It’s hard to think about how to promote learning and engagement when teachers are at what seem to be, an all-time low, both mentally and physically. If you’re in teacher Facebook or other social media groups, you can’t avoid the posts from the extreme amount of teachers sharing that they are overly stressed out, over-worked, unhappy, and are considering leaving the profession altogether. If this is you, you are NOT alone!
On a personal note, this year has been the hardest in my teaching career. It appears that the days are gone where teachers were considered the experts in their subject areas. Now it’s the powers that be who have been out of the classroom for years yet appear to be calling the shots. They are the ones deciding what and how we’re teaching, how long it should take to teach specific standards, what students should read… I could go on and on. Many of us are writing curriculum that follow these unrealistic expectations on top of trying to teach our students.
Teachers are a rare breed, and somehow, we always seem to come out on top. In these unprecedented times, we manage to look out for who matters most – our students. This is why we do the impossible. Teachers still keep students engaged even when we’re barely putting one foot in front of the other.
As I read my friend, Leah Cleary’s blog post, I came across a statement she made that I couldn’t agree with more. It said, “The pandemic revealed the game of school and most of our students are done playing. They don’t see the point. Learning has to be meaningful for them because the game is over and they must see the point if we want an educated citizenry.” This was so powerful to me. If learning isn’t meaningful, we may as well pack up our bags and head home. How do we do this?
How to Promote Learning
- I begin the semester by giving my students a Mid-Year Student Reflection Survey. You can download for FREE and edit to meet your needs. This reflection asks students questions like what activities they liked or disliked, what they feel could be improved, what they could do better, and what they think I could do better as well. This gives students ownership and in turn, I can promote learning that they have recommended.
- Another resource I use this EDITABLE New Year’s Student Reflection & Video Journal Prompts resource to set goals for the New Year. The videos are short and help students to understand the importance of goal setting. The kids LOVE it! I do this as a warm-up. Students watch a video and complete the journal prompt that goes with it. Then after they complete all 5 at the end of the week, they complete the infographic. This is a culmination of all they have learned and looks great to print and put on your bulletin board as a reminder of students’ goals.
3. Use programs like Flipgrid and Edpuzzle that allow for easy set up. They take little time on the teacher’s end. My middle school students LOVE both of these programs. You can check out my blog post, 10 Ways to Use Flipgrid in the Classroom, to give you some ideas of how you can implement Flipgrid. If you haven’t used Edpuzzle, the blog post, Using Edpuzzle in the Classroom Can Change Your Teacher Life, shows you step-by-step how to get started.
4. Lastly, nothing helps the stressed out teacher more than resources that are ZERO PREP! I realized this when I started creating my own escape rooms. Many come in digital and printable format. If you’re looking for no prep, the digital escape rooms are easiest. You simply share the link with your students, and they are on their way. I have escape rooms that cover virtually every topic for the ELA classroom. Check out my Reading Comprehension & Grammar Escape Room Growing Bundle. Also, you can purchase them individually, but you save 20% by purchasing the bundle.
I hope you’ve found this blog post helpful. As always, my goal is to make your teacher life a little less stressful than it already is. I’d love to hear how your year is going. What is going well? What resources do you need that would make life easier? Shoot me an email at [email protected], and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
