Monday Mustang Memo: Novelty

Excellence in Education: Novelty

Imagine walking into a English class and seeing the game Operation set up. It conjures up images and memories from your childhood. You probably also wonder, Why is this game setup? What does it have to do with our class?

That feeling of wonderment continues 10 minutes later as students smile and wrap up the final round of the game, waiting to see how Operation relates to today’s lesson. Then the teacher springs an analogy on the students relating Operation to the lesson.

In another class I observed this week, students were given papers of different sizes, colors and shapes as they entered the class. In addition to providing the opportunity for the teacher to meet students as they entered the class, students immediately asked, “What is this for?”

“You’ll see?” replied the teacher.

Through novelty, these activities primed the brain for learning piquing curiosity and increasing the “fun factor.” When stress is low and learning experiences are relevant to students cognition is greater. Similarly, when learning is pleasurable, the brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that stimulates memory and promotes the release of acetlycholinem, which increases attention (Judy Willis).

Novelty promotes relevancy and pleasure for students while decreasing stress.

Reflecting on my own classroom, far too often my classroom routine was too predictable with repeated stimuli (1. Review, 2. Direct Instruction, 3. Group work, 4. Individual work), thus lowering the brain’s interest and student learning.

This is not to understate the value of a some routines. Nor does novelty mean we need to turn every classroom into an overly stimulated funhouse. Simple measures like involving music, movement, conversation and humor increase student engagement by making school more fun. Our brains love novelty and when we use novel strategies we our students’ brains become more receptive to learning.

For more info, check out the work of Judy Wilis or David Sousa

Need to Knows

Thanks for making the first week-and-a-half a great one. Our counselors have done a great job of completing student schedules, our special populations teachers have/are providing us the necessary information to help those students be successful, and we have all welcomed our students to Monticello with compassion.

Reminders:

Please be present and visible before school, between class changes and after school. Greeting students at the threshold of your classroom is one of the most important instructional decisions you make every day.
During Mentorship, students are to remain in their assigned Mentorships. While there is some flexibility in some of the activities, like ice-breakers, most of the activities are required.

We again hope to do Naviance activities, which are grade specific, through Mentorships. Naviance is a powerful career and college planning tool and its use is mandated. If students don’t complete the activities during the Mentorship period, we will be required to do these during class time. Because they are grade specific, this greatly complicates matters if we must use class time.

Useful Links:

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list

Morning Announcement Stream: http://streaming.k12albemarle.org/ACPS/links.htm Please be sure to have announcements cued and ready to go at 8:55 every morning.

Announcement Request: http://tinyurl.com/requestannouncement

Teacher Handbook

Calendar and Memo Items

September 6: College Fair

September 7: Yearbook Pictures

Birthdays

Going back to last week too,

Adam Conner, Ashby Johnson: Aug 29

Susie Neuhauser: Aug 30

Patricia Demitry: Sept 1

Shannon Cruthirds: Sept 2