Sunday, September 8, 2013
Library
Something that I am excited about this year is our library time. In the past we used this time to use the computers in the library and just quickly picked out new books. This year our school bought each cluster a chromebook cart and now we can do our technology time in the classroom and have a separate library time. I started off by introducing the kids to the library and showed a video I found on youtube. It was about Skippy jon Jones visiting a school library and talked about how to care for books. The kids thought it was hilarious and it was educational at the same time. I then taught the kids about using a book stick to find a book and we had a little time to explore the library. I am excited to have this time to do more book talks. Next week I want to show a Don't Let the Pigeon Touch the Books video and read the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. Now to just find time to plan all of these things out! I definitely have a lot of favorite authors I would like to share!
Teacher Tipster
I will admit it, I am a little bit obsessed with Teacher Tipster (teachertipster.com.) I strive to be as exciting and enthusiastic about teaching as he is! This week I incorporated two of his lessons into my classroom. The first one was the bubble lesson on self control. I feel like this is a big topic this year in my class because I have very many active boys and sitting on the carpet as we explain rules and procedures is tough for them! In the bubble lesson you talk about how much you like popping bubbles and then you blow bubbles and the kids get crazy and out of control. Then you dare them to not touch the bubbles. ( I ended up betting them a Hershey kiss and I still had one or two or tried to pop the bubbles!) You then make the connection to self control and how just like the bubbles when you really want to pop them but you don't, that's self control. I thought it was great because it gave them a reference point. I know a lot of times we use generic phrases but don't always tell the kids what that means. I say things like use self control or make good choices but they don't always understand what specifically we want them to do.
The other lesson I used this week from Teacher Tipster was the Sleeping Baby. I took a baby doll out of the play center and carried it around with me. I used it during writing class and said that during writing is the baby's nap time. I said we have to work very quietly because the baby is sleeping. Then as I work with students if they start to get loud I say SHHHHH! the baby is sleeping or Don't wake the baby. It was very effective for most of the class. I did have one little boy who is not a fan of the baby but I felt like writing time as now been established as quiet time!
The other lesson I used this week from Teacher Tipster was the Sleeping Baby. I took a baby doll out of the play center and carried it around with me. I used it during writing class and said that during writing is the baby's nap time. I said we have to work very quietly because the baby is sleeping. Then as I work with students if they start to get loud I say SHHHHH! the baby is sleeping or Don't wake the baby. It was very effective for most of the class. I did have one little boy who is not a fan of the baby but I felt like writing time as now been established as quiet time!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
First Day 2013
Well, it has been exactly one year since I have written in this blog. The time and energy it takes to teach distracts me from even touching a blog. I would like to try again so that I can process and remember my thoughts throughout the year. I made the reflection today that God's plans are always bigger than our dreams. Where I am today from where I was last year is an amazing, new and completely different place and I love where my life is personally and professionally I still LOVE teaching Kindergarten. I decided to revisit the blog tonight because I know I had posted stuff about the Daily 5 and I am gearing up to introduce the Daily 5 tomorrow! Hopefully throughout the next few days I will be able to post some pictures of the new changes to my classroom this year and things I am excited about.
For now I will start with a reflection of the first two days of Kindergarten. At this moment I am blessed with 15 students and brand new and excited teaching assistant. As always I forget exactly how little they start out and how much they have to learn. This year at Young Scholars we started a school wide positive behavior system (hopefully another post soon on that.) Part of that included teaching the new school wide expectations for behavior. At 9:45am on the first day of Kindergarten my students were troopers and went to their first assembly! That was a little tough but otherwise it was a pretty good day! We read David Goes to School to learn our classroom rules, sang Rise and Shine and Freeze Dance and completed our first buzz message and tallied the number of boys and girls in our classroom (9 boys and 6 girls!)
In the afternoon we read the Kissing Hand and graphed how we felt on the first day of Kindergarten and enjoyed a Hershey Kiss. We also completed a scavenger hunt in our classroom to find all the supplies in the room! In math we started our calendar routine and explored teddy bear counters. We ended the day learning our packing up routine and I gave out Kindergarten is a Hoot! bags! I have an owl them in our classroom again this year! We also read Froggy books and used story wands to answer comprehension questions about the book. I definitely left tired on the first day but was glad to meet all the bright shining new faces!
On Day 2 we practiced our morning routine and sang and dance and completed a Buzz Message again. At 9:15 we started rotations with the Kindergarten and 1st Grade cluster to learn about different behaviors in the school. The students learned about indoor recess, computer cart, library, hallway, bathrooms, office and dismissal procedures. It was great to see my students from last year and see exactly how far the students will go this year and gave me some encouragement that this class too will get into a routine and be awesome! One of the first grade teachers said how much she loves her class and I told her "You're Welcome!" It felt good to know I had a part in helping those kids be successful!
The rotations took all morning and we came back just in time to review rules and head to lunch. As I watched the kids in Chinese and Spanish today I could see the steps they were making already to get into the groove of being a Kindergartener! Thankfully we dodged the rain and made it outside to recess. We had a small talking to about how to line up and be ready to go inside from recess. In the afternoon we learned the different ways people might write to build confidence in Kidwriting and then explored pattern blocks in math. By the end I could tell they were tired and started to get a little rowdy. I am sure soon enough they will be used to the long day! Tomorrow I am excited to start Daily 5 and hopefully keep establishing our routines and procedures!
For now I will start with a reflection of the first two days of Kindergarten. At this moment I am blessed with 15 students and brand new and excited teaching assistant. As always I forget exactly how little they start out and how much they have to learn. This year at Young Scholars we started a school wide positive behavior system (hopefully another post soon on that.) Part of that included teaching the new school wide expectations for behavior. At 9:45am on the first day of Kindergarten my students were troopers and went to their first assembly! That was a little tough but otherwise it was a pretty good day! We read David Goes to School to learn our classroom rules, sang Rise and Shine and Freeze Dance and completed our first buzz message and tallied the number of boys and girls in our classroom (9 boys and 6 girls!)
In the afternoon we read the Kissing Hand and graphed how we felt on the first day of Kindergarten and enjoyed a Hershey Kiss. We also completed a scavenger hunt in our classroom to find all the supplies in the room! In math we started our calendar routine and explored teddy bear counters. We ended the day learning our packing up routine and I gave out Kindergarten is a Hoot! bags! I have an owl them in our classroom again this year! We also read Froggy books and used story wands to answer comprehension questions about the book. I definitely left tired on the first day but was glad to meet all the bright shining new faces!
On Day 2 we practiced our morning routine and sang and dance and completed a Buzz Message again. At 9:15 we started rotations with the Kindergarten and 1st Grade cluster to learn about different behaviors in the school. The students learned about indoor recess, computer cart, library, hallway, bathrooms, office and dismissal procedures. It was great to see my students from last year and see exactly how far the students will go this year and gave me some encouragement that this class too will get into a routine and be awesome! One of the first grade teachers said how much she loves her class and I told her "You're Welcome!" It felt good to know I had a part in helping those kids be successful!
The rotations took all morning and we came back just in time to review rules and head to lunch. As I watched the kids in Chinese and Spanish today I could see the steps they were making already to get into the groove of being a Kindergartener! Thankfully we dodged the rain and made it outside to recess. We had a small talking to about how to line up and be ready to go inside from recess. In the afternoon we learned the different ways people might write to build confidence in Kidwriting and then explored pattern blocks in math. By the end I could tell they were tired and started to get a little rowdy. I am sure soon enough they will be used to the long day! Tomorrow I am excited to start Daily 5 and hopefully keep establishing our routines and procedures!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
First Day of School
Wow! What a busy first two days! It just flew by! I am excited to start the year with all my new Kindergarten friends! I think I have a good group with a lot of potential! I always forget how little they are and how much practice they need and all the routines we need to establish! Highlights of the first day included a lunch box craftivity from teacherspayteachers. We cut and glued a lunch box together that had the expectations for eating lunch in the cafeteria. It did take longer than I anticipated so we actually had to finish it after lunch. The students LOVED the scavenger hunt of our classroom. I took pictures of the tissues, sink, markers, etc, all the things they need to know where to find. It was so cute to see them walking around the classroom and checking things off the list.
Our afternoon was so long and they lost steam by the end of the day. I think what will be tough is having our reading block in the afternoon. I have tried out my Daily 5 lessons and it was hard for them to stay focused. I think what I had planned for the good fit lesson was well planned. It took a lot of redirecting to keep them focused on the lesson. They liked seeing all my different shoes and they liked the book Dog in Boots.
One of the lessons that was not as effective was a Who Am I? activity page. Students needed to fill in their hair color, boy/girl and favorite color. I modeled and showed them where the words were but it got lost when it was time for them to complete the activity. Next time I will have us all complete each step together. I think I struggle with these types of activities. I find it hard to keep them all together and at the same pace.
Our afternoon was so long and they lost steam by the end of the day. I think what will be tough is having our reading block in the afternoon. I have tried out my Daily 5 lessons and it was hard for them to stay focused. I think what I had planned for the good fit lesson was well planned. It took a lot of redirecting to keep them focused on the lesson. They liked seeing all my different shoes and they liked the book Dog in Boots.
One of the lessons that was not as effective was a Who Am I? activity page. Students needed to fill in their hair color, boy/girl and favorite color. I modeled and showed them where the words were but it got lost when it was time for them to complete the activity. Next time I will have us all complete each step together. I think I struggle with these types of activities. I find it hard to keep them all together and at the same pace.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Daily 5 modeling
Daily 5 Modeling
On the third day I plan to introduce the first of the Daily 5, Read to Self. We will begin the lesson reviewing the topics of how to read a book and picking a good fit book. One of the key components of the Daily 5 is lots of modeling.
1. Introduce the topic.
2. set the purpose and urgency
3. brainstorm behaviors and create I chart
4. model correctly
5. model incorrectly
6. practice and build stamina (start with 3 minutes)
7. check in and discuss how they did
REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~
Practice a clean up and gathering signal. I plan to use a bell that I will ding when it is time to clean up. When I ding the bell I usually have students put their hands on their heads so I know they have stopped working and I have their attention. This should be practiced and students should help create an anchor chart about what this looks like and sounds like.
Checking In
Checking in helps students engage in the reflection process. Students should share how they think they did. What went well? What can be improved on. "The Sisters" recommend using a thumbs up, thumbs sideways system. No thumbs down because everyone did something right and it avoids negativity. Students should also hold it close to their hearts. This makes it less obvious to the class how each student did.
Each component should be modeled and practiced repeatedly. It is about forming positive habits. When the students are practice the teacher sits at her desk because that is where she will be working. You don't want to go around giving the students praise because that is not authentic practice. They shouldn't be dependent on praise.
When to clean up?
As soon as the first student becomes off task signal for students to clean up and gather. We want positive muscle memory. They shouldn't be given time to practice wrong. Each day try to build stamina by one minute. It is also recommended to use a stamina graph and show students their progress. This will help empower them on their goal for independence.
On the third day I plan to introduce the first of the Daily 5, Read to Self. We will begin the lesson reviewing the topics of how to read a book and picking a good fit book. One of the key components of the Daily 5 is lots of modeling.
1. Introduce the topic.
2. set the purpose and urgency
3. brainstorm behaviors and create I chart
4. model correctly
5. model incorrectly
6. practice and build stamina (start with 3 minutes)
7. check in and discuss how they did
REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~ REPEAT ~
Practice a clean up and gathering signal. I plan to use a bell that I will ding when it is time to clean up. When I ding the bell I usually have students put their hands on their heads so I know they have stopped working and I have their attention. This should be practiced and students should help create an anchor chart about what this looks like and sounds like.
Checking In
Checking in helps students engage in the reflection process. Students should share how they think they did. What went well? What can be improved on. "The Sisters" recommend using a thumbs up, thumbs sideways system. No thumbs down because everyone did something right and it avoids negativity. Students should also hold it close to their hearts. This makes it less obvious to the class how each student did.
Each component should be modeled and practiced repeatedly. It is about forming positive habits. When the students are practice the teacher sits at her desk because that is where she will be working. You don't want to go around giving the students praise because that is not authentic practice. They shouldn't be dependent on praise.
When to clean up?
As soon as the first student becomes off task signal for students to clean up and gather. We want positive muscle memory. They shouldn't be given time to practice wrong. Each day try to build stamina by one minute. It is also recommended to use a stamina graph and show students their progress. This will help empower them on their goal for independence.
Starting the Daily 5
Okay, so I thought I would share what my plans are for starting the Daily 5 in my classroom. I am hoping this will help me to organize my thoughts and get ready for school.I am also hoping to post in few days my reflections on how it went.
Day 1
On the first day of school I plan to start off with a lesson on the 3 ways to read a book. I will ask students if they know the different ways we can read a book ( read the words, read the picture and retell a story). I will save retelling for the next day. Once we discuss how everyone can read because we can all read the pictures I will read the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. We will stop on different pages to look at the pictures and see how they help us tell the story. We will make an anchor chart on the ways to read a book. This all I plan to do with the Daily 5 for Kindergarten on Day 1. I will continue the lesson to talk about how each student felt on the first day of school and we will make a feelings poster. We will also make a hand print home to send home to the parents. I also like to give each student a Hershey kiss for a great first day.
Day 2
I plan to revisit the 3 ways to read a book. Today we will focus on retelling a book. We will go through the pages and the students will tell the story without reading the words. We will add it to our anchor chart. We will then move into a lesson on Good Fit Books. I will read the book Dog in Boots. I will bring in different types of shoes. We will talk about what purpose different shoes have (dress shoes, slippers, sneakers.) We will relate this how different books have different purposes (informational, pleasure, poetry.) Then we will talk about interest. We wear different shoes for different interests. It is important for students to read books they are interested in. I don't have soccer shoes because I am not interested in playing soccer. We will also talk about the right fit. I can't wear my dad's shoes because they are too big. I will have students come up and try to switch shoes. They won't be a good fit. We will talk about how not all books are the right fit. I will bring in a technical manual and explain that it is too hard and not a good fit for me. I will then show students what books are in the library and have students share what books they might think are a good fit for them. We will put this book in their drawers for tomorrow. I will also put some books in their drawer for the next days lesson. This will give them some choices. We will also need to establish when are appropriate times to get new books.
Day 1
On the first day of school I plan to start off with a lesson on the 3 ways to read a book. I will ask students if they know the different ways we can read a book ( read the words, read the picture and retell a story). I will save retelling for the next day. Once we discuss how everyone can read because we can all read the pictures I will read the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. We will stop on different pages to look at the pictures and see how they help us tell the story. We will make an anchor chart on the ways to read a book. This all I plan to do with the Daily 5 for Kindergarten on Day 1. I will continue the lesson to talk about how each student felt on the first day of school and we will make a feelings poster. We will also make a hand print home to send home to the parents. I also like to give each student a Hershey kiss for a great first day.
Day 2
I plan to revisit the 3 ways to read a book. Today we will focus on retelling a book. We will go through the pages and the students will tell the story without reading the words. We will add it to our anchor chart. We will then move into a lesson on Good Fit Books. I will read the book Dog in Boots. I will bring in different types of shoes. We will talk about what purpose different shoes have (dress shoes, slippers, sneakers.) We will relate this how different books have different purposes (informational, pleasure, poetry.) Then we will talk about interest. We wear different shoes for different interests. It is important for students to read books they are interested in. I don't have soccer shoes because I am not interested in playing soccer. We will also talk about the right fit. I can't wear my dad's shoes because they are too big. I will have students come up and try to switch shoes. They won't be a good fit. We will talk about how not all books are the right fit. I will bring in a technical manual and explain that it is too hard and not a good fit for me. I will then show students what books are in the library and have students share what books they might think are a good fit for them. We will put this book in their drawers for tomorrow. I will also put some books in their drawer for the next days lesson. This will give them some choices. We will also need to establish when are appropriate times to get new books.
The Daily 5
I am switching to the Daily 5 this year! I am very excited! With school only a few days away I am spending some time rereading the Daily 5 book by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. I have read Part 1 and I thought I would share my thoughts! I am also hoping to make a Daily 5 tab on my classroom website to share with my parents about why I am using this, this year.
Why did I switch?
I love the fact that the Daily 5 is about spending time reading and writing. In order to be a better reader and writer you need to spend time reading and writing. The Daily 5 eliminates the busy work and worksheets and drills down to the importance of reading. I discovered the Daily 5 through pintrest and reading some blogs about it. I really liked these two quotes:
" We teach and practice skills until they become habits and default behaviors" (this is to remind ourselves to slow down and do it right, practice, practice, practice....Also, for parents to understand our pace for the beginning of the year)
"We know each class is different, and we spend at least 20 days building community, defining and practicing behaviors, building stamina, and assessing the needs of this particular group of children" ( I think a great reminder for the beginning of the year)
What is the Daily 5?
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Daily it is a reading and writing system. Students rotate through 5 components while you work with guided reading groups. Here are the 5 components:
Read to Self
-the best way to become a better reader is to practice each day with books you choose on your just right reading level.
Read to Someone
-reading to someone allows for more time to practice strategies, helping with fluency and expression, checking for understand, hearing your own voice and sharing in a learning community.
Work on Writing
-just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is to practice every day.
Listen to Reading
-we hear examples of good literature and fluent reading. We learn more words and thus expand our vocabulary to become better readers.
Word Work
-correct spelling allows for more fluent writing. This speeds up getting our thinking down on paper.
Why is the Daily 5 so great?
-student driven
high student engagement
meaningful reading and writing
authentic reading and writing
majority of the time is spent reading and writing
I leave you with this last thought on the Daily 5:
PURPOSE + CHOICE = MOTIVATION
This is something that is stuck in the back of my brain. If we want students to actually be working during the time we are doing guided reading they have to want to. If we can explain the urgency and why we need to write and pair that with choice the students will be motivated. I want to know that my students are getting something out of what they are doing. I want class time to be effective. Daily 5 lets them choose what they are going to work on, what books they are going to read, and that makes all the difference! I am way pumped for Daily 5!
Why did I switch?
I love the fact that the Daily 5 is about spending time reading and writing. In order to be a better reader and writer you need to spend time reading and writing. The Daily 5 eliminates the busy work and worksheets and drills down to the importance of reading. I discovered the Daily 5 through pintrest and reading some blogs about it. I really liked these two quotes:
" We teach and practice skills until they become habits and default behaviors" (this is to remind ourselves to slow down and do it right, practice, practice, practice....Also, for parents to understand our pace for the beginning of the year)
"We know each class is different, and we spend at least 20 days building community, defining and practicing behaviors, building stamina, and assessing the needs of this particular group of children" ( I think a great reminder for the beginning of the year)
What is the Daily 5?
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Daily it is a reading and writing system. Students rotate through 5 components while you work with guided reading groups. Here are the 5 components:
Read to Self
-the best way to become a better reader is to practice each day with books you choose on your just right reading level.
Read to Someone
-reading to someone allows for more time to practice strategies, helping with fluency and expression, checking for understand, hearing your own voice and sharing in a learning community.
Work on Writing
-just like reading, the best way to become a better writer is to practice every day.
Listen to Reading
-we hear examples of good literature and fluent reading. We learn more words and thus expand our vocabulary to become better readers.
Word Work
-correct spelling allows for more fluent writing. This speeds up getting our thinking down on paper.
Why is the Daily 5 so great?
-student driven
high student engagement
meaningful reading and writing
authentic reading and writing
majority of the time is spent reading and writing
I leave you with this last thought on the Daily 5:
PURPOSE + CHOICE = MOTIVATION
This is something that is stuck in the back of my brain. If we want students to actually be working during the time we are doing guided reading they have to want to. If we can explain the urgency and why we need to write and pair that with choice the students will be motivated. I want to know that my students are getting something out of what they are doing. I want class time to be effective. Daily 5 lets them choose what they are going to work on, what books they are going to read, and that makes all the difference! I am way pumped for Daily 5!
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