What a day. What a week.
This morning there was a cloud burst. There were two, actually. The kids were excited and wanted to jump up and run to the windows - except for one little guy, who held his hands to his ears and was shaking with fear. Terrified. This boy is outgoing and gregarious, always a ball of energy, but this storm had him absolutely gobsmacked with fear. I hurried him into the hall where he couldn't hear the pounding of the hail, and that helped, but later as the storm clouds continued to march - black and ominous - across the valley, he just about lost it. We called his mom, and she came and got him. She explained that last summer they had a pretty scary event where they hydroplaned on the freeway in the midst of a horrible downpour, and I could see where his fear came from. Poor guy.
We put an actual circle on the floor this week in the hopes of regaining some control over line time. With chairs and the bench and rows our line time had become a circus of attempting to keep kids from hiding, wiggling, moving (as in, getting up and moving mid-lesson) and talking. On Monday they were so horrid to the music teacher that she left early, and by the end of the day I was 100% done. I was trying to teach a lesson, and there was chaos and confusion, and they wouldn't just shut the hell up and be still. Finally I threw a little tantrum. I threw my marker onto the floor and stormed off to sit in the peace corner. I grabbed the peace object and tried to calm down. There was immediate quiet - for a few seconds - followed by LOUD, YELLING, ACCUSATORY, "It was YOU!" "No, it was YOU!" "QUIET EVERYONE!" Counterproductive, everyone. Really.
Kati took line and tried to encourage some calm, but it didn't do much good. Meanwhile, one student came over by the peace corner and asked, "Miss Shelly, are you OK?" I was so upset that I couldn't even look at her, but her inquiry kind of broke my dam. I had to pull the curtain around me so no one would see that I was crying.
It took several minutes, but finally I felt like going back to line. When I got there I told them that we would be having a meeting the next day about respect but that I was too upset to even talk to them about it just then. Then I told them that they would be sitting quietly on line until their names were called for pickup. The next morning I asked Kati to lead the discussion. She did a stellar job. She brought over the peace object and the picture of Maria Montessori to, 'preside over our discussion.' It went very well, and our line time has been MUCH better since then.
We are also transitioning to being a 'whispering classroom.' With 24 students in the room, it is just too loud even for inside voices. The volume is killing me, so we're whispering. We've been at it two days, and they're doing OK. Teresa tells me it takes two months of training for students to really get it.
Oh, AND this week we had our Timp Lodge outing. Fun - as always (except for the junior high girls writhing in shaving cream - yuck), but also stressful - as always.
Upcoming:
Parent teacher conferences - tomorrow and Friday
Canyon walk field trip - Next Friday (Another field trip?! Didn't we just do this? Yes, yes we did.)
Fall break is only two and a half weeks away!
AMS conference is only four weeks away!
Showing posts with label Prepared Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prepared Environment. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Boundaries
Letting my students normalize is so frightening. We've made classwork much more child-directed and have really backed off of the "you must do XYZ." Not surprisingly, many of the students have taken this to mean, "WOOHOO! I don't have to do anything at school!" It is unnerving as a teacher to watch students spend whole afternoons doing finger weaving and art projects while the math and language shelves languish unattended. Still, I am confident the children can learn to use their time wisely and will come out of this euphoric state of doing nothing for the sake of doing nothing, though in the meantime it is decidedly uncomfortable.
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Case Study
Take JS for example. She has done some good language works on her own in the last couple of weeks - writing sentences for analysis and staying on top of her green reading phonics, but then she has a day like today where she does one "academic" work and then spends the rest of the day doing nothing -or what I pessimistically call 'nothing.' She did an art project and spent HUGE amounts of time both in the morning and the afternoon doing handwork - finger weaving, only not really, in the morning and making 'dust bunnies' in the afternoon. Is this work she is proud of? I know that my view of the situation really colors my interpretation of the facts, and I'm trying to see the other side of it.
_____
Case Study
Take JS for example. She has done some good language works on her own in the last couple of weeks - writing sentences for analysis and staying on top of her green reading phonics, but then she has a day like today where she does one "academic" work and then spends the rest of the day doing nothing -or what I pessimistically call 'nothing.' She did an art project and spent HUGE amounts of time both in the morning and the afternoon doing handwork - finger weaving, only not really, in the morning and making 'dust bunnies' in the afternoon. Is this work she is proud of? I know that my view of the situation really colors my interpretation of the facts, and I'm trying to see the other side of it.
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!
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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, October 19, 2009
Routines
Dear Maria,
I'm home sick today - first sick day of the year - and I'm thinking of the lessons I had planned for today and how missing ONE day throws my routine all to hell. Actually, I've been sick for a week now, starting last Monday, and my routine has been off for a while. How will I get back on track? Do I blow off one day (a week, really) and pick up tomorrow like nothing happened? Will it take some time for *me* to feel like I'm back on top of things? Will my students show the effects of having their routines messed up?
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of getting my shit back together, and I'm not entirely sure why. I know I can do this, and I know my kids are resilient.
I need chocolate.
I'm home sick today - first sick day of the year - and I'm thinking of the lessons I had planned for today and how missing ONE day throws my routine all to hell. Actually, I've been sick for a week now, starting last Monday, and my routine has been off for a while. How will I get back on track? Do I blow off one day (a week, really) and pick up tomorrow like nothing happened? Will it take some time for *me* to feel like I'm back on top of things? Will my students show the effects of having their routines messed up?
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of getting my shit back together, and I'm not entirely sure why. I know I can do this, and I know my kids are resilient.
I need chocolate.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
One of those days
You ever have one of those days, Maria? One of those days where you have no motivation? No energy? No get-up-and-go?
Today was one of those days for me.
It didn't start out as such. No, that's not entirely true. Yesterday we got back from Timp Lodge around 2:45 (Teresa and I were the last to roll in because we waited at the lodge until all of the parents had left - to make sure everyone had gone), and when I went into the room, the students were all busily, and fairly quietly I might add, engaged in project work. Kati said the kids had gotten back to work without so much as a suggestion from her. I had thought to have them write in their journals and DEAR until pickup, but instead I let them keep working on their projects.
Yeah, it was a good idea, except for the part where they left the room an unholy disaster.
Coming in to work to a room that was so messy and chaotic, well, it was not the best foot to start on. The kids didn't seem to mind much, but I was totally discombobulated by it. Still, the students came in and did their morning tasks (mechanics today), and the day got underway in the normal fashion. I was thinking of doing the suffix functions lesson I had planned for yesterday, but instead I did capitalization rules. Felt rushed and unprepared - because I was.
I went out at lunchtime to get crickets for Viejo and picked up lunch for everyone at Cafe Rio. Got back and realized that I had forgotten to make Cait's lunch, and now it's late, and eat your lunch, and this is where the disconnect started for me. The rest of the day I kind of wandered in a fog. Kati did three small group lessons on types of triangles, and I just sat around watching. Watching her lessons, watching kids work (and not work), watching the clock tick off the minutes. I was going to do Lois's lesson from training - with the children of the world and the M&Ms, but instead I watched.
We cleaned up around 2:00 and went outside for movement activities. We played Fruit Salad, but it didn't work so well because we were sitting on the grass, and everytime "fruit salad" was called it was just a huge chaotic mess of students scrambling for open spots, but there were no defined spots. So then we played Red Rover, which worked out fine until JS got hurt, and then there was drama as all my attention seekers decided they were in horrible pain too.
I was less than sympathetic when LH sobbed and carried on as though the world had come to an end because "her head hurt." I told her to go out in the hall and get a drink of water and pull herself together. Seriously.
So, to sum up:
What I intended to do:
Today was one of those days for me.
It didn't start out as such. No, that's not entirely true. Yesterday we got back from Timp Lodge around 2:45 (Teresa and I were the last to roll in because we waited at the lodge until all of the parents had left - to make sure everyone had gone), and when I went into the room, the students were all busily, and fairly quietly I might add, engaged in project work. Kati said the kids had gotten back to work without so much as a suggestion from her. I had thought to have them write in their journals and DEAR until pickup, but instead I let them keep working on their projects.
Yeah, it was a good idea, except for the part where they left the room an unholy disaster.
Coming in to work to a room that was so messy and chaotic, well, it was not the best foot to start on. The kids didn't seem to mind much, but I was totally discombobulated by it. Still, the students came in and did their morning tasks (mechanics today), and the day got underway in the normal fashion. I was thinking of doing the suffix functions lesson I had planned for yesterday, but instead I did capitalization rules. Felt rushed and unprepared - because I was.
I went out at lunchtime to get crickets for Viejo and picked up lunch for everyone at Cafe Rio. Got back and realized that I had forgotten to make Cait's lunch, and now it's late, and eat your lunch, and this is where the disconnect started for me. The rest of the day I kind of wandered in a fog. Kati did three small group lessons on types of triangles, and I just sat around watching. Watching her lessons, watching kids work (and not work), watching the clock tick off the minutes. I was going to do Lois's lesson from training - with the children of the world and the M&Ms, but instead I watched.
We cleaned up around 2:00 and went outside for movement activities. We played Fruit Salad, but it didn't work so well because we were sitting on the grass, and everytime "fruit salad" was called it was just a huge chaotic mess of students scrambling for open spots, but there were no defined spots. So then we played Red Rover, which worked out fine until JS got hurt, and then there was drama as all my attention seekers decided they were in horrible pain too.
I was less than sympathetic when LH sobbed and carried on as though the world had come to an end because "her head hurt." I told her to go out in the hall and get a drink of water and pull herself together. Seriously.
So, to sum up:
What I intended to do:
- Suffix functions lesson on morning line
- Spelling tests for blue and green readers
- Hunger lesson
- Individual lessons/small group lessons throughout the day
- Movement activity in the afternoon
- Capitalization rules lesson on morning line
- Movement activity in the afternoon
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