Welcome to The Best Days Blog! If it is your first time visiting, I'm glad you're here! If you read my blog regularly, I love that you have come back to read it again! I am SUPER excited to share with you my continual search for the Student-Led Classroom in the form of best practices and ideas that work for me and everyone! I'm calling this Just the Place to Start because it is going to be a place where you can read and discover from past, present, and future blog posts based on my experiences in the Student-Led Classroom! It will be, literally, a list that grows and changes so that you will have most of my posts in one place on this subject. I'm just going to claim right now that "most" will be right. You know how busy we get, so, be sure to follow me here on my blog so you get all the latest posts! So, here we go! Fearless Learners Book Study Fearless Learners Grab a copy and join in the fun! Fearless Learners: Student-Led Learning with a Little Fear Added In! Student-Led Learning: It's All Gonna' be Just Fine Student-Led Learning: Go For It! Student-Led Learning: Connect with EVERYONE! Student-Led Learning: Failure IS an Option! Student-Led Learning: Celebrate Good Time, Come On! Student-Led Learning Series: Where Can I Find More Information? What Does the Research Say? Classroom Design and Open Seating Other Student-Led Musings: Chew on This: Student Inquiry with Dr. Larry Chew Project Based Learning: Shedding a Light on Area and Perimeter Change Your Homework Collection Forever Author's Point of View: A Video Presentation Author's Point of View: How we REALLY Learned the Style of Multiple Choice Questions Author's Point of View: Independently! That's a lot! And there will be plenty more as I move into this model in my classrooms more and more! I can't wait to share even more with you, so check back often! Also, feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts, ideas, and experiences! Let's learn together, so comment below!
Creating a solid classroom management plan for the classroom will not only encourage engagement but will propel it forward with students.
Goal setting is a great way to build student leadership. Learn more about student data notebooks, goal setting, & data tracking.
A look at some common problems teachers find when implementing student-led discussions—and potential solutions.
Encourage creativity and collaboration in your classroom! These student-led discussion strategies will have your students engaged and thinking.
Make student led conferences fun with these tips and tricks for the classroom! Grab newsletters and freebies to make it easier to ...
Everyone wants a connection... a spark wants to ignite anything it can to continue to burn. With Student-Led Learning, it is the same thing. Fearless Learner's authors Sutton and Westberry are quick to point this out in Step 4: Connect! As I read this step, I happened to be attending an inservice where we learned an AWESOME technique by Dr. Larry Chew! Honestly, it is a BRILLIANT method of learning and requires specific student interaction, one that allows for trust in a student centered classroom. We also focused on the 5 E's, which fit perfectly into Dr. Chew's technique. To me, it was a no brainer to put this into the lesson we were required to write with other teachers for other teachers in the inservice and the district itself. If you put together the requirements of the inservice into your output to prove you were there-YOU WIN! Yet, neither one of the teachers I was working with would consider including this technique at first. One clearly stated, "I know the kind of kid I work with and they could NEVER do that!" "They could NEVER do that, or you couldn't lead them to do that!" was what I thought-because that's what it really comes down to! WE decide how our classrooms are run. WE decide how much of "ME" we put out there and how much of "YOU" we allow! And this is exactly what the authors point out. We must be prepared, as we examine this model for the reality of having other teachers be negative and judgmental about what we are doing. We must be prepared, and proactive, in helping administrators understand. It starts with us. Gather a friend or two to walk this journey with you! You will need them. Although I am writing this blog solo, I am working with three other teachers at my school and one other teacher from another school. The five of us set up our own social media page where we can share and discuss beyond the school day because we all know there is no time. We are working to build a community where there is "safety" in numbers! Find your tribe at your school and try it out! In addition to connecting with professionals, I can agree wholeheartedly with the authors on the relationships you will build with students and parents. I love the idea they share of connecting with parents through a set of promises (see page 141) and I plan to develop that in my Back-to-School Brochure. Build that team work into your connection with them. It is going to be key! And the students! Be prepared to know them like you never have before! When I have used this model in the past in math, I knew the ins and outs of every kid. I could look at their work and know what steps they were missing. I knew strengths and weaknesses and holes! I could remediate on the spot-literally-and never have a student miss a beat! From the highest student to the lowest student-I knew them all-and, more importantly, they knew me, could come with a question for me, could trust me AND their other classmates. It was wonderful, and I'm so looking forward to that again. Plus, both authors point out-and I can back up-that their test scores rose! I can clearly remember my two ESE students scores when they came back the first year I used a similar model to this one in my classroom. They had both gone up a whole level-and it was the second year I had them! So, the only thing that changed (little did I realize then) was that they were involved in a student-led learning model! So, I stand with Sutton and Westberry and call to you to FIND YOUR TRIBE, build those relationships with parents, and get ready for the best relationship with your students you have ever had! Let me know what you think in the comments section or leave any tips or ideas you have! I'd love to hear them!
Learn tips on how to create a student-led behaviour contract and effectively implement it in your primary school classroom.
Student led conferences are a great way to show leadership in your elementary classroom. These activities are great for the primary grades.
Student-led learning prioritizes student agency and autonomy, shaping their learning experiences based on personal interests, goals, and learning styles.
Student Led Classrooms Who Is Responsible For The Learning In Your Classroom?
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Student-Centered classroom design is costly and time consuming, right? Wrong! We can show you how to develop a space that differentiates for all.
Custom Neon Sign Classroom Led Light Bring a touch of creativity to your classroom with our Custom Neon Sign Classroom LED Light. Create a welcoming and inspiring environment for students with a custom message or school logo. Whether you're a teacher looking to add a pop of color to your classroom decor or a school administrator aiming to boost school spirit, this custom neon sign is sure to make a statement. With its vibrant glow and customizable design options, it's the perfect way to inspire creativity, foster a sense of community, and make learning fun for students of all ages. If you have other requests that cannot be shown in our customization tool, order details and mockup will be confirmed by email before production.
Every English language arts teacher needs a variety of successful, student led discussion strategies that will provide opportunities for student learning.
Custom Neon Sign Classroom Led Light Bring a touch of creativity to your classroom with our Custom Neon Sign Classroom LED Light. Create a welcoming and inspiring environment for students with a custom message or school logo. Whether you're a teacher looking to add a pop of color to your classroom decor or a school administrator aiming to boost school spirit, this custom neon sign is sure to make a statement. With its vibrant glow and customizable design options, it's the perfect way to inspire creativity, foster a sense of community, and make learning fun for students of all ages. If you have other requests that cannot be shown in our customization tool, order details and mockup will be confirmed by email before production.
Howdy! I am Mr. Greg from The Kindergarten Smorgasboard. My real name is Greg Smedley-Warren. I have been teaching for 11 years. I spent a year teaching fifth grade, two years in second grade and am now in my 9th year in Kindergarten. Kindergarten is my passion and my calling but honestly, that wasn’t how it started. When I was moved to Kindergarten (not voluntarily!) I called my mommy and cried. But on the first day, I fell in love and knew that Kindergarten is where I belonged. I have remained in Kindergarten ever since. I plan to never leave the classroom as the kids are what drive me to continue my growth as a teacher and person.
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Student led conferences are a great way for your students to take ownership in their learning and behavior at school. Use these slides to help guide your students through the student led conference process. They can share their strengths, things they need to work on, the teacher can type their own n...
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Gosh, there is just so much to think about when planning for student led conferences. Sure, they take the pressure off the teacher from delivering all the data and information. BUT, the planning and prep can be overwhelming. I’m breaking down my prep today in four quick steps to you help you prepare if you […]
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Team-Building in a Student-Led Classroom
Student centered behavior management is the natural result of giving students responsibility for learning and self-management.
Implementing effective Socratic seminars is a multistep process that takes careful planning.
Creepy crawly spiders! Heights! The dark! These are some common top fears to name a few, and if you're anything like me, heck, you're not too fond of any of those three. But do you know what the number one fear is? The one that outweighs all others? Glossophobia. (Cue the eery music) Dun, da, dun! Now before we get all panicked and shriek in horror, what exactly is this dreadful phobia? In layman's terms--the fear of public speaking. Even if you don't personally suffer from glossophobia, you probably have experienced some type of symptoms like a racing heart, sweaty palms, dry mouth, or some type of mild anxiety before speaking in front of others. So how do we get better at communicating in a group setting, and how do we prepare our students, even at a young age, to do this? Like other academic skills, how to participate in a discussion is something that needs to be taught explicitly. When I was early in my teaching career, whole class discussion typically consisted of me asking the questions while my students provided the answers. Sure, the questions were good, and by good, I mean the kinds of questions that were open-ended and required critical thinking. But still, I was the one that was doing all the leading. I was doing all the asking. I was doing all the steering. I was the driver if you will. Now instead imagine a classroom where the students are the ones in the driver's seat. The students are the ones asking the questions AND providing the answers. The students are the ones steering the discussion. Over my years of teaching, I have learned (and am still learning!) to "release control," and recently, I envisioned a classroom where student-led discussion was the norm. Thus, began my quest of how to make this happen. If I wanted my students to truly lead the discussion in my classroom, then I would need to give them the skills and tools to be able to do this. This is where gradual release comes into play. Gradual release is the process in which you basically pass the baton slowly from teacher to student as students gain independence with a particular skill or concept. Here's how it works. 1) You teach the skill directly. This involves direct instruction and modeling. 2) You involve students in the process while you still support. This is often referred to as guided instruction. For example, for a math lesson involving the steps of solving a story problem, you now do a few story problems "together." 3) You give students independent practice time with the skill while you provide feedback, both affirming and adjusting (i.e. "I see you drew a picture to help you solve the problem, great job choosing a strategy. Let's double check your addition in the tens place...") . 4) You wrap up the lesson by clearing up misconceptions, going over answers from independent work, and perhaps informally assessing students through say an exit ticket or cold calling with popsicle sticks. In sum, you go from "me" to "we" to "you." So I thought, why couldn't this process be used for teaching student-led discussion? Using the idea of gradual release, I broke down teaching student-led discussion into the six steps below: The outline above involves starting in baby steps. First, introduce students to discussion stems. It is best to only start with a few at a time as well as to choose more concrete stems to begin with like, "I have a question..." or "I agree/disagree with..." first. These stems give students the language they need to jump into the discussion both in the format of asking a question as well as replying with a comment or relevant thought. I have designed 16 meaningful discussion stem posters for students to refer to. The posters come in three different sizes, one perfect for hanging up on your classroom walls, one perfect to put on a ring and use for a small group, and one perfect for students to use as their individual resource. Second, have students begin with less-academic, more fun topics vs. essential questions that require critical thinking. The goal here is that students can initially focus mostly on their communication skills vs. having to delve into deep thinking. Of course, once students have had ample practice learning the process of student-led discussion, then by all means dive head first into critical thinking guided by your academic units! For teaching student-led discussion with juicy yet "easy" topics that hook students' interest, I created 20 discussion starters to use. Third, give students time to write down their thinking and plan out what they are going to say about the topic rather than making them think and speak on the spot. I created some planning templates that can be used for any topic or essential question so that they can be used for meaty academic topics too. (P.S. They are editable so that I can type in my topic or essential question and make as many copies as I need!! Whoopee!!) Fourth, set clear expectations before you start the student-led discussion such as what respectful listening looks like. Teach, model, and have students model these expectations so that you are setting students up for success. Fifth, give students a goal as to how many times to speak and over time, increase it. For example, for the very first practice, you might say something like, "Today, everyone needs to speak at least one time. You may participate by asking a question, making a comment, or responding to someone else's comment. If you want to participate more than one time in the discussion, you may." Here's a rubric that can help students self-monitor and self-evaluate their communication skills. Sixth, the very first time students practice student-led discussion, participate as the teacher as needed, calling on students who may need some encouragement. Over time, you will participate less and less until not at all! I made some recording sheets as an assessment tool to give students feedback, celebrate sutdents' successes, and support students in making growth in their communication skills. They come in different forms where I can record specific discussion stems students used or just in general whether students asked a question or made a comment. I also made them different sizes--one for whole class, one for small group. (PPS These are editable too so that student names can be typed directly on the sheet!) The key to this whole process is baby steps. You want students to feel safe, encouraged, and confident, and the way to do this is to give students the tools they need up front and then release them slowly towards independence. To see this "How to Teach Meaningful Student-Led Discussion Pack" in detail, click on the image below! With the resources in this pack, your students certainly will not suffer from glossophobia as you create a safe and welcoming environment where students lead the discussion as your norm. Now as calming other fears like spiders... Good luck! :)
A few years ago, the staff at my school began learning about inquiry research. We used the book, Comprehension & Collaboration: Inqu...
Let your students SHINE with them showcasing their learning during student led conferences!
Using ChatGPT to support student-led inquiry via real-world scenarios can promote engagement and aid project-based learning.
Let your students SHINE with them showcasing their learning during student led conferences!
Creepy crawly spiders! Heights! The dark! These are some common top fears to name a few, and if you're anything like me, heck, you're not too fond of any of those three. But do you know what the number one fear is? The one that outweighs all others? Glossophobia. (Cue the eery music) Dun, da, dun! Now before we get all panicked and shriek in horror, what exactly is this dreadful phobia? In layman's terms--the fear of public speaking. Even if you don't personally suffer from glossophobia, you probably have experienced some type of symptoms like a racing heart, sweaty palms, dry mouth, or some type of mild anxiety before speaking in front of others. So how do we get better at communicating in a group setting, and how do we prepare our students, even at a young age, to do this? Like other academic skills, how to participate in a discussion is something that needs to be taught explicitly. When I was early in my teaching career, whole class discussion typically consisted of me asking the questions while my students provided the answers. Sure, the questions were good, and by good, I mean the kinds of questions that were open-ended and required critical thinking. But still, I was the one that was doing all the leading. I was doing all the asking. I was doing all the steering. I was the driver if you will. Now instead imagine a classroom where the students are the ones in the driver's seat. The students are the ones asking the questions AND providing the answers. The students are the ones steering the discussion. Over my years of teaching, I have learned (and am still learning!) to "release control," and recently, I envisioned a classroom where student-led discussion was the norm. Thus, began my quest of how to make this happen. If I wanted my students to truly lead the discussion in my classroom, then I would need to give them the skills and tools to be able to do this. This is where gradual release comes into play. Gradual release is the process in which you basically pass the baton slowly from teacher to student as students gain independence with a particular skill or concept. Here's how it works. 1) You teach the skill directly. This involves direct instruction and modeling. 2) You involve students in the process while you still support. This is often referred to as guided instruction. For example, for a math lesson involving the steps of solving a story problem, you now do a few story problems "together." 3) You give students independent practice time with the skill while you provide feedback, both affirming and adjusting (i.e. "I see you drew a picture to help you solve the problem, great job choosing a strategy. Let's double check your addition in the tens place...") . 4) You wrap up the lesson by clearing up misconceptions, going over answers from independent work, and perhaps informally assessing students through say an exit ticket or cold calling with popsicle sticks. In sum, you go from "me" to "we" to "you." So I thought, why couldn't this process be used for teaching student-led discussion? Using the idea of gradual release, I broke down teaching student-led discussion into the six steps below: The outline above involves starting in baby steps. First, introduce students to discussion stems. It is best to only start with a few at a time as well as to choose more concrete stems to begin with like, "I have a question..." or "I agree/disagree with..." first. These stems give students the language they need to jump into the discussion both in the format of asking a question as well as replying with a comment or relevant thought. I have designed 16 meaningful discussion stem posters for students to refer to. The posters come in three different sizes, one perfect for hanging up on your classroom walls, one perfect to put on a ring and use for a small group, and one perfect for students to use as their individual resource. Second, have students begin with less-academic, more fun topics vs. essential questions that require critical thinking. The goal here is that students can initially focus mostly on their communication skills vs. having to delve into deep thinking. Of course, once students have had ample practice learning the process of student-led discussion, then by all means dive head first into critical thinking guided by your academic units! For teaching student-led discussion with juicy yet "easy" topics that hook students' interest, I created 20 discussion starters to use. Third, give students time to write down their thinking and plan out what they are going to say about the topic rather than making them think and speak on the spot. I created some planning templates that can be used for any topic or essential question so that they can be used for meaty academic topics too. (P.S. They are editable so that I can type in my topic or essential question and make as many copies as I need!! Whoopee!!) Fourth, set clear expectations before you start the student-led discussion such as what respectful listening looks like. Teach, model, and have students model these expectations so that you are setting students up for success. Fifth, give students a goal as to how many times to speak and over time, increase it. For example, for the very first practice, you might say something like, "Today, everyone needs to speak at least one time. You may participate by asking a question, making a comment, or responding to someone else's comment. If you want to participate more than one time in the discussion, you may." Here's a rubric that can help students self-monitor and self-evaluate their communication skills. Sixth, the very first time students practice student-led discussion, participate as the teacher as needed, calling on students who may need some encouragement. Over time, you will participate less and less until not at all! I made some recording sheets as an assessment tool to give students feedback, celebrate sutdents' successes, and support students in making growth in their communication skills. They come in different forms where I can record specific discussion stems students used or just in general whether students asked a question or made a comment. I also made them different sizes--one for whole class, one for small group. (PPS These are editable too so that student names can be typed directly on the sheet!) The key to this whole process is baby steps. You want students to feel safe, encouraged, and confident, and the way to do this is to give students the tools they need up front and then release them slowly towards independence. To see this "How to Teach Meaningful Student-Led Discussion Pack" in detail, click on the image below! With the resources in this pack, your students certainly will not suffer from glossophobia as you create a safe and welcoming environment where students lead the discussion as your norm. Now as calming other fears like spiders... Good luck! :)
This student led conference lotus chart was designed for my first grade classroom. Students use the form as a guide to show their parents around the classroom. I have included different forms so that you could edit them to meet your needs. I also included my personal one as an example. *You must have Powerpoint in order to edit this form* To check out my blog post on student led conferences, head here: Rock Your Student Led Conferences Like A Boss You may also enjoy my Student Led Conference pack that is jam packed with lots of goodies to help you conduct student led conferences in your classroom!
Teach your students responsibility and leadership skills with student lead morning meeting in the classroom.
Howdy! I am Mr. Greg from The Kindergarten Smorgasboard. My real name is Greg Smedley-Warren. I have been teaching for 11 years. I spent a year teaching fifth grade, two years in second grade and am now in my 9th year in Kindergarten. Kindergarten is my passion and my calling but honestly, that wasn’t how it started. When I was moved to Kindergarten (not voluntarily!) I called my mommy and cried. But on the first day, I fell in love and knew that Kindergarten is where I belonged. I have remained in Kindergarten ever since. I plan to never leave the classroom as the kids are what drive me to continue my growth as a teacher and person.
Looking for an end of year activity to complete with your younger students? Engage your students in the last few weeks of term by completing the 'All About My Year' fill in the blank activity. Students will read the passage and fill in the passage to complete their own end of year reflection. This is the perfect discussion piece to complete to help guide student led conferences. There are two options. One for just one teacher and another for more than one teacher. This resource is perfect for: -> End of Year Writing Tasks -> Classroom Display -> Portfolio Task -> Guide Parent Conference Discussions -> Fun Task for End of Year If you enjoyed this resource you will also love: -> End of Term - Favorite Task -> End of Year Pendant Let’s Stay Connected! I would love you to be the first to see my latest resources and freebies. CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW MY STORE ———————————————————————— Having trouble? This resource is a digital file, that you can download after making a purchase. In order to open the resource, you will be required to have a PDF Reader installed on your computer. To minimise any difficulties ensure your device’s software is up to date. ———————————————————————— TERMS OF USE Thank you for your purchase! By purchasing this resource, you are agreeing that the contents are the property of Charlotte Allen (missallenapple) and licensed to you only for classroom / personal use as a single user. I retain the copyright, and reserve all rights to this product. Copying any part of this resource and placing it on the internet including a personal website, or school drive is breaching the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Please remember to leave feedback so you will earn TpT Credits, which may be applied to your future purchases. ©Charlotte Allen2021 Iwww.missallenapple.comI
Let your students SHINE with them showcasing their learning during student led conferences!
Paying attention to what was going well for students led a special education teacher to a strengths-based approach to teaching.
Student-led learning prioritizes student agency and autonomy, shaping their learning experiences based on personal interests, goals, and learning styles.
