provide quick and comprehensive bits of data and feedback. Wiggins and McTighe also have a comprehensive list of checks for understanding.
3. Mimic Social Media
The digital world's spirit of collaboration and connection can be replicated in the physical classroom as bulletin boards become mock social media spaces to share ideas. Erin Klein has written about the positive ways to use of Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram in the classroom. In the final four minutes, you can challenge students to compose a tweet or find an image best capturing the learning that occurred.
4. Post-It Power
Another way to create a positive classroom climate beyond the "good news" start is to end with notes of influence. Have students write one thing that they learned from someone else in class on a Post-it note and stick it to the chalkboard. At the start of the next day, read these notes aloud. This affirms that a classroom is a community of learners and validates participation because it does so much more than answer a question -- it helps others understand more deeply.

How do you begin and end lessons in your classroom?

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The 8 Minutes That Matter Most | Edutopia

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John Irving, the author of The Cider House Rules, begins with his last sentence: I write the last line, and then I write the line before that. I find myself writing backwards for a while, until I have a solid sense of how that ending sounds and feels.

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Energy and Calm: Brain Breaks and Focused-Attention Practices | Edutopia

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Energy and Calm: Brain Breaks and Focused-Attention Practices | Edutopia

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Quick breaks that help students refocus so they can return to work feeling centered and ready to learn.

© Popova Anastasiya/Creative Market

When presented with new material, standards, and complicated topics, we need to be focused and calm as we approach our assignments. We can use brain breaks and focused-attention practices to positively impact our emotional states and learning. They refocus our neural circuitry with either stimulating or quieting practices that generate increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, where problem solving and emotional regulation occur.

Brain Breaks

A brain break is a short period of time when we change up the dull routine of incoming information that arrives via predictable, tedious, well-worn roadways. Our brains are wired for novelty. We know this because we pay attention to every stimulus in our environment that feels threatening or out of the ordinary. This has always been a wonderful advantage. In fact, our survival as a species depended on this aspect of brain development.

When we take a brain break, it refreshes our thinking and helps us discover another solution to a problem or see a situation through a different lens. During these few minutes, the brain moves away from learning, memorizing, and problem solving. The brain break actually helps to incubate and process new information. Consider trying these activities with your class:

The Junk Bag: I always carry a bag of household objects containing markers, scrap paper, and anything that one would find in a junk drawer-for example, a can opener or a pair of shoelaces. Pick any object out of the junk bag and ask students to come up with two ways this object could be reinvented for other uses. They can write or draw their responses. Once students have drawn or written about an invention, they can walk the room for one minute sharing and comparing.

Squiggle Story: On a blank sheet of paper, whiteboard, or Promethean Board, draw one squiggly line. Give students one minute to stand and draw with their nondominant hand, turning the line into a picture or design of their choice.

Opposite Sides: Movement is critical to learning. Have students stand and blink with the right eye while snapping the fingers of their left hand. Repeat this with the left eye and right hand. Students could also face one another and tap the right foot once, left foot twice, and right foot three times, building speed they alternate toe tapping with their partner.

Symbolic Alphabet: Sing the alphabet with names of objects rather than the letters.

Other Languages: Teach sign language or make up a spoken language. In pairs, students take turns speaking or interpreting this new language for 30 seconds each.

Mental Math: Give a set of three instructions, counting the sequence to a partner for 30 seconds. Example: Count by two until 20, then count by three until 50, finishing with seven until 80. Switch and give the other partner another set of numbers to count.

Invisible Pictures: Have a student draw a picture in the air while their partner guesses what it is. You could give them categories such as foods or places, or other ways to narrow the guessing.

Story Starters: A student or teacher begins a story for one minute, either individually or with a partner. The students then complete or continue it with a silly ending.

Rock Scissors Paper Math: After players say, " Rock, paper, scissors," the last call-out is "math." With that call, students lay out one, two, three, or four fingers in the palm of their hand. The first player to say the correct sum of both players' fingers wins.

Focused-Attention Practices

A focused-attention practice is a brain exercise for quieting the thousands of thoughts that distract and frustrate us each day. When the mind is quiet and focused, we're able to be present with a specific sound, sight, or taste.

Research repeatedly shows that quieting our minds ignites our parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and blood pressure while enhancing our coping strategies to effectively handle the day-to-day challenges that keep coming. Our thinking improves and our emotions begin to regulate so that we can approach an experience with variable options.

For the following practices, the goal is to start with 60 to 90 seconds and build to five minutes.

Breathing: Use the breath as a focus point. Have students place one hand close to but not touching their nose and the other on their belly. As they breathe in, have them feel their bellies expand. As they exhale, they can feel the warm air hit their hand. Students will focus on this breath for only one minute. Let them know that it's OK when thoughts sometimes come into the mind uninvited. Tell them to exhale that thought away.

Colors: Visualize colors while focusing on the breath. Inhale a deep green, and exhale a smoky gray. Have students imagine the colors as swirling and alive with each inhale. If a student is de-escalating from an angry moment, the color red is a great color to exhale.

Movement: This one is for younger children. Direct students to stand and, as they inhale, lift an arm or leg and wiggle it, exhaling it back to its original position. For younger grades beginning these focused-attention practices, it's good to include an inhale and exhale with any type of movement.

The Deep-Dive Breath: Have students inhale for four counts, hold for four, and exhale for four counts. You can increase the holding of breath by a few seconds once the students find the rhythm of the exercise.

Energizing Breath: Have students pant like a dog with their mouths open and their tongues out for 30 seconds, and then continue for another 30 seconds with their mouths closed, taking short breaths with one hand on the belly. We typically take three energizing pant breaths per second. After a full minute, have students do the deep-dive breath.

Sound: The use of sound is very powerful for engaging a calm response. In the three classrooms where I teach, we use rain sticks, bells, chimes, and music. There are many websites that provide music for focus, relaxation, and visualization. Here is one of my favorites.

Rise and Fall: As we breathe in and out through our noses, we can lie on the floor and place an object on our stomachs, enhancing our focus by watching the rising and falling of our bellies.

When we're focused and paying attention to our thoughts, feelings, and choices, we have a much greater opportunity to change those thoughts and feelings that are not serving us well in life and in school. When we grasp this awareness, we see and feel the difference.

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Energy and Calm: Brain Breaks and Focused-Attention Practices

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Quick breaks that help students refocus so they can return to work feeling centered and ready to learn. © Popova Anastasiya/Creative Market When presented with new material, standards, and complicated topics, we need to be focused and calm as we approach our assignments.

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Reflect, Revisit, Recharge: 3 Tips for a New Year Reboot | Edutopia

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Reflect, Revisit, Recharge: 3 Tips for a New Year Reboot | Edutopia

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The start of a new semester can feel a lot like a do-over, like a chance to start fresh, with the wisdom of the first semester to inform us. But after two long weeks away from the classroom, my students need time to reflect on the previous semester, revisit what they learned, and recharge their academic batteries. Here are some welcome-back, New Year strategies that have worked with my 8th graders:

Reflect

New year = New Year's resolutions, right? But after a long vacation, few students will be able to put a finger on what went well (or wrong) a few months ago and how they can improve in the new semester. If we give our students guidance in identifying their successes and struggles, along with prompts for writing specific, attainable resolutions for the coming semester, they can start their new year with a clear focus on success. Rather than sending my students' graded work folders home in December, I hold on to them until January. Once the holiday distractions are behind us, I give them time to review their work, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and plan for improvement. They keep these written reflections + resolutions in their notebooks as reminders for the new semester.
Revisit
My students work hard in the fall semester learning to annotate and write thoughtfully about what they read, but I know they will need to continue to practice and hone these skills for the rest of the year. To get them back in the swing of literary analysis, I try to spark their interest with some unusually engaging reading. Maybe it will be news articles about local events (like the torrential rain and flooding we experienced that resulted in two days of school being cancelled); or maybe a short story that will surprise them with its relevance (like Ray Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day" - and they thought they had experienced non-stop rain!). If I need to keep them engaged in academic reading, compelling text is a great way to hook them as they revisit the analysis skills they worked on last semester.
Recharge
A few years ago I discovered the hilarious satirical reviews written for products on Amazon. Rave reviews for the banana slicer were the first to catch my eye:
"What can I say about the 571B Banana Slicer that hasn't already been said about the wheel, penicillin, or the iPhone.... this is one of the greatest inventions of all time. My husband and I would argue constantly over who had to cut the day's banana slices. It's one of those chores NO ONE wants to do!... The Banana Slicer saved our marriage!"
Not only would these clever reviews help my students learn to recognize satire, but I was pretty confident they would inspire them to try writing satire themselves. So after reading through some of the best banana slicer testimonials, we identified the elements of satire and watched some infomercials for equally ridiculous products (remember the Hawaii chair? or the Flowbee haircutting system?). My students wrote with glee, eagerly sharing their satirical wit with their classmates. They posted them on our own Banana Blog, commented on each other's posts, and got swept right back into reading, writing and learning while laughing and having fun. They may not have been thrilled to come back to school after their winter break, but the Banana Blog gave them the recharge they needed to get focused and on track again. And maybe they will become such savvy satirists that they won't fall victim to sites like The Onion.

How do you kick off the new year with your students? Please share your best reboot strategies below!

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Reflect, Revisit, Recharge: 3 Tips for a New Year Reboot | Edutopia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The start of a new semester can feel a lot like a do-over, like a chance to start fresh, with the wisdom of the first semester to inform us. But after two long weeks away from the classroom, my students need time to reflect on the previous semester, revisit what they learned, and recharge their academic batteries.

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