September PD - Building Relationships - Isner

This month's readings and discussions really resonated with me because I feel that building relationships with my students is one thing that I am pretty good at doing within my classroom.  I enjoy talking with the kids about their sports or activities outside of school and will often try to go see them play in a game.  I feel that it is important for the students to know that you care about them as more than "just another kid in class" and that if they feel the love and respect that you have for them, then they are likely to do better (behavior and academically) in your class.

Some things that I enjoy doing to build up the culture of collaboration in my classroom is to start off the year with a non science related team challenge.  Over the years, I've had my students play Survivor and have to build shelters and boats out of limited resources.  I've had my students work through the plastic cup and rubber band challenge.  This year I had students build the tallest tower out of spaghetti noodles, string, and a marshmallow.  Anything to get them creatively thinking and working together since those are both big parts of being a good science student.  I think this year I am going to try to incorporate more of these quick critical thinking activities when I see that they might be becoming complacent.

One other change that I am trying to do this year is to do "good things" during each of my classes.  I'm trying to do it on Thursdays and Fridays so that the students are getting this same activity everyday in all of their classes.