The Winding Down

May 18, 2011
I am working hard to get to the unit test in math.  Students have been out ill, for funerals, or just absent.  I am spending my preps trying to catch them up; I don't want to test  until we are all ready.  Yet, the new unit awaits, and there's not much time left to the school year.  This has been a frustration.  We are not to let any slip through, yet how long do I wait to give a test because of all of these absences?

The Homework Situation - Are more students not getting their work done, or am I just losing my patience?  Most of my students do turn their work in on time.  Then, there are the habitually late.  Those who need to have recess taken away to complete it.  I suppose the beautiful weather isn't helping.  For the last two days, I have given a lot of work time.  If students use their time well, they can get most of it done.

Poetry Folders - This was my smart goal. I am happy with the products.  Some of my boys really got in to decorating their covers and pages.  A fellow teacher said she didn't get to poetry writing this year because of our reading/writing/language curriculum.  I am hoping students will share some of their writing when we invite parents to come in before the end of the year. 

Making Words - I started a new station during reading called Making Words.  Students take the scrambled letters and make 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5- letter words, and try to come up with the mystery word (the one that uses all of the letters).  I am wondering what other kinds of word work I will be able to add next year.  I am seeing some of my students really struggle in decoding unfamiliar words.  I want to be able to help them more. 

Action Research - My Personal Journal

May 11, 2011   Math Action Research.  I used a teacher reflective journal, exit slips, and a class grid to keep track of student progress during our fraction unit.  I'm thinking the journal belongs in my blog!  After the coaching meeting today, I also feel that I will model a reflective journal for math next year.  One of the most important things teachers can do is reflect on our practice, so I think I'm off to a good start having tried this.  Next year, if I model the journal, and share my successes, I will have a better chance of impacting other teachers.  Find my math action research journal elsewhere in my blog!

Coaching Math in our District

May 11, 2011  I've been asked to be a math coach in our building, and have taken some training this year.  I've attended two workshops at CESA 11 this year.  I have also worked with a math coach, Marilyn Heifner, observed and been observed by other teachers.  I find this exhilarating!  Just the collaboration and talking with teachers who want to improve their practice and "glean" ideas from eachother is exciting.  I am excited about bringing real Learning Community into our building, and seeing the effects it will have on student achievement!   Today was my first day of workshops through a CESA 11 grant called CMLC, Creating Mathematics Learning Community.  We analyzed district data, and learned attributes of a math coach.  We also spent time reflecting on our own strengths, determining if we are collaborators, communicators, contributors, or challengers.  I found out through a team player self-survey that I was a bit of all of them.  I think it depends on the type of meeting I am in.

March and April Updates

April 16, 2011

Computer Troubles.  Our desktop comes back tomorrow.  Four people with two laptops and one internet connection has been frustrating!  But, I have found a new place to work.  Sam is gone to college for three more weeks, and I have a heater in the basement by her desk.  I am toasty, and away from distractions.  With the snow on the ground, it’s a good day to work. 

April 16, 2011

Fourth Grade Slump:  I read an article from the April Educational Leadership that talked about how many students won’t ask for help.  I learned that this was so true!  Some of the students who couldn’t show me physical representations for fractions greater than 1 had not asked for help.  I thought they had it!  This reminded me about the need to be checking in so I know exactly who has the skills needed to move on.  I corrected their fraction tests.  I also found that those who really knew how to find a fraction of a number were solid, even if we hadn’t talked about it in awhile.  But those who never really were solid, didn’t get it in the quick review we did before the test.  I feel I blew this for them, and will need to go back and find another way to get it to sink deep. 

Homework:  The other pondering I’ve been doing with this research is what to do with homework.  I used to collect, grade, and put in my grade book, but is the work an accurate measure of the child’s knowledge?   Some got help on it from a parent.  Some didn’t have it done.  I am thinking now about focusing on one assignment a week, an important assessment piece that could become part of a unit portfolio to show student knowledge and growth.  I’m not sure how to organize this.  I also think that the multitude of worksheets then could be used as at-home practice, review the next day, and wouldn’t need to bog me down correcting it every night.

April 15, 2011

Smart

Goal Community Circle

:  Today we circled at the end of the day/week.  Students had been sharing on Fridays about the activities they enjoyed.   They have had positive feelings about things such as Phy Ed, art projects, poetry book writing, Taste Wisconsin program, no homework, or an extra recess.  This week I asked students to think of someone who helped by doing something for them. A few were very sweet.  Students shared on others helping/support them when they needed help learning something or with emotional support.  Two others, boys who have struggled with behavior and enjoyment with reading, thanked the twins in my room for sharing their Bone books.  I’ve never seen them read so much!  One of my gifted reading girls caught my eye, and her expression said, “They are finally seeing what’s so great about reading books!”  I am contemplating an end of the week game, or trying to incorporate more community building activities within our week.  With the weather turning warm, except for this weekend, I wonder if we couldn’t spare 10-15 minutes to energize, and gain that back in work time.  At the same time, it might help us feel more positive about school, so we end with good feelings about our year.

April 12, 2011

Smart Goal Technology:  I have enjoyed gathering data on the students’ learning in the computer lab.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to assess their knowledge on Power Point before we began.  I thought I had an evaluation, but couldn’t find it, and off we went to the lab.  Some students are working on their book report Power Point at home with a jump drive.  They have brought back new tips for classmates, and we had one of the best lab times last week.  They were on task, helping, and the feel of the room was great.  One thing I learned was never to assume anything.  I thought they all felt comfortable with saving and retrieving from their personal file at school. (They should have.  It was a goal when we worked with Microsoft Word Documents.)  In fact, many had to start over on our second day, as they couldn’t find their file!  Sometimes we learn through mistakes.

March 31, 2011

Unit 6 Reading Test Results!  I corrected Unit and Benchmark Tests from my students.  Students scored well on the unit test.  All eleven of my advanced readers were strong in vocabulary and comprehension, most at 100% and 95-100% respectively.  Eleven more students (six at grade level and five who were just moved up to grade level for this unit) all scored 80% or better in vocabulary and comprehension on this test.  One more student scored 75% on both.  I was so encouraged about their growth, and feel the extra effort I put into their small group lessons and the extra work I was demanding from them contributed to that success.  We all went over test questions, and I focused on which questions they should have gotten but didn’t.  The Benchmark Test scores were not as good, but there was even improvement there.  It was the third given (one benchmark every quarter) and for the first time I felt that they should have done so much better!  So, we went over these questions and talked about how to answer the open-ended questions, and how they could have found the other answers, too.  There were two questions on the test that I took responsibility for.  One was on Greek and Latin roots, and the other was a summary question.  There is power in looking ahead to see which skills will be tested, and making sure I don’t miss those.  (That is a reading instruction goal for me.)  I was able to leave all of my lower kids at benchmark, even though the level has moved from an R to an S.  Two of those students aren’t quite there, but have support at school in Reading Support and one parent who is reading the material at home with him before he comes to group.  Talk about great family support!

March 29, 2011

Mini Action Research:  I am to journal my observations, collect one assignment each week, and read student math journals and exit slips to improve instruction and learning.  I am so surprised at the insight journaling can give me!  One of the concepts that gave students the most trouble was learning to visualize a fraction.  Their journals showed good understanding of fractions equal to ½, less than ½, equal to 1, but many struggled on fractions greater than 1.  Students definitely needed more time to investigate improper fractions.

March 28, 2011

Mini action research not off the ground.  I found it hard to take the time to journal during my prep or after school.  I took my journal home, and never got it going.  I decided that to begin something new, one needs not only a plan of how to but also a plan of when to.

Beginning of March, 2011

Not a good “busy” person.  I can only tackle so much at once.  With all of the promethean making, new curriculum, math coaching, and other demands at work, along with family demands at home, my only way of survival was to continue with what was most important at the time. 

1.  Energy to my family.  I needed to regain some eye contact and positive conversations with my kids at home.  Sam, at college, really only had time for a few emails (mostly with my husband) and a phone call or Skype with me on the weekend.  The two left at home know how to push each other’s buttons, and there’s stress in feeling like I have to fix it.

2.  Classroom – I focused on being prepared with my small reading groups.  I organized six parent volunteers to assist my students in the classroom three days a week from 1:00 – 2:10, the time that I am leading small reading groups.  I loved how this freed me up to focus on my readers, instead of monitoring student behavior or assisting with difficult workbook pages. 

February/March, 2011

News in Madison.  It overtook me.  I watched in joy as the democratic senators took flight to Illinois in defense of the proposed Walker bill.  I reacted in pride at the peaceful rallies in our state capitol.  I felt defiled as Letters to the Editor in local newspapers bashed teacher unions, and teachers.  This was a very emotional time for me.  I was told that my master’s degree would probably never pay back, as our school district would not have to honor my work and education with a pay raise.  I was tempted to throw in the towel following the completion of my second semester. My family said to finish.  My friends said that my education can never be taken away.  I felt paralyzed and frustrated.  I proceeded with those tasks I felt I could finish and continue with, but my work on my paper and research felt too much. 

Living with the Energy Bus in Mind

February 4, 2011:  After being at workshops for two days, I am struck with Rule # 8, Love Your Passengers.  It’s been a busy year, and I have been overloaded at school with the master’s assignments, new curriculum, testing, and behaviors of a few.  I worked purposefully today to give each student some positive eye contact, a listening ear, and a nod or sideways hug.  I have some students that smile and are positive no matter how things go each day.  I am blessed and want to let them know more often that I appreciate their positive energy! 

February 3, 2011:  I attended a common cores standards workshop with some math reps. gr. 3-5 along with our principal and curriculum coordinator.   That night I was reading through some of the weekly postings from Jon Gordon.  I forwarded one on being a leader to our curriculum coordinator, because she truly has a vision and is leading our district to more quality instruction.  I forwarded one on positive climate to my principal, because he works to stay positive himself, and to keep everyone in our building positive.

February 2, 2011:  At a coaching workshop many teachers were suggesting that other teachers will not have a positive attitude about having a coach come in to their classrooms to give feedback.  I suggested using “The Energy Bus” as a read for them and in their building.  Many were interested.

Positive Language from Home and Energy Vampires

January 24, 2011:  I talked to my principal about my energy vampires.  He had told me months ago (when I asked what to do) that I should send the one most likely to change to the office to see him, and the other to the hallway.  I wasn’t willing to do this.  I felt that they were better off in the classroom than out of the classroom.  Interesting thing:  their MAP math scores showed limited or negative growth.  All of my putting up with off-task or lethargic behavior did not do them any good.  I announced to both boys that they are out next time they are not working.  (I am kicking them off my bus!)

January 20, 2011:  I have a student who seemed to be tagging along with misbehavior with his friends at the beginning of the year.  He has made some gains in behavior and in reading and math this year.  He is quiet, but working hard.  When his mom wrote about him when he was Star Student this week, she wrote that he has goals and a vision for his future!  I was wondering where those words came from?  I was delighted to see them in her writing about him.

Sunday, January 23 - Thoughts on Fluency Partner Practice

I have about 8-10 students practicing 3.5 or 4.0 level fluency passages every week, and testing with me.  About a week ago, I realized that several students were only gaining a few words a week.  What could be the problem?  They probably were not practicing.  So, I assigned a more fluent reader to listen to these students.  They were to listen to the passage one time each day, keeping their eyes on the text to make sure the student was reading accurately.  I was impressed by the improvement of 20 - 30 words improvement after practicing with a peer for 5 days.  One student said he could "hear" a difference in his oral reading.  Repeated readings work, but students have to practice!  Reader responses were positive, and no negative comments about reading to a peer or listening to a peer have been made.  I think it's a great way for classmates to support each other in their learning!  Why didn't I think of this before?

Our Kindness Chain is growing, little by little.  I have very "mature" students, who don't seem to want to engage in this and other classroom activities.  I've also implemented Poetry Folders with my class, so they all have fun and engaging text to reread with a partner during work time.  Again, some students seem to withdraw.  I know that I can't let that stop good practice.  I will have to insist that they participate and do their job.  Stay positive, I tell myself!