Now that I am a Resource Specialist rather than a classroom teacher it is more difficult to access or recognize my 'style' of teaching and therefor to write on this blog. Ideas do still pop up, as do remembrances of what worked when I taught. Yesterday an 8th grade ELA teacher brought in a cart of lap top computers for the students to use. They were to construct an introduction paragraph for their research paper in conjunction with their science class. The students swarmed the computer cart like bees. Twenty minutes of chaos ensued as they squabbled over the computers and asked for help signing on and snuck onto game sites and tried to plug In to Pandora. A number of students never did get signed on, another teacher was called in to help get the students online, and the class ran over as the teachers attempted to get the computers shut down and turned back in. about half of the class completed their assignment.
When the 7th grade class came in the next hour I asked if I could be in charge of the cart. After the teacher gave the directions for the paragraph I reminded the class their priority was a paragraph of 4 or 5 sentences, and the access to a computer was secondary. I handed out lined paper and said I would issue lap tops to students that were seated, quiet, and on task with their writing. There was much less speaking out and disruption. Slightly more than half the class received computers but nearly all of the students turned in a paragraph, as assigned. Sometimes it's just a little tweak in the management of a class that make the difference.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Happy to be here - NOT. A poem.
Why We Need School
Please explain,
Why we need school.
Sitting in those desks,
is painful and cruel.
Why we need school.
Sitting in those desks,
is painful and cruel.
Teachers are there to,
instruct and teach.
Give me an iPad,
and I'll learn at the beach.
instruct and teach.
Give me an iPad,
and I'll learn at the beach.
Why pay teachers,
let's be frugal.
I'll get my info,
straight from Google.
let's be frugal.
I'll get my info,
straight from Google.
I just have one more,
challenging request.
Let's get rid of,
exams and that test.
challenging request.
Let's get rid of,
exams and that test.
We're curious kids,
knowledge we seek.
Our education system,
we should definitely tweak.
knowledge we seek.
Our education system,
we should definitely tweak.
That's my argument,
why we DON'T need school.
Let's make it a law,
or simply a rule.
why we DON'T need school.
Let's make it a law,
or simply a rule.
by anitapoems.com
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Mind Over Math
Mind Over Math
Each morning my classroom starts the day with math exercises. Over the years I have developed a way to deliver broad range activities that cover what I consider to be practical math applications. Time, money, weight and calendar questions are covered on a daily basis. The way the lessons are constructed leaves room for adapting and modifying for different learning modalities and ability levels. The materials needed are minimal and easily gathered. The instruction delivery is a combination of teacher-led, whole class participation, partner or table group work and individual application. And the whole program is portable, too!
As the students enter the classroom, they are issued a template for their first daily math work. Cues for their lessons are displayed (either on a smart/interactive board, white board or a paper display board. The first order of the day is to write their name and the date. The date needs to be noted two ways (e.g. November 3, 2013, 11/03/13).There is a large posted calendar for reference. Next, the time is filled in, first by illustrating a blank clock face, then noting the analog and digital form. As the students work individually and silently, I move through the room and issue small amounts of plastic coins (available online or at teacher supply stores). The students then sort and name the coins (how many pennies, dimes, etc.) and get a coin total. Then they add the value of the coins and note that total two ways (65 cents, or .65 for example).
All this is done independently and without talking. It should take only 5 to 10 minutes. All students can accomplish these tasks with practice, and I can modify the lesson by handing out smaller or greater amounts of coins, according to student ability. When most of the class is nearing completion of these initial activities, I go to the front of the room and welcome the class. I ask for the date, and write it on the board. I ask for the time, and write what the majority agreed was the beginning time. This is an opportunity for students to ‘self-correct’ what they have on their templates. I then write out two word problems, reading out loud as I go. The first will have to do with time or date, such as: What time was it one hour and ten minutes ago? Or: What will the date be in five days? The next will have to do with money, such as, “I you were given two more dimes, how much money would you have? I give the class a few minutes to answer the word problems and complete their beginning activities.
On display I have a skip count ‘rule’ posted (odd numbers starting with 33, for instance) and the next step on the template is to fill in the count on a number line. This is a good last step activity for students who are quick to solve the time/money word problems. For students who are taking longer, they will be given opportunities later in the day to complete their number counting line.
The initial exercises are set aside after 15 or 20 minutes, and we move into table or team activities. The quiet and methodical activities of daily math seem to set a positive tone at the day’s outset. Often I will play classical music during this morning math work. The students get right to the tasks at hand, and I have time to take roll.
http://www.math-aids.com/
Each morning my classroom starts the day with math exercises. Over the years I have developed a way to deliver broad range activities that cover what I consider to be practical math applications. Time, money, weight and calendar questions are covered on a daily basis. The way the lessons are constructed leaves room for adapting and modifying for different learning modalities and ability levels. The materials needed are minimal and easily gathered. The instruction delivery is a combination of teacher-led, whole class participation, partner or table group work and individual application. And the whole program is portable, too!
As the students enter the classroom, they are issued a template for their first daily math work. Cues for their lessons are displayed (either on a smart/interactive board, white board or a paper display board. The first order of the day is to write their name and the date. The date needs to be noted two ways (e.g. November 3, 2013, 11/03/13).There is a large posted calendar for reference. Next, the time is filled in, first by illustrating a blank clock face, then noting the analog and digital form. As the students work individually and silently, I move through the room and issue small amounts of plastic coins (available online or at teacher supply stores). The students then sort and name the coins (how many pennies, dimes, etc.) and get a coin total. Then they add the value of the coins and note that total two ways (65 cents, or .65 for example).
All this is done independently and without talking. It should take only 5 to 10 minutes. All students can accomplish these tasks with practice, and I can modify the lesson by handing out smaller or greater amounts of coins, according to student ability. When most of the class is nearing completion of these initial activities, I go to the front of the room and welcome the class. I ask for the date, and write it on the board. I ask for the time, and write what the majority agreed was the beginning time. This is an opportunity for students to ‘self-correct’ what they have on their templates. I then write out two word problems, reading out loud as I go. The first will have to do with time or date, such as: What time was it one hour and ten minutes ago? Or: What will the date be in five days? The next will have to do with money, such as, “I you were given two more dimes, how much money would you have? I give the class a few minutes to answer the word problems and complete their beginning activities.
On display I have a skip count ‘rule’ posted (odd numbers starting with 33, for instance) and the next step on the template is to fill in the count on a number line. This is a good last step activity for students who are quick to solve the time/money word problems. For students who are taking longer, they will be given opportunities later in the day to complete their number counting line.
The initial exercises are set aside after 15 or 20 minutes, and we move into table or team activities. The quiet and methodical activities of daily math seem to set a positive tone at the day’s outset. Often I will play classical music during this morning math work. The students get right to the tasks at hand, and I have time to take roll.
http://www.math-aids.com/
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Pumpkin Pi
Math with Produce!
Fall is a fun time to do some hands on math activities. If you are fortunate enough to work close to a farm or produce stand and you can wrangle a field trip - great! Students can choose their own pumkins for math activities. Here's where you can find some ideas:
http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/230/pumpkins-lesson-plans-activities-printables-and-teaching-ideas/
http://teachingheart.net/apumpkinunit.html
http://math.about.com/od/themeworksheets/ss/pumpkin.htm
There's even homework assignments for pumpkins! http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/activities/first-second-grade/pumpkin-math/
Fall is a fun time to do some hands on math activities. If you are fortunate enough to work close to a farm or produce stand and you can wrangle a field trip - great! Students can choose their own pumkins for math activities. Here's where you can find some ideas:
http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/230/pumpkins-lesson-plans-activities-printables-and-teaching-ideas/
http://teachingheart.net/apumpkinunit.html
http://math.about.com/od/themeworksheets/ss/pumpkin.htm
There's even homework assignments for pumpkins! http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/activities/first-second-grade/pumpkin-math/
Funny Farms
Go to a farm. Buy pumpkins. Look up pumpkin math activities (http://mathwire.com/themes/themepumpkin.html) or art activities http://www.theimaginationtree.com/2012/10/pumpkin-activities-for-kids-from-its.html
or everything activities http://urbanext.illinois.edu/pumpkins/education.cfm.
Students don't need spending money on a farm, or nice clothes, or good 'sit-still' skills. They can walk and rund run and touch stuff. They can see where food comes from. They can get a little bit dirty and a lot happy. There's always a way to make a farm field trip fit into the standards, so you can relax :)
If you can't get to a farm, make one. Straw bales cost about $6.00. Stores might donate funny looking squash and gourds to your cause. Have the students run around outside picking up leaves. Create a fall backdrop for seasonal lessons. So many students are hungry for nature, for hands on learning, for lessons hidden in play. Let the kids be kids for even 15 minutes a day. I promise the class will run more smoothly with the inclusion of some organic materials in the curriculum! Happy Fall!!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Perspective
Fall is a great time to incorporate art into the curriculum. One activity I introduce in the fall is still life drawing. As a class we collect an assortment of leaves, branches, seeds and seasonal veggies. These I arrange on a high table or stool in the center of the room. I then issue paper and pens or pencils to the class and instruct them to draw what they see from where they are seated. (I think pens are better than pencils for this, because kids will spend too much time erasing otherwise.) They must fill up the WHOLE PAGE with their drawing. (So many students are ingrained to respect borders on paper - it cramps their style!) When the sketches are done we all compare pictures and talk about the way we all see EVERYTHING from our own perspective. Same still life - different views.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Online
Most of the schools I have taught at in the last decade have computer labs that enable the whole class to be online at the same time. My students REALLY look forward to computer time; it's the highlight of the week! I allow the kids time to just play. They know great sites for games, such as Fun Brain, Math Games, Yahoo Kids, Safe Kid Games and Club Penguin. There are dozens more. I of course monitor the students to make sure they don't stray into inappropriate territory, but I try to interfere little with their gaming, as it engages, entertains and relaxes them.
In order to play (there's always a catch, right?) they must accomplish some tasks first. At the beginning of the year simply signing on is difficult for a number of my learning disabled students. Once that can be done with ease I give keyboarding challenges to each individual student. For some it might be to type their name and phone number into a word document. For others it might be name, number and address. For more advanced, name number, address and description of their housing. Spelling practice, for words and sentences, is great practice. Later in the year there are research projects centered on the science fair, book reports, personal naratives and fictional writing assignments that are modified for each students learning abilities.
If there is no lab, students can rotate time at the comuters in class. I always have each child do the 'hard' work first (for no more than 15 minutes) and then they get to play. If the children know the parameters of their assignments ahead of Computer Class and feel prepared, there isn't much sulking or balking. The class dynamic helps those who may be struggling, as do mentor students (great activity for Big Buddy class helpers!).
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