New Year!

The start of school is like a fresh start! Everything is new, pencils are sharpened, decorations on the wall and I feel refreshed. Right around mid-July each year I start reflecting on the past school year and how I can become a better educator. To do lists start forming in my head and I start looking for the newest and best way to do things that I wasn't happy with in previous years. This year I am taking a leap and not having a clip system. For 13 years I have had students move clips, this year I will not.

Standards based reporting is also new to me. It will be challenging to keep track of data and artifacts to prove proficiency of each standard. I'm excited about this new way of showing mastery, but also nervous because of the management of it all. I'm going to have my students keep track, as well. I feel it is very important for my students to take ownership of their learning. 

March forward! Here I come 2015-2016!

Am I burned out?

It's January 3rd and in 24 hours I will be going to bed not only to get sleep, but to prepare to go back to work. I am a teacher. Lately I don't feel like a teacher.  I am my own secretary, a bookkeeper, a librarian, a nurse, a shoulder to cry on, a mentor, a custodian and the list could go on. Teaching is such a small part of my day. Lately I'm more worried about what I'm going to say and how it will be interpreted. Am I reaching all 25 students at all times? Is everyone happy? Treated fairly? With respect? Am I hurting the feelings of coworkers? Oh wait, did I copy that review? Did I email the parents about the review? Get one more chaperone and did they have a full background check? Schedule my mid-year meeting with my evaluator? Display student work, make an anchor chart, make sure student A is getting on the bus and student b is going to brownies,. Notice I'm not saying much about actual teaching. Well because I'm not. My head is spinning while at work and I'm exhausted day in and day out. When I do get to actually teach I love it, but it's just not all it's cracked up to be, this job. So when u go to bed tomorrow night I will be preparing for the bell to ring and the chaos to begin. Managing 25 little brains and try not to make anyone cry!

Fairy Tale Fun!

My class began a fairy tale unit in November. We had so much fun

reading the original versions of some of the most popular fairy tales. Then we analyzed the adaptations and looked for the changes. My students had a great time doing this. I had my students pick either "Three Billy Goats Gruff" or "Little Red Riding Hood" to write their adaptation. The most challenging part was picking a meaningful change in the story, yet still keeping the original framework of the fairy tale. We also talked about being a storyteller and acted out the fairy tales quite a bit. The acting out helped the students see a difference in how storytelling is showing the action of the characters and the dialogue between the characters. What was produced? Fantastic adaptations that we shared with our first grade friends!

Graveyard of Words

So, we have been working on revising our fast and furious drafts in writing.  I want my students to try to use more detailed words in their writing.  The kids were really having a hard time with this and use the same old words over and over again.  I have done this lesson on word choice before, but decided to have the kids look up all the old, boring words and create lists of them in their writer's notebook.  the kids found synonyms for all the words, as opposed to just one of them.  This way the list is in their notebook as a reference.  There is no paper to lose or put in another folder and not want to drag out.  There is no anchor chart in the room that they don't want to use.  It is right there at their fingertips.  

We did end up working together to create this Halloween-themed bulletin board in the hallway.  We also have been working on contractions last week, so we added the pumpkins in there as an added touch. On the tombstones are the words we put in the graveyard and then the new, exciting words are listed underneath.  

Conferring with Students

Conferring with Students during Narrative Writing
This is always hard for teachers.  They often shy away from it because it can't be planned.  A teacher has no idea what the students are going to say or write about when approaching a student.  I consider myself a decent writer, but still fear conferring with students.  Why?

I attended a conference given by Carl Anderson and it really helped me with conferencing.  When I approach a student, the first question I ask him/her is "What are you working on today?" I can usually get my teaching point from that conversation.  I can tell right away if a student is struggling to even get started.  If that is the case, then I know I need to help spark some ideas of what to write about today.  If a child has begun a piece I like having them explain to me the topic and maybe pick out a part that he/she feels he or she has done the best.  That way I can use this part during our share session at the end of the workshop.  It also starts the conference on a positive note.  

Some questions or ideas to have on your plate as a teacher:

• Did the child use dialogue in his/her piece?
• Did the child focus on one small moment of time? Or is it a list?
• Did the child put his/her inner thoughts?
• Did the child show, not tell?

These are all teaching points that you can work on with a student, especially in narrative writing.  

I like to help a child with the above questions by asking them questions to prompt them or to help them retell the story to recreate that visual.  

I don't usually focus on conventions during a writing conference, unless there is great need.  If I am seeing the same thing happening again and again, then I will bring it up to the child.  For example, if the word "I" continually is not capitalized, I may mention it to the student.  

Below is a video of myself conferring with a third grade student.  After my initial questioning of the student, I realized that this student was having problems finding the "heart" of her story.  She was writing about her grandfather passing away.  She kind of skimmed over the part where her mom told her that her grandfather passed.  I wanted her to expand on this because it is the "heart" of her story.  

Video of Student Conference about Writing