Prior to working for High Tech High, I taught at Stevenson PACT Elementary School, where my teaching partner and I taught to the Common Core State Standards for Listening and Speaking. In my current position, our grade-level team continues to use those standards to inform our work. With my students, I have developed success criteria for all classroom practices, including class meetings, and it is available here.
Each morning, I share something that makes me feel concerned and something that makes me feel excited before asking students to discuss to share their own highs and lows with a partner. This is called, "emptying our cups," and it is designed to provide space for everyone to share their most pressing concerns so that we can focus on school during our time together. I then ask students a reflection question to which they can respond in front of the entire class. These questions may rate to their emotions, interests, plans, or past experiences. Early on, I distinguish between low-stakes, medium-stakes, and high-stakes questions and begin the year by asking questions that will be easier to answer and generate conversation quickly (What is your favorite movie?) before gradually introducing questions that are harder to answer but also lend themselves to humanizing those who are willing to make themselves vulnerable and buidling stronger relationships (What is something that makes you feel scared?). In accordance with our classroom norms, students always have the right to pass if they are disinterested, unsure, or uncomfortable with the question. Immediately after the sharing activities, we have a meeting that might include a number talk, questions, announcements, appreciations, and a discussion about the day's agenda. I keep a record of those meetings to help keep absent students, families, friends, classrooms, and educators informed about our classroom happenings. Most recently, I have allocated 10-15 minutes each day to a different weekly agenda item.
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Second GradeComprehension and Collaboration
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Third GradeComprehension and Collaboration
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Fourth GradeComprehension and Collaboration
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