3 Ways to Talk about Family in the Classroom
Encourage your students to bring their outside world into your classroom space!
Welcome to From the Teacher’s Desk, where we take turns further reflecting on our episodes and applications to the classroom.
I know we all feel the pressure of state standards. I know it’s never easy to cover everything in required curriculum, let alone carving out any room for creative writing.
So today I’m going to keep it small. Last week, we discussed family values in our Percy Jackson episode. This week, I’d like to pass on a few quick ideas to help students highlight their family values in the classroom.
Because the more we invite our students to bring their outside world into our classrooms, the more we can all connect with each other and the content we teach.
1 - What’s in a Name?
If you’ve ever talked about narrative writing with me before, I’ve probably shared this idea with you. We don’t talk enough about why our parents chose the names they did for us (for example, my parents thought I was going to be a boy, and Alicia was a panicked last-minute decision).
We all have a name, either given or chosen. And offering students a few minutes throughout a unit to share their name stories can only build more bridges than create division.
2 - Worth 1,000 Words
When I taught a creative writing class a few years ago, we spent a lot of time talking about the economy of words in a story (if you’ve never looked up 5-word stories, you’re missing out).
Ask students to bring in a favorite family photo. Make sure it’s an action shot, not posed. Then ask them to apply the idiom “A picture’s worth 1,000 words” to their work. You’ll be amazed and surprised at what they come up with.
3 - 4 Corners
This is one of my favorite quick games to get all students involved, both the naturally vocal and the quiet ones. 4 Corners requires only that you have a few statements that make a claim. Then students can choose if they:
completely agree
somewhat agree
somewhat disagree
completely disagree
If you add students’ names in text boxes, this can also be a virtual-friendly activity. Here’s one I made (with a few warmup questions) for Othello.
Remember, even a small opportunity for self-expression can go a long way for your students!
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