Calming the Chaos

I like to use engaging, small group activities toward the end of the year as opposed to individual work. Let's face it - the students have ants in their pants and engaging socially in a worthwhile activity can settle things down. Here's an activity that I can't take credit for creating, but have been using for a few years. I've found it several places on the internet, and I can't nail down the original creator, so if you know who it is (or if it's you!) please let me know so I can give credit. It's become a favorite, and I look forward to it every year.

The exercise is meant to help students understand that although we may all read the same text, we all react differently, based on our experience, culture, perceptions, emotions etc...Pass out Pablo Neruda's "Ode to My Socks" (link here), divide the students into groups of three or four, and pass out paper and markers. Have the group read the poem, and then create an artistic rendition of the socks. Post each piece of art on the board and have the groups explain why they made the decisions they made and which images spoke to them. A great discussion generator!

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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!