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  • Hand-raised discussion

This strategy allows students to raise their hands to answer the questions

  • Teacher Call Discussion

This strategy allows for everyone to be prepared to answer questions randomly.  Always announce this type of discussion so the students know to listen and be prepared.  Be careful to ask easy questions for those who struggle.

  • Head-to-head Discussion

This strategy allows students to talk with partners to discuss the question the teacher has asked.  This is a good strategy to have before the whole group discussion.

  • Sticky Note Discussion

This strategy will help you monitor class discussions--making sure everyone participates and nobody dominates.

Procedures:

  • Give all students three sticky notes on the front of their desks.
  • Each time they make a comment they will move one of the sticky notes to the other side of their desks.
  • One comment = one sticky note.
  • The rule is that everybody must use at least ONE sticky note, and nobody can use more than THREE.
  • The teacher can move around the class and see who has used all their comments and who needs to be encouraged to speak up.
  • Consider asking a very open-ended, easy opinion question directly to students who have not commented as the discussion draws to a close.

https://minds-in-bloom.com/10-classroom-discussion-techniques/

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-class-discussions-more-exciting-richard-curwin

 

The First Three Years Podcast

In this episode of The First Three Years, we will explore JPAS and how it can help you reflect on your teaching practices so you can set realistic goals for growth. We interview three JSD principals, Shawn McLeod, Kim Searle and Tami Bird, to get a principal’s perspective on how they use JPAS to help teachers thrive. 

As you receive your JPAS results; if you would like specific goal setting assistance please contact your school’s instructional coach or your mentor teacher specialists. We would be happy to help you.

Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

A new year brings changes and new challenges. It is a time to set goals and look to the future.

Jennifer Gonzalez, from the Cult of Pedagogy, shared some ideas for setting goals as a teacher:

  • strengthen your tech skills
  • brush up on pedagogy
  • improve classroom management
  • adjust your mindset
  • get organized

Goal-Setting for Teachers: 8 Paths to Self-Improvement

Sometimes new goals bring about changes in what we do. Some important positive strategies for coping with change and transition in life are that were shared on the blog posted below:

  • stay flexible
  • care for your physical and emotional health
  • maintain your life flow by keeping some kind of ‘routine’
  • stay in touch with friends and social networks
  • use stress reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, breathing exercises
  • start a wish list of new plans and goals to fit your new circumstances
  • embrace the new changes
  • take it one step at a time
  • keep your sense of humor
  • talk to helpful people, such as a counsellor or someone you can trust
  • do not allow yourself to be vulnerable, but stay safe in whatever way you need

Don't Suffer in Silence - Enough is Enough Blog: Coping with Change and Transition in Life

When education consultant and author John McCarthy Ed.Ms. began teaching online classes, he discovered four things about working from home. His discoveries may help you as you continue to do your best with online teaching. 

1) Separate your school time from your personal/family time

2) Sleep and exercise manage stress and help revitalize

3) Block out time just for yourself

4) Stay connected with people you care about

These four discoveries are all related to the health and wellness of the individual.We cannot give our best to students unless we stay emotionally and physically healthy. Our wish as mentor specialists is that you look out for yourself as much as you look after the learning of your students.

If you would like to read John McCarthy’s article you will find it at https://www.edutopia.org/article/prioritizing-self-care-while-working-home

Now that your students are back from the Holiday Break and are (hopefully!) done dreaming of sugar plums, candy canes, and gifts… it is a good time to re-look at student engagement in your classroom. A good place to start is making your questioning count! According to the book Class Acts there are three types of questions that are typically seen in classrooms:

  1. Assessment Questions:  Questions where we are asking for concrete pieces of information that can be verified and quantified. The downfall of only using assessment questions is that you usually only get a response from one student so you are not verifying all students understanding. 
  2. Open Questions: This is most common question type. The more open questions we ask, the less responses we get. This is sometimes called “fishing for answers.” The downfall of open questions is that you have more call-outs and shout-outs and your fastest students usually always get to answer first.
  3. Engagement Questions/Statements: These types of questions task students in specialized ways “to ensure maximum participation or lead students into deeper levels of thinking.” Engagement questions often involve student signals (for instance: “hold up your right hand if you think the answer is X minus 3, and your left hand if you think the answer is X plus 3”) and motivate students’ involvement in a response as well as requiring a response. 
Questions You Want Students to Answer Type of Question Ways to Re-phrase for Engagement
“Raise your hand if you can name the parts of a flower.” Assessment “Show me with your fingers how many parts there are in a flower. Whisper to your neighbor what those are.”
“Ellen, what is the capital of Utah?” Assessment [Raise hand to indicate stop.] “Now think. What is the capital of Utah?” [Lower hand.] “Everyone?” [Snap fingers for choral response.]
“Which spelling is correct?” Open “Here are two different spellings the dictionary gives. Stand if you think option 1 is preferred. Stay seated if you think option 2.”
“Which of the seven continents would you most like to live on?” Open [Photos of continents in room.] “Stand by the continent that you would like to live on.”

Now is the time to re-look at the types of questions being asked to make sure we are engaging ALL students in our classrooms. 


Information taken from
Class Acts: Your Guide to Activate Learning

 By: Gary Forlini, Ellen Williams, and Annette Brinkman.