Forever in the Middle: Middle School Students CAN be Excited About Reading!

Middle School Students CAN be Excited About Reading!

Hello Amazing Colleagues and Friends!

I am so honored and excited to be a part of this group this year and I can't wait to start sharing my classroom with you. It was a journey to get to where I am today and I am still learning every day,
but somehow I was pulled back to the middle repeatedly and I have decided that it is because I
belong here (even though it may have to take a few years to realize this). I'm the middle child in
my family teaching seventh grade in middle school. That means I'm a middle teaching the middle
of the middle. So here I am...Forever in the Middle (and loving it)!

Every year starts out with excitement and anticipation of new adventures and explorations and this year is different only in that I get to share my journey with all of you. This year, I will work to encourage enthusiasm for all things ELA with my middle schoolers, who are notoriously known for being a bit less than enthusiastic for life. I will share how I integrate collaboration, technology, and engagement strategies to make content meaningful to my students. My first goal: enthusiasm for reading.

Is it really possible?

As a middle school teacher, I have tried everything to get my students to read consistently every day so that they can improve lexile levels. Here’s the thing though: you can’t force a love for reading and lexile levels won't be improved drastically if a student is not reading because they do not enjoy it. I'm not sure what changes from elementary to middle school, but students seem to forget their love of reading that they so readily showed in elementary school. It has been a constant battle in all my years of teaching to re-ignite this spark.

In the past, I even went as far as singing a little song to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat (Read, read, read your books for the whole ten minutes) then moved on to threatening (if you don’t read your books, you’ll stay late with me), but aside from a few eye rolls and reluctant compliance it made little difference.  The most some students did was open the book and pretend to read. We all know what that looks like, don’t we? Realistically, at that point is the reading time really benefiting anyone?

What changed?

This year, after re-evaluating my own practices and reading some great professional development
books, I came back with a new approach and it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done. It’s one of those
“Why didn’t I try this first” things: share my LOVE for books with kids so they see it’s cool to love books
in my classroom.  They have forgotten their passion, but they aren’t too old to love reading and no one is ever too cool for it.

"What I Want to Read" book lists from student
notebooks (after our first big book talk day)

From day one this year, I have talked about books, the students have handled books, and they have made lists of books they want to read--even the kids who came in declaring “I hate reading” have lists of books they want to read in their notebooks.

Last week I received my latest shipment of Scholastic books and we looked at all the books and SMELLED all the books! If you want to see some amused but happy faces, just walk through a class with a fresh book telling them to smell the fresh ink and paper. The looks on these young faces is priceless. I even tweeted a picture of my shipment and tagged authors of books I ordered. And guess what! Alan Gratz--the actual Alan Gratz of Refugee fame--replied to my tweet, Gordon Korman retweeted it, and Pam Munoz Ryan liked it! So today when showing the students all the new books for our library, I shared the tweets with them and they were just as excited as I was. In their eyes, I’ve made it on Twitter and I’m a celebrity already.

The chair I painted. Books are labeled with
titles of favorite books I have read or
books I have taught to my classes.

How did this change perspectives?

Now students are coming to me and actually asking to do book talks for the whole class! Honestly, the fancy chair may have helped that a little bit, but I don't even have to require book talks because they want to share what they are reading and feel safe in my classroom showing peers that they love reading. If you know middle school aged students, this is huge!


With all this craziness over books, the students can feel that I'm being genuine with them and that makes everything more meaningful to them.
The thought that "If my teacher puts this much emphasis on this, it MUST be important" is what the students will remember.

What can you do in your own classroom?

1. Surround your students with great books. Check websites such as Great Reads for
recommendations. Also, notice which books are passed from one student to another and which
books they talk about with each other. Have students keep a running list of books they want to read.

2. Hold book talks frequently (less than 60 seconds). This can be teacher or student led and ends up sounding like a brief teaser for the book. There's a great Book Talk guideline at http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books/booktalks and some great examples of Book Talks.

My reading recommendation
and literature connections.

3. Have students share what they are reading with the class. Informal book talks at their groups, with their partners, to the class, etc. are great ways to share. Also, a book recommendation wall or area in the classroom is helpful for those who are looking for a good book.
4. Check in with students often about what they are reading and share in their enthusiasm for the book. This can be done during independent reading time with a few students each day. I keep a log and try to meet with 4-5 students each day in each class while the class is reading.
5. Make time for reading. It is one of my biggest priorities because without the ability to read and comprehend, all other subject areas suffer as well.

Even though students at this age have a reputation of being difficult, they really just want to feel like they are a part of something and they want to be important in someone's eyes. Letting them share their
interests through reading is a way to create a sense of belonging in your classroom. Your passion for learning and teaching will rub off your students and that is when you will see that spark ignite. Moments like that are what make every single day worth it.

Keep the magic alive,
Kandyce Valverde

I Know What You Did Last Summer....(a non-horror experience)

When I think of summer, I think of time off especially after an arduous year of teaching, learning, reflecting, grading, writing (lesson plans), reading, and all things academic.  So it was to my surprise that I signed up for the Invitational Summer Institute (ISI).

I bet your gut reaction was "Whaaat!!  Summer writing, no thanks!  MAYBE summer reading, anything but writing!"

No worries, I felt the same way.  People will do anything to avoid writing...like a horror movie it scares, frightens, worries, terrorizes and perhaps makes us sweat (a little).  I get it.  I get it.  I. Get. It!  I used to feel that way too.

Then, something changed.  A shift if you will.  Let me tell you what I did last summer.

It started with me, reluctantly (to be honest), applying and getting accepted to attend the 2018 Invitational Summer Institute (ISI) held at UC Riverside from mid-June to early July 2018.  Twelve days total.  I was unsure if I wanted to spend two weeks of my summer like this but I decided that my writing instruction needed some assistance and a fellow colleague REALLY encouraged me to attend (if you are reading this, you know who YOU are!).

Participating in ISI changed how I viewed writing and how I could make writing more meaningful for students.  I also realized that the ISI was NOT  a writing workshop with hand-outs and a mountain of strategies that you probably will never use anyway.  Don't get me wrong...there were actual hand-outs and strategies that were shared but the main takeaway for me was that writing takes many forms and accomplished writers NEED accomplished writer teachers with an emphasis on the teacher being a writer themselves and not just teachers of writing.

What does this mean exactly?  Well, by experiencing each day during the ISI as a writing "student," I realized that the reasons to write were crucial for engagement and to stimulate creativity.  Through thoughtful and carefully-planned activities, we became poets, storytellers, reporters, authors, rappers, lyrical composers, researchers, and audience members to an array of creative writing pieces.  We clapped, cheered, and encouraged each other.  We became a community of..........writers.

Writers.

Therefore, my "story" for this year's Spotlight Blog will be about writing.  I would like to share with you how the ISI has impacted my classroom practice.  I have implemented some ISI writing experiences with my current class and I am excited to share the results with you in future blogs so please return!

Want more info?  Click here:

http://iawp.ucr.edu/

Would you care for a "preview" - like a movie trailer showing some of the fabulous activities we participated in during the ISI?  Well, there is an annual writing conference coming up on Nov. 3rd at UCR.  There is a fee.  If your site has PD funding, this would be a great way to use it.  I hope you can join us!

Happy Writing!
Gus Macuil

Teambuilding with Kagan!

Teambuilding with Kagan!

My kiddos sharing the contents of their "Me Bags"
within their table groups

In order to build a sense of community and trust within your classroom, team building should be done every day for at least the first week of school.  After that it is recommended that it be done twice a week to help students maintain that sense of trust.  Team Building should be non-academic in nature, and a task that requires all members of a group to participate in order to complete the task.

Teambuilding creates enthusiasm, trust, and mutual support, which in the long run leads to more effective academic work!   -Dr. Kagan

Effectively organizing teambuilding activities, can help the child who feels the most unsuccessful become the MOST successful member of the team. Every student gets to contribute his/her own skills to better the group as a whole.  I have seen the quietest students blossom into being more active participants in their group and in class in general, which of course then leads them to academic success as well. In the video below you can see my students participating in Kagan Teambuilding activities the first couple weeks of school.  They shared “Me Bags” with their groups, they also participated in the Team Sentence building activity, the Team Word Finder activity, and the About Me Question Cards- just to name a few!  ALL students were engaged and excited to participate with each other. Now being ONLY 3 weeks into the school  year my students are ALREADY working together cohesively in teams, and not just when I ask them to! They are already comfortable enough that they are naturally gravitating towards teamwork even when I haven’t prompted them to do so.  Just today during a teambuilding activity, I heard one of my students say to the other one “Look! Zolin came up with the word “due.” That was a good word Zolin!” It was super cute, and exactly the type of encouragement, feedback, and respect that I hope to build into my students!

Kagan says that through teambuilding students get to know, like, and respect their teammates. Student teams meet some of students most important needs: to feel known; to feel liked; to feel accepted; to feel a sense of belonging; and to be successful. Here are the 5 essential components that Kagan suggests are needed to develop cohesive teams:


1.  Getting Acquainted: Getting to know your teammates.  I used the “Me Bag,” and the “About Me Questions” activities from Kagan, to help implement this structure (seen in the video above).  

 2.  Team Identity: Forming a team identity.  You can have students create team names, posters, cheers, etc.  I have my kiddos come up with team cheers.  They love doing this, and they come out super cute.  I also used the “Team Word Finder” and the “Team Sentences” activities from Kagan to reinforce this as well.

 3. Mutual Support: Feeling supported by teammates. Helping students create a feeling of mutual support when they know that they can and need to rely on each other.

 4.  Valuing Differences: Clarifying and respecting differing values.  These are activities that clarify an individuals own values and beliefs and help students come to an understanding where they respect each other’s individuality and differences.

 5. Developing Synergy: Building on teammates contributions. These are tasks that encourage students to build on each other’s ideas.  When cooperatively working in a group, the group product can be better than the product of even the most accomplished individual.  You want your students to reach this level of cooperative learning in order to maximize their learning experience. 

Collaboratively Learning,

Megan Brown

megan.brown@omsd.net

Starting the Year with Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships

Starting the Year with Positive Parent-Teacher Relationships

Teachers, how well do you know your parents?  Effective communication is essential for building a school-family partnership.  It establishes the foundation for all other forms of family involvement in education. So, how can we build this positive relationship with our student's parents?  To make these relationships strong, we need to focus on four things: expectations, collaboration, communication, and realizations.

How does the relationship between your student's parents and you affect their learning? Could this relationship have an effect on how well they read? How would your parents know that you are an effective teacher?   

Positive parent-school communication benefit parents.  The way in which we collaborate and interact with parents can affect a parents' involvement with their child's learning.  Positive interactions allow parents to feel safe and comfortable asking questions and getting involved in their child's education.  They become more confident and involved.  Our job as teachers is to help develop the essential role parents play in the school community.  By creating this positive bond with parents not only do students benefit but so do teachers. Imagine learning about student needs and their home environment through parents and not having to figure it out on your own.   

"It takes a village to raise a child."

 -African Proverb

What are some ways both teacher and parent can ensure that together they are doing what's best for their students'/child's success?

Expectations

When it comes to expectations, both parents and teachers have them for each other. Parents expect us to teach and guide their children to academic success and we expect parents to support their learning at home.  We also share common expectations such as attendance and behavior.  If these expectations are communicated with each other in a positive and clear way, it can have a positive response on student's learning outcomes.  The key word is communicated...  When expectations are clearly communicated, both stakeholders have a better understanding of their roles in the relationship.  So, set your expectations.  Let your students and your students' parents know your expectations.  I like to do this both at Back to School Night and in a letter that I send home the first day of school.  The key to giving this information is making sure it is passed on most positively and respectfully.   These expectations should be given and received many times throughout the school year.  


Communication and Collaboration

Have you ever heard that communication is a two-way street?  Communication is a must in building a successful parent-teacher relationship.  Communication can help a child in so many ways.  The more we communicate with each other, the better equipped we are to help students achieve academically, socially and emotionally.  We have so many opportunities as teachers to have successful two-way communication with our students' families. Effective communication strategies include Initiation, Timeliness, Consistency, Frequency and Follow through.  I like to start with Back to School Night.  It's a great night to communicate the wonderful year their children will partake in and the community they will be part of. But what about the parents who cannot be at this event?  This is when a phone call works nicely (initiation).  Just a short phone call to let them know how excited you are to be their child's teacher will brighten everyone's day. Phone calls are also an effective way to let families know about their child's' success. A positive phone call can mean the world to a parent and a student.  

A phone call can include:

• What their child will be learning
• Invitation to Open House or other school events
• A positive comment on student progress
• Inform them of student achievement
• Inform them of their child's strengths 

Throughout the year, I communicate with parents in several ways, but a form of communication they can consistently count on is a weekly letter that I attach to the homework.  It states the learning objective and reminders for the week.  I also make sure to send home progress reports every six weeks (frequency) to inform parents of their child's progress.  Other ways to communicate is through parent/teacher conferences, daily with the Remind app (timeliness), Curriculum nights/workshops, Open House, and school-wide events.  Remember the key to success is always to be positive and follow through with what you say you are going to do.  


Realizations

I've made some realizations from my experiences as a teacher and as a parent. I’ve realized that we're on the same team and as such, we need to be supportive of each other.  We need to have mutual respect for one another.  Our number one focus and goal should be the success of each individual child.  Parents and teachers both have a genuine desire for children to be successful.  It's a realization that assumptions and perceptions are often inaccurate. Seeking to understand each other by communicating is key to having powerful relationships.  It's a realization that when a child and parent feel supported by a teacher, students have a more significant advantage in their ability to be successful.  It's a win-win for everyone!


Just remember- You Got This!  Be Intentional, Be Positive, Be Visible and Approachable, Be Clear and Consistent, and Be a Good Listener.  Success for all students is the objective, and positive parent-teacher relationships are crucial to this success!

Positively Teaching,                              

Randi Muehlen

Buckle Up Friends! It’s Going to be a Bumpy Ride.

Buckle Up, Friends!

It's Going to be a Bumpy Ride

You know that tingly feeling of anticipation that you get when

you buckle yourself into a roller coaster ride? Well, that’s the

feeling I get at the beginning of every school year. I love the

sense of infinite hope and expectation that distinguish those

first few weeks of school from the rest of the year. There’s a palpable sense of expectation in the air.

The pencils are sharp and inviting.

Minds are open and eager to learn.

Don't get me wrong. You're scared,
If you want to make the ride fun for you and your students,


but in a good way. And even though you know how "the ride" is going to end,
it always feels different.
You may have new students. Perhaps you're working with a
new grade level and learning a new curriculum.

Keep your eyes wide open and be present in the
moment. Embrace everything that our district has to offer.
We are fortunate to have coaches to support us with technology, Wonders, Eureka Math, and E.L.D. Spend some time investigating Symbaloo.

There are a multitude
of varied resources for
you and your students.

As classroom educators, there is a lot that is outside of our control. That being said, we have TREMENDOUS impact on our students when they are in our classrooms. So how can we make the most of the time that we do have. Prepare by planning, plan by preparing, and take advantage of every teachable moment.

“Place your hand over your heart. Feel that? That’s

called a purpose. You’re alive for a reason.

Don’t give up.”  Anonymous

Still Enjoying the Ride,

Lola Jollie

This is a journey of making mistakes and learning from them . . .

Start of a new school year, time to make new connections with our students through meaningful and relevant activities.

My name is Kevin and I want to welcome you into my classroom - both through this written blog and whenever you want to visit my classroom in person.  I want to share with you my journey through this year as I try new things - my successes and my failures - all in an effort to make connections with each and every one of my students.

“If you TRY, and LEARN from your MISTAKES, then you will 

PASS this class.”  

Mr. Stott

My goal with students during these first couple weeks of school is to break down barriers for those that find math intimidating and at the same time challenge students who love math to not be satisfied with where they are right now.  My struggling students are often afraid to try difficult tasks while my advanced students stress how they can fix their answers.  I repeat over and over during these opening weeks, “If you TRY, and LEARN from your MISTAKES, then you will PASS this class.”  This helps all of my students lower their anxiety level while at the same time set the expectation that you will make mistakes in this class.

Computers in the Math Classroom

(https://blogs.ams.org/mathgradblog/2016/05/26/computers-math-education/)

by K. Cluver

This year my challenge is to learn how to implement technology effectively in my classroom environment.  For the first time, I have a set of 35 laptops housed in my classroom and are for my use only - one computer to one student.  I am wondering how I can use this new resource to challenge my students, to offer intervention and support my students during their unit projects - and at the same time keep 160 students accountable for their time on the computers.  As I go through this year, I will write about using computers in my classroom on this blog.  I realize that this will be a journey of learning for myself as I try to implement computer usage in a meaningful and relevant way.

Excellence is not an act, but a habit.

Kevin Stott

Let's Talk About... Good Math Reads! by Sabrina Blake

Math Matters

Let's Talk About... Good Math Reads!

Congratulations!  You've made it through the year!  Summertime is not only a great opportunity to relax, but it's also a perfect time for reflection on the year that has passed, and look forward to the year ahead. 

Reading is one of my favorite summertime activities, and I'm sure I'm not alone.  During the hustle and bustle of the school year, I find it difficult to squeeze in as much reading as I'd like, especially professional reading.  But summer?  I have the opportunity to not only read, but I also have the time to ponder and think about how to apply the ideas I love to my upcoming school year.  If you are looking for some professional reading to do in the field of mathematics this summer, here are some suggestions for you!  The titles are all linked to the book on Amazon, in case you're feeling inspired.  

Number Talks- Whole Number Computation
This is the original Number Talks book, which is great.  I found the one above more practical to use, but this book comes with a DVD which is helpful.  It gives suggestions for how to have specific number talks in the K-2 classroom and in the 3-5 classroom.  The great thing is that once you get the strategy down on structuring number talks, you can use any curriculum or student misconception to conduct a number talk with your class.  There is also one specifically on Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages which sounds like it would be great for upper grade teachers.

Making Number Talks Matter

This is a great read for teachers of grades 4-10 on conducting number talks.  It is broken down into sections on each of the four operations as well as fractions, and has several chapters on practical advice as well.  Within each section there are methods and strategies for solving problems, and examples to use to start the Number Talk on a specific solution strategy.  This would also dovetail with the strategies taught in our curriculum, or any misconceptions that your students may have that you'd like to correct.  

Beyond Pizzas and Pies
If you teach grades 3-5, and your students typically struggle with fractions, this is the read for you!  It addresses many fraction misconceptions that students have and how to correct them.  The strategies presented can be utilized in an intervention format or in addition to your regular math curriculum.







Minds on Mathematics
This is a great book if you're looking to implement a Math Workshop model in your upper grade classroom, as this is geared for grades 4-8.  It talks about what the workshop looks like and how to set it up, then gives practical and in-depth advice about how it should be structured to gain maximum student learning.










Math Matters

Not a true 'summer read' but this book is great reference material.  It is great for anyone who teaches math in grades K-8.  It will build in the background, conceptual knowledge that you may feel like you are missing when it comes to implementing any math standard or curriculum.  Keep this one in the classroom, you'll use it a lot!








I hope you check one or more of these out and give them a read over the summer or during the next school year.  My summer reads include What's Math Got To Do With It? by Jo Boaler, and Mathematical Mindsets, also by Jo Boaler.  If you'd love to discuss any of the books listed above, I'm happy to talk about them with you.  I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing summer, and come back in August rejuvenated and ready to inspire a new group of students.  Happy Reading! 

Mathematically yours,

Sabrina Blake

sabrina.blake@omsd.net

Empowering Students

Empowering Students!

We’re getting close to the end of the year! Yay! We want the students to have more fun in learning, so we add the fun projects, but how do we do this while continuing to challenge their thinking as well? How do we reflect on the learning that took place with a bit of excitement even though we are all tired? “How do I do this?” you might ask, well the answer is stepping back and letting the students take ownership of their work; you have a variety of learning experiences, in which students are engaged, and you are facilitating the learning that is taking place in your classroom.

The more you let student voices be heard and choices are made,                              the more that students will take responsibility for their learning.

As teachers, we are actively teaching and providing students with opportunities to demonstrate what is learned. There are moments in our classroom when we have to understand it’s time to stop teaching and become “The Facilitator”. It’s not just about providing opportunities to demonstrate what was learned by administering a writing assignment or an assessment. It’s about the students taking ownership, shining through a project of their choice where their talents and creativity shine.

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember.                           Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Here are some project ideas:
In Language Arts I have students pick a genre of their choice and write a story of their own. If a student does not want to write a story of their own, I have them pick a story we read in class and ask them to change the ending of the story (making a small piece of their own).

In Social Studies, we discuss California history targeting a different comprehension strategy each day to understand that in research we have to summarize, form opinions for credible resources, evaluate the source to know if the information was sufficient or if we need to go beyond the current reading. Then students decide what display (PowerPoint Presentation, video, poster board, constructing a California Mission, or an idea of their own) they would like to add as they present their research to the class.

In Science I have students work on an AVID one-pager (a page in which they summarize, question, add art that helped them visualize the concept and still add their own touch that took them beyond the learning, for example adding a poem or a song) or maybe a student will come up with an experiment that sums up his/her learning.

In Math, I have students work collaboratively creating math problems. They take all the concepts learned and choose 2 or more to write a multi-step problem using a Read-Draw-Write. Students work together writing the word problem and make sure they are able to solve it before passing it on for peers to solve it.

Becoming “The Facilitator” is rewarding because it’s exciting to watch them take over and make it very clear learning took place. The engagement and collaboration taking place remind us of the first month of the school year, teaching them “Teamwork makes the Dream Work!”


Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!
Hilda Sanchez

Ending the School Year Strong!

Ending the School Year Strong!

It's that time of year.  You look at your calendar and begin counting down to the last days of school.  State testing is done, the weather is getting nicer, and we are all getting anxious for vacation.  The end of the school year is right around the corner, but it isn't over quite yet.  Those last few weeks can be challenging, and it is understandable that both teachers and students would be tempted to slow down a bit.  However, it is important for the future of our students that we actually keep going strong.  We always seem to remember how things end rather than how they begin. 

How can I stay energized to help my students finish strong?  What are ways my students can reflect on what they've learned?  How can they take these reflections and grow from them?  

We are running the final lap of the school year.  Everyone is tired!  But, we must keep going.  We are role models. What type of message would we be sending if we just throw in the towel?  We must model for them how to finish strong. You wouldn't join a team and drop out in the middle of the season, would you?  Would you hit a home run and just stand at home plate?  Of course not!  We should finish what we started with the same devotion and zest as we began!  Let's keep them learning until the last bell.  

"Starting Strong is Good, Finishing Strong is Epic."

 -Robin Sharma

How do I end the year on a strong and positive note?

Here are some ways:

Introduce the Idea of a Strong Finish

Have students reflect on questions such as:

What are things you can do to help finish the school year strong academically?
What is one thing you can do to help your classmates finish the year strong academically?

It's fun to have students reflect on their learning for the year and to set goals for the last few weeks.  Activities that involve reflective thinking are so beneficial.You can turn their answers into posters that can be hung around the classroom as a reminder.  

Celebrate Academic and Social Achievements
Have students celebrate their achievements and be excited for what's to come:

It is important to celebrate hard work and learning, living up to class rules and the effort put into collaborating to solve problems together throughout the year.  Rather than counting down the days, I like to start a list of our accomplishments for the year.  Each day we add a different students' accomplishment.  Then we celebrate our growth!  I like to have students do a writing on three new things they tried or learned this school year and one thing they hope to learn in the upcoming school year.  

Practice Positive Mindset
Have your students share something positive about each other:

Model positive mindset always.  Walk into the classroom with a smile daily.  
Have your students brainstorm positive traits about each other and make a list for each student. I like to write their names on top of a paper, then we pass it around and add positive attributes about that student. We do one student a day for the last 26 days of school.  My students love to do one for me on the very last day of school.  

Make Time for Fun
Have fun:

Although the end of the year is packed full of tests, presentations, and stress it's important that your students enjoy the last few weeks of school. I love to do activities such as

• go on virtual field trips
• go on a nature walk
• have theme days 
• have a field day 
• write letters to the incoming class  
• do hands-on science projects  

Though we generally think of the word "end" as a conclusion, we should keep in mind it comes from the Greek word anti, which means "before."  While we might think we're concluding the school year, we are really and much more importantly setting students up for what comes next.   

Positively Teaching,                              

Randi Muehlen