Christmas Time is Here!

As our semester is coming to a close, we are also wrapping up the 2010 school year and it is amazing to think that Christmas is just around the corner.  As you can imagine, the Christmas season is huge in our little Catholic School in Clawson.  There is a big Christmas Concert in the Church this week and there has been a lot of preparation going on during these past three weeks of Advent.  Everyone is getting ready for the birth of our Lord.  Of course, our little youngsters are also anticipating the arrival of Santa Claus and probably some big present that comes in his bag.  We know that children often think of receiving during this holiday season, but it is important to get their senses thinking about other things as well.  Allie Magnuson suggests many activities that will get your children in the holiday spirit...away from thinking just about Jolly Ol' St. Nick! 

She suggests these activities and more!

• For Sight--Do some kind of activity revolving around Rudolph's blinking red nose!
• For Touch--Use and make some Insta-Snow and get the kids working on a snowman project!
• For Sound--Work with Jingle Bells to create a necklace for Mom!
• For Smell and Taste--Bake some Christmas cookies and decorate them together!  You could even mail these cookies to soldiers oversea or something!

Of course, Allie Magnuson makes many other suggestions too!  Read the entire article and see some pictures on her post.

Comments in Word

On the Scholastic webpage, Mary Blow wrote an article about how to use Microsoft Word in the classroom to help with conferencing and editting.  She instructs teachers on using the extremely helpful "Comments" tool within Microsoft Word.  She says, "When I conference with students, I type or record comments into students’ documents so that they'll have them when they revise or edit on their own. If students are confused, they can respond to my comment with another comment. Students also use comments as a form of communication during peer review. Ultimately, digital comments enhance communication in any classroom."  I think this is a fantastic way to create very neat notes in an essay or project to help students remember what you talked about during the revision process.  While taking a class at the University of Michigan last year, my professor also used these Microsoft comment tools and it made it so easy to see where she was making suggestions or compliments for my writing!  Mary Blow includes videos and other tutorials about using the Microsoft Comments in her article posted here.

Praising Children

Brent Vasicek wrote on the Scholastic blog this week about using Authentic Praise with students.  He talks about how our culture is developing in such a way that it seems like "every child needs a trophy."  Kids are growing up expecting to be praised for everything that they do, whether it is good or bad.  I have one young student who is always at my desk saying, "How did I do?  Was that good Ms. Karol?"  I hate to see that children are coming to me for continuous praise instead of finding it within themselves.  There is so much wrong with that picture that I don't even know how to continue!

However, Brent Vasicek gives a helpful acronym for teachers to remember each and every day.  He uses the acronym FIGS, which stands for Frequent, Immediate, Genuine and Specific.  He goes on to explain how every time we praise our children we need to keep these terms in mind.  For his full explanation, read this article.  Just remember that each child needs to hear some kind of genuine praise each and every day at school and at home!

Oh, We Need a Little Christmas!

Just yesterday, my principal sang to me, "Oh, we need a little Christmas...Right this very moment!"  Isn't that the truth?  Christmas cannot come soon enough!  It was a great relief to hear that I was not the only one feeling the need for a small break!  We are all rushing around trying to wrap things up in our classrooms and in our own personal lives.  We are shopping like crazy and some of us may have battled the Black Friday crowds last week--I couldn't even think about going out that day!  Buy anyway, it was interesting to see that Change.org actually published an article about how in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, parents should remember to think about their teachers.  I tend to think that parents do not need to go out of their way to find a present for me, their child's teacher.  Change.org argues, however, that "Every year, teachers reach down into their [own] pockets and pay as much as $1,500 a year on classroom supplies -- sometimes for materials as vital as paper and pencils."  They argue that teachers give so much of their own personal time and money that it is only right to give back to them.  I had to keep reading and was actually impressed to see that there are websites like ILoveSchools.com that actually allow teachers and donors to connect in order to collect basic supplies for their classrooms.  Wouldn't it bring an overwhelming sense of hope to struggling schools to know that some teachers out there are not asking for gifts this holiday season, but are instead asking them to send supplies to schools in need?  What a great idea and something we can still implement in our classrooms before the holiday break!  At this time of year, it is all about giving!  For a more detailed list of donation websites, click here.

Video Book Reviews

Because of our Master's program, we are always looking for ways to incorporate technology into the classroom.  On the Scholastic website, Mary Blow writes about using technology to create "Video Booktalks" in her classroom.  Her students actually talk about their books with other students in a talk show format.  These Booktalks help children learn the basics of summarizing books of interest while also working on their public speaking skills.  They video tape these talks and are able to share them with others.  Each person has a special role in the production and the "host" has specific questions that he/she has to ask.  This is a great way to use technology and to allow the children to see their own projects on the classroom TV!

Read the whole article here.

Reviewing and Parents

All of us are in the education field because we want to help children learn!  We spend time introducing new concepts, reviewing old ones, and testing everything that should be mastered.  Reviewing is key no matter what age.  Brent Vasicek posted a blog for Scholastic this week that said, "When a student is learning something new, I follow the 10/24/7+ Rule.  After I teach a concept, I review it ten minutes later, 24 hours later, 7 days later, and periodically after that."  I think this is a fantastic rule to follow in our classrooms.  All children need to hear information over and over again.  When I think about the various grades I have taught--first, second, and third--I know that I spend a lot of time reviewing things I taught the year before, especially in areas like math and phonics. 

With that being said, I want to know about your views on reviewing!  I have some parents who are very critical of the fact that we spend the first quarter reviewing and taking our standardized assessment.  They complain that their students' grades for the first quarter are "too high" or "too good" for their beginning quarter of 3rd grade.  Isn't it our job to help our students prepare themselves for what to expect in this new grade?  Aren't we supposed to take some time to review in case there is a need for reteaching?  Are we wrong because our desire to help our students?  Any thoughts?

A Desire for Simplicity

As we enter the long winter months and get settled into a regular routine in our classrooms, it is important to remember how to keep things fun and engaging.  However, it is also the time that we are bogged down with extra things, like Christmas shopping and homework, and we are trying to give everything to everyone in our lives.  So, I was hoping to find some simple steps to help me in my classroom.  I love keeping things fresh, but I also love having a little help coming up with ideas from fellow teachers!  Who knows what you will be able to do with a little inspiration!?  There was an article on Edutopia entitled, "Ten Simple Strategies for Re-engaging Students."  The first thing that caught my eye was the word SIMPLE!  Thank goodness--it won't be overwhelming!  So, I had to read on.  Andrew Marcinek suggests ways to excite your students:
1. Have Fun
2. Learn Beyond the Walls
3. Expand Your Audience
4. Collaborate
5. Deconstruct an Issue Transparently
6. Make Many Mistakes Along the Way
7. Share
8. Provide Constructive Criticism
9. Eat a Sandwich
10. Engage Others
He fully explains each of his suggestions on this blog.  I recommend taking the time to read it!

Creating a Caring Classroom

I am always amazed by the different feelings you can have when entering classrooms within the same school building.  All teachers are able to work in different environments: neat, cluttered, colorful, plain, rushed, organized.  It doesn't matter who you are, your classroom will reflect your own personality.  I am often teased for the organization and lack of clutter in my classroom.  My teaching partner cannot get over the fact that I cannot leave before my desk is tidied up!  Aside from what our own personal desires are for the classroom, it is important to think about what will also help create a perfect learning environment for our students.  Elena Aguilar wrote a blog about "How Classroom Environment Can Ignite Learning and Cultivate Caring" on Edutopia this month.  She wrote about a classroom in Oakland, California that used the theme of a village to set up a classroom in which students were eager to participate and learn.  One fantastic idea that was shared in this article was about the Carecrow.  Aguilar explains, "Recently, the teacher has been addressing bullying. A child-size "Carecrow" hangs on one wall. Students have taped messages onto the figure reflecting their commitment to care for each other."  It seems like an area in which children enjoy spending their time and learning new things!

Read the entire article here.

Promoting Reading in the Classroom

I love to promote reading in my classroom!  I am constantly ordering new books through the Scholastic Book Order with the help of my students!  As they order books and I earn more bonus points, we are able to stock our shelves with some of the most popular books that children love!  I am always curious about what other books I should have on my shelf as a third grade teacher and I found just the perfect site to help me out!  If you go to http://www.kidsreads.com/ you will find lists of popular Classic and New books that are loved by children of different age groups!  I found a whole list of books that I can seek out and add to my classroom library now!  They also provide detailed reviews to help you understand what kinds of books you are placing on your shelves.  I hope you find this website helpful too!

Major Motivation

I am trying to get everything in order for a weekend away visiting my sister.  It's a matter of taking a math exam for one class, grading all my papers, stuffing kids' folders, sending notes home, creating sub plans, blogging, and packing, too!  It's always a lot to get in order, but I know that I am heading down to Dallas on Friday and won't be returning until Monday, so I want everything to be in place.  Because of the family fun weekend, I will miss school on Monday, and am concerned about preparing my students for my absence.  Most years, I do not use any of my personal days.  I find that it is overwhelming to leave my students and create lesson plans that are easy to follow.  I don't know why this is such a daunting task for me, but it is. 

As I am preparing for everything that is awaiting me and my students, I find that I want to keep them motivated to learn even in my absence.  I hope that they will show the substitute how wonderful they are, because they really are wonderful!  Part of what I want to instill in them in a personal internal motivation to be good.  I guess, honestly, this is not something that I just want to show through for a substitute, but it is something that I want my students to learn and take with them in their future! 

With all of this in mind, I was looking through the Edutopia and found an article written by Bob Sullo.  I am surprised at the number of books Mr. Sullo writes about the psychology of the human mind.  A lot of his information is about what gets at the root of the student and how they think.  I fully believe that a lot of what is in these texts should be common knowledge to educators and parents, but if it is not, I think that his books look promising for those who work with children.  Some of his titles include, "Activating the Desire to Learn," "The Motivated Student: Unlocking the Enthusiasm for Learning," and "Teach Them to Be Happy."  I think I might check them out!

Science Fun!

Science was a topic that I loved when I was in school.  As it became more abstract, I found that I quickly lost interest.  I feel that as a teacher it is my job to keep my students interested in what we are learning.  I am always looking for ways to make science more exciting for my students.  I want to help the children understand complex ideas, such as gravity, light, air, and water.  I, myself, struggled with the complexities of understanding these forces, states of matter, and other concepts.  While I was browsing through some Edutopia posts and their comments, I came across the website of Vicki Cobb, a promoter of elementary science education.  She has a series of books called the "Science Play Series."  Her titles include,
"I Get Wet"
"I See Myself"
"I Face the Wind"
"I Fall Down"
Each book contains colorful pictures, simple text, and easy experiments to help children further understand the ideas behind the shape of water, how light bends, and how gravity works.  Beyond all of these text, Vicki Cobb has other books including one called, "What's the big idea?" and she also offers teacher in-service options and video webinars to help teachers find ways to grab kids' attention and get them excited about science!  Read more about Vicki Cobb on her website.

Drop Everything and Write?

This week, a question was posed on Edutopia about the idea of using Sustained Silent Writing during your English classes to take a closer look at students' writing needs.  I thought this was a fantastic idea.  I used to do this with my second graders.  I would show them a picture and then prompt them to write about some related topic.  It was one way to get the kids' pencils moving.  I was able to see which kids were immediately stuck with the ideas at hand.  I could see which students would write the bare minimum, and I could see which students were fully confident in their abilities.  This is something I have stepped away from since I moved up to the third grade this year, but I think I will very quickly weave this back into my instructional schedule. 

After have the students write for 8-10 minutes, I then share all of the anonymous stories with the class and we make corrections to the stories that we read.  The children enjoy hearing their stories read aloud, and they find it helpful to see which corrections are made.  It is my hope that the students will learn and grow from this type of an activity and I will work this into my lesson plans right away!

Study Buddies

As I said in my last blog, Parent Teacher Conferences were this week.  I had a lot of concerns about one of my conferences and even alloted 30 minutes for this one conference.  It actually lasted 45 minutes, but it was filled with lots of great ideas to get one student moving in his reading ability.  The parents suggested that during his after school latchkey time, the young man spend some time reading with an older students.  He would be able to develop a relationship with an older, model student and would also be able to practice his reading skills with someone who is not in an authority role. 

Ironically, I was looking through my RSS Feeds and Nancy Jang has posted on Scholastic's website about "Creating a Successful Buddy Program."  Her ideas are more directed toward full class activities and projects, but I think that I can start with these ideas and use them to create a relationship between my student and an older reading buddy.  Nancy Jang lists some tips to get started:

1. Find a partner teacher
2. Pair up the students
3. Do team-building and get-to-know-you activities
4. Hold academic tutoring sessions
5. Plan social gatherings
6. Plan with your partner teacher
7. Commit to meeting once a week
8. Make academics fun with learning games connected to your curriculum
9. Get the parents involved
10. Jump in with both feet

Read the full article here!

TED.com

I was browsing through the Edutopia Blogs tonight and came across a group of people who were discussing a website called TED.com.  TED's tagline is "Ideas Worth Spreading."  I thought if everyone was having a "Love Affair" with this website, I better check it out!  There are a lot of videos on this website of people talking and sharing ideas.  I was trying to figure out how to use this in my classroom and how it would have any educational value for me.  So, I typed "Kids" into the search box and found a whole list of videos to watch.  One title caught my eye immediately, "What Adults Can Learn From Kids."

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/adora_svitak.html
This is a video of a young girl talking about everything we have learned from children.  She is very sarcastic in her presentation and she is very well-spoken for a youngster!  I loved listening to her and found myself wanting to share this video with fellow teachers.  She makes some wonderful points and really gets you thinking!  I'm hoping to find other presenters on this website who can also get my students thinking outside the box!

Conference Time!

I am spending tonight gearing up for a 12 hour day tomorrow filled with Parent-Teacher Conferences.  At our school, it is a one day, all day kind of thing!  All the parents sign up for a time, I collect work for weeks, write special notes, record test scores, and prepare to "chat" with each parent.  I've been through this before, so it is nothing new, but every year it seems to worry me or get me nervous.  What is going to be said?  How are things going to be portrayed?  Am I going to support and encourage while still setting high expectations for all of my students? 

Anyway, as I prepare each year and get myself ready to do the talking, I always wonder, what would the kids say?  One of my colleagues told me today that she had her students do their own Conduct Records.  The kids know what they do and they are pretty honest about it.  I thought this would be a great thing to show to parents.  As I was getting ready tonight, I found this link on Scholastic's website as well: http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/11/student-led-parent-teacher-conferences.html  This article is a representation of STUDENT LED Conferences.  I remember doing these in middle school, but I had forgotten about them.  I think this is a link I will save for next year!  There are even directions for organizing and creating a Power Point Presentation for the children to share with their parents during conferences.  In reality, I could have had the kids create their Power Point Presentation last week and I could have pulled them up on my laptop to share with the parents tomorrow.  But, oh well, next year is another chance to do something different!

A Virtual Principal?

Recently, I took a look at a video on Edutopia called, "Meet a Virtual Principal: How to Lead from a Distance."  This video is a great link which shows a number of middle and high school students at work on their individual computers.  I found it very amazing to watch the kids busily working on the internet and talking to their professors over head-sets hooked up to their computers.  I guess I have always just really wanted to see the technology at work in the classroom and I was shown a snipet of what that would be like.  The children are all sitting at separate work stations on this video and do not appear to have much contact with the people around them.  It is just astounding to think that they are getting the same education that we offer in a regular classroom filled with many chattering students and varying ideas.  Does it really work?  Is it just as effective?  Has anyone else had any glimpses into a fully functioning technological classroom?  I'm so intrigued, and I would like to see more!

Meet a Virtual Principal: How to Lead from a Distance | Edutopia

Don't Forget About Art!

As I continue to think about what we are trying to do in the classroom, I am constantly thinking about how to make things more fun for the students.  I realized that even in the core academic areas it is important to incorporate things like music, art and technology.  This article I read this week from Carol Scott on a website called Change.org is all about a group of parents trying to incorporate the importance of art education into their schools.  They fear that students are going to miss out on the fine arts aspects of education.

Ms. Scott says, "In our culture's shift to standardized tests, some educators worry that stressing "core" skills will mean that "extras" like art will be left out in the cold. If schools don't provide arts education to students, only the wealthier children, whose families can provide them with those opportunities outside of class, will truly have well-rounded education, they fear. Arts education improves interpersonal skills, emotional skills and group skills, recent studies say."  I think it is going to be important for us, as teachers, to try to incorporate more fine arts skills into our classrooms to make up for the budget cuts that are taking place across the country.  In doing so, we will be addressing some of the demands of differentiated instruction, also!

Laughing's My Favorite

I was reading the Scholastic blog today and a headline caught my eye, "Using Humor in the Classroom."  I immediately thought of my little third graders and their smiling faces!  One of the rules in my classroom is "Be Happy!"  I'm always looking for the kids to enjoy what they are doing and to show their happiness to me through smiles.  Their smiles get me through the hectic day, and I know I smile and relax because of them.  There isn't a lot that can calm me down when I get stressed out, but the smile of a kid can always make me smile.  I went through a bad string of panic attacks during college and dealt with the stress of finals by taking a picture of my young smiley cousin with me to each exam.  Something about those pudgy cheeks and gummy grins just make me laugh!

We all know that laughter is one of the most important things in life...they say, "It keeps us young!"  I think it is important to remember to bring it into your classroom as well.  On the Scholastic website, Mary Blow says, "Laughing is something we forget to do when we become overwhelmed with lesson plans, grading, parent meetings, and state testing. It was then that I realized how important humor is in the classroom. It captivates and energizes, but more importantly, it helps you form relationships with your students."  We all know about how overwhelming our jobs can be, but try to smile and to laugh.  Just remember, we will be able to form important relationship with our students through that laugh or smile, too!

Little Miss Smiley

I have recently subscribed to the Scholastic website on Google Reader.  I always love to see what people are doing in their actual classrooms.  Today, a project immediate caught my eye because of memories from when I was a youngster.  I remember reading many of the Mr. Men Little Miss books as a child.  I love seeing that they are coming back in popularity with children. 

One teacher, Allie Magnuson, posted about using these books as a character exploration in her classroom.  She said, "This is a good introductory activity to get kids thinking about who they are and who they would like to be. It is not meant to be a serious discussion on character development, but instead a light-hearted activity that makes kids feel good about themselves, no matter what...Everybody has weaknesses as well as strengths, and tries the best they can. Let students pick any one of their many qualities, even a not-so-good one. Explain that since the quality they pick is just one of many, and can even be changed if they want, it does not define them or limit them. It's just part of what makes them special."

I feel like focusing on the good and not-so-good qualities of your personality is a good reflection for children of all ages.  Ms. Magnuson even shows pictures of her students as they show their self-portraits which reflect the concepts of these Mr. Men Little Miss books.  Follow this link to get some ideas of your own!

http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/10/mr-character-and-little-miss-personality-a-celebration.html

Teacher Preparation

As I now enter my 5th year of teaching, I'm wishing I had received many more preparatory classes in my schooling.  I, of course, learned the basics of teaching curriculum and managing discipline and making things interesting for the students, but I never learned much about the varying degree of needs in a classroom and how to meet them or how to deal with some of the struggles of parental confrontations/conferences.  I guess I would have been in school forever if I would have been able to take all of these classes.  As it was, I was in school for 5 years to earn my teaching degree. 

Now that I prepare for another year of teaching, in a new grade, I wonder what might help me to make this year the best one yet.  I have perfected what I know, but what else is out there.  While working in my Masters in Educational Technology, I have learned that there are a number of new resources at my disposal.  I was reading an article on Edutopia about the Power of Preparation for teachers.  The Curry School at the University of Virginia is doing their part to fully prepare teachers-to-be for everything they may encounter in the education field. I was please to see that "Curry also has been a leader in making the most of what technology has to offer. Curry students use the Web as a source for research, learn how to make their own Web pages, and master the use of such devices as inexpensive microscopes that link to computers for enhancing science instruction...Curry students...develop their own Web-based portfolios."

I was also pleased to see that other universities are working on adding "Professional Development Schools" to their academic program for teachers.  These programs are taught by educators who are currently in the teaching field and can share personal experiences from the classroom that are current in today's world.  "A number of higher education institutions...created professional development schools, where fifth-year students, including individuals starting a second career, combine teaching responsibilities with participation in education seminars overseen by both university faculty and school-based teachers."  I think these types of programs are very important for all teachers-to-be to experience and would even be very helpful for current teachers, like myself, who are still fairy new to the industry.

Individualized Instruction

Today I found myself reflecting upon the differences between differentiated instruction and individualized instruction.  I was speaking with a former colleague of mine on the phone.  She recently moved out to San Francisco and we were just "catching up" yesterday.  We both were talking about our recent professional development days and how they both revolved around differentiated instruction.

She went on to talk about how she has a diverse group of learners in downtown San Jose and how some of her fifth grade students merely cannot write an entire paragraph in English because it is not their native language.  She talked about how some students must work hard to write one paragraph, while for others she is able to raise her expectations to a common "5-paragraph essay."  She was concerned about how this would be perceived by her other students. 

I told her I was under the impression that differentiated instruction did not merely talk about length requirements, but focused more on the different learning styles: visual, auditory, and tactile.  I started to wonder about everyone's different perspectives on this most talked-about topic.  Mary Blow talks about it in her blog about "Individualizing Writing Assignments."  She says, "First, let me begin by clarifying that there is a difference between differentiating instruction and individualizing instruction. According to Patti Drapeau, 'Differentiated instruction does not mean you must provide a different lesson or allow for different products for every single student . . . The teacher does not meet with each student individually unless there is only one student working on a particular skill' (Differentiated Instruction: Making It Work, 2004)." 

I think that this quote is exactly what my friend and I were trying to talk about without having the proper terminology.  Either way we are talking about how we meet the needs of all of our students whether they have different academic levels or different learning styles, but we are looking at two truly different instructional decisions.  So, what do we do next?  How do we decide to make modifications to our lesson plans?

Grow Your Own Greens

According to a blog posted on Change.org, there are a group of students in Iowa who are actually choosing healthy foods over junk food.  "How do you get a kid to choose fresh veggies over a bag of grease-soaked French fries? Some might say a lobotomy, but in Iowa, there's a better answer. Iowa schools are taking the lead in the local-food movement, steering students into fields, greenhouses and even onto the farm. And guess what? In many of these programs, kids are eating what they grow." 

What a great experiment for science or a project to promote further learning!  The children are making healthy choices merely because they are vested in the growth of these crops.  I am currently teaching a lesson on the food pyramid and healthy eating.  The children are keeping track of what they eat and reporting back to the class a couple times this week.  After the first report, we realized that the children were doing well in most categories, except for their vegetables.  What a great way to get them more interested in what they are eating...have them grow their own!  If there is space at your school, I think this would be something really exciting for the kids!

Connecting the Body and Mind

I continued reading about a variety of instructional methods that could be used in the classroom.  I was interested in a story written about Joel Kirsch, a former sports psychologist, who is travelling across the country to promote his beliefs about high levels of physical activity leading to better academic performance.  On this blog at Edutopia, many teachers and friends have commented on Kirsch's travels in full support of his beliefs.  One teacher even wrote, "Physical activity is very important to me and my life. I believe that everyone should be physically active. Not only does it keep you fit, but it makes you feel better. You are not as tired, you are focused, you are happier, you sleep better."  She talks about her obese students and their lack of focus.  It is something that I have never thought about before.  If there is a way to get our children moving then quite possibly we could have our children meet their full academic performance. 

This leads me to thinking more about differentiated instruction and how we can get our students moving.  Do you have any ideas?

Differentiated Instruction

On October 21, 2010, our school had an In-Service in which we discussed the many uses of differentiated instruction.  We looked at a variety of ways to include kinesthic learning into our classrooms.  We worked on writing "our spelling words" in sugar, solving mathematical problems in pudding, sorting things in plastic Easter eggs, and using clothespins for matching.  All of the activities were very enlightening and inexpensive.  There are a lot of fun things we can do if we merely use our own imagination. 

I have been more and more interested in this idea of differentiated instruction ever since my days in college.  I always wanted to know how to make every lesson differentiated for all students.  There is just so much to do in so little time and it always seemed more overwhelming.  I started to read some feeds on the Scholastic website about differentiated instruction and came across one encouraging post by Mary Blow.  She made the comment that "teachers begin differentiating instruction gradually. There is so much to consider."  I totally agree with her!  There is so much to think about and so many exciting things we can implement into our classrooms!

Hopefully I will find a lot of resources to share and post on this blog as the class goes on!