Fall is here. Really. With a vengeance. The rain today was intense, but the class was beautiful. It was so quiet and calm in the morning - so much work going on. We have changed up tracking just a bit. Instead of a daily tracking page, they've got four pages in their notebooks marked off for the week - one page for each area: language, math, science and practical life. Throughout the week, whenever they do a language work, they mark it on the language page. No need to mark time or day - just the work. Really makes it easy to see, "Oh, you haven't done any math yet this week. You should focus on that today . . . "
What do I do about the kids who constantly leave the room? The ones who 'have to go to the bathroom,' and 'need a drink real bad' pretty much all day long? I had one boy come into class an HOUR late this morning b/c he was in the bathroom. Really? You can't spend an hour in the bathroom, bud. You just can't. And then there's REB's drama, "You have NO IDEA the pain I went through yesterday!" Yep, and right now I don't care. Oh, that's harsh - tell me what happened so we can move on. Oh, you got smacked in the face with a swing? And you got a bloody nose? And it left a bruise? That's horrible. Now let's go one.
Sometimes I need to work on my compassion.
I think tracking a little differently is going to be a good thing.
I taught the 4th GL today, and the exclamation mark key experience. Both went pretty well. Tomorrow I'm going to finish out the 4th GL, and we're doing the 5th on Thursday. We're only a week behind schedule. I'm not super happy with how the Great Lessons were covered this year, but they're all going to be done, so there's that. I'm supposed to do Weather tomorrow (right? - yep), and I'm going to do the Suffix KE. I'm just plugging ahead.
Oh, and CB - what a firecracker. He's still working the anxiety attacks pretty hardcore - not to imply that he's putting on a show, or anything; they're definitely the real deal. Today with the storm, well, you can guess how he did. At recess he went outside even though the storm clouds were still present. What did he do though? Yoinked the ball from a little 1st grader from another class and ran across the field with her screaming and trailing behind him, only to THROW IT OVER THE FENCE on the other side. Seriously, buddy? WTF?
He got to hang out with me for the rest of recess. Maria Montessori would not have approved, I'm sure.
Showing posts with label Cultural Curriculum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cultural Curriculum. Show all posts
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Week 2
Readying myself for the second round. I'm down to 24 students - and we're hoping to keep it there. Unless I go lower, we won't have to draw anyone new. I have 15 boys and 9 girls, and a whole lot of new people. We're moving through GL1 extensions right now, but I can't wait to get to GL2 b/c my students are practically salivating over the materials on the botany and zoology shelves.
I got all of my students leveled - at least mostly - in the A-Z reading. I have a pink reader this year (!!) and one blue reader. Everyone else is green or beyond. I feel good about that. Tomorrow Kati is going to introduce the peacemaker of the month, who else but Dr. Montessori? I feel good about that. I have a model solar system that I'm going to put out. It's big, and I've borrowed it from my SIL's family. It's not at all to scale, but it's pretty cool. Then we're going to do our solar system walk.
We have started having our morning gathering right at 8:35. I like it. We gather for five minutes with songs or stories, and then we get right to business. That way we have our morning meeting and our cultural studies lesson all before 9AM (or shortly thereafter) and they get almost two uninterrupted hours of work time. Not enough, but better than last year.
So many students to mention, but I think I'm going to start making notes on a clipboard. By the time I get to the computer, it's all gone from my brain.
I'll check in during the week.
I got all of my students leveled - at least mostly - in the A-Z reading. I have a pink reader this year (!!) and one blue reader. Everyone else is green or beyond. I feel good about that. Tomorrow Kati is going to introduce the peacemaker of the month, who else but Dr. Montessori? I feel good about that. I have a model solar system that I'm going to put out. It's big, and I've borrowed it from my SIL's family. It's not at all to scale, but it's pretty cool. Then we're going to do our solar system walk.
We have started having our morning gathering right at 8:35. I like it. We gather for five minutes with songs or stories, and then we get right to business. That way we have our morning meeting and our cultural studies lesson all before 9AM (or shortly thereafter) and they get almost two uninterrupted hours of work time. Not enough, but better than last year.
So many students to mention, but I think I'm going to start making notes on a clipboard. By the time I get to the computer, it's all gone from my brain.
I'll check in during the week.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
New-found love of project work!
I can see that this transition is going to be a bit rocky, but I think it'll be worth it.
I put up language tasks on the board today. I put three sentences for analyze and symbolize - one real basic, one mid-level, and one advanced. I think about three students chose to do the work, which is fine with me, but what they're not grasping is that whether or not they do the sentences on the board, they need to do grammar, at some point, during the week.
But right now it's all about FREEDOM and this recent liberation from assigned tasks. I feel a little bit like I'm staring into the maw of the beast, but I know it'll work out.
So Kati and I are going to undermine someone's authority. Heh. Yeah, SJ sent three boys into my room today to do their work, "because they just won't do anything!" Um, the thing she was insisting they do: copying poetry into their notebooks. Why? I have no idea, but that was the task, and by golly these boys were going to do what they were told!
After school Kati and I talked about the ridiculousness of the whole thing, and we decided we're happy to host these boys in our classroom, but we're not going to make them do what she wants. Oh, we'll have them work, but we'll let them CHOOSE what to do while they're in our classroom. Ain't no one copying poetry against their will in my classroom.
I went to Diana's office to give her a heads-up, because it's probably going to piss SJ off. And that's just fine with me.
_____
Case Study: JS copied down ALL THREE SENTENCES on the board without any encouragement. In fact, it was entirely her decision to do it. She didn't analyze them, though, but I don't care. The fact that she did so much writing (ok, it wasn't *that* much) of her own free will . . . that's eye-popping. Some kids WILL do language works out of sheer desire. Even the JSs of the world. Wow.
I put up language tasks on the board today. I put three sentences for analyze and symbolize - one real basic, one mid-level, and one advanced. I think about three students chose to do the work, which is fine with me, but what they're not grasping is that whether or not they do the sentences on the board, they need to do grammar, at some point, during the week.
But right now it's all about FREEDOM and this recent liberation from assigned tasks. I feel a little bit like I'm staring into the maw of the beast, but I know it'll work out.
So Kati and I are going to undermine someone's authority. Heh. Yeah, SJ sent three boys into my room today to do their work, "because they just won't do anything!" Um, the thing she was insisting they do: copying poetry into their notebooks. Why? I have no idea, but that was the task, and by golly these boys were going to do what they were told!
After school Kati and I talked about the ridiculousness of the whole thing, and we decided we're happy to host these boys in our classroom, but we're not going to make them do what she wants. Oh, we'll have them work, but we'll let them CHOOSE what to do while they're in our classroom. Ain't no one copying poetry against their will in my classroom.
I went to Diana's office to give her a heads-up, because it's probably going to piss SJ off. And that's just fine with me.
_____
Case Study: JS copied down ALL THREE SENTENCES on the board without any encouragement. In fact, it was entirely her decision to do it. She didn't analyze them, though, but I don't care. The fact that she did so much writing (ok, it wasn't *that* much) of her own free will . . . that's eye-popping. Some kids WILL do language works out of sheer desire. Even the JSs of the world. Wow.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
I Loved Today
What a glorious day! Tower Tuesday went beautifully, and in the afternoon we encouraged project work, and what a sight it was! There were students busy at work on mats all over the floor. There were science experiments happening, there were art projects in the works based on zoology, matter and force and motion, and there were students hard at work on math and tower projects. Some students still had trouble settling (little JS among them), but I suspect it had more to do with the sudden and unexpected freedom granted to them. I believe it we make project work a central part of our classroom rather than an unexpected novelty, it will help the students normalize and find their path to knowledge.
I've been reading some great Montessori books, and it has been impressed on my mind that the heart and soul of a true Montessori classroom ought to be the cultural curriculum. Well, I looked at my own classroom and saw that, um, the cultural curriculum was getting the shaft, BIG TIME, in my classroom. So we're trying out some new things - one of them is encouraging project work, but the other is the demise of the morning tasks. We're not going to be giving set tasks each day, though the tasks will still be there. Students will be encouraged to complete the tasks, but we're not signing off anymore, and we're not having students miss recess anymore for not doing their tasks. We're trying to encourage a more organic Montessori experiences. We'll see how it goes.
We've decided we're going to back of of redhead RB and let her find her own way. We will continue to encourage work, but we will let her be sometimes too. It's kind of like what we did with JJ last year. She's smart and mostly on level, so we're going to back off of her academics and let her become socially normalized. I'm sure she'll get there - she's grown so much!
Oh yeah, one last thing: Kati and I are going to wean ourselves from "good job!" We both found ourselves saying it over and over - it's like tourettes for teachers! So we've enlisted the students to help. They are supposed to call us out whenever they hear it, and we'll be donating a penny per offense to the classroom cash collection. I expect the coins will add up quickly initially, but we're going to break the habit!
_____
Case Study
Without prodding or undue pressure from either me or Kati, JS got a tower done this morning. She wandered a bit in the afternoon. I found her hovering at the sewing table, and when I asked if she needed some help, she complained that "She wanted to sew, but RB was still not done." When I told her that she would have to wait until RB was done with her turn, she went to find something else to do, but it was almost like she needed someone to remind her that when a material is being used it is unavailable, and that while waiting for a turn with something we must occupy ourselves with something else. Hmm.
Later she wanted to do a science experiment, but we ran into the same problem: both of the experiment charts were in use, so she would need to choose a project that didn't require the chart or wait until a chart was available. Instead she put the materials away and chose to work on calligraphy at the light table. It turned out to be a good choice for her. She was able to put all of her attention on the strokes of her pen and produce some lovely script.
I've been reading some great Montessori books, and it has been impressed on my mind that the heart and soul of a true Montessori classroom ought to be the cultural curriculum. Well, I looked at my own classroom and saw that, um, the cultural curriculum was getting the shaft, BIG TIME, in my classroom. So we're trying out some new things - one of them is encouraging project work, but the other is the demise of the morning tasks. We're not going to be giving set tasks each day, though the tasks will still be there. Students will be encouraged to complete the tasks, but we're not signing off anymore, and we're not having students miss recess anymore for not doing their tasks. We're trying to encourage a more organic Montessori experiences. We'll see how it goes.
We've decided we're going to back of of redhead RB and let her find her own way. We will continue to encourage work, but we will let her be sometimes too. It's kind of like what we did with JJ last year. She's smart and mostly on level, so we're going to back off of her academics and let her become socially normalized. I'm sure she'll get there - she's grown so much!
Oh yeah, one last thing: Kati and I are going to wean ourselves from "good job!" We both found ourselves saying it over and over - it's like tourettes for teachers! So we've enlisted the students to help. They are supposed to call us out whenever they hear it, and we'll be donating a penny per offense to the classroom cash collection. I expect the coins will add up quickly initially, but we're going to break the habit!
_____
Case Study
Without prodding or undue pressure from either me or Kati, JS got a tower done this morning. She wandered a bit in the afternoon. I found her hovering at the sewing table, and when I asked if she needed some help, she complained that "She wanted to sew, but RB was still not done." When I told her that she would have to wait until RB was done with her turn, she went to find something else to do, but it was almost like she needed someone to remind her that when a material is being used it is unavailable, and that while waiting for a turn with something we must occupy ourselves with something else. Hmm.
Later she wanted to do a science experiment, but we ran into the same problem: both of the experiment charts were in use, so she would need to choose a project that didn't require the chart or wait until a chart was available. Instead she put the materials away and chose to work on calligraphy at the light table. It turned out to be a good choice for her. She was able to put all of her attention on the strokes of her pen and produce some lovely script.
Monday, January 11, 2010
I Believe in Montessori
I do. I believe that Montessori works, that it can work, and that it takes training and hard work for Montessori methods to pay off. It's a shame some people at Walden have decided to take the easier way. I will never set Montessori aside for something "better."
I don't understand when "doing Montessori" became optional at Walden.
I had a great day today. Math teams went swimmingly, and my language circles went beautifully. We had great work cycles in the morning and afternoon, and I taught a lesson about the Revolutionary War that had the kids wide-eyed and engaged.
In the afternoon I went into Jenessa's classroom to talk to her about math groups with second graders, and Buzz came in. There was chitchat for a few minutes, and then he got down to the business that had brought him down: would we be interested in having two grade classrooms instead of three grade classrooms.
I spoke up and said that I was opposed to the idea because it would completely mess up our three-year curriculum, and it's also a fundamental shift from what Montessori is.
The thing that has me all frustrated right now was the way he prefaced his question. I don't remember the exact phrasing, but the general idea was that there's a split in the school between the people who want us to be a Montessori school and the people who don't think it's all that important. Obviously, he has me, Jenessa and Sarai in the first group, and I got the feeling he thinks our position is seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, and that if we just *understood* how difficult it is to teach the state core using the Montessori method and materials we would jump off the bandwagon.
Thing is, I've already taught in a school where Montessori had been deemed less-than-good-enough and pushed aside for other methods. I would be sick if we ended up going that way because I know Montessori can work, that it does work, and that it will work when we have teachers who are trained to use the materials and the method. At some point some of our teachers stopped training to be Montessori teachers, and I feel like we are in danger of losing our way.
I was having this absolutely great day, and now all I can think about is this conversation.
____
I am feeling better about this because I emailed the above to Diana, and she responded very lovingly and was supportive of my feelings and concerns. Right now I'm researching 9-12 certification programs, and I am doubling-down on my 6-9 certification. I want to be done by the end of May so that I can go to a summer 9-12 program. I don't know what I'll do with my kiddos (Leo works and is probably not up to being a single parent for a month . . . ), but I'm thinking about it more seriously than ever before. I don't really *want* to teach in the 9-12, but I will if that's what is best for Walden.
And the rest of them, well, get trained or find another job. Seriously.
_____
Case Study
JS arrived early again today - she shows up 10-15 minutes early each day. Today's morning task was to complete a grammar box. She started with her green reading, which took her far longer than it needed to due to the fact that she illustrates all of her writing. I have tried to talk her out of doodling all over everything, but she doodles with great determination. It has proved difficult to move her past it. I am trying to find ways to encourage this creativity that do not derail her academic progress, but so far I am stymied. Between her green reading and her grammar box, she spent two hours on language work this morning. She barely got to her problems on the board before recess. She was on task most of the afternoon, and she completed her classroom job at cleanup time without being asked (she is a waste management officer - takes out the trash and recycling).
I don't understand when "doing Montessori" became optional at Walden.
I had a great day today. Math teams went swimmingly, and my language circles went beautifully. We had great work cycles in the morning and afternoon, and I taught a lesson about the Revolutionary War that had the kids wide-eyed and engaged.
In the afternoon I went into Jenessa's classroom to talk to her about math groups with second graders, and Buzz came in. There was chitchat for a few minutes, and then he got down to the business that had brought him down: would we be interested in having two grade classrooms instead of three grade classrooms.
I spoke up and said that I was opposed to the idea because it would completely mess up our three-year curriculum, and it's also a fundamental shift from what Montessori is.
The thing that has me all frustrated right now was the way he prefaced his question. I don't remember the exact phrasing, but the general idea was that there's a split in the school between the people who want us to be a Montessori school and the people who don't think it's all that important. Obviously, he has me, Jenessa and Sarai in the first group, and I got the feeling he thinks our position is seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, and that if we just *understood* how difficult it is to teach the state core using the Montessori method and materials we would jump off the bandwagon.
Thing is, I've already taught in a school where Montessori had been deemed less-than-good-enough and pushed aside for other methods. I would be sick if we ended up going that way because I know Montessori can work, that it does work, and that it will work when we have teachers who are trained to use the materials and the method. At some point some of our teachers stopped training to be Montessori teachers, and I feel like we are in danger of losing our way.
I was having this absolutely great day, and now all I can think about is this conversation.
____
I am feeling better about this because I emailed the above to Diana, and she responded very lovingly and was supportive of my feelings and concerns. Right now I'm researching 9-12 certification programs, and I am doubling-down on my 6-9 certification. I want to be done by the end of May so that I can go to a summer 9-12 program. I don't know what I'll do with my kiddos (Leo works and is probably not up to being a single parent for a month . . . ), but I'm thinking about it more seriously than ever before. I don't really *want* to teach in the 9-12, but I will if that's what is best for Walden.
And the rest of them, well, get trained or find another job. Seriously.
_____
Case Study
JS arrived early again today - she shows up 10-15 minutes early each day. Today's morning task was to complete a grammar box. She started with her green reading, which took her far longer than it needed to due to the fact that she illustrates all of her writing. I have tried to talk her out of doodling all over everything, but she doodles with great determination. It has proved difficult to move her past it. I am trying to find ways to encourage this creativity that do not derail her academic progress, but so far I am stymied. Between her green reading and her grammar box, she spent two hours on language work this morning. She barely got to her problems on the board before recess. She was on task most of the afternoon, and she completed her classroom job at cleanup time without being asked (she is a waste management officer - takes out the trash and recycling).
Saturday, January 9, 2010
20 Weeks to Go
THAT is a number that blows my mind. Not that I'm keeping track; we just happened to count how many weeks are left in the school year because we redid the classroom job chart, and then we counted to see if every student would have a chance to cycle through each job. They will - just barely.
The first week after break is done and gone. It was a good week. There was a lot of good work that got done, and the mood in the classroom was upbeat. I got key experiences done for the conjunction, the exclamation mark and synonyms. I also got a cool little language manual created for my students. I have a set of seven manuals that cover grammar topics (only for now - other topics to be added soon) spanning grades 2-4. What I love about it is that I'm going to split the kids into three groups and we're starting language circles. Each group will use the SAME MANUAL, and we'll all cover the same topic each day, but I can customize the lesson by having the students turn to different sections of the manual. It takes away the feeling of being more or less advanced than other groups. I'm tickled by the stealthiness of my plan.
We are also starting back up with our math teams on Monday. Each team gets math twice a week, and we will be giving workbook assignments, but they are to be completed in school - the workbooks won't be going home most of the time.
In the cultural curriculum, I introduced US history and geography and also did a key experience for the amphibian. Kati introduced desert habitats. After Kati's lesson Thursday, the class was very chaotic. I came back into the room and found overwhelming craziness, so she finished up and I called loudly, "OK, I want everyone to lie down on the floor! Just lie on your back and close your eyes. Make sure you're not touching anyone else." Some of them held onto the silly, but I eventually got everyone on their backs. Then I talked them through a yoga savasana (corpse pose). In a soft voice I talked them through giving their breath a color and feeling that color fill their bellies and flowing through their whole bodies. I talked them through letting their minds go blank and shooing away intruding thoughts like dry leaves being blown away by the wind.
Peace came back into the classroom.
I held them in savasana for about five minutes, and it was a beautiful feeling. After a few minutes I told them I would come around and touch them gently on the forehead. When I touched them, they were invited to *very quietly* get up and get their journals or DEAR books. It was a lovely end to the day.
SPEAKING OF DEAR. I had a revelation in training yesterday: MORE THAN ONE BOOK! Yes! I will have the students choose at least three books at the beginning of DEAR time, and then they *stay put* the whole time. No more up and down and up and down. No, they will sit and read. What a concept.
______
Case Study: JS, seven years old, 2nd grade. Non-traditional family.
This is the button child from last post. I have chosen to do a case study of this child so that I may better address her needs in the classroom. I will likely have her in my classroom for one more year at least, so I need some better options when it comes to encouraging her to make progress.
The first week after break is done and gone. It was a good week. There was a lot of good work that got done, and the mood in the classroom was upbeat. I got key experiences done for the conjunction, the exclamation mark and synonyms. I also got a cool little language manual created for my students. I have a set of seven manuals that cover grammar topics (only for now - other topics to be added soon) spanning grades 2-4. What I love about it is that I'm going to split the kids into three groups and we're starting language circles. Each group will use the SAME MANUAL, and we'll all cover the same topic each day, but I can customize the lesson by having the students turn to different sections of the manual. It takes away the feeling of being more or less advanced than other groups. I'm tickled by the stealthiness of my plan.
We are also starting back up with our math teams on Monday. Each team gets math twice a week, and we will be giving workbook assignments, but they are to be completed in school - the workbooks won't be going home most of the time.
In the cultural curriculum, I introduced US history and geography and also did a key experience for the amphibian. Kati introduced desert habitats. After Kati's lesson Thursday, the class was very chaotic. I came back into the room and found overwhelming craziness, so she finished up and I called loudly, "OK, I want everyone to lie down on the floor! Just lie on your back and close your eyes. Make sure you're not touching anyone else." Some of them held onto the silly, but I eventually got everyone on their backs. Then I talked them through a yoga savasana (corpse pose). In a soft voice I talked them through giving their breath a color and feeling that color fill their bellies and flowing through their whole bodies. I talked them through letting their minds go blank and shooing away intruding thoughts like dry leaves being blown away by the wind.
Peace came back into the classroom.
I held them in savasana for about five minutes, and it was a beautiful feeling. After a few minutes I told them I would come around and touch them gently on the forehead. When I touched them, they were invited to *very quietly* get up and get their journals or DEAR books. It was a lovely end to the day.
SPEAKING OF DEAR. I had a revelation in training yesterday: MORE THAN ONE BOOK! Yes! I will have the students choose at least three books at the beginning of DEAR time, and then they *stay put* the whole time. No more up and down and up and down. No, they will sit and read. What a concept.
______
Case Study: JS, seven years old, 2nd grade. Non-traditional family.
This is the button child from last post. I have chosen to do a case study of this child so that I may better address her needs in the classroom. I will likely have her in my classroom for one more year at least, so I need some better options when it comes to encouraging her to make progress.
Friday, October 23, 2009
I am a horrible person
We went to lunch today and received less than stellar service from the burger joint we visited. After we ate (after a 30 minute wait for our meals), I went in to complain. After I unloaded my frustration on this sweet blonde girl, she interrupted and informed me that they were short handed because their coworker died last night.
And then she started to cry.
What does this have to do with school? It was a clear reminder to me that I don't always know what is going on behind the scenes and that I am sometimes too quickly bothered, too easily angered. The behavior of the shop employees was frustrating to me, but there were extremely extenuating circumstances. How often are there extenuating circumstances with my students that influence their behavior, triggering my ire, yet I don't consider that the students have a life outside of class.
And now I'm babbling.
School went well this week. Tuesday I was back to work, and we did the verb key experience (that I was going to do on Monday). It went really well, and we're now analyzing whole sentences for grammar. In the afternoon I introduced Earth Studies and we talked about the layers of the earth. Wednesday Kati introduced our study of Biomes and Habitats, and Thursday I did the Kingdoms of Life lesson. I was well prepared for that lesson, and it went well. I also introduced our classroom microscope, to an audible GASP, from the students - that was exciting.
The new academy period started today. The students are enjoying their classes, and I'm looking forward to another four weeks of relaxing Fridays.
And then she started to cry.
What does this have to do with school? It was a clear reminder to me that I don't always know what is going on behind the scenes and that I am sometimes too quickly bothered, too easily angered. The behavior of the shop employees was frustrating to me, but there were extremely extenuating circumstances. How often are there extenuating circumstances with my students that influence their behavior, triggering my ire, yet I don't consider that the students have a life outside of class.
And now I'm babbling.
School went well this week. Tuesday I was back to work, and we did the verb key experience (that I was going to do on Monday). It went really well, and we're now analyzing whole sentences for grammar. In the afternoon I introduced Earth Studies and we talked about the layers of the earth. Wednesday Kati introduced our study of Biomes and Habitats, and Thursday I did the Kingdoms of Life lesson. I was well prepared for that lesson, and it went well. I also introduced our classroom microscope, to an audible GASP, from the students - that was exciting.
The new academy period started today. The students are enjoying their classes, and I'm looking forward to another four weeks of relaxing Fridays.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sick
Ugh, so sick. The whole world has the flu - swine or otherwise, no one really knows - and it has caught up with me. I knew it was only a matter of time, really. Both my kids have it, and today I woke up with the achy body, chills and nausea that heralds the onset of the yuck. Of course, I can't not go. So I pull myself together and head off to work. Where I sit and am a nearly useless lump. Awesome.
I got the rest of my students from yesterday leveled on reading comprehension. I'm finding this leveling process so fascinating. I can't wait to really get into reading comprehension work. I'm planning on sending reading packets home with students and doing round robins with students on similar levels and doing LOTS AND LOTS of comprehension work. It so needs to happen.
I was going to do a key experience for the verb and language lessons and an introduction to earth studies - movement of the earth - in the afternoon . . . none of which happened. I just didn't have it in me to do ANYTHING that required more than a modicum of energy.
Tomorrow is a half day and the jog-a-thon starts at 11:00. It'll be a pretty pointless day.
I got the rest of my students from yesterday leveled on reading comprehension. I'm finding this leveling process so fascinating. I can't wait to really get into reading comprehension work. I'm planning on sending reading packets home with students and doing round robins with students on similar levels and doing LOTS AND LOTS of comprehension work. It so needs to happen.
I was going to do a key experience for the verb and language lessons and an introduction to earth studies - movement of the earth - in the afternoon . . . none of which happened. I just didn't have it in me to do ANYTHING that required more than a modicum of energy.
Tomorrow is a half day and the jog-a-thon starts at 11:00. It'll be a pretty pointless day.
Monday, October 12, 2009
All Quiet
There is some serious sickness at Walden right now. My class had five kids out today, and the lower elementary had a total of more than 20 kids out. Crazy. I actually had six out until one student showed up an hour and a half late. Really? 90 minutes late?! C'mon parents! Step up! That is SO annoying.
So it was a quiet day. I only had 14 students, and we implemented our "get your works done" policy today. We talked about it starting last week, that students now need to complete (AND TRACK) four works in the morning or else they can use recess time to finish up. Is it "punishment?" I don't think so. It is extra time for the kids who have a hard time working. And it totally worked. I have students who have NEVER tracked themselves, not for lack of capability, just for, I don't know, lack of motivation. Today, most everyone was on task, working all morning and ready to go at recess time - with their trackers completed. Sweet.
I started leveling kids in reading comprehension today. Very enlightening. I have one student who was reading at grade level and scored above benchmarks on both accuracy and fluency, but after taking seven minutes to read the story (that benchmarks suggested ought to take four), I asked her to retell the story in her own words, and she shrugged saying, "I don't really remember." NO comprehension. I had another student who was the exact opposite. Well below benchmarks on accuracy and fluency, but above benchmarks on comprehension. Go figure. I am looking forward to having all my students leveled so I can start to really work on their comprehension. It is going to be interesting to see how they do.
I didn't follow through with a lot of my plan today, though. I was going to teach a language lesson on the line that I totally blew off, because, well, I had six kids out at the time. What's the point? Then I did an intro to Pre-Columbian North American civilizations that was really done by the seat of my pants. I should have prepared more, but the kids were attentive, and when the lesson was over, I placed the books on the history shelf, and I noticed that several of them were chosen during DEAR time. So I guess it went all right.
OH! I failed to mention the introduction of the North American passports last week! The book has a space for each North American country, and the students get to "visit" each country by doing a single-page study of the country and turning it in to the teacher. For each country visited, the students get that space of their passport book "stamped" with a flag sticker for the country. The kids are LOVING it! One of my students who tends to be a goof - lots of talking, not so much with the work - has already done THREE country reports. It's pretty amazing.
So that's it, Maria. I wonder how many students will be out tomorrow?
So it was a quiet day. I only had 14 students, and we implemented our "get your works done" policy today. We talked about it starting last week, that students now need to complete (AND TRACK) four works in the morning or else they can use recess time to finish up. Is it "punishment?" I don't think so. It is extra time for the kids who have a hard time working. And it totally worked. I have students who have NEVER tracked themselves, not for lack of capability, just for, I don't know, lack of motivation. Today, most everyone was on task, working all morning and ready to go at recess time - with their trackers completed. Sweet.
I started leveling kids in reading comprehension today. Very enlightening. I have one student who was reading at grade level and scored above benchmarks on both accuracy and fluency, but after taking seven minutes to read the story (that benchmarks suggested ought to take four), I asked her to retell the story in her own words, and she shrugged saying, "I don't really remember." NO comprehension. I had another student who was the exact opposite. Well below benchmarks on accuracy and fluency, but above benchmarks on comprehension. Go figure. I am looking forward to having all my students leveled so I can start to really work on their comprehension. It is going to be interesting to see how they do.
I didn't follow through with a lot of my plan today, though. I was going to teach a language lesson on the line that I totally blew off, because, well, I had six kids out at the time. What's the point? Then I did an intro to Pre-Columbian North American civilizations that was really done by the seat of my pants. I should have prepared more, but the kids were attentive, and when the lesson was over, I placed the books on the history shelf, and I noticed that several of them were chosen during DEAR time. So I guess it went all right.
OH! I failed to mention the introduction of the North American passports last week! The book has a space for each North American country, and the students get to "visit" each country by doing a single-page study of the country and turning it in to the teacher. For each country visited, the students get that space of their passport book "stamped" with a flag sticker for the country. The kids are LOVING it! One of my students who tends to be a goof - lots of talking, not so much with the work - has already done THREE country reports. It's pretty amazing.
So that's it, Maria. I wonder how many students will be out tomorrow?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Upcoming
We will be focusing on the 4th Great Lesson for the coming week (Project Day on Friday - health and wellness), and then Kati will present the 5th Great Lesson next Monday. After that - content areas! We'll be introducing zoology, botany, history and geography - and all the fun stuff that go along with the cultural curriculum. We're doing things a bit differently this year. We laid out a whole three year plan for the entire cultural curriculum so instead of doing 1st, 2nd and 3rd year lessons in every cultural topic, we'll be doing each topic in depth once every three years. So no mad rush to get through the entire botany curriculum (with three level lessons for each part of each system - egads!) No, we're doing only the roots, stems and leaves this year. In history, instead of rushing like made in an attempt to cover the entire history of man from prehistory to the present, and not even making an attempt to cover anything other than western civilizations, this year we're doing paleo-indian civilizations, Mayan/Aztec civilizations, US History and Utah history. You won't be surprised to learn that our area of focus for geography is North America, the US and Utah. You mean the history units can follow the physical and political geography units? Brilliant.
And so forth - you get the idea.
Even though it means that there will be more prep and more to get done each day, I'm excited for the cultural curriculum to really take off. It's going to be a lot of fun.
And so forth - you get the idea.
Even though it means that there will be more prep and more to get done each day, I'm excited for the cultural curriculum to really take off. It's going to be a lot of fun.
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