Friday, September 12, 2014

Enjoy the Moment

As the third week of this school year comes to an end, I feel the need to do some reflecting. I truly believe that teachers need to reflect to make themselves better teachers and their students more successful learners.

The three weeks have flown by and I need to slow down. I have some students with whom I don't feel I've connected or reconnected. I haven't really stopped to enjoy them. I do love and enjoy my job but sometimes, I just get going to fast to enjoy the moment. I think that next week I will put that as one of my I Can statements. Seeing it daily will should remind me to do just that. Enjoy the moment of laughter, of learning, of enjoyment.

I've decided that I absolutely, without a doubt LOVE how I am teaching literacy this year. I felt renewed when I read Leslie Blauman's two books this summer: The Inside Guide to the Reading-Writing Classroom and Kid-Tested Writing Lessons for Grades 3-6. I knew that I needed a change but wasn't sure how to go about it. Leslie spoke to me on a level that made me know I wasn't crazy in my thinking and reassured me to do what I know is best for my kids. She gave advice and always said to make it my own. For the most part, I am following her plans and tweaking them very little. However, I am making notes on what worked and didn't so I can revamp next time. I will say that I ADORE her BLBs (Book Lover's Book) and we use them every day! My kids are still getting used to them, but I see great things in the future. I really struggle to teach writing and I feel that Leslie's lessons are helping me guide my thinking and planning to better reach all of my kids. Already, their vocabulary awareness is improving!

I also can't get enough of Donalyn Miller. Her two books, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild, starting challenging me two years ago. Since then, I have put a sacred 30 minute time in my schedule every day for kids to read texts of their choice. I confer with them and I try to model that I too am wild about reading. I don't get as much reading done during class but I read a couple book every weekend so I can keep up with them. They are challenged to read 40 books this year. I am doing it too. Some of them are already ahead of me! We so love our read to self time that when we can't have it because of powers beyond my control, the kids are not happy. I can finagle at least 15 minutes on those days and it's not enough time for them. I love hearing them whine that they just got to the good part!

I feel very confident in how literacy is progressing, but math, science, and social studies are more of a challenge. Math is hard. Our state standards are tough, but I know my students will be successful. I need to make more time for them to ask for help. Not sure when I will magically find that time, but I will. I have science three days a week and I integrate it into literacy as I can. However, social studies needs to be more integrated because I only have that once a week as a separate class time. I feel confident right now that we are still meeting our social studies standards doing it this way. I may change my mind later in the year, but for now, I am happy. I need to get more comfortable with our new science expectations so I can teach better. Science is scary for me, so it's the hardest to teach. But, my kids love the hands-on stuff so I will work more on that.

Overall, I guess what I am saying is that I'm excited about this year. It's going fast but I will enjoy the time I have with my class. I will make time for us to enjoy literacy daily. I will make time for kids to read what they want to read every day. I will model a love and life long decision to be a wild reader. I will make time for more questions in math. I will find more hands-on activities for science so we are all excited about it. I will keep doing what I am doing in social studies. Most importantly, I will work on connecting with my kids so they know I really care about them--both inside our class and outside of school. After all, we do spend more time away from school than in it. They need to know I care about them as a human, not just a student.

How have your first weeks of school gone? Reflect with me. Give advice. Encourage. Enjoy the moment.

Monday, September 1, 2014

First Three Days

We started back to school last week and had students for only three days. They were the best first three days I've had in my fifteen years as a teacher! Why? Well, so many reasons.

I looped with my class. I had most of them last year, so starting this year was easy. They know my expectations. They know each other and me. My new students were welcomed and joined our class easily. I changed just enough to make the class feel somewhat different but kept enough that we were starting from scratch.

Our relationships as a class began where we left off in June. Our reading discussions felt like they never stopped. We were already making recommendations to each other. The new students look confused but they will get it. My students love to read, so on day one when I said it was read to self time, they all were easy and got upset when time ended. I can't wait to start in depth conferring!

I also let my class decide what rules, procedures, expectations, and jobs we will have this year. Yes, I guided them, but they came up with better ones than I dreamed of! I am adding in jobs based on Leslie Blauman's books. We started making our Book Lover Books which are a combination of ideas of Donalyn Miller, Kylene Beers, and Blauman. I can't wait to use them!

We were writing from day one too! I'm not a strong writer and struggle to teach writing. This summer, though, I was inspired to write by Kate Messner and Gae Polisner along with everyone who was part of Teachers Write. I want to carry that enthusiasm into my class and help my students enjoy writing. I want them to love writing as much as they love reading. To do that, I have to model my new love of writing.

This year, we are going to continue becoming more and more literate---in all areas of school so my students can see how important it is to be literate. We will have a wonderful year!