Read Across America is Coming!
Read Across America Day falls on March 3rd this year. If you are looking for ways to get your class involved, here is a link to the National Education Association's site that has several ideas and activities for teachers to use.
NEA Read Across America
NEA Read Across America
Parent-Teacher Conferences Tip Sheets
This week is our Parent-Teacher Conferences week and the building is filled with wonderful examples of student learning. As I was searching for information about effective Parent-Teacher Conferences, I came across this article. Good luck with your conferences; I know they will be successful!
Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets
Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets
Developing Your Own PLN
Lately I've been learning about developing my own Personal Learning Network and thought I would share with you one of the blogs I've been reading to help me understand just what a Personal Learning Network is. As busy as we all are, finding the time to attend conferences and workshops is hard to do, and I'm finding that a network of like-minded educators online helps fill the need I have to grow and learn. I can ask specific questions, read interesting and thought-provoking blogs, and learn about new strategies to try in the classroom. So. . . as I develop my own network, I will share some of the interesting sites I find, and as you find sites, please share with all of us. To get you started, here is the blog link I mentioned earlier. Happy networking!http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/11/teacher-tutorial-on-creating-personal.html
Full Steam Ahead!
It's early Saturday morning at my house and my husband is still asleep. I have a steaming cup of coffee in my hand and several professional journals and blogs to read. But before I dig into the reading, I want to share some of the accomplishments of the first few weeks of school. As I think about what our teachers and students have accomplished, I am amazed! It is easy to see the results of hard work in the hallways. Evidence of student learning is everywhere!
The Pre-School students are now walking down the hall, following their teacher and waving to the other children (and to me) as they walk by. They have taken on the routines of working together and following the procedures and routines of a school setting. They are busy learning and taking in everything around them. You can't help but smile when you walk into their classroom and see the evident enjoyment of listening to a wonderful book being read to them. Willard South is fortunate to have this classroom in our building.
Every year at this time, I always remember how much the Kindergarten teachers deserve a reward. Somehow, the Kindergarten teachers make it seem easy. They help their children make good choices and take care of misbehaviors in a manner that is firm, but always kind. Students are writing their names on their papers independently, learning to write about things that are important to them, and to look at books in a way that builds the foundation for reading. One of my favorite things to do is to ask kindergarteners what they like about school. Most always the answer is "my teacher."
Walk on down the hall and you come to the First Grade classrooms (at least most of them!) The jump between kindergarten and first grade is evident in the writing on the walls. The first grade students know they are readers and writers, and they love to share their fledgling abilities with anyone who asks. Walk into a classroom and you see readers and writers hunched over their tables, getting their mouths ready, stretching out words, and "doing the best they can" as teachers hustle from student to student.
Walk on up the hall and you run into the Second Grade. The second graders know the routines and are able to really run with the learning. They are readers and writers! Teachers tackle the craft of writing by having students "zoom in" on small details and send the students off to write independently while they conference with one student at a time. Lucy Calkins would be proud!
Third Grade amazes me this year! The teachers and students are working in teams. Students move in and out of small group and whole group activities, and the organization of where and when the students will be allows the teachers to maximize time on task. There seems to be a pride in the students for being a part of this new adventure.
Finally, we come to the Fourth Grade classrooms. Computers and net books enhance the learning. Anchor charts provide an insight to the learning and thinking going on in the classrooms. Not only the finished products of learning are displayed on the walls, but the process of the learning is highlighted on walls. Teachers are using wonderful read alouds to help students discuss and work with the many reading and writing standards they are expected to master.
All over the building, teachers are working very hard. They are implementing new reading, writing, and math curriculums. They are integrating language standards into the day-to-day work, and learning about the standards as they go. Teachers are entering student scores into our new assessment platform and using what they find out with the standards- based assessments to guide instruction. Teachers are very busy.
But. . . through it all, teachers are doing what they do best--making each student feel like they are important and can learn what they need to learn. We are all being asked to be learners this year. (I feel like a first year teacher many times.) There is a high learning curve and we will make mistakes, but just like our students, that is how we learn. As we as teachers, work on "mastering" the new, let's keep in mind the reason we do what we do; and that is the students we work with each day.
Take good care of yourself-your students depend on you. Let's make a difference one child at a time!
Happy reading and writing!
The Pre-School students are now walking down the hall, following their teacher and waving to the other children (and to me) as they walk by. They have taken on the routines of working together and following the procedures and routines of a school setting. They are busy learning and taking in everything around them. You can't help but smile when you walk into their classroom and see the evident enjoyment of listening to a wonderful book being read to them. Willard South is fortunate to have this classroom in our building.
Every year at this time, I always remember how much the Kindergarten teachers deserve a reward. Somehow, the Kindergarten teachers make it seem easy. They help their children make good choices and take care of misbehaviors in a manner that is firm, but always kind. Students are writing their names on their papers independently, learning to write about things that are important to them, and to look at books in a way that builds the foundation for reading. One of my favorite things to do is to ask kindergarteners what they like about school. Most always the answer is "my teacher."
Walk on down the hall and you come to the First Grade classrooms (at least most of them!) The jump between kindergarten and first grade is evident in the writing on the walls. The first grade students know they are readers and writers, and they love to share their fledgling abilities with anyone who asks. Walk into a classroom and you see readers and writers hunched over their tables, getting their mouths ready, stretching out words, and "doing the best they can" as teachers hustle from student to student.
Walk on up the hall and you run into the Second Grade. The second graders know the routines and are able to really run with the learning. They are readers and writers! Teachers tackle the craft of writing by having students "zoom in" on small details and send the students off to write independently while they conference with one student at a time. Lucy Calkins would be proud!
Third Grade amazes me this year! The teachers and students are working in teams. Students move in and out of small group and whole group activities, and the organization of where and when the students will be allows the teachers to maximize time on task. There seems to be a pride in the students for being a part of this new adventure.
Finally, we come to the Fourth Grade classrooms. Computers and net books enhance the learning. Anchor charts provide an insight to the learning and thinking going on in the classrooms. Not only the finished products of learning are displayed on the walls, but the process of the learning is highlighted on walls. Teachers are using wonderful read alouds to help students discuss and work with the many reading and writing standards they are expected to master.
All over the building, teachers are working very hard. They are implementing new reading, writing, and math curriculums. They are integrating language standards into the day-to-day work, and learning about the standards as they go. Teachers are entering student scores into our new assessment platform and using what they find out with the standards- based assessments to guide instruction. Teachers are very busy.
But. . . through it all, teachers are doing what they do best--making each student feel like they are important and can learn what they need to learn. We are all being asked to be learners this year. (I feel like a first year teacher many times.) There is a high learning curve and we will make mistakes, but just like our students, that is how we learn. As we as teachers, work on "mastering" the new, let's keep in mind the reason we do what we do; and that is the students we work with each day.
Take good care of yourself-your students depend on you. Let's make a difference one child at a time!
Happy reading and writing!