Motivation on Day one

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

     I have been teaching for over 20 years.  I still get butterflies and nervous before the first day.  It is still a bit scary...I still feel like I just do not have it "right".

     We had a whole day of meetings last Friday.  I was tired at the end.  Julie Haverkos, our department chair, presented a little session on "Motivation".  It is base on the work by Kathleen Cushman ( check out https://nextgenpress.creatavist.com/story/524#/    and http://www.whatkidscando.org/featurestories/2013/01_how_youth_learn/ ).  Kathleen talked to a ton of kids about what motivates them and she came up with 8 basic ideas.  The interesting thing is that if I apply these to my own life, stuff that motivates me, it makes perfect sense.  Then Julie had us go through something in which we felt kids were a bit bored and we would want to motivate them.  Here are the eight ideas from Cushman's work.

1.  Feel O.K.  (Am I tired, distracted, upset?)
2.  It matters.  (When will I use this?)
3.  It is ACTIVE (Can I DO something with it?)

4.  Challenge (Is it hard but not too hard for me to succeed?)
5.  Coach (Is there someone there to help?)
6.  Use it or lose it.  (Can I practice it?)

7.  I think back on it. (Review)
8.  Plan next steps.

     I got to thinking.  The " problem of the days" (questions I start the class with) are great but sometimes kids do not take them as seriously as I want them to.  What could I do to motivate kids to do these?  I am going to start with the "burning water" demo and light something on fire that is hard to put out.  This will tie into the definition of chemistry.  They will have to get up and work in groups to solve the problem and we will constantly refer to the principles of combustion.  I hope that it will be a challenge.  You cannot put out burning water by adding more water...and we will use this demo in the future.  Hopefully if they are motivated I can try the same recipe each day.

     Another idea I have is the "question" of "clear" exit ticket.  I will provide each student with a post it note.  They must put down one thing in class that they are "clear" about or ask one "question" and turn in the post it note to get out of the class.  We will see what happens.....I hope it will be a fun and exciting year.

Ready or Not....

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

Ready or not...here they come.  As I face a new school year it also comes with a new closet full of anxieties...new teacher evaluations, bring your own device...working on inquiry..

     The bottom line is this...every day I have to try and create an educational moment for the students.  In trying to be an "inquiry" teacher. The idea is that students should learn science in kind of the same way in which it is done.  In the middle of the storm...focus on the students.

     So here is the plan...make the first day the most important day of the year.  The last thing that I want to do is to give the students tons of paperwork to fill out.  I also want to be able to set their mind at ease about the class and myself.  Here is my plan for the first day for academic and accelerated chemistry.
     First, I want to make sure they are in the right place and have instructions on the board about where they will sit and the information they are going to fill out on a card they will give me about themselves.  I want them to know that every day they come in that they need to start the "Problem of the Day".  The expectation is that each day we come in and start work.  Second, I am going to do the Flinn experiment with the 5 glasses of clear fluid that I turn into a rainbow.  I will be able to ask them about predictions and hypothesis and questions.  It will be a mini formative assessment.

     After this I plan on having the homework as a online assignment where they will get to know the procedures of the class.  Academic will start in on observations and conclusions and measuring.  We will probably do the candle lab and start with that in Accelerated as well.  In accelerated I will go into classification of matter, chemical reactions and then do the lab with copper(II) chloride and aluminum.  I certainly will use the flinn activity with this...and above all...probably have to stay flexible.  I will keep you posted.