In looking at my classroom, I notice there are many things that I have set in place and things I do that are intended, consciously or unconsciously, to motivate students. One morning this week I started taking pictures of all these things. Below are twenty things you will find in my classroom. Enjoy!
Photos - Senior photos are posted as they are given to me. After a few years I have to take some down because the top of my chalkboard fills up. The kids love looking at who the top kids were, at least who respected me enough as an educator and adult in their lives to give me a snapshot in time. I even have a few photos from underclassmen that I also post. :)
Media - I. love. books. I'm a book junkie. There are shelves of books in my classroom that are authentic resources for students. Some are free-reading type of books, some are resource books, others are magazines and pamphlets categorized in library-style magazine boxes. Students' interests are represented in these resources: cooking, automobiles, fashion, travel, etc.
Passes - My district has moved away from formal pink passes to teachers just grabbing a random piece of paper, writing the necessary basic information "Molly to band 4th period 11:18 from Spanish". I decided to use inspirational quotes about language learning or travel to use as my passes. This not only gives the student something to look at as they are slowly making their way to class, but also serves as a publicity for my department. I am indirectly advertising and educating other people.
Student work - This is the selfie generation - pictures mean everything. They like to see themselves and their work. There are always examples of student work on display, either in the classroom or in the hallways. I've noticed that hallway displays attract the attention of not only my students but all students who walk by them. Given this, one can assume that even though there are examples of Spanish IV work on display in the classroom, that even the Spanish I students and middle school exploratory students are looking them, trying to decipher what the message is.
As I'm writing, it occurs to me that even when students interrupt my class to have a prior signed or discuss a quick issue, this is also another way to "display" their work since I will only use Spanish to talk to them. Typically it is an upper-level student who comes in wanting or needing something in a lower-level course. It is fun for me to see the jaws drop that someone they know in their "English world" is all of a sudden communicating in another language. It has to be fun for the student I'm speaking with to see the underclassmen admire them for their skills in the language. What a confidence booster!
Standards for Foreign Language Learning - Above one of my chalkboards I have displayed the ACTFL standards. This is a constant reminder of the proficiency we are working towards: communication, cultures, comparisons, connections, and communities. If a student or parent asks why we are learning what we are, or why we are doing certain activities, I can immediately point them to these standards. It gives purpose to what we are doing.
Realia - This stove-pipe cactus was something I had inherited when I came to this position nearly two decades ago. I found it to be a bit boring so I had to dress it up a bit with a print out face, donated sombreros and blankets. Over the years kids have given the cactus names, using a name tag or decorated him with lights at Christmas time. He has even become a star in some of our stories that we tell. Sometimes in a particularly difficult class, we can lighten the mood in the room by blaming the cactus for loud students, paper on the floor that no one wants to pick up, or other shenanigans.
Flags - speaking of realia, flags from various countries are hung. The first year I had these, the students were very intrigued by which country was represented. It took some a little while to figure out they were all Spanish-speaking countries. Ironically, I do not have one from the US. This, of course, is the fastest growing Spanish-speaking country in the world! These flags have also been used to take trips. For example when we learn the structure "va a" we can talk about going to Colombia, Puerto Rico, España, Perú, Guatemala, Cuba, México, or Argentina. Our student actors actually go to the flag to show that they are in that country.
Cultural Bulletin Boards - One thing that I lack in my classroom is bulletin boards. So, instead I have large walls to fill. I use them to display images of things we are working on in class. For example, the picture collection at the left is a series of war posters from the Spanish Civil War that Spanish III used to talk about at the beginning of the year. The images and words were discussed and analyzed to better understand the mindset of the time, comparison between the Spanish Civil War and the Iraq War, and to set the stage for the students who will be traveling to Spain with me this summer to see the Valley of the Fallen.
Street signs - not all street signs look like the narrow green signs stuck at the top of a post on a street corner. These are the street signs in Madrid, Spain. While there, I took pictures of some of them and now have them displayed in my classroom in the corners, as if it was an intersection of two streets. As students inquire about what the artwork is, we have a mini lesson on street signs.
TV - Remember the days of Channel One being pumped into your classroom for 12 minutes during homeroom/seminar? Our equipment was removed, but the TV stand was still there. It was quite an eye sore so I decided to repurpose it with our own Spanish Channel :) I often take pictures of my students so periodically I "change the channel", putting up a new pictures of students from class or from social events like dances, games, or fundraisers. Again, the kids love to see themselves published so this is another way to show them off.
Classroom layout - Let's face it, we teach language and languages were meant to spoken. Something that I have felt strongly about since graduating from college is that the classroom should a group event: we are all working toward the same goal - communication. Students should help each other because, hey the teacher doesn't know it all! It also produces an environment in which students become teachers and leaders in the classroom. The more you teach another person, the deeper you understand the content. Having the desks arranged in a U-shape encourages this communication. I also have never wanted a back-row seat. While this is next to impossible in today's classroom, only have 2 rows helps to prevent a student from becoming unnoticed; you can't hind behind someone if there is only one person in front of you.
Pencils - this may sound like a petty thing, but I really don't care what students are writing with, use crayon if you want, just write! It really irritates me when I hear a student was removed from the learning environment because he or she didn't have a pencil that day (not a pen, but a pencil! Seriously? The principal has bigger fish to fry than that). I have a small box at the front of my desk that has a supply of writing utensils and erasers. A student may have to sharpen it, but there is always at least one writing utensil in there. I never have to hear the complaint, "I don't have a pencil!" They just know they can go to the box.
Mini lessons in a box - ok so these are really post-it notes. I have a big variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. When a student comes to me with a question, I can grab a paper, make some visual comments for them, and then stick it to their computer, notebook, or whatever they have brought to me. It serves as a constant reminder of what we have talked about until they choose to dispose of it. I also use these to leave notes for students or them to leave notes for me. Sometimes students prefer to talk to me via a message so they know they can use these at any time.
Photo collages - Similar to the cultural bulletin boards listed above, I take all kinds of photos abroad (3000ish images per trip). This makes it relative easy to create inquiry-based stations around the room. The one to the left is about native people abroad: clothing, street performers, transportation, shopping. The one at the bottom is about dining, food, tipping, and language usage...my students were given free tapas at a restaurant in Segovia because the waiter was impressed with their language skills! He was accustomed to students on "fly-through" trips who couldn't really speak the language, just wanted a quick tour of a foreign country. I always tell my students, "You never know what a language will get you; in this case a free meal!"
Memes - When I find a cute language meme, many in Spanish, I print it off and add it to my wall. Students are allowed to "wander" during class to take care of their needs, such as sharpening a pencil, blowing their nose, etc. This wall is located near the entrance to my classroom, which is also by the pencil sharpener and main garbage can. While most students don't abuse this, I know a few will pretend to have a cold or a weak pencil just to check these out. lol
Music - I have a small library of music. This was purchased a few of years ago. Now that CDs are on their way out and online resources are plentiful, my library has become more digital. Students love music and have a strong connection with music. It not only creates mood, but also gives the students a model for pronunciation and new vocabulary. It's a different way to look at reading and listening.
What are some ways you motivate students to want to come back tomorrow? I'd love to hear them.
