Every spring there is a
natural phenomenon that occurs; students are bored with fluorescent lighting
and eagerly looking to the windows, yearning for an escape from their mortar
prison they have been confined to these past eight months. I don’t blame them,
how could I? My students and I are both showing up with puffy faces, stuffy/runny
noses, and red, itchy eyes, reminiscing of a time when our sinus cavities were
free from the impurities of pollen. One of the perks of teaching is having
summers off, so I understand the plight of my students who hope that the thin
red needle of the clock will spin them closer to the freedom of swimming pools
and cookouts. Spring season in Kansas is crummy. Compound that with teaching poetry
and you have a recipe for student angst.
I have had to step my
game up as a teacher the past few weeks and fight through abrupt weather
changes to guide my students to better understand and analyze the poetry
presented to them in class. My colleagues and administrators have given me
insight, advice, and techniques on how to handle the drudgery of spring
teaching. The principal of the school gave a presentation to the teachers on
how to inspire student learning and participation throughout the spring semester
by creating competition through games in class and dialing up the pressure on
students to strive for improving their grades throughout the semester.
The two concepts of
competition and pressure will help students stay focused on the tasks in class,
instead of daydreaming about how they will spend their leisure time throughout
the summer. I employed the use of competition during my lesson over “Because I
Could Not Stop for Death”. I split the students into three groups of six and
they competed to see which group had the best answer and analysis over the
stanzas, theme, and tone of the poem. In
the previous lesson I had the students complete an analysis of “The Soul
Selects Her Own Society”, and student enthusiasm was lacking due to poetry being
denounced by all sophomores. By grouping them up and making a game, the
students used it as an opportunity to show their knowledge to their peers and
experience a self-esteem boost.
I have gone through
multiple springs as a student, but this is my first spring as an educator, and
it can be a tiny bit demoralizing when the students’ interests are far off on
thoughts not associated with your lesson. The past few weeks I have spent more
time repeating myself to the students than I have during both semesters combined.
The National Education
Association has a few tips that can help lively-up your spring semester, both
as an educator, and as a student. First on their list is to give the students
fresh air. “I take advantage of the better weather and take my class outside
for lessons” (Graham). Let the students have time during the school day to
enjoy the relaxing weather. As an English teacher I can teach Romantic
literature, have students immerse themselves in the external forces of nature,
and write poetry, or short story associated with how nature impacts their
lives. I have wanted to take my students outside this semester, but we have had
to move throughout our units so quickly that we haven’t had time for a day to
go outside and reflect upon the nature surrounding us.
“Cover the hardest work
near the start of the semester and plan creative activities near the end. When
the students are beginning to relax, relax with them—better than trying to
fight gravity” (Graham). I see the benefits to this concept of letting students
be more creative towards the end of the semester. The students should have
completed most of their learning objectives throughout the year, now it is time
to see what they can do with what they have been taught. Allowing students’
time to get creative gives them more freedom to show us and their peers what
they have learned throughout the semesters. I feel like it would need to be a
structured creativity time because as a teacher you are opening yourself up to
students mistaking student-led work time for checking out and beginning their
summer early.
Planning a field trip
towards the end of the semester can help cure some ailments of spring fever. "You
have to embrace spring fever in the kids and understand that there is no way
school should always be defined by four classroom walls" (Cullota). Plan
meaningful field trips that allow the students to be outside and connect with
the town. Even as an English teacher, I can plan trips to history/art museums
that allow the students to learn more about the literary time periods we study.
I see the benefits of planning activities that lead to holding class in a
different setting. This would allow for the students to become interested in
class, instead of focusing on their summer plans.
Cullota,
Karen A. "Help Young Students Focus When Spring Fever Strikes."
Tribunedigital-chicagotribune. 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
Graham, Edward, and Alain Jehlen.
"Try This - Curing Spring Fever." Try This-Curing Spring Fever. NEA,
May-June 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2016. <http://www.nea.org/home/38795.htm>.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteThank you as always for incorporating shrewd and observant humor into your post. I have been empathizing with my students quite a bit along these lines, as I am experiencing some hardcore senoritis. I still love school and all, but I've got my sights on this summer.
I really love the ideas you present here. I remember reading in the Bomer text about taking students outside for creative writing exercises and thinking, "How impractical." Or is it? With the right class and the right amount of structure, I think that this is an inspired idea that could in turn really inspire some students.
I also agree with the idea of ending the year with more creative projects, which of course will still include plenty of higher level thinking. In my opinion, there is always a way to incorporate creativity in the learning process, and it can be the perfect way to tie a bow on a concept.
Keep rocking it, Josh, we're almost there!
-Mary
Josh,
ReplyDeleteI am very impressed by this post. It was humorous, thoughtful, insightful, and extremely relatable!
In talking with you throughout the semester about your poetry unit, I've heard you mention that you would like to provide students with time to create their own poetry without any sort of prompt or framework. I hear you mention frequently that you feel students aren't given enough time be creative and to explore their own ideas. I think the research you did supports that your creative style of teaching is essential in keeping kids engaged all throughout the year, not just in the spring semester.
I know you have the skill set and the personality to enable and inspire kids to break out of their comfort zones and produce some really exciting and unique writing/projects, And I know that you will be able to make this experience fun and meaningful for them.
I really foresee you being an extremely successful creative writing teacher in your future. You're not afraid to be quirky and goofy and I think your kids eat that up. Take your personality plus your ability to connect with students that are sometimes hard to reach, and I think you will be terrific at using writing as a medium to help students engage and connect with the academic world.
Sometimes I think you underestimate your teaching ability because you aren't a linear thinker who plans out every detail like almost everyone else in our classroom. And while you would obviously benefit from maybe doing more advanced preparation, I do think your style is a gift that will be brilliant once you have your own classroom and the freedom to teach as you please.
Hang in there. You're so close to the finish line.
Michaela
Josh,
ReplyDeleteTeaching in the spring semester has really opened my eyes to what students are really like whens summer looms large on the horizon. Like you, I am battling it myself as graduation creeps ever closer and the idea of not having classes is a tantalizing reality I can't wait to meet head on.
My MT in English completely embraces your idea for more student led experiential learning at the end of the year by having the students do an autobiography project. We'll still do some IUG driven work, but by in large the students are tackling personal project that will allow them to express vast amounts of creativity -- something I think will help keep them engaged during these last few weeks.
Using competition in poetry analysis is something I hadn't thought of - brilliant! 8th graders are probably even more reluctant than sophomores when it comes to working with poetry - this is something I'm going to have to try.
Something else you can consider - I picked up a game called Bring Your Own Book and my MT and I are going to modify it to use it with a text we read as a class. It's competitive to see who can come up with the best line to fit the card (like Apples to Apples), but will require students to know the text pretty well. It will at least be a nice break in our typical day.
I really appreciate the creativity you put into your lesson plans - you always seem to find new twists on how to engage students in texts. I have a feeling that your class would be such a fun environment to learn in.
Thanks for sharing and here's to a fantastic end to the school year!
--Keely
Love your ideas for moving with students’ rhythms of engagement and attention, rather than trying to swim against the tide. Creative projects and nature writing sound like just the ticket! Thanks for this post, Josh.
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