Honestly, I am a go with the flow type of teacher. I have an outline or big picture of what I want to get done when working with my students but I don't mind going off on tangents--the teachable moment. Most of my students are low on vocabulary so I spend a lot of time talking about different words and finding ways to make it more concrete. For example, one of my students was talking about going to the doctor and the thing that goes around the arm and squeezes. I gave him the word--blood pressure cuff. He then asked about what it was for and what was blood pressure. Talk about trying to explain it at a second grade level! Drawing pictures helped. But wow! Now he knows what that is even though it had nothing to do with what I wanted to teach but it was important to him. I think understanding that lessons won't always go like you planned and being ok with it is what immersion is all about. You're in the moment, doing what needs to be done for the benefit of the child.
I agree that we should try to teach students things that they are interested in. I also find it important to take the time to dig deeper with vocabulary. I like the idea of drawing pictures.
There is a time when teaching should be somewhat student led. I like my kiddos to take an interest in what they are learning and ask questions that pertain to what we are discussing. That shows me that the kiddos are thinking and processing and trying to put things together to make sense of it. These kids that are asking questions and are able to have a discussion tells me that they are interested in what we are layering. It helps me to be immersed in whatever we are doing when they are showing interest and asking questions.
I go off into a tangent all the time when I'm teaching. Somedays I should not do that just because of the confusion that my students might experience when I go into a different direction. usually what I will do then is go off into that tangent briefly and get back on track and teach deeper into that tangent the next day to try and and reinforce the skill that they will need from that.
I'm totally with you about teachable moments. I find myself doing that all the time. Sometimes the lesson I have planned has absolutely nothing to do with what I get taught in a day. Our kiddos need to feel comfortable asking questions and then getting the explanation that they need to understand. I find that those are the best days! :)
It is important to take those teachable moments because sometimes kids the wrong information and have no clue what the real meaning of words or situations really mean
Heather- I like the idea of drawing pictures, too. I have a reg ed teacher who does a good job of incorporating art for our students on both the low and high ends. For our lower kiddos, he has them draw a picture to explain how they understand a concept because usually that's easier for them than writing it. For our higher kiddos, especially if they're into art, he has them do an additional project (painting, drawing, however they want to express themselves) that incorporates the topics they've covered.
Today, in one of my Language Arts Lab classes, we read the essay, "The Story of My Body," in which the author tells about her first experience with racism as a young immigrant. I had my students read the essay straight through silently on their own Tuesday. Today, I had them sit back and listen while I read it to them. I wanted them to be fully immersed as I read the essay as dramatically as I possibly could. I wanted them to see and feel every word. I watched as my students literally cringed and leaned back in their chairs in disgust at the author's words. Then we re-read the passage together, stopping to discuss and respond throughout the powerful story. The focus of my lesson today was re-reading as a comprehension strategy, but immersion is what brought that lesson to life.
Whenever possible, I like to show my students what I'm teaching, rather than just telling. I can tell them all day long what sounds letters make. It means nothing to them until I show them how they can use those sounds to decode unfamiliar words. I watched one on my students trying to figure out the word 'brushes' yesterday. He didn't know I was watching, but I was. My heart soared as I watched his mouth silently working out each phoneme and then heard him correctly say the word. That is immersion!
What a great activity for the story! It's great to hear how someone else reads a story as it may be different then how we read it and may get more out of it!
I know there is a statistic out there somewhere that talks about how much a student learns by auditory means only. The percentage increase when a second mode is used, like visual or actively. It also helps interest levels when we connect it to something we will actually use the information for.
I love it when the lightbulbs go off and when the students use the skills we have taught them independently.
I believe I use immersion a great deal in my class. When I am teaching reading, I love to see what I can find that pulls the kids into the reading and experience what they are learning. I love to use technology and then bring in concrete things that they can touch and be involved with the lesson.
Another thing I try to do with my students for immersion is to actively involve myself in their work. I don't like to just give an assignment. I am 100% engaged with them as they are with me. We are working problems out together and involved in dialogue that keeps them hopping.
I like the idea of bringing artifacts in about things you are reading with the class. I also like the idea of tying in technology with reading; kids love to learn this way. I agree that it is important to solve a problem with a student rather than for them.
I think teaching and learning new concepts are better ingrained when the teacher is involved and the children know you care. Not only are you pushing them to problem solve or do a skill on their own, but you are there to assist as needed.
There's nothing I love more than seeing a teacher sitting right there with her kids while they are working. There is nothing better than immediate corrections and feedback!
I can totally be immersed when discussing books with students. When we’re reading a book together, and I have read and prepared questions, we can get into some pretty deep and thought-provoking discussions. I love getting into history material with students. When students get involved in projects and dig deep, making connections with other events they’ve already studied or their own life experiences, I feel like I’m immersed in the project with them.
Jessica, I like to read, but often don't take time for leisure reading. When students are reading books, I make sure to read the book - it give us something in common to visit about and build a rapport.
I am currently reading 3 books with different students. Kids love to discuss and give their opinions and I love to read and it stretches my brain as well as theirs. We do a lot with the characters, and may even see a video on the book if available to compare and contrast.
I too, enjoy digging deeper on some of the projects, I have helped the students with. I hope that by doing so, I'm modeling how to find information and even learn interesting facts.
Two things that I can do to be truly immersed in my classroom is to slow down and dig deeper. I feel like as teachers today we have an endless checklist of things that we need to get done with these students. By doing things quickly to just get them off the list is not always the best answer. Slowing down and digging deeper allows our students to better understand what they are learning and at a higher level. It is important to slow down to make sure students have concepts mastered before moving on; rather than putting it on the next years teachers to do list. It is important to dig deeper when working with students so that their understanding of the concept being taught is better.
All the schools in our district got new math books this school year and they are definitely more challenging than the past ones but of course the math teachers are trying to meet the demands of Common Core math. I go to an 8th grade math class every day to help a couple of students. I see the plans the teacher has on the board for the week but rarely do things in her class go as she planned for over the weekend. She is always slowing down to meet the pace of the class. I think that is an important skill to have and to be able to recognize when to use it!
I want to slow down and find more time for my kids to have 1 on 1. I completely agree that teachers are often moving on before all students have mastered a concept. Allowing extra time will ensure that more students master he concept.
I too like to slow it down and take the time to teach it to them untill I know that they can solve it or learn it on their own. Usually after the first day I teach something to them they my come back the second day and and for get most of what I taught. Usually the start to graspit on that seconday and get a better idea of how to learn it by the 3rd or 4th day. I am totally for taking the time to getting it right for myself and for them.
I heard something one time that basically went like this .... you can teach a mile worth of curriculum a half-inch deep or you can teach a quarter mile worth of curriculum three inches deep. Which has more impact on our students?
Shelly- Oh my gosh... I totally agree with your statement, and that's why state testing drives me crazy!!! I mean, I don't know... I guess I can see a little bit of both sides, but I think it could be SOOOOO beneficial for students if teachers could just do what they were meant to do and didn't have so many restrictions. I previously worked with a HS teacher who tried her best to customize her math classes based on who her students were each year and what skills they were going to need once they graduated. She ended up quitting a couple years after I met her, and said that one of the reasons was because she didn't feel like she was doing the best she could for her students anymore because of what the state was requiring her to do.
Speeding through curricula is exposure to it, I don't think it lends itself to true learning. Most of the students I work with need repeated instruction on concepts. During these repeats is when I get to bring in more information to extend meaning. When students ask questions, I try to answer them honestly and completely. I feel getting to know students is something worth doing.
I agree with you; I think the students need repeated instruction on concepts. Getting to know the students helps build the rapport and earns their trust.
I agree totally with both of you. For years, it has been teaching to get through the curriculum, make sure everything has been covered before state testing. I think many of our students need that full immersion into a topic, rather than just introduce it, practice it a little and move on to the next thing.
I quit teaching to the test years ago and I enjoy teaching more now because of that. I want my students to want to learn and to love to read, I can't do that if all I am doing is teaching students what they need to know to pass the test in the spring!
I'm a parent of one of those students who needs a deeper curriculum, not the Platte River - "a mile wide and an inch deep". He needs to see how it applies to him and have the opportunity to explore the parts that interest him to stay engaged.
One thing I do to help totally immerse students and myself in what we are learning is using Carolyn Coil's student choice activities. I plan the unit, and there are certain activities they are required to do, and I give them a choice of 4 activities and they get to choose the one they want to do. I leave them pretty open so they have to do some planning and thinking on their own. I do help them get started or point them to the right direction - "Maybe you could do a search for the pumpkin life cycle," etc. So I guide them, but don't exactly spell everything out for them. I hope someday they will be able to do these activities independently, but I do enjoy totally immersing myself in what they are doing and helping guide their ideas. Another thing I need to do more of is creative activities. I'm not exactly the most creative person, so I struggle with this a bit. One thing I do love is poetry, so I read poetry to my students often, expressively. After a unit on weather (informational text), I decided to extend it to a more creative aspect - weather poems. I should them some acrostic poems on the internet, and then we brainstormed together possible topics for a weather poem (wrote them on the board). I chose one of the topics and demonstrated writing an acrostic poem on the board using the topic. I then had my students write their poems on a google doc and add a picture. I was so impressed with how hard they worked and how great their finished product was, with very little guidance from me. One of the students, a boy no less, said, "That was the funniest thing I've ever done in school before!" I decided then and there that I definitely need to do much more creative activities with my students.
One thing I like to do to be immersed with my students is challenge them during Rocket Math. I do a timed test with them and we challenge each other. They see that I am working hard with them and they work hard as well. The kids work think it's great because they will sometimes "beat me" and that gives them a huge confidence boost as well. One thing I could do to immerse myself more is slow down and take extra time with each child individually. I love our 1 on 1 one time and I know they crave it. I want to find more time to give each student the 1 on 1 they deserve.
Love it Shania. I do a lot of the same thing, competitions with the kiddos, they love it and shows them how much I love being apart of the learning. My kiddos become more involved and crave for learning experiences.
I think that is great that you are participating with them. We had parent teacher conferences this week, and my daughter's teacher was showing me some of the aims web testing results. She said that this particular skill was really tricky; so the teacher decided to take the test, and let her students know where she fell. She told my daughter, that she is right on her tail. I like how she handled the struggles of this particular skill, it gives my daughter (and other students) and incentive and drive to better themselves.
I think 1 on 1 time is great. You have so many opportunities to build a rapport with students and be immersed in the content. I love when you can get in there with them and ask questions, so you're not the "teacher" but another participant.
One thing I do is read books that are high interest to them. If the books are too challenging for them to read on their own I let them listen to the audio version of the book and they are to follow along while listening to it. We of course stop and discuss as we read but I want them to know there are other ways to read books. How many of us listen to audio books in our cars when traveling? I do not want my students to think the one and only way to read a book is to read it word for word on their own. This way I can get those high interest upper level books into my classroom. I usually only do one of those a year because they still do need to learn to read, not just follow along. (At the middle school level in my class we read more novels.) Another way I use immersion is by choosing some books that have been made into movies. This really gets the kids excited because they know that after we read the book and do all the activities associated with it they get to watch the movie. However, after all of that we make a Venn Diagram or a Double Bubble Map comparing and contrasting the book and movie. Sometimes to movie is so different from the book that the students actually like the book better!
I never would have thought that high school students would enjoy reading aloud, but if you do character voices they really get into it. Finding material that they can enjoy and relate to is a great thing - and it makes learning so much more fun. Comparing and contrasting the book V. movies is a great way to immerse students. I used to have my students design a poster for the movie after reading the book, including creating a tagline and choosing who they would cast. Not only does it get them involved but portrays a potential career pathways in both marketing and graphic design.
One thing that I can do in the classroom to be truly immersed is to be there with them in the moment of them working. If one appears to not totally be engaged in what the student is doing, it may prevent that student from asking for help or asking a question or telling/building onto whatever task they are doing. Another thing I can do to become totally immersed is to pause and allow moments for small side teachings. It's little moments that help the students, instead of reading scripted material, with scripted questions. That limits learning and teaching...pausing to take the time to teach little sidebar lessons shows the students that there is more to learning than just what is right there in front of them in the text book or material.
I agree with you about taking the time for the side teahchings. It is so important that the kiddos learn that there is more to learning than what is right in front of them. That is definitely helping them to become life-long learners.
I agree...when you take the time to teach little sidebar lessons, you show the students that you are listening to them and you are hearing what they are saying. You are totally immersed in their learning! You rock!
I guess one way to be immersed with my students is to learn right along with them. When I'm trying to teach some concepts of math especially the few concepts that I myself don't understand how to do, we all get into figuring out as a group and we find the answer and how we came to get it. Then I go and back-up our answer with an expert math teacher. It is how I have always found a way to get to the answer on my own, so inturn why would it not apply to my teaching it my classroom. students today need to learn trial and error, take as long as it takes to find the answer. A second way that I immerse myself in teaching or as the question above ask switch to immersion is to find a different way to approach the lesson that I'm teaching or reinforcing by relating it to real world applications. Especially those applications that the students are interested in for a career. We take turns researching what they are interested in and what it will take to get into that career. The one thing that I have not been able to do or that would like to try is taking those kids to the career that they want to be in. I would really like for them know what it will take to get that career and see what would be like. It's up front and that will give them the idea of what it will take to be sucessful.
While I'm an English major, I really enjoy teaching math. It's difficult to think outside of the box sometimes because there is a "right/wrong" way of doing it, but I really enjoy it. I know that I'm learning right alongside of the students because these are concepts that I have not considered in years. It surprises me what I remember and what I don't - a tool that I try to take advantage of.
One way that I find myself completly immersed is when I am working with one of my behavior kiddos. I find that when I am completely focused on helping them work through the problem, we get authentic learning and we are able to get back to a "normal" day a lot faster. Often times, that means that I trade places with one of my paras so that my other students are still getting their lesson, so that I can put all of my focus and energy on my behavior kiddo. I think that because I am able to do that, I have a better, more genuine and authentic relationship with my kiddos.
Another way to be totally immersed (and I need to work some more on this) is to be totally engaged with the kiddos while they are reading. I find that sometimes it is difficult for me to do because of all that is going on in my room at the same time. I do find, however, that when I am able to do that, I get better results on assessments. It is a constant goal for me. :)
I totally understand about everything that goes on in the classroom and not being engaged when this is occurring. I also feel I get better results when I'm immersed in whatever my students are doing.
I personally love immersing myself in a lesson. When I was student teaching it never occurred to me the gravity of role reversal. My student teacher explained it to me this way: I will not ask my students to do something that I, myself, would not do... what better way to show them that I mean that than to do it right alongside of them? She did journal activities together, read aloud, acted out scenes, drew, etc. The other aspect that I love is the literal role reversal. Having them play the teacher and I act like a student. Not only does this show me what they know, but I can give examples of good questions to ask. Immersion is a great way to engage students and check for understanding.
One thing I can do to be totally immersed in my classroom is to slow down and let the lessons go where they may. I'm a very structured person and need to have a plan and checklists in order to get things done. I feel this doesn't allow for me to be in the moment and actually let my students get the full effect of the lesson. The second thing I could do is to be active with my assignments and lessons. Let my students know by my actions and teaching style that this is worth learning. I like to show them that it will benefit their future and not just tell them.
I try to be totally immersed when teaching a lesson. We have discussions, watch videos, look at pictures and anything else I can find to activate prior knowledge or introduce the topic. I don't like to just talk at the front of the class; I like to get the students involved too. I think I could be more animated and show more enthusiasm at times!
I thinks to be totally immersed it has to be a topic that the teacher has a passion for. This will differ from teacher to teacher as we all have our strengths. Immersion is the student who walks down the hall, nose in a book and has no idea what is happening around them! It seems so easy to have kids immersed in TV and music but much more difficult in the education world!
I love doing read alouds. I imitate the characters, change my voice, and become loud and obnoxious at times. But, it keeps the kids listening and excited to see what happens next. I love the cliff hanging moments, I'll say "aaannnd then...! you'll find out tomorrow!!" The kids respond with "ahhh!! come on, tell us!" I get so excited with how into the story they are. I also love using Readers Theater to practice fluency, voice, sequencing, comprehension..etc. I usually take on a character with the students. It has taken some time, but now the students totally get into their character and we all have so much fun reading. I have kids so eager to read out loud and asking even before class starts if they can play a certain part. We all sit in a circle and read the script together out loud and have a blast. I love this fight to read I get from them, at the beginning of last year I was fighting to get them to read. Becoming the characters in the story and modeling voice is a way I immerse. I loved the authors group building and trust building in the beginning of the year rather than going over rules and procedures. I want to continue to surprise my kids and keep them on their toes because its just as much fun for me as it is for them and so much more effective for their motivation. I am doing an interactive notebook for math right now and it has totally changed the sprits in the classroom about math. My kids STRUGGLE with math horribly. They have been so busy putting this notebook together they haven't realized their struggle with the concepts. The repetition this notebook promotes on the skill practice has helped the math period flow more smoothly and my kids are working their butts off! I am walking around assisting with cutting and glueing and checking their flip charts to make sure they are correct as well as their answers, there may be some goofy side conversation (as long as the work is getting done). All of us are busy bees and low stress. I think continuing to work along with my kids with interactive hands on activities is how I want to improve my immersion. I love the project based learning, (there is seriously interactive notebooks for everything now). I want to plan more of these to avoid the worksheet days, or working on their workbooks/strict curriculum to then avoid the behavior problems and boredom.
Showing a child there are different ways of learning, also whether you are more auditory or visual and knowing what fits you best can help with immersion. I agree when you have an interest in the particular content you are much more likely to become immersed. When a child is working on history, especially war history (I know that sounds like a guy thing) I can get immersed pretty easily. Talking about what math can really do for you to the older kids, especially excel can be immersing in itself.
I love to just sit down and talk to students. I like to find out what their interests are and build a relationship with them. I want them to feel comfortable with me before I begin assessing them. I love to figure out how children think or work right alongside with them to see how they figure things out. I think figuring out what type of learner the student is can help them figure out coping skills to help them learn with the tools they have. I enjoy assessment and putting the pieces of the puzzle together after I have assessed a student to see what works best for them. However, in order to get valid results from an assessment I feel like I must get to know the student first.
I am not sure how immersed I have been with my teaching this year. This being my first year I have just been trying to figure everything out. In the past I have gotten wrapped into a lesson when the students are engaged and have completely lost track of time and everything! I love moments like that! However, this is definitely something that I need to improve on!
I am truly blessed working with the littles because they are easily immersed in what we are learning about. They get so excited when learning about new things and yet if it is something they already know about they LOVE to share it with others. I love just listening to some of the things they tell you when sharing because sometimes it gives you more insight in their life styles and at this age they are so innocent and just tell it like it is. They don’t care about the cheesy way you teach the concept and they laugh with you not at you when you say things.
I feel that I immerse my students, by learning beside them, having them explain to me what they know, and sometimes have them act out content. for example angles with their bodies or getting the money out and using it in simulated situation like real life.
I often find myself purposefully doing the opposite of immersion as my team strives to foster independence is a student who can exhibit "learned helplessness on life activities that we know they are capable of doing. On the other hand, we were working on large muscle coordination, strength and stamina in the gym with a basketball and jump rope and we were fully immersed in those activities with this student.
One thing I have done to help the students and myself become immersed in a lesson is to honestly ask what they want to learn about. If there is a novel they want to read or a topic they want to learn I try to incorporate that into my lessons. I let students know there are certain boundaries and time restraints, but if I can even incorporate one of their ideas/wants into my plans I feel I have succeeded.
Kara I like the idea of incorporating what students take an interest in. It is always a great idea to look at your students schema or things that may not yet have exposure too but are interested in!
I have read a lot of teachers saying they need to slow down. That is key when working with students with severe disabilities. Wait time is especially important. I have caught myself several times this year telling myself to quit worrying about time and give time to the students. Immersing myself in the lives of the children, listening to them, watching for their needs, building a rapport with them that goes beyond the lesson I may be teaching, is more important than immersing myself in the subject matter.
Sheila I am a big believer in giving students the processing time they need on a individual basis. I try to group my students based on a variety of factors but processing time is one of them. I feel students need to be given time to learn and grow a a pace that is suitable for their individual needs.
Two things that I can do to be truly immersed are to adequately plan and prepare ahead of time. Also prepare my students for what to expect in their daily routines. Being prepared with lesson plans and curriculum as well as having smooth transitions are not always going to prevent unexpected interruptions but they do cut down on confusion and down time. This allows for myself and my students to be more fully immersed. Having students understand the procedures of the daily routines are also important as this allows for them to come in each day know what to do and what is expected on their end.
I think the best way to be immersed with my students is to get to know them the absolute best that I can in the relatively short amount of time I work with them. Talking with them about what they like, don’t like, what helps them learn, what they feel they struggle with, etc., etc. not only assists in building a relationship, but may also bring up some helpful information that no one may have realized or taken into consideration yet when creating a plan to support them in school.
I'll agree with the other psychs. here. One of the most meaningful parts of an assessment for me is the student interview, where we can build rapport and get their perspective on their learning and where they want it to take them.
Honestly, I am a go with the flow type of teacher. I have an outline or big picture of what I want to get done when working with my students but I don't mind going off on tangents--the teachable moment. Most of my students are low on vocabulary so I spend a lot of time talking about different words and finding ways to make it more concrete. For example, one of my students was talking about going to the doctor and the thing that goes around the arm and squeezes. I gave him the word--blood pressure cuff. He then asked about what it was for and what was blood pressure. Talk about trying to explain it at a second grade level! Drawing pictures helped. But wow! Now he knows what that is even though it had nothing to do with what I wanted to teach but it was important to him. I think understanding that lessons won't always go like you planned and being ok with it is what immersion is all about. You're in the moment, doing what needs to be done for the benefit of the child.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! When those teachable moments come, dive in and immerse them and yourself in it.
DeleteI agree that we should try to teach students things that they are interested in. I also find it important to take the time to dig deeper with vocabulary. I like the idea of drawing pictures.
DeleteThere is a time when teaching should be somewhat student led. I like my kiddos to take an interest in what they are learning and ask questions that pertain to what we are discussing. That shows me that the kiddos are thinking and processing and trying to put things together to make sense of it. These kids that are asking questions and are able to have a discussion tells me that they are interested in what we are layering. It helps me to be immersed in whatever we are doing when they are showing interest and asking questions.
DeleteI go off into a tangent all the time when I'm teaching. Somedays I should not do that just because of the confusion that my students might experience when I go into a different direction. usually what I will do then is go off into that tangent briefly and get back on track and teach deeper into that tangent the next day to try and and reinforce the skill that they will need from that.
DeleteI'm totally with you about teachable moments. I find myself doing that all the time. Sometimes the lesson I have planned has absolutely nothing to do with what I get taught in a day. Our kiddos need to feel comfortable asking questions and then getting the explanation that they need to understand. I find that those are the best days! :)
DeleteI totally agree with you. If he students ask a question we should do our best to answer it, no matter what we have in the books for that day.
DeleteIt is important to take those teachable moments because sometimes kids the wrong information and have no clue what the real meaning of words or situations really mean
DeleteHeather-
DeleteI like the idea of drawing pictures, too. I have a reg ed teacher who does a good job of incorporating art for our students on both the low and high ends. For our lower kiddos, he has them draw a picture to explain how they understand a concept because usually that's easier for them than writing it. For our higher kiddos, especially if they're into art, he has them do an additional project (painting, drawing, however they want to express themselves) that incorporates the topics they've covered.
Today, in one of my Language Arts Lab classes, we read the essay, "The Story of My Body," in which the author tells about her first experience with racism as a young immigrant. I had my students read the essay straight through silently on their own Tuesday. Today, I had them sit back and listen while I read it to them. I wanted them to be fully immersed as I read the essay as dramatically as I possibly could. I wanted them to see and feel every word. I watched as my students literally cringed and leaned back in their chairs in disgust at the author's words. Then we re-read the passage together, stopping to discuss and respond throughout the powerful story. The focus of my lesson today was re-reading as a comprehension strategy, but immersion is what brought that lesson to life.
ReplyDeleteWhenever possible, I like to show my students what I'm teaching, rather than just telling. I can tell them all day long what sounds letters make. It means nothing to them until I show them how they can use those sounds to decode unfamiliar words. I watched one on my students trying to figure out the word 'brushes' yesterday. He didn't know I was watching, but I was. My heart soared as I watched his mouth silently working out each phoneme and then heard him correctly say the word. That is immersion!
What a great activity for the story! It's great to hear how someone else reads a story as it may be different then how we read it and may get more out of it!
DeleteI know there is a statistic out there somewhere that talks about how much a student learns by auditory means only. The percentage increase when a second mode is used, like visual or actively. It also helps interest levels when we connect it to something we will actually use the information for.
I love it when the lightbulbs go off and when the students use the skills we have taught them independently.
Debi,
DeleteWhen students use skills independently, that's what it's all about! Congratulations.
I believe I use immersion a great deal in my class. When I am teaching reading, I love to see what I can find that pulls the kids into the reading and experience what they are learning. I love to use technology and then bring in concrete things that they can touch and be involved with the lesson.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I try to do with my students for immersion is to actively involve myself in their work. I don't like to just give an assignment.
I am 100% engaged with them as they are with me. We are working problems out together and involved in dialogue that keeps them hopping.
I like the idea of bringing artifacts in about things you are reading with the class. I also like the idea of tying in technology with reading; kids love to learn this way. I agree that it is important to solve a problem with a student rather than for them.
DeleteI think teaching and learning new concepts are better ingrained when the teacher is involved and the children know you care. Not only are you pushing them to problem solve or do a skill on their own, but you are there to assist as needed.
DeleteThere's nothing I love more than seeing a teacher sitting right there with her kids while they are working. There is nothing better than immediate corrections and feedback!
DeleteI can totally be immersed when discussing books with students. When we’re reading a book together, and I have read and prepared questions, we can get into some pretty deep and thought-provoking discussions.
ReplyDeleteI love getting into history material with students. When students get involved in projects and dig deep, making connections with other events they’ve already studied or their own life experiences, I feel like I’m immersed in the project with them.
Jessica,
DeleteI like to read, but often don't take time for leisure reading. When students are reading books, I make sure to read the book - it give us something in common to visit about and build a rapport.
I like that you both read the same books as your students. I think that connection is great!
DeleteI am currently reading 3 books with different students. Kids love to discuss and give their opinions and I love to read and it stretches my brain as well as theirs. We do a lot with the characters, and may even see a video on the book if available to compare and contrast.
DeleteI too, enjoy digging deeper on some of the projects, I have helped the students with. I hope that by doing so, I'm modeling how to find information and even learn interesting facts.
DeleteTwo things that I can do to be truly immersed in my classroom is to slow down and dig deeper. I feel like as teachers today we have an endless checklist of things that we need to get done with these students. By doing things quickly to just get them off the list is not always the best answer. Slowing down and digging deeper allows our students to better understand what they are learning and at a higher level. It is important to slow down to make sure students have concepts mastered before moving on; rather than putting it on the next years teachers to do list. It is important to dig deeper when working with students so that their understanding of the concept being taught is better.
ReplyDeleteAll the schools in our district got new math books this school year and they are definitely more challenging than the past ones but of course the math teachers are trying to meet the demands of Common Core math. I go to an 8th grade math class every day to help a couple of students. I see the plans the teacher has on the board for the week but rarely do things in her class go as she planned for over the weekend. She is always slowing down to meet the pace of the class. I think that is an important skill to have and to be able to recognize when to use it!
DeleteI want to slow down and find more time for my kids to have 1 on 1. I completely agree that teachers are often moving on before all students have mastered a concept. Allowing extra time will ensure that more students master he concept.
DeleteI too like to slow it down and take the time to teach it to them untill I know that they can solve it or learn it on their own. Usually after the first day I teach something to them they my come back the second day and and for get most of what I taught. Usually the start to graspit on that seconday and get a better idea of how to learn it by the 3rd or 4th day. I am totally for taking the time to getting it right for myself and for them.
DeleteI heard something one time that basically went like this .... you can teach a mile worth of curriculum a half-inch deep or you can teach a quarter mile worth of curriculum three inches deep. Which has more impact on our students?
DeleteShelly-
DeleteOh my gosh... I totally agree with your statement, and that's why state testing drives me crazy!!! I mean, I don't know... I guess I can see a little bit of both sides, but I think it could be SOOOOO beneficial for students if teachers could just do what they were meant to do and didn't have so many restrictions. I previously worked with a HS teacher who tried her best to customize her math classes based on who her students were each year and what skills they were going to need once they graduated. She ended up quitting a couple years after I met her, and said that one of the reasons was because she didn't feel like she was doing the best she could for her students anymore because of what the state was requiring her to do.
Speeding through curricula is exposure to it, I don't think it lends itself to true learning. Most of the students I work with need repeated instruction on concepts. During these repeats is when I get to bring in more information to extend meaning.
ReplyDeleteWhen students ask questions, I try to answer them honestly and completely. I feel getting to know students is something worth doing.
I agree with you; I think the students need repeated instruction on concepts. Getting to know the students helps build the rapport and earns their trust.
DeleteI agree totally with both of you. For years, it has been teaching to get through the curriculum, make sure everything has been covered before state testing. I think many of our students need that full immersion into a topic, rather than just introduce it, practice it a little and move on to the next thing.
ReplyDeleteI quit teaching to the test years ago and I enjoy teaching more now because of that. I want my students to want to learn and to love to read, I can't do that if all I am doing is teaching students what they need to know to pass the test in the spring!
DeleteThat is so true! When students are immersed in a topic and engaged, they remember the content and the experience.
DeleteI agree, we need to immerse them in a topic for them to truly understand it. Not just introduce it to them and move on.
DeleteTeaching to the test doesn't give our students the skills and resources to be productive individuals
DeleteI'm a parent of one of those students who needs a deeper curriculum, not the Platte River - "a mile wide and an inch deep". He needs to see how it applies to him and have the opportunity to explore the parts that interest him to stay engaged.
DeleteOne thing I do to help totally immerse students and myself in what we are learning is using Carolyn Coil's student choice activities. I plan the unit, and there are certain activities they are required to do, and I give them a choice of 4 activities and they get to choose the one they want to do. I leave them pretty open so they have to do some planning and thinking on their own. I do help them get started or point them to the right direction - "Maybe you could do a search for the pumpkin life cycle," etc. So I guide them, but don't exactly spell everything out for them. I hope someday they will be able to do these activities independently, but I do enjoy totally immersing myself in what they are doing and helping guide their ideas.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I need to do more of is creative activities. I'm not exactly the most creative person, so I struggle with this a bit. One thing I do love is poetry, so I read poetry to my students often, expressively. After a unit on weather (informational text), I decided to extend it to a more creative aspect - weather poems. I should them some acrostic poems on the internet, and then we brainstormed together possible topics for a weather poem (wrote them on the board). I chose one of the topics and demonstrated writing an acrostic poem on the board using the topic. I then had my students write their poems on a google doc and add a picture. I was so impressed with how hard they worked and how great their finished product was, with very little guidance from me. One of the students, a boy no less, said, "That was the funniest thing I've ever done in school before!" I decided then and there that I definitely need to do much more creative activities with my students.
One thing I like to do to be immersed with my students is challenge them during Rocket Math. I do a timed test with them and we challenge each other. They see that I am working hard with them and they work hard as well. The kids work think it's great because they will sometimes "beat me" and that gives them a huge confidence boost as well. One thing I could do to immerse myself more is slow down and take extra time with each child individually. I love our 1 on 1 one time and I know they crave it. I want to find more time to give each student the 1 on 1 they deserve.
ReplyDeleteLove it Shania. I do a lot of the same thing, competitions with the kiddos, they love it and shows them how much I love being apart of the learning. My kiddos become more involved and crave for learning experiences.
DeleteI think that is great that you are participating with them. We had parent teacher conferences this week, and my daughter's teacher was showing me some of the aims web testing results. She said that this particular skill was really tricky; so the teacher decided to take the test, and let her students know where she fell. She told my daughter, that she is right on her tail. I like how she handled the struggles of this particular skill, it gives my daughter (and other students) and incentive and drive to better themselves.
DeleteI think 1 on 1 time is great. You have so many opportunities to build a rapport with students and be immersed in the content. I love when you can get in there with them and ask questions, so you're not the "teacher" but another participant.
DeleteOne thing I do is read books that are high interest to them. If the books are too challenging for them to read on their own I let them listen to the audio version of the book and they are to follow along while listening to it. We of course stop and discuss as we read but I want them to know there are other ways to read books. How many of us listen to audio books in our cars when traveling? I do not want my students to think the one and only way to read a book is to read it word for word on their own. This way I can get those high interest upper level books into my classroom. I usually only do one of those a year because they still do need to learn to read, not just follow along. (At the middle school level in my class we read more novels.)
ReplyDeleteAnother way I use immersion is by choosing some books that have been made into movies. This really gets the kids excited because they know that after we read the book and do all the activities associated with it they get to watch the movie. However, after all of that we make a Venn Diagram or a Double Bubble Map comparing and contrasting the book and movie. Sometimes to movie is so different from the book that the students actually like the book better!
I never would have thought that high school students would enjoy reading aloud, but if you do character voices they really get into it. Finding material that they can enjoy and relate to is a great thing - and it makes learning so much more fun. Comparing and contrasting the book V. movies is a great way to immerse students. I used to have my students design a poster for the movie after reading the book, including creating a tagline and choosing who they would cast. Not only does it get them involved but portrays a potential career pathways in both marketing and graphic design.
DeleteWhat a great idea, I think I will try that!!
DeleteNever thought about having HS kids read aloud and with the character voice and accent! Sounds like something students would enjoy.
DeleteOne thing that I can do in the classroom to be truly immersed is to be there with them in the moment of them working. If one appears to not totally be engaged in what the student is doing, it may prevent that student from asking for help or asking a question or telling/building onto whatever task they are doing.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I can do to become totally immersed is to pause and allow moments for small side teachings. It's little moments that help the students, instead of reading scripted material, with scripted questions. That limits learning and teaching...pausing to take the time to teach little sidebar lessons shows the students that there is more to learning than just what is right there in front of them in the text book or material.
I agree with you about taking the time for the side teahchings. It is so important that the kiddos learn that there is more to learning than what is right in front of them. That is definitely helping them to become life-long learners.
DeleteI agree...when you take the time to teach little sidebar lessons, you show the students that you are listening to them and you are hearing what they are saying. You are totally immersed in their learning! You rock!
DeleteI guess one way to be immersed with my students is to learn right along with them. When I'm trying to teach some concepts of math especially the few concepts that I myself don't understand how to do, we all get into figuring out as a group and we find the answer and how we came to get it. Then I go and back-up our answer with an expert math teacher. It is how I have always found a way to get to the answer on my own, so inturn why would it not apply to my teaching it my classroom. students today need to learn trial and error, take as long as it takes to find the answer. A second way that I immerse myself in teaching or as the question above ask switch to immersion is to find a different way to approach the lesson that I'm teaching or reinforcing by relating it to real world applications. Especially those applications that the students are interested in for a career. We take turns researching what they are interested in and what it will take to get into that career. The one thing that I have not been able to do or that would like to try is taking those kids to the career that they want to be in. I would really like for them know what it will take to get that career and see what would be like. It's up front and that will give them the idea of what it will take to be sucessful.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm an English major, I really enjoy teaching math. It's difficult to think outside of the box sometimes because there is a "right/wrong" way of doing it, but I really enjoy it. I know that I'm learning right alongside of the students because these are concepts that I have not considered in years. It surprises me what I remember and what I don't - a tool that I try to take advantage of.
DeleteOne way that I find myself completly immersed is when I am working with one of my behavior kiddos. I find that when I am completely focused on helping them work through the problem, we get authentic learning and we are able to get back to a "normal" day a lot faster. Often times, that means that I trade places with one of my paras so that my other students are still getting their lesson, so that I can put all of my focus and energy on my behavior kiddo. I think that because I am able to do that, I have a better, more genuine and authentic relationship with my kiddos.
ReplyDeleteAnother way to be totally immersed (and I need to work some more on this) is to be totally engaged with the kiddos while they are reading. I find that sometimes it is difficult for me to do because of all that is going on in my room at the same time. I do find, however, that when I am able to do that, I get better results on assessments. It is a constant goal for me. :)
I totally understand about everything that goes on in the classroom and not being engaged when this is occurring. I also feel I get better results when I'm immersed in whatever my students are doing.
DeleteI personally love immersing myself in a lesson. When I was student teaching it never occurred to me the gravity of role reversal. My student teacher explained it to me this way: I will not ask my students to do something that I, myself, would not do... what better way to show them that I mean that than to do it right alongside of them? She did journal activities together, read aloud, acted out scenes, drew, etc. The other aspect that I love is the literal role reversal. Having them play the teacher and I act like a student. Not only does this show me what they know, but I can give examples of good questions to ask. Immersion is a great way to engage students and check for understanding.
ReplyDeleteJerrie,
ReplyDeleteWow! What a fabulous was to connect with your students by reading the books they read for leisure. I think I will have to give that a try.
One thing I can do to be totally immersed in my classroom is to slow down and let the lessons go where they may. I'm a very structured person and need to have a plan and checklists in order to get things done. I feel this doesn't allow for me to be in the moment and actually let my students get the full effect of the lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing I could do is to be active with my assignments and lessons. Let my students know by my actions and teaching style that this is worth learning. I like to show them that it will benefit their future and not just tell them.
I try to be totally immersed when teaching a lesson. We have discussions, watch videos, look at pictures and anything else I can find to activate prior knowledge or introduce the topic. I don't like to just talk at the front of the class; I like to get the students involved too. I think I could be more animated and show more enthusiasm at times!
ReplyDeleteI thinks to be totally immersed it has to be a topic that the teacher has a passion for. This will differ from teacher to teacher as we all have our strengths. Immersion is the student who walks down the hall, nose in a book and has no idea what is happening around them! It seems so easy to have kids immersed in TV and music but much more difficult in the education world!
ReplyDeleteOur students have much more practice at being immersed in TV, music and social media than they do education....
DeleteI love doing read alouds. I imitate the characters, change my voice, and become loud and obnoxious at times. But, it keeps the kids listening and excited to see what happens next. I love the cliff hanging moments, I'll say "aaannnd then...! you'll find out tomorrow!!" The kids respond with "ahhh!! come on, tell us!" I get so excited with how into the story they are.
ReplyDeleteI also love using Readers Theater to practice fluency, voice, sequencing, comprehension..etc. I usually take on a character with the students. It has taken some time, but now the students totally get into their character and we all have so much fun reading. I have kids so eager to read out loud and asking even before class starts if they can play a certain part. We all sit in a circle and read the script together out loud and have a blast. I love this fight to read I get from them, at the beginning of last year I was fighting to get them to read.
Becoming the characters in the story and modeling voice is a way I immerse.
I loved the authors group building and trust building in the beginning of the year rather than going over rules and procedures. I want to continue to surprise my kids and keep them on their toes because its just as much fun for me as it is for them and so much more effective for their motivation.
I am doing an interactive notebook for math right now and it has totally changed the sprits in the classroom about math. My kids STRUGGLE with math horribly. They have been so busy putting this notebook together they haven't realized their struggle with the concepts. The repetition this notebook promotes on the skill practice has helped the math period flow more smoothly and my kids are working their butts off! I am walking around assisting with cutting and glueing and checking their flip charts to make sure they are correct as well as their answers, there may be some goofy side conversation (as long as the work is getting done). All of us are busy bees and low stress.
I think continuing to work along with my kids with interactive hands on activities is how I want to improve my immersion. I love the project based learning, (there is seriously interactive notebooks for everything now). I want to plan more of these to avoid the worksheet days, or working on their workbooks/strict curriculum to then avoid the behavior problems and boredom.
I love doing novel units. I agree it keeps me and kids engaged and I love to read so it's a win - win in my book.
DeleteShowing a child there are different ways of learning, also whether you are more auditory or visual and knowing what fits you best can help with immersion. I agree when you have an interest in the particular content you are much more likely to become immersed. When a child is working on history, especially war history (I know that sounds like a guy thing) I can get immersed pretty easily. Talking about what math can really do for you to the older kids, especially excel can be immersing in itself.
ReplyDeleteI love to just sit down and talk to students. I like to find out what their interests are and build a relationship with them. I want them to feel comfortable with me before I begin assessing them. I love to figure out how children think or work right alongside with them to see how they figure things out. I think figuring out what type of learner the student is can help them figure out coping skills to help them learn with the tools they have. I enjoy assessment and putting the pieces of the puzzle together after I have assessed a student to see what works best for them. However, in order to get valid results from an assessment I feel like I must get to know the student first.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how immersed I have been with my teaching this year. This being my first year I have just been trying to figure everything out. In the past I have gotten wrapped into a lesson when the students are engaged and have completely lost track of time and everything! I love moments like that! However, this is definitely something that I need to improve on!
ReplyDeleteIt does get easier I promise.
DeleteI am truly blessed working with the littles because they are easily immersed in what we are learning about. They get so excited when learning about new things and yet if it is something they already know about they LOVE to share it with others. I love just listening to some of the things they tell you when sharing because sometimes it gives you more insight in their life styles and at this age they are so innocent and just tell it like it is. They don’t care about the cheesy way you teach the concept and they laugh with you not at you when you say things.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I immerse my students, by learning beside them, having them explain to me what they know, and sometimes have them act out content. for example angles with their bodies or getting the money out and using it in simulated situation like real life.
ReplyDeleteI often find myself purposefully doing the opposite of immersion as my team strives to foster independence is a student who can exhibit "learned helplessness on life activities that we know they are capable of doing. On the other hand, we were working on large muscle coordination, strength and stamina in the gym with a basketball and jump rope and we were fully immersed in those activities with this student.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have done to help the students and myself become immersed in a lesson is to honestly ask what they want to learn about. If there is a novel they want to read or a topic they want to learn I try to incorporate that into my lessons. I let students know there are certain boundaries and time restraints, but if I can even incorporate one of their ideas/wants into my plans I feel I have succeeded.
ReplyDeleteKara I like the idea of incorporating what students take an interest in. It is always a great idea to look at your students schema or things that may not yet have exposure too but are interested in!
DeleteI have read a lot of teachers saying they need to slow down. That is key when working with students with severe disabilities. Wait time is especially important. I have caught myself several times this year telling myself to quit worrying about time and give time to the students. Immersing myself in the lives of the children, listening to them, watching for their needs, building a rapport with them that goes beyond the lesson I may be teaching, is more important than immersing myself in the subject matter.
ReplyDeleteSheila I am a big believer in giving students the processing time they need on a individual basis. I try to group my students based on a variety of factors but processing time is one of them. I feel students need to be given time to learn and grow a a pace that is suitable for their individual needs.
DeleteTwo things that I can do to be truly immersed are to adequately plan and prepare ahead of time. Also prepare my students for what to expect in their daily routines. Being prepared with lesson plans and curriculum as well as having smooth transitions are not always going to prevent unexpected interruptions but they do cut down on confusion and down time. This allows for myself and my students to be more fully immersed. Having students understand the procedures of the daily routines are also important as this allows for them to come in each day know what to do and what is expected on their end.
ReplyDeleteI think the best way to be immersed with my students is to get to know them the absolute best that I can in the relatively short amount of time I work with them. Talking with them about what they like, don’t like, what helps them learn, what they feel they struggle with, etc., etc. not only assists in building a relationship, but may also bring up some helpful information that no one may have realized or taken into consideration yet when creating a plan to support them in school.
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with the other psychs. here. One of the most meaningful parts of an assessment for me is the student interview, where we can build rapport and get their perspective on their learning and where they want it to take them.
ReplyDelete