Here are 125 positive report card comments for you to use and adapt! Make sure to guide them with clear rules for respecting and responding with love and interest to what all students share. Teaching Strategies That Support Middle and High School Students' Individuality | Edutopia Culturally Responsive Teaching Teaching Strategies That Support Students' Individuality When teachers make a point of recognizing the diversity of their students, they can help all students make deeper connections to what they're learning. [I asked him,]You get an A in math and science, and you are failing social studies. In each square, have students write a fact about themselves. Make Art. Encourage middle school students to reach out to the community through service projects. Mexican Artists (high school) learn about Mexican revolution and 5 artists of the time. As students get closer to adulthood, schools often become more isolating and impersonal. The 6-minute video below introduces the concept of self-regulation, clarifies the . Provide students with scenarios in small groups and have them act out those scenarios. The present situation of English reading teaching in junior middle schools In current junior middle school English reading teaching, the cultivation of students' thinking quality still needs to be improved. To do this, they will use a poster board to demonstrate aspects of their culture, including language, food, clothing, architecture, sports, religion, entertainment, flags and other symbols of nationality. Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 21st century. 5. We want to tell students what they SHOULD BE doing, not what they SHOULD . After choosing a country, a student will research all aspects of its culture and create a display highlighting cultural factors such as language, food, clothing and so forth. Advisories with high levels of connectedness actively worked on creating a healthy community by addressing the way students related to one another. Our programs emphasize a positive, strengths-based approach to promoting changes in learner knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Advisors consciously helped students in their advisories work out issues among themselves, and they talked openly about the importance of treating each other with respect. One exasperated boy exclaimed, I do not get this! A girl walked up to him and began to explain mathematical functions. Check out our Needs Improvement Report Card Commentsfor even more comments! Students recounted approaching their advisors about bullying issues, friendship strife, homework dilemmas, and other drama of middle school. Below are a few activities that you can use in your classroom to give your students practice with digital safety. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Beers and The Literary Maven. Social and emotional development is essential to students' success - now and in their future. EVERFIs Honor Code Bullying Prevention program features a Capstone Project you can implement in your classroom in conjunction with the online lessons. Focus on the wonder years: Challenges facing the American middle school. In advisories at one school, student desks were clustered in groups of four, and students had their notebooks in hand or were quizzing each other. New York & Westerville, OH: Teachers College Press & National Middle School Association. It is, like, you go to school, and you do not care that much about academic work, but, um, with your advisors and the things that the advisories provide do make you feel more close. Students and advisors perceive that advisory functions as a community of learners, Students talked about how fellow advisees were a useful academic resource, because they knew what they were learning and could help them with schoolwork. Advisors often attributed the academic growth they witnessed in their advisees to the advisory program; however, they disagreed about the immediacy of the impact advisory had upon academic performance. Which is nice, cause at least they get to have a study group. What are they? Gregg works in schools and school districts partnering to develop teacher capacity and student engagement. One advisor revealed how stronger students helped shape the academic culture of the advisory: I have amazing kids, and what has happened is that the kids [who] are a little bit lower, even though they are not that low, the group seems to be pulling them along; it is like this slip streaming effect. Culture exchange goes both ways. Advisors talked about empowering students by problem solvingwiththem rather thanforthem. Collaboration is essential in helping a school truly become a community of learners. middle-school Sort by Middle Colonies Worksheet The Middle Ages Worksheet Middle Sound Match Worksheet Beginning, Middle and End Flowchart Worksheet Beginning, Middle, and End Storyboxes Worksheet Glossary: Draw Beginning, Middle, and End Worksheet Graphic Organizer: Beginning, Middle, and End Worksheet In the Middle: Practice Finding Median Students routinely made comments such as, Like, when you need help, you just ask him and he will always help you or I tell my advisor, and she will help me. Students talked about feeling welcome to approach their advisors outside of the advisory, citing lunch and after school as other good times to talk. Students said their advisors were easy to talk to and comforting. Students from all three schools referred to the trust games they used to help build a sense of community, and students in all of the focus groups shared two recurring comments: (1) advisory is a family; and (2) advisory helps student bond together. return false; Mama's Nightingale. Middle school students would be able to experience other cultures through personal stories about life in the school classroom in conjunction with other personal stories. To help answer this question, YouthTruth analyzed survey data from more than 80,000 students in grades six through 12. program features a Capstone Project you can implement in your classroom in conjunction with the online lessons. Search for it, encourage it, and continue to recognize it. Have your students practice paraphrasing and avoiding plagiarism with an activity from the Ignition: Digital Citizenship course, which aims to improve digital wellness amongst students. Learn more: Mrs. Various cultures are woven together to make up part of each individual student. Whether youre teaching career exploration, entrepreneurship, or workforce preparedness skills, our digital lessons help students plan for and practice achieving their personal goals. This allows them to reflect on the similarities they found amongst their classmates, which may promote friendships or lessen any animosity between students. Prepare your elementary school students for success by teaching compassion, math and literacy skills with these easy to implement digital lessons. Copyright 2022 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, Penn State: Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults. Children grow up hearing stories about the meaning and origin of their given names or nicknames. Some of your students have great examples at home, so school is not their only learning opportunity. EVERFI's digital diversity, equity and inclusion courses allow teachers to start conversations and build a positive class culture for everyone. Langston Hughes brings a rich culture of his poetry into the common classroom. Skill building for: Communication, Relationship Building. It is, like, at least you go to school and know that at least there is one person who you are comfortable to talk to. Try a poem, a quick anecdote or an expository paragraph. Your students can perfect their decision-making in Lesson 6 of EVERFIs. Ask the students why a certain message is more effective in each scenario. When I start out, I tell them, We are going to get to know each other really well. Address a behavior the same way every time, whenever possible, and do it calmly. Having a classroom culture that embraces and appreciates the individual students bodes well for learning and other areas of development. Students are paying attention in those times, whether we are aware or not. It is kind of like a pay it forward thing. Students noted that one of the benefits to having a multiage advisory is that you form bonds with older and younger students. Association for Middle Level Education. One student used the wordintenseto describe the communication in advisory, and another mused that people are really vulnerable, and we all share our feelings. One student even talked about feel[ing] a connection with his advisor. A conversation with the National Teacher of the Year Finalists. You could provide students with ideas for questions to explore or a series of discussion questions to communicate, but you want the project to be inquiry-based from student leading. (2006). Emphasize that cultures studied can also be social, occupational, or religious in nature. 4 Spanish Culture Lesson Plans Your Students Will Love Lesson plans for Spanish classes. Everyone loves eating and sharing food. The theme of community was also evident in the student data. But, Sam is tired and wants to take a short nap before going to a, piano lesson later that night. They are not elementary school students nor are they ready for high school so you have these three middle years that they need a bit of both elementary school magic and high school independence building. Cushman, K. (1990). Teaching your children words in the native language (s) of your. The key is to redirect students to appropriate behavior calmly, using clear and consistent messages when this happens. The class discussion should help students develop an overall concept for what makes up a culture. Created by Saviz Safizadeh of the Pierce Middle School in Milton, MA, this intra-curricular resource . Skill building for: Leadership, Collaboration, Communication. Having speakers from various cultures communicates the classroom as a place of respect and tolerance. Explain to the students that today they will be exploring all the things that make them unique and special. their students are the implications that culture teaching can have on students in the future. Journal of School Health, 74(7), 284293. To conclude the activity, ask students to journal about a few unique things they learned or have in common with classmates. The data from the survey we administered to advisors confirmed the qualitative findings and revealed that advisors, like their advisees, assign the advisory program a significant role in the academic success of students. Now teach them to look for it in others. Breaking ranks in the middle: Strategies for leading middle level reform. And that is what they do during advisory. Actively appreciating diversity is what builds classroom culture. She said. Moreover, schools intentionally organized to promote personalization and the development of communities of learners better prepare adolescents for later success as adults (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989). document.getElementById('confirmform5').setAttribute("style", " display: block;") Next, students should brainstorm about creating a culture. There are multiple ways to support this learning in our students as we move through our school year. Tell students that this is an example of what reading might be like for people who have learning disabilities. Teachers are often a young immigrant's first regular, ongoing contact with someone outside their home community and culture. Digital and printable versions are included. 4 Middle School Lessons on Europe to Spark Student Interest (Click any image below to go to the downloadable resource.) Collaboration builds lasting relationships. Have different students play each role and choose messages for more scenarios. Students can share clothing, food, beliefs, and trinkets with an international fair. Sam is responsible for looking after a younger sibling while their, parents are out. This project helps students take ownership of their school community, learn to be accountable for their actions, and find ways to eliminate bullying together. Sam can either take a nap and regain enough energy for the piano lesson, or skip the nap and continue looking after the younger sibling for the next hour. Theoretical: Share a couple of points about customs and typical kinds of interactions. Another group sat on the floor with their advisor reviewing for a test. [Advisory] is an academic support. Check out my blog post 10 Resources for Teaching Kids About Juneteenth to see an example of this. School should be a culturally responsive place that is rich with diversity and inclusivity. On the day of the fair, encourage students to dress in clothing representative of his or her country and provide food or other tangible components of the culture. 2. Understand Who the Students Are. What do we need to hear from our teachers right now? E-mail:jackfoote@gmail.com, Previously published inMiddle School Journal, September 2009, AMLE Include students' home culture as a valuable part of the classroom by making morning meetings a time of exploring different culturally relevant questions. Learn more: Multicultural Music Education. Westerville, OH: National Middle School Association. Digital wellness involves making wise decisions on the internet, limiting the use of technology, and more. Chimamanda Adichie reminds us in "The Danger of a Single Story" that the "problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. document.getElementById('default-form-title').setAttribute("style", " display: none;") Make sure the classroom is a safe space where students can express their ideas, concerns, and questions about their cultures freely together. This gives them a chance to make decisions about real life issues in a low risk environment. Review of Educational Research, 67(3), 301338. According to the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice, about 20% of students ages 12-18 have experienced bullying. You want to be proactive about having culturally inclusive classroom resources and classroom materials. 20 Engaging Civil Rights Activities for Middle School Students, 30 Under The Sea-Inspired Preschool Activities, 20 Activities To Help Kids Cope With Grief, 30 Remarkable Animals That Start With The Letter R. Pen pals have long been connections that unite cultures around the world. This could be clothing, instruments, jewelry, etc. Middle school reformers have widely promoted advisory programs as a way to strengthen connectedness at the middle level. How does America differ from other countries? Juvonen, J., Le, V. N., Kaganoff, T., Augustine, C., & Constant, L. (2004). Kindness Agreements. Cultural diversity activities help foster attitudes of acceptance in middle school students that can lead to more inclusive communities. Good character encompasses traits like honesty and integrity, but also conscientiousness when communicating with others and making decisions. This type of awareness, inquiry, and follow-up on academic work was typical of the advisors we interviewed. We need to be careful of over-generalizing . This could also be the launch of a strong student group for your campus! We must model respect in situations where we are excited and happy, but also when we are frustrated and need to extend grace to others. We needed to dispel their theories, first by . This activity helps students understand that communication is affected by the words, tone, and body language that they use to communicate. Advisors suggested that forming these study groups in the advisory propelled their advisees academically. You can reinforce points made about time differences and greetings in this section. Turning points: Preparing American youth for the 21st century. Middle school advisories: Retrospect and prospect. Read more from Gregg, and learn about our music and humanities programs, through the . Jackson, A. W., & Davis, G. A. Include students' home culture as a valuable part of the classroom by making morning meetings a time of exploring different culturally relevant questions. They expect to attend lunch and spend time with their friends and learn something. Task your students with appropriating the imagery in a way that alters the meaning. As an adult in this world, but particularly as a teacher in a school, you are responsible for showing students what it looks like to be a respectful person. Broadly defined, advisory programs are configurations in which an adult advisor meets regularly during the school day with a group of students to provide academic and social-emotional mentorship and support, to create personalization within the school, and to facilitate a small peer community of learners (Cushman, 1990; Galassi et al., 2004; Galassi et al., 1997; Juvonen et al., 2004; National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2006; Stevenson, 1998). Use Google Earth to virtually visit important cultural sites. Commit to continual reflection and growth. One student said that in his advisory,There is a lot of time for people to help you. This is a positive shift in perspective and culture and can create major gains in your classroom. Teaching the Middle East: A Resource for Educators was created by the Oriental Institute, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and eCUIP, Digital Library Project with high school and college World History teachers in mind. Teens love movies and technology, so give them a chance to explore their interests as they develop knowledge of their family culture by creating their own family history documentaries. The best people to share about different cultures are those closely rooted in the traditional culture itself. They sometimes sought out teachers in reaction to seeing poor work and low grades; however, they also initiated contact if they had not heard anything about a particular advisee in a while. This helps them become more refreshed when returning to the classroom. You can learn more about how to design these discussions and teach social justice in the classroom here. Give your students the opportunity to practice their decision-making skills in different situations that surround digital safety, bullying prevention, and character culture with these seven activities. East Asia Studies Center: K-12 Instructional Resources Many lesson plans on China, Japan, and Korea. Civil and Human Rights Discussion Guide. Practice makes perfect, so as part of your lessons, you may want to consider role-playing activities to give students a chance to practice being respectful in a controlled environment. //get the form's jQuery element and hide it Here are some of our favorites on creative ways to reach middle school students. Students can create and bring cultural foods to school in a pot-luck-style to eat and share together. This lesson introduces the idea of culture to middle school ELL students, from the perspective of self and society, and aims to get students to consider how culture shapes their ideas, beliefs and identity. And, uh, if you, like, have a problem with your life, she will also help you. Another advisor noted her frequent conversations with her advisory about friendship and ostracism. School connectedness is linked to higher grades, higher test scores, and lower dropout rates, regardless of students socioeconomic status (Blum & Libbey, 2004; Jackson & Davis, 2000; Klem & Connell, 2004; Mac Iver & Epstein, 1991; McNeely & Falci, 2004; National Association of Secondary School Principals, 2006). I do not think middle school kids know how to talk with teachers and advocate for themselves, and they need good modeling. For this game, display a common digital safety issue (e.g. What symbols represent America? True learning and collaboration happen when all students feel safe, included and celebrated. Advisory programs offer the structure to meet students developmental needs, because it is the one place in school where students are intimately known as a whole child. Advisory programs have the potential to ensure that every child has a meaningful relationship with an adult and belongs to a community of peers. }); Have them focus on motives and reasons for the practice. We saw and heard evidence of a community of learners during all of the advisory observations. You can use specific holidays, music, games, and dances as inspiration for your lessons. Students can use varied mediums of art to create a portrait of themselves that represents aspects of their culture. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2022 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In so many cultures, food brings everyone together, so this will serve the dual purpose of reinforcing positive classroom culture as well. Advisors at all three schools discussed their efforts to help students know each other and communicate openly by creating activities that helped them bond and talk to each other. For example, advisors at each school talked about structuring activities in which students could get to know each other. Be involved in homework. Penn State recommends this activity to help students understand that not only peoples similarities but also their differences bring them together. Set up days where students can bring items from family traditions and cultures to share with classmates. Lesson plans provides pre-written statements that your students can work together with a partner to paraphrase. On each, the student should write down one way he or she is similar to other people in the class and one way he or she is different from other people in the class. It gets you into the state of mind that school is not only about work, but that it is a place where teachers really know you and understand you. In the student focus groups, 98%of students responded affirmatively when asked, Do you think advisory helps you academically? Students noted that their advisories helped them focus on their studies, receive critical academic support, strategize about classes and teachers, set academic goals, and belong to a group of peers striving for success. Example Scenario: Sam is responsible for looking after a younger sibling while their parents are out. School racial socialization refers to messages to students encouraging positive racial attitudes and an understanding of the role of race and culture in society ( Hughes et al., 2006 ). We gave every advisor and student in each school a questionnaire designed to establish which advisories fostered high levels of student connectedness. Students and advisors perceive that advisory directly improves academic performance. Creating a Classroom Economy (Grades 3-5) Scholastic has a great, year-long budget project for your classroom where you set up a classroom economy. Most times, praise and recognition are enough to let a student know that they have done a good thing and you see it. Within the context of a middle school classroom, the chain of diversity is conducted by giving each of the students four to five strips of construction paper. Teachers can allow a student to take a walk in order to think more clearly. These elements of connectedness have the potential to improve academic achievement and the overall school experience for middle grades students. Both students and advisors reported that advisories addressed the issues that arise between grade levels within the school. If you would like to disable cookies on this device, please review the section on 'Managing cookies' in our privacy policy. In addition to self-portraits, a student cultural art fair would also be an engaging and interactive idea for cultural awareness. Advisors also reviewed their advisees work and academic progress with them. //hide the form title and description and the show thank you message Character education is an important piece of learning that students are exposed to as they progress through their education. Check out these related videos from our LearnOn Channel: 3 Tips for Teaching Healthy Decision Making. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The competitive yet collaborative nature of this game fosters motivation amongst students to learn about being safe while using technology. Most middle school teachers teach a few different subjects at once. The chain of diversity encourages middle school students to recognize the diverse aspects of their own classmates. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In my experience, I think that teaching students to "not bully" is not nearly as effective as teaching students to "be kind.". School connectedness and the transition into and out of health-risk behavior among adolescents. One of the simplest strategies that helps students deal with conflict is to remove themselves from the situation. Perry Ground, speaks to students at a middle school in New York about cultural . In all the three schools, survey data suggested both students and advisors perceived that advisory improved academic performance. Teaching ideas for Japanese FESTIVALS & CULTURE Arts, crafts, songs, dances, games, teaching ideas, lesson ideas, worksheets for festivals and special occasions in Japan. Strong advisors give their advisees individualized attention. Another idea is for students to choose a culture of interest and depict themselves through the lens of that culture. They pull out homework and help each other. Create a costume parade to give students a chance to dress in traditional cultural dress. "They were scared that no one was going to understand what they were saying," she said. Almost every advisor mentioned that one way they kept track of their students academically was through official progress reports at the end of the quarter and semester. Then have students go around the class and cross off anything they have in common with their tablemates or students. One student explained, You become great friends with people you normally would not hang out with, which I think is great because you expand the way you know people. During the observations, students were not self-segregated ethnically, and students refrained from teasing and put-downs. Spending one class period discussing what respect means and what it looks like can be an extremely valuable tool in teaching students to act in respectful ways. Students will reflect on themselves and their own family's culture while completing this activity based on the lesson. Collaboration enriches the overall teaching and learning experience. Ask each student to share something that makes them special. What are the pros and cons of these two decisions, and which decision should Sam make? Service projects are an activity for grades of all ages; however, you can go here for community service ideas for middle school students. While it would be impossible for me to gather an exhaustive list that would include all cultures around the globe I did choose 10 that I think would be good readers for middle school children. We use cookies on this site to optimize site functionality and ensure you get the best possible experience. Teaching Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. In the interviews, the advisors insisted that it was part of their role to know how students were doing academically. In terms of community-building activities, music appears to be crucial for most cultures. Culturally relevant, or culturally responsive, teaching is teaching that draws on the cultural backgrounds and knowledge of students as assets in the classroom . Youve already taught them how to show it themselves. 4. So that helps with your school work. Leverage your experience, research, and imagination to think of other authentic ways to introduce children . Create a respect rafflestudents fill out tickets with other students names on them (and turn them into the teacher) with situations in which they saw respect shown in their classroom or school. Advisory. }); Thank you for your submission. top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! Below you will find activities, discussion questions, teaching guides and much more relating to the significance and understanding of diversity. The data was gathered between 2013 and 2016 through YouthTruth's anonymous online surveys administered in partnership with public schools across 24 states. Music changes with the times, and your students will feel. In this post, you'll see how you can inspire your students to love poetry. Advisory Middle school reformers have widely promoted advisory programs as a way to strengthen connectedness at the middle level. McNeely, C., & Falci, C. (2004). Incorporate Popular Culture As a music teacher, you are actually uniquely positioned to access students at the middle school age. In addition to helping one another, advisors proudly commented that students were enthusiastic about each others accomplishments. Afterward, they should loop the paper strips together and then hang them around the classroom to remind students that they are bound by both their similarities and differences. Embrace Their Social Nature. Middle school builds upon the subjects started in elementary school, introducing students to more complex topics. Sharing helps give you a sense of belongingness. This doesnt have to be tangible rewards such as food or tokens, but it may be. Where Did Foods Originate? Educators can help their students learn about & appreciate the similarities & differences in people, traditions & regions around the globe through exposure & hands on projects. Teaching respect to students is an integral piece of this educational experience. Are advisory groups essential? For this activity, students should write down a few good things a bystander can do in a situation involving bullying. When students in one advisory were asked whether their advisor knew if they struggled academically, one student eagerly responded, Immediately, they are all on it., Strong advisors are problem solvers and advice givers.
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