MMS Beginning Class Routine
The pictures below represent my beginning-class procedures at Middleton Middle School. Each class began with students filing into the classroom and finding their seat while Miss Noe began to take attendance. Students knew to look up at the front of the room, where they would find the activities/objectives for the day and the daily table competition.
Table Competition
Our daily "table competition" served as a bell-ringer review activity. Students read the question written on the board, consulting with their table to decide the answer, and would then write their response on a slip of paper. These were given to me, the teacher. After I had taken attendance and collected the table competition slips, I would gain the class's attention with a "class class"-"yes yes" choral response. I then would read the table competition question out-loud, being sure to clearly pronounce, define, or clarify any vocabulary terms. After this I would announce the correct answer to the question and segue into the day's activities. The students could earn points for the correct answers.
The table competition questions acted as an excellent formative assessment activity, for they provided me with student feedback, allowed me to highlight key terms, provided a review of content knowledge, and served to clarify expectations and directions. Students benefited from reading, writing, speaking, and listening to the questions. My use of this technique represents my skill in Danielson's Domain #3, specifically Communicating with Students (3a) and Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques (3b).
Daily Activities
In addition to the table competition, students knew that they could look to the front of the room to find out what was in store for the day's lessons. On a small whiteboard, next to the table competition question, I would write for every class a combination of objectives, directions, and procedures. This whiteboard allowed me to clearly communicate to students my expectations for the day's learning. Students further benefited from the use of written language. By having the day's activities clearly posted, I was demonstrating further mastery of Domain #3's subset, Communicating with Students (3a).
Table Competition
Our daily "table competition" served as a bell-ringer review activity. Students read the question written on the board, consulting with their table to decide the answer, and would then write their response on a slip of paper. These were given to me, the teacher. After I had taken attendance and collected the table competition slips, I would gain the class's attention with a "class class"-"yes yes" choral response. I then would read the table competition question out-loud, being sure to clearly pronounce, define, or clarify any vocabulary terms. After this I would announce the correct answer to the question and segue into the day's activities. The students could earn points for the correct answers.
The table competition questions acted as an excellent formative assessment activity, for they provided me with student feedback, allowed me to highlight key terms, provided a review of content knowledge, and served to clarify expectations and directions. Students benefited from reading, writing, speaking, and listening to the questions. My use of this technique represents my skill in Danielson's Domain #3, specifically Communicating with Students (3a) and Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques (3b).
Daily Activities
In addition to the table competition, students knew that they could look to the front of the room to find out what was in store for the day's lessons. On a small whiteboard, next to the table competition question, I would write for every class a combination of objectives, directions, and procedures. This whiteboard allowed me to clearly communicate to students my expectations for the day's learning. Students further benefited from the use of written language. By having the day's activities clearly posted, I was demonstrating further mastery of Domain #3's subset, Communicating with Students (3a).