I am preparing for the new year, and found this article on Twitter. May I remember all 10 truths!
10 Truths About Building School Teams | Edutopia
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Teaching Character and Creating Positive Classrooms
In addition to content area strengths, students must develop non-cognitive skills and strengths. This is discussed in :
A literature review from the University of Chicago on noncognitive factors shaping school performance
My students immediately took to discussions in class of character strengths grit, zest, optimism, self-control, gratitude, social intelligence and curiosity. I made a new spinner for the end of day closure. This one just has the one question, "How did you show ____ today?" and we would spin for the trait. However, I began by just choosing one for a week, and then introducing another the following week. Once we had incorporated the skills at the end of the day, I then used them throughout the day, such as in the transition from math to science.
Math is a particularly tough subject this year and many students feel frustration. By highlighting that even though they felt frustration, they kept going, students are more willing to face the difficulties of math in the future. So this also lead to discussions of optimism. We have not yet connected gratitude to our new math program. I am saving that for a little later when they can see the benefits of the comprehensive learning curve they've endured!
My ah-ha moment was when we were discussing yet another hero, and writing about that hero. Often we use a graphic organizer to help them quickly highlight most important elements, such as date and accomplishments of a particular citizen. This time I also planned to use a writing sample after the lesson to evaluate how well the English Language Learners were using English during content area writing. Therefore, I was only giving the students a blank notebook paper. To facilitate the writing process, I asked additional questions about the hero, such as how did this person show zest for what she was interested in? How did the character use grit in order to reach her goals? How was this person optimistic in facing the fears for her well being? The writing samples provided a great indication of:
A literature review from the University of Chicago on noncognitive factors shaping school performance
My students immediately took to discussions in class of character strengths grit, zest, optimism, self-control, gratitude, social intelligence and curiosity. I made a new spinner for the end of day closure. This one just has the one question, "How did you show ____ today?" and we would spin for the trait. However, I began by just choosing one for a week, and then introducing another the following week. Once we had incorporated the skills at the end of the day, I then used them throughout the day, such as in the transition from math to science.
Math is a particularly tough subject this year and many students feel frustration. By highlighting that even though they felt frustration, they kept going, students are more willing to face the difficulties of math in the future. So this also lead to discussions of optimism. We have not yet connected gratitude to our new math program. I am saving that for a little later when they can see the benefits of the comprehensive learning curve they've endured!
My ah-ha moment was when we were discussing yet another hero, and writing about that hero. Often we use a graphic organizer to help them quickly highlight most important elements, such as date and accomplishments of a particular citizen. This time I also planned to use a writing sample after the lesson to evaluate how well the English Language Learners were using English during content area writing. Therefore, I was only giving the students a blank notebook paper. To facilitate the writing process, I asked additional questions about the hero, such as how did this person show zest for what she was interested in? How did the character use grit in order to reach her goals? How was this person optimistic in facing the fears for her well being? The writing samples provided a great indication of:
- whether the student knew hero well or not
- one example of how well the English Language Learners had assimilated the English language
- the level of understanding or misunderstanding of the character strengths highlighted
- a personal response, not just a drab repetition of facts
I am finding the use of the character strengths very helpful in my day to day classroom experience, and I continue to use them in discussions of heroes.
Friday, January 24, 2014
A Day at KIPP Houston
Our principal provided a day to visit the successful KIPP school in Houston off Bissonnet. What an original idea that was!
I am inspired to add quotes to my classroom walls, focus more on students' year of high school graduation, and lessen school distractions. Here is a perfect video for what we learned about KIPP.
http://vimeo.com/65156862
I am inspired to add quotes to my classroom walls, focus more on students' year of high school graduation, and lessen school distractions. Here is a perfect video for what we learned about KIPP.
http://vimeo.com/65156862
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Slice of Life updates
In following Two Writing Teachers I receive ideas and assignments that I love, but don't always complete. Today I read One Grateful Teacher Her word was Risk.
Betsy's word was Silence. Dana's word was Float. All very cool. Mine is not so cool.
I've been thinking of my One Little Word for the year, and it seems to be Next.
Created with http://www.visuwords.com/
A big portion of the reason for Next, is that my son graduated from college and has a grown up job. Whew! So I am on to the next phase of my life, whatever that is.
I have come to accept that teaching has constant deadlines and requires ongoing willingness for new learning. So Next helps me consider what needs to be done at this time...not necessarily all the future deadlines, but just for today, what is next?
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Winter Happenings, Slice of Life
"May we finish our video after lunch?"
"Cristopher forgot his Santa shoes out in the pod."
"I found a Santa picture in Kindergarten!"
"Can we do the reindeer in the library again today?"
"Jimmy won't let me be Dasher."
"Ms. Marshall my picture doesn't show. Where is the mouse?"
"Ms. Marshall everything is lost."
"Ms. Marshall, how come everything went really, REALLY, small?"
"Ms. Marshall, Noah snatched the alligator out of my hand in our play."
Despite all the complaints, the video production is in full swing in room 332.
The librarian got us thinking about the many versions of Clement C. Moore's Night Before Christmas.
So we are creating our own versions right here, right now with no time to waste.
Happy Tuesday! Happy Christmas!
"Cristopher forgot his Santa shoes out in the pod."
"I found a Santa picture in Kindergarten!"
"Can we do the reindeer in the library again today?"
"Jimmy won't let me be Dasher."
"Ms. Marshall my picture doesn't show. Where is the mouse?"
"Ms. Marshall everything is lost."
"Ms. Marshall, how come everything went really, REALLY, small?"
"Ms. Marshall, Noah snatched the alligator out of my hand in our play."
Despite all the complaints, the video production is in full swing in room 332.
The librarian got us thinking about the many versions of Clement C. Moore's Night Before Christmas.
So we are creating our own versions right here, right now with no time to waste.
Happy Tuesday! Happy Christmas!
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Slice of Life Tuesday
Two Writing Teachers is a blog I follow. Today they sent me a challenge to write each Tuesday, offering a slice of life piece on my blog.
It was after school, when I was grateful for a "jeans pass" and running shoes on. After picking up the Digital Storytelling Club from the gym, and wading through dropped apple juice and animal cracker remnants, we made it to the room holding the precious iPads. For two months we have met once a week, these 2nd graders, 1 third grader, and I, to create digital stories. While it is the end of the day, it demands and gives energy. Today a story about a dog and a frog was finished. Adorable! Perfect? Not at all, but what a work of collaboration. Sometimes the partners didn't see each other for weeks, but progress was made. These two were willing to do the work upfront...writing a screenplay. When we declared it was a wrap, they watched with hushed tones...all the way to that final photo of the two gleaming with their puppets.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
What 4 iPads can do
My heartfelt thank you goes to both SBISD's J. Landon Short and Donor's Choose for providing me with an iPad mini and 2 iPads. Add that to my teacher iPad and I have a genuine station! Finally! I have applied again to Donor's Choose because it is time consuming doing one's best work to be published. The waiting gets tedious for these 7 year olds, but we are ever so grateful for what we do have.
Imagine my concern when over the Columbus Day holiday, a group of students broke into a classroom that had extra technology in it...technology for the purpose of assisting students who may be struggling with reading and writing. Then we had theft in my classroom of 2 iTouches, which were eventually returned. Even as we are working to give more access and opportunities, students are confused enough to take that away from the environment. So we continue to discuss good citizenship, and I have changed where the technology is kept during the nights and weekends and holidays. Yes, Monday mornings will now be about recharging devices, but that is a consequence that students will understand.Without delay we began use of the devices for science demos, math explanations and digital storytelling. The students are learning how important preparation is before publishing! Awesome lesson! Students are clamoring to show me edited writing and using vocabulary such as, "I am working on the resolution now" and "I tried to explain 3 digit addition with regrouping, but I was not quite successful."
We have had a few fits while using Telegammi (with thanks to Angelique Moulton for sharing this app) in publishing Flat Stanley stories in the style of author, Jeff Brown. Telegammi is limited in length, and some students took this personally, instead of saving, and then finishing with a second video. Other students are competently telling and retelling their stories. Here are a couple of working segments.
Flat Stanley
Conversations such as,"Does your story follow the rubric?" and "If your story shows Flat Stanley as a criminal, is that in keeping with the Flat Stanley character?" have invited rigor to the exciting use of technology.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Students constructing their own understanding
How could we use questions or problems to assist in helping students construct their own understanding?
"Education research has shown that an effective technique for developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills is to expose students early and often to “ill-defined” problems in their field. An ill-defined problem is one that addresses complex issues and thus cannot easily be described in a concise, complete manner. However educators are also required to have specific objectives and outcomes for students to reach. Often students stray from or miss the path you would like like them to take to reach your objectives and outcomes. How would you facilitate and guide students, during a project, who are “lost or off track” to help them reach the stated course objectives and outcomes?"
My homework for Week 4 is to consider the above. It goes perfectly with what I found from last spring, when organizing photos from a recent trip: a video of students working in groups to answer a complicated math problem.
I interviewed the students as they were busily using and creating representation of items in the problem. The question involved how many given items would be divided equally into 3 baskets. There were many different ways to solve the problem, especially since 2nd graders had limited exposure to formal lessons on division. I interviewed a boy who had flat checked out, and was designing a basket with blocks. It was interesting listening to myself try to get him back on track. His partner had solved the problem without him, and he didn't care. I think if he had seen himself in the video, he would have paid more attention in the next opportunity to shine mathematically.
Others had divided the problem evenly into tasks, having no idea how to mentally solve it without concrete objects. So they were all super busy, but they took so long creating the visuals that they ran out of time.
Another table had self-divided into two groups who were attacking the challenge differently. One GT student quickly mentally calculated and colored in a graphic, then back tracked to show a more hands on explanation. The others used blocks instead of laborious other means of creating manipulatives. They also discussed and paid strict attention to the tally marks. This table was entirely successful.
All of the students in the class were successful in some way. Was the teacher successful? I think the follow through was missing. I wished I had highlighted the successful and unsucessful efforts through showing the video, and asking the students to evaluate and propose suggestions for each group.
What is needed for my future problem-solving and critical-thinking opportunities is time. I need time for the set-up, the exploration of a solution, the solving and explaining, and then the sharing and evaluating with a relevant audience.
"Education research has shown that an effective technique for developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills is to expose students early and often to “ill-defined” problems in their field. An ill-defined problem is one that addresses complex issues and thus cannot easily be described in a concise, complete manner. However educators are also required to have specific objectives and outcomes for students to reach. Often students stray from or miss the path you would like like them to take to reach your objectives and outcomes. How would you facilitate and guide students, during a project, who are “lost or off track” to help them reach the stated course objectives and outcomes?"
My homework for Week 4 is to consider the above. It goes perfectly with what I found from last spring, when organizing photos from a recent trip: a video of students working in groups to answer a complicated math problem.
I interviewed the students as they were busily using and creating representation of items in the problem. The question involved how many given items would be divided equally into 3 baskets. There were many different ways to solve the problem, especially since 2nd graders had limited exposure to formal lessons on division. I interviewed a boy who had flat checked out, and was designing a basket with blocks. It was interesting listening to myself try to get him back on track. His partner had solved the problem without him, and he didn't care. I think if he had seen himself in the video, he would have paid more attention in the next opportunity to shine mathematically.
Others had divided the problem evenly into tasks, having no idea how to mentally solve it without concrete objects. So they were all super busy, but they took so long creating the visuals that they ran out of time.
Another table had self-divided into two groups who were attacking the challenge differently. One GT student quickly mentally calculated and colored in a graphic, then back tracked to show a more hands on explanation. The others used blocks instead of laborious other means of creating manipulatives. They also discussed and paid strict attention to the tally marks. This table was entirely successful.
All of the students in the class were successful in some way. Was the teacher successful? I think the follow through was missing. I wished I had highlighted the successful and unsucessful efforts through showing the video, and asking the students to evaluate and propose suggestions for each group.
What is needed for my future problem-solving and critical-thinking opportunities is time. I need time for the set-up, the exploration of a solution, the solving and explaining, and then the sharing and evaluating with a relevant audience.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
coLAR Mix and International Dot Day
Just had to share about a great activity that happened during the Digital Storytelling ACE program. After we read Ish by Peter Reynolds and talked about International Dot Day, the students partnered to decorate a dot provided by the coLAR Mix app. They opened the app on the iPad and hovered over their dots. The dots came to life! Spiraling spheres of various sizes entertained the students with music coming on and off. That app is enthralling!
I'm trying to print the bird coloring page for the app as that looks even cooler.
I'm trying to print the bird coloring page for the app as that looks even cooler.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Building Rapport with the Distance Learner
Building rapport in distance education sounds a lot like building a physical classroom community and atmosphere, just with technology. This reminds me of the SAMR model with the substitution enhancement.
Instead of sitting on the floor together in community circle, we could either type an introduction, share through a Google hangout or post an avatar with description.
In watching my son take distance classes years ago in high school, this community building was not done. It was very difficult to communicate with the teacher, so I also know how important viewing the teacher as approachable is.
Timely feedback, encouraging words, an understanding online countenance, and willingness to bend for emergencies are all vital in running a distance course.
Assignment for week 2 of How To Teach Online
Instead of sitting on the floor together in community circle, we could either type an introduction, share through a Google hangout or post an avatar with description.
In watching my son take distance classes years ago in high school, this community building was not done. It was very difficult to communicate with the teacher, so I also know how important viewing the teacher as approachable is.
Timely feedback, encouraging words, an understanding online countenance, and willingness to bend for emergencies are all vital in running a distance course.
Assignment for week 2 of How To Teach Online
Sunday, September 15, 2013
First 2nd Saturday Showcase
Today I attended a great professional development led by my friends Annie and Jeanette!
http://edtech.springbranchisd.com/educationaltechnology/edtechnewsevents/tabid/7138/default.aspx
They started with talking about the SAMR model with this video:
We considered how to redefine, modify, augment or substitute stations with technology for the tradition pen and paper stations. Here are some suggestions.
Encourage students to write and submit reviews and poetry to http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/
Have a website that is easily found outside of school. Annie uses the NHE campus website and her page is easily found by searching for Ms. Mitchell's website NHE
http://nhe.springbranchisd.com/Curriculum/ThirdGrade/AnnieMitchell/tabid/30171/Default.aspx
Sign up the class for SumDog
http://www.sumdog.com/
In playing the games I've discovered some of it will be over the 2nd grader's math levels. Sometimes I clicked on games and got the message that I didn't have access. I am not very sure on this one.
For student created books, try http://epubbud.com/
This looked very exciting for publishing and consuming ebooks!
For allowing students to show what they know:
and
http://www.showme.com/
And my new friend, Sydnie, at Valley Oaks, suggested this for Singapore Math practice:
http://thesingaporemaths.com/
While there is no Primary 2, there is Primary 3.
So, thanks for a fun Saturday morning!
http://edtech.springbranchisd.com/educationaltechnology/edtechnewsevents/tabid/7138/default.aspx
They started with talking about the SAMR model with this video:
We considered how to redefine, modify, augment or substitute stations with technology for the tradition pen and paper stations. Here are some suggestions.
Encourage students to write and submit reviews and poetry to http://www.stonesoup.com/stone-soup-contributor-guideline/
Have a website that is easily found outside of school. Annie uses the NHE campus website and her page is easily found by searching for Ms. Mitchell's website NHE
http://nhe.springbranchisd.com/Curriculum/ThirdGrade/AnnieMitchell/tabid/30171/Default.aspx
Sign up the class for SumDog
http://www.sumdog.com/
In playing the games I've discovered some of it will be over the 2nd grader's math levels. Sometimes I clicked on games and got the message that I didn't have access. I am not very sure on this one.
For student created books, try http://epubbud.com/
This looked very exciting for publishing and consuming ebooks!
For allowing students to show what they know:
and
http://www.showme.com/
And my new friend, Sydnie, at Valley Oaks, suggested this for Singapore Math practice:
http://thesingaporemaths.com/
While there is no Primary 2, there is Primary 3.
So, thanks for a fun Saturday morning!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Flipped Classroom
So Theresa Trevino is credited with giving me that push to join her in crediting flipped classroom lessons.
Here is the link to her Rummel Creek team blog: 2nd Rummel Creek Elementary
I love how she shared her behind the scenes preparations this summer. Flip Take 2
I am consuming all the info out there about flipped learning. I plan to join a MOOC to help me understand and design online lessons. How to Teach Online by Greg Walker
Here is a great "How To" video on flipping the classroom: I Flip You Flip We All Flip
Something he emphasized was having a green screen to aid in creating interesting backgrounds. Last year I experimented with green screens made from butcher paper. Perhaps it was too dark a green, or the iPad wasn't the greatest choice of cameras, but the backgrounds were all sketchy and blotchy. I will experiment with better cameras.
So I'm trying to keep up with Theresa, which is impossible, but I might just be able to contribute in my own way. I can see a pitfall in showing some of her videos to my class is that my school might not have the same manipulatives. I noticed students are expected to have individual sets of ten frame "dominoes". We just have one class set, but I could combine sets for a small group activity, or I could make paper sets. I just need to be prepared.
I also could change subjects and create lessons for language arts.
Here is the link to her Rummel Creek team blog: 2nd Rummel Creek Elementary
I love how she shared her behind the scenes preparations this summer. Flip Take 2
I am consuming all the info out there about flipped learning. I plan to join a MOOC to help me understand and design online lessons. How to Teach Online by Greg Walker
I want to create those white board with black markers type videos. That would eliminate my photos! I wish I had been a teacher in the 1980s when I was a 20 something year old, but I guess the whole internet thing wasn't happening yet, anyway.
Here is a great "How To" video on flipping the classroom: I Flip You Flip We All Flip
So I'm trying to keep up with Theresa, which is impossible, but I might just be able to contribute in my own way. I can see a pitfall in showing some of her videos to my class is that my school might not have the same manipulatives. I noticed students are expected to have individual sets of ten frame "dominoes". We just have one class set, but I could combine sets for a small group activity, or I could make paper sets. I just need to be prepared.
I also could change subjects and create lessons for language arts.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Thanks for the Back to School Help!
One more week until the little lovelies enter the classroom for a full day! I have had help in preparing for them from some new sources for me:
http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/ has great reading response sheets and a pretty goal sheet for the teacher. She shared her personal goals and they sounded like mine! I think I will be a better teacher if I manage to exercise more, become more organized up front, and teach more intentionally in language arts.
http://wiseowlteacher.blogspot.com/ has intrigued me with her pencil management system. Each child receives a prepared, labeled bag with 8 pencils for the week. At the end of the week, a student pencil manager picks up all the bags. If the pencils are returned for sharpening, a surprise and "I am a friend of pencils" card is given. Otherwise, an "oops" card is attached. I shall try this!
http://stepintosecondgrade.blogspot.com/ shares often and is a bright, pick-me-up type connection. I love seeing updates on her daughter who arrived 6 months ago from the Congo! Mrs. Lemons has given me the modeling of including basic words in Spanish to be more inclusive of our population. I don't know where I'll post them, but I like the idea.
I am thankful for these energetic bloggers.
http://whattheteacherwants.blogspot.com/ has great reading response sheets and a pretty goal sheet for the teacher. She shared her personal goals and they sounded like mine! I think I will be a better teacher if I manage to exercise more, become more organized up front, and teach more intentionally in language arts.
http://wiseowlteacher.blogspot.com/ has intrigued me with her pencil management system. Each child receives a prepared, labeled bag with 8 pencils for the week. At the end of the week, a student pencil manager picks up all the bags. If the pencils are returned for sharpening, a surprise and "I am a friend of pencils" card is given. Otherwise, an "oops" card is attached. I shall try this!
http://stepintosecondgrade.blogspot.com/ shares often and is a bright, pick-me-up type connection. I love seeing updates on her daughter who arrived 6 months ago from the Congo! Mrs. Lemons has given me the modeling of including basic words in Spanish to be more inclusive of our population. I don't know where I'll post them, but I like the idea.
I am thankful for these energetic bloggers.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Apps for Writing Encouragement
At ISTE in June, I focused on how to encourage students in writing with digital storytelling. Here are two apps I plan to use with 2nd graders:
30hands Mobile is a free app that allows teachers and students to write about and record impressions from photos.
The other is Write About This Free, which also uses photos to jumpstart writing. We can use a photo with accompanying sentence stem to write about, or take our own photo and start from scratch. The sentence stems can also be read aloud to the students.And the prompts can be differentiated!
I can't wait to use these.
Now I just need more iPads! And kids!
I can't wait to use these.
Now I just need more iPads! And kids!
Do You Love Fun Fonts?
Way back when, I had to make huge poster sized hand lettered fonts for graphics design class. It was so peaceful to work for days on drawing letters...and now it is so unnecessary.
I get lost admiring different fonts, and here Google has just what we need. When looking through fonts, we can sort by trending fonts or date added, etc. I love that!
I get lost admiring different fonts, and here Google has just what we need. When looking through fonts, we can sort by trending fonts or date added, etc. I love that!
About Google Fonts
Google Fonts makes it quick and easy for everyone to use web fonts, including professional designers and developers. We believe that everyone should be able to bring quality typography to their web pages and applications.
Our goal is to create a directory of web fonts for the world to use. Our API service makes it easy to add Google Fonts to a website in seconds. The service runs on Google's servers which are fast, reliable and tested. Google provides this service free of charge.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The Ins and Outs of Web 2.0
Prezi version of where to begin...I found it made me feel less overwhelmed, because most of this I'm familiar with.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Definition Of Digital Citzenship | Diigo
Definition Of Digital Citzenship | Diigo
I am using this poster for discussions highlighting what good digital citizenship looks like. These are small blurbs that can be used in 5 minute increments or for longer discussions. I am going to post it in my room next year and review the vocabulary more often.
I am using this poster for discussions highlighting what good digital citizenship looks like. These are small blurbs that can be used in 5 minute increments or for longer discussions. I am going to post it in my room next year and review the vocabulary more often.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Resource for Teachers
I enjoy receiving free resources and ideas from educators around the world. While I have increasingly used less paper, sometimes it just works best to make some copies. Cute graphics and fresh presentation can be just the thing to motivate students to continue to learn in May.
http://sendgrid.com/wf/webmail?rp=ZTI1bGQzTnNaWFIwWlhKZmFXUTZNVEl6TkN4MWMyVnlYMmxrT2pJMU5qVTBmUWV5SnVaWGR6YkdWMGRHVnlYMmxrSWpvaU1UVXlOelEzTmlJc0ltNWxkM05zWlhSMFpYSmZkWE5sY2w5cFpDSTZNakV5TmpNek5URTRNVGw5&utm_campaign=NL142March&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email
http://sendgrid.com/wf/webmail?rp=ZTI1bGQzTnNaWFIwWlhKZmFXUTZNVEl6TkN4MWMyVnlYMmxrT2pJMU5qVTBmUWV5SnVaWGR6YkdWMGRHVnlYMmxrSWpvaU1UVXlOelEzTmlJc0ltNWxkM05zWlhSMFpYSmZkWE5sY2w5cFpDSTZNakV5TmpNek5URTRNVGw5&utm_campaign=NL142March&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email
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