It is hard to connect my curriculum to students’ background experiences if I don’t know what their experiences are! To counteract this, I learn about my students in a few ways. At the beginning of the year, I had students fill out “What I Wish My Teacher Knew” cards.
In my questions, I had students tell me:
1. What do you prefer to be called?
2. Where do you prefer to sit in the classroom?
3. How do you feel about English language arts?
4. Is there anything that makes you nervous about this school year?
5. Is there anything else you want me to know about you?
Answers ranged from “My mom is gone a lot so I might not return things signed right away” to “I don’t like broccoli.”
I also got to know students through informal conversations, greeting them at the door, letting them into class early to talk to them, etc. With the knowledge about my students, I could set up the seating chart to help them learn best, address their fears or give extra practice to scaffold for certain skills they feared, or differentiate instruction. For example, some students told me information about themselves that I didn't know from their 504 or IEP.
1. What do you prefer to be called?
2. Where do you prefer to sit in the classroom?
3. How do you feel about English language arts?
4. Is there anything that makes you nervous about this school year?
5. Is there anything else you want me to know about you?
Answers ranged from “My mom is gone a lot so I might not return things signed right away” to “I don’t like broccoli.”
I also got to know students through informal conversations, greeting them at the door, letting them into class early to talk to them, etc. With the knowledge about my students, I could set up the seating chart to help them learn best, address their fears or give extra practice to scaffold for certain skills they feared, or differentiate instruction. For example, some students told me information about themselves that I didn't know from their 504 or IEP.