Share a time that you were completely immersed in your teaching... How did you benefit and how did your students benefit?
In Burgess' chapter on Immersion (pgs. 13-18), he speaks to the power of "swimming" with your students.
Share a time that you were completely immersed in your teaching... How did you benefit and how did your students benefit?
17 Comments
Jess T
10/5/2015 09:34:38 am
I feel immersed with my students on a day-to-day basis. I don't see myself as the "lifeguard" type sitting and supervising, rather I am a swimmer participating and role playing with my students. Children have an innate ability to sense adults around them. No matter who the child, through my journey thus far of being a teacher, the children need to feel loved, welcomed, and at "home" while they are at school. Once this occurs, having a close rapport with the children will allow these "immerse" moments. We do a lot of role-playing, modeling, hands-on activities, as well as lessons geared toward student interests which makes daily lessons more meaningful. Having an immerse environment helps the students feel more confident in taking risks.
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Mary Shenouda
10/5/2015 10:11:37 am
Much like the author on page 17 ("Don't Miss the Moment) stated, the moment I decided not to worry about assessments so much and to just "be" with my students, in that moment, I was fully immersed in my teaching. By Surrendering my need to be a multi-tasker and in control all the time, I am able to be fully present for my students and go with flow. "Having the right structure and using your time in the classroom effectively allows you the flexibility to let "the moment" happen without any sense of guilt.
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Nicole
10/9/2015 07:55:16 am
Mary - couldn't agree with you more. Over the years, I have gained a stronger understanding of the need to "just be" with students allowing you a greater opportunity to really be yourself and for your students to really see you and, just as importantly, to bring your passions into your teaching. Still working, of course, on surrendering the "need to be in control all the time;) but I'm trying. Thanks for posting.
Lorri
10/5/2015 11:16:49 am
Jessica: Your student are able to learn because of you. Your classroom is a second home and this is notable as soon as you walk into the room. Nice work!
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Gloria Niebergall
10/6/2015 07:05:21 am
I love this Jess! It is so true that students will take "risks" when they feel confident and aided by their teacher. I feel this way personally with my own children at home as well. They get more of a "dare devil" personality when they know that it is okay to make mistakes or try something new. Nice post! : )
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Gloria Niebergall
10/6/2015 07:03:24 am
Whenever I am using some form of technology I feel "immersed". I think this is because technology helps us to use many parts of ourself so that we are more interactive with the material/content we are learning.
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Lauren
10/6/2015 11:18:53 am
I totally agree with Mary. I find myself swimming more when I teach science or social studies because the subjects are more fun and related to life for the children at this age and there is less pressure on testing in those subjects. The less pressure of testing makes it easier to relax and enjoy them. They are our more fun times during the day but reading, writing and math are fun too, just not in the same way. The swimming I do during science and social studies lessons is more like a freestyle swim as opposed to forcing myself to swim the backstroke. I hope that kind of makes sense to people.
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Lauren
10/9/2015 08:01:44 am
As a school family, let's keep talking about ways to "take some pressure off" and enjoy reading and math the way that it resonates with Science and Social Studies. There's always a way:)
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Shari
10/6/2015 05:22:39 pm
After reading this section on immersion, I realized that this is what we have been saying this all along. We have been trying to do this, what has been working for years, teaching and getting in there with the students as opposed to just sitting by and “testing them.” Sitting on a lifeguard chair and overseeing what is going on gets rather boring for the teacher and really brings no reward. Getting into the water, jumping into the deep end and making sure they all learn to swim is the biggest reward a teacher can get. That is what I signed up for years ago and that is what I will continue to do, as long as I am considered a “teacher” and not a “tester.”
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Lauren
10/8/2015 07:52:04 pm
I wish there was a like button for this :)
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Madlen
10/10/2015 07:11:59 am
I remember when I was in the classroom with my kindergarteners and we were reading non-fiction books. We read a book about snakes and talked about how they shed their skin. They were really excited about it. In order for me to have them understand the concept better of snakes shedding their skin I had the idea of giving them each a piece of tape and having them rubbing it on their arms and then taking it off. They were soo grossed out and excited at the same time. It was such an awesome experience for them and they were so engaged with the activity.
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Shari
10/11/2015 03:24:35 pm
So I am reading the section on RAPPORT and I was thrilled when I got to this part: “No content standard matters to me until I have established the safe, supportive, and positive classroom environment I need to successfully teach my students.” Anyone who knows me knows that everything has to be just right and absolutely perfect before I begin any curriculum, all so my students know that they are welcome, wanted and loved right from the beginning. I want to create an environment that they want to be in everyday and it takes a lot of work so putting content standards aside for the first few days doesn’t bother me in the least. I will get to it and when the time is right my students will start to learn in an environment they can call their second home. That makes me love coming to work each and every day!
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Nicole
10/12/2015 01:08:25 am
Shari- I'm so excited that you are diving further into the book! Way to go! Let's see what our other mayteys say about "rapport." We will make it our next adventure. Thanks for posting!
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Dread Pirate Emily
10/12/2015 12:20:03 pm
I feel immersed when I'm excited and working with the students. Just thinking about my upcoming owl pellet lab has me excited because I know I'll be pulling apart owl pellets with students and helping them find bones!
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Nicole G
10/19/2015 07:51:02 pm
I love reading aloud to children and can easily get lost in a good book and be immersed during a read aloud lesson. The first lesson that sticks out in my mind was when I was reading Mo Willems, "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog". We were working with the children and teaching them how to use character faces, actions and feelings to make their reading come to life. The book, lesson, and children's enthusiasm made it so easy to swim with them and have a blast! We all enjoyed becoming pigeon or becoming duckling and acting out the story!
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Lori
10/25/2015 01:27:18 pm
I recently had a conversation with one of the other literacy coaches about time management in the classroom especially during the reading and writing workshop block. This section on immersion made me think about the times we have had in our classroom during maybe a read aloud or any reading and writing activity that excited your students and the pressure to stop what we are doing because of the time needed to get everything in! "The teachable moment is called that because if you wait it will be gone! Its ok to surrender your structure in the pursuit of something far more valuable in the moment". Maybe we should teach without clocks in our rooms :-)
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Tara
11/10/2015 05:15:33 pm
Oh Lori the read aloud is the most enjoyable time. I have been "immersing" my kiddos in the realistic fiction and themes and character of Patricia Polacco and they have taken her as a part of our class! As soon as I show them a book they smile and many a "yessss!" is heard around the room. They are talking of her characters as though they are real and the thinking we are doing together is just breathtaking. Today it literally took the read aloud and discussion to turn a rough start of my class around and I thanked them for that! I love this!
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