Learner and Learning

The first artifact in this category is a showcase of student writing that I had my students draft at the beginning of our memoir unit before we read our first novel Black Boy by Richard Wright. I challenged my students to write briefly on a story or moment in their lives that they would want to write about. I pushed my students to think If I were to write my story, how would I write it? What events would focus on? What would I leave out? What would I want my reader to know from me? And despite these pieces being less than a page, many my students opened a well of pain, personal trauma, and truth. Discovering their own truths was inspirational for me to witness the courage of my students.

This artifact is one of my favorite classroom routines, and despite the initial resistance from students, the removal of cellphones is not only helpful but necessary. Students of this generation have grown up in the digital age. It has helped them learn how to navigate the digital space, however, it leads to many clashes in the classroom. While cellphones can be beneficial in the classroom, they can be incredibly distracting if they are not utilized in the proper way. I allow students to use the first three minutes of class to finish their business on their phone, then they are ordered to put their phones in their assigned pocket (pocket number is based on attendance list). What I have learned from this routine is that the removal of cellphones helps maximize their engagement as they do not have the distraction of cellphones.

To create a positive learning environment, every Monday I ask my students to celebrate anything positive that happened over the weekend. Not only does it give students a cheerful start to their Mondays, but it allows for students to showcase their personality, interests, and the opportunity to be storytellers. And while I take the time to ask my students about their weekends, they often ask me about my weekend and my adventures!

Using Google Classroom has been a wonderful experience as it is very user-friendly for both me as an administrator on the site as well as friendly for my students. I utilize much of Google’s tools such as Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and sometimes Forms. Much of the work in class is uploaded to Google Classroom so students can always keep up with activities, assignments, and announcements. Google Classroom has been great for essay writing as students can use Google Docs and turn in their essays via Google Assignment. Google Classroom is a productive learning tool, especially for students in the digital age.