Classroom Chronicles
When Students can see their Progress
It was an ordinary Wednesday. After two days of meetings on the new curriculum, I wanted to see if it was having an impact on my students’ writing. I gave the students a reflection prompt, asking them if they saw a difference in their writing since we began the unit. My students wrote in near silence, pencils flying across their papers. Some looked through their binders, examining some of their work. Others chatted with a partner pointing out things in their binders. I watched waiting with anticipation.
Finally, the timer sounded. I directed all eyes on me. The students gave me their attention — for the most part. Some were still scribbling furiously in their binders. I took a poll. I asked, “How many of you feel that you’re writing has improved since the first lesson?” In a class of almost 25 students, nearly every hand shot in the air. I was ecstatic!
My next question would be the true test. I asked, “What do you feel that you still need to work on in your writing?” Again, hands went into the air. They weren’t as many as before, but some students did want to share. One girl said she wanted to concentrate more on what she wrote. A boy said he wanted to continue working on adding details in his sentence. Another girl said she wanted to continue to work on her spelling. As more students shared out their writing issues, more students raised their hands to join in. I was beyond shocked!
When teaching teens, you often have to deal with silence when it comes to discussing academic struggles. Teens are reluctant to share out their content issues in front of their friends and peers. They see it as a sign of being “dumb” and they fear they’ll be picked on by classmates. What I saw on Wednesday blew that fear out of the water.
Because my students were so forthcoming about their writing made me realize that I had created a classroom community. My classroom was an oasis for my students. It allowed them to be themselves and be willing to share their struggles in front of others. I was so pleased with what I saw and heard on that day. Not that I haven’t seen it before during my over fifteen years of teaching, but it’s usually few and far between.
After I thanked the class for sharing out, we continued with our work. Some students returned to their binders with a renewed focus. Their energy level was different. It was as if they realized that they weren’t alone with their writing struggles. And they saw it was ok to share those struggles. That’s how we can get our students to grow as readers and writers. They need to know that they’re in a space to be open about their work. And I’m happy that the space is my classroom.
