Authentic Learner

Social Bookmarking

2010-09-30T07:16:00.002-04:00

It is amazing to witness all the new terminology that has surfaced just in the last ten years related to technology. If you would have asked me what social bookmarking was four years ago, I would have had no clue what you were talking about. Now, as I am beginning to use it, I am very excited about its possibilities.

To be honest, I started a delicious account at the end of last year and wasn’t really sure how to get it going and how to make it user friendly for me or anyone else. Therefore, it became one of those things that got put off to the side. However, now as I learn all of the capabilities it has, I am super excited about some of the things I can do with it. I am just starting the process of making one for my class. I think it will be such a great resource that the children can have access to both at home and at school. I am actually looking forward to including the children in the process of how to tag and organize the sites. Since they are using it, I want them to feel ownership in it as well, and also, I believe they will be able to navigate it better if I have them help me.

In terms of personal use, I am in the process of creating a delicious, but might try starting a diigo, which Katie at Creative Literacy mentioned. Right now I am using a delicious for the blogs, wiki’s, and other sites I like to visit and read. Since I am new to using a delicious, I am still adjusting to how I want to tag sites. However, I know this will work much better than just having bookmarks saved on my computer.

Google Reader

2010-09-27T22:45:00.002-04:00

I have known about Google Reader for a while, but through my pre-game activities for PLP, I was directed to start one of my own. I had originally heard about it through my brother-in-law who uses it for his daily reading and my sister who used it for planning her wedding. She just loved checking blogs and sites. I was intrigued by this but never really jumped on board. Well, I have to say I am very happy that PLP has pushed me in the direction of trying Google Reader. I think it will help me with the organization of my reading and allow me to focus in each day on what I am interested in reading.

I have to say that I am still trying to figure out how to keep it organized using the rss in my Google Reader and trying to weed through blogs, wiki’s, news, etc. that I am interested in reading. There are so many out there that I am still prioritizing what is helpful for me. I also have to say that I am thrilled that I finally understand what rss means. The video that I watched and the article that I read were most helpful, and I now feel like I can understand what others are talking about in reference to rss.

I am still working my way through rss in my Google Reader, but I know I will definitely continue to use it. I am enthusiastically looking forward to using it more and more and feeling greater confidence as I further learn.

PLP Reflection

2010-09-27T22:27:00.002-04:00

This year I am fortunate to have the experience of being a part of Powerful Learning Practice with fellow teachers from my building, my principal, and teachers from across the country. I am very excited about this experience and am really looking forward to learning and growing as a person and as an educator. As part of getting ready for our very first meeting this coming Friday, I have been asked to reflect and think about what I hope to gain from the coming year.

I have always been one of those students who love being in class. I love learning and furthering my education, and then taking what I learn and applying it. I really believe that this experience with PLP will allow me to do great things with my kids with technology and with their learning. I am hoping this helps me with achieving what I always want for my kids, which is for them to be inspired and to have the desire to be life long learners.

I am particularly looking forward to learn how to use Google Reader. I know I spend more time than I need to going through my bookmarks and reading the regular sites I read. I am also looking forward to extending my PLN. I am always looking for new blogs and articles to read, and I think having a place to organize my information will be a good stepping-stone.

I would like to get better at using Twitter. I have had an account for about two years and have maybe used it ten times. I am a more avid user of Facebook but feel that Facebook is more a social network where I interact with my friends. I want to learn how to make Twitter another resource for me professionally.

I am also wondering how to use my delicious account more effectively. I want to find a better way to organize my websites and access them more effectively. I would also like to create a delicious account for my classroom where I can add sites for them and even figure out a way for my kids to add sites as well.

In addition, I am trying to decide which is better for my kids- a wiki or a blog. I still don’t have the answer. I have started by using a blog with my kids, which has been most successful. However, I am wondering if the wiki is better across curriculum where the blog at this time is just being used for writing. I will have to continue to explore this.

Overall, I am hoping through PLP that I will become a better learner and an even better educator. I know I will be overwhelmed at times, but I feel this experience will clarify and expand my knowledge in supporting my kids and their education.

RSS Reflection

2010-09-27T14:41:00.004-04:00

RSS. Another buzz word (or letters?) in the Web 2.0 world. Although, I had heard it discussed many times and even have friends that are huge fans, I had no idea what an RSS was or how it was used. This week, we were asked to start our own RSS for our work with PLP. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a place to organize all the information you consume on the internet (blogs, wikis, news, etc). It provides up-to-date information, all in one place. It's purpose is to save us time from having to go to 10-15 different blogs to only visiting one space where all your personalized interests are organized. We were asked to use Google Reader as our RSS. I started my account yesterday and spent a great deal of time subscribing to my favorite blogs, websites and news feeds. I am hopeful that this will indeed save me time by only showing me blogs that have been recently up-dated or news that I specifically request rather than visiting each site individually.

My questions: How are you organizing your subscriptions on your RSS? How do you use twitter within your RSS? Does this really make you feel less overwhelmed?

I clearly have a great deal to learn about this new tool. I am excited for the possibilities. Who wouldn't want to save time in a world where there is never enough of it?

PLP Journey

2010-09-26T15:40:00.006-04:00

This year, I have the amazing opportunity to be part of Powerful Learning Practice with a small group of fellow teachers and my principal. It will be a year-long learning experience where we'll examine our beliefs and practices in this 21st century learning environment with fellow educators across the country. Our first official meeting with all the participants is this Friday. Before this meeting, we have been asked to reflect on our expectations of what we’d like to gain in our year-long journey with PLP or any questions we may have.

As always, when it comes to technology and learning, I feel very excited and enthused by all the possibilities both in my professional and personal life. I also find myself extremely overwhelmed. I never feel on-top of things (is it even possible?) in my digital life, overwhelmed by the pure volume of inspiring information out there, and lost as to how to contribute to this digital community myself and, in turn, provide my students with the support to consume and contribute as well.

I hope that being part of PLP, I will gain a better insight on how to organize my digital learning and more authentically have it be part of my students daily life inside our classroom. I find that I am a consumer of Web 2.0 resources but rarely contribute myself. I hope that I will be able to find a my voice and understanding of how I can give back. Steve Hargadon says it perfectly, "Because it is in the act of our becoming a creator that our relationship with content changes, and we become more engaged and more capable at the same time. In a world of overwhelming content, we must swim with the current or tide."

Most importantly, I look forward to finding out how this will impact my teaching, and, in turn, my students. I want to make sure I am preparing them to be part of this digital world. I look forward learning more about Web 2.0 tools (Google Reader, RSS, Delicious, etc.) and how it will impact our teaching/learning.

How We Can Help Our World

2010-05-19T21:14:00.003-04:00

Since Earth Day my kids and I have been having lots of conversations about how we can help our Earth. They had so many ideas and this video, that we created, was just a few of their ideas.

Each child drew a picture, took the picture with photo booth, uploaded it to animoto, and added text. (I did help with a bit of the spelling.)

I hope you enjoy the message my six and seven year olds wanted to share.

Experimenting

2010-03-30T21:34:00.005-04:00

So, after reading Katie's blog post at creativeliteracy I was inspired to give Animoto a try. Like Katie I am now addicted and am just spinning with ideas about how I can use this with my first graders. I can't wait to show this to them when we get back from break.

I have attached my first try at making a video. It is of the loves of my life, my dogs:) I hope you enjoy.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Big Nate

2010-03-24T19:50:00.004-04:00

If your classroom is at all like mine- Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a big time favorite (especially for boys). The series has hooked even my most reluctant readers. The newest one, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Movie Diary, has taken the class by storm (but that's another post).

Unfortunately, aside from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, there are not many diary style/comic books out there for boys. I have spent a great deal of time looking for similar books so my boys will continue there enthusiasm for reading. I was lucky enough to come across Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce. Big Nate is a syndicated comic strip and now it's being turned into a tween series. It's format is alot like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and there's even a review quote from Jeff Kinney on the cover.

Book Summary:
Big Nate is in a class by himself! Nate knows he's meant for REALLY big things. But life doesn't always go your way just because you're awesome. Trouble always seems to find him, but Nate keeps his cool no matter what. He knows he's great. A fortune cookie told him so.

I just put it in the hands of one of my Diary of a Wimpy Kid fanatic. Here's to hoping it'll hook him....

I'll keep you posted!

A Good Teacher is....

2010-03-16T11:25:00.003-04:00

Yesterday my students and I started a brand new wiki/blog space. It is a page our district created for us that has both a wiki and blog component. We discussed the purpose for each component and let the kids explore. Each student blogged about the idea "A good teacher is...." in response to the first couple chapters in Bridge to Terabithia after meeting Mrs. Myers' (the teacher in the story).

Here are a couple of their responses:
A good teacher is....
-filled with peace.
-shiny.
-a listener.
-reminds their students of the classroom promises and expectations.
-helps people to be a nice teacher and person
-Happy because you don't your teacher to be grumpy and fun because you don't want to live a boring life on the weekdays.
-Another way to describe a good teacher is playful. She plays and laughs with kids.
-Respect is a teachers greatest value so they help scared kids that need help.
-I like Teachers that I can understand what the class is doing and that can understand me.

I love reading what they have to say and finding what is important to them. These were just a FEW of the many insightful thoughts they shared. I LOVED the "filled with peace" one. He told me that I was filled with peace. I hope so (however, there are times when I know this is not true...haha!). This activity left me inspired to meet their expectations as they all seem very reasonable to me!

Disclaimer: Of course, now that they know how to blog/wiki, the student will use these resources in a variety ways that make sense to them (podcasts, book reviews, writing workshop, videos, etc.). We started with a general topic so that we could introduce blogging.

That Workshop Book: Reflection 6

2010-03-14T20:19:00.004-04:00

My favorite part of the day, hands-down, is read aloud. I value this piece of our learning so much- we have read aloud at least twice a day. During read alouds, we have conversations about the story we're hearing, the author's craft, new words, predictions, etc. I am hearing them process all the thinking that happens while reading. Talk about authentic assessment! It is also one of the most intimate times in our classroom. I love that Samantha Bennett refers to this time as "re-creating the emotional and intellectual pleasure of lap time reading as well as bringing your students into the grown up world of sitting around the dinner table for hours having fascinating conversations." The tone and atmosphere we create during a read aloud is gentle, yet purposeful, allowing kids to feel safe taking risks and sharing their ideas. I love that many of them will check out the same book from the school or local library and read along with me. Or check the same book out months later to revisit the story because they loved the experience so much. Read aloud allows us to hear other's thinking which helps us grow as learners. We observe strategies to improve for reading comprehension, accuracy and fluency. It is a time of inspiration for us as readers and writers. Independently, they will read with more expression or write in similar style as they stories they hear. Many of our read alouds end up being mentor texts for our writers. Worth mentioning- this is my first year with a Smartboard. One of my favorite features is the Smart Camera that can be used with it. I am able to take pictures and magnify illustrations and/or passages from read alouds with the camera and have them on the Smartboard. Then the kids can come up and write on, circle and/or engage with the story in a different way. Also, they just are better able to see the features (illustration/text) of the story. This was especially helpful when reading Hugo Cabret.

That Workshop Book: Reflection 5

2010-03-14T19:40:00.002-04:00

Our district has adopted Progress Book. It is a transparent, on-line grade book that provides parents constant access to their child's progress at school. It is also meant to provide administrators easy access to the happenings in each classroom and a streamline, consistent recording system for teachers. Needless to say, there has been a GREAT deal of conversation about how to authentically and thoughtfully use this tool in the best interest of our students (particularly primary students).
While reading, That Workshop Book, I immediately thought of Progress Book when Samantha Bennett said, "Many brilliant, amazing teachers, when you ask them how they know what their students know and are able to do, would answer ......they know their students deeply and can tell you stories about them, their lives, their habits as students, their likes and dislikes. But when you ask them "HOW do you know?" they answer, I just see it all like that, you see". Samantha goes on to explain that this is wonderful but we need to be asking ourselves- How do I know all of my students are growing in their skills and understanding reading? How do I help students make "invisible" skills of reading "visible"? What can I do to help my students read better?
Progress book requires us to make these invisible skills visible. We are going to be held accountable by our administrators, parents and colleagues. But after reading and reflecting on this part of That Workshop Book, I was reminded of WHY I chose this amazing occupation and WHO I should keep in mind when using this new tool. It is all about the learners in my classroom. I want to make sure that I stay true to what I believe as an educator/learner, that really knowing your students means knowing their likes/dislikes, their habits and life stories. It also means knowing how to SHOW them their growth as learners. Progress Book is really requiring me to shift my ways of showing my students growth. It is so important that I don't let it change the avenues we use to accomplish this growth. I am hoping to find a way to make Progress Book work for my students and I- that instead of focusing on the scores/points/grades- we should focus on the journey of learning.

That Workshop Book: Reflection 4

2010-03-04T22:20:00.004-05:00

In That Workshop Book, Samantha Bennett says that we need to "think about how you want your days with children to begin and end." When we think about what we want our students to experience each morning when they walk in our room and each afternoon before they leave- we need to ask ourselves- what matters most? For me- that is the feeling of community. Students really love to know their opinions and ideas are valued. Samantha Bennett suggestions that the best way to go about valuing our students ideas and opinions is to ask for them. So I did just that. I asked them how they would like to start our school days. Prior to this, our morning routine varied (as it still will on occasion) with free learning time, reading workshop, quick checks for math, and/or word study activities. After checking with my kids, they overwhelmingly chose free learning time. Their reasons: 1. Although it is focused learning, they get to choose what that learning is based on their mood that day. 2. It is relaxing/No pressure. 3. They can leisurely get started after greeting friends and catching up on the prior night/weekend's events. How could I argue with this reasoning. And as I mention- after asking myself the same question about how I wanted our days to begin- I said "with a sense of community." Does the student's reasons support my feelings as well?? I love it when that happens. Although, we still have the occasional quick check, we spend most our mornings reading, writing, on the laptops, playing math games, creating, thinking, learning based on individual interests.

This week, the kids and I are going to rethink how we want to end our days together. Sometimes the end of our days feel so rushed that I leave the classroom feeling uneasy. I would love to find a way to end our time together each day on a calm note as a classroom family. Perhaps a family meeting discussing the days events?? I look forward to chatting with the kids about it as they always have such smart ideas to share.

Claymation

2010-03-04T12:35:00.004-05:00

One of my students made this Claymation piece to help share his research on the Bobsled. So cool!

That Workshop Book: Reflection 3

2010-03-02T19:23:00.006-05:00

Literary nonfiction, research and sharing that research are huge units of study for both reading and writing in our district (and the state of Ohio) during third grade. Reading nonfiction can be really tricky for many readers- especially young ones. Most times, you are reading nonfiction for purposes different from those when you read fiction (namely, research). Not only are the students asked to comprehend what they are reading but they are expected to share it in an organized, factual, way. It is pretty tricky for most of my students to find their voice and share their research in a literary nonfiction writing piece. What better way to help them find their voice and create quality piece of purposeful work than MENTOR TEXTS!!?? Samantha Bennett really focuses on using mentor text to help scaffold final projects in That Workshop Book (pg. 63). I have created a collection of literary nonfiction books in my classroom that the kids have used to scaffold their research projects on the Olympics. These books have a variety of themes, layouts and ideas for sharing information. "Students learn to write by studying the craft and process of other writers."
Here are some of the books in our literary nonfiction collection:
First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre
Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta
A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins
What is Science by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
This is Your Life Cycle by Heather Lynn Miller
One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre
On This Spot: An Expedition Back Through Time by Susan E. Goodman
Trout Are Made of Trees by April Pulley Sayre
Animal Dads by Sneed Collard
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston
Unbeatable Beaks by Stephen R. Swinburne
Flight by Robert Burleigh
Home At Last by April Pulley Sayre
Lives: Poems About Famous Americans selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins

After sharing some of these stories as mentor text, the kids had lots of different, fun and personal ideas on how they might share their Olympic research. As Samantha says, "It provides a variety of entry points for their own writing" and sharing.

What Should I Read Next?

2010-02-16T10:04:00.003-05:00

Now- I know I shouldn't complain but after a long weekend- we have another snow day. Don't get me wrong- teachers love snow days. I just like mine dispersed throughout the winter- not all at one time. I am missing my kids, panicking about the amount of work we have before student led conferences AND I am getting some major cabin fever. However, all these snow days are providing some time for great reading. I tell you about some of the books I have been reading later. Also, I have been catching up on some of my favorite blogs while finding some new interesting blogs. Which brings me to the purpose of this post. While playing on the internet this morning I found a helpful website for book lovers (disclaimer: I have only played it briefly): What Should I Read Next? If you have read a book you really love and aren't sure what to read next- this website provides suggestions!! Let me know what you think!

That Workshop Book: Reflection 2

2010-02-04T11:30:00.005-05:00

I would be willing to bet that if you asked most teachers what one of their biggest struggles with their jobs was, a vast majority would say- TIME!! There is never ENOUGH time for professional development, building meetings, teaching all subjects, conferences with students, allowing a study to end naturally, etc. We try to be so thoughtful about which aspects of our learning and our student's learning is most valuable and try to make sure those ideas take precedent (at least we shoot for a good balance). In return, I find that many ideas/beliefs fall through the cracks- not because they aren't important to my students and I- but rather- due to the fact- there is never ENOUGH time. After reading That Workshop Book- I realized that one of the ideas I have always believed in but seems to have lost its space in my classroom- was allowing my students (and myself) time to REFLECT. Samantha Bennett refers to this time as DEBRIEF. Lately, we have made sure to take the time to reflect on our learning and debrief, either as a whole class or individual/group conferences. The possibilities for the focus of this share/debrief time are "endless if you believe that student thinking matters most" (Bennett). The kids are beginning to rely on this time and, in turn, provides them with an additional PURPOSE for their learning. They know they will have the opportunity to check in and share their concerns and celebrations they have experienced with their learning. I have noticed an improvement in motivation and quality of work. I have also noticed, as the teacher, that I am more in-tune with their needs and strengths- it really helps to guide my instruction. As with my Reflection #1 post- another lesson in SLOWING DOWN and making time for what really counts!

That Workshop Book: Reflection 1

2010-01-25T08:23:00.004-05:00

I heard about That Workshop Book, by Samantha Bennett, last year from my friend and colleague, Katie (Creative Literacy). It is now a cornerstone in my teaching philosophy. I find myself constantly referring to it in order to re-focus my thinking on reading/writing workshop. When I found out that a local literacy group (Literacy Connection) was offering a course that concentrated on the book- I jumped at the opportunity. For this course, we need to reflect on and share our thinking/teaching from the book. This is my first shared reflection:

I am in the wonderful situation of looping with my students from second to third grade. Due to our long journey together, I often take for granted what they have learned and assume they remember/use what was taught last year. However, I had reason to pause on this thinking during our "Guess Who Will Win the Caldecott" study. I had placed the top 50 "most talked about" Caldecott contenders around the room, asking students to place post it notes throughout the book sharing their likes/dislikes, prediction, etc. On the back of Lion and Mouse (the WINNER), one of my students wrote: "This makes no sense." Oh my goodness- had my third graders forgot all that time we spent on how important pictures are when telling a story back in second grade? Bennett writes: "Workshop is a structure, a routine, a ritual, and a system that helps teachers answer the question 'How do I know?'" She then explains why "teaching as listening" is more important than the traditional "teaching as talking." I was not listening to my students on this topic prior to READing this post-it. I had kept "talking", teaching new mini-lessons, without taking the time to ask "how do I know" they remember/are using what was learned in the past. I listened when I saw that post-it note and heard that my students had forgotten the importance of illustrations/pictures. We spent the next couple days studying wordless (or limited word) picture books. They loved revisiting old favorites and the idea of the importance of illustrations. They noticed details in pictures that help them put stories into words. This is a perfect example of the graphic spiral in Samantha's book: it is a straight line with student understanding written on it, wrapped in a coil/spiral that has assessment, planning and instruction on it.

It was refreshing to be reminded that we need to stop and listen before moving forward. It is a great reminder to just SLOW DOWN!!

A Touching Moment

2009-10-27T14:34:00.003-04:00

So, Friday appears to be one of those days to either be forgotten or more meaningfully to learn from. I must conclude that it was far from my best day as a first grade teacher mostly because I had a child who was having a very difficult day and demanded my attention and challenged my direction. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, and I am sure he was too. But we ended the day with a genuine hug and with the agreement that Monday was going to be a new and better day. As we were lining up to exit for the day, one of my other boys came up to me and asked if he could hold my hand. I must say that his request, gratefully granted, made my day. Whether he sensitively felt the angst of the day related to the conflict with my first little guy, or he wanted to assure me that all was well in his corner of the world, I cannot know. But what I do know is that he gave me a gift that reassured me that life was OK, and we, with strength and connection, will move forward. This little boy is a joy who has cautiously, slowly, but assuredly grown more comfortable and relaxed with our classroom family with each passing week. I don’t know if he wanted to hold my hand because he is finally at the point where he feels at home in our room or if it were because he just intuitively knew that his request would be something that I needed and would love. Whatever the reason may be, he made my Friday wonderful. He gently but powerfully confirmed that even on days that are very hard and depleting, he reminded me that no matter what, we are all joined together as a school family and will be here for one another.

Binky the Space Cat

2009-10-05T08:29:00.003-04:00

Haha. My fellow cat lover and friend, Cathy, just shared a new graphic novel with me- Binky the Space Cat by Ashley Spires. It is a silly story full of cat humor but I am confident even those not so fond of cats will chuckle a few times while reading. According to Binky- he is a space cat. In reality, he is a house cat that has never stepped paw outside of the house. However, he is determined to protect his humans from the aliens (aka houseflies). He secretly makes plans to go to Outer Space to destroy the enemies. However, at the last minute he remembers that he has forgotten something really important. This is the first in a new graphic novel series. I can't wait to read more about this fun character!

Have I Got a Book for You

2009-09-24T11:27:00.003-04:00

Yay! I found a new Melanie Watt book. And for those of us that love her silly, playful and totally fun books (Scaredy Squirrel, Chester, etc.) - she doesn't disappoint with Have I Got a Book for You. The book reads like an infomercial. Al is a salesman that can sell anything. And since we are book lovers- Al is trying to sell us a fabulous book. And the one you're holding is just for you. Al is pretty tricky in the end as well. Melanie Watt creates another humorous story with engaging illustrations and a character you can't help but like. Hurry- go read it!

I'm Back!

2009-09-13T09:31:00.000-04:00

I am still here! I do believe one of my many goals this year is to try and write once a week. I am thrilled to say that the beginning of this year has gotten off to an amazing start. I am teaching first grade. What is even more exciting is that I hope to loop with this group and have them for second grade as well. I can tell already that I will thoroughly enjoy spending many hours with this group of twenty first graders. They are bright, talkative, and always wanting to share. I am so excited about this year, and I can’t wait to share their thinking and mine with you this school year.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2009-09-11T18:54:00.002-04:00

Is that how you spell darndest?? Anyways- today in class one of my students had me cracking up laughing. Our conversation follows:

Me: Darlings- you are all crowding me a bit. I am feeling a little claustrophobic.
Max: Does that mean you are afraid of Santa CLAUS?

Poor guy was being serious. It ended up leading to a super conversation about phobias but his original, smart, yet funny comment is the part I enjoyed the most. I love my job!

Catching Fire

2009-08-12T09:54:00.004-04:00

I'm back. Although it looks as though I dropped off the face of the earth, I was still very much part of the blogging community over the summer. I religiously check my favorite blogs and did my best to comment on entries that really caused me to think and reflect! Now- it's time for me to share and document my summer reading, thinking and reflections.

What better way to start than to share my thoughts on my favorite read of the summer, Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins? It is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. I read Hunger Games late last winter and LOVED it and I have to say that I enjoyed Catching Fire equally as much. It has it all- GREAT characters, vivid imagery, action, horror, and love. The cliffhangers at the end of each chapter prevented me from putting the book down. I finished it in about 4 hours and my heart was pounding every second. One thing I have to say, I was more satisfied with the ending of this book. The first book ended in such a way that I was bothered by it and itchy for the next book. With the end of Catching Fire, I felt a little more comfortable with the conclusion (however, the story still leaves you with many questions). My only complaint- I have to wait way too long for the third book (Hurry Ms. Collins!!)

Authentic Teacher

2009-04-20T07:53:00.005-04:00

After reading (and loving) the Twilight series- I discovered that I am a huge fan of teen/young adult literature. Yesterday, I started reading Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr after reading wonderful things about it on several blogs. I have not finished yet (I will blog when I do) but I LOVE it so far.

Anyways- Franki and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading always take note when they come across a special teacher in literature and Wicked Lovely has got one!! I am currently taking a class where we always end up talking about the possibilities of the workshop model at the high school level. I am absolutely an advocate for it and was blessed to have experienced it myself with my senior level literature course. It sounds like Sister Mary Louise (High School English Teacher in Wicked Lovely) has the right idea. Here is an excerpt on why Sister Mary Louise is Aislinn's (the main character) favorite teacher:

"It was one of the reasons the class was Aislinn's favorite: Sister Mary Louise didn't simply launch into a lecture. She got them talking, and then she slipped in her points, revealing every bit as much information, but with more style than any of the other teachers."

Student led discussion and learning is powerful whether the student is two or seventeen.

I'll keep you posted on Wicked Lovely. So far- it is a WOW!

Let's Talk Writing

2009-03-12T12:32:00.004-04:00

Today during writing workshop, I overheard a wonderful conversation between two authors in our classroom. They are writing a story together called- The Defenders of Earth (The First). It was so amazing to listen in on their thinking as they discussed how it should begin ("Make sure we hook the reader."), the characters ("Should we web them first?") and the sequence of events. They also talked about dialogue and other aspects of the story- here's a snippet of their conversation:

Student 1: Then he said, "It's coming down to earth.
Student 2: How about we tell the reader WHAT is coming down to earth.

Student 1: Let's add ALL OF A SUDDEN before he says it to make it more suspenseful.
Student 2: Hey- we used a suffix....haha.

Student 1: What should happen next?
Student 2: Maybe we'll find a way to make this part come back up later in the story.
Student 1: Yeah- like we can make a Part 2- kind of like Tale of Despereaux.
Student 2: Cool- a mentor text.

Unbeknown to the students- I was quietly sitting at table behind them- listening- proud as punch. Not only was their knowledge of the writing process and the words they chose impressive- their love for writing and creating stories was clear. They we so excited!! Another great day doing the best job in the world.....

Hunger Games

2009-02-15T17:32:00.005-05:00

" Each Year in the ruins of North America, 24 teenagers are forced to enter the Hunger Games. Only one survives. Every moment is televised." -Scholastic on Hunger Games

I just finished reading Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. WOW! I absolutely loved it. Great story, unique idea, thoroughly thought provoking and beautiful writing. I highly recommend it to all! It is the first in a trilogy but we have to wait for the second, Catching Fire, until September 1st (can't wait!!).

Franki (at A Year of Reading) talks about Hunger Games here

It is also the Cybils Young Adult winner. See complete list here

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2009-02-12T08:25:00.003-05:00

We are blessed to have Dr. Meredith Melragon learning with us for the next couple weeks to help take our learning digital. I will be posting about our adventures as they happen! In addition to volunteering in our classroom, Dr. M works at Apple. So yesterday when she was not here I had the following conversation with one of my students:

Student: Where's Dr. M today?

Me: Oh- she is at the Apple store but she'll be back tomorrow.

Student: Really? (confused look)

A couple minutes later.....

Student: What exactly do you do at a store full of apples? Taste them or something?

Me: (trying hard not to giggle) Actually- it is a store full of computers, iPods and technology stuff?

Student: Oh.

I am so lucky to have a job that makes me smile so much.....Happy Thursday!

A Teacher's Prayer for Snow

2009-01-27T19:28:00.001-05:00

Oh, Lord, let it snow.
Let it drift and let it blow.
In the morning, no real fuss,
Just enough to stop the bus.

Enough to make the County say:
"There will be no school today."
Let the radio report: "Snow's deep!"
And I'll roll over for more sleep.

Then later on, say maybe ten,
I'll turn the radio on again.
Just in time to hear them say:
"It's strange; the snow has gone away!"

And then I'll know, You made it stop,
So I can go to Cover to Cover and shop.
Please, Lord, just hear my teacher's plea,
And make it snow for the kids and me!

Amen

What I am learning...

2009-01-19T14:18:00.004-05:00

My mom’s background is Child Development. So, pretty much since I was eight, I knew about Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky, Montessori, etc. with conversations about child growth and development and learning theories becoming the back drop to many pursuits and inquiries. How children learn best is a huge part of my background. While by no stretch of the imagination am I even close to an expert, I have had many conversations with my mom regarding the significance of the first five years of a child’s life. My mom has always stressed how vital this time is in establishing the child’s sense of trust and security, knowledge of unconditional love, and unwavering high expectations. One aspect of our many conversations centered around the child’s ability to learn to delay gratification. While I know that by the time our children arrive in our classrooms, they are beyond the crucial first five years, but many have never come close to mastering the ability to delay gratification. But I still feel we as teachers can and must make a difference in this critical learning. One of the things I have learned this year in teaching first grade is that too many of my kids do not have or are they even close in mastering the ability to delay gratification. This made the beginning of the year a little rocky and even now because of this issue, some days are most challenging. I guess I never really realized how important it is to challenge children to honor and take responsibility for the management of the social and teaching day until my first graders presented me with this ongoing dilemma. In today’s society when it seems as if we are constantly moving and doing something and pushing forward (at least we think it is forward progress), we can’t lose sight of the groundwork that makes present and future learnings possible. Amidst my mom’s research and readings, she often quoted a piece of research that contended that the single most important milestone in child growth and development for a child to master to secure and predict academic success is to master the ability to delay gratification So, for me while I know there is a lot to cover in one year academically, I also feel I must give them a firm grounding in daily living the life of a strong student in all aspects of what this means today and over their lifetime as students and as citizens of the world. This is a vital part of shaping who my kids will be. Therefore, in my class we have spent a lot of time slowing down, articulating issues and conflicts, waiting and respecting the actions and words of others, patiently seeking the thoughts and opinions of others, routinely delivering kind and helpful messages, considering the rights of others in decision making, and patiently and routinely taking turns. For me, I have grown to realize that there are going to be days when there are things I planned that I just don’t achieve with them, and that is okay. (I am still working on accepting this.) I realize that my day should not be a race against time, but rather using the time I have to make whatever we are doing meaningful and relevant and not rushed for the children I am teaching. Maybe my ongoing modeling of the fact that we are a family together, not one of us more important than another, will slowly but surely bring them to a comfortable free choice of automatically seeing another’s rights and considering his ideas, With the goal of academic success for all my children this year and for many years to come, it seems undeniable that I invest energy, time, and thoughtful pursuit in doing all that I can to assure that my children will be successful in learning to postpone gratification, which will give them their best shot at ongoing academic success today and for their future, Teaching them to be patient with one another, learning to share, communicating compassionately, and helping each other along the way-if they master this and with the support of a new administration moving in this same direction, the world should certainly be a better place. Celebrate a new era!

The Uglies

2009-01-05T13:56:00.006-05:00

This book has been around for quite a while, however I was just introduced to it and had the pleasure of reading it over winter break. After finishing the Twilight series I was a bit concerned that it would be a while before I found another series or book that would touch me in quite the same way. My sister is a fifth grade teacher and her students recommended The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. Although I must say that it didn't quite hit the same chords as Twilight (which is meant more for older teenagers- if not adults in my opinion- but that is a whole different blog)- it was well written, entertaining and a quick read. The book explores the pressures of today's society and some of our societies foolish thinking and habits. The characters are relatable and engaging. It would make for a great literature circle book for middle school grades. It is the first in a series of three (Pretties, Specials). I will not go into much detail on the review as I am sure many blog readers have already read the book but I wanted to pass along my recommendation just in case you haven't had the chance to read it yet.

Thought Might Enjoy This

2008-12-27T20:52:00.002-05:00

Transcending: Words on Wisdom and Strength

Looking at Ordinary Things in Extraordinary Ways

2008-12-08T14:09:00.002-05:00

Although we celebrate poetry year round in our room (especially as a more authentic venue for word study)- we have currently been focusing on it as a writing unit. We cap off our unit with a Poetry Pocket where we invite friends and family to come listen to and celebrate our original poems in our room which we transform into a coffee shop. Every year I am amazed at the amazing poets that live/work/play in our room. Before we even begin to write poems, we talk about how poets notice the most ordinary objects in extra-ordinary ways (Thanks Lucy Calkins). With that being said- I wanted to share one of my student's poems that I especially love:

The Basketball

A Basketball....
is not
just a ball
that is
thrown
in a hoop
but
a circle
that is
spinning
through space

The Power of Share and a Purpose to Write

2008-11-14T15:03:00.003-05:00

The students in my classroom share/celebrate their own writing (or books/poems written by others that they enjoy) on a regular basis. As a matter of fact- they can count on a piece of every one of our days being dedicated to just that. This week, we began to dig a little deeper into the craft of writing poetry. Each year, my students create a collection of poems that is left in our classroom library for future classes to enjoy. It is so wonderful to see the student's reaction to a poem of a sibling or friend that had been in my class previously being shared during "share time". The conversation naturally leads to questions on whether or not I will be sharing their poems in years to come with my future students. "Of course" is my response. The poetry workshop that followed was diligent and purposeful as the children now realize their poems are meant for an audience- whether it be their parents at our annual Poetry Pocket Celebration or for the future students that will live in the classroom. When students know that their writing will be shared with others, it is, perhaps, the most inspirational purpose we can give them to write.

Thank Goodness for Miracles

2008-10-28T17:03:00.001-04:00

Miracle

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Politics

2008-10-19T17:41:00.002-04:00

I must say as an elementary teacher I never thought I would have to deal with such contentious political discussions in my classroom. While I was out one afternoon, my kids apparently had a poorly informed and most unkind political discussion leading to excluding others based on the politics of those children’s parents. Once I recovered from the shock that my kids were having this mean-spirited political discussion, I had to step back and think about what lead my children to engage in any political conversation. I had to ask myself the question why are my children who are only six having this level of political conversations? Is it bad, is it good? Do I allow it, or do I forbid it? As a child, I remember going to a presidential rally, but I never remember talking with my friends about the candidates and certainly never thought of their politics as affecting my friendship or respect for them. I spent wakeful hours that night thinking about where the line should be drawn between how much we expose our children to. Well, anyway back to my kids. I really had to decide what I was going to say to them. While I think that you want to make your children aware of some of the events that are happening in our world, I think that sometimes as adults we forget that they are still very young children. We must remember that they still need to be sheltered, and they are always listening and taking in what we are saying. So, the next day at school as a class we had a long conversation about respecting others and also about the upcoming election. What I ended up telling my children is that if they have questions, concerns, or worries about the upcoming election to come and talk with me or their parents. While I think it is great from a government or civics perspective that some of my kids are enthralled with the election, so much of their information is the sensationalism found on TV and in the not so watchful or mindful remarks of parents and relatives. I believe that as an adult when discussing politics or other subject areas with children, there is a fine line between what is developmentally appropriate and what isn’t. I think that we always must consider what is appropriate and what isn’t. I just hope in the process we do not lose sight that both teachers and families need to honor the innocence and ingenuousness of our little people and provide respite for them from issues and concerns that are too confusing, often scary, and certainly worrisome to our little ones. These are short lived and precious years, and we are not serving our children if we rob them of the protective, carefree possibilities of this time.

Children's Writing Discoveries

2008-10-15T22:23:00.002-04:00

Over the last week or two, I have been meeting with my kids to conference about their writing and coming up with a writing goal. I have always met with children about their writing, but this year is the first year I have met with them and come up with a goal for the month. This idea came from Katie at Creative Literacy. Well, the reason I am talking about this is because I met with one of my boys, Joe, the other week, and I was very impressed with his writing. He wrote a story called The Biggest Creature in the World. He based his story on the book I’m The Biggest Thing in The Ocean by Kevin Sherry that I had read as a read aloud. I asked him what made him think to make his own book based on this story. He explained to me that he just loved the story and wanted to make his own just like Kevin Sherry. He is also making a sequel to the book he wrote. His next book will be called The Biggest Creature in the Universe. I was so pleased with his thinking throughout this meeting. After we met, he was able to share with the rest of the class his thinking and his story. I believe some of the children will now begin to really start thinking about how authors are a great source to help them think of what they might want to write about during writing workshop. I will also use this idea as a jumping board to start having conversations about what books might help us during writing workshop. I really am looking forward to seeing what Joe will write and to see what some of my other children will be writing after they heard Joe’s story.

We Heart Your Blog

2008-09-30T18:57:00.002-04:00

Here are the rules:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Lauren and I heart the following blogs:
A Year of Reading
Creative Literacy
Two Writing Teachers
Bud the Teacher
My Breakfast Platter
My World-Mi Mundo
Literate Lives

Better Late Than Never

2008-09-30T18:45:00.002-04:00

Remember those Summer Goals I had.....well....I was pretty successful in accomplishing most of the personal ones during the summer. The professional goals, as always, are a work in progress. Well- I am happy to announce that thanks to a wonderful colleague and friend, Katie (see Creative Literacy), the revamping of my word study goal is coming along nicely (though it will always be changing and evolving- see how much I learned). And today- we (the kids and I) have officially reorganized the chapter book section of our classroom library. It was so rewarding to see the kids eyes light up at the sight of new-old books (you know- the ones that had always been in the library but got lost in the chaos), as well as, seriously new books that I purchased this weekend. We had a room full of book worms today....I think we could have spend the whole day reading. Oh what a day! Tomorrow we shall begin to tackle the picture books. I have to say this has generated some wonderful thinking on both the student and my behalf.

I will write more about my word study revelations in another post.

Ellie McDoodle

2008-09-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

I found this little treasure in the library yesterday. I am sure it has been around for a while but I figured I would blog about it anyway. This series is "part journal, part graphic novel and all fun". Ellie McDoodle is a strong character with great voice. She is confident, funny and relatable. I have so many students that are torn between picture books and chapter books- this is a perfect combination of both. The pictures help tell the funny and engaging story. I can hardly wait to introduce it my students.

Pretty Inspiring

2008-09-23T16:54:00.003-04:00

http://www.dallasisd.org/keynote.htm

Lauren's First Post

2008-09-18T08:16:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that Abby and I have only known each other for just a little over a year. We met last year because I had the privilege of joining her second grade team about a week before school started. Having just graduated from college a few months prior, I was relatively naive regarding the adventure I was about to embark on last year. I can now say with not a doubt in my mind that I was blessed and fortunate to have the best first year I could have ever imagined. I learned so very much as an educator and as a person. I thoroughly enjoyed my children (truth be told, I fell in love with them), and while I may be biased, I believe I worked on one of the best grade level teams ever. Well, forwarding ahead to this year, Abby and I continue to talk, dine, and enjoy each other quite regularly even though regrettably, we are not working together any longer. Abby is persistent to say the least, and after many requests, here I am joining her on her blog. As you all know , Abby is great-she inspires me to be a better teacher and challenges me to think a little differently, a little deeper, and always with children as the focus of perfecting our art and science as teachers. While I must admit blogging sounds a little nerve racking to me, (I really am not the biggest fan of writing), I know it will be a great learning experience for me. Truly, I am looking forward to reflecting on my experience as a first grade teacher through this new medium with all of you.

Lauren

Co-Blogger and Inspiration

2008-09-12T20:12:00.002-04:00

My colleague and friend, Lauren Scott, is going to start blogging on Authentic Learner as a co-blogger. I look forward to writing with her as I know she will inspire those that read and will hopefully motivate me to write more myself. Welcome Lauren!

My Caldecott Nomination (so far)

2008-09-10T06:53:00.008-04:00

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew by Zachary Pullen is full of AMAZING illustrations, fun alliterations and interesting words. A boy and is father find an old radio flyer wagon in the attic and thats when all the adventures start. This little boy has some big dreams, including wanting to fly, and maybe.. just maybe that old radio flyer will be just the thing he needs to get his feet off the ground! I had to read it several times within minutes of having it. The first time I read it I could not get pass the beautiful oil painted illustrations that are not only eye catching, full page spreads but, also, are an instrumental part in telling the story. The second time I noticed the inspirational and dream like story (gotta love the dad). A child's imagination really is an amazing thing. The third time- I realized the story takes the reader through the days of the week while playing with alliteration and some really neat words (hmmm....authentic word study??). Thank you to Cathy (our amazing librarian) for putting this beautiful book that reminds us to dream big into my hands!

Summer Goals Revisited

2008-08-14T12:46:00.002-04:00

Franki and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading tagged me for my summer goals of 2008 back in June. After a whirlwind of a summer, it is nice to take a look back and see if I happened to actually accomplish anything.....

Summer Goals 2008:
1. Stay sane on the road to getting married on July 5th
- Mission Accomplished (it was perfect!!)
2. Find a rug for my living room
- Mission Accomplished (believe it or not- thanks to walmart)
3. Revamp my Word Study Program
- In the process and I am feeling really good about it (thanks for the thoughts Katie)
4. Rearrange/organize my classroom library
- Working on it
5. READ more professionally and simply for the love of reading
- I definately read more than ever this summer (mostly for pleasure but I am anxiously awaiting Debbie Milller's new book)
6. Do not add anymore items to my goals for now as it will defeat my purpose to focus.
- (Well...it seems as though I have an endless list- so I should have changed this to- Do not beat myself up for not getting EVERYTHING done)

My return from the Wild....

2008-08-05T13:39:00.004-04:00

So after reading several reviews on Out of the Wild (see Year of Reading blog), I decided I had better read it! Clearly, I had to read the prequel, Into the Wild, first. I did so on the many hours in the airport on my honeymoon travels to Costa Rica. I LOVED it and can hardly wait to read the sequel. However, instead of doing a review or summary (which I am sure you can also find on Year of Reading), I decided to blog about some of my thoughts while reading. Lately, I have been drawing many analogies between life and education (idea inspired by several of my favorite blogs). In this case, I cannot help but draw the parallel between the WILD and high stakes testing/standard/prescribed curriculum. As the Wild says, everyone has their role. You know what to expect and you are expected to follow ideas set by others. Sometimes, it even feels easier to follow rules/lessons created by the Wild (high stakes testing). But it would certainly get boring and stifling- reliving the same story, reteaching the same lessons despite the desires and world changes around us. Isn't it worth being a hero and writing our own stories? It is so much more rewarding to allow children to have input in their learning, to be inspired, to take charge, to write their own happily ever afters. It can sometimes be scary to be the hero (teacher) in this scenario. There is so much left to the unknown, so many obstacles standing in the way (testing/differing points of view), especially the inevitable mis-take but I think it is worth making the wish, taking the chance and seeing what wonderful things can happen when we write our own stories. This is when authentic, meaningful, life long learning can occur for our students. We show them that taking risks (and sometimes making mis-takes) are what makes life exciting and pushes us forward.....

Summer Meme 2008

2008-06-09T21:36:00.003-04:00

Franki and Mary Lee at A Year of Reading (trying to figure out how to add links to my blog- HELP!!) tagged me for my summer goals of 2008. I always find setting goals (and making lists in general) refreshing, particularly right as summer gets started as I find myself losing focus due to the feeling that I have too many things to focus on. I am thinking this list will help me prioritize, my professional and personal (which is super busy this summer) lives. So thanks ladies for providing some focus....

Summer Goals 2008:
1. Stay sane on the road to getting married on July 5th
2. Find a rug for my living room
3. Revamp my Word Study Program
4. Rearrange/organize my classroom library
5. READ more professionally and simply for the love of reading....
6. Do not add anymore items to my goals for now as it will defeat my purpose to focus.

48 Hour Read Kick Off

2008-06-08T11:23:00.003-04:00

So I had every intention in the world of giving the 48 Hour Read my best shot this past weekend but the truth is life got in the way. I feel so torn right now. I am trying to take the time to slow down right now and let everything sink in- the end of the school year, my upcoming wedding, the new house....I am so blessed. But, of course, life has a way of getting so busy, I forget to stop and smell the roses. In this case, the 48 Hour Read, would have been the roses. Perhaps next year, I will follow the rules and actually read on the correct weekend for the 48 hours as close to non-stop as possible. This year, I make the more realistic vow to read for 48 hours in the entire month of June. The following are on my list so far (most are recommendations from friends):

1. Before I Die, By Jenny Downham (sounds kind of sad but my friend swears it has a powerful message)

2. Five Quarters of the Orange, By Joanne Harris (this is WAY out of my box but it'll be good for me)

3. Anything Sisters Grimm (I read the first one with my class and we LOVED it so I figure I will continue the story)

4. Greetings from Nowhere, By Barbara O'Connor (recommedation from my fellow Columbus bloggers)

I best get to bed so I can read.....

Books about Letters

2008-05-19T14:49:00.001-04:00

I have to say that through the authentic experience of writing letters to pen pals this year, my students have really grasped the mechanics and ettiqutte of friendly letter writing. However, we still LOVE the occasional book that helps reiterate the ideas of friendly letter writing in fun and engaging ways. Here is a list of titles we have found that use friendly letters:

Title: YOURS TRULY, GOLDILOCKS
Author: ADA

Title: WITH LOVE, LITTLE RED HEN
Author: ADA

Title: DEAR MR. LEPRECHAUN: LETTERS FROM MY FIRST FRIENDSHIP
Author: BURTON

Title: FIRST YEAR LETTERS
Author: DANNEBERG

Title: DEAR MR. BLUEBERRY
Author: JAMES

Title: DEAR LITTLE LAMB
Author: KEMPTER, CHRISTA

Title: LETTERS FROM A DESPERATE DOG
Author: EILEEN CHRISTELOW

Title: DEAR BEAR
Author: HARRISON

Title: MY GRANDMA, MY PEN PAL
Author: KOUTSKY

Title: HELP ME, MR. MUTT!: EXPERT ANSWERS FOR DOGS WITH PEOPLE PROBLEMS
Author: STEVENS

Title: DEAR MRS. LARUE: LETTERS FROM OBEDIENCE SCHOOL
Author: TEAGUE

Meme

2008-05-19T10:36:00.000-04:00

I was tagged by Katie DiCesare from Creative Literacy for a MEME and here goes...

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing ten years ago?
getting my driver's license
going to prom

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order):
work on my wedding vows
paint the bathroom at the new house
workout
grocery store
buy the paper for my wedding programs

What are some snacks you enjoy?
cool ranch doritos
chips and salsa
mini snickers
granola bar
string cheese

What would you do if you were a billionaire?
buy a mini cooper
put a half bath in my house
hire a personal chef and trainer
open an after school activity center for inner city students

What are your bad habits?
cracking my knuckles
collecting junk
letting mail pile up
not finishing projects I start
lack of portion control

What are five places where you have lived?
Youngstown, Ohio
OSU campus
Grandview, Ohio
Clintonville, Ohio

What are five jobs you have had?
Stable hand (cleaning up after and riding horses)
Ski Limited
Hostess (Cap City)
Admissions Assistant at OSU
Teacher

What people do you want to tag?
hmmm.....all my blogger friends have already been tagged....

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

2008-04-01T07:34:00.000-04:00

This book was recommended by a friend of mine. I cannot thank her enough. This read aloud quickly became one of our favorites after we made it through the first couple chapters (which for some reason seemed a little dry- perhaps due to the fact we started it after finishing Tale of Despereaux which we also really loved). The Really Great Whangdoodle is a story about three children and a corky genentics professor's journey to Whangdoodleland in search of the last Whangdoodle. With a little preparation and lots of determination and imagination, the children succeeded in their quest. The story is full of wonderful descriptions, strong characters and interesting words. The professor offers advice throughout the story that provided wonderful conversations. For example- "Know that beyond every ordinary explanation, there is a deeper and more exciting discovery to be made" and "The best remedy for a bad scare is to turn right around and face whatever frightened you." I can't wait to pass this little gem to the next unsuspecting reader.....warning-once you start-it will be hard to stop.

Student-Led Conferences

2008-03-13T14:54:00.000-04:00

As I sit here reflecting on the first night of student-led conferences, I cannot help but smile. We spend several days (if not all year) preparing for the conferences. Students fill out reflection sheets and pick special pieces to share with their families. We talk about why student-led conferenes are important. It helps students have a sense of ownership, purpose and responsibility with their learning. Selfishly, these types of conferences provide some of MY favorite times of the year. The kids are so excited to share their learning with their families. The rich conversations I over hear between student and family remind me of why I love this profession. I hear about learning that the student feels really strong in and other areas where they feel they can grow. I hear problem solving and affirmation. I see pride from both student and parent. It seems as if families see the learning process in different ways and feel more comfortable in the classroom (asking questions and looking around) then they do in parent/teacher led conferences. If you have not given student led conferences a try, I highly recommend them. It is a real treat for everyone involved.

Reflective Practioner

2008-03-12T07:46:00.000-04:00

As a novice teacher, my pedagogy and practices are constantly evolving and probably will be for the rest of my career. I do not yet have much to share on what might work in the classroom or advice on how to teach as I borrow many ideas from colleages I admire. I am still getting my footing in the classroom and really thinking about what I truly believe about how to learn. With this being said, there is very little I value you more professionally then the time to reflect on my practices. In the craziness of teaching, I often find it difficult to allow myself the time to really reflect on the days work. I am hoping this blog will allow me the outlet to generate some quality reflections on my teaching and learning with my students so that I can grow as an educator and, in turn, continue to inspire my students to love learning....cause that's what's it's all about....right?

Grammar and Mechancis

2008-03-12T06:44:00.000-04:00

It's such a challenge to motivate children see the value in and then actually thoughtfully adempt the editing process of literacy. In a day when there are so many D.O.L (daily oral language) and Daily Edit worksheets (which I am guilty of using), it is hard to think of authentic ways to implement editing in my classroom. The kids look at it as a chore and I can't blame them because I was never very good at or liked grammar and mechanics myself. That is until last night. I attended a workshop on Grammar and Mechanics in the Context of the Literacy Workshop. It changed the way I saw teaching/learning editing. Jeff Anderson sums up the class with this quote from his book Mechanically Inclined, "Teach grammar and mechanics as a creational facility rather than a correctional one." Rather than have children correct sentences that already have mistakes, help them see the wonderful grammar and mechanics in pieces of writing that are already published. To go along with this, we learned a teaching strategy called-Sentence Observation. The teacher basically writes a sentence from a prior real aloud on chart paper and then ask the students what they notice about the sentence. It provided an outlet for a really authenic conversation about parts of a sentence and the value of proper grammar and mechanics. The teacher can really concentrate on sentences that contain an idea that the kids are currently thinking about, while also thinking about other aspects. This is a wonderful way to differentiate instruction and really zero in on concepts that are just right for certain students while exposing those students to other ideas that might not be just right, purely by being part of the conversation. This workshop helped me to see that teaching grammar and mechanics should be a piece of lteracy workshop, just like any other mini lesson. Grammar/Mechanics lessons can be given in a whole group setting, small group or individual setting depending on the needs of the class. These lessons should have students concentrating on text from books in their classroom so they can see proper grammar/mechanics in action. This seems like it will help with the transfer to their writing much easier than if they are making corrections on a sentence that has no real meaning to them (D.O.L./Daily Edits). I am so inspired to change not only my student's thinking, but my own, about the editing process.