Enrichment

My students are varied in ability as all classes are. One way that I try to differentiate is by providing enrichment activities for my students to do when they wish. I am exploring the model of the "google 20"  in my classroom and allowing 20% of the structured course time for enrichment. In my classes this only totals 10 minutes a week but it has been huge for me to see how just labeling something as "enrichment" and talking about the 20% time has motivated my students to do something they may find otherwise boring or of little interest to them.

To clarify the boring bit, I don't always intend to offer boring enrichment choices, but sort of fell in to that this time around with many of my kids complaining that typing is SO boring, while having a blast practicing. TEENAGERS!  Currently there are 3 enrichment offers. I just post them in marker on my white board underneath the list of all my weekly objectives (we only meet once a week).
Doodle 4 Google
Typing Olymics
WeGiveBooks

If you aren't doing the doodle 4 google, you should! Plain and simple you can't lose. Winners are offered some hefty prizes including a $50,000 technology grant for their school and $30,000 for college.

The Typing Olympics is my first annual, and I am piloting spending very little class time on typing instruction and attempting to have the children practice/train at home. I will keep you posted on its success.

WeGiveBooks is a charitable site that has many quality children's literature selections to choose from. For each book read, one is donated to a needy cause. I teach at a Jewish day school and we do class Mitzvahs (mitzvot). This is a way to keep my little guys reading, reading, reading and using technology.

My regular lesson are big hits and then the kids are asking me "can I do some enrichment?"

Does it get better than that?