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Take a look at the 27 practices that CLR teachers use in their classrooms. Then reflect on how you embed these practices into your teaching. Feel free to take a look at the suggestions/ideas for how to embed each competency in your practice. We want this to be a living document that is useable by all teachers at MacAfee! Your task is as follows:
1. Pick a CLR practice from the list to focus on. Please identify the area you chose to focus on in your post.
2. Post on the Padlet in the column that matches your position (You must include your name). Your post should include: A CLR practice that you currently do with your students. You can reflect on something you're doing that is going well, something you're most proud of, or something that you tried that was surprising to you. Feel free to be creative and upload links to activities that you've used or photos of student work/activities.
3. Please let us know if you have any questions!

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Greet your students at the door! Also, include greetings in your morning meeting!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17N04D8y2IotvfPRkxXR0_w-JWuDFS_XD/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HIqotNNok5M1tUrwZYhBL2qb75nk7FuZ/view?usp=sharing

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#2 Uses eye contact with high and low-achieving students. 

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#2 Uses eye contact with high and low-achieving students. 

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#3 Uses proximity with high & low-achieving students. 

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#3 Uses proximity with high & low-achieving students. 

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#4 Uses body language, gestures, and expressions to convey a message that all student’s questions and opinions are important.

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#4 Uses body language, gestures, and expressions to convey a message that all student’s questions and opinions are important.

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#5 Arranges the classroom to accommodate discussion.

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#5 Arranges the classroom to accommodate discussion.

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Turn and Talk 3 feet apart!

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#6 Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals in the classroom reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of students.

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#6 Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals in the classroom reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of students.

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Including: Different holidays, teaching about members of different cultures (Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month)

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#7 Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support student learning.

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#7 Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support student learning.

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Using: journals with exit slips glued in, bookmarks, posting videos, or other powerpoints on Seesaw for family and student use.

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#8 Learns, uses, and displays some words in students’ heritage language.

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#8 Learns, uses, and displays some words in students’ heritage language.

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#10 Uses class building and team building activities to promote peer support for academic achievement.

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#10 Uses class building and team building activities to promote peer support for academic achievement.

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Use: Popsicle sticks, Wheel of Names, or other free software to randomize student selection! Class Dojo also has a random student picker!

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#12 Uses cooperative learning strategies.

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#12 Uses cooperative learning strategies.

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Click the link to see suggestions!

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Cooperative learning is so important in the elementary classroom because it helps students become actively engaged in their learning process and improve their understanding of the content. It promotes achievement, enhances retention, increases motivation, develops social skills, and builds self-esteem.

In cooperative learning, each member of the team is responsible for their own learning AND also for helping their teammates learn. I think this concept often gets lost. Students work together to help one another learn. Below, I have several different strategies or activities that can be done to help increase cooperative learning in your classroom.

Cooperative Learning Strategies for Any Elementary Classroom

Mix-Freeze-Pair

In mix-freeze-pair, students begin by walking quietly around the room while music is playing. After about 10 seconds, the teacher stops the music and says, "Freeze." The students stop and "freeze." When everyone is still, the teacher will say, "Pair." The students will pair up with whoever is closest to them and then the teacher will announce the topic or question. Students are then given think time and discussion time. Then, after everyone has had time to discuss, the teacher says, "Mix" and the activity starts again. There is a variation of this where you can have students Mix-Pair-Share. It is also similar to Think-Pair-Share. You can read about the 3 different ways to Think-Pair-Share here. (You can learn more about Kagan structures here.)

Popcorn Share

In this cooperative learning activity, the teacher poses a question or problem with multiple answers and gives think time. Then the teacher calls, "Popcorn," and students quickly and voluntarily pop-up from their chairs one at a time and share their answer. Take it a step further to involve all students - have the seated students write the responses and mark the incorrect answers. Then at the end of activity discuss the incorrect answers.

Circle the Sage

For this activity, the teacher would need to poll the class to see which students have a special knowledge to share. For instance, a teacher may ask who in the class knows the chemical reactions involved in how salting the streets help dissipate snow, or was able to solve a difficult math homework question. Those students (the sages) stand and spread out in the room. The teacher has the rest of the students surround each sage. The sage explains what they know while students listen, ask questions, and take notes if desired. Then students return to their seats and share what they learned. Discuss as a class. (You can learn more about Kagan structures here.)

Give One, Get One

Students fold a piece of paper hot dog style. Then students open the paper and draw a line down the crease. At the top of the left column they will write, "give one" and on the top of the right column, "get one." The teacher will pose a question or topic with multiple answers and gives a time limit. Students list as many things as they know in the "give one" column. The teacher tells students to stand and find a partner. The student shares an answer with a partner. If the partner has it, s/he will check it off, if s/he doesn't s/he will write it in the "get one" column. Both students share one and then move on to a new person. This continues until the teacher says stop. (You can learn more about Kagan structures here.)

5 Whys

Have students partner up. Assign roles of partner A and B. Provide students with a question. Have partner A answer the question and partner B ask Why ___? (the blank represents what partner A said). Then partner A has to give a thoughtful answer. Then partner B follows partner A's answer with Why _____? 4 more times. Then they switch roles.

Text Rendering

Provide each cooperative learning group with three strips of paper, one long, medium, and short strip. After a lesson, have each group write a sentence summary on a long strip, a phrase on a medium strip, and a word on the shortest strip. Then have groups share their strips and the thinking behind their choices. If desired, post the strips (sentences together, phrases together, and words together on their own chart paper) for students to view via a gallery walk.

Three-Stay One-Stray

Give each group playing cards (Ace, One, Two, Three for instance). Ask each a question and have each group discuss together. Then call one of the playing cards (such as the aces) to rotate to a different group. When they arrive at their new group, they will share what answer their group came up with and why. Then, if desired, pose a new question and repeat.

Go Fish!

Provide each group with lunch paper bags filled with questions (or facts for fun!) about the topic you're learning. Every 10 minutes or so, stop and tell the groups to "Go Fish!" (You can pick someone to draw [most pets, brightest shirt] or they can pick.) The group discusses the question or fact- if it wasn't covered yet, they just return it to the bag and draw another one. If desired, have students share occasionally.

Commit and Toss

Students write down a summary, opinion or idea on a piece of paper (they don't write their names). They wad up the paper and toss it multiple times until the teacher says to stop. Students then pick up one wad of paper near them, open it, and reads it. Students then discuss it and share.

Corners - Vocabulary Style

We have all heard of the 4 corners game, but in this one, each group member goes to a corner to learn about a concept or vocabulary word. (The teacher tapes or places information in the corner ahead of time). The students in that corner take notes and then return to their group to teach that information.

With these 10 different cooperative learning activities, your students are sure to be engaged and increase their understanding of content.

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Cooperative learning is so important in the elementary classroom because it helps students become actively engaged in their learning process and improve their understanding of the content. It promotes achievement, enhances retention, increases motivation, develops social skills, and builds self-esteem. In cooperative learning, each member of the team is responsible for their own learning AND ...

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#13 Structures heterogeneous and cooperative groups.

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#13 Structures heterogeneous and cooperative groups.

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Sample small group board.

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#14 Uses probing and clarifying techniques to assist students.

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#14 Uses probing and clarifying techniques to assist students.

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List of probing questions to ask in the classroom.

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Question Types

Do you know what kind of questions you ask most frequently? Research on the questions teachers ask shows that about 60 percent require only recall of facts, 20 percent require students to think, and 20 percent are procedural in nature.

The major types of questions fall into four categories:

Managerial: questions which keep the classroom operations moving;

Rhetorical: questions used to emphasize a point or to reinforce an idea or statement;

Closed: questions used to check retention or to focus thinking on a particular point; and

Open: questions used to promote discussion or student interaction.

(Source: P. E. Blosser. (1975). How to Ask the Right Questions . National Science Teachers Association)

Following is a list of question types you can use to analyze your questioning strategies and develop a variety of questions to help students think.

I. Probing Questions

Series of questions which require students to go beyond the first response. Subsequent teacher questions are formed on the basis of the student's response.

Types:

Clarifying

Ex: "What, exactly do you mean?"

"Will you please rephrase your statement?"

"Could you elaborate on that point?"

"What did you mean by the term. . .?"

Increasing Critical Awareness

Ex: "What are you assuming?"

"What are your reasons for thinking that is so?"

"Is that all there is to it?"

"How many questions are we trying to answer here?"

"How would an opponent of this point of view respond?"

Refocusing

Ex: "If this is true, what are the implications for . . . ?"

"How does John's answer relate to . . . ?"

"Can you relate this to . . . ?"

"Lets analyze that answer."

Ex: Teacher: "John, what's the square root of 94?"

John: "I don't know." Teacher: "Well, what's the square root of 100?"

John: "Ten." Teacher: "And the square root of 81?" John: "Nine."

Teacher: "Then what do we know about the square root of 94?"

John: "It's between nine and ten."

Redirecting to Another Student

Ex: Teacher: "What is the theme of Hemmingway's 'Old Man and the Sea'?"

Sam: "It's about an old man's courage in catching a fish."

Teacher: "Mary, do you agree?"

or: "Mary, do you think it's that simple?"

or: "Mary, can you elaborate on Sam's answer?"

II. Factual Questions

Questions which require the student to recall specific information s(he) has previously learned. Often these use who, what, when, where, etc.

Types:

Simple Bits of Information

Ex. "Who was the leader of the Free French forces during W.W.II?"

"Who is the main character in Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone With The Wind?"

"During which century did Shakespeare live?"

"What is the Spanish verb meaning to run?"

Facts Organized into a Logical Order (Sequence of Events)

Ex. "What are the steps a bill goes through before it becomes a law?"

"How were the American and French forces able to bottle up Cornwall and the British at Yorktown?"

"How did Robinson Crusoe react when he discovered footprints in the sand?"

"What is the commercial method for producing hydrochloric acid?"

III. Divergent Questions

Questions with no right or wrong answers, but which encourage exploration of possibilities. Requires both concrete and abstract thinking to arrive at an appropriate response

Ex. "What might happen if Congress passes a law preventing the manufacture and sale of cigarettes in the United States?"

"How would the story have been different if John had been a tall, strong boy instead of disabled?"

"If you were stuck on a desert island and the only tool you had was a screwdriver, what use might you make of it?"

"In what ways would history have been changed had the Spanish Armada defeated the English in 1588?"

IV. Higher Order Questions

Questions which require students to figure out answers rather than remember them. Requires generalizations related to facts in meaningful patterns.

Types:

Evaluation: Requires judgment, value or choice based upon comparing of ideas or objects to established standards.

Ex: "Which of the two books do you believe contributed most to an understanding of the Victorian era? Why?"

"Assuming equal resources, who would you rate as the most skillful general, Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant? Why?

Inference: Requires inductive or deductive reasoning

Inductive: Discovery of a general principle from a collection of specific facts.

Deductive: Logical operation in which the worth of a generalization is tested with specific issues.

Ex: "We have examined the qualities these world leaders have in common. What might we conclude, in general, about qualities necessary for leadership? Why?" (Inductive)

"If the temperature of the gas remains the same, but gas is taken to an altitude of 4000 feet higher, what happens to the pressure of the gas? Why?" (Deductive)

Comparison: Requires student to determine if ideas/objects are similar, dissimilar, unrelated, or contradictory.

Ex: "Is a mussel the same thing as a clam?"

"What similarities and differences exist between Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Pericles' Funeral Oration?"

"What is the connection between Social Darwinism and the Supreme Court actions of the late nineteenth century?"

Application: Requires student to use a concept or principle in a context different from that in which she/he learned it.

Concept = Classification of events/objects that have common characteristics.

Principle = A relationship between two or more concepts.

Ex: "How was Gresham's Law demonstrated in the Weimer Republic of Germany?"

"Can you think of an example to fit this definition?"

Problem-solving: Requires a student to use previously learned knowledge to solve a problem. Students must see relationships between knowledge and the problem, diagnose materials, situations, and environments, separate problems into components parts, and relate parts to one another and the whole. This question may generate answers the teacher hasn't anticipated.

Ex: "Suppose you grow up with the idea that dogs were bad. Out of the many dogs you came into contact with, none bit you when you were quite young. How would you react towards dogs now? Would the type, size, etc., of the dog make any difference as to how you react? Explain the notion of prejudices using this example."

V. Affective Questions

Questions which elicit expressions of attitude, values, or feelings of the student.

Ex: "How do you feel about that?"

"Is that important to you?"

"Would you like to . . . ?"

VI. Structuring Questions

Questions related to the setting in which learning is occurring.

Ex: "Are there any questions?

"Any further comments?"

"Is the assignment clear?"

"Would you repeat that?"

"Are we ready to continue?"

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Do you know what kind of questions you ask most frequently? Research on the questions teachers ask shows that about 60 percent require only recall of facts, 20 percent require students to think, and 20 percent are procedural in nature.

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#15 Acknowledges all students’ comments, responses, questions, and contributions.

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#15 Acknowledges all students’ comments, responses, questions, and contributions.

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Suggestions on acknowledging all students.

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Photo by Max Fischer from Pexels

Five ways to connect with students to build a positive classroom environment.

Teachers are busy. Besides teaching, the most obvious part of our job description, we have a multitude of other to-do items on our plate, a plate that never seems to empty but instead continues to fill with faculty meetings, professional collaboration, professional...

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Teachers are busy. Besides teaching, the most obvious part of our job description, we have a multitude of other to-do items on our plate, a plate that never seems to empty but instead continues to fill with faculty meetings, professional collaboration, professional...

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See #11 for more suggestions!

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#17 Uses multiple approaches to consistently monitor students’ understanding.

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#17 Uses multiple approaches to consistently monitor students’ understanding.

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*Students put answer in the chat

*Use of whiteboards

*Use of exit slips

*Use of checklists

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#18 Identifies students’ current knowledge before instruction.

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#18 Identifies students’ current knowledge before instruction.

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*Pre-Assessments (use iReady!)

*Generic Pre-Assessment (editable for each unit)

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#19 Uses students’ real-life experiences to connect school learning to students’ lives.

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#19 Uses students’ real-life experiences to connect school learning to students’ lives.

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Younger children love the "make believe" of pretending to be grown up. Teens who are less interested in school may respond to a dose of "real life" reality. No matter how old your students are, here are a few ways to bring the real world into to your classroom this school year.

Invite Guest Speakers

Bring in a guest speaker who works in a field connected to what you're studying. An English teacher may get new levels of effort if their students realize that writing essays can prepare them to be a journalist that reviews videos gamesor interviews famous people. And math teachers who constantly get asked, "Why do I need to know this?" may benefit from introducing an architect, computer programmer, or scientist who uses math on a regular basis.

Practice "Real World Research"

Adults do research all the time, though we may not call it that. When we want to take a vacation, throw a party, or make a major purchase, we research our options before making a decision. Use that same pattern of behavior with your students. If you're teaching geography, have students plan a trip to the country you're studying. They'll want to know about the weather and the best historical sites to visit before they go. In math class, have students plan a fundraising event for a cause they believe in. They'll have to make sure their expenses don't surpass their income, and their math skills will play an important role.

Use Primary Source Documents

This term is familiar to social studies teachers; it means a document, photograph, etc., that was created at the time being studied. For example, the Declaration of Independence is a primary source document. Some primary source materials will be too difficult for younger children, but keep in mind that The Diary of Anne Frank and the Little House on the Prairie books are primary source materials, too. These documents can make history come alive!

Observe the World Around You

Teach your students how to conduct scientific observations by taking them out to the playground to observe the plants, birds overhead, or ants on the ground. Better yet, bring in a well-trained dog or cat and have students observe its behavior. The students will be thrilled to have an animal in the classroom and will be more attentive because of the novelty. If you teach English, use the same process but have students write a descriptive passage about what they observed - a great way to reinforce adjectives and adverbs.

Ask Older Students to "Be the Expert"

Have students evaluate something they read as if they were an expert in the field. For example, if they were psychiatrists, what would they say about Oedipus or Macbeth? Are they sane? If not, what kind of disorder or mental illness do they have? Provide students with real scientific information to help them "diagnose" the characters, and if possible, bring in a psychiatrist to talk about it. This exposes students to different career fields and areas of study and puts a unique spin on the old book report.

Re-Vamp Word Problems

Skip the "if Train A leaves at 9 a.m. ..." problems and make your own. Bring in advertisements from the newspaper and tell students: "Joey gets $10 week for his allowance, and he really wants one of the newest video games. Pick out a game from the ads and figure out how many weeks Joey will have to save his allowance in order to pay for the game." The same thing can be done with clothes, electronics, or anything else your students really want.

Use the News

Find ways to use news stories to make connections between your curriculum and the real world. For example, some news outlets have recently done follow-up stories on Hurricane Maria, which hit three years ago. Reading about the storm can make a great connection for younger students studying hurricanes or for older students who might be reading books that discuss issues of poverty, racism, etc. These stories can help students recognize that the concepts they learn about in the classroom really do affect the outside world. Culturally relevant lessons are a great way to engage students.

Make Assignments Look "Real World"

Instead of having students write the same type of essay or report every week, find some assignments that can use the formats and structures they might use in the adult world: a want ad, a memo, a business letter, etc. Even younger students can manage this if you give them a pre-formatted document and just have them fill in the blanks. Of course students still need to write essays, but it doesn't hurt to vary it up once in a while, and it teaches students useful skills for later in life.

Show a Documentary

Of course, TVs should be used sparingly in the classroom, but sometimes the most effective way to bring in the real world is to show it, especially if you can show students something they couldn't possibly see in your local community. Nature documentaries or historical footage are two perfect examples.

Simulate a Real-World Experience

Simulations require planning and preparation, but they can be extremely effective. After your students read Lord of the Flies, put the boys on trial for the death of Piggy. Ask students to serve as lawyers, jury, etc.; have them dress appropriately, provide evidence, give opening and closing arguments.

If they're reading a mystery, have them recreate (within reason) the scene of the crime and conduct a physical investigation. Or have them start their own country in your social studies class. What laws would they create? How would they govern their country? Once they've made their decisions, compare their process to what actually happened when the U.S. was founded.

Bring in "Celebrity Judges" or "Celebrity Coaches"

Reality TV offers one useful idea for the classroom: celebrity judges. Bring in professionals to help students evaluate or revise their work on a major assignment or project. This will take some effort on your part to recruit enough "judges," but it can have a tremendous payoff, especially with older students. When a student realizes their grammar mistakes might cost them a job or a math student understands their miscalculation could make a building collapse, they see their homework in a new light.

Publish Student Work for the Larger Community

Today, sharing your work with the world has never been easier. Choose a topic that will interest your community: for example, a collection of stories about local history or a research assignment on the prevalence of litter, graffiti, or another problem in your community. Have students do the research and write up their findings, then determine how to publish the information.

You might create a class blog or digital portfolio, which you control, for the community to read. You might have students work together to create a handout or flyer that can be distributed in the community. If you have sufficient room in your budget, you could even self-publish a book of your students' work. Students should then have the opportunity to receive feedback from the community on their findings, whether informally as they pass out the flyers or through a formal feedback process that you control. If students know their work will be shared beyond the school's borders, they have a new reason to work harder.

Whichever approach you try, incorporating the larger world into your classroom is guaranteed to be a memorable experience for you and your students.

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Top 12 Ways to Bring the Real World into Your Classroom - TeachHUB

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Younger children love the "make believe" of pretending to be grown up. Teens who are less interested in school may respond to a dose of "real life" reality. No matter how old your students are, here are a few ways to bring the real world into to your classroom this school year.

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Use a stopwatch (online or in person) to give students time to think!

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Online Egg Timer! This is our FULLSCREEN Egg Timer. Download or use online, this is perfect for meetings, classrooms, or you only want to see a timer.

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#21 Ask students for feedback on the effectiveness of instruction.

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#21 Ask students for feedback on the effectiveness of instruction.

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*Use Google Forms
*Use exit slips
*See the link for more suggestions!

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Although there are still a few months left of school, you may already be making plans for next year. As art educators, we know the value of reflection and we may have already identified some lessons to toss, and some lessons to improve on in the future. We are pretty good at taking into consideration what worked and what didn't from our perspective, but it's important to remember who our audience is as well.

If you think back to your own college courses, you may recall completing an exit survey for your professor at the end of the semester. This is more-and-more common for university professors and departments to receive student feedback. Questions range from "What was your reason for taking this course?" to "How well did the syllabus inform course expectations?"

Now, these types of questions may not apply to your K-12 art classroom, but you can easily use this concept to receive some meaningful feedback from your students.

When to Ask

Art educators should develop a culture in their classroom where feedback is always welcome, but you may decide on a specific time(s) to ask for feedback formally.

Many art educators welcome students at the beginning of the year with a questionnaire that is equal parts Getting to Know You and What Do You Hope to Learn? questions. This is a great way to tap into what students' expectations and interests are about your class. You certainly already have a withstanding curriculum and projects planned for the year, but by analyzing student responses, you can make changes here and there to help your students better connect with the content.

Mid-year is another great time to check in with students and ask for feedback. Their expectations and interests most likely changed since they first walked into your classroom. They've had roughly eighteen weeks to experience your teaching style, art projects, and classroom dynamic.

Now is the time to ask, "What's going well?" and "What about this class is challenging or frustrating?"

The benefit of asking students for feedback mid-year is you still have time to turn the year around. If you find from analyzing the feedback that the majority of your students don't find video tutorials effective, you can make changes in the spring. You may begin incorporating written directions or teacher-led demonstrations to better present the instruction. Likewise, if you find that students love doing group work you can seek opportunities for more collaboration in the weeks ahead.

How and What to Ask

For meaningful feedback, you're going to want to read or hear responses in individual student voices, not predetermined and multiple choice responses. Ask questions like, "What was your favorite lesson so far, and why?" You not only want insight into what they liked about class, but also the way that helped them connect with the content.

When you ask a question like, "What did you dislike or find most challenging about this class?," you're opening yourself up for a harsh response like, "Everything. I don't like art." That's heartbreaking and not at all helpful! However, if you include a follow-up question like, "What do you suggest I do to improve this?" you can gain a better understanding of that student's needs. You may still receive a few short and dismissive responses, but hopefully most of your students give you useful feedback.

For example, a student may say "There are too many projects. I can't keep up." The follow-up question that asks for suggestions may lead to a response like, "Give us more time to work and fewer drawing prompts." You may be able to address this by making adaptations for students who need more time, and designating a few drawing prompt exercises activities for your early-finisher students exclusively.

Create a survey or questionnaire that asks students to respond in their own words. Emphasize that you truly want honest feedback and that the goal is to improve the class for all students.

Don't Take it Personally

Whenever we open ourselves up to feedback, it will include the good, the bad, and the ugly. Remember the reason why you are asking for feedback in the first place, to improve instruction and best meet the needs of your students.

You may receive dozens of responses praising your teaching and affirming the decisions you've made for curriculum and instruction. However, those one or two critical responses may feel like a dagger straight to the heart. Be prepared for those few comments that may sting a little. It's certainly natural to be sensitive when receiving feedback about your work. You put a lot of time and effort into developing your craft.

When those critiques come in, pause and try to read it as constructive criticism. If the student has a problem with how you deliver material or the limitations of your lessons, think of ways that you might improve the class for this individual. Of course, you can't please everyone 100% of the time, but there may be something small you can do that will make a world of difference for that student.

Learn more
5 Ways to Make Giving Student Feedback Simple 4 Ways to Get Honest Feedback from Your Elementary Students How to Generate Student Feedback to Improve Your Classes
Many students crave more freedom in the projects they create. In a future project, respond to this request by giving a few skill-based parameters and open up the choice of subject matter and/or media to students. Explain to them that you are directly responding to their feedback and want to give them more artistic freedom. They will know you took the questionnaire or survey seriously, heard their feedback and that you're applying it to your teaching. That's huge for them! Many students feel their opinions aren't heard at all in school. You can show them that you care and want to make your class meaningful.
Final Thoughts
Asking for feedback can be kind of scary for art educators. Just like artists, we are sensitive about our work! However, we also have a deep desire to evolve and improve ourselves. We want to grow and be the best teachers we can be so our students can also succeed in our classrooms.

Administrative and peer feedback is great and beneficial to growth, but we have to also consider the students' perspective. They directly benefit from our curriculum and instruction. They also have some pretty great ideas that can help you perfect an already awesome class! Take time to ask for their input. You'll be surprised at the difference it can make!
How do you ask students for feedback? What's the best student suggestion you've received? How do you keep a thick skin when receiving criticism?

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How to Ask Your Students for Meaningful Feedback - The Art of Education University

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Although there are still a few months left of school, you may already be making plans for next year. As art educators, we know the value of reflection and we may have already identified some lessons to toss, and some lessons to improve on in the future.

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#22 Provides students with the criteria and standards for successful task completion.

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#22 Provides students with the criteria and standards for successful task completion.

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*Use rubrics in instruction!
*Show students exemplars!

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#23 Gives students effective, specific feedback.

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#23 Gives students effective, specific feedback.

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*Use rubrics in instruction!
*Show students exemplars!

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#24 Provides multiple opportunities to use effective feedback to revise and resubmit work.

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#24 Provides multiple opportunities to use effective feedback to revise and resubmit work.

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*Allow students to resubmit non-graded assignments. Emphasize growth and understanding!

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This is the second part of a two-part story about changing classroom culture. Read part one to learn how this teacher improved her student feedback system to increase student engagement.
"Are you going to resubmit your chemical changes model?" Valentina asked Jayda.

"I'm not sure," Jayda responded, "I'm already at proficient and I understand all the concepts, so mastery work wouldn't really be worth it for me." Hearing a student say that work isn't worth it would send most teachers into a downward spiral, but these words brought me joy.

Jayda was confident that she understood the material, and hearing her make a choice not to pursue additional work for the purpose of chasing an extra few points on her grade made me proud.

At Forest Ridge, an independent all-girls school serving students in grades 5-12 in Bellevue, Wash., we've been grappling with how to support students in focusing on growth over grades for years.

In 2016, our school began putting intentional effort into getting our students to value the learning process and to focus on growth rather than grades. At the same time, our middle school science department made the switch from traditional grading to standards-based assessment and overhauled our philosophy to focus on fostering revision practices. One of the significant changes we made was to offer an open resubmit policy, meaning any student could revise and resubmit any assessed work up until the end of the following unit for up to full credit.

In my eighth grade physical science class, I took all the steps that I believed would help my students focus on the learning process and their growth along the way. I didn't grade behaviors like participation or timely work submission, I praised effort over achievement and I carved out ample time for goal setting and reflection. I expected transformative outcomes, but they were slow to come.

To Resubmit or Not to Resubmit-That Became the Question

By 2017, my students were still setting up meetings to ask me, "How can I get my grade above a 90 percent?" They were still emailing me just minutes after their grades were posted to ask questions about how their overall grade would change in response to a new score. I overheard frequent conversations in which students tried to one-up each other with tales of how little they slept, the size of their homework load or how little they'd eaten all day. Rachel Simmons, author of "Enough as She Is," a book about self-confidence for girls, refers to this as "competitive stress," or the "Stress Olympics," which was rampant at our school.

The culture around grading was still pretty toxic-even with the new resubmit policy. Perhaps it was because the only students taking advantage of it were the ones who already had very high grades.

Unfortunately, when I approached my administrators to discuss going gradeless, I was told that it was off the table for the time being. Families with their eyes set on elite colleges are understandably apprehensive about moving away from the status-quo into the unknown of a gradeless education. So I asked myself: If I'm stuck using traditional grades to define student success, how can I make those grades as meaningful as possible?

Simply having an open resubmit policy wasn't enough to drive productive revision for all students. I worked with my colleagues and students to develop a feedback and revision system that leverages digital technologies and classroom protocols to teach feedback literacy skills, make actionable feedback constantly available and give students the agency to act on their feedback. With the addition of feedback and assessment literacy practices, my students now have the information and strategies necessary to engage in iterative learning.

Source: Christine Witcher

1. Greater Proficiency: In 2015-16, 74 percent of my students were earning grades that would now be identified as at or above proficiency, but these scores were not based in any standards. When we moved to standards-based grading, that number dipped to 51 percent. The added rigor of assessing on each standard without the cushion of participation and completion points, was challenging for students. This year, 76 percent of my students are at or above proficient. My conclusion is that this feedback-focused revision system is effective at supporting students in attaining or exceeding proficiency.

2. Redefining Mastery: Our first year of standards-based grading was an experiment. We were liberal with mastery level, awarding it to almost any student who was proficient and resubmitted their work. We've since fine-tuned our definition of mastery and it's more complex and open-ended. Though the number of students attaining mastery has fluctuated each year, this system has helped us communicate high standards to students and avoid grade inflation.

3. It Takes Time: During 2015-16, we did not accept resubmits so the number of submitted versions was 1.0. By the following year, that had risen to 1.2 versions as we introduced the new policy, but still, less than a quarter of our assignments were resubmitted across that first year. As students got accustomed to this new policy, that number increased to 1.5 submissions per assignment in the 2017-18 school year. I've concluded that it takes time and consistency for a resubmit policy to make sense and become part of the practice of learning for students.

4. Fewer Resubmits, More Revision: The drop in the number of versions this 2018-19 school year is intriguing. This data point alone, dropping from 1.5 to 1.2 average versions per assignment, appears concerning and makes me wonder: why are fewer students resubmitting their work?

However, looking at this data point in combination with the average score distribution, I see the bigger picture. Fewer students need to resubmit their work, because they are revising their work in response to feedback before it is due. This conclusion is also supported by the data gathered during summative self-assessments. When asked what behaviors led up to the submission of an assignment, students are reporting revision-focused habits.

Source: Christine Witcher

This is the second part of a two-part story about changing classroom culture. Read part one to learn how this teacher improved her student feedback system to increase student engagement.
So, Does a Resubmit Policy Actually Work?

Since our switch to standards-based assessment in 2016, I've been keeping records on academic achievement and revision behaviors. Comparing academic performance and submission behaviors of students from before and after our shift to standards-based grading (SBG), I notice that the data reveals some fascinating trends.

One of the questions that started this journey in the first place was: How can I support students in being the drivers of their own learning? Now I can answer it with strong supporting evidence. I can support students by giving them the opportunity to iterate on their work, and teaching them the skills they need to do it successfully. This holistic approach of providing actionable information, teaching feedback literacy skills and giving students the agency to act on it, is critical to increasing student agency.

When we teach students to revise productively, we don't have to worry about them taking advantage of retakes as an opportunity to slack off the first time, or suffer a growing achievement gap in our classrooms. And with digital tools and classroom protocols, we no longer have to drown in grading-that burden can shift beneficially to our students. An open resubmit policy works, as long as it's paired with a robust feedback system.

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Growth Over Grades: How a Resubmit Policy Is Helping Us Build a Culture of Revision - EdSurge News

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This is the second part of a two-part story about changing classroom culture. Read part one to learn how this teacher improved her student feedback system to increase student engagement. "Are you going to resubmit your chemical changes model?" Valentina asked Jayda.

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Across the nation, teachers learning about CLASS are asked to narrate their actions and sportscast their children's experiences in order to support and encourage healthy language development. Hearing this, many teachers may wonder, "Will people think I'm crazy if I start talking to myself in the classroom?"

The answer is no. Self- and parallel talk are beneficial strategies for teachers to engage in because they strengthen language rich environments and enhance vocabulary development, all while supporting effective relationship building between teachers and children.

What is self-talk?

In self-talk the teacher intentionally describes what he or she is thinking, seeing, hearing, touching or doing. The teacher links words to actions: "I'm giving each of you a handful of animal crackers. I am placing the crackers in a pile in the center of your napkins." These words are said while the teacher actively passes out the snack, making words like, "handful," "placing," and "pile" come alive for the children.

Self-talk is NOT simply using "I" statements, such as, "I am going to tour the zoo tomorrow and I will feed a giraffe! I love giraffes.'" Why would statements like this be less effective? In this example, a child may not know know the word "tour" or "giraffe." These words are said in an abstract way and not made concrete by mapping them to what the child can currently see or experience.

What is parallel-talk?

In parallel talk, the teacher links words directly to children's current actions or experiences. For example, "You are holding the zipper and zipping your jacket all the way up to your chin." The teacher becomes a sportscaster, narrating a play-by-play account of what the child is seeing, feeling, or doing, making words personalized and meaningful.

Parallel talk is NOT simply using a "you" statement, such as, "You did a good job painting your picture." Why? Because this comment refers to something that happened in the past and does not promote the more powerful connection between a child's real-time experiences and the language that describes these moments in rich, memorable detail.

So how can self- and parallel talk be incorporated into your daily schedule?

Take the first step by selecting one part of your daily routine when you can begin to narrate what you and your children are doing during an activity. Try modeling their behavior while describing your actions and pausing for their response, whether it be verbal or non-verbal, and then continuing on with this cycle of communication.

Build relationships! Engage shy, quiet, or non-verbal children by joining them in play and describing both of your actions in a conversational way, focusing on the child's interests, without adding the stress of asking questions or expecting verbal responses. The child will be exposed to personalized language in a relaxed setting and your relationship will be strengthened by sharing an enjoyable activity together.

Tips to increase the effectiveness of self- and parallel talk

Teachers should use these strategies in a back-and-forth, conversational way, being careful not to bombard children with details. While maintaining the flow of communication, teachers should frequently pause so that children may join in, either verbally or non-verbally.

The purpose of these strategies is to expose children to meaningful language and enhance language development. To increase effectiveness, there should be no requirement for children to respond to or to imitate what is being said when providing self- and parallel talk.

As you practice mapping actions with words, it will soon become a more natural part of your daily routine and both you and your children will enjoy the benefits of enhanced communication in your classroom.

This post was written by Mamie Morrow and Anne Tapaszi, two of Teachstone's professional development specialists

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Using Self- and Parallel Talk to Enhance Communication Skills

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Across the nation, teachers learning about CLASS are asked to narrate their actions and sportscast their children's experiences in order to support and encourage healthy language development. Hearing this, many teachers may wonder, "Will people think I'm crazy if I start talking to myself in the classroom?" The answer is no.

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#26 Asks higher-order questions equitably of high and low-achieving students.

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#26 Asks higher-order questions equitably of high and low-achieving students.

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Sample of higher order questions

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After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, a student is asked, " Who is Anne Frank?" To answer the question, the student simply recalls the information he or she memorized from the reading.

With the implementation of Common Core, students are expected to become critical thinkers instead of just recalling facts and ideas from text. In order for students to reach this potential and be prepared for success, educators must engage students during instruction by asking higher-order questions.

Higher-order Questions (HOQ)

Higher-order questions are those that the students cannot answer just by simple recollection or by reading the information " verbatim " from the text. Higher-order questions put advanced cognitive demand on students. They encourage students to think beyond literal questions.

Higher-order questions promote critical thinking skills because these types of questions expect students to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information instead of simply recalling facts. For instance, application questions require students to transfer knowledge learned in one context to another; analysis questions expect students to break the whole into component parts such as analyze mood, setting, characters, express opinions, make inferences, and draw conclusions; synthesis questions have students use old ideas to create new ones using information from a variety of sources; and evaluation questions require students to make judgments, explain reasons for judgments, compare and contrast information, and develop reasoning using evidence from the text.

Higher-order Questions Research

According to research, teachers who effectively use a variety of higher-order questions can overcome the brain's natural tendency to develop mental routines and patterns to limit information, which is called neural pruning. As a result, student's brains may become more open-minded, which strengthens the brain.

According to an article in Educational Leadership (March 1997), researchers Thomas Cardellichio and Wendy Field discovered that higher-order questions increase neural branching, the opposite of neural pruning. In addition, these researchers found that teachers can promote the process of neural branching through seven types of questions.

1. Hypothetical thinking. This form of thinking is used to create new information. It causes a person to develop an answer based on generalizations related to that situation. These questions follow general forms such as What if this happened? What if this were not true?, etc.

2. Reversal thinking. This type of thinking expects students to turn a question around and look for opposite ideas. For example, What happens if I reverse the addends in a math problem? What caused this? How does it change if I go backward?, etc.

3. Application of different symbol systems. This way of thinking is to apply a symbol system to a situation for which it is not usually used, such as writing a math equation to show how animal interaction is related.

4. Analogy. This process of thinking is to compare unrelated situations such as how is the Pythagorean Theorem related to cooking. These questions typically ask How is this like ___?

5. Analysis of point of view. This way of thinking requires students to consider and question other people's perspective, belief, or opinion in order to extend their minds. For instance, a teacher may ask a student, What else could account for this? or How many other ways could someone look at this?

6. Completion. This form of thinking requires students to finish an incomplete project or situation that would normally be completed. For example, removing the end of a story and expecting the students to create their own ending.

7. Web analysis. With web analysis, students must synthesize how events are related in complex ways instead of simply relying on the brain's natural ability to develop a simple pattern. For example, How extensive were the effects of _____? Or Track the relationship of events following from ___ aretypes of web analysis questions.

The researchers concluded that this type of questioning can lead to better critical thinking skills. " They can analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and interpret the text they are reading at complex levels. They can process text at deep levels, make judgments, and detect shades of meaning. They can make critical interpretations and demonstrate high levels of insight and sophistication in their thinking. They are able to make inferences, draw relevant and insightful conclusions, use their knowledge in new situations, and relate their thinking to other situations and to their own background knowledge. These students fare well on standardized tests and are considered to be advanced. They will indeed be prepared to function as outstanding workers and contributors in a fast-paced workplace where the emphasis is on using information rather than just knowing facts."

Higher-order Questions and Explicit Direct Instruction

The Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) model incorporates a variety of higher-order questions in order to encourage and increase critical thinking skills.

The component in EDI is the only question that is at a low level of Bloom's Taxonomy. The reason for this is because the content during this portion of the lesson is not at a high level. Also, the students have not been taught the high-level content. Typically, the question asked to students is " What are we doing today? or What is our Learning Objective?"

The component includes a variety of higher-order concept-related questions because the content is at a high level. Here is a list of higher-order questions that are asked during this EDI component:

In your own words, what is (insert the concept being taught)?

Which is an example of ________? Why?

What is the difference between the example and the non-example?

Why is this an example of ______?

Give me an example of ______.

Draw an example of ______.

Match the examples to the definition of ______.

Which picture/poster shows an example of _______?

The SKILL DEVELOPMENT component asks higher-level thinking-process questions after modeling the skill.

The GUIDED PRACTICE asks higher-level process questions that require the students to show their thought process when performing the skill.

How did you know how to __________?

How did you know that this was the correct answer?

How did you use to ensure that you knew how to find the _____?

How did you know how to interpret the answer?

Which steps was most difficult for you? Why?

The RELEVANCE component includes higher-level evaluation questions.

Does anyone have any other reason as to why this is important?

Which reason is the most relevant to you? Why?

The CLOSURE component includes high-level questions such as:

What did you learn today?

How did the lesson meet the Learning Objective?

How will this lesson benefit you in the future?

If higher-order questions promote critical thinking skills, as research shows, then higher-order questions should be included throughout instruction. The EDI model offers a good way to do just that!

Citations

Educational Leadership, Seven Strategies That Encourage Neural Branching, March 1997

How do you incorporate higher-order questions during instruction? Please share your experiences in the comment section below.

Author: Patricia Bogdanovich

Patricia has held various positions with DataWORKS since 2002. She currently works as a Curriculum Specialist. Patricia helped develop and create many of the early resources and workshops designed by DataWORKS, and she is an expert in analysis of standards. Patricia plans to blog about curriculum and assessments for CCSS and NGSS, classroom strategies, and news and research from the world of education.

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After reading The Diary of Anne Frank, a student is asked, "Who is Anne Frank?" To answer the question, the student simply recalls the information he or she memorized from the reading. With the implementation of Common Core, students are expected to become critical thinkers instead of just recalling facts and ideas from text.

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#27 Provides individual help to high and low-achieving students.

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#27 Provides individual help to high and low-achieving students.

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*See this document on accelerated learning.
*This is from a district PD for the extra support homerooms.

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Accelerated Learning PD: Aug. 17th, 2021

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This is a video of an animated rock band singing "Hello" in 7 different languages.  We watch and listen to this video everyday.  The students then pick which language they want  to say hello to the class in. Then we as a class repeat.

Teacher: "Christopher, how do you want to say hello today?"
Student: "Bonjour."
Class: "Bonjour Christopher."

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Say Hello in Spanish, French, and Other Languages

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For attendance I say, "Good Morning, ___________" and the student says, "Good Morning, Mrs. Stallings and friends." They greet us with their choice of greeting and the rest of the class does the greeting back to that child.

Bianca Stallings

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I always try to wait until I see about half the class raise their hand for a question. I notice that a lot of my students really need this time to think about their answers. If I find that only a few students are raising their hands even after a significant wait period, I will explain again in a different way to see if more hands will go up before I call on a student to give the answer.

-Nicole Ruggiero

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When I introduce something new for the students, I ask for feedback through an exit ticket. I ask what they liked and didn't like about the task so I can better teach them.

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Arranges the classroom to accommodate discussion. Students have shields to turn and talk. On the carpet, students it on the corners to talk with each other.

Seiwert

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Learns, Uses & Displays Some Words in Students' Heritage Language 

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Learns, Uses & Displays Some Words in Students' Heritage Language 

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Before I introduced our class to the concept of Small-Group Time, I emailed the parents of our 7 ELL students, asking them to explain the concept of Small-Group Time in their own language. Of course, I explained it to the parents first, in my email to them. When I introduced it to the students the next morning, I said "Small-Group Time" in each of their languages.  I continued to say it in their language for several days until I saw that they had embraced the idea of working in small groups with their classmates.

~Marie Granato-Dahl

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I have posters in my classrooms that show different types of students from different backgrounds. I also have posters in Spanish and in sign language in my room.

Emily Kaiser

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Each week students greet each other at morning meeting by saying "Hello" or "Good Morning" in a different language.

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Most of my students are from Spanish speaking homes, so this is in our rotation for our morning greetings. They all really enjoy getting to converse in Spanish in the classroom and seem to get a kick out of teaching their friends in the class how to speak a little bit of it as well.

-Trish Powell

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I find it extremely important to welcome students by name as they enter the classroom as well as ask how their previous day went, things they may be excited about, other extracurricular activities they may engage in, etc. It's necessary to start the day  in positive fashion and allows the students to further see school as a place that truly cares for them.

Kenny Kluska

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During morning meeting, each students gets to choose a greeting from the slide (I try to change the greetings monthly) and everyone says good morning showing the specific greeting the student chose.

~Subrina Samaroo

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I have a bulletin board in the classroom that has different words of encouraging self-talk phrases in English, Spanish, and Braille.
Sue Zega

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Each morning I wait at my door for students. l look each student in the eye, and greet them by name.
During morning meeting, students look at the person they are greeting in the eye, and greet them by name
Nadine Bent

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Each morning I stand near my the door and greet each child by name as they enter the classroom. Then during Morning Meeting the students have an opportunity to greet each other by name.  They look at each other in the eye and greet them by name.

-Sarah Oliveira

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7. Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support student learning.

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7. Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support student learning.

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Our classrooms are filled with a variety of student learners. It is important that I provide a variety of visual aids to support and meet the needs of all of my learners.

Kendra Facey

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MacAfee's 5th Grade Page🦒 - Facey Anchor Charts

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#6-Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds represented by students-Resnick

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#6-Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds represented by students-Resnick

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Some Examples Include: A. My Star Student Week Schedule includes a day where the students are invited to bring in a show and tell of something that is special and important to their culture and tell why it is special and important. B. Bulletin Board of greetings in different languages.
C. An extensive read aloud collection for SEL/CLR to share on a regular basis with the class. D. An invitation to parents to come in (remotely this year) to share their culture, traditions...A class book of photos sent from home speaking to these traditions and backgrounds.

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I have each student's name on a popsicle stick in a bucket in the classroom. When I ask a question to the class or need a volunteer - I pick a stick from the bucket and that student can answer/have a turn/etc. They have the option to say no, but this makes it so all students can equally get a turn.
- Gina Marano

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I have a pencil cup with popsicle sticks labeled with the names of each of the students.  I choose sticks to have students answer questions or to help with an activity. This ensures all students have the opportunity to participate. It also encourages students who otherwise may not raise their hand to at least try.

-Diana Consiglio

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#6 Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals in the classroom reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of students.

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#6 Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals in the classroom reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of students.

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I've attached a link to my CLR booklist that I made last year.

In library, I make sure that my book selection reflects all different types of people and cultures. I even have units centered around the theme CLR reads, but I also insert CLR books into other lessons as well. For example, in our Fairy Tale and Fable unit, I will be reading some Folk Tales from around the world.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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I use a variety of visual aids and props to support student learning. I have pictures on the shelves where items belong. I use picture cards or puppets for songs we sing. I have a basket with pictures to support problem solving strategies.

-Cheryl Ortega

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I have added books to my classroom library by authors and featuring characters from underrepresented backgrounds. Additionally, I use many of these books as mentor texts for the reading and writing units of study.

Dan Epstein

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#7 Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support learning. 

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#7 Uses a variety of visual aids and props to support learning. 

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Something I got really into last year was making videos that parents and students could watch with my bitmoji (and their bitmojis in it). There is a Facebook group called Bitmoji Craze for Educators where there are hundreds of free resources for teachers! This is a really easy way to help the kids at school and home!
-Kate Freeman

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I use several different visual aids/ gestures in my classroom.  These visual aids are displayed on the board at the front of my room to help students stay accountable for these expectations.  They support student learning, acknowledge diversity, and introduce ASL gestures.

Meghan Cathcart

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I do bus duty in the morning, and it's very nice to see and greet the students as they arrive to school.

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Every morning, I greet my students at the door with an elbow bump and ask them how they are doing.  Before our day begins, I ask my students how the rest of their day was yesterday, and whether or not they have anything, special or not, they would like to share (weekend plans, etc.)

Linda Krute

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Each morning, I stand at the door of my classroom and greet all students as they come down the hall. I say good morning and make a conscientious effort to pay them a compliment or wish them a good day. By doing this I am able to check on how their day will begin. If I see a student is down, I try to assure them their day will be great!

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I welcome my each of my students to small group sessions by name and ask how they are doing. This sometimes leads to a short, positive conversation prior to the lesson. This tends to focus them on the lesson at hand.

I also use wait time as it does take some students longer to process their thinking.  My students have gotten used to waiting for their peers to answer in most cases.

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I've created a hallway bulletin board that supports my teachings in the classroom that each student is unique and special in their own way. Student work is posted to highlight student differences. We listen, discuss and complete activities to stories such "Giraffes Can't Dance", Unique Snowflakes and I am a Rainbow to reinforce and increase student awareness about how special they are. In may classroom I frequently have students be the teacher and stars are frequently given as well as reward cards for a job well done. Students are taught to celebrate their uniqueness with positive reinforcement and positive self talk.
- Laurie Wells

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I have bus duty every morning and enjoy greeting the students by name as they arrive to the building.

I start each of my groups with asking the students about how their day has been so far or by asking for something fun they did over the weekend if it is a Monday. It brings something a little more personal to our relationship.

When making up my own materials, I make sure to include the names of the students as well as try to incorporate some of their interests into the word problems. When asking them to share their thinking or provide an explanation, I use wait time to allow them time to gather their thoughts.

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Many of the CLR practices lend themselves naturally to the learning process in an LLD classroom.  I greet all students by name as they come into breakfast and again during attendance.  The use of eye contact, proximity, body language, small groups, visual aids and modeling are all important tools used daily to aid understanding.  We also do various projects during the year that reflect different cultures.

Carol Kelly

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#6-Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds represented.

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#6-Ensures bulletin boards, displays, instructional materials, and other visuals reflect the racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds represented.

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See above
-Laurie Wells

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I greet the students every morning at bus duty. I say hello to each student as they enter the building.
I also like to focus on each sport and their background. Where did the sport originate from? Why is it popular there? Does anyone know any special players from this specific sport? Is anyone from that certain country and want to talk to us about anything dealing with this particular sport?

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Visual Aids

I use multiple visual aids (student artwork , teacher samples, and internet visuals) as well as my teacher created Bitmoji Presentations that are displayed on the white board.  These materials help differentiate instruction for all levels of learners.  I also display two and three tier vocabulary pertinent to the art lesson on the board for student reference or embed it within my presentation and have an art word wall bulletin board. Hand-outs are also available for students that need additional visuals.

Karen Oakley

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Each week students greet each other at morning meeting by saying "Hello" or "Good Morning" in a different language.

Laura Moley

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During breakfast, lunch, and bus duty I take the opportunity to acknowledge all students by name and get to know more about them to incorporate this into my lessons. I also connect and use different activities, culture, and sports to help every student feel a part of the lesson and connected in some way.

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Similar to my SEL activity, I have a bulletin board presented outside in the hallway for students to view first thing before coming into my classroom. This gives students a helpful reminder to stay positive and motivated during challenging times.

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I greet all students in the morning during arrival.  I make sure everyone is doing ok and if they need to talk to me, I will do my best to make myself available.

I also hold small groups during lunch so students can relate to each other and find things in common.