Pre-Assessment for Differentiation

When I wrote the unit plan “Bringing a Character to Life” for a high school level Intro to Theatre class, I included various scaffolds to support student learning as they worked their way toward the rehearsal period for a two person scene. Differentiation goes a step further than scaffolding, providing additional learning opportunities based on different levels of academic readiness. The most obvious way to differentiate a scene study is to assign scenes from plays that work for each student’s reading level. For example, students at a lower reading level will learn more about the acting process by working on text that is not overly challenging in the areas of theme, vocabulary, or grammar. They might do best with a Neil Simon play. Students reading at higher levels, as well as students with prior theatre experience, would learn more from text with richer language and more thematic complexity. Shaw or Shakespeare might fit the bill. But before the students enter the rehearsal period, before they even begin to unlock their assigned text, they must have a firm foundation in theatrical vocabulary, concepts and conventions.

Logically, then, the first lesson of my unit plan is pre-teaching the unit vocabulary. Or at least it was. Now I understand that to dive right into a unit like that is to assume that students are already on the same page, coming to the lesson with the same level of readiness. Obviously, that can’t be true. And thus, the pre-assessment, to learn where each student fits on the spectrum of readiness and differentiate accordingly. So I wrote a pre-assessment using the Socrative app (click here to see a pdf version). I appreciate how this app allows teachers to measure student performance in a number of different ways. I also like the feature that allows students to see the correct answers as they move through the quiz. Immediate feedback makes the quiz an assessment OF learning and an assessment FOR learning. For the purposes of this unit, I will use the Socrative quiz to identify students at a low level of readiness who need to review previously learned vocabulary; students who already know the majority of the unit vocabulary and accompanying acting concepts (which perhaps they learned in their ELA classes or in previous theatre classes); and the students who fall somewhere in between.

Unfortunately, I made a few missteps the first go around. After watching a colleague do a test run of the quiz, I realized that true-false questions are not the best tool because a student has a 50-50 chance of guessing correctly if s/he doesn’t know the answer. If they guess well, I will not have a true assessment of student knowledge. So I limited my use of true-false to a handful of the terms students should already know from the previous unit. All of them are true, and two of them ask virtually the same thing. If students get any of the true-false questions wrong, it’s likely they don’t know the previous vocabulary very well. Another mistake I made was making the multiple choice questions for new vocabulary/concepts so simple with improbable detractors that it would be fairly easy to guess the correct answer. Again, I would arrive at fairly skewed results. I hope the newer version is a better barometer. Time will tell.

My strategy for differentiating the beginning of the unit is to have the handful of students who score below average (Group A) to spend time reviewing the previous unit’s vocabulary by working in pairs to label the floorplan of a theatre as well as fill out a graphic organizer that outlines plot elements. These are the most basic building blocks a beginning actor needs before analyzing a script or setting foot on stage. Most students will score, as expected, between 35% and 85% on the quiz (Group B), indicating some understanding with a need for extended knowledge, clarification, and/or reinforcement. They will create a vocabulary bingo game. Then they will teach the new vocabulary to Group A, and together the two groups will play several rounds of the bingo game.  

Group C, the small number of students who score 85% or above, demonstrating a strong grasp of the ideas and vocabulary presented, will have the opportunity to bypass both review of previously learned vocabulary and bingo to learn new vocabulary. They will work together to create a SlideShare that will serve to introduce the unit to the rest of the class. It will include the lesson activities, unit vocabulary and definitions, and an introduction to the final project and the grading criteria. Assessment for their learning will be via a simple rubric. Groups A and B watch the SlideShare then immediately retake the Socrative quiz. While they are doing that, Group C will embark on a quick exercise, planning a series of silent tableaux from three famous fairy tales. When Groups A and B are done with their quiz retake, they will observe the tableaux and attempt to name the characters and the fairy tales based on facial expressions and body language. This will be the students’ first introduction to nonverbal communication, a huge component of this unit.

I’m very excited to try out these differentiation strategies because I truly believe it will give the students who would normally fall behind a fighting chance. And the gifted or advanced students, rather than being bored waiting for everyone else to catch up, can move forward in a fun and engaging way.

Planning Assessments

Our current Teach-Now module has us planning lessons and creating assessments (formative and summative). The formative assessments I created for our most recent homework assignment are aimed at California Theatre Standard 1.1:  Use the vocabulary of theatre, such as acting values, style, genre, design, and theme, to describe theatrical experiences. Unpacked and reworded, the objectives for a lesson plan aligned with this standard are: Students will be able to recognize and understand the vocabulary of theatre. Students will be able to use the vocabulary of theatre to describe various elements of a theatrical production. The following assessments follow a progression from see it, write it, say it, to explain it, and finally, to use it. They require the students to actively engage with the vocabulary and the assessments are very much student-driven activities, both of which should reinforce learning.

Entrance Ticket - One Question Quiz

This assessment will take place at the beginning of a class period the day after the vocabulary has been introduced. The vocabulary terms will be on the whiteboard. Each student will be handed a slip of paper with one definition on it (a different one for each student). They will be asked to write the corresponding term in the space provided. (Depending on the ratio of students to terms, some students may have to get more than one term or students may have to work in pairs.) Students will have 90 seconds to write down the term they believe corresponds with the definition they have been given.

When the 90 seconds is up, I will read each definition out loud, one at a time, and ask the student who received that definition to tell us the corresponding term. After that student has shared, I will ask the class for thumbs up or thumbs (sideways means "I don't know.") If a student provides me with an answer that gets a lot of thumbs up (90% of the class), great! We move on. If the answer gets a lot of thumbs down, I will ask one of the students who gave a thumbs down to share what they think the answer is. If I get a lot of incorrect thumbs up to the answer or a lot of sideways thumbs, I will identify a student who knows the right answer and have them explain it to the class.

If a student doesn't have an answer for me when I call on them, they have one opportunity to "pass." I will come back to them at the end. By that time, enough terms should have been eliminated that they can make an educated guess.  Ideally, this exercise will only take 10 minutes. If it takes longer, if there are a lot of thumbs down or sideways or passes, I will know we haven't spent enough time learning the terms.

Think, Pair, Share - Reading and Recognizing Terms in Context

This is a passive recognition assessment. each student will receive a photocopy of a theatre review, a critique of a professional production that has appeared in a major publication so as to assure the highest quality of writing and to make a real-world connection. (Each student will receive a different review). Students will read the reviews on their own and highlight terms they recognize. Then they will be paired up to discuss what they each found.

Discussion Question: What theatre terms did the writer to use to describe the show? How did the use of each term help paint a clear picture of the show? In other words, what did you understand about the show because of the terms the writer used?

Be prepared to share with the class. Your partner should help you find any terms you missed and help you if you are struggling to explain your findings.

The think portion of this exercise should take 5 minutes. The pair portion should take about 20. And the share should take 3-5 minutes per student. This activity will likely take an entire class period.

There should be a follow up session to cover anything the students missed, whether they missed picking up on a term in their review or if they struggled to explain its usage in the text. This follow up could take anywhere from just 10 minutes, if the class has a strong grasp of the terms, to an entire period if they don't. If they are really struggling, I know I have not planned effective learning activities.

Watch & Write - Active Use of Terms

This exercise will demonstrate a student's ability to use the vocabulary to describe a theatrical experience. Students will watch 20 minutes of the Broadway production Into The Woods (on DVD). They will then be asked to write down three terms they can use to describe the production. I will check that they have three terms before they proceed to the writing component.

They will then write one paragraph describing what they experienced (saw, heard, experienced), incorporating the three terms and providing specific examples of each. This will take an entire class period. Students who do not finish in class will have to finish it as homework. This is a graded assessment and grading will be based on the following criteria:

Outstanding - student used more than three terms and used a specific example for each.

Proficient - student used three terms and some or all of them were supported with specific examples.

Basic - student used three terms but did not provide any supporting details.

Insufficient - student used fewer than three terms and not enough supporting detail.

I have come to understand two things about assessments during this module: (1) good assessments (ones aimed specifically at measuring how well students are meeting the objectives) lead to effective lesson plans, and (2) good formative assessments serve not only to gauge student progress but to reinforce learning and mastery.

Sources

Dyer, Kathy. 22 Easy Formative Assessment Techniques for Measuring Student Learning. July 12, 2013. Northwest Evaluation Association. Retrieved from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2013/22-easy-formative-assessment-techniques-for-measuring-student-learning/

Wormeli, Rick. Formative and Summative Assessment. Stenhouse Publishers. November  30, 2010. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rJxFXjfB_B4

Backward Mapping & Lesson Planning

This week I was introduced to the concept of Backward Mapping, a method of lesson planning that begins with...the end. You start by asking yourself what you want your students to know and do by the end of the lesson, create assessments that demonstrate their knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge, then design the actual lessons. Formative assessments along the way are also helpful to help you gauge student progress along the way (Backward Design, 2013). Certainly, having worked as a Project Manager and Theatrical Producer-Director, working backwards is not a new idea. I started with the end goal, a successfully completed project or production, and worked my way backwards on the calendar, identifying what needed to be accomplished when.

But the focus was more on the required tasks and time frames, not learning outcomes, given these were not educational goals. I have applied this method to my teaching many times. But it has only been partly successful because there were not clearly defined learning/performance outcomes and applicable assessment tools. Take, for example, the high school theatre classes I have taught. While there was always an educational component thrown in, the end we were working towards was a final production with only loosely defined grading criteria. I am thrilled to learn and apply what had previously been missing.

So today, I am going to apply Backwards Mapping to a California Theatre Arts standard for grades 9-12. Published by the California Department of Education in 2004, many states use California’s standards as a jumping off point for drafting their own because theirs are rigorous standards specific to each discipline (music, dance, theatre, visual arts) with broad applications (Visual and Performing Arts Framework, 2004 and AFT Resolution, 2014). I especially like the standard I picked because it creates more broad relevance for the student, connecting skills learned in theatre to other areas of life. As an advocate for arts in education, I always strive to help people understand how, among other benefits, practicing the arts develops useful life and job skills.

For this exercise, I have chosen Standard 5.1: Describe how skills acquired in theatre may be applied to other content areas and careers. Students will need to understand the various skills learned in the process of mounting a theatrical production. They will also need to understand the kinds of skills students need to succeed in other subject areas as well as skills needed for a variety of jobs not theatre-related. They will demonstrate this understanding by describing the connection between theatre skills and the world beyond theatre, either in an essay, multimedia presentation, or oral presentation (differentiated according to student choice/special needs).

I recreated the design template created by Grant Wiggins to guide me through the process (Wiggins, 2005). I admit that I still struggle with this process because much of it feels redundant, like I am simply restating the same thing in different ways. But maybe that’s because I picked a simple standard for this exercise. Time will tell. The part of the process I appreciate most is that it ensures the activities in each lesson are relevant rather than random, always leading to up to meaningful assessments which exist to serve the originally stated goals. This is going to improve my teaching significantly. Click on the image to see lesson plan.

Sources

AFT Resolution: Require Comprehensive Data Collection In the Visual and Performing Arts. 2014. American Federation of Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.aft.org/resolution/require-comprehensive-data-collection-visual-and-performing-arts

Backward Design. 2013. The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/backward-design/
Wiggins, Grant. Understanding by Design - Overview of UBD and the Design Template. September 2005. Retrieved from http://www.grantwiggins.org/documents/UbDQuikvue1005.pdf
Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools. 2004. California Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/vpaframewrk.pdf

Enforcing Classroom Rules & Procedures

In deciding how and when to respond to positive or negative student behavior, I decided to revisit Robert Marzano’s list of effective interventions and figure out how and when to use some or all of them. The six interventions listed in The Art and Science of Teaching are tangible recognition, teacher reaction, ‘withitness,’ direct cost, group contingency, and home contingency (Marzano, 2007).

My three rules for general behavior are “Be Safe; Be Respectful; Be Responsible.” At the start of each term, students will brainstorm specific examples of being (or not being) safe, respectful and responsible. I will have these rules and examples posted in the room not only for the students’ sake but for my own as well, to serve as a visual reminder of positive behavior I want to acknowledge (teacher recognition) or negative behavior I want to discourage (“withitness”). I want to intentionally and frequently praise students for doing the right thing. “Thanks, Jane, for helping John work through that problem.” “I like how Pat and Tim cleaned up their work area so thoroughly.” “Thanks, Pete and Scott, for cooling it when I asked you to stop rough housing. I know you were joking, but you came very close to hurting the people around you.” I don’t want to supply tangible rewards because I want students to learn that doing the right thing is its own reward. We don’t get rewards for obeying traffic laws, but we know that we are contributing to safer roads for everyone when we do. Of course, there is the punishment avoidance which motivates many of us (none of us wants a speeding ticket!), so there will be some negative consequences for not doing the right thing.

I will discourage unwanted behavior, such as talking when one should be listening or working, by being as aware and present as possible in all parts of the room, using proximity, eye contact, a head nod, or a finger to the lips. Negative behavior should not be awarded with a lot of attention. Some kids desperately want attention, and for them negative attention is better than no attention at all. I don’t want to reinforce that pattern of attention seeking. I want them to know I see them without overreacting or rewarding the negative. Persistent negative behavior will result in one or more of the following “direct cost” or “home contingency” interventions: a verbal warning, physical relocation of the student(s) (to another part of the room or the hallway), a referral, a detention, a call or email to the parents, a student-teacher-parent conference, or a behavior plan.

I also want students to learn that following procedures and working hard results in tangible rewards. When we show up for work and do a good job, we earn a paycheck and chances at future bonuses or promotions. Students are obviously working for grades, but I would also like to offer tangible rewards (and costs) for following (or not following) my classroom procedures. I am considering Class Dojo as a way to track points. Points will be redeemable in the Bonn Bonn Shop.

At this point, there are four procedures I want to institute based on where I see problems in my current school. These procedures are:

Bathroom breaks

• Cost: 1 point
• You must sign in and out
• Only 1 student out at a time
• Only 1 time out of class each day

Tardies

• Be in your seat when the bell rings
• On time earns 1 point, late costs 1 point

Electronics

• Put it away before the bell rings
• You can only use it if I give you permission
• If I see the device, you lose the device and 1 point

Class work

• Completion of in-class assignments earns 1 point
• Failure to finish in-class assignments costs 1 point (except for students with time accommodations)
• Participation in class discussions earns 1 point (students will be called randomly)
• Refusal to participate in a class discussion when called on will cost 1 point (exceptions may be made for students with accommodations)

Following the loss of merit points, if a student is showing a pattern of non adherence to procedures, I will respond with one or more of the following actions: a student-teacher meeting, referral, detention, communication with parents, a parent-student-teacher meeting, a behavior plan.

I created a flowchart to help me enforce my rules and procedures in a clear, consistent and logical way. I’m sure this is a work in progress that will change over time, and I do have some questions, such as, “Does compliance always have to result in recognition or rewards?” But for now, I am quite pleased with having come up with a system that makes sense to me . . . at least, on paper!

Sources

Marzano, Robert J. The Art and Science of Teaching. 2007. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Retrieved from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/platform-user-content/prod-copy/get_help_resources/activity_resources/module4/The_Art_and_Science_of_Teaching.pdf

Creating a High Performance Learning Environment

Today I analyzed three videos of real classrooms to see how various teachers strive to create a high performance learning environment through their academic and behavioral expectations as well as established norms and procedures.

Roller Coaster Physics

The first video took place in a 5th grade STEM classroom with teacher Donna Migdol who was doing a roller coaster physics lesson. It was evident she had high performance expectations because of the complexity of the assignment and the amount of responsibility assigned to the students. They had to use math, science and creativity; they encountered problems along the way; and they were expected to be the problem solvers. She clearly communicated the goals each step of the way using technical language which she expected them to use as well. Throughout the project, she asked “why” a lot, expecting them to explain their reasoning behind their design choices and fixes. Students evaluated their work and the work of their peers frequently via group discussions and written analyses in order to promote critical thinking, problem solving and autonomous learning. Communication and collaboration were also major components of the lesson. One example was then they went from working individually on roller coaster sketches to working in groups in which they had to discuss the problems and merits of each sketch and then narrow it down to one sketch to use with the computer programming and 3D modeling parts of the project. And when it was time to build their models, they had to “buy” their materials with a limited budget (Ms. Migdol feels that working with constraints makes them better problem solvers).

Ms. Migdol’s behavioral expectations were never explicitly mentioned, but it was clear she expected full participation from each student and was able to achieve that by giving clear directions each step of the way, assigning individual jobs to each student, keeping them busy (no down time in which to get in trouble), and emphasizing the fun factor in designing their roller coasters. Judging by the way the students acted and interacted, I would guess some of her norms included:

• Be your own problem solvers
• Listen respectfully to other students (there were several large and small group discussions)
• Move carefully and appropriately around the room (there were bodies and supplies everywhere as kids made their models)
• Take care of supplies (they were not in limitless supply and could not be abused)

Here are some of the procedures she seemed to have in place:

• Use technical language when communicating or labeling your work
• Regularly assess your work and your peers’ work
• Use the assessments to improve your work
• Carefully plan and budget 

In the end, Ms. Migdol wants to create lifelong problem solvers. She expects a lot of her students and loves to “see the students welcoming problems” with a “bring on the challenge” attitude.

3rd Grade Chinese Math

The second video I watched took place in Crystal Chen’s 3rd grade Chinese math class. It was not in China as I had expected, but rather in a Western classroom in an immersion program of some kind. The lesson shown began with the kids chanting a review of math facts. According to an article on TheConversation.com, Chinese students have to memorize a 2000 year old, traditional multiplication rhyme (Wai, 2014). So, I assume Ms. Chen was working in line with Chinese tradition. But as the camera panned the room, I noticed that not all kids were chanting along. The chant ended rather abruptly when the teacher was satisfied, but some of the kids kept right on going. Later, the teacher used a verbal cue that resulted in a mixture of chanting, hand clapping and physical signing. Obviously, the kids knew this cue and what was expected of them. Then she put a problem on the whiteboard and asked for student input. Some kids raised their hands, some just called out. At one point she had to put her finger to her lips to quiet the kids who did not raise their hands. Throughout the lesson, the kids talked while she talked. It appeared to be rather chaotic, but she just plowed ahead. It wasn’t clear to me whether or not any students were grasping the concept at hand because she never stayed with one student long enough to demonstrate that they had any kind of mastery.

Overall, and I could be wrong, it didn’t seem to me that her expectations were very high. She seemed to enjoy her students, and they seemed to enjoy certain aspects of the lesson, and weren’t bouncing off the walls. But there were not clear, consistent norms and procedures in place, nor did she seem to have high academic or behavioral expectations. This isn’t what I would expect to see in a classroom in China, where the academic rigor is high and discipline is strict. My thought is that Ms. Chen was attempting to emulate some Chinese methodologies, such as rote memorization, routine practice, and “whole-class instruction, engaging all students in the material and prompting feedback.” But she didn’t hold out for the typically high expectations of Chinese math teachers who require students to “develop and prove their solutions to problems in front of the whole class;” “emphasise (sic) logical reasoning, prompting pupils with questions such as ‘why?’, ‘how?’ and ‘what if?’ ”; and “also emphasise (sic) the use of precise and elegant mathematical language” (Wai, 2014). It’s possible that she wanted to avoid the overly rigid environment of a traditional Chinese classroom, but I could not tell if her more relaxed approach was, in the end, successful in promoting high performance in her students.

Whole Brain Teaching

First, I will say that after watching Roxie Mackens’ video and researching the Whole Brain Teaching website, I am absolutely enthralled with the Whole Brain Teaching method (WBT). It appeals to the actor-dancer in me and the way I get wholly involved in everything I do, including teaching. To use this method in my classroom would require the students to match my physical involvement and animated enthusiasm and would give them few opportunities to check out mentally. I like that the purveyors of this method acknowledge the benefits of positive reinforcement and have fun classroom contests to reward students for following the rules and actively participating. And they even have a method for dealing with students who don’t buy in.

Regarding the video, Whole Brain Teaching Richwood High - The Basics, I assume Ms. Mackens had high academic expectations although the video focused on behavior, norms and procedures. Of course, if those pieces are firmly in place, I would think that effective teaching and learning can take place. Behavioral expectations are obviously high and are incorporated into the very strategic, intentional and highly practiced norms and procedures. In teaching a lesson on longitude and latitude, Ms. Mackens demonstrated how WBT teachers use hand signs as they lecture, and the kids follow right along. She then released them to “teach” each other, and they taught each other using the same hand signs. When she released them, she used a method called “Teach-OK” which was one of several call-and-response methods used to which they knew the appropriate verbal and/or physical response (e.g. they said, “Ok!” and clapped their hands once). One part of the video showed them reviewing class rules, all of which also had accompanying hand signs. Later in the video, when she asked them to turn to a particular page in their textbook, they repeated the instructions out loud three times. I decided to refer back to the website, and it says that, “As students imitate your motions, their motor cortex, the brain’s most reliable memory area, is automatically engaged,” which confirmed what I assumed earlier, that the norms and procedures are set up to not only encourage desired behaviors but promote better learning (or “high academic expectations”).

I was most inspired by Ms. Migdol and Ms. Macken. They both had such clear strategies in place that their classes ran smoothly, students were well-behaved and engaged, and, I assume, academic performance was high. I’m worried that I am not disciplined enough, my personal style not structured enough, to establish that kind of classroom. I imagine that in spite of my best efforts, my classroom would look more like Ms. Chen’s, with limited structure, and ultimately limited learning. In order to create a high performance learning environment in my high school classroom, I want to incorporate two things I learned from these videos:

• Norms and procedures that are content-driven and integrate seamlessly into the lesson.
• Carefully rehearsed call-and-response WBT methods (with accompanying scoreboard game for older students) for calling students to attention, releasing them to group work, and transitioning from one activity to another.

I think if I can start with two clear, simple goals, I won’t give up early on. Consistency is key with kids of all ages. I also think that high school students are absolutely overwhelmed with input from multiple sources. And I don’t think it would be helpful or realistic to expect them to jump on board with overly complicated classroom methodologies when they are moving from room to room and teacher to teacher every 60 minutes (unless all of us teachers were using the same methods!).

Sources

Biffle, Chris. Whole Brain Teaching methods and resources. Retrieved from http://wholebrainteaching.com/

Chen, Crystal. 3rd grade Chinese--math class.avi (video). 2011. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7LseF6Db5g

Mackens, Roxie. Whole Brain Teaching Richwood High - The Basics (video). 2011. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iXTtR7lfWU&feature=youtu.be

Migdol, Donna. Roller Coaster Physics: STEM in Action (video). 2011. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/teaching-stem-strategies

Wai, Kan. Explainer: what makes Chinese maths lessons so good? March 25, 2014. The Conversation. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-makes-chinese-maths-lessons-so-good-24380

Establishing a Positive Classroom Climate

“Skinny Bones Jones!” “Four eyes!” “Cross-eyed!” Those were a few of the names I was called as a child. Sometimes I had the misfortune of wearing a patch over one eye to try to strengthen my lazy eye. It didn’t work. It just made it very difficult to see and function. And made me look like a silly, skinny little pirate girl, more odd than I already was, as a biracial child who didn’t look like anyone else I knew. Not in my Southern California neighborhood, not in magazines, not on TV. (My parents were married in 1967, not long after it became legal for blacks and whites to marry.) I did somewhat resemble the Latinas, with my olive skin, dark eyes and dark hair. So I clung to them. Tried to be like them, talk like them. All while secretly wishing I wasn’t so “ugly,” that I could have the nose, eyes, skin and hair of Farrah Fawcett. I did love the R&B music on Soul Train which we watched every Saturday morning. And I loved the soul food my dad cooked. But I was one hot mess of cultural confusion! When I was 13, I saw my first Broadway show and fell in love with theatre. I started acting, singing and dancing. I had finally found a place where I belonged, where my looks didn’t matter. I could be anyone I wanted to be. Later, I lived in France and became fluent in French (and more fluent in “outsider”). Speaking French added to my exotic appeal. (“Exotic” is a word I heard often in reference to my unique look. Meant to be kind, it emphasized the fact that I was different.) I wonder if I would be a less insecure person, less prone to stress-inducing perfectionism, if my teachers had made even the slightest attempt to create a safe, inclusive environment that acknowledged and celebrated diversity and helped me find my place. I will say that unlike some kids who don’t perform well when feeling like an outsider, I pushed hard to prove myself and carve my niche. In high school, I joined every club possible, held offices, had a high GPA and performed in all the school shows. But I was a nervous wreck trying to prove my worth, prove that I belonged. Again, I wonder, could my teachers have made a difference?

I don’t blame my teachers in the least for my pain and confusion, but I hope that my experiences will help me create a climate of caring and concern in my high school classroom so students can reach their full potential without becoming suicidal! My experiences have made me a naturally empathetic person, and already, when I work with students, I am concerned first and foremost with who they are as people. I strongly believe that students perform best when they feel seen, heard and understood. The bulk of my work currently is providing one-on-one academic support. I try not to push the students too hard until they have had a chance to share what they want to share, about their weekend, about the current tunes their listening to, whatever. And they are eager to share, eager to have an adult listen and care. When there are conflicts in the classroom, I will often take students aside one at a time to allow them to share what happened from their own perspective and offer my counsel, often citing my own personal experiences, which they seem to appreciate. They get that I get them! I’m also the high school dance coach and have begun adding Hispanic pop songs to our playlist for the enjoyment of the many Hispanic girls on the team. But these are things that, for the most part, I do intuitively rather than intentionally. Now I have to think about intentional ways to foster an atmosphere of comfort, safety, inclusion and relevance.

In my Prezi, Setting the Stage for Success, I outlined ideas for building positive relationships with students, which extends to building a positive classroom environment. Here are some of the ideas I presented, more fleshed out.

Know Your Audience (or in this case, your students!)
At the start of each term, when I receive my class rosters, I hope to find out as much as I can about students I don’t already know, by using the online student-teacher portal and talking to fellow coaches, SPED teachers, general ed teachers, and guidance counselors. I will have a confidential file for each student to record what I learn and add to it as time goes by. This will allow me to figure out in advance what accommodations I will need to make, as well as how to add culturally relevant elements to my curriculum. I am seeking endorsements to my secondary teaching license in Special Education, Drama and French. If I get hired in my current district, I know I will be working with a lot of Hispanic students. If teaching drama, I can have students analyze and do scene work from plays written by and about the experiences of Hispanic-Americans. If teaching French, I might have a unit of study that compares and contrasts French and Spanish vocabulary and grammar. Understanding the many linguistic similarities (and the handful of differences) will help Spanish speakers appreciate and more easily pick up the French language. This will also create a bridge of understanding between the Spanish and non-Spanish speaking students.

Foster a Sense of Family

Although every family has its share of dysfunction, they generally care about, protect and support one another. I would like that sense of family in my classroom, a sense that because we know each other we are less likely to be insensitive to one another especially as concerns our unique attributes. To get to know each other better, I would like to have a “family” calendar in my classroom where students can write their birthdays and significant life events, such as their Quinceanera, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and holidays they like to celebrate, like Day of the Dead, Chinese New Year or Mardi Gras. Once or twice a month, we would appoint a day to observe these occasions. I can work these into the curriculum, having students work in groups to create multimedia presentations. One group might make a documentary about the students celebrating birthdays that month. Another group might document the history of a particular holiday.

Rules for Improv/Rules for Life

Another thing I am keen to try is having the students, rather than just myself, create a class contract with rules of conduct and constructive consequences for breaking the rules. As I pointed out on our Cohort’s Wiki page, in “Bullying G: A Case Study from South Korea,” it is important that a class contract be largely student-generated rather than teacher dictated. This will allow them a sense of ownership and a feeling that they are accountable to each other. By constructive consequences, I mean going beyond punishment to consequences that result in fences being mended (greater empathy and understanding) and bridge building (new alliances being formed). Regardless of the subject I am teaching, I would kick off the process by sharing my experiences as an actor (students love these stories), particularly the “Yes and” improv game/rule and the “applause” rule. “Yes and” requires that you respect and support your scene partner by accepting whatever wacky ideas they throw out and adding your own ideas to the mix. You don’t deny, change or control, but rather go with the flow. That honors both partners’ contributions and allows for new, exciting things to come about. It’s a rule that is applicable to all areas of life. The “applause” rule asks that every game, scene or improv ends with a big round of applause, acknowledging everyone’s efforts regardless of how successful it was (or wasn’t). After introducing these concepts, I would break students up into small groups and ask them to discuss what feels like honor, respect, affirmation, etc. and what doesn’t, with some concrete examples. Out of that discussion, we would write and sign our contract.

Pair and Share Interviews

I have often used this activity to get students acquainted with each other, having students interview each other in pairs then introducing their partner to the class. But my list of questions was rather generic and did not allow much room for diversity to be addressed. Here is the list of questions I am currently compiling:

1. What is your full name?
2. What does your name mean?
3. Does your name have a story behind it?
4. Where were you born? (city, state, country)
5. Do you speak any languages other than English?
6. Who makes up your family?
7. Do you have favorite foods that are specific to your race, culture or ethnicity?
8. What are your favorite holidays? How do you celebrate?
9. What is your favorite style of music/favorite artists?
10. Favorite TV shows/movies?
11. Favorite books/magazines?
12. Who do you look up to in your family or circle of friends, and why?
13. What other countries have you lived in or visited?
14. What other countries would you like to visit?
15. What future careers are you interested in?

I would tell students that they may skip questions they don’t feel comfortable answering, but that they must answer at least 10 of them.

These four activities would be the springboard for creating an atmosphere in which students feel free to be themselves and contribute positively to our school community. From there, I would have to continually strive to learn more about the students and the cultures and subcultures they come from, and how I can acknowledge, affirm and incorporate their unique backgrounds into my classroom and curriculum.

Sources:

A Breakthrough in Social and Emotional Learning (video). January 2010. Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXy2V1JmJUs

Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education. 2014. Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/PDA%20Critical%20Practices_0.pdf

Marzano, Robert J. The Art and Science of Teaching. 2007. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Retrieved from https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/platform-user-content/prod-copy/get_help_resources/activity_resources/module4/The_Art_and_Science_of_Teaching.pdf