My summer work as a teacher marks a making, dreaming, and reworking of my learning plans for students in the upcoming school year. Last year was by far my most challenging--and in ways most successful--as far as student growth is concerned. Still, as a teacher in a Title 1 middle school, I left the year pondering how it could have been better...and most importantly how I can reach the reluctant students who did not grow. While the topic of "student learning loss" and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been very real to me--as I lived through this over the past three years with my students, I know something has to change in the way I teach, so that all students benefit.
The difference this summer it thinking about inspiring students to write about identity through personal narratives and essays, as recommended in Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher's book, 4 Essential Studies. My ELA7 team was already working with Book Clubs and Digital Compositions. Next year we want to expand our work to include more Poetry and Personal Essays.
I am also being inspired by Ghouldy Mohammad's work which Kittle and Gallagher reference. I am reading her book, Cultivating Genius and working to develop lessons and learning activities for my students that allow them to explore their identities and share with each other via digital publishing, audio recordings and more.
This exploration and path has been prompted by many things, including my participation in the #Merit22 program through the Krause Center for Innovation last year in the #KCISTEAM Leadership program this year. I want to help create and sustain a learning program where all students succeed and thrive beyond their and my greatest dreams. That has always been the case for me as a teacher. I am hoping this year will continue to build on this goal for my students
No comments:
Post a Comment