Tag Archive for: Classroom management

See it. Say it. Sorted!

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I take the train often in our new home country. I enjoy hearing many of iconic statements—like the famous “Mind the gap.”— that are part of the train-riding experience.

My favourite of these sayings plays over and over in stations and on the trains: “See It, Say It, Sorted.” I love these words of wisdom because they remind me of what God has called us to do in Matthew 18: “If a brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Here, God gives us a pattern for dealing with conflict in a godly manner. When we “see” a hurt and “say” it, it gets “sorted.”

A Pattern for Problems

This is a valuable pattern that we can practice with students and use during teachable moments to help transform their lives. And the benefit is that once you have taught this pattern and practiced it, you have more time to teach because small annoyances are handled without your intervention.
There are different ways that younger children naturally try to deal with problems. The verbal child shouts out her annoyance expecting you to solve the problem: “Mary won’t share.” “Mark pushed me.” “Dave hurt my feelings.” On the other hand, the timid child will keep the infraction to herself and not tell you about the hurt or abuse.

God has a better way. God calls everyone to go to the person who caused hurt and speak to him privately, naming the hurt or sin, and wait for the response. Many times, the offender doesn’t even know that he was hurting another. He then has an opportunity to apologise, the matter is forgiven, and relationship restored.

Following this process helps all children. Verbal children learn to not shout out or bring more people into the problem than needed. Quieter children know that if they are not heard they can ask for help and will be supported to solve the conflict. As we train children to follow God’s pattern, our hope is that as they encounter more complicated conflicts, they will know to go to the other person first instead of talking to their friends and increasing the problem.

Practicing the Solution

Last year I was teaching EFL to eight-year-olds. One of the first things that we worked on was following this pattern. I was working in a country where we couldn’t openly share our faith, but I was still able to work with them to learn this godly principle.

I had the students act out a scene where someone was unkind, and we would practice this conversation: “Please stop.” “I’m Sorry.” “You are forgiven.” We had fun acting out silly situations, practicing the pattern and moving to showing forgiveness. Often young children don’t have the language to voice their frustrations and this pattern can give them the words to deal with the hurt in a healthy way.

Personal Involvement
But what happens when the offender doesn’t slow down, admit he hurt the other person, say he is sorry, and stop the activity? Once the hurt student has tried to go to the offender, she can ask for help to resolve the problem. Many times, I’ve asked a child who shouts out in line, “Tom pushed me,” if she had turned quietly to the other and asked them to stop.

Only if the hurt student has tried and the situation was not resolved will I step in to navigate the restoration process. We have a responsibility to teach the students in increasingly complicated situations to solve the problem in a biblical way that culminates with forgiveness and the relationship being restored.

See It, Say It, Sorted.” I love these words of wisdom and think they mimic what God has called us to do in Matthew 18.  When you “see” and experience sin don’t be afraid to approach the person and “say” it, giving them a chance to repent. If that doesn’t work, ask for help from someone, working toward repentance and forgiveness: “Sorted!”

Dana Neff
Administrative Director for Open Schools World Wide
TeachBeyond, Global
Photo Credits:Train. Shepherd Media, via Needpix. Public Domain Image. See It. Say It. Sorted. Public Domain Image. 

Recognising the Different Ways Boys Learn

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Boys and girls are different. They play differently, relate differently, even develop differently. While little girls are practicing their newly found language skills, chattering away to whomever will listen, little boys are busy climbing on things and racing cars—delighting when there is a big crash with a lot of noise. Anyone who has ever worked with young children will attest to these obvious differences. And yet, despite these clear differences, our classrooms are often set up to treat both male and female learners the same. Why is this, and what can we do to address it?

After years of parenting boys and working in schools, Canadian educator Dr. Edmond J. Dixon decided to research these questions. He’s complied his findings in the book Helping Boys Learn and on the website of the same name.[1] He outlines six “secrets” to helping boys succeed in the classroom. According to Dr. Dixon, teachers and parents who recognise and employ these secrets can help boys find significant successes in the classroom and can counter some of the disengagement that has become typical for some male students.

So what are these secrets? Check them out below:
1. Movement: A boy’s brain is hardwired to detect and engage in movement. He is made to move. When movement is limited (as in the typical classroom), a boy may find creative—or destructive—ways around this. Finding ways to move is one way boys try to engage and stimulate their brains—particularly if they find themselves feeling bored. This may explain why movement-based offenses are the leading cause of behavioural issues in young boys.
2. Games: Boys love games. When a boy is engaged in a game, he is being given a constructive opportunity to move, to test his own abilities against those of another, and to forge a sense of shared purpose with those against whom he is competing. Because of their competitive nature, boys pay attention to games, and their outcomes. A win or loss in a game may affect a boy’s ability to concentrate on other tasks at hand until he has had a chance to process the emotions attached to the game’s outcome.
3. Humour: Like with games, a boy may use humour to engage and connect with other people and with his own emotions. Crude and slapstick humor connects to a boy’s fascination with movement. Humour also delights boys when it introduces an element of surprise. Whether or not it is appreciated, boys will include puerile humou r in their interactions and writings because they know that their peers will understand and laugh with them.
4. Challenge: Like George Mallory, boys seem to crave a challenge simply “because it is there.”[2] How a boy responds to the challenge will often relate to three factors: his belief in having adequate personal resources, the way the challenge has been framed, and how closely the challenge relates to his own goals and interests. When this secret is harnessed for learning, it can become a powerful force for engagement. When it isn’t, it can lead to power struggles or checking out.
5. Mastery: Many of the activities that boys are drawn to require mastery of complex skills—often requiring movement. Boys seem to draw a strong sense of self-worth from their ability to master these skill sets, and they want to accomplish this on their own, without the outside help of a teacher or other adult. However, if a boy believes that he is unable to master a skill—something that often occurs in school—he will often quit trying or simply turn the situation into a power struggle where he can at least “master” the situation, if not the skill itself.
6. Meaning: For boys, meaning is often connected to utility and service. Boys want to contribute to the well-being of their community. The question why is this important often masks the deeper question, how will this make me useful to others? The less a boy understands the utility of a topic, the more likely he is to become disengaged.
By acknowledging the difference between the way boys and girls learn and restructuring our classes to meet the needs of both populations, we will create an educational environment where everyone wins.

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Coordinator of Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond, Global
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[1] Dixon, Edmond J. Helping Boys Learn: Six Secrets for Success in School. Barrie, ON: Wintertickle Press, 2013. Website: www.helpingboyslearn.com
[2] When asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, Mallory is reported to have told the reporter, “Because it is there.”

This article was first published in OnPractice on 5 March 2014.

Photo Credits: Boys with Planes. woodleywonderworks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/2502804228/; Boy Laughing. stevendepolo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/10506540@N07/3275214127/

Exit slips: your ticket to closure

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Have you ever found yourself rushing through the last bit of lecture so that you can finish up before the bell rings? Calling out homework assignments as students trickle out the door? Ending in the middle of an activity because the specials teacher is waiting? If you are like most teachers, the answer to these questions is probably a resounding yes.

 

 

We all know that bringing closure to a lesson is important. In an ideal world, we would always deliver perfectly paced lessons. Unfortunately, knowing something and actually doing it are two totally different things. Since we aren’t living in an ideal world, and since the pacing of even our most well-planned lessons can be so easily interrupted what can we do?

One thought is to introduce exit slips into our classes. Exit slips allow teachers the flexibility to bring closure to a lesson at any point—a helpful tool for those days when the time has got away from you. They can be distributed (or written on the board) the last 3-5 minutes of class, and collected as students leave the room.
Here are some ways that exit slips can be used:
Consolidating Learning:
• Solve a sample problem
• What you would tell a friend who was absent about class today? What would he need to know?
• Provide a cloze statement for students to complete. [ie: Apostrophes are _______________ marks used to indicate ______________ (as in Hui’s ball) and _______________ (such as can’t or didn’t).]
• Rank what you learned in order of importance.
• Write a tweet about what you learned (140 characters or less).
• List 5 key words (vocabulary) you need to understand what we learned today.

Formative Assessment/Checking for Understanding:

(Some of these can be useful for those days when you have to stop mid-instruction as they encourage students to think ahead and connect to the next day’s learning.)
• Write one question you still have
• Finish the statement: I’m still wondering about…
• What two questions would you think must be included on a quiz over today’s lesson?
• Give an example of what we learned today (ie: write three words that start with a hard c sound.)
• What concept do you need more examples of to really feel like you’ve learned?
• Draw a diagram/illustration of what you learned today.

Connect to Prior Knowledge:
• Finish the statement: I used to think… b/c… but now I think… b/c…
• How did today’s lesson connect to yesterday’s topic?
• What connections can you make with other lessons? With real life? with other subjects?

Activate Critical Thinking Skills:
• Finish the statement: One concept that has been difficult or confusing in this chapter is… b/c… but I overcame my challenge by…
• What did I learn today (not what was the lesson about)?
• How could today’s lesson be applied in the “real” world?
• What are you thinking about after today’s lesson?
• What mistakes did you make today? What did you learn from them?
• Make a statement about the lesson and ask students to respond to that statement in writing. (ie: Global warming is something that all citizens of the world should be concerned about. Based on today’s lesson write 1-2 sentences telling if you agree or disagree and why?)

Evaluate the Effectiveness of Instruction (Metacognition):
• What did the teacher do to help you learn today?
• What would have helped you to learn the material better?
• How effective was __x__ activity in helping you learn the material?
• Name one positive and one negative thing that happened during discussion time in class today.
• How well do you think you understood today’s lesson:

Exit slips are not formal assessments. Instead, they are snapshots of student learning at a given point in time. They are not to be graded, but do need to be reviewed as a way to inform teaching strategies. Exit slips should take very little time to complete (3-5 minutes). They help students reflect on their learning and transition between lessons. Not only do they bring closure, they equip teachers to better tailor instruction to the real needs of students.
If you’ve never used exit slips before, why don’t you give them a try in 2019. And for those of you who are really adventurous, consider adding technology to the mix. Bringing closure to your class has never been this easy!

Becky Hunsberger, M.Ed.
Teacher Education Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: School’s Out. Classroom Matters, via Shutterstock. Students Writing. via Shutterstock.

Cultivating our Minds: Active Learning in the Classroom

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Not long ago, one of my students declared in frustration, “Grammar is one of those things that you either get or you don’t.” I’ve heard this explanation of learning applied to a number of disciplines—you either understand maths or you don’t; you are good at art, or you aren’t; poetry makes sense, or it doesn’t. Unfortunately, frustrated students are not the only ones who make such claims. I have heard them from parents, the media, even fellow teachers. What dismays me is the view of learning these statements espouse: learning is something that passively happens to you. Either you were endowed at birth with a magical ability to “get it” or you weren’t and nothing that you can do will change that. What a depressing and misguided thought.

While there are certain cognitive traits that can make learning seem easier for some people, educational research tells us that individuals who take an active approach to learning tend to do better and learn more than those who don’t. This aligns with scripture which reminds us that man was created to cultivate the world around him.[1] The practice of active agency in learning is far more beneficial than passive receptivity. It is a better predictor of success than many other factors. So what does this mean for students?

All of us can improve both our memory and our ability to transfer knowledge to unfamiliar situations with active effort. The most effective learning takes place when students are faced with desirable difficulty—a learning task that requires effort at a level slightly beyond the expected level for students.[2] Unfortunately, this effort is hard and most of us don’t naturally choose to do things the hard way. In fact, in their research, Brown, et al., discovered that most people revert to study patterns that require less effort even after experiencing greater learning using more difficult study techniques.[3] As fallen people, we want to believe that we can somehow get something for nothing—or as close to nothing as possible. We want to abandon our calling to cultivate in favour of an easier path.

As teachers, we can empower our learners to become active agents in their own learning by providing opportunities for students to grapple with difficult tasks and concepts. This might be providing an example of a real world issue as a hook and asking students how they would go about solving it using the concepts they’ve been studying. Or perhaps challenging students to synthesise two previous lessons to come up with a new approach to a problem set. Even asking an open-ended question and encouraging a robust student discussion can trigger the type of mental challenge that we want for our students.

I’ve found that the hardest part for me in designing this type of learning activity is getting myself out of the way. My tendency is to want to jump in and direct the students, to help them discover the answer. I want to prevent them from taking wrong turns or making common mistakes. Unfortunately, when I do this, I am unwittingly preventing my students from doing the work of thinking themselves. I am hindering, rather than empowering, learning.

A second challenge is remembering to set aside enough time to allow students to do this type of active thinking. I need to leave more than the amount of time I think it should take to come up with a workable solution. I also need to build in time to let the students fail, and then try again. This means that I have to watch my own tendency to dominate class time with teacher talk. Preparation—both in instruction and in setting up the learning activity—is key to addressing this challenge.

In the end, however, the learning rewards for the students are worth the extra work. Teaching students to become cultivators of their minds is just one way we can honor the image of God in our students and equip them to become better learners in the process.

Becky Hunsberger
Coordinator of Teacher Education
TeachBeyond Global
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[1] Genesis 1:28-30, 2:15
[2] Students should be able to master the task on their own with increased effort. Tasks that students cannot master without outside help or scaffolding are not desirable. Brown, Peter, C., Henry L Roediger, III, and Mark A. McDaniel. Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2014. chapter 4.
[3] Ibid. chapter 3.

Photo Credits: Rock Climbing. C. Hunsberger. 2015. Classwork. GagliardiImages. via Shutterstock.

Rethinking School Discipline

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“Jesus Christ did not come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive.” –Ravi Zacharias

The above quote by Ravi Zacharias is one of my favourites. Christian schools all over the world must be  radically different from any other kind of school environment for this very reason: we exist to bring life! However, Christian schools and their members are not immune from conflict or the need for disciplinary actions. We all still have our struggles; it is the way in which these are handled that makes the difference in our schools.

It is important to note that being gospel-centred and transformation-focused does not equate with being passive and excusing behavioural infractions in the name of “grace.” Just as it is essential to understand the bad news of the gospel (we are guilty before God because of our sin, and the law condemns us) before we understand the good news (that through the death and resurrection of Christ we have been forgiven and given new life), it is imperative for a Christian school to consider how the whole gospel can be incorporated into its discipline policy.

Since every school is unique, there is not a one-size-fits-all plan that will effectively work for everyone. I have learned this to be especially true in international environments. Therefore, I propose three questions to guide the process of pursuing a gospel-centred school discipline plan:

  1. What is the goal?If the goal is to minimise bad behaviours and demand compliance, then we have successfully made moralised pagans. If the goal is for gospel-transformation, then students are made aware of how their behaviour or choices go beyond the situation itself and reveal something much deeper about themselves.
  2. What is the emphasis?Is the emphasis on dealing with the root of the problem and dealing with the mind and heart of the problem? Is the student or the behaviour the problem? Can humility and honesty be exercised as we help students see the greater problem in each of our hearts, including our own hearts?
  3. What is the outcome?Does the student understand the seriousness of sin as well as the gift of God’s grace? How do we encourage students to move forward? Have we considered how the student might see themselves in light of the discipline? Staff should equip the students to address problems for themselves for the future, helping students consider what Scripture says.

Classroom Management:

Let’s consider an example. I teach high school, and I have a student who disrespects another student by making a distasteful comment in front of the class. The first point to consider is that There should be clear and fair consequences to inappropriate student behavior. Teachers should be consistent with all students, although allowing opportunities to show grace when appropriate. Why is this important? Remember that God is a fair judge who will deal with everyone. Even when He gives grace, He does not look apathetically towards the sin committed. Realistically, we cannot catch every situation, but it is very obvious to students when a teacher is inconsistent.

A teacher should make it clear that the comment made in front of the class was unacceptable and it will be addressed. I usually ask the student to speak with me after class. After class, I schedule a mandatory time to meet with them, whether it be lunch or after school, where we will have the time to adequately address the issue.

Before the meeting, I consider question number 1:

  1. What is the goal?How am I going to connect the gospel to this specific situation so that my student will understand the bigger picture?

In midst of the conversation with the student, I am going to be regularly monitoring question 2:

  1. What is the emphasis? What is the problem? Why is it a problem? How am I communicating the problem and the solution to the student? Is Scripture being used as a bonk on the head or as a light in the dark tunnel?

Once our time is finished, I will observe question number 3:

  1. What is the outcome? How did the student respond during the meeting? Was there conviction (ideal) or condemnation (not ideal)? How did the student respond following the meeting? Was the action repeated?

Finally, the decision to deliver a consequence or to extend grace to the student rests upon the individual teacher or administrator. This is where being Spirit-led is important because there is not one sure way to handle every scenario. However, I cannot stress enough that always giving grace without consequences is not biblical. Actions have consequences, and that is a truth we need to be teaching our students. The Bible clearly talks about how both God and parents discipline to their children for their own good. While the method of discipline differs between God’s, parents, and educators, the goal is still the same. We want transformation, not moralism.

Christina Z.
High school religion teacher & community school liaison officer
International Education Services, Eurasia

Photo Credits: Holy Cross at Sunrise, Sean MacEntee,via Flickr. CC2.0. School Opening, T. Peters at FATEB Kinshasa Academy. 2017.

Your Classroom, A Home Away From Home

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The beginning of the year is an exciting time! It marks new beginnings and, for most teachers, a classroom to create as a home away from home. According Reggio Emilio, the classroom environment is the “third teacher” (with teacher and children being teachers one and two)[1].

So setting up a classroom with care and intentionality is an important and challenging task. Here are some questions to help guide the process and help you create a stimulating, learner-focused classroom environment.

What is your priority?

Student work

In my classroom I want students to feel like they belong, so while planning my room I first designate a spot to display student work. This can be a bulletin board, hanging clips, or just a blank part of the wall. I plan to rotate work frequently, so I want to be creative with a permanent display. I use poster board that has been covered in contact paper so it doesn’t rip with tape stuck to it. My co-worker has glued clothes pins to the wall for easy rotation of work. Regardless of how it is done, students will feel the classroom is theirs when THEIR work is on display for all to see.

Reference points

What are key components to the curriculum that I want to reference with my students?

Since I teach preschool I use a calendar, chart for weather and number cards. As students get older teachers can introduce letter walls, word walls, and number lines. For upper grades word walls and maths reference charts can be used. The idea is it can grow as you go forward with your year, and it is an easy tool for students to reference as needed.

Home-like feel

For all students, the classroom is a home away from home, so it’s fun to personalise it. I like to have a spot where each student brings a family picture. Other teachers will add floor lamps, wall art, woven baskets, or fun rugs. Anything.

What do your students need?

My delightful 4 year olds can be full of energy, but also easily distracted. For me it is important to have a classroom with learning as the focus, but also to incorporate white space so the environment is not overly stimulating. Some students need extra reminders for routines and procedures, so creating posters with pictures helps students reference what is expected of them. By thinking through the individual needs of your students you can create a unique environment for them. Think about how many students you have: are there any physical or emotional challenges that need accommodated? how is the language fluency? etc. Each question can be catered to in the environment.

How can I allow for students to grow in independence?

Throughout the year, I strive for my students to grow in independence. With that in mind, I make sure all basic supplies are accessible to them. I have a shelf with art supplies such as coloured pencils, scissors, glue, etc. that students can access without adult assistance. Additionally I have a designated location for water bottles, backpacks, and lunch boxes. It takes time to teach the routines and procedures necessary for taking care of classroom materials, but with intentionality it is possible.

Whatever the size of your classroom, however many students you have, and whatever level of “craftiness” you possess, it is possible to create a warm, inviting learning environment. Remember your students can spend over half their day in their “home away from home” so use the environment to create a space that is both welcoming and educational.

Sarah Trussell, M.Ed.
Elementary Principal, early childhood teacher
El Camino Academy, Colombia

[1] Loh, Andrew. “Reggio Emilia Approach.” 2006. http://www.brainy-child.com/article/reggioemilia.shtml.

Photo Credits: Sarah Trussell, El Camino Academy

Inhabiting the Christian Story (by Raphael Haeuser)

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We teach who we are. As Christians, we should allow the Bible to shape our identity, relationships, priorities, etc. If scripture changes us, then the way we teach should also change. Therefore, we should “aspire to ‘incarnate’ the biblical vision, living it out in the day to day interactions of the classroom.”[1] A helpful way to do this is by inhabiting the Christian story because it is a natural vehicle to answer the basic worldview questions. Stories have a plot (answering ‘what’s wrong?’ and ‘what’s the remedy?’), characters (answering ‘who are we?), and setting (answering ‘where are we?’).[2]

 

4 chapter gospelThe biblical story can be divided into 4 acts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, & Consummation.[3] Right now we are living in an interlude between Acts 3 and 4. The kingdom has already been inaugurated, but has not yet been fully established. Our calling now is both: to proclaim the good news of redemption in Christ, and to live out our redeemed creational role, being channels of God’s blessing.

With this in mind, we can answer the worldview questions: (1) Who are we? We are image-bearers, having inherent value and creativity, but we are also sinners in need of repentance and redemption; (2) Where are we? We live in God’s good creation which should be looked after, and in a cultural world, reflecting our image-bearing and sinful capacities; (3) What’s wrong? We experience death and broken relationships at personal, social, spiritual and environmental levels because of our quest for autonomy; and (4) What’s the remedy? We need to turn to Christ to find healing, fulfillment and purpose, and teach and invite others to do the same.

32873536380_41be1f875dHowever, the gospel story is not the only story out there. Our students are exposed to a number of these competing narratives. For instance, consumerism is a story that has a religious appeal,[4] and advertising frequently mimics religious parables.[5] This story answers worldview questions like this: (1) Who are we? We are ‘empty buckets’ who need to work to buy things to fill it; (2) Where are we? We live in a natural world waiting to be exploited, and in a social world of disposable relationships; (3) What’s wrong? We experience emptiness because we are not benefiting from technological progress; and (4) What’s the remedy? We have to buy things to find fulfillment and happiness. As Christians, we must recognise the influence these other stories have on our students and develop a plan to address them.

How we do this raises at least two questions about our educational practices. First, we must ask ‘what story are we teaching?’ We must intentionally live out our vocation in the biblical story, which will give us a different approach to the learning-teaching process in two ways: (1) We will develop a virtuous Christian character and take it to the classroom, and by doing so awaken a similar desire in our students. Our lives provide an example of the maturation process; and (2) we will evaluate the educational techniques we use, as well as classroom dynamics we foster, to see whether they are coherent with the Christian story and worldview.

bookSecond, we must ask ‘what story are we teaching?’ To an outside observer, many of the specific things we do in the classroom might appear to be the same (2+2 is still 4), but a deeper examination will reveal connections to the bigger story. Maths can be used to make us more competitive or more generous, to help us take care of creation or exploit it.

As we press into our faith and bring it into our professional practices, are we helping our students grow as persons, or merely  becoming better consumers? The difference lies in the greater story that we inhabit and teach by.

Raphael Haeuser 

Teacher Education Services

TeachBeyond Brazil

[1] David I. Smith and John Shortt, The Bible and the Task of Teaching (Stapleford: Stapleford Centre, 2002), 38.

[2] J. Richard Middleton and Brian J. Walsh, Truth Is Stranger than It Used to Be : Biblical Faith in a Postmodern Age (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1995).

[3] For those interested in digging deeper into how the biblical story shapes us and/or education, I highly recommend: Harold Klassen, Visual Valet: Personal Assistant for Christian Thinkers and Teachers (Amazon, 2015); and Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen, The Drama of Scripture : Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2014).

[4] James K. A. Smith, Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, Cultural Liturgies, v. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009).

[5] Neil Postman, The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995).

Teaching Through Play

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What’s a child’s favourite thing to do? PLAY!

Here are four questions I ask myself while planning activities that use play to teach in early childhood classes. They can be easily adjusted for use with older children as well.

Open or closed activity?

When planning an activity in the classroom, I always ask myself if there is a way to make this open-ended so students can play and explore for an infinite amount of time. When an activity never ends, it allows students to practice until mastery rather than just until completion. Open-ended activities feel like play and can be used over and over. They are ideal for introducing ideas and concepts that need a lot of practice. Closed activities, on the other hand, give me opportunities for assessment since they show how close students are to mastery.

Topic: Matching quantity to numerals
Open Activity: Play a game with flash cards matching quantity to numerals. Students have to match the card with the correct quantity to the numeral. When students finish they can mix the cards and repeat the activity. For students close to mastery, see how fast they can do the activity. This works great in a small group activity or during free play time.

Closed activity: Do a worksheet matching quantity to numerals. Students draw a line matching the quantity of drawn objects to the correct numeral. Once students are finished they can turn in the activity. This works great for an assessment or homework.

Student or teacher directed?
In a typical early education classroom, I could always use more adults. That means while planning activities I have to be strategic in what kind of activities require an adult’s support and which activities students can practice on their own. I plan teacher-directed activities to introduce a new concept or idea while student-directed activities allow students to practice on their own.

Topic: Family vocabulary
Teacher-directed: Students draw and label a family tree. With teacher-guidance, students will draw different members of the family and label each person. Teachers will provide assistance in organising the paper (children on the bottom, grandparents on the top) as well as provide vocabulary words to copy for the appropriate family members.

Student-directed: Use memory with family vocabulary. After students have been introduced to family vocabulary and have a basic understanding of rules, they can play a game of memory with family members as the cards. Pairs of cards with pictures and/or words are placed face down on the table. Students take turns flipping two cards to find matches while saying the words.

Individual or group?
Social skills are important to practice in the early years. I try to plan activities that require students to interact while I am providing learning beyond the academic concepts. Then I use individual activities to allow students to develop their own reflection skills and demonstrate their learning.

Topic: Science activity–what melts ice?
Group activity: As a group, students must find fun ways to melt ice. As a whole class the teacher may ask students for ideas about how to make ice melt quickly. Then the teacher can divide students into groups and allow each group to choose an appropriate method of melting ice (i.e., rubbing it in their hands). Students will pass around the ice cube rubbing it until their hands are too cold, then passing it to the next child. This practices taking turns, observations, and learning new science concepts.

Individual activity: After seeing ice melting, students draw a picture of what happened in their journals so they can remember.

Creative or directed?

Art is always a fun activity in the classroom! It’s messy, creative, and allows students to develop crucial fine motor skills. While thinking of art activities, I first decide whether an open-ended (creative) or directions-based activity is called for. Open-ended, creative projects give students the opportunity to experiment with new materials and develop ideas from start-to-finish. Directions-based projects allow students to develop skills they might not choose on their own and to practice following instructions. Both are important skill sets in the early education classroom; the key is finding the right balance.

Topic: Making penguins

Creative: In an art station, the teacher will provide many materials such as coloured paper, paint, glue, wiggly eyes, and felt. The teacher will also post pictures of penguins. During free play time, the students can look at the pictures of penguins as they model their own creations.

Directions-based: The teacher will model how to create a penguin by cutting out pieces of paper, gluing them together, and adding other parts such as eyes and feet. The students will follow the teacher’s instructions step-by-step to create similar projects.

 
Overall, in an early education classroom playing and learning walk hand-in-hand. The process of intentionally planning activities is the first step in engaging students in playful learning. Although all types of activities can be positive in the classroom and encourage learning, the more free-choice, student-based, interactive and creative the activity, the more playfully engaged the student will be. My general rule of thumb is finding variety by mixing up the types of activities so that at least one activity on the topic will engage each of my students.

Sarah Trussell, M.Ed.
Elementary Principal, early childhood teacher
El Camino Academy, Colombia

For more ideas to use in early education classrooms, check out the Early Childhood Education group on Yammer.

Bearing with the Failings of the Weak

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We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. Romans 15:1-2

 

As teachers, we have all seen them: the compliant, dutiful student who loves to follow rules and get stickers and the distractible, rambunctious one who just will not conform to the classroom expectations. Both are dearly beloved. Both are made in God’s image. However, managing a class with the latter, (whether they be girls or boys!) can exasperate us and cause us to respond in a less than ideal manner.

14913306117_8d9e0240c2_mThe way a teacher approaches this common scenario is one way a transformative classroom is different from one which is not. The transformative teacher will correct a student while also finding ways to establish the student as a child of God. The transformative teacher builds up all students in an honest way, recognising the God-given worth and value of each one. Just as a transformative teacher corrects the non-compliant child, helping him understand the motives behind the non-compliant behaviour and develop strategies to change his behavior, she also lovingly challenges the compliant child, encouraging him to examine the motives behind his behavior. (Is he good for the love of stickers? To be better than everyone else?)

One practical way teachers can build up and encourage children is through an exercise called “putting their name in the heart.” This exercise is effective with very young children, but can also be used with older elementary students.

heart

When a student is observed doing something out-of-character in a positive way, the teacher draws a heart on the board and places the student’s name in the heart. The student is then invited to the front of the classroom while the teacher to honours them by explaining why they are being recognised. One child may be honoured for not calling out for an entire lesson, even though the rest of the class may never call out. Another child may be honoured for choosing not to broadcast her superiority on a recent test score.  What the student did to earn the honour is completely individualised according to that student’s unique needs. The key is to recognise and celebrate all students (both those who are usually compliant and those who perhaps aren’t) for exemplifying character, perseverance, or success when the child is not expecting a reward. The goal is that students know that they matter, not because of their compliance or lack thereof, but because of who they are.

Putting the name in the heart does not eliminate using class rules or other classroom management strategies; it is used as a supplement to build up students for positive behaviors which do not come easy for them, whatever these behaviors may be.

As the holiday season—and attendant student “squirreliness”—approaches, I encourage you to look for the good in your students and honour it. Go put someone’s name in the heart!
 
Helen Vaughan, Ph.D.
Director of School Services
TeachBeyond Global

Photo Credits: Classroom. pang yu liu Flickr via Compfight cc.

Class Building: Instilling Christ-like Character in our Students

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As we strive to integrate biblical principles (overtly or covertly) into what we teach, we look for opportunities to foster Christ-like behaviours in our students. Class-building opportunities allow us to do this. They also help to increase the level of student engagement and cooperative learning in the classroom, which results in an increased use of language by our students[1]. I have found that unless I take the time to create an environment that values mutual respect and acceptance through class-building activities, learning suffers and my students demonstrate more negative behaviours.

Spencer Kagan, an expert in cooperative learning, identifies five important aims of class-building: getting acquainted, forming class identity, building mutual support, valuing differences, and developing synergy.

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Getting Acquainted: Often, teachers spend time at the beginning of the school year getting to know their students, but these activities should continue throughout the school year. One such activity, Inside Outside Circle, involves movement and can be used to help students get to know each other. Students stand in two concentric circles. The students on the outside face in and the students on the inside circle face out. Each student should have a partner that s/he is facing. The teacher asks a discussion question and each partner takes turn answering the question. When given a signal, the students in the outside circle move clockwise, while the students on the inside stay in their places. Each student should now have a different partner with whom to discuss the next question.

Class Identity: Encourage the class to develop a class theme, name, chant, or song. This creates a sense of unity and belonging that is unique to this class, which in turn helps to foster an environment of ownership and safety. This activity can be used beneficially across the grade levels, even though some secondary students might think it is a little bit silly.

Mutual Support: An excellent way to promote mutual support is to involve your class in a service learning/ministry opportunity. This allows students to focus their attention on a common goal such as working together to clean up the campus, collecting materials for a local ministry, or mentoring younger students. When students are moving towards a shared vision, they begin to notice the unique ways that they and others contribute to make that vision a reality.

Valuing Differences: Our intercultural classrooms are ideal for equipping our students for the increasingly global world where differences are bound to occur. Using Four Corners is an excellent way to visually see these differences in the classroom. The teacher announces a topic of comparison—for example, what type of book would best express your personality—then labels each corner of the room, each with a different book type. Students move to a corner, pair up with another student, and provide reasons for their choice. Then, each corner shares their reasons with the class. As students share their differences and the reasons behind them, they begin to recognise that differences do not have to be threatening; rather they add spice and variety to life.

Developing Synergy: Synergy refers to the expression of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. An easy way to foster synergy in your classroom is to have a project that involves both an individual/small group component and a class component. Examples include putting on a class play (related to your content area), creating a video documentary, or a class newsletter. The key is that the end product/outcome needs to be better than what could be accomplished by one person alone.

Fostering a classroom that embodies Christ-like characteristics creates an environment where students feel safe, are willing to explore the gifts and talents God has given them, and have opportunities to optimise language learning. It allows us to put Paul’s words[2] into action: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”
Leighton Helwig, M.Ed.
Philippines National Director/Regional Education Specialist
TeachBeyond

Photo Credits: Conversation Ring, Katie Sutton, @MissSuttonOPC.

[1] This is especially beneficial to students learning English.

[2] Romans 12:9-13 (NLT).

Don’t miss an opportunity to deepen your understanding of Transformational Education

This summer TeachBeyond is hosting a Transformational Education Conference in Manila, Philippines, and today’s OnPractice author, Leighton Helwig, is one of our featured speakers. Spend four days (June 7-10) with other international workers learning how to apply the concepts of transformational education to your specific context. This is an opportunity that is too great to pass up!

For more information or to register for the conference, visit  teachbeyond.org/teachbeyond-conference/.