Mailbox Idea

I think it is a neat idea to have this set up in a classroom. This picture is also from Pinterest. :) You guys should check this site out if you aren't already on it. You can find some many cool ideas on here.

My idea is to put these in the corner of the classroom. Five different colored holders, with the folders inside. Instead of the Monday through Friday labels, I would label them with letters of the alphabet for last names. Example: A-E,and so on til Z. Then the folders will each have the students names on them, in alphabetical order. In these folders, I can put their work for the day. Then as they come in they'll get their folder and go to their desk. This will make it easier to manage the classroom. I would not have to spend time passing out papers. The students will already have their work as soon as they sit down. I can also put missed work in these folders for students who have been absent. That way they won't have to waste time coming to me and finding all of their missed work. I think this will be a useful tool to utilize in class. I look forward to trying it out!

Seating

Okay, so I realize this is an elementary school classroom. I also see that this room has a lot more space than mine will probably have. However, I have always liked the idea of putting the desks in some kind of order like this. Like Ms. Padgett says, desks all in straight lines is just too uniform. It's stiff and boring, and the kids feel the same way! I want to arrange my classroom either in a big circle, or maybe a semi circle. Something that is out of the ordinary. I'm really excited about trying it out. I hope to see some good results!!

Starting the class off right(:

In high school, my favorite English teacher started class off each day with a journal entry. Sometimes it was free writing. Sometimes we wrote an entry about the book we were reading. & some days she had things written on the board, like correcting a sentence. I especially liked when she would write an inspirational quote on the board. They really made my day sometimes. She inspired me to do things like this in my classroom. It really makes for a good classroom discussion sometimes. Of course, I don't think I'll do this everyday in my class. I plan on utilizing many different forms of "bell ringers" to start off our day. This is just one I wanted to share with you all. Here are some inspirational quotes I could see myself using in my classroom:

 "Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


"Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve." Mary Kay Ash


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead


"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B. King

Classroom Management Idea

I found this on Pinterest, and I wanted to share it with you all! I like the idea of using tickets as a classroom management technique.

• Giving tickets for good/bad behavior. Students keep tickets in their money boxes (to be kept in classroom), and at the end of the week they can cash them in for rewards. (candy, pencils, paper)
• Use different colored tickets to sort students into groups.
• Selecting students for presentations.
• Give them out for participation points.
• Have random drawings for great prizes! (books, notebooks)

Teaching The Hunger Games

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of this trilogy. It's called The Hunger Games, and it's written by Suzanne Collins. This Young Adult Novel is all anyone can talk about here lately, what with a new movie hitting theatres soon. Teachers are teaching it in their classrooms, and the kids are loving it. The movie is getting a lot of buzz. The Hunger Games is the first book in a three part series, including Catching Fire and MockingJay.  It highlights the dangerous journey of Katniss Everdeen as she is thrown into a murderous game called, you guessed it, The Hunger Games. She fights her way to death and back in order to keep herself alive. You see, only one can win this deadly game, and Katniss must do everything she can to make sure she comes out victorious.

I recommend teaching the first book in the trilogy. Anyone more after that and it's overkill. Just let the kids read the rest of the series on their own if they so choose (which they will). I would teach this to grades 8-12. Here are some suggestions on how:

-Before reading, teach the kids what a dystopian society is. A dystopian society is defined by Webster's dictionary as "an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives". Have a classroom discusion on what the children think would make a society a fearful place to live in.

-I would invite my students to bring snacks with them to class, and let them bring blankets and pillows and let them sit on the floor. Then I would read to them. This would happen once or twice a week, depending on how much time I had planned for other activites.

-Have the kids write about what they would do if they were put into the position Katniss is, and explore the rest of the adventure.

-You could also have a class reaping, discuss questions, themes, and quotes, while having the students write in reading reponse journals. I also like the idea of putting the main character's names in a bowl, having students draw them out, and write from the perspective of the person.

*The main purpose of this reading activity is not for some big grade, but as you can see there are many activities you can do with your students in order to make sure they are learning.. An exercise like this should get kids interested in reading again. 

Goal: To have students begin reading for pure enjoyment again.

Teaching YAL

Let's face it. It's hard to get students to pick up a classic and actually read it. They simply aren't interested, and would much rather skim through the sparknotes. They aren't going to learn anything this way, which means you've just had a pointless lesson. Here are some pointers on how to incorporate Young Adult Literature in your classroom, with some of the struggles addressed!

• How am I supposed to obtain a classroom set of The Hunger Games? That's too expensive!

             Don't worry about buying a classroom set. Read aloud to your students. Set aside a certain amount of class time each day and simply read to them. They'll enjoy it and actually look forward to it. This will allow for greater class discussions, and it's something different which I love! You could also make a summer reading list of  young adult novels and let the kids choose what they want to read. They would be purchasing a book anyway, so why not make it a modern one? Then you'd have some pretty interesting back to school essays to read.

• Aren't these books below English standards for the classroom?

             Absolutely not! If you do your research and choose the right one, you'll find books filled with literary devices that you can incorporate in your lessons. The novels are filled with metaphors, similes, assimilation, theme, allegory, conflict, and so much more! More importantly, these books were actually written for teens so they are identifiable and will entice them.

• These books are only filled with bad things that students shouldn't be reading.

              Young Adult Novels are geared toward teenagers and include issues that they are facing in their own lives. This is what attracts young readers to them. They see themselves in the book and are able to learn life lessons.  Some of these books deal with things like sexuality, bullying, drugs, and unplanned pregnancy. Some may not be acceptable reading in the classroom. That is up to the teacher. Always read a book before assigning it to a class! Also, it's always a good idea to send home a letter to parents before reading a book, especially if there is questionable material in it. This is called a rationale. Have the parents sign and return it, then keep a copy.

             Remember that kids are facing most or all of these tough situations every day anyway. Reading about it in a safe environment like the classroom, where they have a chance to talk about it and maybe learn a thing or two, may not be such a bad thing. Certain factors, like grade level, will contribute to your decision.

Hopefully this will help in your own planning of teaching YAL. These are only a few suggestions, and aren't the only way to do things. Have fun,  get these kids interested in reading again!

Modern Novels

I took EH349 Lit for Young Adults a few semesters ago. This class was all about literature for young readers, like those that will be in our classrooms. It was my favorite class, and I learned that there are more books out there to choose from than The Scarlet Letter. There are novels filled with exciting new worlds and breathtaking adventures that will have even the most timid reader on the edge of her seat. These books are so relatable to students because the characters are the same age as them, and they are facing the same types of problems. The novels are also fast paced, which is what students today crave in order to be kept intrigued. I realize that it may be harder to teach these "new" kinds of books. It's a challenge to some because it is expensive to get a classroom set, especially when you have those To Kill A Mockbird's sitting over there on the shelf. Also, because these books are so modern, they may contain things that parents don't want their children reading. These are things like sex, drugs; you know.. the usual. However, it is possible to teach Young Adult Literature. One only has to take a few extra steps to ensure everything goes smoothly. Being a teacher is all about going above and beyond to make sure our kids are getting the most out of their schooling, and I'm certainly up for the challenge. In my next post I'll explore how to get around the struggles of teaching these novels, so stay tuned! Until then..