On the last Friday of every month, Ms. Schroader allows her students to step up to the podium and discuss whatever their hearts may desire. Whether this be the latest campus news or getting hired at a new job. When Open Mic is hosted, everyone comes together to make their peers laugh and put a smile on their faces. You can put pictures or videos on the doc cam to enhance the visual aspect of your story or even present something on the big screen. On Open Mic day, you are bound to find many different teachers and students coming to hear some of the funniest and wildest stories that you can imagine.
You aren’t forced to tell a story in front of the class, you can always grab some of the worksheets available near Ms. Schroader’s desk to gain extra credit points instead. On each worksheet, be sure to write the speaker’s name(s) and your reaction/response to them for full credit.
Today, we decided to interview Ms. Schroader to find out why she decided to implement open mic in her classroom and how she feels it has impacted her students and the environment of her classroom as a whole.
How long have you been doing Open Mic?
“I have been doing Open Mic for probably 16 years now.”
What do you love about hosting Open Mic?
“Giving students their own voice to share exactly what they want to share and not what the teacher dictates.”
What inspired you to start hosting Open Mic?
“This book called, Bronx Masquerade. It’s fantastic and everyone should read it.”
How do you feel that Open Mic has impacted your students?
“I have a few success stories, one of them being a student who was shy and never spoke in class, I’d say that after around 5 open mics, he finally got up and shared his love for music. Then he started his own YouTube channel to discuss it. It was really cool to see a kid engage in things that were out of his comfort zone.”
Do you think that you will continue doing Open Mic throughout your career?
“One hundred percent.”
What were your thoughts before starting it?
“I wanted it to be spoken, slam, spoken word poetry, I wanted them to write and read it out loud but it morphed into things that they needed to say.”
Do you think that Open Mic should be a worldwide thing, that teachers around the world should allow their students to participate in?
“Yes, I think it builds community amongst the students and allows them to talk about things that are relevant and important to them.”
What advice would you give to teachers who wish to implement a similar activity in their classrooms?
“I think teachers need to be okay with not being in control for that day and be very intentional with the ground rules. As for my classroom, whatever we say in the classroom stays in the classroom. That has to be felt as a very important rule so that students can be comfortable with their sensitive issues and the teacher has to be strong enough to follow through on that. Whatever guidelines the teacher chooses, they have to stand by them.”
Open Mic is an opportunity for our peers to let loose and discuss whatever topics they choose. It allows students to openly become the center of attention and share what’s on their minds without any restrictions or judgment, as Ms. Schroader tells every visitor and student, “Anything that’s said in this room, stays in this room.”
