Are we making the best use of our students’ time when we teach? Certainly this is the most important question we need to ask when we plan our daily lessons. We must deliver deliberate instruction that is meaningful to our students. There are only so many hours in a school day and, as teachers, we should be certain that we are managing the limited time we have.
Regie Routman suggests that we make our lessons more meaningful by connecting our home and school lives, looking into our students’ eyes, reducing our paper load, being choosy about what we read, and remembering to live our lives outside of the school setting.
I have done a much better job of connecting my home and school life in my classroom this semester. Now my students know that I am a busy mother of four children, that I love to attend my sons’ ball games, that I live on a farm with “lots” of cattle just north of Holton.
They also know that I just lost a very dear friend (Jena Rieschick) last Friday to a heart attack. In the past I probably would not have shared this last detail with my students, but I did today because many of my children wondered why I wasn’t at school yesterday. I was honest and told them I was at a funeral and was still feeling very sad. Many of my students talked about losing a grandparent or some other special person in their life. My heart almost melted when one little boy told me, “Mrs. Burdiek, it’s okay because she is watching over you and smiling at you.” Our conversation continued as we connected our hearts, minds, and lives. I feel that my class is evolving into a close-knit community of learners who really care for each other.
First of all, sorry to hear about your friend. I think living in a small town makes it easier for me to connect with my students. Any time I go anywhere in town I see either one of my former students, current students or a student that is in my building. I attend some of my students ball games because I am usually there anyway waiting for my own daughter to play or practice. I think this interaction with the students outside of the classroom makes it easier for me to connect. They know that I care about them and what they are doing when they see me at their games or asking about their 4-H project I saw at the fair.
ReplyDeleteI, also, offer my sympathy. I love connecting with my class. We were asked as a district to institute class meetings on a weekly basis. I grumbled at first--another 20 minutes out of my day, but it has really been a great opportunity. We talk about what is going on in our classroom. I made a no-name rule so there is open discussion without fear of consequences. We have gotten closer as a group.
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