Summer PD ~ Celebrate #14

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week.

Today I celebrate summer learning.

Betsy Hubbard from Two Writing Teachers wrote about making summer learning plans to achieve goals in the classroom next year.  Summer learning is one of the best parts of summer.  

I have attended several conferences and workshops already this summer, and still have a few left. Sharing our learning ranks right up there with making the plans.  Together, we can improve our own learning, and in the process, strengthen our students' learning as well. I will be writing blog posts about my summer learning, in hopes that you may learn something too!

I spent two days last week at an eLearn conference, and Alice Keeler was the keynote speaker and also presented several sessions on Google Classroom.  Alice knows Google!  

I kept hearing over and over again about using Google Slides in my classroom.  I have dabbled in Google Classroom and created small collaborative presentations, but I was excited to come home and start thinking about how I could use this tech tool in my classroom.  

Imagine presenting a question to the class, and each student responding on a Google Slide.  If you have any experience with Google Slides, then I am sure you are thinking - utter chaos.  

This may not be easy in the beginning, but Alice assures me that they will get better at it.  The end result is a slide show with all of their responses.  What a great way to collaborate, as well as to create deep class discussions and teaching moments around their responses.

Alice wrote a blog post about using Google Slides to have students introduce themselves at the beginning of the year.  Here is the link to that post and step by step directions.

In order to share our learning this summer (and for me to practice too!) I have created a collaborative Google Slide presentation.  Click on the link below, upload a picture, and share something you have learned this summer.  Then come back and take a look at all the summer learning!

Add your summer learning slide here and celebrate summer learning with me!

Summer PD ~ Conver-Stations

I love many things about summer:  reading by the pool, eating summer produce, sleeping in, and taking time for me.  But at the top of my list is personal learning. Summer grants us time to read professional development books, collaborate on-line and in real time, and attend professional development conferences and workshops.

People frequently ask me why do I "waste (their word, not mine!) my summer with school stuff?"

My answer is simple.  First of all I do not consider it a waste.  I do it because I am a learner, and I want to improve my teaching and my students' learning.  Over these next fews weeks, I hope to share some of my learning with all of you.

I taught 4th and 5th grade for seven years before I became a middle school teacher. As an elementary teacher I created learning stations or choices which I preferred to call them.  A part of me misses this type of learning because it was so easy to differentiate and keep students engaged.

I attended a session this week presented by Jill Lyday and Melanie Martz from our Indiana Department of Education which put a twist on station work in the secondary classroom.  They presented a learning strategy called Conver-Stations.  I absolutely love this idea because it can be adapted to any content area and with many types of texts.

Here's how it works!

Procedure:

1. Select a text.  We read an article, but this strategy could easily be used with a poem, an image, or even a video.
2. Prepare an essential question which could encourage deep discussion. 
3. Have students read and annotate the text.  If you use a video or image, notes could be taken.
4. Divide into groups and have groups discuss the text and the essential question.  During the discussion students record good discussion points from others.
5. After 2-3 minutes, rotate 1-2 students into another group.  The number of rotations and students who rotate will depend on the class size.
6. Continue discussion for several "conver-stations" and then come back as a whole group to share out.

Benefits:

1. Gets kids moving.  Many students find it difficult to sit still and stay engaged.  This allows students to get up and move around.
2. Facilitates deep discussion. I found when doing this activity, the first question asked was what did you talk about in your other group?  These stations allow the discussion to go in different directions and give different perspectives, one that the group may not have thought of.  
3. Creates a culture of learning.  Every student is involved in the discussion, unlike what you may have in a whole group discussion.  Having the students record discussion points from others, gives introverted students more confidence to share with others.  It helps them to contribute to the conversation.

Conver-stations have so much potential.  I can't wait to start using this strategy in my classroom.

If you wish to view this strategy in action, here is a link to a video from Teaching Channel!

Grandma - Celebrate #13

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week. 

Today I celebrate my grandma.  I am 51 years old and lucky to still have my grandma in my life.  She will turn 91 in just a few weeks.  Tonight I sit with her and watch her sleep, understanding that the mind is such a fragile thing.  And I write these words which are on my heart.

Grandma

slowly

day by day

pieces of her 

leave unexpectedly

without saying goodbye

words escape her

so we sit together

and enjoy 

a silent conversation

memories are mere moments 

of another person's life

one she doesn't remember

a moment of hope

a sparkle in her eye

she knows me

if for only for a short while

and I smile

and say

I love you, 

Grandma

Have a great week, and may you find many celebrations along the way.

#CyberPD and Me

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

I have wanted to write this post for some time, so when Michelle Nero, Cathy Mere, and Laura Komos announced the title chosen for this summer's #CyberPD, I knew it was time.  I was not only excited about the book they chose because I already owned it, but also because I am in the book.

Here is my story...

It was the first week in August.  I was looking through my Twitter feed when I came across a tweet by Kate Roberts asking if anyone was in school yet who would be interested in piloting a lesson for a new book she was writing.

We were to start school the next day, so I tweeted her back saying I might be interested.  She asked for my email so she could explain what she was wanting.  After giving me a couple of days to settle in with my kids, she outlined what she needed me to do ~ teach a lesson, make an anchor chart, and have kids write.  Luckily for me, that's pretty much what I do.

After several emails back and forth, I taught the lesson, made the chart, took pictures of everything, and sent it off.  In every email I sent her, I always said, "If this isn't what you want, please let me know.  I will not be offended if it isn't."  I am sure Kate was tired of reading that, but I wanted to give her an opportunity to opt out if I totally bombed this!  But she was extremely helpful and gracious!

In the acknowledgments, Kate and Maggie say, "Deep gratitude goes to Leigh Anne Eck, our first brave Twitter contributor."  I laugh because it is easy being brave when you can hide behind the veil of social media. I consider myself to be a lucky Twitter contributor.  I asked Kate why they chose Twitter to find contributors.  She said some of it was timing, but also that they wanted to widen their community and wasn't sure how to do that.  Then realized they had a whole tribe to reach out to online.  I just happened to be the lucky tribe member that day!  

Check out page 40 and 41!

I also asked her why me?  Why someone who teaches in the middle of cornfields in southern Indiana when she knew so many other teachers in other prominent cities?  She said that they already had work from urban and suburban schools and liked the idea that I represented another kind of school.  They wanted to know that the work they were doing would work in most schools, and I helped them to see that.  

Who would have thought that one little tweet would have landed me in this book?  I know it is just a small part, but it certainly created some excitement in our school in this small little town.  And I am extremely grateful that they took a chance on us.

Almost a year ago, at the All Write conference in Warsaw, Indiana, I saw both Kate and Maggie present.  They are phenonimal educators, mentors, and presenters.  At that time, I did not know that two months later I was going to be asked to help them.  I regret not being brave enough to come from behind the veil of social media and meet them face to face.  

Kate and Maggie, hopefully I will get another chance to meet you some day soon.  I will no longer be hiding!

My student's writing!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers cohost It's Monday! What Are You Reading?  Be sure and stop by to participate or see what others are reading and recommending this week.

It has been such a long time since I have participated in IMWAYR!  But I am happy to share my reading life with you this week.  Hopefully with summer having arrived, I will be able to share more often.

Saving Wonder by Mary Knight

Living in southern Indiana, the coal mining industry is important to many of many students.  When I first read the blurb about this book in Scholastic, I thought it would be a book for many of my students to see connections.  As I read it, it took a turn toward many "big coal" issues that we are faced with today, and I was afraid how my students would react to this.  Many students know that coal is their livelihood and many of their families are currently facing difficult times because of the controversy.  But this book was about so much more than coal.  It was about the power words and how we can use words to accomplish great goals ~ a lesson we could probably all learn from.

Weekends with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban

Max's parents are divorced, and he spends his weekends with his dad.  Adjusting to this new life, he learns that he can have a home with both his mom and his dad.  Many of my students live a life just like Max, and I think this book will help them to understand they are not alone.  This is a perfect book for those 2nd and 3rd grade readers who are ready for chapter books.

Wish by Barbara O'Connor

(I received an ARC of this book from the publisher)

My all time favorite Barbara O'Connor book was How to Steal a Dog...until I read Wish. Charlie and Howard stole my heart. This book is about family, friendship, and hope. But most importantly it is about finding out that what you wish for isn't always what you really want. Wish will make a wonderful read aloud for all ages. 

Maxi's Secrets by Lynn Plourde

(I received an ARC of this book from the publisher)

I am not a dog person.  With that being said, I loved this book, and I loved Maxi!  We learn a secret, or what I prefer to call a lesson, from Maxi with each chapter.  This book is a true love story - between a boy and his dog.  (Chapter 49 is the shortest chapter, but the most powerful lesson of all!)

Reimagining My Teaching Space

Digilit Sunday

Today I am participating in Digital Learning Sunday with Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche.  This week Margaret has encouraged us to write about reimagining space or decluttering. 

This morning when I received the notification from Margaret about today's writing idea, I also received an email/newsletter from Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy titled "The Gut-Level Teacher Reflection."  Both ideas have some similarities in reimagining my teaching space. Here is the link to Jennifer's blog post and podcast.  

In this post, Jennifer leads us through questions to help reflect or "reimagine" five areas of our teaching life:  classroom, planning, students, co-workers, and professional practice .  After reading and thinking through the questions, were are asked to identify one or two priorities to change.  She states a change may be turning a negative into a positive or "ambiguities that need more investigation." Finally, we create an action plan which addresses each of the priorities.

Jennifer also suggests that the final step be to share it with a friend.  For me, this exercise is looking at my teaching space and areas that certainly could use some reimagining.  I plan to spend some time with this reflection and will write a follow-up post with my action plan.  I hope that you will check out her website, listen to her podcast, create your own action plan, and join me in reimagining our space.

SPARK Camp - Celebrate #12

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week. 

This week I had the privilege of working with K-5 students at our SPARK (Super Powered Activities to Recharge Kids) camp for high ability kids.  I always teach poetry which I LOVE because many times the creative side of writing is smothered (and sometimes eliminated!) by the gotta-get-em-ready-for-the-test writing.  

This camp is an outlet for those creative students.  My session is hard to compete against drones, Spheros, Ollies, 3D printers, 3Doodlers, and Augmented Reality.  But on the first day when others had technical difficulties, my group "charged" on with good ole paper and pencil!  No, my kids did not fly drones through hula hoops or have races with Ollies and Spheros.  Instead, they created beautiful poems that can be shared with the world.  That is a celebration.

My first session was K-2nd grade, and this was the first year I had kindergartners.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous.  I was not sure what kind of writing to expect from them.  I ended up enjoying this session most of all.  We wrote list poems, color poems, and diamante and then created a gallery in Google slides.  Here is a link if you would like to view the entire gallery.
  

My second session was with 3rd-5th graders, and several of them were kids I had last summer.  I started out teaching poems which were number related such as haiku, zip ode, fibonacci poetry, and cinquain.  But many of them remembered the word play poems we did last year, and that ended up being what they wanted to write.  Friday we culminated our week with a Skype visit with Laura Purdie Salas. Here is the link to their gallery.

Today I celebrate paper and pencils and poetry!

Perspective

Digilit Sunday

Today I am participating in Digital Learning Sunday with Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche.  This week Margaret has encouraged us to write about perspective. 

When I began teaching middle school, I incorporated an Article of the Week or AoW into my curriculum. Each week I choose a nonfiction article, and students read, annotate, and write something about it.  AoW's are one of the best practices I have implemented in my middle school classroom.  

My goal is to allow students to talk about the article in small groups because in these small groups is where the real learning happens.  This is where they get to state their own opinions and views and have opportunities to learn and respect what others think about the same issue.  This is where they learn about perspective.

Several months ago, they read an article about Apple being forced by the FBI to look at the text messages of the person responsible for killing 14 people in California.  The class was evenly divided in their support for which side was "correct." 

Because the content of this article was relevant to their lives as cell phone users, they had very strong feelings on the issue.  Giving them the opportunity to discuss this issue became a window for me as their teacher.  As the students began talking and sharing ideas, they also began to revise and change their perspectives.  I would hear them say, "Hey, I never thought about that." and "That's a good point." 

I learned that the development of perspective lies in the heart of discussion. Is it possible for someone to have a true perspective if no one challenges it or questions it?

This summer I am taking part in an on-line book study with several teacher-bloggers. We are reading Katherine Bomer's The Journey is Everything, a book about essaying. In the the first chapter, the reader is asked to read closely an essay titled "Pride" by Dagoberto Gilb.  (A very difficult read, I might add.)  I read the essay, closed the book, and wanted to share my perspective. I wanted to state my thoughts and feelings about the essay, and I wanted to see what others thought as well.  Most importantly, I wanted someone to question and challenge me.  

Only then will I feel my perspective is real.

A Bittersweet Goodbye - Celebrate #11

 

Each week Ruth Ayres extends an invitation to share and celebrate events, big or small, from our week. 

My summer officially started this week, and that is a cause for celebration.  But a part of me did not want that celebration to begin because it meant I had to say goodbye to a special group of students.

Two years ago I made the decision to leave 4th grade and take a 6th grade position at our middle school.  At the end of that year, I said goodbye to a wonderful class. It was a year filled with "specialness" and one of those years that every teacher dreams of having. Knowing that I could have the opportunity to teach them again as 6th graders made saying goodbye a little bit easier.  

Last fall when I received my class rosters, I was thrilled when I saw most of my 4th graders on that list.  It is special when a teacher has "that" class, but to have them for a second time was serendipitous. 

It has been so much fun watching them learn and grow as students again in my classroom, but it has been a privilege watching them become young people.  They are smart and kind and funny and talented.  I am proud of who they have become, and I look forward to watching them move on.

I know teachers are not supposed to have favorites, so I will just say they occupy a little extra space in my heart.

Saying goodbye a second time did not make it any easier on Wednesday.  But I know my life has truly been blessed because they have been a part of it.  I am proud to have been their teacher...twice!

My 4th Graders

My 6th Graders

A Surprising Intention

Digilit Sunday

Today I am participating in Digital Learning Sunday with Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche.  This week Margaret has encouraged us to write with the idea of "intent."  
I am not a regular writer with Digital Learning Sunday, because most times I feel I have very little to offer.  I use technology in my classroom, but I am what I would call "a work in progress."  Saturday while I was grading some student writing,  I had an online conversation with Julieanne Harmatz, and I knew I wanted to write about it.

Let me back up to Thursday night.  During the Good to Great chat {#g2great}, I tweeted if anyone had created a bookmark for lifting a line to write about reading. Lifting a line is not something we have done very much, and I just wasn't getting the reflection I wanted.  Julieanne, along with Fran McVeigh, asked me some good thinking questions which I referred back to as I was grading.

This year I have dabbled with Google Classroom with the intent of creating a more digital literacy environment.  We also use Google Docs within our distrct as a collaboration tools among teachers.

As I was grading one particular student's writing, I realized I could share it with Julieanne and get her feedback on it.  We were able to comment back and forth as if we were sitting together at a table at school sharing student work.  She pointed out a certain line my student wrote and suggested that he expand on his thoughts.  We were collaborating...from two separate parts of the country.

My intent for using Google docs was with my students, but it became a wonderful surprise for me Saturday afternoon as I used it to broaden my own digital literacy environment.  

Below is the student reflection from the book, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper.  Feel free to join in on the collaboration and feedback.

“I can’t do anything right.  I don’t want to be all that, I just want to be like everyone else”

Page 242

Melody Brooks is an eleven year old girl that is confined to a wheelchair.  She can’t walk, talk, or even feed herself.  Everyone thinks that Melody is either stupid, or in their own words, a mental retard.  She made a friend at school, she even has enemies (like most girls her age).  She has always been looked down on by the public eye, but her parents, her own personal aide at school, Catherine,  and Mrs. V won't let her give up.  One day the 5th and 6th grade were having tryouts for a quiz team. Even Mr. Dimmings didn’t believe in her.  But when she got a perfect score on the tryout, everyone seemed to praise her.  And when the public was only focused on her, she felt all alone.  The team even forgot about her on the flight to the championship, and didn’t do anything about it. I can connect to this because I’ve had days when I feel like I can't do anything right.  I’ve been called “special”  and not in the good way.  I’m not the smartest or most popular kid, but I just want to be like everyone else.  As Melody said “I can’t do anything right.  I don’t want to be all that, I just want to be like everyone else”.

*The line in bold is the line Julieanne commented on.

#WHYITEACH ~ Part Two

Have you ever said yes to something, and then wonder, "What in the world did I just do?"

I agreed to let our high school newspaper write an article about book clubs in my classroom.  A student reporter asked to come and observe the book clubs in action and ask me and my students some questions.

Here is where I say yes.

Only one of my classes fits into her schedule.  The class with the most behavior problems.  The class where reading is not their favorite thing to do.  The class where reading is not the easiest thing for them to do.

Here is where I wonder what in the world did I do.

I had prepped my students yesterday by telling them we were having a visitor and why she was coming. Today they walk in, find their seats, and see her sitting in the back of the classroom.  I teach my mini-lesson about looking for critical scenes and jotting those down on sticky notes in order to prepare for Discussion Day.

Then I send them off to their groups.

Here is where I hold my breath.

I quickly scan the groups and see which one I want to go to first.  And then I hear it. The buzz.  The buzz of students discussing their books.  The buzz of enthusiasm over reading.

This continues for 15 minutes, and I ask them to return to their seats for questions from the reporter.

The first question is, "What was your favorite part of book clubs?"  

Hand after hand goes up into the air.  They tell her how much fun it is to read with their friends, and how reading these books pushes them as readers, and how reading makes them think about things in different ways.

And here is where I smile.

When I carry that passion and enthusiasm for reading into my classroom each day, magic happens.  And I was able to see that magic happen today...in an unexpected class.

That is why I teach.

#WHYITEACH

Thank you Two Writing Teachers for creating this space for me to share my corner of the world.

"When you focus on possibilities instead of limitations, a whole new world will open up to you, a world of optimism and new opportunity.  Because you will be less distracted by your worries and fears, it will be much easier to get through things, no matter how difficult.  And, because your spirits will be filled with optimism, you'll be happier each and every day.  

These words were spoken by our guidance counselor during our morning show on Monday.  After hearing them, I was compelled to include them in this post I had already written for today.

Earlier this week on Twitter, Starr Sackstein asked teachers to share our stories and to elevate our profession by writing about why we teach.  

Here's my story.

A few weeks ago a student wrote these words to me in a card:

"Some bad stuff has happened in my life.  Like DCS took me and my brothers away from home and my dad's in jail....it's feels nice to tell someone about my life..."

This student is just one of many who come into my classroom each day.  I have students who move from place to place to avoid living on the streets.  I have students who have no food to eat on the weekends.  I have students who have parents incarcerated. I have students who suffer from abuse.

Different stories, different situations.  But similar heartbreak.

I want my students to know a way out is possible.  They do not have to see their lives repeating or continuing in the cycle of their parents.

I teach because I want my students to believe in the possible.

I want them to know they do not have to live in poverty...

they have the ability to break the cycle.

They do not have to be homeless, or hungry...

they have the opportunity to find a good job.

They do not have to live with abuse...

they can learn to love and to stand up for what they believe in.

They do not have to go to jail...

they can learn to make good decisions.

They only need to have someone who believes in them, who believes in the possible, and who can help them believe it too.

That is why I teach.