Filed under: collaboration | Tags: professional development, professional learning communities, school reform
So, I was kinda shocked to find out that my post about PLCs, which I thought no one would read, is my second most popular post of all-time. (Yes, I know I’ve only written 16 posts, thank you very much.) It seems teachers are really excited about PLCs, so I figured I’d write an update about my team.
For starters, there are three things you need to know. (more…)
Filed under: math | Tags: communication, effective effort, homework, math, parents
I see parents as my partners in their children’s education. The obvious reason is that parents are absolutely the most important people in their children’s lives. They know their children better than anyone else, and they are an essential resource for information and problem solving.
And philosophically, I think it matters to kids when they see their parents and teachers working as a team, supporting them. When I was a kid, my mom and my teachers were friends. My mom was always involved — president of the PTA one year, making talent show sets the next — and school felt like an extension of home, a place where I belonged and was cared for.
There’s a practical component to this partnership, too. (more…)
Filed under: reading | Tags: effective effort, independent reading, reader's workshop, reading
"Bear on a Unicycle" by Julius N. Santiago (www.bulius.com).
Sometimes, Reader’s Workshop makes me feel like a bear on a unicycle.
I’m pedaling and pedaling… trying to keep “balanced literacy” balanced, all the while worrying about reaching all of my kids’ needs.
And just look at the little guy’s giant head! It’s just how I feel, always thinking and planning, sometimes even dreading how much work needs to be done.
And I know I’m not the only teacher who feels this way. (more…)
It seems every year, I have at least one girl in my class who says, “I can’t do it. I’m no good at math.” These students believe that math comes “naturally” to other people (and not to them) and that there is little they can do to become strong math students.
Nowadays, the words “I’m no good at math,” just get me fired up. I hear them, and I think, “that’s a student who is going to have a transformative year.” Because I know that effective effort + time = success, and soon, she will, too.
I’m far from the only one who thinks this way. Check out this research summarized in the most recent Marshall Memo (9/14/09): (more…)
Filed under: homework | Tags: effective effort, homework, independent studies, start of the year
I am really pleased by how smoothly homework choice went this week. I followed my plan and had students set a simple class goal on Monday: “to have a good homework routine and have fun.” Then, students brainstormed how they could achieve that goal. Students wrote plans like “find a quiet spot,” “start immediately when I get home,” “do my homework at ____ [name of after school program],” and “set a timer.”
Instead of assigning the Thursday Night Reflection for homework, we did our reflecting as a class Friday morning. Before we began, I brought us back to the equation, “effective effort + ____ = _____.”
Filed under: homework | Tags: effective effort, homework, independent studies, organization, start of the year
Lots of people tell me they think homework choice is a great idea, but they’re wondering how to make it work in their classrooms.
In my classroom, we’re almost finished with our first week of homework choice. From where I stand (make that sit, totally exhausted) there are three keys to implementing the system successfully: (more…)
Filed under: communication | Tags: class website, communication, parents, start of the year
Before I realized that I wanted (maybe needed?) to be a teacher, I worked in the national office of an AmeriCorps program as a “Special Projects Assistant” to the CEO. It’s well known that I was, and continue to be, very special. But what I learned was how to develop relationships. Over time, I’d watch as the founders and staff would build relationships with donors and convince them — we’re talking individuals here, not even corporations – to give as much as a million dollars a year. Certainly, people gave because they believed in the power of our organization to change the world. But they also gave because they trusted the founders and the staff. They gave because of their relationships, not just their beliefs. (more…)
Filed under: reading | Tags: effective effort, homework, independent reading, reader's workshop, reading
I was thinking about homework choice this morning, wishing there were more times during the school day when kids could set, work towards, and achieve their own goals as learners.
The problem was that I almost always make the choices for kids, whether it’s during math, writing, or just about any other subject.
If only there was a time in the day when kids had a lot of choice… when they’d benefit from setting goals… when they need to be held accountable for putting in effective effort and not pretending to read a book while really staring into space…
That was it! Independent reading! Duh!
Why didn’t I think of it before? I could marry the homework choice system with independent reading time! (more…)
Filed under: collaboration | Tags: assessment, collaboration, effective effort, enrichment, high fliers, intervention, professional development, professional learning communities, school reform
I think there’s a 99% chance that I’m the only one who wants to read this post. And if that’s true, I’m cool with it. I’ve been at a really exciting conference for two days, and I need to sort out everything I’ve learned.
On the other hand, I think there’s at least a 1% chance that you might want to read this post. Perhaps you went to the conference and want to reflect together. Or, maybe you’ll find what’s here interesting enough that you want to learn more. If either is true, please leave a comment! I’d be happy to hear from you.
So, this week, I attended the Professional Learning Communities at Work Institute.
I did this because my district just hired me as one of the two Elementary Instructional Leaders for third grade.
Once upon a time, professional development in our district was organized top-down, and teachers in different elementary schools often did very different kinds of learning. (more…)
Filed under: organization | Tags: labels, new teachers, organization, supplies, tables
Thank goodness my school has tables instead of desks. I remember my desk in elementary school. Especially on the day when I was supposed to recite a poem, and I found it crumpled in the back, long forgotten. Even if my classroom had desks, I’d still put them in clusters and prevent kids from putting anything inside them.
Silverware drawers are excellent school supply organizers.
There are five tables in my room, and the kids at each table are a team that shares supplies. We have the luxury of being able to provide school supplies for everyone, so no one is allowed to bring supplies from home. We have what we need, and we’re all equal. No one can argue they lost their favorite pencil because the pencils belong to all of us.
Every table organizes their supplies in a silverware drawer, which has a much lower profile than other classroom organizers I’ve seen. The advantage: no one can hide behind a silverware drawer. (more…)
