Seeing the good and teaching and intervening and spiral reviewing and reteaching and assessing and doing all the things.. in 55 minutes.. is hard.
One hurdle I have had this year is the group I am teaching. They are truly a dynamic and challenging group all around- academically, behaviorally, personality wise.. it’s a lot. (I knew them when I taught at our feeder elementary school- it’s just always been that way with this bunch.)
We have 9 weeks of school left and I am working really hard to see the good. I know it is there if I look. One simple way I have incorpated this is to pass out these ‘Today I noticed’ cards. I print a stack and have them sitting on my desk. They are short and simple and take all of 10 seconds to write.
- Notice someone who never pulls out their bellwork and they actually did today?
- Someone give someone a pencil so you don’t have to go hunt for your spares because your kids literally have depleted your stash this year?
- Someone showed their math work and they like *never* do that?
- Someone particiapted who usually does not?
- You caught someone actually referencing an anchor chart?
One thing about middle schoolers- they don’t outgrow wanting praise. I slip this to them on the way out the door and they know that I noticed something. It’s been a simple yet effective way to not only let them hear something positive from me, but it also reminds me something good happened this period.
Grab your free template here to make your own!