It is becoming more common for teachers to allow students to listen to a music playlist from their phone (with earbuds) while doing homework in class. Seems harmless.....right? Actually, listening to instrumental music (especially classical) can enhance concentration. However, students are typically listening to music with lyrics. You may want to consider the following:

• According to research, multitasking alone can decrease IQ by ten points. The brain can't focus on more than one thing at a time.
  
• Think of trying to read or do even basic math computations while a friend shares a gossipy story. It can’t be done, at least not very well.
  
• Another consideration is the content many students are listening to, which promotes—and some studies link to—violence, alcohol/drug use, and sexual behavior.

The truth is, most students listen to music to escape class. They have no intention of doing their best or focusing on their work. So put an end to it. Don’t allow it to happen. Explain to your students why it hurts them and then enforce it. Commit to it, like any other rule.

From the Peabody award-winning creators of The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel and the Peabody award-nominated Treasure Island 2020 comes Six Minutes, a mystery adventure that presents opportunities for the ELA classroom to work on listening comprehension and writing. You could have students fill out a Google form and/or complete a writing prompt after listening to the podcast.

Lots of teachers use exit tickets.....but have you really considered the information that they can provide? Do you look for patterns? Do you adjust your lessons based on the information that exit tickets provide?

While the opening moments with students are crucial, so are the final minutes. Think about this for a second. What’s the point of an objective or learning target, whether stated, on the board, or students having the opportunity to discover for themselves, if there is no opportunity at the end of the lesson to determine if it was achieved? Learning increases when lessons are concluded in a manner that helps students organize and remember the point of the lesson.

Eric Sheninger has a great article linked below with exit ticket food for thought.

What does it mean to teach with empathy? Whether it's planning and delivering instruction or just interacting with others throughout the day, every action you take is an opportunity to demonstrate empathy. Lisa Westman covers a topic that is extremely relevant in today's education climate.

ROE 35 is offering a virtual book study with Lisa Westman starting January 16 - February 10. See the registration link below for more information.