Going to school

I am getting into my classroom for the first time. Beginning to bring things in and start to set up. I have this week and next to get it together before I start at the New Teacher Institute on August 13th. Am I ready? Ready or not, here I go. I have lots of books, many ideas, lesson plans.....many years of experience. Why am I so nervous? I am ready for this! I had great professors, read good books on teaching, had a great intern experience. I am hoping that this will all help me in the days ahead. I will over plan and had lots of books to read in the first few weeks. This will be the time to create our classroom rules, practice them and find out about who we are and how we will work together.

Ready or not, here I go!

RE: Got the job!

I was called to have an interview two weeks ago. It was a "vetting" interview. There were two principals and they were seeing many teacher candidates that day. I had my 30 minutes to answer the prerequisite questions. How would I handle a student who is disruptive?(classroom management) How do I know if I am reaching my students?(differentiation, assessment). What would I handle criticism by superiors?( professional learning communities and growth, self reflection) We talked or I answered for ~35-40 minutes and then it was time for my questions, whole school behavior plans and strategies and professional growth opportunities? And then it was over, they said that they would get back to me middle of this last week. Guess what, they did and I got the job! In this horrible economy, and with so many teachers from last year still in the system, with other districts not hiring and with not enough teachers retiring......I got a job in June!!! I am in suspended animation. I was thinking that I would have to fight hard, take a job two days before the school year started. I thought that I would have to substitute for a year and maybe get a job. I was not prepared to get the job. It was truly a great feeling. Now, this job is a non-renewing( I am covering for a teacher who is taking the year off to have her baby) There is risk in this, I could be out there looking next year, but at least I will have a year behind me and some more experience. It does pay to work very hard!

Finals: Observation, Papers turned in, class taught

This week was a week of finals, Finally. I began this journey in 2006 and I will end it in 2010. In a week I will be a Washington State Resident Teacher. It has been a journey and I have tried to enjoy the moments as much as possible. Two different co-horts, many professors, two master teachers, two principals, one field instructor, 24 fifth graders, and 24 second and third graders. Along the way, we explored pendulums(swingers), zoomers, mealworms, crayfish, bess beetles, triangle and arch, crayfish, and twirly birds. We have read and written about 50 states, presidents, novel studies, guided reading groups, "just right books", Houghton Mifflin readers, Flat Stanley, Peggy Parish novels, Cinderellas from every Culture. We have created haikus, cinquains, spring color poems. Sea Turtle pastel drawings, Triarama pop ups, Clay wind chimes, Scientific Illustrations of Insects and Painting. We have sent out Flat Stanleys to community members and museums all over the country. We have received them back from all over, including President Obama. We created as a group a Map of Our Community. We planted seeds and watched them grow. We learned about LCM, GCF, and multiplication and division, shapes and symmetry, coins and counting, two digit addition and subtraction with regrouping. I learned that classroom management is about having high expectations, looking for ways to notice positive behaviors, having classroom procedures that we created together and review frequently. I learned that differentiation is so much more than have the highs help the lows, and that the professional community and collaboration that you find in a school means everything to how enjoyable your experience is as a new teacher. I am hopeful for the future. I am looking for a teaching job!

The Rubber Meets the Road

This week I felt as if the rubber met the road. Spring is in full swing. Windy-blustery-every changing weather made all my students a bit loopy and me with them. The challenging students in my class have really stepped up their behaviors. Somedays every trick or management idea I try doesn't work. I am left sad and exhausted, then the next day I have the most awesome day that I am blown away. Something works, something is successful. This week was Staff Appreciation Week at school. The students brought cards, SB gift cards, presents and flowers. It was sweet. We had a field trip, it was mother's day. It was a full and crazy week. We made wind chimes out of clay for a mother's day gift. I fired them in the kiln and the students painted them, wrapped them. We made cards with Cinquain Mother's Day poetry. We finished up our Spring Poems and art work inspired by the Hailstones and Halibut Bones video. We are learning two-digit subtraction with regrouping in math, and how communities change in Social Studies. We are continuing with our Balance and Motion unit in science. I will be observed by my FI and Principal next Wednesday and then I will submit my letters of recommendation and hope and prayer for an interview. I will start transitioning back to my MT after MSP is completed. I will stay and follow my students to the end of the year. I have grown to love them and know them individually. I have come to learn that their problems have become my opportunities to grow and learn and challenge myself to try harder, be stronger, work faster and longer. I am thankful for my experiences.

Another week goes by

I am beginning to see how fast this student teaching experience will fly. It is now beginning to be about finishing and interviewing(hopefully!) and maybe...landing a job. I am working on my classroom management. Some hours are great and then just as quickly, it all goes to hell in a hand basket! I am learning. I am learning to look while I am teaching, to make lots of circles as I talk, to tell them what I need them to do. To write it, say it, spell it and help three special needs students while listening to another student tell me a long story about how she hurt her ankle when she was five. :) I am learning that this is the hardest profession that I will ever have and the most rewarding. That each day, some will walk out not liking me, some will love me and some will be just happy to walk out. One will come up and hug me and tell me that he or she will miss me this weekend! I am learning to have snack, band-aids, Advil(for me), a sweater, rain parka and spare pair of socks. Two or three standby lunches, extra tea and water. I am learning that sometimes the best lesson is one that is less planned, except when they bomb! I am learning that this is not as about teaching as it is about learning. I am laughing with my students,alot, at myself and with each other. I was thrilled for Earth Day and so happy it is over. I am happy that it is Friday and I can sleep and write lessons and learn some more, before I start on Monday all over again. For today, I can't wait for Monday!

In the midst of teaching on my own

All last week, my mt was in the building, but with the exception of the math pilot that we are co-teaching, I am teaching full time. Planning and executing the lessons for my 2/3 graders. I am learning so much each day. I am exhausted, but left happy at the end of last week. I have classroom rules posted that we agreed upon. I have changed the seating and have instituted a new classroom management system. The students are divided into teams( they chose the team names: Mariners, Seahawks, Wildcats, and Red Sox). They get points awarded and taken away for a variety of classroom behaviors that we all brainstormed and agreed upon. The team at the end of the week with the most points gets a treat. They all get coins in their banks for a Buy Day in June(my MT system). This was a good compromise. I kept my MT's system but added on a team component. I am also thinking of an individual award for some students who blurt, get off task, and generally disrupt their classmates.

I have developed lessons around Reading Groups and they are working to read a novel in their groups. It gives me some time to conference with each groups and micro teach a comprehension lesson. They have reading comprehension packets that they are working on during and after they read their novel. We are reading the Peggy Parish series Key to the Treasure. It is a bit dated for them. I will have to remember to pick something a bit more current for the next set of books.

I am starting the Balance and Motion Fose Kit this week on Balance and Motion. I am doing a lesson on Our community map. They have divided into groups and are working on creating a map of where they live.

I am learning more and more about my students and the importance of good responses and variety of questioning techniques. It is not enough to say Good Job when they have done things well. I am commenting on their technique, their effort, their perseverance. These are attributes that they can work on and they know that I notice them for their effort. I am learning to call them by their names as many times as I can a day. I am learning to have them talk to their neighbors and then answer. I am learning that I make mistakes each day and not to be so hard on myself. I am generally loving being their teacher.

It will be over before I know it and I will transition them back to my MT and she will graciously take them back and end their year on a high note. I can now see more than the surface of this job. I can appreciate what an act of selflessness it is to be a MT, how hard it must be to have a student teacher think they know better and change your room and your students and your management style. How full of grace my MT is to guide me on and let me make decisions and not lead me too much, but encourage me all along the way. She really is Obi Wan Kenobi.

1st week down-5 more to go!

Last week I taught four and 1/2 days on my own. It was fun and hard. We got alot done, but I learned by baptism of fire and that is not always a good thing. Differentiation takes on a new meaning, when you are teaching your lesson and you fast finishers have already completed the enrichment you had at the ready and your lower students are still trying to finish the first part. I have a student unidentified on the spectrum who is reacting to the transition of a new teacher. He had the flu at the first of the week, and was unsettled by my style. I have a whole lot to learn about how to meet needs of my students.

All the said, we met as a classroom and created some rules, now posted. We read Flat Stanley and created our FS, wrote letters to community leaders and museums and sent them out. Created a FS to go home with students with a journal for break. We learned about Haikus and created Dragonfly and Butterfly Haikus and drew and painted beautiful insect creations and posted our Haikus. They will read them on Monday when we get back.

I am on my own again on Monday and Tuesday, my mt comes back W-F. I am observed on Thursday. I think I will teach my social studies community lesson. I am loving the kids and the staff community. So glad to have a collaborative environment to work in. It makes all the difference. Can't wait to one day have my own classroom. The more time that I get to teach, the more fleshed out my ideas become. It is truly a reflective practice.

More to come!

Spring Quarter is here!

All last week, I spent in my 2/3 classroom. I didn't have to be there five days until Monday, March 22, but I had a feeling that I should be there with my mt for five days. I was right. I am teaching alone on M, T, 1/2 W and F next week. No sub, just me! While I am flattered that my mt thinks that I am ready for this. I am a bit nervous. I have lessons planned and it is the week before spring break, so Friday we will make art, have cupcakes and make easter/spring cards for their families. I am teaching dragonfly haikus and art as a final lesson to our insect unit. We released the painted lady butterflies on Friday. The FOSS kits get picked up this week. It is high time to start on our community Social Studies lesson and Flat Stanley. I will also begin addition and subtraction with my 2nd grade students. We are going to play some games. I know the pass codes to get attendance to the office, I have bandaids and lots of extras at the ready for them to work on. I am excited, I am nervous, I am terrified. I think that I am ready. So here I go.....into teaching!

End of Winter Quarter and on to Spring!

As I limp my way out of Winter Quarter, I have to say a fond farewell. I will miss seeing my cohort each week and I will miss having classes and professors each week too(though right now this sounds pretty good). Here I go, it is time to get in the class and teach....While I have been teaching for some time, it hasn't been all day. The focus, the stamina, how I admire all of those who make it look easy. I am ready to start and eager to be their teacher and terrified all at the same time. Will I do them justice, will they be ready for 3rd and 4th grade? Will they succeed? Will I have what it takes?
I have a plan for seating, classroom management, lessons and units. I am slowing moving into teaching reading, writing, science, math and social studies. The FOSS unit on Insects is almost over and I survived all the mealworms, milkweed bugs, and Bess Beetles. So, for today, I am looking forward anxious to start, ready to begin, and hopeful.

Science Inquiry- Google Presentation

Cara's Science Inquiry Project: Popcorn Wars-Google Presentation

Mesmer and Mesmer on RTI and testing

While reading Mesmer on RTI, I can see that students are given a variety of tests from grades K-3. These universal literacy practices can be tied to federal funding and assess the student at least initially on speed, word identification, and phoneme awareness. Using this testing and running records, the teacher can begins to get an idea of the students' accuracy. "If the benchmark score does not meet the grade-level minimum, then additional diagnostics are administered and collected."(Mesmer, p. 284) Response to Intervention is a great way to get special education students the help they need while the assessments are being administered, instead of "admiring the student's reading problem-discussing the problem, and collecting data on it months before they can do anything about it " (Mesmer, p. 289) as in the current discrepancy model. I can see two points of worry here. First, is what about ELL students who may even after exiting ELL not perform well on standardized testing, are we pushing them into special education when they need the syntax and word meaning backgrounds to increase their comprehension? Also, I worry about the lack of acceptable testing for reading comprehension and too much reliance on standardized testing with too little time for informal assessments. Routman says that "we need to make sure we are documenting student's progress at the classroom and school level. We must balance formal assessments with informal assessments." (Routman, p. 111) It is a fine balance to have to walk between the meeting the needs of our students and assessing them as the state, fed and districts tell us to. RTI provides another way to help our students sooner than later, and that is probably a good thing.

Here is the link to Kristen's blog at http://kristen-bringonthebooks.blogspot.com/.
I found Kristen's questions on how RTI can help older students in middle school and high school to be thought provoking.

Tovani on Strategies to help reluctant readers

Reading Cris Tovani this week in I read it, but I don't get it; I have a better understanding of what is happening inside the heads of reluctant readers. I can also see that simply asking students to re-read isn't too helpful to them. Just like sounding out the word is only one of many strategies to teach word identification; re-reading is only one of many strategies to help students develop their reading comprehension. Tovani tells of her own experience with her fifth grade teacher, " We were doing fractions, and I was struggling to learn how to find common denominators. After many incorrect attempts, I asked for help. My teacher knelt down beside my desk and through clenched teeth said, " Think harder! Thinking harder about something that I didn't understand was a strategy that I couldn't sink my teeth into, and neither can my students"(Tovani, p.50) If our students aren't comprehending what they are reading they need alternate methods of how to understand better. As teachers, it is our responsibility to demonstrate and model how we read for comprehension and guide our students until they can begin to comprehend more fully and independently. By teaching our students how to make predictions, connect text to your real life and retell, we are helping make connections for students to read with better meaning.

Math Conversations

In reading Ballenger Chapters 4 and 5 and thinking about my students, what comes to mind is our calendar mini-sessions using Calendar Math. My MT brought all the kiddos to the carpet and had them discover the calendar for January on the first day back from break. What patterns could they see? What number groupings? Could they count by 7's? Which way did the pattern emerge. They must of talk with each other and come up with 40-50 different patterns or observations. Some of them didn't always make much sense at the time. My MT is very experienced at asking for clarifications and asking leading questions. I wish I had taped that session. After reading Ballenger, I am sure there was so much more going on. " This conversation and many of the others explored in the book, demonstrate, I believe, that when one shifts the kind of talk encouraged in classroom discussion, a different pattern of talent and achievement emerge."(Ballenger,p.79) By approaching this as a class together and letting the students come up with their own understandings, such a nice moment happens in the classroom. Students are making sense of the math meanings through their own lens. The students get very excited. In reading this and thinking about applying it, I think of our science methods class. Our professor is video taping us and reflecting on it later. I can see that now, that this would be a great way to understand us all better.

Student Teaching with a sub

In reading Tomlinson, I am reminded of the diverse landscape of a split classroom. In any classroom you will have very diverse learners each striving to master the subject in their own ways. The spectrum in a multi-age classroom really exemplifies this. I am currently struggling with this in my classroom. Tomlinson says, " Teachers in a healthy classroom continually invite their students to be a part of the teaching."(p.33) Yesterday, My MT was away and we had a sub. We also had 15 crayfish in tub waiting for a habitat. I am teaching the 2nd grade FOSE unit and my MT is teaching 3rd unit FOSE which includes the crawling crustaceans. I wasn't the expert, I didn't even know what I was doing, so we plunged in together and we observed, touched and figured it out together. By night fall the crayfish were nestled in their habitat eating lettuce and bacon. I didn't know they would eat bacon?!? We had all had a chance together to share our past experiences with crayfish, to pick them up safely and place them in their habitat and to figure out what kind of habitat they might like. It was chaotic, it was loud, it was fun! " While (teachers) know their leadership role, teachers in these classrooms understand that their students come in with vast amounts of tacit knowledge, a clear sense of what works in their world."(p.33) Obviously, this is not a plan for everyday, but it took this lack of planning to let me know it is less about the plan and more about the kiddos and helping them to make connections to their real life.

Reading for Comprehension

When my children were in school, reading was measured by dibels testing and Read Naturally. It was mostly about word per minute and timed tests. AR testing and AR books were a tool used to increase student's comprehension; but AR to me seemed to push kids to read and pass the test. It didn't have much to do with reading for enjoyment or a "just right" book. It certainly didn't seem to be centered on comprehension at all, especially in the primary grades. "Good readers are aware of their understanding or lack of it and always do whatever is necessary to make sense of what they are reading. You can't start teaching comprehension in grade 3. You start teaching it the day kids enter preschool or kindergarten."(Routman, p.118)

Routman asks teachers to remember their own comprehension strategies. When reading Routman for this week, I review all the headings and read all the captions and boxes. I try to get an idea of what the main idea is before reading the chapter. I like to read the introduction paragraphs and concluding paragraphs. This helps me as I read the chapter for retention. I also need to hold the book or paper and use a highlighter to mark important passages in the text. This way I can retain more of what I have read and can refer back to the reading and recapture the main idea. "Our students are more likely to increase their reading comprehension when we show them how we understand a text and model a variety of strategies ( such as asking questions,predicting, summarizing and clarifying)." (Routman, p. 122) I have not shared any of this with my students, but after reading Routman, I can see how modeling this for them as my strategy would have more meaning for them.

In my placement I have taught predicting when reading a read aloud book with my class. I will have planned out stopping places throughout the story where I can stop and ask my students what they think will happen next? It is a great way to check for their understanding of what I have just read and to get them interested in what is coming next. In reading non fiction for social studies or reading time, we monitor and clarify, did we understand what just happened in the past few paragraphs? Should re-read these passages for words that might help to convey meaning?

What I don't understand is if comprehension is so important, why are we still using dibels and reading words per minute as assessments for reading? These assessments certainly aren't telling teachers the whole story of what we need to know about a student's ability to comprehend what they read, not just read the words.

Mealworms

This week I taught the FOSE kit Insect to my second/third graders. We started out by reading a story What is Science? They drew a scientist and answered the questions: What is Science? Who are Scientists? What would you like to learn about in Science? They did an awesome job and I modeled for them with the doc cam on some ideas. I passed out three different types of gummy worms. They learned about observation and used their powers of observation to draw their gummy worm. We talked about drawing a cartoon and that good scientists make scientific drawings. They make the drawing as realistic as possible and they label their drawing. We then talked about characteristics of their gummy worm using descriptive words. After they wrote three characteristics of the worm. I asked for them to raise their hands and share. They then compared their gummy worm with their neighbors to find ways they were similar and different. We spoke of habitats for meal worms and what they need to survive. I checked for prior knowledge and they came up with a list of water, food, and habitat. We then gave them their meal worm(larvae) and pupa. Each of them got a habitat for their worms which they will keep on their desks. We will observe what happens over the next few weeks together!

Informal Reading Conferences

On Thursday when I meet with my 5th grade buddy, she will read from her self- selected book. I will then get a chance to perform an informal reading conference with my buddy. In reading Routman second grade teacher Robin Woods says, " I love the personal structure of a reading conference, since I get to talk with the children about what they have chosen to read. I get to discover how students select books, their reading interests, where they understand text and how and why they don't." (p.101) I have only met with my buddy one time. She read me her writing on a class camp experience. She told me some of the books that she is reading, but I have yet to see her reading. I do know that she is a very good writer. She uses well chosen words and paints a picture by using good descriptive words and phrases. I also know that she is a very good speller and did well on the spelling inventory. So well in fact, that she needs to go to the intermediate level spelling inventory. I believe that this is an indication that she is most likely a good reader too. I am not certain that I will know if she has chosen a "just right" book for her level of reading, especially if the book that she chooses is not familiar to me. Routman says to "flip through the pages and chapter titles, and try to get the gist of the story. When a student knows what's going on, his retelling is full of details, his language makes sense and has a flow, he has an obvious sense of what the books is about and his pleasure is evident."(p.103) As I plan my conference with my reading buddy, I will ask her to bring me a book that she thinks is "just right" for her. I'll ask why she chose the book and what the book is about so far. Then we will read several pages silently together. I will be looking for how fast she reads the pages, and I will be looking for words that might difficult for her. After we finish the pages, I will ask her what she remembers about what we just read. We can then talk about her strengths and set goals to work on for the next week. Some of the goals could be predicting, decoding and understanding difficult words in the text. Also, she could set a goal for when she thinks she will complete the book. By conferencing with students in this way, teachers can monitor their students' progress and set goals that foster high expectations for reading in their classrooms. I believe more importantly that students will have a clearer sense of their own expectations for books that they choose to read and their ability to comprehend what they are reading. I look forward to seeing my buddy this week!

Transitions and Jumping into the Deep End of the Pool

When I was just 5 years old, I was at the pool with one of the neighborhood moms. She must have thought it was high time that I learn to swim in the deep end on my own. I was scared and hugging onto the edges of the pool, I'm sure. She decided to push me into the pool and low and behold I did swim to the edge, but considering that I can remember it so clearly today not the most comforting way to teach me. Disequilibrium can lead to great strides forward and is probably when we learn, as a teacher I need to be careful that there is no harm done when I am setting my students on the edge. I am transitioning back into the classroom and will start to teach the 2nd graders the Science unit on Insects next week. I have also been asked to take on the Social Studies unit for the 2nd graders too. I think it will be hard to fit it all in and I am currently trying to figure out how to group students for science and social studies. Group work with second graders is a bit different from 5th in my dyad placement. Second graders work best in pairs or individually in groups. Each one needs to observe their own mealworm and compare their findings with their group. The groupings have to take into consideration, differentiation of instruction. I am having to ask for lots of guidance from my master teacher to make sure that I can do justice to this kiddos. In the end, I just will have to jump in the deep end and feel the disequilibrium while I try to make strides toward becoming their teacher.

Coins, Mealworms and Writing

Today is the second week back at my main placement with my second and third grade students and my master teacher. It is good to be back, though the re-entry after the holiday break was fierce last week. You could see it on the students faces and ours. It is just hard to get back to work, no matter how psyched I was to begin again. I had underestimated the transition back to my main placement and how much I would miss my 5th grade kiddos from my dyad placement. I will see them again soon at their Talent Show in early February on Friday.

This week we are working with coins. As a classroom management tool, banks have been passed out and coins are given for having a clean desk, turning your homework in, etc. Students save and have an auction later in the year. With this, came an opportunity to review counting money and coins. We have worked on it together.

Mealworms come next week and I will teach 2nd grade unit on Insects from FOSE. I have spent this week's free time(what is that?) working with mentor teachers planning. IT is exciting and I am sure it will be fun.

Students have been free writing in their writing journals and finally after five free writes, they are ready to publish. This has been an interesting process. My reading in Routman last quarter helped me to work with them for four days on ideas, details and descriptions. Conventions waited until today right before publish their final piece. I have to say it is more fun for all in the class, including me, to learn to write this way. The students have lots of choice on what to write and which piece to publish. This keeps them invested in their writing and helps the process along.

I am looking forward to seeing them next week!

Routman on Class Libraries and the Love of Reading

In reading Routman Chapters 1-3, I was struck by the idea that one way to bond with your students is to turn over some of the classroom set up to them. Just a few short months ago this would have seemed a little bit crazy to me. I looked at classrooms that were neat and done by teachers in awe. It was so nice, so organized, so neat. As I have worked in two placements and observed many classrooms over the past few months; I have found that classrooms can be organized and students can have a say. Routman tells the story of Jane Jones, a third grade teacher, " Allowing the children to reorganize our classroom library turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of the year. In fact, the hardest thing I had to do during the whole process was give up my adult preconception that i was the only one who could organize the library in a meaningful way. Through this experience my library truly became ours." (pg.17)

At my main placement, my master teacher lets the students organize the library. I was spending time the other day with my students while putting books away. They like that this is their job, and they discuss if they want to change things or keep it the same. All the students love to read in independent reading time and get books out of the library. They each have a basket of "just right" books at their desks. They do feel ownership of their classroom and their library. I have some preset images of how I would like to organize the library, but in the end, it would rob my students of their sense of purpose and engagement.

Routman speaks of sharing your reading life with your students in Chapter 3. I can see how this would be a great way to bond with your students and model a love of books. I have been in the same book club for the past ten years. We have read well over 100 books. I always have my book club books on my reading stand, my "just right" books, non-fiction books and books for teaching. I read newspapers, blogs, cookbooks, art books and gardening books. Routman says that " My reading life is a huge part of who I am, both as a literate person who is always seeking to learn more and a pleasure-seeking person who reads for fun, relaxation, and diversion. Reading is integral to my well-being. I deliberately use my influence as a teacher and role model to foster a love of reading."(pg. 23) I feel this is true for me also. I can see that by sharing your love of reading with your students, what you are currently reading and what you will read next; you share your life with them. I love the idea of a classroom book club and keeping a reading record of what we have all read so far. I also have enjoyed reading aloud to my students. I believe this is yet another way to share your joy of a favorite books with your students. I look forward to sharing the love of reading with my students this spring.

Look at Diane's blog Life is Good for more on classroom libraries.