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Powerful Ways To Praise Your Students

1. The wordless fist bump.

Often, the less overt and demonstrative your praise, the more meaningful it will be. There is power in acknowledging true accomplishment with the smallest, simplest gesture.

It gives it a weightiness and significance, as if the work or improvement is too sacred to make a big deal out of. This is the idea behind the wordless fist bump.

The way it works is that you’re first going to give the student you’d like to praise a private moment to enjoy their accomplishment. Let them revel in it a beat or two before inserting yourself into the narrative.

When the time feels right, approach calmly and, while making eye contact, hold out your fist so they have to reach to bump it. Then move on quickly without waiting for further response.

And that’s it. When the student knows what prompted your praise, there is no reason to say anything at all. In fact, it’s often best if you don’t.

Although smiling is perfectly okay, a more determined look can sometimes give the moment that secret sauce that shakes them down to their shoes.

2. The smile and nod from across the room.

In a similar vein as the fist bump, catching a student’s eye from across the room as they’re enjoying their moment can be so, so powerful.

It’s as if you’re admiring them and their accomplishment from afar and they just happen to catch you watching them.

If you’re actively aware of your students’ successes, and you should be, you’ll notice them trying to make eye contact with you, though sometimes shyly, to get your reaction or share in the experience.

If you’re someone they respect and admire, then a slight smile and head nod declaring your pride and approval will mean the world to them.

3. The surprise note.

I love leaving notes for students. Just showing that you’re willing to take the time to write to them personally is something they’ll always remember.

I have former students who still have notes I wrote to them more than 20 years ago. The key is to use special stationery (post-its are a no-no) and write in your most careful, delicate handwriting.

Fold it crisply, secure it privately with a piece of tape, and speak from the heart. Make your words direct, specific, and keep exclamations and smiley faces to a minimum.

Again, the lack of frivolity adds depth and dignity to the gesture. The more meaningful and cherished it is to the student, the more it will rev their intrinsic motivational engine.

Praise That Matters

There are times when enthusiastic, over-the-top praise is right for the moment, when a welling up of pride in a student’s success bursts out of you. “Way to go, Jonah! I love your essay! Now, this is what I’m talking about.”

Because you’re recognizing something the student is already feeling inside. You’re not overshadowing their accomplishment or disrupting their quiet satisfaction.

You’re just letting them know that you see it too.

Which is a powerful thing.

Noticing improvement, hard work, or success beyond what your students have done before, and simply noting it—the pure truth of it—can be profoundly meaningful to them.

But it takes a keen eye, a soft touch, and a willingness to hold back, just a little, in order to create the perfect moment.

for more details follow the link below

https://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/

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8 words for Brightness

The Value of Authentic Learning

 

The push toward an increase in real-world learning experiences will continue in 2017. More and more schools are recognizing the value of closing the book (literally) in favor of practical learning. The question many are hoping to answer is, "What is the best way to provide such experiences for students?"

Authentic learning can take many forms.Vocational training and apprenticeships give students the freedom to discover and foster their passions. In addition to allowing students to test-drive careers, these real-world experiences also help schools establish relationships within their communities. These partnerships can lead to further collaboration down the road, with business leaders coming to talk in schools or providing on-site demonstrations for students interested in pursuing their fields. We've been fortunate enough to participate in a few of these opportunities firsthand, and the level of engagement we've seen from students is promising.


Discussions about the value of simulations and portfolio-based assessments will also continue. Simulations, like the "farming in the gilded age" activity featured on Teaching Channel, promote critical thinking, reflection, and problem solving. Portfolios divert focus from pure memorization toward authentic demonstration of learning. They allow students to take ownership of their studies as they find unique and creative ways to display the knowledge they’ve acquired on a particular topic.


Whether students are immersed in business, engineering, design, event planning, or finances, authentic learning experiences help prepare them for higher-ed and work-world success. Tune in to the authentic learning conversation on Twitter (or your favorite professional development medium) to find out what's working. 

A New Role for Teachers  

After decades of relatively unchanged form and function, the job description of a teacher has undergone some significant transformations in a short period of time. The traditional "stand-and-deliver" method of instruction is being pushed out by the "guide-on-the-side" approach, just as the "cemetery" classroom is being replaced with creative, comfortable learning spaces.


Today’s teachers are trending in the direction of mentors and coaches for their students, overseeing activities and providing assistance when needed, but not the helicopter oversight that was once an expectation. Teachers are lecturing less and consulting more, encouraging students to discover and explore their passions in a more flexible manner.


Even grading looks much different than it did 10 years ago. Some schools are eliminating exams from their curricula altogether. Instead, educators are expected to pay increased attention to each student’s strengths and weaknesses and evaluate their levels of knowledge throughout the course. We have continued to document the rise of standards-based grading, and those who have adopted it tend to swear by it. Could we be headed toward a future where A's and C's are replaced with skill mastery levels? It seems more likely than it did just a few years ago.


Of course, we can't discuss the changing role of the teacher without mentioning professional development. The slowly changing school district culture has created a bit of a disconnect between instructional training and the skills/traits necessary to be a successful educator. Effective data strategies are few and far between, and administrators are still far more likely to err on the side of status quo than risk being the first to take action on a new initiative or technology. The need for ongoing and updated professional development remains a critical talking point, not just for teachers, but for those tasked with leading them as well.


Many administrators still value candidates’ educational backgrounds far more than their technical knowledge. But hiring ill-prepared candidates for a blended learning environment can lead to problems. A topic of conversation among administrators will continue to be how to hire, develop, and retain the best educators for this new and changing role.

Consumer Students → Creator Students 

As the role of a teacher changes, so too must that of a student. In 2017, the push to transform students from consumers to creators will continue. Much of this movement is driven by technology, which has opened up a new world of possibilities for students who otherwise had to wait until after graduation before they could think of making significant contributions to the real world.


We are seeing more curriculum strategies that lean on real-world application over closed-circuit projects. Students are being asked to interact with their communities and take on the responsibilities of entrepreneurs, rather than just playing the role. These immersive techniques, coupled with follow-up presentations in which students become teachers, open up a much deeper level of understanding. Some educational leaders have gone so far as to invite students to co-develop their own curricula.


But this movement isn't just about entrepreneurship. Students-as-producers can be found in everything from media production to game design and programming. Hands-on activities, facilities, and equipment (think makerspaces and 3D printers) provide excellent, engaging opportunities to teach digital literacy, citizenship, and creator’s rights.




Authentic learning experiences, the changing role of teachers, and the shift from students as consumers to creators are just three of the subjects we expect you’ll be hearing a lot more about in 2017. It's important to note that none of these are "classroom initiatives," so much as school- and district-wide culture shifts. No matter your role, you will want to stay informed about these developments so you'll be well positioned to adapt with the changing tides.

For original topic click the link below

https://www.skyward.com/discover/blog/skyward-blogs/skyward-executive-blog/december-2016/3-conversations-to-follow-in-2017

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