I am a strong believer that students learn best when their learning needs are met. As a teacher, I know that you can be a great teacher, but your students will not learn if you are having challenges with classroom management.
Classroom management is one of my greatest strengths as a teacher. I love creating a classroom culture where the students feel safe, respect each other, follow expectations, and demonstrate that they are available to learn. I hold my students accountable for their actions and choices. Yes, I know, they are just 5 and 6. This is the moment when you want them to learn and acquire skills that will mold them into great and responsible individuals. This past academic year, I experienced something that made me pause and rethink the way I support all my students (autistic, visual learners, special needs and MLLs) and not just the ones who pick up classroom routines quickly.
In my YouTuber era? 😅😎
One of my Kindergarten students was diagnosed with autism. He repeated every word, every phrase I said during the day. Transitions were not a problem for him; remembering the expectations was challenging and the students will copy his behavior to get attention from the teachers. This student knew how to read but an anchor chart with simple words or pictures, along with frequent reminders was not working for him.
So this year I want to try something new. I thought about this last year but I was too "shy" to try it. I am in my "let me just do it" era. I am doing things that are out of my comfort zone if that means that I will get something good out of it.
In my YouTuber era? 😅😎
https://www.ngpf.org/blog/question-of-the-day/question-of-the-day-what-percentage-of-gen-z-want-to-be-influencers/
The plan is to create videos of me modeling expectations as a "student." I will model how to enter the classroom, how to walk in the hallway, cafeteria and recess expectations, what to do when we have a fire drill, and much more. I will do my best to use their "real" space. I will even wear the school's uniform in all the videos.
This approach will engage students because they are so attached to social media. It will serve as a visual for the students that struggle with processing, children with special needs, and even it will benefit my MLLs! Visual modeling makes it fun and relatable. The parents will have the opportunity to reinforce the classroom rules from home!
THIS IS ALMOST LIKE GREAT "CO PARENTING". 😉
We are a team and this is a way to "kill three birds in one shot"!
🐦1.The students will learn from the videos
🐦2.The parents will feel involved and will have a visual of the expectations, setting and language used.
🐦3. We will ALL be on the same page and I won't be the only one reinforcing expectations.
I am excited and nervous. But the first six weeks of school will be a great time to share these videos with the students and family. We do not teach curriculum; we focus on routine and expectations.
Anaiz,
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great plan, and once you have created these you can use them year after year. Visual modeling is a great way to set and establish routines, and that's such a critical part of running an effective Kindergarten classroom. As a suggestion you may also consider including simple repetitive music to further enhance the modeling with both visual and audio cues. Both of my children were in Mr. Harry's Kindergarten class in Bellwood PA, and if you'd like to check out his Harry Kindergarten YouTube channel you may get some inspiration about adding music to your routines as well. He has written songs for almost everything to do with Kindergarten (and as a bonus my children's little voices are on some of his songs as the vocalists).
I also recently became aware of a free AI music creating platform called SUNO that is an incredible and very easy tool to create songs for literally any purpose, age, or content. Here's a song I created to reinforce root meanings for middle school vocabulary support.
https://suno.com/s/s4WRbUW8O5hg7bGz
Hey Anaiz!
ReplyDeleteI really loved your plan to create videos of you modeling expectations as a student. This sounds great and know your students will have so much fun. <3 :)