Intentional Classroom by Derek Olson

Warm-Up to Poetry

2023-02-20 15:00:54 UTC

Before reading a poem, I usually have a couple self-reflection questions ready for students before class starts (e.g., displaying on board or handed to them as they walk in).

For example, before reading Gwendolyn Brooks' poem "To Prisoners," students independently responded to the following questions:

Being incarcerated is one of the more terrifying realities a person could face since it comes with numerous physical and psychological challenges. While you’ve never been (and–hopefully–never will go) to prison, reflect on that ominous existence by responding to the following questions.

How might the physical environment of a prison be challenging for you?
What do you think would be the most difficult psychological hurdle to overcome while in prison (especially if you had a long sentence)?

After reading the poem, we connect these initial reflections to the big ideas of the poem.

Model Skills (quickly)

2023-02-20 15:05:52 UTC

In English 11, I briefly reviewed how to introduce evidence and cite it following MLA citation rules. In order to see if students understood this information, I had them complete the following Exit Ticket task in order to determine if I still needed to review these skills for the entire section or simply request a handful of student to ELT to review the skill with them.

Select one quote/passage from Thoreau’s essay “Civil Disobedience.” Introduce (and cite!) the quote using one of the methods we reviewed in class today. Then, briefly explain what the quote means in your own words.

Example: According to Thoreau, "We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us“ (2). In other words, technological advancement may have made life more convenient; however, humans are now allowing machines to control their destinies.

In the front of the class, I have what we are learning each day.

2023-02-20 15:09:51 UTC

entry

2023-02-20 15:12:11 UTC

For my academic classes, I will ask questions to help make the day's lesson relatable in a "real world" way. They will sometimes write it out or share it out depending on the topic.

CNN 10 with quick discussion

2023-02-20 15:12:54 UTC

Before starting class, I will run CNN 10 before transition into Academic sucess study.

calendar

2023-02-20 15:13:16 UTC

I have a large calendar on the white board that shows what will be happening each day in each class and color coded by class, so they know what to look at.

I post learning targets in Canvas with our daily plans, and then I project them.

2023-02-20 15:14:19 UTC

Journaling Daily at Class Start

2023-02-20 15:21:41 UTC

exit ticket that is focused on something that we focused on that day have been working on.

2023-02-20 15:23:13 UTC

Allowing Students to Vent and get in Mindset to Learn

2023-02-20 15:23:36 UTC

2023-02-20 15:23:47 UTC

Many of my students struggle with mental health, home life, and personal issues. I try to make connections with my students by asking how their evenings/weekends were or what might be a positive thing they are looking forward to for the day. Sometimes I'll have individual short heart/hearts with my students about struggles or things they may have talked to me about previously. Many students just need to know that there is an adult in their life who cares. Building these connections helps them be emotionally ready to engage for the day.

Bellwork Journal

kkaufman25 — 2023-02-20 15:25:21 UTC

Students keep a section of their notebook as a daily journal for class. Each day, there is a question on the board for them to answer. Sometimes it is a review, sometimes a preview, and sometimes a random thought question. These are collected periodically and given a score.

My class always starts with Happy Birthday announcements (and often singing lol) and a joke/riddle/meme of the day, mostly supplied to me by the students. Not the most academic but it's a nice way to get us all centered and with one focus.

ndixon42 — 2023-02-20 15:26:11 UTC

2023-02-20 15:26:28 UTC

quick discussions or quick writes.

2023-02-20 15:26:33 UTC

I publish learning targets in the form of 'success criteria' above an agenda of tasks we will perform. The learning targets and agenda complement one another.

Take Interest in Students Hobbies, Sports, Home Life, Ect...

2023-02-20 15:28:40 UTC

Learning targets

2023-02-20 15:29:21 UTC

My learning targets are always centered around "I can" statements with a verb clearly identified so students know how they're going to apply the knowledge they learn in discussion / direct instruction.

1 on 1 conversation

2023-02-20 15:29:53 UTC

I try to have a brief conversation with every student in my classes at some point over the course of a week so they know that I care about them more than just a random student in a class.

I have a joke of the day that I put up on the board, so students have time to be goofy before the instruction starts.

2023-02-20 15:30:12 UTC

Journals

2023-02-20 15:30:47 UTC

I usually start my classes with a journal prompt that breaks down the lesson into a more conceptual / philosophical basis that has a direct link to culture or students' lives. This helps make the content immediately accessible and thought provoking for many students.

Play Music in Background While Students are up and Around. Pausing it Tells Students to Come Back to Instructor and Listening.

2023-02-20 15:31:24 UTC

Learning Targets

2023-02-20 15:31:30 UTC

My mentor teacher has a weekly calendar/table up at the front of the room that has the learning objectives right about the daily lessons for each class. I am working on adding this into my room.

2023-02-20 15:32:52 UTC

I play music when it's time to stop and come back to the lesson. I use music instead of an alarm and when music starts it's time to wrap it up, when it's stopped you should be back in your seat.

What Needs to be Direct Instruction? What can be Handled Differently?

2023-02-20 15:33:11 UTC

Draw a card as they walk in...

2023-02-20 15:36:46 UTC

If I'm planning a group activity, I'll have students grab a number as they walk in the door, which determines which group they'll eventually be in. After a warm-up activity, I'll direct them back to their number cards and indicate where they should sit. This prevents some wasted class time in selecting (and arguing about) group members.

Plan Something Really Great During Last 5 Minutes such as an Exit Ticket, Student Self-Analysis, Foreshadow Future Learning, or Open Communication with Teacher

2023-02-20 15:40:19 UTC

Authenticity

2023-02-20 15:40:47 UTC

I often think that we overthink relationships a lot as educators. Theory surrounding relationships is all well and good, but I usually find it muddies the ability to make actual connections with students. At this age especially, children are pretty perceptive of "BS" and will be able to pick up on if someone actually cares or if someone is putting on a show because they have to. I think you can make a lot of progress in relationships if you treat students like real human beings and allow yourself to be authentic around them.

Keep tasks to 15 to 20 minutes at most

2023-02-20 15:42:08 UTC

In order to serve attention spans, I try not to spend more than 15 to 20 minutes on a single task or activity. I shift between opening journal, discussing the journal, direct instruction, group practice, and individual work in most lessons.

Individual reflection / assignment

2023-02-20 15:43:57 UTC

At the end of class I usually give students some individual work to do that intends to be an accurate reflection of what they learned in the lesson. The assignments usually get students to practice a fundamental skill or further their understanding of a concept.

Exit Ticket: 1. What did you Learn Today about ____? Something I Learned Today that I did not Already Know is... 2. How did your Thinking Change? I Used to Think this way, but now I Think....

2023-02-20 15:45:58 UTC

Can Use as Assignment/Exam Reminder

2023-02-20 15:46:58 UTC

SEL Activity, Exit Ticket 1st

2023-02-20 15:52:09 UTC

What Would you do Differently?

2023-02-20 15:53:17 UTC

We do a Wheel of Fortune type puzzle on that day's class topic. Kids run the puzzle if they won yesterday.

2024-01-23 15:55:13 UTC

Question of the Day

2024-01-23 15:58:10 UTC

I ask a project a simple trivia-style question on a google slide I made on the topic of the day's materials with 3 short discussion questions that follow. I ask around for guesses to the answer or ask them to come up with a 'table answer', where the 3 or 4 of them at every table agree to a guess. The discussion questions are finished by about 5 minutes into class, and we transition into the main activities.

Monday Whip Around

2024-01-23 16:12:21 UTC

On Monday's we share our happy happening of the week while students do the warm up. Helps us know about students lives out side of the classroom and students to connect.