Motivating Middle School Students (MMSS Blog) Part 1

This school year has started off quite well as far as motivating my students.

Motivation #1: Conference With My Students.  I have begun conferencing with each student during silent reading time at the beginning of the class. During this time, I listen to them read, ask them questions about the book that they are reading and show them how to actively read and keep notes. The students are writing a letter to me each week about what they are reading. I make notes of things that I can discuss with each student to help fill in some of the gaps that they have. For example, one student used the wrong form of "their" in a sentence in her letter. I used our conference time to explain "their, there and they're." I showed her a few examples and she got it. After our meeting, she thanked me for helping her to understand the differences. Not only was she motivated, so was I.

Motivation #2: Use the Nook E-readers. Last spring I wrote a Donor's Choose proposal to get a Nook Color to use in my class. I also asked my PTA to assist in funding the project on Donor's Choose. Well the PTA at my school is so wonderful they gave me $300.00 toward going and buying either a Nook or a Kindle Fire. It was Mother's Day weekend and there was a sale on the Nooks at Barnes and Noble. I went and purchased two Nooks to use in my classroom. Then in June my Donor's Choose project was funded and now I have three Nooks to use. They are so motivating to the students. They are all being used on a daily basis. The kids want me to start a list of who gets to use them next.

Motivation #3: Respect Reward Tickets. This week I started to give out a Respect Reward ticket.  Students receive the Respect Reward ticket when they are doing their best and showing respect to their classmates, teachers or themselves. Each month I will pick a winner that will be given 20 minutes to use the Nook to play a game. I have games like Boggle and Scrabble on the nook so it will be educational (Shhh don't tell my students!)

Well that is all for today! Next week I have a few more motivational ideas that I will share.

What kinds of things are you doing to motivate the middle school students that you work with?


Till Next Time!

Great First week with Whole Brain Teaching!

"This is the best class I have ever had!" 

" Wow, That was a fun class!"

" My class was awesome!"

These were the comments I heard this week as I dismissed students from my classroom. This has been the best week ever. It all started with being in a flash mob at the superintendents convocation meeting.

I am in the green on the end.

Then, I used several new (to me) Whole Brain Teaching techniques. The kids loved, loved, loved, them and that is saying alot for middle school students. Whole Brain Teaching actually put smiles on the faces of my students.

First, I taught the students how to stop what they are doing and answer " Yes" when I say "Class."

Next, we learned the class rules and the motions. I showed them how to teach each other and all about the scoreboard. I was amazed at how into it they were. 

Well one week later my grade six students are loving it and very enthusiastic. My grade eight students are okay with it. They take more convincing. We played Basketball Trivia which is my version of Mind Soccer. So I am hoping that will help motivate them to increase their participation. 

Also, another highlight is the 40 book reading goal. I already have five students that have completed reading their first book. this has motivated others. 

So I am off to a great year.
Deane
P.S. Check out the new MMSS Blog Store!

How is your year going so far? What new things have you tried?  

Summer Planning

Hi everyone. It has beeen a long time since I have posted. I took July off from all things children. I also gave up teaching my Sunday School children (grades 3 and 4) for the whole month. I didn't work my second job as an extended day teacher and coordinator for the whole month. Well now I am back and really excited to start thinking about September and the up coming months.

 I am so excited to report that I read a really great book this summer called The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller It is amazing and a must read for every reading teacher. So many of the points were really valid. Often we teach skills, skills, skills and don't get around to letting the students practice nearly enough. I am adopting many of the concepts from this book. I look forward to turning the tide of my non-readers to help them see value in reading.

Book Whisperer  Click the book to check it out. 

I am hoping to kick the year off by setting high expectations and motivating my students to read. I am going to be giving my students a goal of 40 books and plenty of time to read. I will update you from time to time. with how this is going. This summer several of my summer student have read 10 books give a good amount of time to be able to read.

 I  have been writing down reasons that I want students to read. I have been doing this because with middle school students, I need to have my answers to their questions right on the tip of my tongue. If I fumble an answer they have an escape route. An escape from reading. I want to motivate these tweens so quick reasonable answers to their whining is just the answer. Always make it about them!. The Book Whisperer  is the first book that helped me to put into perspective that reasons that I want my students to read. 

I want them to build background knowledge that will help them with life situations. I want them to find information from books that help them become better people. I want them to find out about places and people that they will never see or meet. And much more.... Please check out The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller.



So what have you been reading this summer?