End of Year Blog Hop and Giveaway

We've all experienced the almost-the-end-of-the-year restless class syndrome. One strategy I've used successfully to get students to focus and finish strong is to pass out raffle tickets for doing well (getting a certain score on a pop quiz, participating in a class discussion etc...). I also give out tickets after reviewing each student's grade sheet, and making a plan for the rest of the year.

The raffle takes place the last week of school, and I display some of the prizes early on to motivate the students. I keep an eye out all year for interesting prizes, and have found they don't need to be expensive or fancy--a plate of Rice Krispie treats was the first to go last year. It's worth it to ask for donations from local companies--many are happy to oblige.

 It's also always a good idea to introduce fresh material at the end of the year. Below you will find a blog hop and giveaway (April 27 - 30) where you can win a plethora of free classroom materials, a $35.00 Amazon gift card, and an additional three products from Lessons from the Middle TPT store.

The product I am donating for the giveaway is a set of 20 figurative language posters. Click here for a freebie sneak peek at the product (5 free posters!). Below are all the participating blogs where you will get great end-of-the-year ideas and the giveaway information. Good luck!

Fear of Presenting

Today was the end of a quarter and the last assignment for my students was an oral presentation on the topic of their research papers. I always think of this as a break for them - no MLA formatting, no worrying about fragments or run-ons or proper in-text citations. I was reminded today, however, that some students suffer extreme fear of speaking in front of the class.

One of my students is outgoing, gregarious, and is often told to be quiet by the other students because he talks and talks and talks - loudly. Before each class period, he asks me if the topic for the response paper for the day is going to be controversial, because he loves to debate. He is always the first with his hand in the air, and often interrupts and talks over other students in his enthusiasm to be heard.

Imagine my surprise when today he announced that he would not be giving a presentation because it caused him too much anxiety. I thought he was joking at first, but then I saw the tension in his face. I protested--it would be the difference between an A and a B, and he surely deserved an A, but he said he'd rather take a B than speak in front of the class. I explained my surprise since he seemed to enjoy an audience. He said he couldn't explain it; he knew it wasn't rational, but he'd always suffered from this paralyzing fear. Then, he disappeared from class, presumably to avoid the pressure to speak. 

There have always been a few students who decline to present, but this case, in particular, brought home how important it is to be sensitive to those who suffer from this phobia and to devise ways to help alleviate the stress ahead of time. In the coming week, I'll post some things I've done in the past, but I'm curious how other teachers handle this situation. All ideas are welcome!