This week someone shared with me this article from Smithsonian Magazine. Check it out here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-carbon-dioxide-in-a-crowded-room-can-make-you-dumber-180948052/
As soon as I read it, I wanted to open my windows. And, when I get back to school on Monday, I know just the time of day I will be opening the classroom windows. I’m wondering if some of the students in the later part of the day are suffering from stuffy room-i-tis. I’m wondering if some of those students who have historically done very well in Math are scoring a little less well because our room is full of C02. Maybe so. Maybe not. Either way, I’m going to check it out.
Stale air can also infect our teaching and strategies, can’t it? Figuratively speaking, stale air keeps us doing the routine things instead of trying new methods. Stale air keeps us doing the easy to plan things instead of the more involved things that increase student engagement. I want to be certain that I am not the cause of stagnant classroom air during my classes between now and Christmas (or winter) break.
At the beginning of the year, I purposed to add a new teaching method to my approach once a month. I have done so, even more frequently than that at times, but at the very minimum, once in the month. I have to be mindful to make that continue in the upcoming weeks. This week I’ll be using reciprocal teaching in all of my classes. I hope that shakes things up for my students and increases their learning at a time when seasonal distractions are also on the increase.
How about you? Will you open the windows of your classroom figuratively and literally?
First published December 1, 2019
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