CAROLYN
BEITZEL
Diary #11
Our
Class Constitution
I am not getting through to my students. I will not take all the blame.
Let me explain what happened after spending one and a half weeks teaching one section of a chapter. I gave a scheduled quiz which 85 percent of my students failed. Why? We read, took notes, discussed, completed a review in class, and played a review game. Didn't anyone study? I showed my quiz to another teacher and we critically looked at it. How were the questions worded? Did the students really know what "post revolutionary time" meant? So maybe it was a little harder than I first thought. Almost all the questions on the quiz were directly from the notes taken in class. I asked the students. What was it about this quiz that was hard for you? "It did not tell me how many answers I needed for a question, so I only put one down", "I didn't know what geographical location meant." "You went too fast." "You didn't explain it good enough" and on and on. What shocked and to be honest, hurt me, was that the students laid all the blame at my feet. I didn't do this or do that. When I asked them "how many of you studied the notes I asked you to?" There was a minimal response. "What about your responsibility as students to do your assigned work and put forth an effort to want to learn?" I asked. One young man said, "There are some kids who don't want to learn so won't do anything." A girl said, "I have to split my time between my mom and dad's house. I want to spend time with them not on my school work." Another girl admitted, "There are days that I just don't want to do it." I wrote on the blackboard "Doing school work = class grade" and asked the students what they thought that meant. "If you do your work you get a good grade, and if you don't do your work you get a bad grade," said one.So we brainstormed
So, again I asked the question "What should a student do to be successful and how can the teacher help?" So we brainstormed and came up with the following list of roles and responsibilities.
Student - Ask questions when they don't understand Teacher - Explain new ideas slowly using examples Student - Practice what is learned in class Teacher Assign work that lets student understand ideas Student See the teacher during tutorial, lunch or after school if they still have questions Teacher - Don't be short when a student asks a question Student Complete the homework on time Teacher - Do a few sample questions in class first Student - Call their study buddy with questions Teacher - Discuss the readings and answers to find out and review questions Student - Study for quizzes and tests Teacher - Do more review in classWe are studying the Constitution and I suggested that from this list we could write our own Class Constitution. The students agreed.
Our Class Constitution
Using the class computer, projector and a copy of the original Constitution we wrote the following:
"We the class of Basic 2, in order to understand and learn American History, establish fairness in dealing with each other, insure that we can all get along, provide each of us with the tools needed to be successful and to secure our own personal happiness, do agree to abide by this Class Constitution for Mrs. Beitzel's class. Article I Legislative This class, using a unanimous vote, will be able to discuss and pass rules as long as they meet everyone's needs. Article II Executive Mrs. Beitzel has the power to carry out the rules as well as veto any rule that she does not feel will benefit the majority of students or that will interfere with learning. Article III Judicial Each marking period two students will be elected by the class as its representatives. They will meet with Mrs. Beitzel every other Thursday during tutorial to discuss if the rules are being carried out fairly. Article IV Amending the Rules Any student can ask to amend the class constitution with a valid solution to a class problem. The solution is presented to the class and a vote is taken. The new rule is passed with a unanimous vote. Rules of Our Class Constitution Rule 1 The teacher will explain new ideas so they are clear to everyone and the student will ask questions if they still don't understand. Rule 2 When reading out loud, the reader will use a clear, loud voice and will read slowly. The listener will not talk and will read along silently. The teacher will ask questions of the student body to see if they understand. Rule 1 can apply. Rule 3 The teacher is available for additional help during tutorial and during lunch and after school by prior arrangement. The students will take advantage of these opportunities for learning. Rule 4 When the teacher assigns homework the students are expected to complete it as assigned. When possible, examples will be discussed in class so the students understand the task. Rule 5 Students will study for quizzes and tests. The teacher will help the student develop study aides and guides to assist them with a successful assessment. Rule 6 A discussion of all content questions that are given to the class will be done after the students have independently tried their best to answer them. By a unanimous consent of all students present, this fifteenth day of November, in the year two thousand and two we have agreed to this Class Constitution.Will It Work?
Our Constitution was printed out, everyone in class affixed their signatures and it was hung on the front bulletin board.
Using this new strategy will hopefully give some ownership to the students of their learning. Maybe they will be more responsible in getting their work done and asking questions when they don't understand. It will also help me to slow down and try to meet the needs of everyone in the class.
Before our
next quiz I will also help them develop some study tools instead of expecting
them to know "how to study". I keep learning from my mistakes as a teacher
and I hope I am showing my students that these are opportunities to make
something better for the next time.
