Teaching with Intention: Chapter 2

Hi!

This evening I am linking up with Flying into First Grade, The Primary Gal, and Mrs. Dailey's Classroom discuss chapter 2 of Teaching with Intention. These awesome ladies are the hosts for this week and they have come up with some guiding questions to help lead our discussion. If you haven't joined this study yet, I encourage you to do so. I love love love this book!

 

If you haven't joined this study yet, I encourage you to do so. I love love love this book! In this chapter she has us looking at our teaching. Do we practice what we preach? Really deep thought for the second chapter but a great one. 

Well, we discussed this in greater detail with the first chapter, but it has been something that I have been thinking about a great deal. I know that no matter what I teach I want my classroom to bright, cheerful, inviting, happy, and full of learning. I want people to walk in and see evidence of student learning in the groups of kids working all over the room as well as in the decor on the walls. I want my students work to be the primary decor for my room. They need to be able to see and feel proud of their accomplishments. I also realize that this takes time to build. I also want to be organized, almost obsessively so that my students and I can find anything we need without frustration. I work with first grades so working in groups will take time and practice. Getting work on the walls will also take time and lots of learning experiences need to happen first.

I also realize that this next year of teaching will be a very defining year for me after reading this book. It will be the year that I ensure that I am actually practicing what I preach. That my beliefs are being displayed for students, coworkers , and parents in the way that I interact with students and the way that my classroom runs. It will be the time that I make sure that the ideal room I have been working on creating in reality works the way it should. I believe that the fifteen minutes of reflection that Miller mentions in this chapter will come in handy.

I believe that a classroom should be inviting and organized. Students, teachers, and anyone else who walk into the classroom need to feel welcome and be able to find any materials they may be in need of without frustration. I think that this helps students feel ownership in their room if they know where things are that they can access them when needed.

I believe that my students should feel safe and comfortable in their classroom. They should know by their teacher's words and actions that they are loved and respected. They will not be teased or made fun of for wrong answers, clothing they wear, things they like, etc.

I believe that students should be engaged in learning. They need to be a part of the learning that is happening. It needs to be presented in a way that makes them enjoy learning. Having students work in groups and giving them choices on the groups they work in helps with this. 

Thanks for reading through my thoughts on this chapter. See you next week for chapter 3. 

Ashley

Mindsets in the Classroom: Chapter 3

Good Evening!

I am back again today to bring my thoughts on chapter 3 of Mindsets in the Classroom. I will also be linking up with the lovely ladies at Hello Sunshine. If you haven't joined us yet I encourage you to do so. This is an amazing book!

This was a very large chapter but it was filled with lots of great information that I found very helpful. I am blessed to work in a private school and have always had small class sizes. This has allowed me to be very flexible in how I teach. This past year I taught reading and math in groups with whole group mini lessons. It was a rough start but we made it into a functional system that the kids seemed to enjoy. After reading this chapter I have so many things I want to change about how I made the groups and how I assessed for them.

She began by discussing previewing and preassessing. I have always done assessments at the beginning of new units but I had never thought to preview the material ahead of time, other than just telling them what the assessment was on. Ricci states that 5-10 minutes of previewing can help a student unlock prior knowledge so that they can give their teacher a better reflection of their understanding on a topic. 

These preassessments are such an important part of a differentiation. They show you where students are struggling and what they already know.  These can also help you place students in correct groupings that will help them with their struggles and challenge them at the same time. She stressed that you must only measure their understanding in the areas that you are assessing. So if it isn't a spelling assessment, don't worry about the spelling. This is something that I am guilty of but more when it comes to grammar. She also stresses the importance of using different formats and effective questions. I like using different formats because I find it fascinating how my little firsties think. 

Assessing the data that these assessments bring forth is important. I typically create a graph with what was assessed and the names of the kids who struggled. This way I can find overlaps a little easier. This is also what I use when I create my groups. I tend to change my groups every nine weeks in reading because we run several formative assessments to see how they are doing. That usually results in adjustments. I love being flexible in my groups. It was difficult for my at first but once I got a little better at it I was able to see how much more my students learned. I also had fewer behavior issues doing this because my groups were changing and students figured out that eventually they would probably end up with a friend. Math changed a little more often because we use Saxon math so concepts go by very quickly and I need to switch a lot more to help students out. 

One thing that I will always need to work on is management. Every class is so different and the way they handle things is different. I need to make sure that my expectations are posted and very clear when they are in groups.

One of the things she closes the chapter with is the importance of formative assessments. I never used to do a lot of these but I have changed the way I teach so much over the last few years that now I do quite a few. I like having my kids write answers on the Promethean board because it focuses their attention and it allows me to see what they know and what they don't. It also is very casual to them because I usually allow them to call for classmate help if they get stuck. We also do games to help us test our knowledge on a subject. My class this past year loved Around the World. We  must have played that in every subject. They enjoyed it and I got to see who knew the information and who didn't. I feel that I need to work more on the enrichment side of things though. I definitely did not do as well as I would like in this area last year. I struggle with ideas for solid enrichment ideas that are not always worksheet based. It is one of my goals for this summer and next school year to find better enrichment activities. 

One thing that I have never done before but would like to do this year is exit slips. I like the idea of giving the kiddos a question at the end of every class about the topic we covered to see what they learned.

Well that is all for now. Talk to you all again tomorrow with the awesome chapter 2 of Teaching with Intention.

Ashley

Mindsets in the Classroom: Chapter 2

Hi Everyone!

Today we get to look at chapter 2 of the awesome book Mindsets in the Classroom and I will be linking up with the lovely ladies at Hello Sunshine for this.

In this chapter Mary Cay Ricci gives steps on how to build a growth mindset school culture. I focused a lot on the 5th step which was all about teaching students more about the brain. I think I focused in on this more than the others because I will be teaching science this year with a curriculum that doesn't teach my little firsties anything about the human body which is definitely an important piece. 

 If you read the study that Ricci mentions in this section that was conducted by Marshall and Comalli you can see how important it is to start introducing how our actions and senses are controlled by the brain. Students learning about the brain as early as preschool helps them understand how much their brain really does and really helps them as they develop a growth mindset. They need to understand that with effort your brain can make new connections and learn anything. I use a lot of Magic School Bus books and episodes in science lessons and their are some really good ones that can help teach students about five senses and brain connections. I like The Magic School Bus: Explores the Senses. Sqool Tube also has several kid friendly videos all about the nervous system that you could use in a mini lesson.

Teaching lessons on the brain to your students will also help us teachers become more familiar with the brain and how all these connections are made. It is just as important for us to learn as it is for our students. We need to make sure that we understand so that we can let go of our fixed mindset and embrace a growth mindset just like we are asking our students to do .

As you teach these lessons, send notes home to parents about what you are doing in class. This will help to educate them as well. They need to change their fixed mindsets and learn to encourage the growth mindset that you are building in their students. It is important to work as a team because students need to hear the encouragement on their efforts from everyone around them.

Well, that is all for now. I hope you all are enjoying this book as much as I am.

Ashley

Mindsets in the Classroom: Chapter 1

Good morning!

So I am back again with another post. I believe this is officially the most time I have spent on my blog since I received a little encouragement last year to get it started again. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks : ) Anyway this morning I am linking up with my lovely friends over at Hello Sunshine for the Mindsets in the Classroom book study.

My statement at the top about old dogs learning new tricks actually ties in quite nicely to chapter 1. Those who have a fixed mindset get stuck with the idea that there are just some things that they will never be good at or some things that they will never be able to do. I am definitely one of those people, but the fact that I am writing this blog post shows that I was wrong when I believed that I could never be a blogger and talk with other teachers across the nation because technology and I do not always get along. An amazing friend convinced me I could do it and has helped me learn along the way. We need to be that person for our students. We need to encourage them and show them that there is nothing that they can not learn. They don't need to learn it quickly. All that matters is the effort that they take to learn it. If they put in the effort they will make it.

Thanks for letting me share!

Ashley

Learn Like a Pirate: Student Led Classroom

Hello Again!

Several of my coworkers/friends and I are doing three book studies this summer: Teaching with Intention, Learn like Pirate, and Mindsets in the Classroom. There will be a lot of learning and growing as an educator for me this summer.

Earlier today I posted my thoughts on the first chapter of Teaching with Intention. Now I am partnering up with The Primary Gal for the first section of Learn Like a Pirate.

 

The first part of this book is very eye opening. I am intrigued by Paul Solarz's description of his classroom. I know that I may not be able to completely accomplish that as I am a first grade teacher but I would love to have my firsties become more independent. 

I am always willing to try new things but I also tend to feel like I have failed if it isn't successful right away. Just that perfectionist side of my personality coming out which is why I am happy that he stressed that this isn't something that happens overnight, that it takes time and work to develop this within the classroom. I will need to read that sentence a lot.

With the way that I structure my room now I think that I have a small start to making a student led classroom. When I talked about my thoughts for chapter 1 of Teaching with Intention I mentioned that I have spent time moving away from whole class lessons and working more with groups and mini lessons. I still need to work on this and give my students more group time and more freedom within the groups. I still try to control the groups too much. I need to work on stepping back and letting them work their way through the activity or problem and only use me as a guide if necessary. 

One more thought I liked is his statement about how this will only be "effective if the students feel safe, appreciated, and and connected to their teacher." This is such a true statement! Kids need to make a connection with you in order for learning to happen and the connection only happens when they feel safe and appreciated. I am blessed to work in a private school so my class size has never been higher than 20 which makes it really easy to get to know a lot about your students and their daily lives. Because we are a small campus I also have daily opportunities to interact with the kindergartners and students I have had in the past. This allows me lots of opportunities to build relationships with those coming up, those in my room, and those I have already had. It makes coming to first grade a lot easier since the kids already know myself and my teaching partner. I think it will help us a great deal as we make our classrooms more student led this next school year.

Looking forward to the next chapter next week!

Ashley

Teaching with Intention: Chapter 1

 

I am having one of those weeks where I am ten steps behind everything. Yesterday the book study with Greg from Kindergarten Smorgasboard, Teaching with Intention began. The first chapter was all about what our ideal classroom would like.  This was the perfect thing to start with. This year I will only be teaching math, science, social studies, handwriting, and Bible so the way my room looks and is structured will need to change.

My ideal classroom for my little firsties has a lot of open space. I am not a big fan of little ones spending a lot of time in desks so I would prefer to have several tables to use as workstations. Then kids could work at those or on the floor. I feel that kids need to have some say in how they work, especially when they are so young and are full of the wiggles. This comes with a higher noise level but I don't mind as long as their is learning going on.

The room would also be full of bright colors. Bright colors make me feel happy and I think that they would have the same effect on my little guys. I would also like to have lots of work displayed. They should be able to look all over the room and see stuff they have learned and created. I want them to develop a sense of pride in their work and I think seeing it displayed helps with that. 

          

In my ideal classroom the students would be working independently, in small groups with peers, or with the teacher in a small group. I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time whole class teaching. Kids this little don't have the focus for that and I think they learn better when they are actively creating or using something to help them understand a concept. Listening to me talk continuously isn't going to help anyone. 

I would be either working with a small group who is struggling with something or walking around the room assisting groups as they work through whatever activity we are working on. 

For the last two years I have worked on moving away from whole class instruction all the time and moving to mini lessons and then group or center work. I have also been working on creating more hands on and interactive activities for them to help them understand lessons. This last year was probably the most hands on my classroom has been and I loved it. I had groups all over the room a lot of the time. This resulted in a lot of noise but we were having fun learning. 

I really need to work more on organization.This last year  I was a new mom working full time so I feel like I just shoved things in cupboards and drawers because of a lack of time and sleep. Now its time to deal with all my hidden stashes. I am hoping it will be easier now that I only have a few subjects.

I would also like to add more seating alternatives to my room. I have one table and desks and then lots of floor space. I would like more options so kids don't feel like they need to either sit on the floor or at a desk. I am not sure what that will look like yet but I am open to ideas. 

I would also love to change the lighting in my room. I don't get very much outside light in my room so I have to rely on the overhead lights which just seem to bright and half the time are flickering. I usually only turn half of them on and that helps a little but I will be looking into a few lamps. My teaching partner has a few in her room and I love the vibe they give the room. 

I am so looking forward to the rest of the book and all the changes that are happening in the way that I view my classroom and teaching. Its going to be a great summer of learning and a great year a changes. I hope you can join us on this adventure. 

Ashley

Together We are Better: Office Space

 

Hi Everyone!

Today I am linking up with Shroeder Shenanigans in Second and Lucky Little Learners for the 2gether We are Better linky. This month it is all about home office spaces. Now I am a day late on this but oh well. Hopefully next month I will make it the day of : )

Our home actually has a designated office that we have decorated because my husband and I both do a lot of work at home. It is definitely the most interesting room in our house. It is the only room that doesn't match. We could not decide on decor for room so we split it in half. The half and half decor was our way of compromising, but it led to what you see below. Maybe someday we will find decor we both can agree on but for now this is what it will be. 

As much as I love my side of this space I very rarely work in it. For the last two years its been mostly my husbands office since he was taking online classes to finish his masters. Since I needed a space to work in at the same time I started working in our loft area at a coffee table. Not a very likely area but I have come to love it.

It is nothing fancy but it is now my favorite place to work. I have plenty of space on the table and on the floor behind me to spread out all my books, papers, etc. and not feel crowded. It is also in the same room as a TV which works to my advantage because I can't work in complete quiet. I always have to have music or a show playing in the background. It gets a lot of sunlight unfortunately I am usually working at night. My sweet girl is my main focus. I take all the time I can to play and cuddle with her. Time goes by so fast and I don't want to miss a moment working, so after she goes to sleep is when most of the creating and planning happens.

Someday I may decide that the floor is no longer a good work place and work in the office again but for now this is my favorite place.

Ashley