Wow!
We have concluded the book this week. I have really enjoyed this book, it
surpassed my expectations and provided me with a large toolkit of engagement strategies.
I am positive this is a resource I will keep on my bookshelves and continue to
refer to year after year. Although I may
have been silent as the study facilitator, your posts have been a great
supplement to the book and I have gained even more from reading your posts.
Thank you for your commitment and inspiration these past months.
For this last post take the next
few weeks to reflect on everything you have gained from reading this
book. Look back through old posts that you may have missed.
Before
September 30th respond to the topics below:
·
Choose
one strategy you plan to implement this year. What will it be, and how are you
going to ensure you follow through?
·
What
are your new engagement goals for the remainder of the school year?
·
How
has this book helped you become a better teacher?
·
A
challenge- Share something you have learned with the rest of your staff, either
by email, at a staff meeting, or just in the hallways. Pay it forward.
I will send
you an email with your PGP totals once the study concludes. I will mail you a
copy of your official PGP certificate.
As a side note, I have really enjoyed this online platform doing a book study. I would like to continue to offer these kinds of professional development opportunities to the entire district. What do you think? Would you join me if we did another book study? Send me a private email and if there is enough interest I will propose the idea to Dr. Irwin. This would be a great way to earn PGP's and learn together while studying the same book district-wide.
Thank you again,
Jessica Hollingsworth
I have really enjoyed this book as well. It really opened my eyes to the differences in poverty homes-burdens placed on our children that I really hadn't thought of before. What I intend to put in place through my genius hour is really hands on experiences that will truly be engaged in that will open their eyes to possibilities. There are many small things I have began implementing from pervious chapters and I hope that I continue them and that it becomes natural in my class that I dont' have to check my accountability. .
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read Ruby Payne's books on how poverty affects children? It is also a great read!
DeleteAgree, that that is a great read!
DeleteIt is a great read! I like Jensen's book because it then goes on to list strategies to help those kids that are living in that poverty. And strategies that are easy to implement that go cross curriculum.
DeleteI have really enjoyed this book, too! One of the biggest things that I gathered from this book and the Model Schools Conference is to create a climate that sustains student effort. The students should work harder than I do, but in order for that to happen, I first have to be organized and create a great plan. I loved the graphic on page 159 on the "Big Four" Engagement Domains! This book has affirmed my natural teaching style, and I have already implemented several things from the book, but especially creating a classroom climate that encourages every student to do their very best. When the level of energy in the room wanes a bit, now I have a great toolbox to energize the room! Thank you for a great read!
ReplyDeletePeggy I'm just going to cut and paste your comment because you said exactly what I was thinking. My goal is developing my classroom into a learning zone. I want students engaged . This book will be right by my desk for a long time.
DeletePeggy I like how you cut to the main point of motivating each child to do their best. I find when my students are sluggish my energy depletes also so the change of pace and activity helps everyone.
DeleteI like your comment..."creating a climate that sustains student effort", yes that's exactly what we are working so hard to do!
DeleteI have found this book enjoyable and helped me tweak the things I am doing that works and look at some new methods. It speaks strongly of the importance we develop with students.I believe it is the key for student learning. If they know we care about them and their success as individuals they will feel safe to venture out and try new things. By reading books like these and trying new things we place ourselves in the role of a learner and it helps us appreciate our students. I like how it gives us permission to try new things and admit when they didn't work and adapt it. We never know what works well with our students and connects with them until we try.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of us by doing the book study became the students. Puts it in new perspective. And you're right if students know we care then they'll feel safe and try new things. Try everything until you find what works.
DeleteI like that you put "permission to try new things and admit when they didn't work and adapt it." I think we've all been there when something that worked for one class didn't work for the next class we had. And we had to adapt and change our thought process. I think it's great that this book gives us so many options to pull from when we are struggling with lessons and students.
DeleteI've enjoyed the book. It has helped me focus more on engaging my students. I loved the chapter about energy and focus. I think this chapter is what I'll be reading again and again this year. I like movement and music in my room. I want to use more brain breaks and have more music in my room. Teachers who try more have students who try more. We are here for the students. I hope this book can help me engage my students and help guide them to a life of learning.
ReplyDeleteI really connected to Chapter 5-Engage for Motivation and Effort. It was full of good ideas that I can tell I am already implementing and will continue to do so. I'm leaving this book out as well, on my counter-it won't be collecting dust anytime soon! :) I really like directly learning about a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset. Very timely, and interesting information!
ReplyDeleteOne of my goals this year is to get Minds in Motion stations set up for all grade levels to use. This would go along with elevating energy and focus strategies. I plan to follow through with this by setting up a schedule and continually asking for feedback from teachers. Thinking back on the chapter about elevating energy and focus I was talking to a teacher about his kids and how excited they were to go through the bounce house obstacle course. We had the course there as a free incentive for the fundraiser we were doing. He talked about how they ran through it the entire allotted time and were exhausted. But when they got back to the classroom they worked diligently the rest of the day. I think it just reaffirmed how much our kids truly need movement and how important it is to our kids who are living in poverty. I have liked how bluntly everything has been spelled out in this book. Sometimes educational jargon can bog you down but I feel like the author just gave the facts and gave strategies. We are planning to do a book study at Pettit with the book. So, I am excited to go back through it with the teachers in my building to gain even more new insights and keep strategies fresh in my mind.
ReplyDelete