Granted, I pretty much let the above picture happen on purpose. However, upon closer inspection, it is quite evident my students are losing the desire/ability to maintain their classroom notebooks. As I think back over this school year, I am not surprised at all.
First, my students started off the year fairly well. They maintained their class notebooks and I was happy the year was off to such a positive start.
Eventually, the wheels came off the binders. Students moved classes, or somehow lost work. Mostly, we all lost interest. I'm just as guilty. Blame me the most. I didn't grade work and return it in a timely manner. The work wasn't all that interesting. There were no consequences for poorly maintained binders. The list is lengthy.
Most of all, maintaining a class binder just isn't a real-world life skill. If I am trying to teach organization, then surely there are better ways to do so.
Recently, I came across an idea where each class will have one binder for their warmups, and then separate binders for the various units we are teaching. Students will access those binders when they need a handout, or notes, or other assigned work. It sounds messy, but definitely might change the classroom management dynamic.
Those shelves up there could be gone forever if I figure out how to pull this off.
But, wait, that's not all you get.
I also will have a cell phone hotel near my door so students can check in their devices when entering class. The most common complaint we have heard this year is the overwhelming distraction created by our 7th graders phones. I know other schools have plans in place, and I understand our school will also act in unison in helping our students focus on our tasks and not their devices.
I think I have found a novel way to elicit student responses about their learning. I have found some hold manual typewriters. Where once my computers sat will be a spot with these old typewriters. I'll assign a student daily to type out what the class has learned, or to respond to a prompt.
I can't wait for next year.
Peace
"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice."
-T.S. Eliot
