Hi I'm Mary from A Classroom Full of Smiles. I'm proud to be part of this wonderful group of 3rd grade teachers.
I'm going to talk to about the reasons why my kids are hardly ever at their desks. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Having an active classroom needs to not only be for the primary grades, but intermediate as well.
1st reason:
I was intrigued by an article I read over the summer. It stated that Finland gives 15 minutes of recess for every 45 minutes of instruction. The results have been amazing. The students were engaged and more focused during lessons. I gave this idea a shot. And yes, I noticed a great difference in my room. Like, big time. The melt downs and tantrums I had last year were not happening this year. The overwhelmed help me looks I was given last year were not apparent this year.
Kids are meant to move! They were not made to sit at a desk ALL day long.
2nd reason:
Aside from the recess that I give, I also have a "free range" classroom. My kids know that they can work anywhere in the room at any time they wish. Say what?!
I have about 5 large spare tables in my room and clipboards assigned to all students. This gives them the opportunity to work in many different places throughout the day. I want them to feel comfortable when they are working. This means, they have the choice to work where THEY feel the most comfortable. For many, it is NOT at their desks.
3rd reason:
One last reason my kids are usually never at their desks is because they are working in pairs or teams that move around the room. We complete lots of "Scoot" activities, partner activities, and Kagan activities. This gets the kids up, moving, and talking as they complete work. (PS my classroom in never silent either.)
So if you have a bunch of wigglers and/or talkers, give one of the above ideas a try. I'm sure you will start to see a transformation happen.
Agree completely! I build in a variety of movement activities during whole group instruction to keep them engaged. I love it because many of them serve multiple purposes: most are a formative assessment to help show me where they're at; they give a chance for students to interact with peers, while taking about the content; and they are up and moving around. I've noticed a huge jump this year in student accountability, engagement, and growth in understanding of content. My next goal is to move to more "free range" for independent work. Some parts of our day are like this, but I want to make more. Thanks for the reminder and motivation to put energy into this part!
ReplyDeleteKelli
Tales of a Tenacious Teacher
Hi Kelli. Yes! I try and think how I feel when I'm in a PD and just sitting there. After 15 minutes, I'm tapping my pencil, kicking my legs, and just plain ready for it to be over with. I'm glad you have seen an improvement in your class. Isn't it awesome?!
DeleteMary, I love that term- "free range classroom"! It perfectly describes how it should be in classrooms! I need to look up what Kagan is- sounds interesting! I shudder when I think about how I used to teach just a few years ago- me up at the front of the room, with them giving me blank stares! Thank you for sharing your insight! :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know what else to call it. Free Range seemed appropriate. LOL. Kagan is awesome. However, expensive to take the course. It is worth it. It will change everything. I remember those blank stares. It was just last year that I was getting them. Have a great weekend!
DeleteHi Mary, I really enjoyed your post. I use "free-range" during reading every day, and my students love it! Your message got me thinking that I should do this at other times throughout the day too. Providing students with clipboards is a great idea to make sure they are able to write without any issues. I do have a few questions for you about this. You mentioned that your classroom is never quiet. How do you handle those students who talk too loud or too much? I do not demand silence by any means, but there are a few students who talk too much. They often don't finish an assignment, or they keep others from working. How does the talking impact students with attention issues? I have some students who cannot concentrate unless it is pretty quiet. I think what I am trying to say is that when some students are given an inch, they take a mile. I would love suggestions about how to balance this so that I am not constantly saying "lower your voice" or "stop talking."
ReplyDeleteHi there. Great question. I use Class Dojo. It is always displayed on my screen and has an app, so I don't have to run to my computer to use it. I usually give the kids a warning. Then from then on, I give negative points. If that doesn't work, it is back to their seat they go. I hate having to do it, but the others have to work. Feel free to email me with any other questions. malocasc@gmail.com :).
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