My students are participating in the slice of life challenge as well. It can be difficult to think of what to write about. Today’s post is about taking an idea that has been on my mind and putting it into a recipe format.
Recipe for A Successful Classroom Community
Ingredients:
1 Teacher
32 Students
9 cups of enthusiasm
2 cups of flexibility
1 bag of tricks
1 laugh per day
1 pound of understanding
1 teaspoon of humility- a little goes a long way.
Lots of writing
Chocolate
Steps:
Step 1: Start with one large cup of enthusiasm at the beginning of the year. Get to know your class and find out what interests them.
Step 2: Add lesson plans. Use 1 to 2 items from your bag of tricks when the class needs a change. (I find that introducing challenges, brain teasers and puzzles work well for sixth graders.)
Step 3: Sprinkle in humility when needed. We all need help now and then.
Step 4: Be sure to continue mixing in enthusiasm throughout the year.
Step 5: Knead in between a pinch and a cup full of flexibility when things get tough.
Step 6: Stir in lots of writing to get to know your students, to learn from them, to share.
Step 7: Laugh often. If laughing is difficult add a tablespoon of flexibility.
Step 8: If laughing still does not work, add chocolate. (Chocolate always makes things better.)
Step 9: Write, write and write some more. Write for your class. Ask them to write to show you what they know, what they want to know and who they are. Add understanding for when they need someone to listen to.
Step 10: Make any tweaks or adjustments. It is always a work in progress.
March 9, 2014 at 11:36 pm
I liked how you had it in the form of a recipe.
March 10, 2014 at 12:31 am
Your steps make me laugh! But you forgot Step # 3.
I suggest you make step 3 as “Be helpful,” because you are a helpful teacher.
March 10, 2014 at 2:29 am
Thank you Jared. I changed my post to include step 3. I added humility, the ability to ask for help from others. Thank you for saying I am helpful. I am so glad that I have such a helpful class too!
March 11, 2014 at 1:02 pm
Step #3 is there
March 11, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Thank you Hannah! I actually added step 3 after the suggestion from Jared.
March 12, 2014 at 2:04 pm
I like how you did it as a recipe and I like how you put steps😊
March 13, 2014 at 11:27 am
I like the idea about how chocolate makes everything better but so far I’m not seeing much going around.
March 13, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Haha. Good point. I think the chocolate was for the teachers but I know students would appreciate it too!
March 24, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Good gob at comparing a recipe to a factor of your life or something you want.