Personal Professional Learning

Spend 7 hours learning something outside of the school year, write about it, and get a free day in January 2021.

I've had my eye on a book for several months and this gives me the perfect opportunity to read it, reflect on it, and have conversations with others about it.

The book is The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler.

As I read the book, I took notes of what I wanted to remember or what struck me as important. And after a chapter or two, I sent a message to several people in my district that would be open minded about the information, with the preface: be ready for feathers to ruffle, hackles to raise, and sleepless nights.

With all of that--I loved the book!

It starts with a history of our education system in the USA. And moves into how Common Core standards were developed and what they hoped to produce (and why it has not).

Here's the most important part of what I read: Content, content, Content. Even in the earliest grades. Not exactly like I've learned about PBL, but hints of it for sure! 

Also: reading is decoding (think about skills here); comprehension is understanding and is best taught through (wait for it---) CONTENT like history, science and literature, not skills. We must not wait until sixth grade to start the history, but give pieces of it and build on it starting with the little kids (they can and will get it, and will be excited to learn about it). 

But this takes a sequential curriculum of CONTENT. Teachers do not like being told what to teach. And are at the same time screaming for what to teach. That leaves everyone in a tricky place.

If we teach content that gives kids background and in depth study of history, science, economics, then they will be practicing those comprehension skills in a very authentic way. That is what the CCSS are asking the teachers to do. How did we get lost?

I'm not going to spend time on the problem (we got lost), but work to find a solution.

My district has used EngageNY math for many years. But I thought it was just math. Nope. There is an ELA component as well. I spent some time poking around, and found that it is a wealth of (FREE) content-filled lessons that link to the CCSC and build on each other as years in school progress. 

Wait, What??

This is the thing we have been searching for??

Perhaps.

What I see is lessons that teach content, are tied straight to the CCSC and are age appropriate. This is the Listening and Learning Strand (the comprehension part--taught through CONTENT). There is also a Skills Strand for each unit (the how to read part). Here is a link to go to the Kindergarten part, but you could easily navigate to the grade of your choice.

If you know me personally, you know that I am passionate about phonics, phonemic awareness, sequential and explicit instruction, and all things decoding. I've left off the content, though, if I can just get the kids to read, they will be ok.

I've been wrong. 

Yes, teach kids to read. But we must do better about giving them access to CONTENT before the sixth grade, and I mean GIVING it to them, not holding them responsible for reading it themselves. They can comprehend at a level so much higher than what they can read, let's help them acquire knowledge (and in the process comprehension skills) and a love for learning.

Are you interesting in reading this book, or poking around ENY? Would you like to help me learn the content, or how to teach the content to five-year olds? Or would you like to learn more about the 3 shifts that the CCSS set out for us (link to the shifts). 

Reach out. Let's talk. Let's share. Let's collaborate. It's easier than ever now (now that we are all experts at online conferencing--my specialty is Google Meet, but really would like to get better at Zoom).

Spring Break 2020

It is my spring break this week.

A week like no other I have lived.

It's not relaxing.

Last week we added extra times in our day to wash hands at school. We reviewed HOW to wash hands. It felt over the top. But it wasn't.

When we said good-bye on Thursday I told my students "have a great break!" We had no idea how our lives would change in 5 days.

Yesterday I watched our governor at a press conference say that all school buildings in our state would be shut down for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. WHAT??? 

I feel relieved. 

I have questions.

I am excited.

All of that in every breath. It is difficult to separate how I'm feeling, it is all mixed up.

Here is what I know...

1. We are in this together and together we will find a way to navigate this new normal.

2. Teachers are amazing people. Willing to share, collaborate, teach other teachers. It is a wonderful profession and I am lucky to be a member of it.

3. We are resilient. I do not have a single clue what this will look like for this year. Or the future. But I KNOW that I will learn so much and I am excited to have this opportunity to learn from others who already know how to teach online/remotely. (Please send me links, tips, encouragement!)

4. I will continue to check in on my friends, family, students from my chair in the living room. 

I end this today with my favorite line that Max, the medical director of New Amsterdam, says, "How can I help?"

How can I help you? Please reach out to me!

Brain Dump

Time.

It keeps slipping away.

I fill time with learning.

The last 2 months I have been knee-deep into learning about orthographic mapping. 

The more I learn, the less I know.

The more I learn, the more I need to add to my classroom routines.

The more I learn, the less I feel like I'm doing it right.

The more I learn, the more I feel like I am doing some things right.

The more I learn, the more I need to learn.

Overwhelm and excitement in the same breath.

Do the next right thing. 

Tonight it is a face mask and a podcast.

Summer Book Reading

I love learning and trying new things in my classroom. I really love learning from teachers!!!

As part of my district's Personal Professional Development, I decided to read and study Reggio Approach to early education this summer.

Reggio is a way of thinking, not really a script. I spent hours mulling over questions that the book offered, and then the questions that popped into my head. This is the book that I read, it's copyright date is 2005, but still a good read.

Here are a few of my thoughts as I read, reflected and revised my thinking:

1. How do I view the children? I really would like this to be reflective in the way I teach and structure our classroom. Can I view the children as valuable and competent? Not someone who needs my protection, but as someone who is smart and safe. Help them to be aware of their well-being and take responsibility for it.

2. Does management of the children take precedent over the development of the child? Many times yes, but how could I revise my thinking and day to place a bigger importance on the child?

3. What does the amount of care and cleaning say about how we feel about our school? Is this a chore and done unwillingly, or am I willing to create the clean space that I desire for me and my students?

4. Stay present in the environment, observe and reflect on whether it works toward creating my educational vision. (Oh, right, what is my educational vision???)

5. Look at my school schedule. Where does it flow? Celebrate. Where does it feel rushed? Revise.

6. I super LOVED the chapter on Projects. It really helped me think about the theory of this, not just, here are the steps, create a project. 

7. And I really LOVED the chapter on Observation and Documentation. I get so overwhelmed with so much information coming at me during the day, that documenting just does not happen. But, again. Theory and a couple of practical ideas to try, make this seem possible. 

I also came across a video that is short, and tells a bit about a Reggio preschool. The cool thing is that it was published in 2018, in the big city near where I grew up. 

My way of teaching takes a bit of this and a bit of that, so as you watch the video, know that I take a bit of the book, a bit of the video, a bit of a previous book, a bit of observations of teachers, a bit of conversations with my teacher tribe and a bit of lots of other things to make a classroom that works for me and the children that live in it with me.

Summer Plans

Ahhhhhhh. Summer Vacation.

Summer goals:

Two-a-days. (naps, not workouts)

Sew three blankets and two wallhangings, and maybe dabble in clothes. First blanket...

Read and reflect with books these books...

Check back later for my first reflections from Reggio...

Valentine's Day 2019, Part Two

This party was tiring and awesome and left me smiling big.

And needed some centers. 8 or so. Plus, I liked the idea of kids just rotating as they wanted, not required to do any of it, just open to make decisions and do what their spirit decided, as long as there was space at the center to do it. (Check out yesterday's post, Part One, for the why I did what I did.)

I was fortunate to have 8 (or was it 9, it's a blur now) amazing adults help me run the centers, so I was able to monitor the whole situation and help out in a spot if needed or play the game if I wanted to. :-) 

Many of the kids whose grown up was there tended to go to their parent's center and hang out there for about 10ish minutes, and then ventured out to see and do other things. I LOVED that they could do that and not have me saying, nope, you have to go somewhere else and do something else, not with your beloved adult. It made me feel responsive to what the students wanted. (We are working on responsive culture in our district.)

Now, what were the options??

1. Frost a cookie, add sprinkles, and eat it. Definitely a favorite. (This was a one time center.)

2. Candy heart stack (directions here). As the time went on, the mom was able to change and adapt the activity as students came and went. I loved that.

3. Play dough that smelled like red hots. The kids wrote their name on the bag and got to take it home. Or play with it again. And then take it home.

4. Tweeze me (directions here). Again, the mom kept the game fun and fresh.

5. Bingo with our high frequency words. The prize? Stickers. I had one student who collected 5 stickers, she was so proud. (A little content at the party is ok, I tell myself)

6. Q-tip painting (template found here). Next year we will practice Q-tip painting before (like with a different picture), then this will be easier and look better. (Also a 1 time center.)

7. Sewing. I found these cute heart sewing kits from Target. It was so much goodness to watch this happen. We need to do it again this year. So many proud kids!! (1 time center, and somehow I didn't buy enough :-(  I must do better at math next year.)

8. Bean bag toss with some emoji bean bags that I found at Hobby Lobby. (Sorry, no picture of them)

And I also sat by the bags that had bagged popcorn and grapes for another snack as they worked their way around the room.

It was sort of like field trips, where I try to not make me be in charge of a group, so that I can enjoy all the kids, and allow the grown up volunteers the fun of interacting with their child and other kids from the class. 

Really. I loved this day so much!

I hope the kids have good memories, I know that I do.

Valentine's Day 2019, Part One

Parties Scare Me.

My own kids did not have real birthday parties, they were lucky to get a cake. 

And now I feel compelled to at least attempt a class party for my kinders.

I've been eyeing some "friends" and how they have handled parties in the primary grades. It looks like FUN. But I could not get my head around it.

Until I read A Teeny Tiny Teacher and her Christmas party post. It made so much sense. During my Christmas break I created a rough draft of a Valentine's Day party based off of her Christmas party and shared it with my teaching besties.

They thought it was good. (I thought it was GREAT.)

I've worked and gathered materials. Sent home a request for items for the party (snacks, play dough). And arranged for parent volunteers to help me do this Party.

I may have primed the kids just a little bit, by telling them that this was going to be the best day ever, and since they haven't had THAT many days, it was easy to convince them.

Here's how today (2-14-2019) went down in my classroom:

Arrive.

Students hand out Valentines (to the jugs that we decorated yesterday), with a grown up making sure that every jug got a card and none were skipped.

Making ten math lesson.

Special class (science).

Recess and snack.

Phonics lesson and Lexia time.

Lunch.

Eat one piece of candy from jug while moving pencil boxes to a safe space (away from the approaching party).

Recess.

PE and Library. (It was during this time that I rearranged tables and geo everything set up, and prepped the 8 volunteers for their tasks.)

Party.

Dismissal.

Maybe it doesn't sound like we did much today (and it doesn't), but they are 5 and 6 and we did what we could.

Their smiles, joy and red cheeks at the end told me I had done good. They had a good time, and perhaps made memories.

That party was epic. I will do another party. Next year. Valentine's Day 2020. Not before. I am tired and need to rest.

Part Two: What Happened at the Party?

Coming soon...