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A Shift in Classroom Culture
Nathaniel has found that smaller in-person class sizes have allowed for a significant shift in his classroom. He spends much less time on classroom management, and he has chosen to use some of that extra time to connect with students in new ways.
Rather than quickly taking attendance at the beginning of each period, Nathaniel engages in short conversations with each student, making personal connections and growing relationships. Smaller class sizes have also resulted in greater student participation and a tighter class community. Strong relationships and a solid class community make the time that Nathaniel spends with his students that much more impactful.
Making Learning Personal
Nathaniel has found success in personalizing the learning experience to increase student engagement and increase assignment completion.
Partway through the first grading period, Nathaniel noticed that some students were quite behind in completing their course work. In response, he scheduled two optional synchronous classes on Fridays focused on remediation of necessary skills and completion of course work. Nathaniel is using what he has learned about his students to develop interest-based learning experiences where students can practice and apply essential skills from his course.
Nathaniel recently merged students’ interest in basketball and the English skills of theme and conflict by creating an opportunity for his students to explore three poems about basketball and discuss common themes of poetry.
As weeks have progressed, Nathaniel has noticed an increase in attendance for these optional Friday lessons. In fact, 40% of his students who are struggling to pass the class voluntarily attended and engaged in a recent session.