Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom: Differentiated Instruction

Summary

The video explores the concept of differentiated instruction, an effective teaching approach in inclusive classrooms. Teachers tailor learning experiences to meet individual students' needs, allowing diverse learners to succeed. The example focuses on a sixth-grade teacher, Stephanie Curry, who manages a class with a wide range of abilities and emotional needs. By offering students choice in how they demonstrate knowledge, like writing poems, creating comics, or acting out charades, she fosters engagement and accommodates different learning styles. Her emphasis on positive reinforcement and patience creates an inclusive, supportive environment.

Takeaways

• 📝 Differentiated instruction is a successful approach in inclusive classrooms, accommodating various learning styles.
• 👩‍🏫 Teachers in inclusive classrooms use differentiated instruction to meet individual student needs and learning preferences.
• 🎨 Differentiation includes allowing students to choose activities or projects that align with their learning styles, such as making comic strips, writing poems, or performing charades.
• 📚 Mrs. Curry, a first-year teacher, uses differentiated instruction to manage a classroom with diverse learning and emotional needs.
• 💡 Students are encouraged to express their knowledge in creative ways, demonstrating understanding through choice-based activities.
• 🔍 Special education students in Mrs. Curry's class receive accommodations such as extra time and modified assignments to aid comprehension and communication.
• 🤝 Positive reinforcement and behavior management are essential in classrooms with students who have behavior disorders or emotional challenges.
• 🎭 Active listening is a key component in Mrs. Curry's classroom, helping students engage and feel respected during peer presentations.
• ✍️ Students are given opportunities to revise their work and receive feedback, fostering a supportive and creative learning environment.
• 🎉 Mrs. Curry emphasizes the importance of patience and thoroughness in teaching, ensuring students fully understand concepts before moving on.

Q & A

What is differentiated instruction, and why is it important in inclusive classrooms?

Differentiated instruction is an approach where teachers tailor learning options based on individual students' needs, learning styles, and preferences. It is important in inclusive classrooms as it accommodates diverse learners, ensuring that struggling, advanced, and intermediate students can learn and succeed.

How does differentiated instruction work in practice?

In practice, differentiated instruction involves offering students various options for learning and demonstrating their understanding. Teachers may modify what students need to learn, how they learn it, or how they showcase their knowledge through different activities or projects.

What specific teaching method did Stephanie Curry use in her lesson on Greek mythology?

Stephanie Curry used a choice board method, where students were given multiple options to demonstrate their knowledge of Greek gods and goddesses. They could choose from activities such as creating a comic strip, writing a poem, or acting out charades, allowing them to learn in a way that matched their learning style.

How does Mrs. Curry handle the diversity of learning abilities in her classroom?

Mrs. Curry accommodates the wide range of learning abilities by offering differentiated tasks and providing individual attention. She ensures that each student can work at their own pace and ability level while making modifications for those with special needs, especially in areas like reading comprehension and writing.

What approach does Mrs. Curry take when students struggle with their assignments?

When students struggle with assignments, Mrs. Curry encourages them to come up with their own solutions and suggestions for modifications. This allows students to take ownership of their learning and express their needs, leading to better results.

How does Mrs. Curry encourage active listening in her classroom?

Mrs. Curry emphasizes the importance of active listening, which involves not just hearing but also engaging with the speaker through body language, eye contact, and attentiveness. She believes that active listening fosters a respectful and focused learning environment.

What challenges does Mrs. Curry face with student behavior, and how does she address them?

Mrs. Curry faces challenges with students who have behavior disorders, aggressive tendencies, and serious emotional issues. She addresses these by not letting prior knowledge of their behavior shape her expectations, and she uses positive reinforcement and behavior management techniques to encourage self-control.

How does Mrs. Curry ensure that her special education students receive the support they need?

Mrs. Curry provides accommodations for her special education students, particularly in communication arts. She modifies assignments by chunking them, allowing extra time, and adjusting expectations to ensure these students can succeed in their own way.

What role does student feedback play in Mrs. Curry's teaching process?

Student feedback plays a significant role in Mrs. Curry's teaching. She values their input when they suggest modifications and adaptations, as students often have a better understanding of their own needs and how they learn best.

How does Mrs. Curry foster a positive classroom environment despite the challenges she faces?

Mrs. Curry fosters a positive classroom environment by focusing on building new reputations for her students, not allowing past behaviors to define them. She promotes respect, positive reinforcement, and a supportive learning environment where students feel safe to express themselves.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Differentiated Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms

This paragraph introduces differentiated instruction as an effective teaching method in inclusive classrooms. Teachers adapt learning activities to suit individual student needs, allowing them to learn in ways that fit their strengths. Differentiation is essential for accommodating diverse learning styles and abilities, ensuring all students succeed. The example of Stephanie Curry’s class is introduced, where this method was applied to teach Greek mythology to a diverse group of students with special needs.

05:03

🎯 Stephanie Curry's Classroom Setup for a Greek Mythology Unit

In this paragraph, Stephanie Curry explains her lesson plan for a unit on Greek mythology. She uses a choice board to offer various creative activities, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge based on their learning styles. The activities include comic strips, poems, and charades about gods and goddesses. Despite challenges, Curry emphasizes giving students a fresh start and nurturing a positive classroom environment where students redefine their reputation as a fun, manageable class.

10:03

📝 Managing Differentiation in a Diverse Classroom

Stephanie Curry highlights the diversity in her classroom, with students of different ethnicities, language backgrounds, and varying academic levels, from first-grade to ninth-grade reading abilities. She emphasizes the importance of accommodating these differences by adjusting tasks and providing support to students with special education needs. Curry focuses on personalizing tasks for students based on their specific learning needs and allowing students to engage in the activity that suits them best.

15:04

🎓 Accommodating Special Education Students and Encouraging Self-Advocacy

Here, Curry describes her approach to making accommodations for special education students, particularly in reading and writing. She discusses the importance of chunking assignments and providing extra time. Curry also emphasizes student self-advocacy, allowing students to suggest how they can best complete their assignments. She stresses the importance of recognizing students' individual needs and allowing them the opportunity to participate and succeed despite their challenges.

20:05

🎭 Active Listening and Positive Behavior Reinforcement

This paragraph focuses on Curry’s experience managing students with behavioral challenges and emotional disorders. She stresses the importance of not stereotyping students based on their backgrounds. Instead, Curry focuses on positive behavior reinforcement and active listening as key tools to help students demonstrate self-control. By encouraging students to reflect and engage in the classroom in a controlled way, she builds a supportive and respectful learning environment.

🎨 Creative Projects and Individual Expression in the Classroom

Curry shares examples of creative student projects, including a poem about Aphrodite. The paragraph showcases how students express their understanding of Greek mythology through different mediums, without needing to explicitly state the names of the gods and goddesses. This activity demonstrates how creative assignments allow students to engage with the material in a way that aligns with their strengths while fostering a deeper understanding of the content.

💡 Importance of Patience and Clarity in Teaching

Curry explains her teaching philosophy, which revolves around being patient and thorough in answering students' questions. She believes that students' inquiries reflect their interest and engagement. Curry values taking the time to clarify expectations, which not only encourages learning but also ensures that students are on the same page. She emphasizes the importance of building a collaborative learning environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and exploring the material.

👂 Active Listening and Student Engagement

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of active listening in the classroom. Curry explains how she teaches her students to be good listeners, engaging not only with their ears but also through body language and eye contact. She highlights the significance of active listening for mutual respect and successful communication in the classroom. By reinforcing these skills, students are better prepared to focus on tasks and show courtesy to their peers.

🎭 Student Presentations and Classroom Encouragement

Curry fosters a positive classroom atmosphere where students are encouraged to share their work with the class. For example, Patricia's performance in charades representing Persephone is praised. Curry highlights how students can express themselves creatively and confidently in front of their peers. The paragraph also illustrates how Curry’s students have learned to be active listeners, providing feedback and encouragement to their classmates during presentations.

📜 Wrapping Up Greek Mythology Unit with Confidence

The final paragraph details how Curry wraps up the Greek mythology unit, allowing students to showcase their knowledge. Despite some students not being finished, Curry reassures them that they will have time to complete their work. She praises students for their creativity and engagement, acknowledging that they have developed a solid understanding of the subject. The paragraph ends with Curry reflecting on how students are overcoming fears of judgment by confidently participating in class activities like charades and poetry.

Keywords

💡Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction refers to a teaching approach where educators tailor their methods to address the diverse learning needs of individual students. In the video, Mrs. Curry applies this by offering students different ways to express their knowledge, such as creating comic strips, writing poems, or performing charades, depending on their learning preferences. This is especially effective in inclusive classrooms where students have varying abilities and needs.

💡Inclusive Classrooms

Inclusive classrooms are learning environments that accommodate students of all backgrounds and abilities, including those with special needs. The video emphasizes the use of differentiated instruction to ensure that students with different learning styles, including those with learning disabilities or behavioral issues, can all succeed. Mrs. Curry teaches in such an environment, adapting her lessons to engage a wide spectrum of learners.

💡Choice Board

A choice board is a tool that allows students to select from various learning activities or projects based on their interests and learning styles. In Mrs. Curry’s lesson, students choose from activities like writing a poem, creating a comic strip, or performing charades to demonstrate their understanding of Greek gods and goddesses. This strategy encourages student autonomy and accommodates different preferences in how they express their knowledge.

💡Learning Styles

Learning styles refer to the preferred ways in which students absorb, process, and retain information, such as visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning. Mrs. Curry’s use of a choice board reflects an understanding of her students' varied learning styles, allowing them to choose activities that align with how they learn best. This ensures that every student, whether they prefer writing, drawing, or acting, can participate meaningfully.

💡Special Education

Special education refers to tailored educational programs designed to meet the needs of students with learning disabilities or other special needs. The video mentions that some of Mrs. Curry's students have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), requiring her to make accommodations such as chunking assignments and providing extra time. These adjustments help students with special needs succeed alongside their peers.

💡Behavioral Issues

Behavioral issues refer to challenges in managing behavior, which can disrupt learning. Mrs. Curry mentions having students with behavioral disorders who have a history of aggression or emotional difficulties. She addresses these issues by using positive reinforcement and encouraging self-control, ensuring that these students can focus on learning and improving their behavior in the classroom setting.

💡Active Listening

Active listening is a communication technique where listeners fully engage with the speaker, showing attentiveness through body language, eye contact, and feedback. Mrs. Curry emphasizes the importance of active listening in her classroom, teaching her students to listen not just with their ears but also with their eyes and body language, fostering respect and deeper understanding during lessons and peer presentations.

💡Accommodations

Accommodations are adjustments made to teaching methods, assessments, or the learning environment to support students with special needs. In the video, Mrs. Curry discusses providing accommodations such as extra time, simplified assignments, and breaking tasks into smaller steps for students who struggle with reading comprehension or writing. These modifications help ensure that all students can access the curriculum.

💡Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is a behavioral strategy that rewards desirable behaviors to encourage their repetition. Mrs. Curry uses positive reinforcement in her classroom by acknowledging and rewarding students for showing self-control and participating constructively, even in challenging situations. This helps build a positive classroom environment where students are motivated to improve their behavior.

💡Greek Mythology

Greek mythology refers to the body of myths and legends from ancient Greece about gods, goddesses, and heroes. In Mrs. Curry's classroom, students are studying Greek mythology as part of their unit on ancient Greece. The lesson focuses on understanding the roles of the gods and goddesses in Greek culture, with students demonstrating their knowledge through creative activities such as poems, charades, and summaries.

Highlights

Differentiated instruction is a successful approach used in inclusive classrooms, accommodating various learning styles and preferences.

Teachers differentiate by individualizing what students need to learn and how they will learn it.

Students are offered multiple learning options, like different activities or projects, to showcase their understanding.

In Mrs. Curry's class on Greek mythology, students use a choice board to select different ways to demonstrate their knowledge, such as comic strips, poems, or charades.

The choice board empowers students by allowing them to choose based on their preferred learning style.

Mrs. Curry emphasizes the importance of giving students a new reputation, rather than labeling them based on past behavior.

The class is diverse, with students of different ethnic backgrounds, learning abilities, and reading levels, ranging from first to ninth grade levels.

Mrs. Curry makes accommodations for special education students, particularly in reading comprehension and writing.

She uses chunking assignments and providing extra time as accommodations for students who struggle.

Mrs. Curry values student input in creating assignments, allowing students to express their needs and come up with ideas.

She fosters an inclusive environment where students feel encouraged to express themselves, even when their behavior might suggest otherwise.

The students' projects on Greek gods and goddesses reflect their creativity, with poems and performances tailored to individual strengths.

Mrs. Curry emphasizes the value of active listening, encouraging students to show engagement with both their body language and attention.

Positive behavior management is a key part of Mrs. Curry's strategy, focusing on one negative to every two positives.

The class creates an atmosphere of mutual respect, which allows students to take creative risks without fear of judgment from their peers.

Transcripts

an instructional approach that works

well in inclusive classrooms is

differentiated instruction in almost all

of the inclusive classrooms that we

visited teachers used some form of

differentiated instruction the teacher

in a differentiated classroom tries to

understand what individual students need

to learn most effectively and she

attempts to provide learning options

that are a good fit for each learner

this type of teaching is of course very

appropriate for inclusive classrooms

teachers can differentiate their

instruction by individualizing what

students need to learn or how they will

learn it teachers can also differentiate

by allowing students to select different

learning activities or culminating

projects to demonstrate or apply what

they have learned

simply put teachers differentiate

instruction when they do whatever it

takes to accommodate various learning

styles and preferences so struggling

advanced and in-between students learn

and succeed for an example of

differentiated instruction we travel to

East Middle School and the classroom of

first year teacher

Stephanie curry she describes this class

as a challenging mix of identified and

unidentified special needs students with

a wide range of learning and emotional

disabilities with such a diverse group

of students differentiated instruction

was a logical choice now let's join mrs.

Kerr for her lesson on Greek mythology

we are finishing a unit today on ancient

Greece and we are working specifically

on the gods and goddesses and making

connections with religion and how that

affects ancient Greek culture and so

we're going to be doing a creative

activity where

they're required to apply the knowledge

that they've already learned today we're

actually going to warm up by doing a

brief fun little game just to get our

brains warmed up and then they have a

choice board and what that means is they

get several different choices based on

their learning style and the way that

they like to show what they know and

they get to choose and they already have

those handouts and they've already kind

of decided what they want to do and so

some of them are gonna be making a comic

strip some of them are gonna write a

poem some of them will be doing charades

to show us about the different gods and

goddesses so they get to choose we got

our brains nice and warmed up so we

remember the different gods and

goddesses and now let's take out our

choice boards let's take a look at those

and we get a choice here we have a few

different options to show that we know

about our Greek gods and goddesses some

people might want to retell in our own

words who's going to retell in our own

words today raise your hand if that's

the one you decided to do fabulous we've

got some people who's gonna retell in

our own words just one person today two

people okay when I first walked in the

door I had about five people come up to

me and say oh you're the sixth grade

teacher please don't leave after this

year or they'd say oh I had that class

and I almost quit it was bad just

telling me about the problems that they

had and you know there's a lot of

behavior disorder and difficulty and

aggressive children and students that

have been retained and are quite a bit

older than the average sixth grade

student and a lot of struggles and so

you know I kind of tried to take that

with a grain of salt because the

classroom is what you make it it's not

what other people tell you it is and so

my whole thing coming into it was I'm

going to give these guys a new chance

because obviously they've got a story

and they feel like they have a

reputation and I want them to be able to

have a new reputation this year as being

you know maybe a class with a little bit

more personality or the fun class the

humorous class something like that not

the class that nobody can manage we've

got one person I thought we had more

than one person who's gonna reflect and

write in a journal you changed your mind

okay who's gonna change their mind

because sometimes we think that we want

to do one thing and then we think about

it and we just said we're gonna do

another thing who is going to change

their mind okay what would you like to

do you're gonna retail in your own words

sure the thing I like best about this

class is that it's very equally divided

I have about the same number of

african-american white and Hispanic

students and I've got a lot of students

the English is their second language I

have some students that are considered

special education they have IEP s and

special needs I have a lot of students

that are definitely not on grade level

that are very very low in their reading

comprehension I have some students that

actually read on about a first or a

second grade level I also have students

that are exceptionally high in their

reading comprehension reading on more

like a ninth grade level so I've got a

lot of different spectrums with these

kids and that I think that's probably

the thing I like best about it is that

they're all their own they've got their

own personality anybody else wants to

change their minds and so what I want

you to do is take a look at your task

sheet that we have here hold it up so I

know which one you're talking about

good you're all with me thank you and

where it's this task there is a

description of what I'd like you to do

and so I'd like you to just take a

moment to glance over that description I

am only asking you to choose a couple of

these different gods and goddesses so I

want you to find what I'm asking you to

choose it's different for each one of

them okay so I want you to find that

part and when you see how many gods and

goddesses you're focusing on you can put

your finger on that some of you don't

have to choose anything if you are

discussing

coming to a conclusion I've given you a

question I would like you to discuss

okay go ahead and read the rest of

what's under your task because this is

going to tell you I am expecting of you

that's going to tell me and tell you

what I want to see at the end because we

all have a product that we're creating

and then we can look at our score guide

we have three points and that's going to

mean you're doing everything I'm asking

you to do and it is free of grammar and

spelling errors so we've got our

dictionaries back there if you need them

okay and we've got our number two which

means we got most of it together you do

most of it right missing a couple things

a couple of details a little off one

point means you missed a lot of things

they're not quite sure if you were

totally getting what I asked you to do

zero points means you stop there like a

bump on the log and didn't do anything

so I am pretty sure that we will have no

zeros in this class now if you have any

questions about what is on your sheet

please ask me as I come around now I'm

going to be coming around to each one of

you and so this is an individual

assignment for many of you but please

rely on your neighbors you can rely on

each other if you're stuck okay and so

you can whisper to each other if you

need to whisper I do have to make quite

a few accommodations for my special ed

students especially in regards to

reading comprehension and writing I find

that those are the areas that they tend

to struggle in the most both of all

three of my special ed students require

accommodations mostly in communication

arts so it's that area of course every

discipline contains aspects of

Communication Arts so I do find that I

make quite a few modifications lengths

and requirements they tend to struggle

with so I like to chunk their

assignments they get extra time

sometimes if it's not hitting for some

reason I'm just I know I'm getting that

they're not with me on it

I'll just stop I'll just say you know

what what should I do here what do you

think tell me what you think I should

assign you and we'll talk about in most

of the time they will come up with

better ideas than I would because they

know themselves and we have to give them

credit for that you know it's it's not

like the special ed kids don't want to

perform they're not labeled because

they're bad students they simply have

different needs and who else knows

better how to express their own needs as

the students themselves you bet you can

use your hands you can use your feet

what else could you use besides that you

could use your eyes could you use your

mouth are you sure you can't make facial

expressions I bet you could in my

classroom I have I have some diagnosed

students that have IEP s and special

needs I have several students that are

undiagnosed via behavior disorder

passive-aggressiveness I think many

serious emotional disorders that

definitely effects affects my ability as

a teacher I have students who will

they're very violent physically they

have hit teachers they hit other

students I have students that are that

sell drugs on the street gang activity

we have a lot of students that are just

that way and I always make a habit to

know but not to know too much because it

feels like the more you know about that

the more you make decisions about them

that limit their ability to step outside

of maybe the stereotype they've created

for themselves and so I've I've tried to

use positive behavior management and

positive reinforcement for for positives

too one negative is kind of the ratio I

try to go by and I feel like that really

has helped them demonstrate self-control

and that was my whole principle as we

all have urges we all have may be

difficult home lives we all act out that

we can show self-control and be more

successful despite our difficulties yes

that's exactly what you're telling me

and I do want to see in there there's

one thing I really want to see and that

is a summary of what their purpose is

okay cuz you could tell me that their

name is Hermes but who has Hermes what

is he doing what is the purpose to the

ancient Greeks that's the information I

want to see first in your summary before

you start making your own connections to

that okay you start off your favorite

and in fact before you begin you might

even want to just look at your notes and

circle the ones you're gonna choose to

focus on today that's gonna narrow it

down for you okay so you have a question

over here that you need to read over do

you have your task sheet okay good and

so it says discuss this question with a

partner you got your partner your set

why were the gods and goddesses

important to Greek culture and this is

kind of what we talked about the other

day I mean your house is a mess you

don't have enough food to put on the

table what what are you gonna do you're

gonna go to the gods and so why are they

so important to Greek culture how are

the gods and goddesses so helpful to the

ancient Greeks that's the first part and

then I want you to make connections

between the ancient Greek religious

beliefs and their way of life so they

have all these different gods and

goddesses right why do they have all

those why can't they just have one why

do they have to have so many what's the

point of that I want you to be thinking

about those things okay

that is awesome so do you see because

that's exactly what you need to be doing

if you could give me a couple more lines

because I I don't believe that I gave

you a limit to how much you should write

on each one but I do want to have

probably about five lines about five

sentences each okay so right along those

same lines for all five then you will

have it down that okay so that's your

sloppy copy and you're gonna move over

to a neater copy good idea

very good I want you to check the

spelling of this word just in case you

still need it okay what else could you

do what kinds of things would the

goddess of love do for the ancient

Greeks what kinds of things that they do

okay so she could be a messenger for

love notes I'm sure you guys could use

one of those in here and what else could

she do could she help people fall in

love are you sure about she could help

people fall in love she couldn't say she

couldn't say I think these two need to

be in love I mean I know that's Eris's

job - okay okay so can we can we think

of maybe things along that line okay you

could even you could even ask for

volunteers but remember it's all gonna

be without words okay that's something

you'll have to think about

that is so good can you share that with

the class would you do I could read it

for you do you want me to do that is

that okay you guys would you like to

hear a piece of work that's going on

back here very creative try and guess

who this is about you are the goddess of

love you seek from above to help people

show love you are kind of like eros but

you're a better hero you don't make

people fall in love you show love oh

that's cute

who is that who you bet Aphrodite and I

liked how she completely explained

Aphrodite without even saying her name

she didn't even have to use aphrodite's

name we got it

based on the figurative language that

she is that gave me chills that was good

hmm oh we've got another my Angela over

here yeah I do try to be very patient

with their questions and I really try to

be thorough in getting across what I'm

expecting because the more they ask that

means the more they're interested and so

I'm patient with it because it's almost

a compliment when they ask questions

like that it means they're probing for

more information it means they want to

engage I find it unfortunate when

teachers shut down the more students ask

questions like the more of my kids ask

questions the more I see first of all

where I was unclear in second of all

where they might be interested or want

to explore or maybe they want to go the

extra mile maybe I was confusing and I

feel that is so important to get that

down what my expectations are what their

expectations are and whether or not we

understand each other

they are not on the same page with me

and if I'm not on the same page with

them

there's no way learning can take place

there's no exchange of knowledge and so

that to me is the most important area to

be patient in because it's going to set

the stage for everything else and it

also sets a good climate it lets them

know that I'm willing to do whatever it

takes I'm willing to spend any amount of

time we feel so rushed we have so many

things we have to achieve in the

classroom and taking the time to just

make sure it's done right and make sure

everybody understands it's just beyond

important I will take hours on a lesson

if I need to because I know that when

we're done they will have really gotten

it whereas if I'm speeding through and

I'm hurrying them up and I'm cutting

their questions off they're probably not

going to get it and it's not gonna stick

which one are you working on okay and so

we have a really good example of a

summary for those of you who are doing

retelling your own words didn't know you

could just read it from your desk if you

like I like this because sometimes her

miss was not always treated well because

sometimes he was treated good news I -

was the guide of delivery no one else

from the death okay I wanted you to hear

that as an example because that was

perfect in every way to our writing

model she had a topic sentence she had a

conclusion she had details she had

examples and that is exactly what we

need to see in everything that we're

writing that is a perfect example very

good start

very good

are you guys ready to show active

listening

this poem is a lot more explicit it says

you may show love but you can make

people show it they might be shy or

embarrassed but with you they can show

much more your feelings are telling you

to let your love out but at the same

time you're telling yourself to let it

in you can be a little cruel with your

pair but she'll let you share your love

do you see how that's different from the

last one but it's still very poetic very

figurative we get a picture of who are

we talking about that's right we're

still getting a picture of Aphrodite in

our heads this is very good and I wanted

you to hear the difference of the two

poems because we've got the same kind of

projects going on back here but two

different products two approaches to the

same thing very good thank you for

letting me share that are you ready okay

and we are also ready to play a little

charades are you guys ready to show

active listening okay after the 30

seconds we are going to try and guess

who she's doing which god or goddess she

is doing are you ready okay let's show

Patricia active listening the whole time

active active listening is very very

important I have you know made very good

active listeners out of these students

my biggest pet peeve is when you get in

front of somebody a group of people and

they're chatting and they're not paying

attention and they're half listening to

what you're saying it makes you feel

very know know ignored neglected it just

doesn't make you feel good I think it is

so important that students know how to

be good listeners an active listening in

my room means that you're not just

listening with your ears you're

listening with your eyes you're

listening with your body language so

we've actually gone over several times

throughout the year what it looks like

and what it sounds like to be

good active listener they're sitting up

there giving you eye contact they might

be nodding sometimes they're definitely

showing you with their body language

that they're listening and when you

point to their attention that they need

to be doing that physically it also

perks their ears up to because they're

in a mental position to pay attention

and they're also giving people common

courtesy and respect okay

who knows David who is it and okay and

who are they is about Persephone it's

kind of a hard one to say Persephone and

how did you know that that's what she

was doing she was planting food you

could see her and then she was

harvesting the food that was really good

thank you very much everybody let's give

Patricia a round of applause for being

very very brave does anybody want to

does anybody else want to share

what they have so far because I know

that we're really not quite finished

Patricia is gonna be your reader okay

very good

here I'll deliver so you don't have to

get up okay and so can you just share

this paragraph right here and let's just

uh

hear what this retail has to say

Aphrodite is my favorite goddess because

she is the protector of love she helps

people with their love if I had one wish

to the goddess of love it will be it

would be it would be what I want to hear

what it is what would it be if you had

one wish to the goddess of love one wish

only what would it be

to fall in love with somebody maybe

somebody good-looking maybe somebody

with you know some money in their pocket

maybe somebody with a good job maybe

maybe just somebody who treats you

really nice very good thank you for

sharing and if you're not finished with

your poster that's okay you can just

take a little bit of time to finish it

up later I see that a lot of us are

really getting showing what we know I

see a lot of you really do know about

these Greek gods and goddesses not just

their names or who they are but why

they're important but let's go ahead and

just wrap up what we're doing for now

because I think we're just about out of

time go ahead and finish up your last

sentence yes you're done with yours

fabulous fabulous some of you are not

done

oh wow you've got a lot written some of

you are not done but that is okay we all

have just a little bit more time to work

on this during down time away from other

projects give yourselves a hand you guys

you did a really really good job I see a

lot of good stuff and I've heard a lot

of good stuff thank you for those people

who shared and really went out on a limb

today good job you know something that I

was so impressed with was I think a lot

of students are scared to do things like

charades or do the poems because they're

afraid that their peers are going to

judge them and I think that what they

were able to see is that their peers are

really going to be respectful and

they're good they're not going to be so

judgmental

you