Shadowing a Student for a Day

I was a student in high school again today.  Wow, what an experience.  Shadowing a student  has helped me to know better how to teach my current students.  I can know a little bit better what is going on in their world.  Here was the schedule for the day:  Algebra 2, Chemistry, Digital Art, US History, PE ( swing dancing), Lunch, Study Hall, and English.  

Here are some things that I got out of the day.

1.  I'm exhausted.
This was mentally and physically taxing today.  I was wiped out by 7th period.  I had one more period to go.  Our students really put in a lot of energy into the school day.  And most have some type of extra curricular activity after school.
How I might modify my teaching:  Empathize and adjust the outside of class workload.

2.  I sat in a chair a lot today.  I being a math teacher calculated how much time in minutes I was in my chair.  303 minutes in my chair.  Almost all of the chairs were swivel chairs which helped.  However, that is a lot of time just sitting.
How I might modify my teaching:  Create more activities that encourage movement.  Give more choices for students to be able to move around during class.

3.  Our students are learning a lot in one day.  I took notes in every class.  My notes turned out to be 7 pages long.  It was a ton of information.  It was engaging material.  I really loved learning these new things. I also wanted to create something instead of just learning about something.  
How I might modify my teaching:  Be efficient.  Be concise.  Don't  give busy work.  Have a purpose with everything I give my students. Have students CREATE more.

4. We have excellent students and staff at our school.  I really wish I could be back in school.  The teachers were engaging and passionate about what they do.  The students were respectful and were very cooperative.
How I might modify my teaching:  Tell my students how much I appreciate them.  Enjoy the moment and the journey.  I have a wonderful job.  Show how much I enjoy teaching.

5.  I got to know the teacher very well in one class period.  What it made me ponder was "do my students know if I know them?"
How I might modify my teaching:  I need to know my students.  I need to show them individual time.  Students deserve individual attention.


Kyle, You were the perfect host.  I can't thank you enough for letting me into your world.  It was eye opening.  I appreciate what you go through a lot better now that I was in your shoes for a day.  Thank you!

Random Thoughts

• We did a Brain Break in the middle of one of the lessons.  That was FUN!
• I'm pretty sure I was the only one in the cafeteria who had a hard boiled egg in their lunch.
• Jessica helped me out in PE swing dancing.  Thank you for being very patient with my 2 left feet.  I really was nervous
  about this part of the day. 
• MY EYES ARE BAD.  I realized right away that I couldn't see the board as clearly as I thought I could.  (must have something to do with being 50! haha)
• THANK YOU for inventing Swivel Chairs.  
• The lunch table talk was blunt but enlightening.  
• I almost made Kyle late because I had to use the bathroom between classes.  It made me a lot more sensitive to allowing students to go to the bathroom during class. 
• My mind wondered a lot.  There is a lot of dead time in the day to be able to do this.  I tried to stay focused but was a little tired.  
• I really liked math class.  I guess it is a good thing I'm a math teacher.  
• I never had an interest in the Great Gatsby until the class today.  Now I'm very intrigued. 
• Hacky sack is a tough game.  To get someone else out you need to juggle at least 4 times.  I only did 2.  I was out pretty quick.  
• I'm really humbled to be a teacher.  It is quite a responsibility.  I don't want to ever take for granted the charge I have.  
• I took 7 pages of notes today.  An organization system is a must for students.  

Here is my journey on Twitter Storyify Journey 

Now, I challenge you to Shadow a Student for a Day!  Ask your principal today and DO IT.  You will be pushed out of your comfort zone, but you will never regret it.  Let me know how your journey goes.
My Very Best,
Dave

8 Ways to Incorporate Empathy into Your Teaching

I read a blog post by Matt Renwick on how Empathy is the Most Critical Skill for Educators to be Highly Effective in Teaching Children.  I thought it was an excellent post.  It helped me to really think about the question of how we can really know what our students are going through.  The post also has really made me think about empathy as a skill that can be practiced and increased.   It also made me think about how I need to be diligent and work at the "Empathy Skills".  I need to take time out from my regular routine and put myself in the students world.  So I made this small list of items that I need to continue working on to help my EMPATHY SKILLS.  

1.  Shadow a Student for a Day 
This is the ultimate empathy skill builder.  This actually puts you in your students shoes for a day.  I did it last year and it was a fabulous experience that I believe I need to repeat yearly.  I changed my perspective on homework, in class movement, lecture, school furniture and more.  If you get a chance, this will change the way you look at your students.  I want to do this again this year.  Summary of my day shadowing a student in a blog post

2.  Questionnaire (Try Google Forms)
Google Forms are so easy to use. The feedback is immediate and flexible.  Overview of Google Forms  It can be anonymous or not.  Ask your students to give you honest feedback on somethings in your class like... How much time they are spending on homework.  Or you could ask about their engagement level in class.  This will give some direct feedback for where your students are in your class.  I have done this recently and it changes your perspective.  It  I make a google form and then change the name using tinyurl.com  to give it to my students See an easy video on using tinyurl with your students  See the google form questionnaire that I gave recently.

3.  Listen to the Goals Your Students Have
Give your students a chance to tell you their goals for your course.  Discuss things like homework completion, preparation for tests, class participation, and what they do when they are at an impasse with homework.     Click here to see the blog post on this    Feel free to modify this goals worksheet for your own use.

4.   Do the Homework
This seems too obvious. Take the time and do the homework as you ask them to do the homework.  With all the work shown.  This is an activity that will really help us experience what our students are experiencing.   I know that we can't always do this because it would take too much time.  Give it a try every so often.

5. Think About (Pray for ) EACH Student
This one sounds easy, but is actually difficult.  Go through your class roster, one by one, and think about each student.  Think about them as a person outside your class.  Think of them as a student inside your class. Think of their strengths and weaknesses.

6.  Call Home Early
Parents/Guardians insight is invaluable.  A quick call home early in the year or semester helps us and parents open the communication pipeline.  Also, the question "Could you give me a couple of ideas of how your child best learns?"  or  "What makes your child tick?"   or  " What are some strengths and weaknesses that your child has?"  A call home before your student actually needs a call home is the best.

7.  Look at the Records
Look at IEPs, 504s, Nurses reports, standardized tests, etc.   This seems obvious but it is our job.

8.  Find Activities that your Students are Involved In
Sports, Drama, Video Games, Church, Clubs, Collections, Music, Hobbies, etc... Go to a school activity that involves some of your students.  You will immediately get a different perspective of your student.  It is the same thing as when a student sees you in the grocery store and is so amazed that you have a life outside of school.  Anyway, it is a lot of fun to see students in their element.

Maybe you have some ideas as well?  Please share in the comments.
Best,
Dave

Being a High School Student for a Day

This week I was a High School Student for a day.  I shadowed a student for the whole day starting with 1st period going all the way to 8th period.  It truly was an enlightening experience.  It has really helped me appreciate the daily grind of our high school students.  This blog post is about the thoughts and ideas that this day has generated.  I hope that this will give you inspiration to ask your principal to allow you to shadow a student for a day so can experience it first hand.  

Why Shadow a Student for a Day?

While talking with a colleague Rob Porter last spring we pondered the question "What kinds of things do our students go through in a day?"  Out of that conversation we decided to ask our principal if we could actually shadow a student for a day.  He said YES.   We ended up shadowing different students on the same day this past week.  And yesterday we got to compare notes about our experiences.  It was a fantastic experience that I want to repeat at least every other year.  

Asking the Student

I couldn't ask one of my current students.  I would not want to be in my own classroom when there was a substitute.  So I had to ask someone else.  It turned out that I had just finished soccer season for my freshmen boys and Neil was on my team.  I decided to ask him.  He immediately said yes.  I told him he could think about it if he need to but he said that it was fine.  GREAT.  I then got a hold of his schedule and found out I would be in HONORS mode.  Neil is a smart student.  I asked his teachers and they all enthusiastically said it would be fine for me to visit their class.  And then I began to get worried about what I got myself into....   I really was a little worried about getting back into the classroom.  Things like what to wear and what lunch should I bring.  My worries were for naught.  It was a GREAT DAY.

1st Period   Honors English

2nd Period  World History

3rd Period  Honors Algebra 2

4th Period  Honors Chemistry

5th Period  Lunch

6th Period  Physical Education

7th Period  Spanish 2

8th Period  Study Hall

Here are some RANDOM THOUGHTS during my Shadow Day

• I feel trapped in these fixed (non-swivel) chairs.  
• I have warm classes and cold classes.  I'm glad I brought a extra fleece.
• I find myself thinking a lot about food.
• The teachers have so much passion about their subject.  It was clear they love their subjects.  
• I remembered that I don't like to be called on until I have had time to think about the question that is being asked. 
• I like it when the teacher introduced me.  I think all the students were wondering why I was there anyway so why not just answer the question early.
• 4th period I sat in a swivel chair.  FREEDOM!  Wow what a difference it makes to be able to move freely.
• I dressed and participated in Physical Education class and I can anticipate being sore because I have not lifted weights for a long time! 
• I need to move more.  
• The first few minutes always seemed to have the most energy and focus. 
• I don't like being late for class.  The distance was too much to actually make it on  time.
• Eating lunch with 15 freshmen boys was not so bad.   They did say their lunch conversation was 'different' because I was there.    
• Teaching is a great profession.
• I understand better why students want to look at their phones during class.
• I'm glad I don't have to do the homework that was assigned today.  
• I'm really tired.  My brain is drained.  I feel more tired than when I am a teach and am on my feet all day long.
• I received so many papers today.  I have to deal with them all.  That is overwhelming   

• I feel like I didn't create or accomplish much today.
• If all these teachers gave me 40 minutes of homework each night I would be in trouble.
• Time is easy to waste.
• The teachers answered so many questions.
• The teachers interrupted a lot  (i.e.  I forgot to tell you about....)  I do that too!
• As a teacher I think I give too much homework!  I need to pair down my homework so that only the best problems are selected.  I don't want too much repetition.  

What do I take from this experience

Shadowing a student for a day has really helped me to empathize with what exactly our students go through. I realize I need to think about my student's whole schedule and not just his/her mathematics class.  I will be changing my homework expectations.   I learned some cool teaching techniques along the way.  I need to have my students move more in class.  I want to maximize the energy of the first few minutes of class.  I won't be embarrassed about showing passion  in the classroom because it is an important part of my job. This was a really wonderful experience. I think all teachers should shadow a student.  Thanks goes out to Neal and all the teachers that hosted me.  I learned a TON!

What do you think?