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Before working at High Tech High, I taught at Stevenson PACT Elementary School, where my teaching partner and I focused on the Common Core State Standards for Listening and Speaking. In my current role, our grade-level team continues to use these standards to guide our work. Together with my students, I’ve developed clear expectations for all classroom activities, including class meetings, and you can find those guidelines here.
Each morning, I start the day by sharing something that makes me feel concerned and something that makes me feel excited. Then, I invite students to share their own highs and lows with a partner. We call this "emptying our cups," and it gives everyone a chance to share what’s on their mind so we can focus on learning during our time together. Afterward, I ask the class a reflection question that they can answer in front of everyone. These questions might be about their feelings, interests, plans, or past experiences. I begin the year with easy questions that help start conversations quickly, like "What is your favorite movie?" As the year goes on, I introduce more challenging questions that help students open up and build stronger relationships, such as "What is something that makes you feel scared?" Students always have the right to pass if they’re not interested, unsure, or uncomfortable with a question. Following the sharing activities, we have a class meeting that might include a number talk, questions, announcements, appreciations, and a discussion about the day’s agenda. I keep a record of these meetings to help students who were absent, as well as families and fellow educators, stay informed about what’s happening in our classroom. Each day, I set aside 10-15 minutes for a specific 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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