Responding to Quotes Bulletin Boards - A Great Way to Teach Figurative Language!

"Life is about using the whole box of crayons!"

I have found that the best way to teach figurative language is to incorporate examples all year long. At least twice a week, I have my students address a quotation as a prompt. They need to identify the type of figurative language, explain the meaning of the quote, and connect the quote to their lives. By doing this activity weekly, followed by a class discussion, my students show marked growth in understanding this abstract concept. Another benefit is the wonderful classroom discussions that come out of this activity! It really warms my heart!

A few years ago, I decided that I wanted some of this outstanding thinking to be reflected in my bulletin boards, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I didn't want to just put their writing on the board, that doesn't work unless someone goes and reads the bulletin boards (which rarely happens.) So, what to do? I started choosing specific quotes for a bulletin board, and then had my students create parts of the board to show their connections and responses to the quote. Here's my latest bulletin board:

My students created their own individual crayon in the computer lab using a crayon template that I had attached to my class webpage. They inserted their picture in the tip of f the crayon, and used word art to add their name, an adjective that described their strength, and a color word for their chosen color. This was a thesaurus lesson, a technology lesson, and a response to a figurative language quotation. Here is a closer look at some of their crayons:

If you would like a copy of my template, click here:

Another one of my bulletin boards this year uses the quote, "Those that reach the stars walk in stardust!" Here's a picture:

On this board, the students created two arms. On their left arm they put their name and their strengths, on their right arm they put their goals (both long term and short term goals).

Other quotes that I have used for bulletin boards are: "Those at the top of the mountain didn't fall there" and "Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?"

Educational Buzzwords: Habits of Mind

I've heard the term "Habits of Mind" thrown around quite a bit in the last year or so. This approach is really not new, just a slightly different pathway to get to the same place. "Habits of Mind" is all about teaching our students problem solving. Let's face it, our students come to us with less and less "stick-to-it-ness" with each passing year. These video game babies are accustomed to immediate gratification, and have no coping skills when it comes to problem solving. "Habits of Mind" is all about teaching students how to proceed when they don't know the answer. It's about dealing with the idea that there might not be a right or wrong answer, and yet we still want them to think critically and do some problem solving. There are 16 work habits that should be actively taught to children. In this approach, teachers pose a challenging question, problem, scenario, or task and give students the time to actually tackle the issue at hand. I have actually been doing this type of teaching in my classroom for the last five years, but didn't know that I should be calling it "Habits of Mind." I actually used John Wooden's Pyramid of Success for the basis of this type of instruction and it has served me well. I even have a product in my Teachers Pay Teachers store that uses this approach which teaches the students the skills they will need to be successful with the Common Core Standards and leads them to effective student driven goal setting. Not an easy task! If you are interested in this, check it out.

HERE COMES COMMON CORE! But that was a sidebar! On to "Habits of Mind!" What I find fascinating, is how easily these two tie into each other. Let me show you: There are 16 habits of mind:

1. Persistence - which is the same thing as Wooden's Determination.

We all know that students need to be able to work at a problem, and stick with it even when the going gets tough. But let's face it, this is what they just aren't any good at!

2. Managing Impulsivity - which is the same thing as Wooden's Self-Control. I would add patience here as well.

3. Listening to Others using understanding and empathy - Wooden's Friendship and Loyalty

Listening without judging, placating, or jumping in with stories about yourself or advice without getting the whole message. That's pretty tough, even adults struggle with this!

4. Think Flexibly -

look at things from multiple perspectives.

5. Metacognition - Think about thinking.

How did you get this answer?

6. Accuracy & Precision - Wooden's Alertness

Pay attention to the details!

7. Questioning and Posing Problems - This would require Wooden's Confidence. 8. Apply past knowledge to new situations. (prior knowledge) Wooden's Skill 9. Thinking and Communicating with clarity and precision - Wooden's Cooperation

Avoid vagueness, abstractions, and absolutes (Always, never, all, everyone)

10. Gather data through all senses - Wooden's Alertness

11. Creating, Imagining, Innovating -

This is the ultimate goal, isn't it?

12. Responding with wonderment & awe - Wooden's Enthusiasm

Student choice in topics, format, learning pathways

13. Responsible Risk-Taking - Wooden's Action

Failure is just a means to achieving the goal

14. Finding Humor in unusual ways - Wooden's Poise 15. Interdependent Thinking - Wooden's Team Spirit (Multiple sources of information) 16. Continuous Learning - Revisiting old ideas (Revision) - Wooden's Skill If we actively teach these habits to our students, they will meet greater success in the classroom and in life. This is true "College and Career Readiness."

What would this look like in the classroom? Good, thought provoking questions require "wait time." You must be patient and give it to your students. First of all, you must be willing to allow "struggle time." Effective effort is a lifeskill, and there should be no quick and easy solutions to these problems. But with that said, you don't want to allow too much frustration. Teachers should prompt student thinking to move students along. Never give the students the answer, but hints and cues will keep the thinking progressing and the students will have more of a chance at perseverance. Think, Pair, Share is an effective approach, but it is important that with this collaboration ultimately every pupil will respond. Use thumbs up, whiteboards, or any other method to hold ALL students accountable to the thinking.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Do You Know the New Education Buzzwords? Can't They Just Speak English?

What the heck is my principal talking about? Every year as we prepare for the opening of school, my principal starts spouting off buzzwords that I only have an inkling as to what she means. I am after all, an educated woman with a Masters Degree, but she uses terms that we have never learned. No one wants the staff meeting to go any longer than necessary - so we all sit quietly. Of course, I can guess the meaning of these terms by using the context in which they were used. Isn't that what we teach our students to do? But this strategy only goes so far...I have a general understanding of what she is referring to - enough to fake it, but I don't have any background information. Sound familiar? I'm quite certain that I am not alone in this! So, I have decided to take some time before the school year begins, and look up some of these terms. And lucky you...I am going to share my findings, so you don't have to take the time to do it yourself! Each day I will write a post on a different buzzword: Tier 1,2,3 Vocabulary List Words, STEM, Depth of Knowledge, Habits of Mind, and anything else that I hear as we head in to the school year.

Today's Topic: Tier 1, 2, 3 Tier Vocabulary

Today I will begin with tier 1, 2, and 3 words. Now this is one of those terms that I understand the concept, but is anyone ever going to show me a list of words, or do I have to make it myself? Seriously, do we expect every teacher to come up with his/her own list? I would have thought that my district would have taken care of this by now...maybe yours has, but I'm left here guessing as to what words should be Tier 2. I know that my primary focus should be on the tier 2 words, and that these are the academic vocabulary - the vocabulary of learning. Feldman & Kinsella (gurus in the field of academic vocabulary development) call this level "the academic toolkit." It seems pretty clear to me that students need to understand what is being asked of them in order to give a correct response, so I am pretty dialed in that these would be important. I have heard people suggest that each teacher should go through the standards and write down any academic word that is used in the standards, because these are likely to show up on the test. Seriously? We should each do this individually? So, with a little research I have found a really good book to help us out. Daily Academic Vocabulary by Evan Moore Publishing. They have one of these for each grade level.

Now these look very comprehensive but they're not cheap. I teach a 5th/6th blend and Amazon.com wants $22 for the 5th grade copy and $31.97 for the 6th grade - and that's the paperbacks. That is $54.00! Hello....I'm a teacher!!!! Also, I've been told that Kate Kinsella is coming out with her own book on the subject and that it would be worth the wait. I guess I will wait. Venturing on, after lots of Internet searching, I found some lists of tier 2 words listed by grade level. These were on the website of Hyde Park Central School District in Hyde Park, New York. Looks like they have their act together! Thanks for sharing HPCSD!

Click on these links to pull up the grade level tier 2 vocabulary lists: GRADE 5, GRADE 6, GRADE 7, GRADE 8,

Monday, August 4, 2014

Goal Setting Bulletin Board - What Should It Say?

Every year I start with a goal setting bulletin board. I find this to be a great kick start to teaching figurative language, classroom discussion expectations, and student goal setting. I make this a student centered bulletin board with students creating their own character with a goal for the year. These stay up all year long, and at the end of the year I pass them back and let the students do some self-reflection as to how well they met their own goal. Four years ago, my bulletin board read, "Grow Your Own Wings...Let Them Take You to Amazing Places." The students created their own butterflies with their goal for the year on it. It was great! Three years ago, my bulletin board said, "Those at the Top of the Mountain Didn't Fall There." I had two mountain peaks and the students created their mountain climber with their goal on it. This wasn't quite as cute, but the students really got into the message. They would talk about how there are always taller mountains to climb, and once you do reach the top of your own personal mountain then you need to move on to the next one!

Two years ago, my bulletin board sparkled for the entire year! The quote read, "Those who Reach the Stars Walk in Stardust!" Each student traced their arm, cut it out, and added dreams and goals to it. This one was probably my favorite, and I'm tempted to repeat it, but first I need to explore other possibilities.

Last year my board read, "Why not go out on a Limb, Isn't That Where the Fruit is?" The student characters with the fruit were adorable. Students could use whatever fruit they wanted, in any way they wanted. Some used an apple as a hot air balloon, or a banana as a surfboard. They were very creative!

So, the question remains...what should I do this year? How about some help out there? I'd love to hear your ideas! Here are some that I have been considering...

I'm also open to other ideas. What do you think? I'd love your input! Thanks, Shari

Thursday, February 27, 2014

The Five C's of Education

With so much talk about Common Core Standards, it really makes us as educators evaluate our philosophy of teaching.  What do we want our students to know, master, achieve?

I do like the way the Five C's of Education put it all into a perspective that I can relate to.

The Five C's of Education

Critical Thinking

Creativity

Collaboration

Communication

Character/Citizenship/Civil Awareness

Critical Thinking:

What could be more important than teaching our students to think, rather than simply regurgitate information back at us?  There is an old Chinese proverb that states, "Teachers open the door.  You enter by yourself."   It is certainly time for students to take more responsibility for their learning, and to think through problems, rather than simply give up.  

Creativity

If we have our students think critically, then use their creativity to solve the problems that arise, we are empowering them to be the leaders of our future!  And boy, are we going to need some good leadership!?! Oh yeah!  I find that my students are so much more engaged, and buy in to the assignments or projects if they are allowed to express their own creativity.  This is actually a hard one at first, as students are so used to being spoon fed, and are made to feel that their is only one correct "answer."  But with a little time and practice, creativity soars!

Collaboration

So, once we have our students thinking critically and using their creativity, it is time to have them learn to share their ideas and listen to the ideas of others.  Collaboration at its finest has us taking the best ideas from each of us and putting together a project that is better than any one of us could do alone.  That's the goal, but of course we know that it rarely works that way.  There are those students that are all too willing to sit back and let others do the work, and other students that cannot release any control and want things their own way.  If we don't teach our students to get past these limitations, then collaboration is just an effort of futility rather than a valuable teaching experience.  The problem is, if we don't help our overachievers to stop taking over, we will never get past this dilemma.  The control freaks actually believe they are being better than anyone else in the group, and do not see their behavior as a problem.  We must start there, or there is no hope for true collaboration.  I will meet with these students, make them group leaders, and explain that their job is to be patient and make sure that the work of everyone is included.  There grade will be based on their effectiveness as a leader, rather than solely on the final project.  This frees them to be more open to the ideas of others, and more supportive of their peers.  I find this is critical to building true collaboration in the classroom.

Communication

Once our students are thinking critically, using creativity, and working collaboratively we can begin to have them share their findings with the class.  Speaking & Listening standards are a huge component of the Common Core Standards, and with good reason.  It is not enough to know things if you can't share those thoughts effectively with others.  Our students need to be able to share their ideas, listen to the ideas of others, and be able to differentiate between ideas that are well supported with facts, and unsupported propaganda or biased opinions.

Character

Finally, none of this is any good without good character and ethical behavior.  Our students need to look beyond themselves, and care about others.  At my school, we do an Empowerment Fair to help students find a way to improve their world.  More important than what they actually do, is that they actually care!  Students are allowed to choose their own cause, educate others about the problem, come up with a plan to make a positive difference, and actually work the plan.  The results are amazing, and the students are SO proud!

I really believe that implementing the Five C's into our classrooms, will make a positive difference in our world!  Not just our students should make a positive difference...we should too!

If you are interested in creating your own Empowerment Fair at your school, check out what we do:

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Conference Week - Time for Student Goal Setting

Ahhh...it's that time of year again - Parent Teacher Conferences.  I actually enjoy the change of pace, and it is generally a pleasure talking to my students, one on one, with their parents.  The hard part is - Student Goals!  How do you get your students to create meaningful, realistic goals that are measurable?   Of course, the parents are always willing to chime in, but if you let them do too much, then they aren't the student's goals!

This has always been a dilemma for me, that is until I found the book Inch and Miles.  Teaching my students the building blocks that make up the Pyramid of Success has made all the difference in the world!

I must admit, it did take me over a month to go through these building blocks, one at a time - insuring that my students understood each one.  To do this, we made pocket books, with Character Trait Charts and Eye/Ear Charts.  It was slow going, but these abstract concepts became concrete for my students.

Although this took quite a bit of class time, I found that my students and I really benefited from these activities.  Their participation in group work was very focused and effective.  We had a common language for the times that I needed to redirect a student.  I simply needed to say something like "Are you using Self-Control right now?" to refocus a student!  But the best part is the goal setting!!!

I have never had it so easy to guide students to create appropriate goals!  At the end of the book, I gave my students a chart to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses with regards to the building blocks.  We revisited them one at a time - discussing what a strength in this area might look like and what kinds of things could be done to improve in this particular area.  The students were required to choose a minimum of three areas for growth.  They also needed to put an example for the areas that they identified as a strength - what do you do that shows you are strong in this building block?

These charts are transferring easily to well written, student-driven goals!  I couldn't be more pleased!  I am so impressed by my student's work that I quickly putting together a Teachers Pay Teachers' product for all of you.  

Be sure to check out my store and look for this product if you are interested in leading your students to effective, student-driven goal setting as well!

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beyond-The-Garden-Gate-Shari-Bithell

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