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This is a really quick teacher tip, but an important one:
Have a class website. My class website is linked at the bottom of this post, and I actually use the same free easy website that I use for this blog. The parents really appreciate having a spot where they can look up the current spelling list or have the kids practice their facts. My website is not the best out there, there are many other excellent class websites, and some teachers even make it interactive where the class builds the site together.
I just wanted to take a moment to encourage those teachers who haven't done it yet, that it is an excellent tool to have and use in this day and age of technology.
My website:
http://mca2ndgrade.blogspot.com/
Other excellent class websites:
Mrs. McDavid's class website
Mrs. Schib's class website
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Healthy Competition
This might be a controversial topic, but my day in the classroom today makes me want to talk about it.
I believe that it is good for kids to experience some classroom competitions, even though it means that some kids will lose.
Today I did a project where every group was given a portion of the textbook to read, and then they had to do a poster representing their given reading. Then the four kids in the group stood in the front of the class, and the rest of the class voted for their favorite poster of the four. The winning poster from each team will be up for a week, and the others will be sent home.
I had students who were upset about losing, (it is only 2nd grade), and were crying that theirs wasn't picked.
Although I obviously felt bad for those students who were bummed that theirs was not chosen, I also felt that it was a learning experience. Not everyone wins...
I have seen many times where there is a competition, but at the end they say the kids are all winners, and there are no losers. This is done to shelter the kids, and to help boost self esteem, but does it really help them? In the long run, wouldn't it be better to start teaching them how to deal appropriately with both winning and losing?
Imagine a world where we keep the kid sheltered attitude throughout life.
We go for a job interview, and they decide that everyone gets the job!
You go to an audition for a part in the play and they say everyone gets the lead!
We stop keeping score in baseball, football, and all other sports, and instead declare every game a tie!
It would be ridiculous!
Also, while making everyone winners is supposed to make the kids feel good, most kids aren't fooled. The joy of winning doesn't exist when everyone wins, and for every child that was upset about losing in my class, there was another child whose face beamed with pride that theirs was picked. For every race that one child loses, another child can feel proud that they won. For every soccer game one team loses, the other teams feels the sweet taste of victory.
If you eliminate competitions, the sour, bitter edge of losing is gone, but so is the great feeling of accomplishment from winning.
Until I am told I can't anymore, I will continue to expose my class to competitions, and try to teach them how its a part of life that some will win and some will lose, and hope that each time the kids mature through the process.
I believe that it is good for kids to experience some classroom competitions, even though it means that some kids will lose.
Today I did a project where every group was given a portion of the textbook to read, and then they had to do a poster representing their given reading. Then the four kids in the group stood in the front of the class, and the rest of the class voted for their favorite poster of the four. The winning poster from each team will be up for a week, and the others will be sent home.
I had students who were upset about losing, (it is only 2nd grade), and were crying that theirs wasn't picked.
Although I obviously felt bad for those students who were bummed that theirs was not chosen, I also felt that it was a learning experience. Not everyone wins...
I have seen many times where there is a competition, but at the end they say the kids are all winners, and there are no losers. This is done to shelter the kids, and to help boost self esteem, but does it really help them? In the long run, wouldn't it be better to start teaching them how to deal appropriately with both winning and losing?
Imagine a world where we keep the kid sheltered attitude throughout life.
We go for a job interview, and they decide that everyone gets the job!
You go to an audition for a part in the play and they say everyone gets the lead!
We stop keeping score in baseball, football, and all other sports, and instead declare every game a tie!
It would be ridiculous!
Also, while making everyone winners is supposed to make the kids feel good, most kids aren't fooled. The joy of winning doesn't exist when everyone wins, and for every child that was upset about losing in my class, there was another child whose face beamed with pride that theirs was picked. For every race that one child loses, another child can feel proud that they won. For every soccer game one team loses, the other teams feels the sweet taste of victory.
If you eliminate competitions, the sour, bitter edge of losing is gone, but so is the great feeling of accomplishment from winning.
Until I am told I can't anymore, I will continue to expose my class to competitions, and try to teach them how its a part of life that some will win and some will lose, and hope that each time the kids mature through the process.
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