Day 875 -- In My Room
For the past four weeks, I have had students in my room during my normal class times, as always. But I have also been piloting a couple of new things that mean I have a larger number of them hanging out in my room than normal. .
First, I have led a Power Play session called "Reading Doesn't Suck" where once a week for 45 minutes, I help students pick out a good book, feed them snacks, and just let them read. If they don't like a book that they've picked out, I encourage them to put it down and try a new one. There was a lot of reading done in my classroom, which is not necessarily normal. But, I really liked it and the kids seemed to as well. It was a very positive atmosphere and I loved being able to share my passion for reading with students.
Secondly, I have started a student-led study session on Wednesdays after school. I sought out tutors from my chemistry classes who were willing to volunteer their time for 45 minutes after school on Wednesday to help their peers understand the concepts and calculations we are going over in class. I found enough volunteers to have 4-6 available for all of the Wednesdays until the end of the year. We started two weeks ago. This was our third session and they have become increasingly popular since the beginning. Today, I left at 1:35 to attend meetings. When I came back at 2:35 (long after the session was scheduled to end), there were close to 10 students still in my room studying together. It was very refreshing for me to see students helping other students. I think it was incredibly valuable for all parties involved.
Many times when I try new things, they end up abysmal flops. But sometimes, they turn out well. These two endeavors has been gratifying and encouraging for me as a teacher. Tonight, I am thankful for the opportunity to experience them and to learn from them.
Thank God for students in my room!
Lord, thank you for giving me the courage to try new things. Thank you for the encouragement these new activities have given me. In your name I pray, Amen.
First, I have led a Power Play session called "Reading Doesn't Suck" where once a week for 45 minutes, I help students pick out a good book, feed them snacks, and just let them read. If they don't like a book that they've picked out, I encourage them to put it down and try a new one. There was a lot of reading done in my classroom, which is not necessarily normal. But, I really liked it and the kids seemed to as well. It was a very positive atmosphere and I loved being able to share my passion for reading with students.
Many times when I try new things, they end up abysmal flops. But sometimes, they turn out well. These two endeavors has been gratifying and encouraging for me as a teacher. Tonight, I am thankful for the opportunity to experience them and to learn from them.
Thank God for students in my room!
Lord, thank you for giving me the courage to try new things. Thank you for the encouragement these new activities have given me. In your name I pray, Amen.
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