- Testing: Got the results from my 8th graders Quarterly Assessment: 77% average! And they did a lot better than I thought they would on their last speaking quiz. One student who I’ve been unsure about even got 100%! I let his parents know, and they replied back with the most wonderful message encouraging me to keep working with him. 💙
- Differentiation: Going into Quarter 2, my goal is to work on differentiation. It’s def a *buzz word* that gets thrown around lightly, but I do want to tailor my lessons now that I know my students better. Not just culturally and learning-style wise, but also for my students who are chronically absent or have trouble doing work at home.
- Student development: I’m also trying to figure out how to give my students access and opportunities that more privileged students/schools easily have at their disposal. One of my students wants to be a lawyer, so I’m looking for opportunities for him that also are accessible in terms of money and transportation. If anyone has any resources in the Anne Arundel/Baltimore area (maybe DC?), let me know!
Tag: differentiated learning
Teaching Reflection: Week 9
Just highlights, as my more complex/critical thoughts have been elsewhere…
- Differentiated study reviews: Successful group reviews for the Quarterly Assessment! Haven’t looked to see the results yet, so we’ll see.
- Community/relationship building: Positive interactions with parents! I’ve reached out to the all the parents of my 2 classes that are struggling the most, and initially got a lot of messages thanking me for helping their kids. Also have maintained updated with a couple of parents!
- Queerness in middle school: Overheard a student explaining what a “stud” is to her friends during our Halloween party 🤣 Middle school drama is still petty and terrible, but it made my heart happy to hear about kids being out and dating and being talked about as just regular people!
- Queerness in middle school: Giant rainbow fan as part of one of my student’s costumes! I DIED 🏳️🌈
- Cultural exposure: Giving macarons out during the Halloween party to my 7th graders! I’ve overheard them pointing at pictures of macarons in my classroom and saying they’ve never had one and wanted to try. One kid took a picture he was so excited! Also brought in some brioche, which a girl asked to take a little bit home of. 🥖🥐
Teaching Reflection: Week 3
- Questioning the binary: You tell kids there are more than 2 genders and they won’t freak out. Like they really don’t care.
- Developing cultural identity: Kids don’t implicitly know how unique their experiences are. That their culture(s) is (are) special and unique and important.
- Reaffirming cultural identity: Recognizing the cultures that students come from is invaluable. Taking a neutral stance reinforces norms that say you have to have certain experiences to matter. I had a Guatemalan student who said she took French cause she didn’t want to learn Spanish bring in her Guatemalan doll and show it to the class. I had 2 Mexican students who barely engage in class light up when I showed them how to say Mexico in French. When I compared French and Spanish and asked for my Spanish speakers to help me, they lit up.
- Differentiated learning: I’m still trying to figure out how to balance the needs of my talkative, kinesthetic students with my quieter students. The former take up so much space and energy, and I forget about the ones who need silence to understand. But today, my eighth graders were jumping at the chance to say the date in French while others were excited about being able to write down what they said.
The Alvearie 