Yesterday I was part of a team of teachers who embarked on a mission to study the AP learning environment in classes at Ocean Lakes High School. We were looking specifically for tips to integrate rigor through technology and improve engagement through student-centered activities. Boy were we inspired! We spent our morning observing AP Biology and AP US History; having candid conversations about scaffolding academic support structures in AP classes; and thinking of ways to adjust our instruction to meet student needs. Yesterday was the first of many AP teacher learning walks and I hope they continue to be meaningful, productive experiences for our teachers.
Today was one of my favorite days so far! While I've been learning so much about my new position over the first few weeks of school, I have been aching to be around kids. I love high school kids; I enjoy their wit and sarcasm and I've missed being in the classroom with them terribly. Today I held an open house to meet all of my new students during their study blocks. I bribed them with cookies, cupcakes, and Twizzlers, which endeared me to them immediately and had a chance to talk to them a little bit about what they want out of their gifted program.
Many of them just came for the food, which was fine, but a few stayed for the conversation. I really loved chatting about dance with a group of girls, I spent time talking books with another crew. I tried my best to make the gifted resource office appear to be a welcoming, inviting place with something to offer many of our students. A few things I tried to convey to each student as they came in. First, the gifted resource room is a space where students can come for a quite place to study and access computers. Second, over the next year or so it is my plan to build up an AP/SAT test library made up of as many test preparation materials as we can get our hands on. Finally, during the next year we are going to provide opportunities for our students to serve in the role as a mentor to our future-Chiefs. Many students I chatted with today were excited to potentially visit our feeder elementary schools and help run special-interest clubs or talk to middle school students and alleviate their fears about high school life. Today I asked every student who visited to sign up for our Gifted Students Edmodo group. I will use the group to communicate about upcoming events and programs for students. The first post is a survey I'd like all gifted students to complete to help me plan for future programs for this crew. If your child needs access to the Edmodo group, have them stop in my room or send me an email requesting the code. |
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