As a teacher, we always have expectations for our students. The problem is, relaying those expectations to our students in a way that they will sink in for them. When I was in the classroom I was able to reinforce those expectations daily with my students to make sure that they understood them and were able to live up to them. With Tech Club, I have students from several different classes and different grade levels. It is a whole new world of trying to portray those expectations to my students.
This is the first week that the students have had their new books and already my expectations are not what I am getting in return. The first student I talked to today about Tech Club said he had not finished the reading for the week. Then the second student I saw had the same response. You can imagine I was not happy to hear that the students had not finished their reading, but I did not let them see that. When I was a kid, and even to this day, I struggled to make sure I had finished my reading on time or have my homework done. I did not always enjoy reading, so I understand what my students are going through. I have to try and relate to them and help them want to finish the reading on their own, with out me being the one to tell them.
This is the first week that the students have had their new books and already my expectations are not what I am getting in return. The first student I talked to today about Tech Club said he had not finished the reading for the week. Then the second student I saw had the same response. You can imagine I was not happy to hear that the students had not finished their reading, but I did not let them see that. When I was a kid, and even to this day, I struggled to make sure I had finished my reading on time or have my homework done. I did not always enjoy reading, so I understand what my students are going through. I have to try and relate to them and help them want to finish the reading on their own, with out me being the one to tell them.
I did not always enjoy reading, so I understand what my students are going through.
Then, as the kids were coming in to Tech Club, I had a couple students tell me that they had already finished the book! Now there's a couple ways I can look at this. I can be thrilled that they were so into the book that they just couldn't put it down! Or I could be mad that they did not follow the directions I gave them and only ready the first 4 chapters. In the same way, I had to think of a way to make sure they did not ruin the book for the students, but also not ruin their love of reading!
As we discussed the book before they started to blog, I made sure to remind the student who had read the whole book to not ruin it for the others. And the students who had not finished their reading, I had to encourage them to finish their reading along with writing their blog for the week.
After seeing the two extremes that my students came to class with just after one week, I will just have to see what happens for next week!
As we discussed the book before they started to blog, I made sure to remind the student who had read the whole book to not ruin it for the others. And the students who had not finished their reading, I had to encourage them to finish their reading along with writing their blog for the week.
After seeing the two extremes that my students came to class with just after one week, I will just have to see what happens for next week!
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