This Old Reading Class

This week I had my reading classes fill out a survey (questions listed at the bottom), and it has caused quite a bit of contemplation on my part.  I was even up in the middle of the night thinking about 7th period and what needs to be done there.  It will probably come as no surprise to you that my two classes with 17 kids barely had any complaints, but that the issues rose higher with the number of kids in a class, culminating in my 28-member 7th period being the one with the most issues.

Oh for the days of reasonable class sizes!

Anyway, today I read a poem by David Whyte called "How the Rocks Came to Ireland," and I loved this line:

...the land opened up an old door again.

I decided this was a Golden Shovel poem for me. It is the end of the semester, a time to reflect and make plans to improve. This is my mode of operation every year. Some things never change!

The Door

Going through my student surveys has brought the

necessary messages to land

in front of me, to help me open

up to challenges and possibilities, to change up

what isn't working and bring an

increase of what they need in this old

reading class; their words are the door

I enter to create and innovate once again.

***

Survey questions I got from Pernille Ripp

Would you consider yourself a good student in this class? Why or why not?

Do you use your time well in class? Why or why not?

Do you feel respected by the teacher? Feel free to explain.

What do you wish I wouldn't do, or do less?

How would you realistically change this class?

What do you wish I would notice?

Overall, do you like being a student in this class?

Anything else?