Starting the School Year with Kindness!

Starting the School Year with Kindness! What we need now more than ever is kindness. Kindness matters!  It can turn a child’s whole day around and when you have a classroom full of kind children the day is fun and productive.  We must treat each other with kindness, empathy, and compassion.  We say it, we know it, but often what we forget that kindness must be taught and practiced.   How often do we say to our students, “Be Respectful, Be Nice, Be Kind.” As teachers, we are examples to our students.  We are their role models for 180 days a year.  We know that it is unfair to expect them to know how to behave without actively teaching it, this includes positive character traits. We have the power to create and maintain routines of kindness through engaging our students in teambuilding activities.  We must ensure that together, teachers and students create a safe and effective learning environment.   “It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.  It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.” -L.R. Knost Positive Classroom Culture, Effective Classroom Management How can we as teachers improve our students’ behavior and attitudes towards each other and create a supportive learning environment through teaching kindness? A positive mindset is key!  As a teacher at a PBIS school, I ensure that I provide positive classroom behavior support by modeling positive and proactive classroom management.  This system is based on teaching, modeling, practicing, and rewarding appropriate behavior and having clear consequences for targeted behaviors.  It’s about noticing the kind, respectful and responsible students and praising them.  It is my goal to get 100% of my students to be noticed for their positive behaviors.  How do I do that?  I build what I like to call my “Dream Team!”  I’ve started by incorporating the use of Kagan Team Building Structures.  Teambuilding is a way for kids to get to know, like, and respect each other.  It’s a way to teach kindness and acceptance while working as a team. My goal is to get kids to understand each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests and build upon them in a productive way.  I am really looking forward to this journey of shaping young minds together.   Teambuilding Activity Positively teaching, Randi Muehlen

Adventure Awaits!

Adventure Awaits!
As educators, we put a lot of stress and pressure on ourselves. As we begin a new school year the questions start to drown out the noise around us.  What will my students be like? Will my students enjoy my class? What assessments do I need to administer this week? Learn to let go of the pressure and take it one day at a time.
Hold high expectations, BELIEVE in every one of those lives that walk through your classroom door because they will feel and know your heart’s desires for them.
	We all know that we have to start our school year teaching routines and procedures to avoid the chaos and to get a hold of strong classroom management. We have to administer assessments to know our students’ level of achievement. Don’t let the classroom management and daily duties take over from getting to know where your kids come from and where they want to go in life. As an educator, I find it very important for students to collaborate from day one because we are building an educational foundation. We learn to see each other as a family and not just peers. We learn to hold each other accountable to achieve weekly goals.  But more importantly, we learn to find our purpose in education. If something is not working, we focus on improving to make it better the next day.
Education is the great equalizer of our time. It gives hope to the hopeless and creates chances for those without. ~Kofi Annan
My heart melts when students aren’t ready to go home at the end of the school day. That is evidence that they LOVE coming to school not just because of the learning that’s going on, but also because they’ve built a camaraderie that makes them feel valued. Sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy reading about my 2017-2018 teaching journey.  Here you will see my KAVIDS (Kids embracing the Kagan and AVID strategies) sharing ideas and building inquiry as they ignite an educational passion. My goal is that my students will begin to believe the impossible and know nothing can stop them from achieving their dreams. Behold for the learning adventure that awaits in room 41!
	Live, Love, Teach! ~Hilda Sanchez

Let Them Be Scientists! by Sara Yeh

Let Them Be Scientists!
Our science classes are transitioning to places where our students have the opportunity to be the scientists. We are grabbing hold of a new way of approaching science education. Let’s do this work together!
We can learn from each other’s successes and struggles during this transition, and become better teachers in the process! My focus this year is on the Science and Engineering Practices for my students. Join me as we work to develop scientifically literate, critically thinking students.
	I wonder, if we plan instruction around the practices, using our content as a necessary tool, will our students flourish as scientists?
Let’s transition our science classes to rooms where our students are the scientists!
	How can we help our students improve their ability to be scientifically literate, critical thinkers? It starts with the Science and Engineering Practices! These are the vehicle to get us there and the DCIs are our map. We have certain stops along the way; places like “Contact Forces” and “Genetic Mutations”, but the Science and Engineering Practices are going to get us to these places. Here is the link to the CA NGSS Framework if you would like to check out your grade: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/scifwprepubversion.asp One strategy that I have found particularly helpful in transitioning my students is called “Inquiry Boards”. Here’s a video showing a teacher using them to introduce experimental design to her students:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RuXjrGrggY These have really helped my kiddos understand how to design fair experiments and then how to analyze their data. In fact, our team changed our start to our year, using this strategy to introduce variables, collecting and analyzing data, adding in resources to our notebooks as we went through each step. This saved us time and materials since our introduction lab was part of our first instructional segment (unit) but allowed us to introduce these concepts and set up our notebooks. NGSS has high expectations, but completely possible if we reflect on small changes we can make in our instruction that can have big impacts on the learning in our rooms. Stay Curious, Sara Yeh

To Clip Chart or Not to Clip Chart?

To Clip Chart or Not to Clip Chart?
Clip charts are a popular behavior management/monitoring strategy used in classrooms, especially in  the primary grades.  I have  successfully used one for  most of  my 19 years in teaching kindergarten.  Lately, they have been getting a bad rap in the teacher blogosphere.  As I consider myself a constant work in progress, I  decided to research the pros and cons of the popular color-coded clip chart...
Behavior management is the most ignored topic in teacher prep programs, yet it can be the ONE thing that can make or break an entire school year!
	Here are some of the cons I have read regarding the use of clip charts in the classroom: They only monitor behavior, not change it (my response: other  students  see their classmates get acknowledged for desirable  and undesirable behavior and that alone may help them monitor their own behavior). They are demeaning and demoralizing as it is a public display (my response: I believe that it is how the teacher handles this that can be demeaning and demoralizing). They don’t work for those extreme behaviors (my response: extreme behaviors necessitate more significant interventions. There is no one-size-fits-all  approach to behavior management). My use of the clip chart has morphed over time.  It has been successful for me because I show consistency and I focus on the behavior, not the child. I am careful with my word choice and tone when acknowledging undesirable behaviors. Whatever system a teacher decides to use to help manage behavior, he or she must have his or her own buy-in and must follow through, every time.
“That is the question.” -William Shakespeare
I am on a quest to focus on the positive behaviors my students exhibit in the classroom using a clip chart.
	My school is a PBIS school  (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support).  One of our goals is the 5:1 ratio: teachers will acknowledge students’ positive behavior 5 times more often than acknowledging undesirable behavior.  I have changed my clip chart to focus on the three school-wide expectations we have: respect, responsibility, and kindness.  I  have removed the “warning” and “time-out” cards and left the “ready to learn” card. I started by focusing on only one of the behaviors explaining and giving examples of what the attribute means, and slowly added the others.  My students know that all three are equal, and that they can move amongst them throughout the day.  Some students may have to start over and get ready to learn again, but they know they will always have that  opportunity to exhibit those positive behaviors and be acknowledged for them. This system has helped me with that  5:1 ratio; if one student is starting over, I am sure to acknowledge 5 others who are displaying those desired behaviors.  I feel optimistic that  this new system will encourage positive behavior within my classroom. If  you would like a copy of my clip chart, please email me! Happy and Positive Teaching! Erin Grebel

Tech, Depth, and Teach...OH MY!

Tech, Depth, and Teach...OH MY!
Oh, those modern 21st-century learners…tech-savvy, touch screen  needy, don’t know what life is like without it type of learners.   Is the end really near? We are now living in a day and age where these “digital natives” sit in our classrooms and can very well teach us a thing or two about how to navigate the world of technology.  And though they may be experts at  the social media/personal-use side of technology, it is now time we make them the experts at using it to enhance their education.
Here you will gain insight on how to connect technology into your curriculum while also pushing for higher level production.
	Technology can be intimidating, hard to balance, or a tool that can easily be underused or overused in our classrooms. Incorporated correctly our students will benefit immensely towards articulation, knowledge, and critical thinking skills.
“Technology will not replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational.” ---George Couros
My mission is to provide lessons, ideas, strategies, and ways to incorporate technology into your classroom.
	A great way to start is to become familiar with the SAMR Model (click to learn about it in 120 seconds).  “S=Substitution, A=Augmentation, M=Modification, R= Redefinition.”  This is what is going to help you understand the “what” and “how” to achieve higher level production.   Each month I will share what I have been doing in my third-grade classroom.  My emphasis will be combining technology with language arts.  As you follow my posts please feel free to email me with questions or to set up a time to visit, should you ever want to see it in action.  I leave you now with a little advance sneak peek at next month's post… dun... dun… dun… Google Classroom.                            The techy teacher, Tiffani Bossieux

Student Talk

Student Talk
It is the first day of school.  As you introduce yourself to your students, you teach them routines, and you also want to get to know them.  You ask your students to share something about themselves to their partner.  You hear a few whispers, silence and wonder,  “What is going on?”
What is my first step to teach students to talk?
	As a primary teacher, a major focus of mine is to make my classroom a safe environment.  Once I create that environment, they feel a little safer to share with their partner, group members, and whole class.  My goal is to provide opportunities throughout our day for students to feel secure to share and discuss their ideas in all content areas.
“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.” -Jodi Rell
Meaningful discussion
	I teach my students how to talk to each other by modeling what I expect.  I explicitly show them what I am looking for when speaking to a partner. For example, eyes are on the speaker, listen to what they say, take it in, respond, and ask questions to continue the conversation. I also incorporate Kagan Structures, like Round Robin and Mix Pair Share. It can be a challenge to manage the talking happening in the classroom, but it is okay if it doesn’t work out the first few times, learning is messy. The more chances I give them to practice these structures and provide time to discuss, the better they get at it. I know this expectation I have takes time to achieve (sometimes it could take the whole school year), but when I reach that point, students will be doing more than just talking to each other. I’m excited to take you on this journey and share the way I teach my students how to speak, listen, agree or disagree, and question others.        Always Learning, Sabrina Blackwood

Let's Write!

Let’s Write!
In addition to loving to write, it is also a passion of mine to teach my students to write and get them to love to write.  As an educator, it is very important I teach my students that writing holds very special powers. Through the magic of writing, we can communicate, connect, and create.
	“But I’m not a good writer…” -Student
	At the beginning of the school year I often hear students utter the words, “But I’m not a good writer.”  While other times, their faces say it all.  They are scared to write!  In order for me to help students love writing it is important for me to figure out why they don’t like it.  What struggles do my students face in writing?  Are they afraid to fail?  Are they uninterested?  As an educator, it is my job to get to the bottom of this so that I may help them gain the confidence they need to write.
#DontKeepCalmGetExcited!
How can we get our students excited to write?
	My goal is to get students excited about writing.   To attain that goal I will always be looking for ways in which to engage students in the writing material.  Some questions I often ask myself throughout my reflection process are: ·        How can I make writing engaging? ·        How can I integrate purposeful talk and writing as         learning tools for the development of writing? ·        What are some topics of high-interest? ·        How can I make writing meaningful? ·       What support and resources can I use to help students build           confidence in writing? The more confident students are with their own writing skills, the more excited they will be about writing. I invite you to share this journey with me as I figure out different ways to get my students excited to write!   Inspiring Minds, Melissa Hernandez

Engaging Students during Eureka Math! by Kimberly Smith

Engaging Students during Eureka Math!
As I asked my sixth grade students to “dab” if they arrived at the correct answer, I realized at that moment I may need to go back to the drawing board.  Dabbing was no longer “cool” to sixth graders, and neither was I.  It was time to replace some of my old engagement strategies from my old teacher toolbox with some new and improved ideas.
I’m sure we’ve all experienced that moment when we look at our students and think, “They’re bored out of their minds!”
	We’ll never have all of the answers, but if we as teachers can learn more about our students, they will learn more about what we’re trying to teach them.  Making learning engaging and meaningful isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible.  Some of our students face so many different struggles both inside and outside of school.  If we can make the classroom a safe, inviting, and entertaining place to be, we’ve already won half the battle.  The other half of the battle is making content engaging and accessible for all students.
“It is the supreme ART of the teacher to AWAKEN JOY in creative expression and knowledge.”--Albert Einstein
I’m on a quest to discover innovative ways to make Eureka Math inviting for all students.
	One of my favorite ways to keep students alert during math time, but also involved in the lesson, is through the use of Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures.  These structures allow all kids the chance to verbalize their learning and participate.  Cooperative learning lends itself very nicely to Eureka Math, too!  In fact, I find my students internalize the concepts much better when I bring in Kagan.  Each month, I will reflect on the different structures and strategies I’m using with my sixth grade math class.  I’ll also be dabbling (not dabbing) with strategies such as the use of depth and complexity, technology, songs, and more!  I hope you will check back and join me on my Eureka Math engagement journey! Educating together, Kimberly Smith

Can Teachers Lead from Their Classroom?

Can Teachers Lead from Their Classroom?
As teachers, we understand the power of learning together, yet teaching is such an isolated profession. Outsiders rarely get to see and appreciate the magic that happens within the walls of our classroom. Talking about what happened isn’t enough.
How many times have you said to your students, “Don’t TELL me what you know, SHOW me what you understand.”
	What if, as teachers, we could share more effectively what we understand? What if I could “see” what’s happening in another colleague's classroom, without having to write sub plans? A small group of Ontario-Montclair teachers has made the commitment to make a positive change to a system we believe needs some support. We want to be the connection between the theory of best practices and the experience of best practices.
For humans to learn, they need “encouragement and support, access to special knowledge, time to focus on the requirements of the new task, [and] time to observe others doing it.” (Elmore, 1996)
For the Teachers, By the Teachers
	Spotlight Classrooms are an internal model of professional development. While we are not expected to be perfect in our practice, we are willing to take a risk, open our doors, and share our learning. Our colleagues have several ways of “visiting with us” from following our blog, watching our videos. Our goal is to show what learning looks like in our classrooms, with our students. We believe we can lead by example, by encouraging, supporting, and giving time to focus on best practices. Please join us on our journey by following our blog, engaging in our videos, and coming on a Spotlight visit. Happy Learning! Andrea