How to do Current Events with Students

I recently attended a  three day workshop called Moving on Up: Setting Learning Goals & Tracking Progress for Student Success at SLL BOCES in Canton.  One of my goals for the year is to help students become aware a national and world issues.  I've used Junior Scholastic magazines for years and for the past two years have shown students the news in class.  I wanted to expand on current events in my classroom so that students would have the background knowledge to connect historical events with what is occurring today.  Our facilitator helped me break my goal (students will have an awareness of the wider world) into success criteria.  I am working on the first criterion, which is that students will be able to access the news.  I was shocked when I introduced the first assignment to students that they did not know how to find the news.  We discussed various ways that they could access the news i.e. television, internet, newspaper.  Students complained about having to find the top two news stories of the day, so I really thought very few would attempt the assignment.

The next day students came to class excited about what they had learned.   As they entered the room they asked if I had heard about the VA withholding survivor benefits, about a New York City detective being arrested in the road rage incident in Manhattan, etc.  I collected their homework and we had a great class discussion about the different news items that they had seen or read about.  One student even watched the BBC!  I feel that students now know where to find the news, so I'll be able to move on to the next success criterion.

Remind 101

I was at a Social Studies Conference held at SUNY Potsdam this past weekend.  It was great to see two former middle school students I had and to reconnect with colleagues from several schools across St. Lawrence County.  The views of new student teachers are refreshing and give me hope at a time when we as teachers are under a lot of stress.  Another benefit is that I always learn something new.  With that in mind I am trying out an app that a number of teachers are using called Remind 101, which texts students and parents reminders such as homework assignments, upcoming test dates, and class announcements.  I'll let everyone know how it works! 

For more information click on the link below:

Remind 101

4 Ways to Add Student Voices to Back-to-School Night | Scholastic.com

4 Ways to Add Student Voices to Back-to-School Night | Scholastic.com

I thought there were some great ideas here for parent night.