Keeping it Positive with Parents

Keeping it Positive with Parents
Having just come off a long and exhausting parent conference week (including a bout with laryngitis), I decided that I’d like to put some tips I follow during this time of the school year and beyond regarding parental involvement in my classroom...
Teaching can be so much easier when you get the parents positively involved!
	Start on a Positive Note: perhaps a general statement about how happy you are to be teaching their child. Provide Specific Information Across Several Different Areas; personal attributes, behavior, work habits, social skills, communication, reading, writing, and math. Here is a document I have used for years to help me with comments: 101 Report Card Comments Set a Goal-there is always room for improvement! Closing-always close on a positive note.  Let the parents and student know how proud you are of their learning and how you look forward to even more growth. 3 Glows and a Grow-I use this template to write out specifics from the above areas to give to each parent and student.  This allows for more personalized comments: 3 Glows and a Grow Parent Pride-have the the parents write a note about how proud they are of their child’s learning at school. Post it and read to the child the next day in class. This was a hit for both parents and students-tears of pride (parents) and big smiles (students).
At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child's success is the positive involvement of parents. -Jane D. Hull
Use the 5:1 concept with parents as well...
	If you have to communicate with one parent about some negative behavior, make it a point to reach out to 5 other parents about some positive behaviors.  So many times parents are surprised to hear that I am contacting them to tell them something positive about their child; this makes me sad! And It’s so much easier now with all of the teacher apps available: Remind, Bloomz, Class Dojo…if you haven’t explored any of these yet, do it NOW!  Seriously!  It’s so simple and quick to send a text to a parent. I have also found that when you have built a positive relationship with the parents, the communication regarding negative behavior and/or academic performance is much easier for the parents to accept, with a “what can I do?” attitude. We need the parents of our students on our side, and it’s up to us as professionals to foster that relationship. Happy and Positive Teaching! Erin Grebel
Click here to schedule a visit	erin.grebel@omsd.net

Zearn.org: Math (Technology)

Are you “Zearn-ing” with your Eureka Math?
Do you teach in grades K-5? Want a user-friendly, easy access, student engaging website that is designed to support and match your Eureka math modules and lessons?  Well, Zearn.org it is!
What is Zearn and why use it in your classroom?
	Zearn.org is a website designed to go along with Eureka Math.  It includes videos, practice problems, and sprints, and the cool thing is that it is FREE!  “With Zearn Math, students learn in two ways: Independent Digital Lessons and Small Group Instruction. Combined, every student has a daily personalized learning experience.”  Watching the video below will give you an even better vision and understanding of what this website is all about.
Watch this three-minute video of how and what Zearn is. (you can also watch this video directly from Zearn.org, but you must scroll down and click “Boring stuff for grown-ups” and then scroll down to “Learn more about Zearn.”)
Ways to use Zearn in the classroom...
	Try out Zearn in your math U.A. groups or centers. Use it as a pre-teach to your lessons.  Use it as independent practice after your lesson.  Use it for reteaching or intervention.  You can even try it as a flipped classroom. The possibilities are endless.  My students are always excited and engaged whenever I require them to use Zearn.  This website has become part of my daily routine and I highly recommend you incorporate into your lessons in some fashion as well.  Once you set up your roster you can assign the specific module and lesson you want your students to work on.  When I first tried this, I just let my students free to figure it out and become the “content” expert and teach me how it works and what they have to do.  It helped take some of the pressure off of me to have to fully learn another website right away before they even use it.  Once students started getting it down, they were excitedly able to share with me how it works and what they had to accomplish.   Our students can easily access Zearn on their Symbaloo home page.  If you try it out for the first time or just happen to revisit it after reading this post, please let me know below how it is working for you or how you use it your classroom!                          Tech-ing with a purpose,   Tiffani Bossieux

Math Journals

Math Journals
Math has changed drastically since I have been a student, from the way we learn it to the way we teach it. I recall it was a struggle to solve word problems.  When I became an educator, I decided to face this challenge and come up with ways to help students feel successful.
I want my students to succeed and own their learning.
	Do your students currently struggle with word problems?  Eureka gives students opportunities to solve word problems almost daily.  Application problems have helped my students feel good about overcoming something they used to not like.
#Learningfromeachother
Application problems in first grade
	Every teacher has their way of delivering a lesson based on their student needs.  I do not believe there is a right or wrong way.  This is just one approach I’d like to share on how I deliver application problems in my classroom.   The problem is posted on the Smart Board. The first time I read the problem, I ask my class to close their eyes and visualize what is happening.  If it is a complicated problem, I read it twice. We then read the problem as a class.  I ask them to share what they noticed about the story and to keep the answer to themselves. They then share with their partner a detail they heard about the story or the question.  This part is crucial in my lesson.  If they can hear the story at least twice and share the story, they can show me if they understand the problem or not.  They then have a few minutes to work out the problem in their math journals.  They share their work with their table partner.  I pick a student or two to share their thinking using the document camera.  They love this part!  As we continue with this practice, my class starts realizing there isn’t just one way to solve word problems, there are multiple ways.    Math journals were introduced in Module 2.  The journals provide the application problem and a space to work it out.  I used Module 1 application problems to do it whole group on the Smart Board (modeling as much as I could to work out the problems as a group).  We then transitioned to whiteboards.  After many practices, they now use their journals daily. Math journals have become meaningful to my students and me.  They keep a record of their work, it shows their growth, and it is something tangible.  I feel my students really enjoy solving word problems every day!                                   Always Learning, Sabrina Blackwood

Let's Talk, Then Write

Let’s Talk, Then Write
One of the things I remember the most about writing when I was in grade school was how challenging it was for me to come up with ideas to write about.  Often times a writing prompt was written on the board but there was no guide, no structure, and no model provided.  We were just expected to write about the prompt to the best of our ability.  This was quite torturous.  Do your students have a difficult time coming up with ideas or details for their writing?
What if you could develop student writers by simply letting them talk?
	Imagine if your students could improve their writing simply because they were given more opportunities to talk. Let’s not expect our students to write well on any given topic if they themselves don’t have a clear idea of their own views or opinions.  Talking with their peers will help alleviate the anxiety that writer's block produces in them.
“If I can think it, I can say it.  If I can say it, I can write it.  If I can write it, I can read it, and so can others!”
It’s okay to let them talk! Are you fed up with hearing your students say, “I don’t know what to write?”  One of the things my students appreciate is that I give them many opportunities to talk in the classroom before they start writing.  I cannot expect my students to dive right into a writing assignment without first having had the opportunity to share and expand on their thinking through talk.  And it’s not just any type of talk.  It is accountable talk. Accountable talk is defined as “talk that is meaningful, respectful, and mutually beneficial to both the speaker and the listener.  Accountable talk helps students to learn, reflect on their learning, and communicate their knowledge and understanding.”  As I reflect back to my writing experiences in grade school, I realized that one of the reasons I always found it a challenge to write was because I wasn’t given the opportunity to talk to my peers and figure out what to write about.  Give your students plenty of opportunities to figure out what they know and think.  The more classroom talk you allow the more prepared they will be to start writing. One of my favorite ways to structure classroom talk is by using the Kagan Strategy called Talking Chips.   Talking Chips are “manipulatives (e.g., counters, paper tokens, etc.) given to students during small group discussions. Each time a student wants to speak, they “spend” a chip by placing their chip in the center of the group's table.”  This strategy is well loved by students and I love that it’s a great way to ensure that everyone gets a turn to talk.  Click on the following link to see Talking Chips explained in such a cute way! ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0cN9gDFA1Q
	Inspiring Minds, Melissa Hernandez

Using Rotations with Eureka! by Kimberly Smith

Using Rotations with Eureka!
Imagine having the chance to meet with each of your students during small group time, an opportunity for all students to use technology, and some time for hands-on learning to take place.  If this seems like an impossible scenario during your math block, it’s not!
In my last blog post, I discussed using 10-minute warm-ups in order to bring in number talks, technology, spiral review, and fluency on different days of the week.  In this blog post, you’ll learn how to bring some of these options into one day of Eureka Math.  This option will not always work with your math block since some lessons take a lot longer than others, but the kids definitely enjoy rotations, and so do I!  What I like about this option is that you have the opportunity to really hone in on all of your students’ understanding of the current lesson.  This gives you the chance to talk out misconceptions and see who might need a little extra TLC.  Your students will also work on another activity that may be hands-on or something a little more exciting and fun.
	As a math teacher, I understand how difficult it can be to teach a lesson a day.  We stress because we know that many of our students haven’t fully attained the concept in such a short amount of time.  With rotations, you’ll have some peace of mind because your kids will have four different stations to practice the concept at hand.  What’s nice is that as you meet with groups, you can hold back those students who are really stuck and keep them with you for the remainder of the rotation time if you deem it necessary.
“Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know.” -Unknown
Before rotations begin each day, you’ll need to first teach the lesson.  This may mean shortening some of the fluency activities and teaching a little bit faster, but your students will revisit what they’ve missed during your rotations.  Here is what you can do in order to prepare for math rotations:
	In order to get your rotations running smoothly, you’ll have to do a little bit of prep and planning beforehand.  First, you’ll want to figure out how many and what rotations you’ll offer.  I like to have four different rotations with students spending about 12 minutes in each station.  Click on the link below if you’d like to see some of my notes: My Math Rotation Notes & Ideas.  Here are my four stations: Meet with the Teacher/Teacher Time:  Students get small group instruction as we go over another example from our lesson or a Problem Set problem.  Here, each student gets a turn to explain a step or ask any questions they have.  You can also choose to use whiteboards, so you can quickly assess understanding.  This is also a great time to bring in your Eureka debrief! Independent/Partner Practice:  Kids work on the Problem Set problems either independently or with a partner from their rotation group.  This station is set up right next to where I teach small group, so if they’re stuck, they can listen in on what I’m teaching on the Smartboard.  I also like to check in on them to make sure they’re able to work independently. Hands On/Math Center Fun Activity/Math Games:  This gives kids a chance to try the math in a different way.  Sometimes, we find great activities online that we’d love our students to try but know there’s not enough time with Eureka to fit it in.  This is where you can bring these activities into play.  A hands-on activity would also be fun for kids because they can really see how the math can be used in the real world.  Math games are another engaging way for kids to attack the content or work on fluency skills. Tech Time:  If you have limited technology, this may be a way for you to bring in some more computer time into your math block.  I made my students tech cards with several websites and their login information, so they don’t have to waste time trying to remember how to log in.  Instructions are left at the tech station, so students know exactly what is expected of them.  Here I like to have my students work on assignments on tenmarks.com or zearn, practice fluency facts on xtramath.org, take quizzes on Kahoot or Formative, write a blog on Kidblog or Google Classroom, or even try some coding!  Videos from sites like embarc.online or Khan Academy can also be useful in order for kids to review the math lesson learned that day. Please feel free to comment below should you have any questions, comments, or concerns.  I’d be happy to give you more information! Educating together, Kimberly Smith Loya

Full STEAM Ahead!

Full STEAM Ahead!
Last month my classroom was buzzing with excitement as we embarked on our first engineering project.  One of the biggest challenges I faced when designing the lesson was finding enough instructional time during the week for science.  The schedule I have this year requires a shared block of time for both science and social studies.  Like many teachers, I feel the stress of trying to fit it all in.  The primary focus has been on Language Arts and math,  leaving little time for social studies or science. Because time is limited I knew that I wanted to create an engineering project that would build upon the students’ learning in ELA and Math.  This way I could extend students’ understanding of science and engineering concepts during other content blocks.
Crosscutting Concept 2: Cause and Effect:   Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted.  Deciphering causal relationships, and the mechanisms by which they are mediated, is a major activity of science and engineering. For this project, I gave my students the following engineering design challenge:  “Build a prototype of a house that can withstand an earthquake simulation.  Your model must show a cause and effect relationship.”  There are 7 crosscutting concepts (ccc).   Most of the CCCs would have fit nicely into this lesson.  I chose Cause and Effect as the first crosscutting concept to introduce my students to because it is already familiar to them in other contexts. After deciding which CCC I wanted to focus on, I was able to create a list of prompts to help guide my students learning.  I found a couple of great resources to help me start. Take a look at what I found: This link has amazing prompts divided into each of the 7 CCCs. http://stemteachingtools.org/assets/landscapes/STEM-Teaching-Tool-41-Cross-Cutting-Concepts-Prompts.pdfr This link gives symbols you can use with each of the CCCs. https://crosscutsymbols.weebly.com/ Here is a great Google slidedeck with graphic organizers for each CCC.  (Tip:  Make a copy of the slidedeck and save to your drive if you want to edit them.) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YNl4U76UaIEiLR2zD2QaAsgrO515lWFpCsGSbZgKsBo/edit#slide=id.p What Worked Students were really excited about this lesson.  The engagement was off the charts!  It was a great motivator throughout the week.  Connections were made to cause and effect relationships in the stories we were reading.  We even looked for cause and effect in math (error analysis).  I found the graphic organized mentioned above to be a helpful way to discuss cause and effect.   What I Would Change Since this was our first project the students needed a lot of time to make their prototypes.  Only one group was able to finish their prototype and modify their design.  The rest of the students finished but did not get to modify their work.  They gave a verbal description of what they would change instead. Let’s make connections, Alina Padilla

Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning

As I mentioned in my last blog, I’ve been learning about the principles of UDL by slowly reading my way through Katie Novak’s book, UDL Now! Although Novak is quite adept at breaking down difficult concepts into manageable bites, I am a “slow and steady wins the race” kind of person. Like all my fellow OMSD teachers, I have a lot on my plate--McGraw Hill Unit assessments, report cards, staff meetings, PLCs, and so on. Although I wasn’t necessarily looking for “one more thing” to do, something phenomenal fell right into my lap. The UDL framework may very well change the way I approach every decision in my classroom. I see the potential for UDL to Unleash a host of possibilities for me and my students., to Disencumber my students by removing barriers to their learning and to Liberate me, as the teacher, so that I can provide the most appropriate learning opportunities
In my last blog, I likened educators to stonemasons--reconstructing our learning environments year after year. Sometimes we use the same bricks (previously introduced district initiatives and mandates) and sometimes we use new ones. Although we are required to follow certain protocols to ensure equity for all of our students, as creators, we want our “building” to reflect our creativity. As I reflected on the UDL Guidelines regarding Engagement, Representation, and Action and Expression, I made a number of connections. Although I don’t have the desire or time to toss out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak, when it comes to all the teaching methods I have learned over the years at OMSD, I can certainly tweak my practice to ensure greater success for both me and my students.
“When we ask all students to do the same learning task in the same way, we have no idea what INDIVIDUAL children are capable of.”--Dr. Bertie Kingore
I decided to draw clear and purposeful connections between what I was already doing and UDL. I pulled some of the tenets of UDL to see if I could connect any dots and I was pleasantly surprised by what I discovered: UDL encourages teachers to build fluencies with graduated levels of support for practice and performance. Isn’t this also one of the goals of Eureka Math? UDL tells us to promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation. Isn’t this also considered a growth mindset? UDL tells us to vary the methods for response and navigation. This sounds a lot like Kagan to me. UDL wants us to Promote understanding across languages. Wait, doesn’t this sound like our McGraw-Hill E.L.D. program? UDL wants us to clarify vocabulary and symbol. Don’t we do this every day as part of our McGraw Hill reading program?. UDL tells us to foster collaboration and community. This is a core tenet of Project-Based Learning. UDL tells us to minimize threats and distractions. In my last blog, I included this quote from Stephen Krashen, “The affective filter can be prompted by many different variables including anxiety, self-confidence, motivation and stress.” We can’t learn if we feel threatened. UDL tells us to Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships. G.A.T.E.  Icons come to mind. UDL tells us to Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulation. This makes me think of Thinking Maps. With the highest English Language Learner population in the district, I am constantly searching for ways to build bridges. I owe it to my students to leave no stone unturned when it comes to brain-friendly, research-backed education. UDL promises to make learning accessible to all students and that’s exactly who I’ve been tasked to educate--ALL students.
Still Trying to Connect the Dots, Lola E. Jollie