I like to ponder what-if questions. They make me think deeply and as I reflect, I get to know myself and my beliefs much better. I have decided to include an on again, off again series of What-Ifs.
This will be the first in the series.
What If (#1) I knew all of my students' needs for my new students next year as I contemplate my planning for next year?
The reality is...
I really don't think that I would start planning for their needs. One things that I know for sure is that students change, a lot, between 6th to 7th grade and 7th to 8th grade. I also know that just because they had certain struggles with various teachers from last year, that definitely does not mean they will have the same struggles with me.
In other words. I truly don't want to know the needs of my students. I want to get to know them and their learning in an authentic manner and wait for the actual start of the year. There are way too many variable to take into account to plan for who they may have been or what hinderances existed for my new students last year.
My plan is to plan as I normally will. I will plan engaging and exciting lessons with challenging work and high expectations. My students will show me first hand what they need. With regular conferring, I can see if the need to learn some basic skills. I can also note if they need to unlearn some bad habits from years past.
This is why I have a belief...
I do not look at IEPs, 504s, or any other student paperwork until week 3. I want to know first hand, from my students teaching me, what their true needs are. Leaving behind any ideas of learned helplessness, we will deal as partners, with any needs as they arise.
Be Mindful.
Peace.
Mark Levine
#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites
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