Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
Crazy Making Things People Say About Reading
Have I mentioned that I'm a bit of a reading fanatic?
I believe my job is to inspire kids to love reading. Sometimes people say things about reading that make me c-r-a-z-y!
Picture link
Someone who was working with a sibling of a child after school. She said, "His brother had nothing to do and he was just reading. I figured he could do something better so I gave him an ipad to practice math facts."
Someone who teaches a group of kids who are super smart and get their work done quickly. She said, "I have to work really hard to come up with more activities for them because if I don't they just sit and read."
One mom told me, "I like to read but I never do because if I do my house falls apart." Um, I've been to your house. Looks to me like you do a fair bit of reading :) (oops....did I say that out loud?)
I was talking with a lady I know who told me her sister is in a book club. She said, "I just don't believe that people can read a book every single month."
I didn't dare tell her I tend to read 1 or 2 a week.
I believe my job is to inspire kids to love reading. Sometimes people say things about reading that make me c-r-a-z-y!
Someone who was working with a sibling of a child after school. She said, "His brother had nothing to do and he was just reading. I figured he could do something better so I gave him an ipad to practice math facts."
Someone who teaches a group of kids who are super smart and get their work done quickly. She said, "I have to work really hard to come up with more activities for them because if I don't they just sit and read."
One mom told me, "I like to read but I never do because if I do my house falls apart." Um, I've been to your house. Looks to me like you do a fair bit of reading :) (oops....did I say that out loud?)
I was talking with a lady I know who told me her sister is in a book club. She said, "I just don't believe that people can read a book every single month."
I didn't dare tell her I tend to read 1 or 2 a week.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Tri-Optimal Learning
Today I got to attend a PD session with Heather McDonald and Karine Clay.
We learned all about neuroplasticity, attachment and ecology and and their "Tri-Optimal Learning Strategies" model. We learned how all those things affect learning and behavior.
The best part was we discussed specific behaviors and why they might occur and ways to respond. Often it is just easiest to say: I think the kid is doing that to make me crazy! Or they're doing it because they're lazy. Or they're just unmotivated. However, Heather and Karine's theory is kids do want to succeed. They don't purposely fail. There are factors in their lives that bring out these behaviors and we have to learn to understand those factors and work with them.
It was hard work - but this is the work I love. It makes me think differently about the children in my class. It makes me more thoughtful and kind. That doesn't mean I always have to be soft. I learned today that there are some students who I need to be more curt with. I need to enable them less. I need to be more demanding.
It was a tiring day. They came and observed me teach in the morning. We met at 11:30 and de-briefed. We worked through lunch and talked about strategies for different behaviors. After school was an open meeting for all the staff to come and ask questions. It was great because we could say, "I have a student that does this and this and I've tried that and that and that and it isn't working." and they gave us great advice.
I love days like this!
Here is some of the other work Heather and Karine have been doing:
We learned all about neuroplasticity, attachment and ecology and and their "Tri-Optimal Learning Strategies" model. We learned how all those things affect learning and behavior.
The best part was we discussed specific behaviors and why they might occur and ways to respond. Often it is just easiest to say: I think the kid is doing that to make me crazy! Or they're doing it because they're lazy. Or they're just unmotivated. However, Heather and Karine's theory is kids do want to succeed. They don't purposely fail. There are factors in their lives that bring out these behaviors and we have to learn to understand those factors and work with them.
It was hard work - but this is the work I love. It makes me think differently about the children in my class. It makes me more thoughtful and kind. That doesn't mean I always have to be soft. I learned today that there are some students who I need to be more curt with. I need to enable them less. I need to be more demanding.
It was a tiring day. They came and observed me teach in the morning. We met at 11:30 and de-briefed. We worked through lunch and talked about strategies for different behaviors. After school was an open meeting for all the staff to come and ask questions. It was great because we could say, "I have a student that does this and this and I've tried that and that and that and it isn't working." and they gave us great advice.
I love days like this!
Here is some of the other work Heather and Karine have been doing:
Monday, February 9, 2015
Dav Pilkey Comes to Town!
There was a email that went out with very little fanfare announcing that Dav Pilkey was coming to town. I love listening to authors, especially ones that kids love - so I was quick to add it to my calendar. The experience didn't disappoint. The theatre was filled by 1:45. THAT was disappointing - but luckily they quickly announced that he would do a second show so I stuck around. There was good entertainment in the library during the wait. There were parents and kids waiting around on the second floor of the library - a few impatient kids and a number of frazzled parents. It's easy to laugh and watch them when you're not the one with the frazzled kids!
He had a great presentation.
Dav Pilkey is a soft spoken and rather quiet fellow who has a great story. In his presentation, he told the story of his second grade teacher. Oh how I pray I'm never one of those teachers kids talk about years later!
One strong message he gave was to turn your differences into super powers. He has ADHD and dyslexia and really struggled in school, but he took his talents and became a great success. It is a wonderful story! He drew pictures of characters in his books then asked a question about the character. Kids got to keep the picture and also won a gift card and some other things. If only there was enough for every kid there.....they ALL seemed to know his books inside and out!
One of the things I love about these kinds of presentations is the audience. This audience was full of kids who knew his stories inside and out. They were so fun to watch as he interacted with them. There weren't any questions he could stump them with.
I always wondered about his name - why there isn't an 'e' at the end. I learned that the spelling of his first name came from when he worked at a Pizza Hut, when the "e" was omitted from his nametag. Even though it is spelled Dav, it is pronounced "Dave" (rhyming with "cave" and "brave").
He had a great presentation.
Dav Pilkey is a soft spoken and rather quiet fellow who has a great story. In his presentation, he told the story of his second grade teacher. Oh how I pray I'm never one of those teachers kids talk about years later!
One strong message he gave was to turn your differences into super powers. He has ADHD and dyslexia and really struggled in school, but he took his talents and became a great success. It is a wonderful story! He drew pictures of characters in his books then asked a question about the character. Kids got to keep the picture and also won a gift card and some other things. If only there was enough for every kid there.....they ALL seemed to know his books inside and out!
One of the things I love about these kinds of presentations is the audience. This audience was full of kids who knew his stories inside and out. They were so fun to watch as he interacted with them. There weren't any questions he could stump them with.
He showed us a picture of a cave where we actually wrote his Cave Man books. He has a house in Japan (his wife is Japanese) and he discovered this cave near his home. So cool!
Some people like to poo poo his books. This is a great article on why kids should be given choice to read. I am a fan of books that get kids reading - and his books definitely do that.
I always wondered about his name - why there isn't an 'e' at the end. I learned that the spelling of his first name came from when he worked at a Pizza Hut, when the "e" was omitted from his nametag. Even though it is spelled Dav, it is pronounced "Dave" (rhyming with "cave" and "brave").
Friday, February 6, 2015
Early Dismissal Days
Last year our school district decided to start having Early Dismissal days. My children have had early dismissals and I must confess, I thought it was filled with easy afternoons for teachers: extra time to catch up and get ready for the next week.
Maybe it is for some, but it sure isn't for us! We seem to have more meetings and more PD jammed into our early dismissal days than I ever imagined could be possible. They are busy days.
For some reason, we also seem to jam extra stuff into the mornings with students on early dismissal days. There certainly not days to miss!
Today we had a spell-a-thon, did a comic life project, traded Artist Trading Cards, had gym and even had a little time for "Free Friday"! I'm exhausted!
It's a good kind of exhaustion though. My professional growth plan this year was to implement the strategies taught in Kagan and CHAMPs more effectively. I'm learning to have quick transitions and better classroom management and the amount we accomplish in a day is increasing as my students and I get better at it all.
Who am I kidding. Early Dismissal days aren't the only jam packed days!
Maybe it is for some, but it sure isn't for us! We seem to have more meetings and more PD jammed into our early dismissal days than I ever imagined could be possible. They are busy days.
For some reason, we also seem to jam extra stuff into the mornings with students on early dismissal days. There certainly not days to miss!
Today we had a spell-a-thon, did a comic life project, traded Artist Trading Cards, had gym and even had a little time for "Free Friday"! I'm exhausted!
It's a good kind of exhaustion though. My professional growth plan this year was to implement the strategies taught in Kagan and CHAMPs more effectively. I'm learning to have quick transitions and better classroom management and the amount we accomplish in a day is increasing as my students and I get better at it all.
Who am I kidding. Early Dismissal days aren't the only jam packed days!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Shapes of Pillars
Today we tried to find out which shape of pillar is the strongest: rectangular, triangular or cylindrical.
Check out our cylindrical pillar! It stood strongest!
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