Pecha Kucha

Pecha KuchaCasey Brown1

Clip ArtYou know the saying, You only have one chance to make a first impression? Well, think of this in the context of your classroom. From the moment students walk through that threshold you have about 5 minutes to make your first impression last. That first five minutes is only the start; your first day will set the tone for the rest of the year. By starting the year off with a positive attitude, awesome lesson, and welcoming environment, your quest to build a classroom community will be well on its way to succeeding.2

http://www.ncerc.org/graphics/students_raising_hands.jpegIn order to create a positive classroom community the students must feel safe and comfortable with not only the teacher, but also their fellow students. This is easier said than done, and it may take some time, but once students feel safe in the classroom they will begin to offer up personal stories, questions, and ideas and start to become active members in their learning experience.3Dr. Adkins, SCED 357 Fall 2010 Session 4 PowerPoint 092710

Clip ArtBuilding a classroom community also takes a deep understanding of your students abilities, needs, and skills. By using their experiences, prior knowledge, and ideologies to analyze text and question the author, the students will develop their own meanings and a habit of skepticism. Using critical literacy techniques in both writing and reading in your classroom will give students an opportunity to fine tune their skills in analysis and approach the world with a critical eye. 4Dr. Adkins, PowerPoint Presentation- SCED 357 Fall 2010 Session 4 092710

One way to use critical literacy in the classroom is by bringing the students together to accomplish a goal bigger than just their classroom. Having students work together on a social justice assignment that reaches outside the classroom will give them a chance to put their skills to work, have an impact on their community, and reach a larger audience than they are used to. 5Dr. Adkins, PowerPoint Presentation- SCED 357 Fall 2010 Session 4 092710

Bringing the students together to accomplish an act of justice for their community, culture, or school gives students a larger context of learning outside of the classroom that can have far reaching affects. Projects surrounding social justice can range from environmental posters and letters to the principal, to heated debates about community issues and letters to the president pushing for change. Students options are opened up and their skills are able to shine. 6

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/dgc260_tcm4-615322.jpgDr. Adkins, PowerPoint Presentation- SCED 357 Fall 2010 Session 4 092710It is important to use students background knowledge, prior experiences, and abilities to their advantage in the classroom. By being aware of students learning preferences, personal beliefs, and majors aspects of their personal culture, the teacher will be able to better fit each lesson to the preferences of the students in each class. Having a culturally relevant teaching style will also help students perform to the best of their abilities and recognize the importance of social justice.7

Clip ArtThe foundation of every English classroom is reading and writing and our job as English teachers is to make sure our students conquer every aspect of these elements including analyzing literature, writing about literature, and reading fluently. Every student has the necessary tools to accomplish these goals, but it is our job to help them realize their abilities and capitalize on their opportunities. 8

Clip ArtThere are many ways to implement literature in the classroom, but the most important part is making the literature and lessons relevant, interesting, and engaging. There are many strategies to making literature engaging and fun in the classroom, we just need to be creative. Anyone can set a book in front of a student and tell him/her to read it, but only the best English teachers can teach students how to read it.9

http://lauraberry.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/journal.jpgMaxwell, Meisner, McKnight, Chapter 8Some of the best practices in making literature relevant and engaging for students include literature circles, reader responses, reflective journals, group debates and activities, and book talks. By first creating motivation and relating literature to the students lives teachers are able to create interactive, fun activities for the students that still accomplish the overall goals of the English classroom. 10

Clip ArtEven though making lessons interactive and fun can sometimes take precedence over content, it is important to keep assessment and completion of lesson objectives in mind. Every lesson needs an assessment whether its a writing assignment with a rubric for completeness, a unit test, or a group discussion with guidelines. There needs to be a gauge for judging how well the lesson and objectives were completed in order to know when it is time to move on.11http://b06sharingworld.wikispaces.com/file/view/grammar.jpg/96117950/grammar.jpg

Writing is the other piece of the foundation of an English classroom. Just like with reading, students need to be taught how to write and how to recognize good writing. When instructing writing, topics and lessons can become mundane and repetitive, especially with aspects such as vocabulary and grammar. It is helpful to students comprehension to use different teaching strategies to teach the basic, sometimes boring, aspects of writing. 12

Clip ArtOne strategy is teaching grammar in context or teachable moments. This strategy not only relates grammar to what the students are reading, but also gives them examples of concepts without creating an entire lesson on grammar. By teaching grammar within the students readings and contexts, time and confusion can be greatly spared.13http://legacy.lclark.edu/faculty/jsmiller/objects/idea_bulb.jpgMaxwell, Meisner, McKnight, Chapter 5

Even though teaching the basic components of good writing can be a bit systematic, it is a necessary step to the overall writing process. This three stage process includes discovery of a writing topic, drafting of an outline and/or rough draft, and revising the drafts into a final piece. This process can take one try or a million to produce a final draft. It all depends on the writer and it is important that the students recognize their unique style in the writing process. 14http://climatechangedispatch.com/images/stories/bart-simpson-writing-on-chalkboard.jpg

It is necessary to teach each piece of the writing process in isolation before bringing the puzzle together in order for students to understand and master each step before finalizing any writing. One of the most effective ways to introduce each piece may be familiar to you, it is known as: practice, practice, practice!15http://www.reading-with-kids.com/images/reading-with-kids-girl-writes-learn-to-read.jpg

Giving students many opportunities to write in different forms, to different audiences, and for different purposes allows them to have a chance to not only gain writing experience, but also fine tune their skills. Opportunities such as daily journals, letter writing, and reader responses are commonly used in English classrooms and can give students a chance to write while expressing their own thoughts and feelings outside of demanding restraints.16

Clip ArtEvery piece of writing that our students put time and effort into deserves the same time and effort in reading and responding on the teachers part. It is important to give students timely feedback with useful information on what was great and what could be better in the next draft. Each grade, good or bad, deserves a reason; start each year off by asking the students what kind of feedback they prefer and what helps them improve most.17http://theapple.monster.com/nfs/theapple/attachment_images/0006/8723/shutterstock_27579211_crop380w.jpg?1242746617

We all want to make our classrooms as enjoyable as possible, but sometimes direct instruction is unavoidable. This doesnt mean it has to be lecture though! Using dialogism and class discussion in the classroom will help students generate their own questions, comments, and answers, and be an active member in their facilitation of learning. Using prompt questions to get a discussion started can help steer students in the direction of completing objectives.

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Clip ArtOpening up a forum for discussion in the classroom involves first establishing a positive classroom community where students feel safe and comfortable to share their thoughts, questions, and ideas with their classmates. It is important to encourage each students involvement while also keeping in line with the discussion topics and guidelines.19

http://www.profile-comments.com/images/teacher/images/1-teacher.gifEach student in our classroom has the ability to rise to our lowest expectation, which is why we must set our goals high and our expectations even higher. We expect the most out of our students, and in turn they expect the most out of us. It is our job as English teachers to use our skills and knowledge to educate our students and help them to succeed to the best of their abilities.20http://luke-with-friends.yolasite.com/resources/pikachu.jpg

It is easy to talk about all the skills and techniques I have learned thus far in my experience, but the true test comes in the classroom when it is time to put everything to work. I will have to be a multi-tasker when it comes to my classroom as I get to know my students, teach them everything there is to know, and manage the classroom as a whole, but I know by putting my mind and heart into my students I will gain much more than a job in the end. 21