I just finished my second year of teaching, so with everything still as new as can be, my answer to this question has been "LET'S DO IT!" I have experimented with an AVID strategy this year called Socratic Seminar. At first, I was terrified! How was I supposed to relinquish control of a discussion to my 5th graders? What if they didn't talk about what I wanted them to? What if someone said something incorrect?
Wow. I was completely blown away with how a student-controlled discussion could go. Their insights, connections, and ideas far surpassed my expectations. Student engagement was through the roof, and they were able to confidently read, write, listen, and speak. The Socratic Seminars became a theme in my classroom this year. As I got over my fear of the unknown, I became to embrace the messy. No matter where you are in your teaching career, take a deep breath and dive into something new. The results may just surprise you.
I'm certainly no expert on AVID but would highly recommend trying a Socratic Seminar if you have not done so in your classroom.
http://www.avidweekly.org/assets/pdf/AW-Socratic%20Seminar%20Template%20new.pdf
My students keep mini notebooks as reading logs. I love teaching them the beneficial habit of keeping a reading log, and it helps me notice how I can encourage them to expand their reading habits. I encourage students to not just write down the title and author in their reading log, but also their own rating (up to 5 stars), a brief comment, and the genre.
A great way to get students interacting with each other and gaining confidence on math skills is by playing "I Have, Who Has?" games. Not only is it non-competitive, the students can hold each other accountable and also stay engaged with each multiplication or division problem. This game can be played in groups of 4-12 students, with the shared goal of getting back to the person who started. Support is embedded for English Language Learners as they have any language support they may need on their card, in order to participate. Comment below to share your experience with this game!
