The Gift of Affirmation

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A couple of weeks before Winter Break some of my high school ELLs asked about having a Christmas gift exchange.  This particular bunch is a pretty close-knit group, but they are also culturally heterogeneous and some of them don't celebrate Christmas. Interestingly enough, the most vocal proponent of the gift exchange idea was a non-Christian student who wholeheartedly embraces the festive and gift-giving aspect of Christmas.  While everyone agreed on the exchange, I had some concerns that this may present a burden to some students and simply told the class that I needed to give it some thought.  A few days later, I brought it up again for class discussion and the idea evolved into a class project that positively launched us into our break.


First, I gave them the quote pictured here and asked them to think about good, intangible things. As they brainstormed, words like love, feelings, help, smile, friendliness and life came up. Next, I asked them to write their names on a small sticky note and toss it into a small bucket.  They drew names for the person they were to exchange a gift with.  Finally, I asked them to create a gift that would require neither an expenditure nor a shopping trip.  Although they were free to use the tool of their choice to create their gift, I introduced them to Buncee and all them chose to go with this tool. And so they created online holiday cards containing words of affirmation.

Buncee is an interesting presentation tool that allows users to create anything from digital stories to slide shows to greeting cards. It is cloud-based and projects are shareable.  Students drafted their messages on a Google doc, which was to contain at least five positive attributes of the recipient.  Before creating the digital card, they shared the doc with me in order to have the messages checked for syntax error and content.  A few of my students use a translator and it's important that messages read well in English so they translate well into their native language.  Afterward, students used Buncee's holiday greeting card templates to share the affirming words.  They personalized the cards by adding clipart, animations, photos and more. When finished they emailed them to one another and copied me in.  The activity went so well, I took the idea to my middle schoolers and they also enjoyed it very much.

My high schoolers topped off the celebration with a food party. From homemade dishes to store bought items, each brought something to share with their classmates.  We had so much food that many of my colleagues were able to join in the festivity.  Because my schedule is not as consistent at the middle school, I bought some red velvet cake bits, so the feasting continued.

As expected, it was heartwarming to see students' reactions when they opened up their digital cards and read those edifying messages. However, I believe the most impactful part of this project was in composing those messages.  Although this is a close group, some relationships are tighter than others. For a few of them, it was not easy to compose a list of five good things.  I found it very gratifying to help students see each other in a positive light and discover good things in those whose virtues tend to be rather disguised.  It really brought the group closer together and I believe will help them start 2016 on a favorable note.

My middle schoolers had an alternate schedule on the last day, so they didn't have a chance to open their cards in class.  Most of them don't check their school email when class is not in session and
therefore, I will make it a point to go through these with them during the first week of school.

At the end of the activity, students learned about a new tech tool, they learned about one another and they were affirmed.  It was a wonderful gift exchange although they did not spend a dime. Echoing the words of Art Buchwald, "the best things in life aren't things".

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle, let's take the time to give the gift that keeps on giving - the gift of love, kindness, and affirmation - a gift that knows no race, ethnicity or religious affiliation - nor does it need an occasion or reason.  Affirmation is eagerly accepted and appreciated by all people, all year long.

I also encourage you to check out Buncee and let me know what you think.  Please share how your learners have used it, especially if you use it to uplift and affirm one another.

Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays!

#BestYearEver

Bird In A Cage

Many of my students routinely ask me to proofread their written work for other classes. My newcomers are especially notorious because most of them compose their writing in their native language and then use a tool, such as Google Translate, to translate the content to English. Translation tools work relatively well and generally capture the gist of the message, but they are not perfect and it usually requires some cleanup. 

Last Friday, as I've done on many occasions, one of my newcomers asked me to look over a piece she had written for her English class. The class had just finished reading My Forbidden Face, which is the true story of a teenage, Afghan girl and her personal account of her life as the Taliban seized power in 1996. Below is a screenshot of her assignment.  

Like many newcomers, she first translated the instructions, then composed the writing piece for her project in Spanish and finally translated her composition to English. While I did some editing, her message for the most part was left intact. I was very touched by her thoughts and felt compelled to share them here on my blog. Although I'm not releasing her identity, I did have her permission to share. The italicized text below has been copied and pasted directly from her Google doc.

"I remember the times I spent at my old school. They were the best and I will never forget those days. The teacher asked us to talk about a situation in which we personally have felt trapped by society or oppressed by our peers. I chose the option of writing about feeling oppressed because I thought it will be easier to relate to my current situation.

I always enjoy being at a new school because I am very social and like having many friends. A new school gave me the opportunity to make new friends. I remember the first day at this school when I was so eager to start and meet new people. I think my dreams were shattered because of a few people who didn’t even know me and judged me based on my lack of English language skills.  People who think that because I don’t speak or write in English, I am not capable of achieving my dreams.  This the most unhappy I have ever felt.  I felt left out in a world that was not for me, encountering more obstacles than I ever imagined. I'm not afraid to meet and get to know others, even if we don’t speak the same language. Not knowing English is so difficult for me now.  I feel like a helpless animal that just wants to be free, spread abroad his wings to fly and travel the world.  I see only iron bars that are keeping me from fulfilling my dreams. As far as those silly people who mock me or ignore me I have no other words to describe them than the iron bars that have kept me locked in a cage without being able to spread my wings and fly. I have also felt scoffed when trying to talk to others who don’t even try to understand or reach out to me, but I will not let these obstacles get in my way.  

There is a difference between a defenseless bird who cannot stay in the cage and one that is willing to fight to be free. I do not have to stay in this cage. I have to extend my wings and fly, no matter what they say. I learned the first time that I cannot sit and expect someone to me help me out of this cage. I have to move forward and I will."

A language barrier is most definitely a constraint, and just like a cage, it traps individuals, limiting their activities and potentially stifling dreams. What I most enjoyed about reading this passage was the fact that she is keeping herself at the wheel, as she "cannot sit and expect someone to help her out of this cage." This young lady moved to Mooresville from Mexico in November 2014, knowing no English whatsoever- not even her colors or numbers. Yet, she enrolled in drama class and was on stage a few months later performing in front of a crowd. Her roles were minor, but she gave it her all and was successful. She later tried out for color guard and made it, despite the fact that there was not a single Spanish speaker on the team. Frankly, I was concerned at first, but she was not. She wanted to dance and is good at it. Therefore, she felt that her talent would pull her through and she was right.

She is still struggling but is not afraid of risk. This young lady has proven time and time again that no one but her has ownership of life, and she will not let anyone dictate her future. The future looks bright for her if she stays on this course and does not lose momentum. Her cage door is open, and soon she will fly away and reach new heights. She is immensely inspirational to me - as are most of my ELLs - and I hope her story will inspire you as well.

#BestYearEver

They Think Therefore They Write

I recently viewed a Periscope broadcast of Sarah Brown Wessling (@sarahwessling) conferring with one of her high school English students about a writing piece. Although I wasn't able to view it in its entirety, there was one statement she made that profoundly resonated with me - "good writing comes from good thinking."

One of the most difficult language skills for an ELL to master is writing, and it's often what keeps them from exiting LEP (Limited English Proficient) status.  In January 2014, in an effort to help my learners overcome this roadblock (and inspired by the movie Freedom Writers), I ventured on a quest to get my ELLs to write more often.  And so I asked my high schoolers to create a blog and start writing daily. It started as free writing exercise (as in the movie) and I made very few corrections if any. The following fall, my middle schoolers followed suit. Due to scheduling issues, my middle schoolers blog about once a week, but my high schoolers continue to write daily. By the end of last year, I observed significant growth in most students' writing skills. Yet, I would argue that while it may seem that writing practice is what contributed to their gains, it's the thinking that occurs before they write that has generated momentum.  They think. Therefore they write.

And this is the same for all of us.  I thought long and hard about Sarah's comment before writing this post.  But how do I get students to think so they will write? As we go through the five steps of the writing process - (1) prewriting, (2) drafting, (3) revising, (4) editing and (5) publishing - I emphasize the prewriting stage.  It is in that prewriting stage that we brainstorm and organize ideas in order to write, i.e. we think.  While most students may express their displeasure over writing, it's the thinking process that stumps them. Once those wheels start turning, they are on a roll.

Thankfully there are some great and resources on the web to help us get started, and best of all, they are FREE for the most part.  Here are a few of my favorites.

• 100 Word Challenge (@100wc) and Night ZooKeeper (@nightzookeeper) 
• A weekly 100-word creative writing challenge targeted at students under 16. A weekly prompt is posted on the website every Sunday. I use it with my middle schoolers (grades 7-8) since last year.  Students are challenged to write their stories but are also encouraged to comment on other entries, thereby enabling global connections.  Most of the participating schools are in England, so the connections are indeed global.  Last year, students followed the prompts from 100wc.net and wrote on their individual blogs.  Now that they have teamed up with the Night Zookeeper, they write directly on their site. Frankly, I think the interface is a tad bit infantile for middle school but I have yet to hear students echoing my comments, and they appear to be drawn to it.  They provide a prompt as well as a short word bank and a counter to keep them from going too far under or over the 100 words.  Overall, it's very cool and engaging.  If you teach elementary or middle grades, I encourage you to check it out. 
• Listen  Current (@listencurrent)
• This site is about current events and is targeted at middle and high school science, social studies and English language arts.  However, I have only used it with my high school ELLs.  The topics are relevant to teens and thought provoking, perfect for blogging or any other form of writing.  While they emphasize the listening skill (hence the name), their lesson plans provide opportunities for reading, vocabulary enhancements, and academic conversations.  It's not designed for ELLs - and it has been quite a stretch for my bunch - but they do offer ELL supports with the premium subscription.  I highly recommend it for any secondary subject area.
• Write About
• A digital writing community offering visual writing ideas to spark creativity. This site can be used individually as well as privately in collaboration with other classes within the school or across the globe. Writings can also be made publicly available to any registered user. I would caution you, however. The selection is so extensive and incredibly interesting that I suggest that you create a group and narrow down student choices a bit for time management's sake.  It's targeted at grades K-12, but prompts are appropriately categorized in grade clusters.  I also highly recommend it.
• Brainy Quote
• If you are into quotes, you may have already visited this website.  I use motivational quotes to teach idioms, vocabulary and certainly to motivate and inspire my ELLs.  At one point, I used quotes simply as a warm-up.  Once they started blogging, they blog after the warm-up.  I use these mostly with my high schoolers, but I would say they are appropriate for upper elementary grades and above. Read one of my students' blog posts here.

There are numerous other sites that offer writing prompts; however, those are my favorites because they enable me to incorporate listening, reading, speaking (class discussions) and most importantly, thinking, making their writing practice much more productive.  At a minimum, we discuss as a class or in partners and exchange ideas about the topics.

Many of my beginner ELLs use translation as a scaffold. They gather their thoughts in their native language and use a translator as they compose. As they gather their thoughts,  the translation tool helps them in their thinking process and assists in transferring those thoughts into English. Again, good writing starts with good thinking.

One can often hear me tell my learners that their blogging practice is not as much about writing in English, but about thinking in English.  As they practice their writing, they are thinking.  Even if they start thinking in the mother tongue, they eventually think in English as they draft, revise and edit their work.  In addition to writing practice, blogging serves as an exit ticket, formative assessment, a reflective piece.  However, what I find most valuable is that is a window into their mind.  While their blogs help me gauge their areas of weakness in their English language skills, it also provides a glimpse into their world.  It tells me about their interests, priorities, family dynamics and most importantly, how they think.  Reading their blogs helps me personalize learning, most notably by shedding some light into their language needs, yet it's what I read between the lines that enable me to truly capture their hearts and minds.

If you have a favorite resource for writing prompts, kindly share them in the comments section, or reach out to me via Twitter or email. I'm always seeking more ideas.

#BestYearEver

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Image Source: Photosforclass.com

Last Wednesday's #BFC530 chat topic was "Fear" and it was a topic I suggested after writing a blog post on it.  I  had the honor of moderating the chat, although my tweets had to be scheduled; otherwise, I would not have made it to school on time.  Thanks to TweetDeck, I was able to participate in the chat without it affecting my morning routine and duties.

The leading questions on the topic were: "What would you do if you had no fear? What would you do/do differently?" As I read through the tweets, I couldn't help but reflect on my own fears as well my personal and professional growth.  First and foremost, I have to give Twitter the most credit.  My growth since entering Twitter-verse has been exponential.  Looking back, I once thought Twitter would be a complete waste of time and was baffled by the fact that some educators considered it professional development. Thankfully, I decided to try it and here I am.  

If you are a Twitter veteran and/or have already discovered its purpose and power, this post will only confirm your beliefs. However, if you are new to Twitter or are still on the fence, read on and let me share what it's done for me and the places it has taken me.  

• Global Connections
• Before joining Twitter, I was pretty much a lone ranger and my PLN was virtually nonexistent (no pun intended).  I have no counterpart in my small district as I am the only Secondary ESL teacher. While I am still currently in the same role and no additional ESL teachers have been hired at the secondary level, I now have joined forces with countless others across the globe and am therefore no longer alone.  Moreover, while I first sought to connect with other ESL teachers, my PLN includes educators in a wide variety of roles from superintendents to student teachers.
• Growth Mindset
• My perspective on growth, my own as well as student growth, has made a 180-degree turn.  I have learned to embrace failure, flaws, and challenges as part of the growth process enabling me to take risks and explore new horizons.  Barriers that I had previously self-imposed have been removed.  Best of all, I have passed on this mindset to my students as they tackle the challenges of language acquisition in the teenage years. Therefore, my ESL classes are about much more than language acquisition. They are preparation for life - a life that for ELLs may include overcoming huge obstacles because of their language limitations. 
• Blogging
• Before joining Twitter, I didn't remotely think about blogging.  Once I got connected and began reading teacher blogs, I felt compelled to keep up with the Joneses and began to consider it. It took months before I mustered the courage but I did and here I am.  Check out my very first blog post here.
• Presentations
• I have to say that I'm not terribly afraid to speak in public. However, I didn't exactly look for opportunities to present.  When I would receive an email about calls for proposals, I quickly deleted them because like any teacher, I have plenty on my plate and didn't think I had anything significant to contribute.  That's now changed.  For the last couple of summers, I have presented sessions at my district's Summer Institute.  Last week, I submitted two proposal's to NCTIES 2016 Conference and I'm in the process of developing a Student Showcase proposal.  If accepted, my high school ELLs will travel to Raleigh, NC to showcase their blogs.  I hope all three will be accepted, but at a minimum, I would really like for my students to have the opportunity to show off their work to educators.
• Skype/Google Hangout
• I'm pretty techy, but skyping has never been my thing.  That is until now. Video conferencing has not only enabled my students and me to connect with folks in other states and countries but when there is a time conflict, it has allowed me to virtually sit in meetings and join workshops without having to leave my classroom. It has really opened up my world. If you are wondering about which of the tools to use, here's my two cents. They have both worked equally well for me. However, if you have Google Chromebook, you may encounter some issues with Skype.  Here's an article that compares the two.
• Voxer
• After hearing all the buzz on Twitter about Voxer, I finally asked about it and was invited to a conversation. Voxer is a walkie-talkie-like app for your mobile device that lets you connect with other educators without having to give out your personal phone number or even location.  It enables voice, text, graphics and video. There are lots of education groups having great conversations on it.  There are times when you need more than 140 characters or you just need to have a verbal conversation.  I especially like the fact that someone can park a question or comment and I can respond at a convenient time.  If you would like to check it out, email me or tweet me and I'll get you connected to some great groups.  
• Periscope
• Sarah Thomas (@sarahdateechur) - who I have only met virtually - introduced me to this awesome tool.  Periscope is a live video broadcasting tool that allows users to bring the world into their classroom or setting. I must say that it must be used with caution and I personally never show a student's face because one never knows who may be lurking.  It would also make an awesome virtual field trip tool although I haven't used it that way. I could write lots about how I use Periscope, but here's a resource that may give you some ideas. 
• #Read4Fun
• Last December as I reflected on the 2014 calendar year, I realized that I had been slacking off on reading.  Lo and behold soon thereafter I found #read4fun and joined in. Although I don't join the chat regularly, I do chat with the group on Voxer and most importantly, I have immersed myself in reading for pleasure.
• #GoodCallsHome
• Rik Rowe (@RoweRikW), another virtual friend, started the #goodcallshome movement in the summer of 2014.  Incidentally, as I reflected on the 2013-14 school year I realized that I needed to make more proactive calls to my ELLs' parents and so when I saw the new hashtag I jumped at the opportunity for accountability. Consequently in January 2015, the #gchchat was born with Rik and I moderating it the first Monday of every month.  We encourage and enlighten educators to make those positive calls and watch the magic unfold as we strengthen relationships with parents and students - not to mention the motivation we experience with all the positivity it generates.  Copy the graphic on the right to your desktop and please join us next time. 
• Moving Forward
• Last but not least, on the topic of fear, this hunger for growth generated some thinking and reflection in the direction of my career.  I LOVE my ELLs and am so blessed and privileged to work with some amazing young people.  However, as I collaborate with colleagues and explore all the possibilities that technology affords us, I have been giving some serious thought to moving into an instructional coach role.  At this point, I have no serious prospects and no definite plans, but I have turned my radar on and am keeping my options open.  Back in 2001, I earned an MA in Instructional Technology and while I have taught several professional development sessions, I have never officially been in that role.  Who really knows what the future holds, but I am feeling led to follow that path at some point in the future. Although I feel safe and comfortable in my classroom, I am no longer afraid of pursuing a challenging, ever changing position. 

I really could go on and on.  While we need to be careful to not immerse ourselves in social media to the extent that it isolates us from our friends and family, Twitter is a resourceful tool that will not only enhance instruction but also enrich our lives.  It's all about balance, so fear not,  move forward and find those treasures if you haven't already.

If you grew up in the 80s, the title of this post might have gotten Janet Jackson's song playing in your head.  In case you are too young to have heard the song, don't remember it or just want to hear it again, click here to check out the video.

So what has Twitter done for you lately?

#BestYearEver

F.E.A.R.

Recently on my way to school, the DJ on one of my favorite radio stations was talking about the acronym fear.  She said F.E.A.R. stands for False Evidence Appearing Real.  Perhaps you've heard it before, but it was a first for me and it caused me to ponder on how fear affects our lives, both personally and professionally, and especially how it impacts the choices and decisions we make.

What is fear anyways? Fear is both a noun (idea) and a verb (action) According to Webster, the noun form of fear is an unpleasant emotion, an anxious concern, a reason for alarm.  In a religious sense, fear is a profound reverence and awe toward God.  I would add it is also profound respect and admiration toward someone in authority or leadership role, such as a school superintendent or a political leader.  Moreover, when we act in fear, we are worried, afraid and/or expecting something unpleasant to occur.  While fear generally starts as an unpleasant, stressful or perhaps even frightening emotion that's often crippling, it is our response to fear that determines the course of our lives.  Fear often brings issues to the surface that we may be oblivious to or have chosen to deny, finding ourselves at a crossroad or a dead end where a decision is inevitable.

Perhaps a better question is not what is fear, but what are we fearful of? What is fear keeping us from? As I ponder over these questions, I reflect on areas of my own life where fear has kept me from taking risks or reaching a lifelong dream.

• New Role or Position.  Many teachers stay in the classroom for their entire professional career despite having personal aspirations of venturing into administration or educational support roles.  While financial barriers and family obligations are often cited as legitimate concerns, more likely than not, we often stay put because we would have to leave our comfort zone.
• Speaking Our Mind.  Rather than huddling with our peers, scheduling a meeting with an administrator or joining a committee could not only have a positive impact on our students and our schools, but also ourselves - and may even open up career opportunities.
• New Strategies, Methods or Tech Tools.  For some of us, our content doesn't change much over the years, however, our student population does and if our lesson delivery remains unchanged we are doing a disservice to our students.  Moreover, if we expect our learners to take risks in learning, we must model risk taking ourselves. Most importantly, we must teach them to embrace the growth process and as they embark on a lifetime of learning.  
• Failure. Every great invention has started out with failure before it's been a success.  When we learn to see failure as a beginning rather than an end, the opportunities for growth are endless. We never set out to fail, but rather than fear it and shy away from it, we should embrace it. Once I realized that my flaws and my shortcomings can be a strength rather than a weakness, my instruction turned around and my students and my own children have been my greatest benefactors.

As I was searching for an appropriate graphic to add to this post, I found the acronym below and it found it aligns perfectly with my thoughts on this topic.

Image Credit: Knightchatter.com

So, what do you fear and what would you do if you were not afraid? As you go out and face the world, identify your fear (face it), explore the possibilities of overcoming it, accept what you cannot change and most importantly, respond accordingly.  What we really need to fear is inaction. So resolve to act upon these fears and start making those dreams a reality.

#BestYearEver

Pictures In Our Minds

Last week, I overheard two of my high school students as they commented that they hated to read, but yet they loved to read the Bible and they can't get enough of it. These two young ladies happen to be very committed Christians and are actively involved in their church, so I was not surprised to hear them say they were Bible readers.  However, their comment about their disliking reading really struck me and made me rethink my approach to reading instruction.

This comment is rather typical among English Language Learners.  Newcomers struggle with reading as their English proficiency is low and their vocabulary is limited.  However, most of my students are long-term ELLs, which means they have been in the program (and/or the country) more than seven years. The latter were labeled LEP (Limited English Proficient) often upon entering Kindergarten with little to no knowledge of English, and despite being fluent in social and instructional English, their academic language is still weak and thus are identified as such. This language deficiency causes them to be clearly overwhelmed by all the unknown words they are continually exposed to and naturally will be turned off to reading.  Add the short attention span of a typical teenager and you know reading is not likely to be on their list of hobbies and interests.  And this hostility toward reading is not solely an ELL issue, but it's actually an epidemic aggravated by the multimedia overload brought about by the Information Age.

Now let's be clear that I am certainly no foe of technology. Quite the contrary, I embrace it wholeheartedly and seamlessly integrate it into all areas of my curriculum.  There are days that my English language lessons strongly resemble my Business Education days.  I'm always teaching students about a new website or a new shortcut to a familiar tool.  Nevertheless, it is imperative for all students, ELLs or native speakers, to have strong reading skills. 

So back to the comment about reading.  As I reflect on the how to engage students in reading and instill in them a love of reading, I thought to myself, "what is reading anyways" and with that, I turned to dictionary.com. As I reviewed all seven definitions of the word reading, I was struck by the fact that the word "book" is never mentioned.  However, when we teach and/or assign reading, particularly in English Language Arts, it's usually book reading.  Likewise, when we think of liking (or disliking) reading, most of us think of books.  Interesting.  Next, I analyze the various definitions of the word and made the following observations for each one.

1. The action of a person who reads.  Most teens (and some adults) think of reading as a boring, passive activity when in fact it isn't, or at least it shouldn't be.
2. Speech, oral interpretation of written language. Speech is not silent, so why should reading be?
3. Interpretation of a dramatic part or musical composition.  Drama and music do indeed complement literacy, but the connection is seldom there.  Perhaps adding drama and/or music to reading time will spice up things.
4. The extent to which a person has read; literary knowledge.  Reading should not be about the amount of time per day or how quickly we read, but about the knowledge we soak up.  
5. Matter read. It's about substance, not skill.  In other words, "content". 
6. The form or version of a given passage.  This brings me to think about interpretation and application of what we read, not to mention how the reading selection impacts us.  It makes me think that perhaps if there's no impact, then it really is an exercise in futility.
7. An instance or occasion.  A moment in time.  When we are highly engaged in our selection, the world around us can crumble and it wouldn't even faze us.  We mentally travel with the content.

Bottom line, reading is not about a skill, but rather about an experience.  It's not about books, novels, literary elements or vocabulary. While those are all valuable as we progress in life, in order to create lifelong readers we need to generate a feeling.  In the words of the great Maya Angelou, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel".  How do we get students to love reading, we need them to be involved in their reading and "feel" the love.

I'd like to end by adding #8 to the list of definitions: "Creating pictures in our minds".  As I read with my students, I often ask, "what are you picturing in your minds?"  We all know that if a picture isn't playing, they are just looking at words and therefore, they aren't reading.  Which is perhaps why they dislike it.

Read on.....#BestYearEver

Future's So Bright

Image Source: Pixabay.com

If you grew up in the 80s, you might remember Timbuk3's one-hit wonder, "Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades."  Even though I grew up in the 80s myself, I actually first learned of the song in 2011 when my daughter's third-grade teacher used the phrase to decorate the class door, along with a photo of each student wearing sunglasses.  The following year I took the idea and pictured my own students on my website wearing shades.

Well, it's now 2015, and most of those students have exited the ESL program and/or have graduated so I decided to recycle the idea.  This time, however, I've made it my theme for the year in an effort to remain positive and encouraging to my ELLs - many of whom struggle greatly in school because of their language deficiencies.  Instead of publishing their photo on my website, I developed a getting-acquainted type of project for the first week of school.

The project was titled "Selfie Portrait" and they were asked to create a flyer using the tool of their choice which would include the following:

• Selfie wearing sunglasses 

• Name as an alliteration

• Example: Jovial Jonathan

• Adjective must be positive

• Birthday

• Birthplace

• Favorites list

• Five or more

• Attractive layout 

• Balanced white space and font sizes

Students were given access to this Google doc where they obtained instructions for the project including a simple example featuring my son. While they were free to use the tool of their choice, most of the students used Pages, Keynote, Google Doc or Google Presentation.  This project gave me the chance to cover the concept of analogies that for many ELLs is quite challenging.  I played the song, which most didn't really care for but they did find the analogy interesting.  They especially enjoyed taking selfies, as most teenagers do.   The flyers are hung in my room, and whenever their lights start to dim, I pull out a set of shades and remind them to keep their future bright.  Pictured here are some snapshots of some of their products.

This activity can easily be implemented in an elementary classroom and can be adapted for a regular secondary class.  Regardless of age or English proficiency level, students will thoroughly enjoy taking selfies and getting acquainted with their peers.  For those that need a little encouragement, I find the positive adjectives affirm them and help them see themselves in a more positive light.

This started out as a getting-acquainted type of project for the first week of school, but I'm planning on keeping the flyers up all year long. I'm also planning to create a Kahoot game so we can have a little fun with the selfies and see how much they've learned about their peers.

I'm striving for the #BestYearEver.  Until next time, keep your shades on!