mamiller
|
Provide rich teaching for students ...
Star this Commitment
Week 3 of 3
mamiller commits to:
Completing five entries with all required components.
3
0
No more reports due
|
My Commitment Journal
 mamiller
March 20, 2025, 8:08 PM
|
|
|
A. Engagement Mindset B. The self-assessment helped me consider whose job it is to engage students in teaching. I believe it is the educator’s job to keep students interested. As a former student myself, I remember having similar lessons from different teachers but receiving them differently depending on the teacher. I believe students learn more when they are interested not only in the topic but also in the teacher’s teaching style. I spent time in a classroom last semester where many of the students came from low-income families. I remember hearing students talking about needing to stay home to watch younger siblings or work during school hours. These same students seemed uninterested in the material at times, and I assume it is because they were tired from their responsibilities outside of school. I would like to learn more about how to help students like the ones I encountered last semester. I also spent time in a classroom last semester where the teacher was very skilled at getting her students to participate and buy into their learning. She emphasized choral reading and responses. This helped keep students awake and interested. I would like to employ something similar in my future classroom to keep my students interested. C. 1. Jenson mentions that mindful breathing is a great strategy to help relieve student’s stress and refocus them. I think this is a useful exercise because it can take 1-2 minutes, and Jenson mentions that it is useful for secondary students. 2. Jenson argues that using questions is beneficial to student learning, and I wholeheartedly agree. I have utilized questions in the lessons I have taught, and I have watched other teachers do it as well. It gets students talking, which I believe gets them engaged. I think it is very beneficial when teachers ask their students to imagine themselves in a specific situation and consider how they would feel. This helps students engage with the lesson. 3. I believe reciprocal teaching can help students learn to problem solve. Reciprocal teaching involves encouraging students to think about the material provided and rephrase it or ask questions about it. This encourages students to buy in because they have to think deeply about the material. D. I want to implement setup, buy-in, and relevance. Jenson argues that these three steps can help students engage with a lesson. Setup can include something to get students moving or a small action to arouse their senses. Jenson argues that this step is important because the next two steps may not be beneficial if students are not engaged. He argues that students can do things like simply standing up to make sure they are listening. Next, students need to buy into the lesson. This helps them understand why they are learning about a certain topic. It shows them the importance of what they are learning. Buy-in can also make students curious about a topic. Lastly, students need to understand why a lesson or topic is relevant. Jenson says the lesson should be related to external or internal drivers. For example, a lesson could be related to social status. Everyone can relate to wanting a certain social status, especially high school students. |
|
|
mamiller
March 18, 2025, 3:54 PM
|
|
|
A. Rich Classroom Climate Mindset B. The self-assessment helped me consider the difference between a classroom climate and a classroom culture. I always assumed they were the same thing. Jenson argues that culture is what we do. I agree with this sentiment. Our actions and words affect the culture around us in everyday life. The classroom climate is how we feel. I relate this to the climate outside. For example, the climate might be warm and inviting, like some classrooms. When I have my own classroom, I want to create a positive class culture and an inviting class climate. I think it is important to encourage students and give them positive feedback to create a positive culture. I would also like my classroom to feel homey and comfortable for my students. I think it is important to have motivational posters on the walls. I also want to make sure my students feel heard in the classroom. This is important because it creates mutual respect between the students and I. C. 1. Jenson mentions the importance of diverse teaching. This means showing your students examples that are relevant to their lives and showing them people who look like them accomplishing great things. I believe this is a great way to make students optimistic about the future. This would also be a great tool for me as a social studies teacher. 2. I also loved that Jenson introduces the idea of emotional safety. I think this is crucial in every classroom, but it is especially important in a social studies class where students tend to debate. It is important to make students feel heard and respected in a class where they share their opinions. 3. Jenson argues that educators should be using words like “we” and “us”. I think this is important because it shows the students that the classroom is for all of us. It is not just for the students who do well or the students who struggle or the teacher. The content discussed is important for everyone in the classroom. I also think it teaches student to respect the classroom because it is a shared space. D. I would like to implement Jenson’s “cool rules”. He argues that we do not need to have too many rules in a classroom. It is important to keep it simple and straightforward. I think rule one is the best and most important: be nice. Jenson provides examples of how to teach students kindness and show them you care. I appreciate this because it helps the teacher connect with the students, and it gives the students tools for outside of the classroom. It teaches them soft skills they can use for the rest of their life. I also like idea of the rule “Make no excuses”. This is something I am still working on in my own life, so I would love to instill that in my students. It will help them learn to deal with deadlines and projects later on in life. Jenson mentions how the teacher needs to model this rule to their students which I think is important. |
|
|
mamiller
March 14, 2025, 6:21 PM
|
|
|
A. Positivity Mindset B. The self-assessment showed me the connection between a positive mindset and poverty. Poverty can make it much harder for students to feel positive, especially in school. Many students living in poverty work to help support their family, so they may not always have time to focus on schoolwork or they might be tired at school. This combined with a negative teacher could make the student’s motivation to work hard dwindle. Additionally, the self-assessment made me consider how poverty may make students feel about their lives. They might feel like there is no hope. They might also feel like they are going to repeat the same cycle as their family. I think this mindset can discourage students in the classroom. This is why students need positive educators to motivate them. The self-assessment showed me that I need to learn more about how to be a positive influence on students. I want to be able to teach my students to be motivated and positive. I also want to learn how to help students change their mindset. For example, if a student is constantly negative, I want to help them become more positive. C. 1. This section of the book showed me the importance of students’ “happiness set point”. It taught me about the different kinds of happiness and why these are important. In the future, I want to foster a positive attitude in my classroom through social ties and encouragement to help my students feel happy when they come to my class. 2. Jenson mentions the importance of acts of kindness for students. Acts of kindness create well-behaved students. I would like to be an example for my students when it comes to acts of kindness, but how can I teach students to be kind to one another? 3. Jenson makes the point that our words can boost optimism and hope for students. Even if a student fails, it is important to encourage them to look at the bright side and think about what they could gain from the experience. D. In the future, I want to implement the class rule: “No dream killers”. I want my students to feel like they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to. As educators, it is important for us to ask our students what they want out of life. This helps us learn more about our students and helps us guide them toward their goals. Jenson shares the story of Monty Roberts, a high school student whose teacher made him feel like his dreams could not become a reality. Luckily Monty was able to accomplish his goals, but not every student will be like Monty. Telling a student they cannot accomplish their dreams might be what holds them back from success. I love Jenson’s suggestion of encouraging students no matter how large their dream is. Jenson encourages educators to help students make a plan and set goals to help them work toward their dream. |
|
|
mamiller
March 7, 2025, 9:16 PM
|
|
|
A. Achievement Mindset B. The self-assessment showed me the importance of believing that any student can be successful. Educators should ignore their preconceived notions about students based on race, social, class, etc. My goal as an educator is to treat every student equally. I never want a student to feel like they are being held back by any part of their identity. The self-assessment also helped me consider the importance of feedback for students. I knew that students needed positive feedback, but they also need constructive feedback. Teachers must provide feedback that is useful to students. Students should be able to take something away from the feedback they receive. I also realized that students need to have goals. They should know what they are working towards. Goals can help motivate them to keep going. I also realized the importance of setting small goals along the way and rewarding them. This keeps students motivated to keep trying to achieve their goals. C. 1. This section highlighted the difference between grit and self-control. Students need to have grit so they can achieve long-term goals. It is important to teach them about grit to help them understand how to keep going. It also keeps students motivated when their teacher acknowledges their grit and perseverance. 2. I believe successful educators listen to student feedback. Jenson mentions several ways to obtain feedback from students. This feedback ensures that teachers and students are on the same page. 3. Jenson introduces the idea of a micro-index card. Educators can use the MIC to understand their students’ thought process and where the students are. I also think this is a great way to get to know your students. It is also a great tool for pairing students up who are similar. D. I do not have my own classroom, so I cannot implement Jenson’s strategies yet, but I would love to use his “How I Can Get Better at Learning” list in my classroom. The list gives students options when they are feeling stuck or confused. Although some of the tips may seem obvious, like “Ask the teacher for specific help”, they let the students know that they never have to feel like they cannot ask for help. I will always be there to help them reach their goals. The list also gives students various options depending on what they feel most comfortable doing. Not every student wants to ask more questions in class, but every student can look up concepts they do not understand. |
|
This Commitment has no photos.
Displaying 1-3 of 3 results.
March 6 to March 13
Successful
Success
Success
krharrison
- Referee approval report
mamiller
- Committed user success report
February 27 to March 6
Successful
Success
Success
krharrison
- Referee approval report
mamiller
- Committed user success report
February 20 to February 27
Successful
Success
Success
krharrison
- Referee approval report
mamiller
- Committed user success report
.
