Distance Learning Restorative Circles

Distance Learning Restorative Circles

The best part of teaching first grade is the last trimester.  My students finally “get it."  They laugh at my jokes, they interact together, and they’re learning.  It’s a magical time and my favorite time to be a #firstgradeteacher. 

And suddenly, here comes 2020 and a worldwide pandemic.  Now we are distance teaching, and I MISS MY KIDS.  I miss their laughs, I miss their smiles, and I miss seeing their academic growth.  Yes, I can do distance learning, Dojo them all, and hold Zoom meetings, but it’s just not the same!

So if I’m feeling this way, I can imagine that my students are also going through a myriad of emotions right now.  How can I help my students (and myself) navigate through this challenging time?  It’s time for a Restorative Circle.  The difference is that we will be doing this circle in a Zoom meeting instead of face to face, and our “circle” will become a “grid” of all the students’ faces.

According to the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP),  “a circle is a versatile restorative practice that can be used proactively, to develop relationships and build community or reactively, to respond to wrongdoing, conflicts and problems. Circles give people an opportunity to speak and listen to one another in an atmosphere of safety, decorum, and equality.”  

While a Circle has many benefits, I used my recent Circle for healing, support, and relationship development.  Specifically, I wanted to hear how my students were feeling and let them know they are not alone in their feelings, and that I am here to support them. 

Here's how I held my Long Distance Restorative Circe:  The first thing I did was set up a Zoom meeting and time, and sent out invitations.  I made sure all my students were muted upon entering so that I could go over the rules for our Distance Circle.  The same rules apply as in the classroom:

*only one person speaks at a time, everyone else listens

*we speak sequentially so that each child has a chance to share

*any child can pass if they do not wish to share, but at the end, I always go back to that child to offer them another opportunity to share once everyone else has expressed their feelings/opinions

*we always respect each other and our feelings/opinions

Since we consistently hold these meetings in the classroom, my students were familiar with my expectations.  Still, I felt it necessary to go over the rules again since this was a completely different learning environment. 


Once I had gone over my expectations, I explained that I would unmute one student at a time to answer the question "How are you feeling about distance learning and what are you doing at home?"  I also told them they could ask any questions of me they wanted. I also reminded my students that everyone on our Zoom could hear them, so if they had anything they wanted to share privately, they needed to Dojo me separate.  As I initiated this process, I was amazed to see that my students were nervous about speaking. They spoke quietly and did not have much to say.  My class usually is very open and honest about their feelings, and we have developed a close relationship where every student feels valued and free to speak their mind.  I realized this was a manifestation of their feelings of nervousness and insecurity about this new learning environment.  SO, I decided to run through the Circle TWICE!  The second time, it was evident that they began to feel more comfortable, and they talked and shared more.  In fact, no one passed.  The students were extremely attentive, even with all the background noises in some of the households.  Their feelings were clear, and they were full of stories and questions!

It was evident that they needed this!  Look at this picture and notice those happy faces!!  By the end of our Circle, we were all sharing stories and sharing our pets on Zoom (my puppy included). The kids were smiling, laughing, and happy.  The question I was asked the most was, “When can I go back to school?”  It broke my heart, but at the same time, it gave me hope that they were looking forward to going back to school. You’ll notice I only have 11 students on my Zoom. While this was disappointing, I learned that two of the students who didn’t attend had technical difficulties, and four more had parents who had to work at our designated Zoom time.  As for the last three students, I am having trouble connecting with them, despite all my efforts.  I will continue to try and reach out to them daily and hopefully, they will attend our next Zoom session.


I developed this wonderful relationship with my students this year, and it’s not time to let that go.  The Circle helped us connect and let the kids express their emotions in a safe environment.  It was easy, and it was fun.  I got a little bit of “my favorite time of the year to teach” back.  Not all of it, but it will have to do for now.  


Why not try a Distance Restorative Circle with your class?  If you would like to read more about circles, click here:

https://www.iirp.edu/defining-restorative/5-2-circles


I promise you will feel better if you do, and so will your students!

Teaching at a Distance,
Roni Weink

Forever in the Middle: Student Input

When planning for my classroom I know I will need specific structures and routines to keep my own systems running effectively. However, for the routines and systems that I feel students can help with I like to allow them opportunities for feedback.


Seating
I change my seating assignments (and sometimes arrangement) at the beginning of each month. At this point, the students know the routine and are eager for the change at the beginning of the month. Last time I changed the seating, I had a few students who happened to come by on the last day of the month and were talking about the layout. I said, "Do you want to change it?" and they eagerly got to work! After that, they assigned all new seats for each of the classes. I know it's sometimes hard to release control over that, but honestly the students have known each other now for so many years and they know what will work and what won't work so why not?

The students surprised me by asking NOT
to sit in groups facing each other.
They said they get too distracted.
They decided this arrangement would help them to work
collaboratively but stay more focused. I agree so far!

Other alternatives
1. Assign a small team of students to the task of new seat assignments by providing a blank seating chart and class roster. They can finish it usually in under ten minutes.
2.  Allow students to vote on a new classroom arrangement when given four choices. Majority wins!
3. Ask for volunteers to stay after school or come in at lunch to help assign or rearrange the classroom

The students know their peers best and honestly they do not want a chaotic classroom. They will make good choices when given an opportunity when they know they have an adult's trust.

Instruction 

Giving students a quick opportunity to provide feedback
on their learning can supply data to help improve your
own future instruction. This survey was given at the end of
the year and gave me important information in planning
for the current school year. 

This takes a little bravery on your part, but really can be eye opening. We are in this for the students so really it is their opinion that matters most and we all know they will be, sometimes brutally, honest! An easy way to do this is to create a quick Google Form that they can complete. This gives you immediate results in a user-friendly format.

Possible Questions
1. What do you like most about this class?
2. What is most difficult for you in class?
3. What activities/lessons have we done that helped you feel successful in class?
4. What was the most interesting part of the last unit?
5. What should the teacher stop/start/continue doing?

The most important part of this process is to immediately take action based off the data gathered from the feedback. The last feedback form I gave my students had to do with our routines and with that data, I was able to use student suggestions such as "having a group captain like in Elementary school" to enhance my current routines.

Sometimes it is hard to let go of control over some of our structure, but the rewards of allowing student input are far greater. Students feel validated and that alone helps create an atmosphere of mutual respect within the classroom and strengthens student and teacher relationships. Try it out and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Keep the magic alive,

Kandyce Valverde

Follow my class on Twitter! @valverderules

Greet Me Please

Greet Me Please

One thing that I love about my job is that no matter how my morning starts at home (spilled coffee) or on the way to school (terrible traffic) or in the school building before students arrive (copier is broken), when my students arrive it feels like it's the start of something new and positive.  My hope for my students is that they feel that same sense of a fresh start when they walk into my class each morning. One way I've helped build this feeling is to implement a special morning greeting.  

Why not start each day with a greeting at the door?  

Mornings in the classroom can be chaotic at times. There are days it feels like quite an accomplishment to get attendance taken.  So then why would I propose adding one more thing to your busy morning? Because it's a simple thing that can have a tremendously positive impact on the rest of the day for you and your students.  A personal morning greeting begins the day in a positive way. I love the smiles that appear when students get to choose a greeting that allows their individual personality to shine through. It also serves as a chance to renew a day that may have started off rough. A welcome allows every student the opportunity to feel warmth and respect, maybe for the first time that day. Morning greetings are also an excellent way to create strong bonds with your students. They allow students to feel individually noticed by you. Giving every child a sense of belonging is key to ensuring they feel safe and are ready to learn.  

How can we start our mornings with a greeting?

Though the start of the year is probably ideal, I believe morning greetings can be put into effect at any point throughout the year, as long as it is introduced and made into a daily routine so that your students will embrace it with open arms.

1. Create a variety of morning greeting options for students to choose from.
2. Hang the greetings on the door and change them weekly.
3. Every morning open the door and have students choose what greeting they want by pointing to it.  
4. Greet students with that greeting.
5. Watch them smile!

After I teach the teacher-student morning greeting, I then introduce procedures on how students can greet each other each morning. As with all new classroom routines, it takes time to learn.  I consistently model and practice many times over before I expect students to automatically do it each morning. Just as with the teacher greeting, I give students a choice of partner greetings.  

We then practice proper ways to greet a friend.  The kids practice each morning until it becomes part of their morning routine.  Here is the list I give to students:

1. Stand up tall.
2. Make eye contact and smile.
3. Use a clear, friendly voice.
4. Use friendly body language.
5. Be safe.
6. Wait for your turn.
7. Listen while others greet you.

I hope the smiles on my students' faces will motivate you to try morning greetings with your class. It's a fun and straightforward routine that sets a positive mood for the rest of the day. It has the ability to brighten days, deepen relationships, and build our students' confidence and communication skills. That seems like a whole lot of good for one routine!

 Positively Teaching,  

Randi Muehlen

Forever in the Middle: Building Classroom Community

Building a Classroom Community

Welcome back to school, teachers!  One of the things I work hard to build and maintain in my classroom is a safe community environment where students feel welcome.  Creating a classroom that feels like a community only takes a few quick and easy steps.

Step 1:  Create a welcoming environment
Teachers are pros at decorating but setting up a welcoming environment really means nothing more than creating an organized and clean space with a few decorative details.  It's not necessary to go over the top with decorating.  If you walk into your own classroom and are able to feel more relaxed or happy, then you've accomplished this first step.

Step 2: Show your students you enjoy their company
I know the old mantra is "don't smile until Christmas," but I never was any good at following that. Having fun with the kids and being cheerful has always worked out better for me.  One new approach I tried out this year and am really enjoying is my Roll Call Question.  Each day, students have a question they are asked such as, "what is your favorite color?" or  "would you rather live without music or TV?" The possibilities are really endless with these.  Then I use my equity cards to call each student and instead of responding with "here," they answer the question. It takes less than 90 seconds each period and students get to know each other a little more as a bonus.

Now, three weeks into the school year, they look forward to the question and I've even had kids suggest the next day's question.  I've been extremely impressed with what effect this has had on the classroom community and it's always fun to see what they say to some of our crazy questions like, "is cereal soup?"

Step 3: Teach classroom structures
We all know that kids crave structure and usually do better in environments where they know what to expect.  This is why teaching classroom structures is a great way to build community.  Some structures to teach are: entering and exiting the classroom, passing out or handing in assignments, moving around the classroom, restroom and drinking fountain procedures, and student versus teacher areas.  Once these have been mastered, give your students jobs within the class to help things run smoothly. Sharing the responsibilities gives them a purpose within the group.

Other ways I build community:

This year I am exploring using flexible seating and I have seen great success with my students. The freedom to "choose where you learn best" allows my students to really take charge of their own success and learn how to make good choices in where they sit and who they sit with. Also, they get to feel more grownup as they see that I trust them to make these choices.

Another feature of my classroom is our class pet, Claire.  She is a two month old bearded dragon and the students love having her in the room. As she gets older and larger, she will be able to be out more as I teach but for now she is in her cage most of the time. Since she is growing and will be nearly full grown by the end of the school year, we even do a weekly measurement of her length to see how much she has grown.  She also has an Instagram account (@foxywaterclaire) because every class pet needs an Instagram, right?

Whatever approach you take to build your classroom community, the most important thing is to make sure that however you do it, make it genuine.  Kids are extremely perceptive and appreciate honesty as well as respect.

Until next time, keep the magic alive.

Kandyce Valverde

Let me know how you build relationships and community in your classroom in the comments below!

Follow what my class is up to on my teacher Twitter @valverderules

So the writing journey begins...

The start of a new school year is always exciting.  Teachers return with a fresh mindset determined to

change or adjust instruction from last year....and....so the journey begins.  Last year, I focused my Spotlight blog entries in writing after participating at the Invitational Summer Institute sponsored through the Inland Writing Project.

As I implemented many new writing strategies into my classroom instruction, I felt that I needed to dig deeper in certain writing aspects and this is where a new year, a new journey, begins.  This year I will be focusing on explicitly teaching and practicing the 6 Traits of Writing more thoroughly.

The 6 Traits of Writing includes the following: ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.  This month I am focusing on ideas.

Last week our class started a narrative story.  I had collected some super cool Writing Traits items like my Scholastic kit: The Trait Crate which includes mentor text to help frontload the six traits along with posters and a reference book.  I also had a Traits of Writing big book which someone had left in our community "grab-n-go" table of our staff lounge...(this was a treasure of a find!).

I explained to the class how writers sometimes struggle with not only coming up with ideas to write about but supporting details in order to expand on those ideas.  So here were two days worth of activities in a nutshell:

1.  Think of your comprehension skill of the week.  Ours was Problem/Solution.  Try to align this skill with a student-produced narrative essay.

2.  Provide students the "problem" of their narrative piece.  I gave my students the sentence "Suddenly, I heard the dark clouds roar like _____ and it began to rain cats and dogs!"  I left the line blank in order to review similes.  Students decide independently to write their own simile.  I also included an idiom as this was the vocabulary strategy of the week in our Wonders reading program.

3.  Students fold their graphic
organizer into six sections and draw borders using a sharpie.  They label the first two boxes "B," the next two "M," and the last two boxes "E."  These will be their beginning, middle, and end sections of their stories.

4.  I then proceeded to ask the class to think about something that may happen in real life that could be ruined by a sudden storm.  They came up with a lot of interesting ideas for their beginning event.  The problem would be the actual rain storm.  On the back of their graphic organizer, they selected their event and then proceeded to think about main characters, supporting characters and any details that they could possibly include in their stories.

5.  Next we proceeded to share these ideas for their stories with partners.  Students

gave each other feedback and encouragement to keep writing.

6.  I then allowed them two draw their panels with as much details as possible.  They could color their panels as well.

7.  They also received post-its and place the post-its on the panels in which they wanted dialogue.  They quickly "scripted" some dialogue on their post-its since this is part of the narrative writing standards for fourth graders.










8.  Now they are ready to write their first draft. After spending two days of sharing ideas, I feel they will have much more to write about during their first draft.

Happy Writing!
Gus Macuil

Building Relationships With Students

Classbuilding and Teambuilding

Why do teachers who do more Teambuilding and Classbuilding obtain higher academic scores? Teambuilding and Classbuillding  create relaxed alertness, the ideal state for learning. When students meet their needs for security and belonging, they are free to engage in higher-level learning. Disruptions and discipline problems decrease, speeding up student learning. When students feel safe, known, respected, and appreciated they enjoy school more, like their teacher more, and are more prepared to learn and work hard."  -Dr. Kagan

Starting off the year on the right foot by building relationships with your students will help your entire school year to run smoothly and successfully. I can personally attest to this, as I have had a number of students over the past few years, who I saw HUGE amounts of growth in their academics, once I had built relationships and made connections with them.  Once they knew that I was truly rooting for them and cared about them and their well-being, it gave them an extra motivation to work hard. I had a student last year who came into my class struggling, he was a bit of a disaster, struggled with behavior and academics.  After spending a great deal of time connecting with him and building relationships class-wide, by the end of the year he was one my best and MOST FAVORITE students! He excelled with growth both academically and behaviorally and said to me one day, "Miss Brown do you know why I always try my hardest now? because I know you really care about us and you really want what's best for us." It was VERY eye-opening and warmed my heart.  It's a very rewarding feeling.  Building relationships with your students truly benefits both the students and YOU as the teacher!

"When teachers are able to take the time to build a stronger relationship with their students, it's possible to create a stronger understanding of what individual students need to achieve higher levels of growth. By doing this, teachers can adapt their classroom activities to better meet the needs of students"  -Kirby Hall

Building relationships with students is a very simple way to implement behavior management in your classroom.  The closer of a bond you build with your students, the less likely they are to have behavior disruptions within your classroom. ADDITIONALLY, this also leads to students academic success.  It's  win-win!

Here's how you can get started:

 1) Start by utilizing team building structures on a daily basis the first few weeks of school.  Kagan defines these as a non-academic activity that promotes positive social interaction between small groups (table groups) in effort to get students to learn about and feel comfortable with one another. Here are some great Kagan structures that I used to support team building the first few weeks of school:

• Me Bag- Students are given a paper lunch bag and asked to take it home, fill it with a designated number of items that represent them, and bring it back to  share with their teams.
• Team Word Finder- Similar to the game Boggle, teams are given one paper that has a square grid of letters on it, they have to work together as a team to create words.  The longer the word the more points that word gets.  You can do team celebrations once the activity is finished.
• Sentence Builder- Very similar to the activity above except in this  one, students are provided with pre-cut words and have to work together as a team to build as many sentences as they can.
• Would you Rather... Kids love this! They're given a list of 2 scenarios (both kind of silly) students take turns going around the table (Round Robin) stating which they would rather do and why.     
• Team Cheers-  Have teams/table groups create a team cheer once they've had an ample amount of time to get to know each other and feel comfortable.                        

2)Classbuilding: Kagan defines Classbuilding as a structure that provides mutual support among all of the students in a class, and creates a positive context for learning.  It is important that students see themselves as part of a larger group- the class- and not just as members of one small team.  A couple of ways that I have done this within the first few weeks of school:

• Find a Friend Scavenger Hunt: A sheet is provided to each student that has a number of categories (ie favorite sport, favorite food, etc).  Students fill in their own answers and then mix around the room until they have found a friend who shares their same answers.
• Mix-Pair-Share: This structure can be used with ANY "getting to know you" type of question, have students mix around the room, pair up with a partner whose not from their table, and share their answer to the question you provided them. They can Mix and share multiples times for the same question thus, allowing them to converse with many different partners in the room.
• "Taco Bout it" Cards- Students are provided with cards to ask questions they have about the teacher, their classmates, their classroom, and the school year- they then put each question card in the corresponding bag and the teacher will pull them out one at a time, read and answer the questions, inciting discussion as it pertains.
• Community Circles: In short, this is a structure which helps teach students to communicate and share feelings in a classroom setting.  Students are to stand or sit in a whole group circle.  The teacher gives them a prompt or sentence starter where students then go around the circle (passing an object to signify their turn) and share their thoughts/feelings.  This is only done successfully when you have instilled that sense of community and safety to share among others. You want to start out with fun or simple prompts- perhaps they are only sharing a one-word answer, and then can slowly move into more complex topics.

 

Just remember that both Classbuilding and Teambuilding activites are to be non-academic and promote positive social interactions between the teacher and students.  It's NEVER too late to get started!!!

Collaboratively Learning,

Megan Brown

megan.brown@omsd.net