I want the main focus in my classroom to be improvement. Individual improvement as well as improvement as a whole. I've been thinking so much about the word "potential", that I've been missing the big picture. I cannot be concerned with potential because I believe there is NO WAY of knowing it. Because improvement is always possible. Besides, focusing on improving is dealing with the now and focusing on potential is thinking in a future sense (which is only good in small doses).
SO... I will attempt to create an environment focused on constant improvement. As players, as students... as human beings. :)
This brings me to my main topic: A Wall of Improvement - a visible representation of progress. :D It's borderline cheesy - and probably as cheesy as I'll get as a teacher - but I like it.
Here's how I think it will work:
I will have a box (or a slot... something, anyway) in the front of the room. Next to it will be slips of paper (preferably school colors).
Whenever a student has become aware of progress, he or she will write it down on one of the slips and put it in the box. (They can remain anonymous if they want to). An example might be that Johnny finally hit a G on his trombone - things like that.
I will have a set time to share the notes - probably one rehearsal a month or every two weeks. I'll just read them out loud. The students can clap or snap for each other. Then I'll tape the little notes on a wall. Not an entire wall, but a section of a wall. :)
Or maybe I'll just have sticky notes and they can post them on the wall and skip the whole box thing.
I think it will be something unique to our program. I can see it becoming a fun tradition in my classroom. If something AMAZING happens in a rehearsal, I can point to students and say "Go fill out a [blue] slip!"
I may do this every year. What will I do with the notes at the end of each year?...hmm...Maybe pile them all onto a poster board and have it laminated. :) And I can be selfish and take those posters wherever I go. They may end up in my office at a university some day.
That's enough planning for tonight. I don't need to have this completely figured out. I mean, I don't get to teach for another two years or so. :)
Your going to have students comparing their improvement to that of others and inherently feeling inferior if their improvement is not as significant as that of another member of the ensemble. This is why I personally feel that fostering intrinsic motivation is more beneficial than giving everyone public validation. If they become intrinsically motivated they will not need my validation, and I will not have to create a classroom where students inherently feel inferior.
ReplyDeleteThat is just my opinion. This wall thing is a nice idea, but for those who struggle more it may backfire, because some kids are cruel and would mock improvement they consider inferior.
I think I may have it be a strictly anonymous thing. Either way, I'm going to talk about it like it's the wall of the accomplishments we choose to recognize and share. I'll tell them that - if we were to write down all the improvements being made - we'd fill the wall every day. I know I will focus extra hard on creating a comfortable environment in which non of my students will feel inferior, but I think I can make this wall thing work. If I'm doing my job right, it won't cause problems and they will still develop inner motivations. I can't expect them to be fine without any validation from me, though. I need them to know I care about them and their progress. And I know very well that - whether or not they are practicing only for themselves - my approval and support will be needed. And if not needed, it will still help. I think you and I have the same basic goals, but different ways of achieving them (which makes sense because we are two totally different people).
ReplyDeleteThere's no problem with recognizing a student's progress, but I would do it in private. Even if it were anonymous, a child will know when it's his/her improvement being read. How will it affect them if members of the class scoff at it? (Anonymitiy would make it more likely because the kids won't know who they are hurting, making it easier to scoff)
DeleteBear in mind, I'm not telling you what you should do, but if you do it you need to have considered the potential for it to unwittingly year students down while attempting to build them up. Once you have a couple of education classes dealing with stuff like this you'll see what I mean.
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