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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 pathways13. Responsible Risk-Taking - Wooden's Action
Failure is just a means to achieving the goal14. 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."
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 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,
Today's Topic: Tier 1, 2, 3 Tier Vocabulary
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!
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
Saturday, May 31, 2014
End of the Year Fun...Words of Warning! Proceed With Caution!
Last year at precisely this time, I ventured into the world of team building fun. Blindly optimistic, and with my usual enthusiasm for hands-on interactive learning, I set out to create a fabulous adventure for our students. My first steps began with research of catapults to create an instructional Power Point on these devices. Next, the students were issued a challenge...here is a bag of supplies (popsicle sticks, pencils, rubber bands, straws, plastic spoon, coffee stirrers, a dixie cup) build your own catapult to shoot a marshmallow further than your peers. The students gathered in groups to begin the building phase. What great conversations, critical thinking and problem solving! What could be better - such great learning fun for the end of the year! Ahhh...but this is a horror story, remember? What could go wrong you ask?
The students planned and built and tested their catapults. It takes awhile but they begin to see results. Still sounding pretty good, huh? Next is the shooting contest. We set up a starting line, let students come to the line and shoot their marshmallow three times. We have students assigned to do the measuring, and recording. Students average the three scores. So much math! Still sounding good, right? The students are enjoying themselves, and don't even notice how much math they are doing! Everyone is involved and behavior is not a problem. So, what could go wrong?
At the end of the activity we still have time to spare....uh oh! "Can we please have a marshmallow fight with our catapults?" "No one will get hurt!" Do you see where this is going? Why not? So we take the rest of the marshmallows and let the students have at it. So much fun! Marshmallows are flying, kids are racing around and giggling, and catapults are working! No problems, everything is great until suddenly the floor is covered with sticky marshmallows! It happened just that fast! Students were picking up marshmallows and reshooting them, and then suddenly (seconds) every marshmallow was a sticky mess stuck to the bottoms of their shoes, their hands, their clothes, and the multipurpose room floor! It was like the evil marshmallow fairy waved his wand and turned every white cloudy puff into a gooey mess! I have never seen such a mess, and even with our best efforts the district had to send in extra janitor support!
So heed my words....
NEVER, EVER, EVER HAVE A MARSHMALLOW FIGHT WITH YOUR STUDENTS!!!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Pi Day - One Day Early! Furlough Friday on March 14
I couldn't believe it, when I looked at the calendar and saw that March 14 was a furlough day! Oh no! Pi Day is my favorite school day of the year. So, I decided that we would just have to celebrate on March 13, which made Pi Day today in my classroom. And what a day we had!
This year I let my students choose their own team mascot, and they came up with some that I had never thought of before! We had six teams:
This year I let my students choose their own team mascot, and they came up with some that I had never thought of before! We had six teams:
The Porcu-Pi-nes
The Scor-Pi-ons
The Pi-napples
The S-Pi-kes
The Pi-thons
The Pi Eaters
All day long they competed in teams, facing various math challenges related to geometry, circles, and Pi. The students love the team spirit, and don't even seem to notice that they are doing work! Throughout the day, the teams added items to their team Pi-lons (pylons). They also completed Pi Posters with Pie Charts of our classes favorite pies. I judged both the Pi Posters and Pi-lons at the end of the day after the students left. They will get the final results on Monday. Here are some of their Pi-lons.
One of their favorite activities today was the "I S-pi" online scavenger hunt. I gave each team two mini-iPads to hunt with! They were so engaged! FUN Learning!
Periodically, throughout the day I would ring the bell. This had the students scrambling back to their regular seats to compete with their regular table groups for Pi Riddles. This added another layer of fun and excitement!
And of course, we ate pie at the end of the day. Here are a few of their Pi Posters:
This is my very best seller in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. If you are interested in trying yourself, please check it out!
Happy Pi Day!!!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Seussify Your Class This Week!!!
I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.Dr. Seuss
Dr. Seuss is not just for the primary kids - there is so much for middle school kids to gain from this remarkable man.
I think I am going to put this quote up in my class tomorrow, and have my students discuss it. Then I am going to have them do just that...look at life from the wrong end of the telescope! What will they come up with? It should be fun to find out!
One of my favorite Dr. Seuss reads for older kids is "The Sneetches." What a great lesson, and such fun characters!
Here's a little excerpt from it:
Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small.
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.
But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort
“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”
And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,
They’d hike right on past them without even talking.
In the past, I have divided up the verses among my students, had them practice reading with expression and fluency. Then they made a page with their verse and their own illustration. We put these together into our own book, which the students read aloud. It was fun, and we had a great discussion as the the message of the book.
Dr. Seuss also has some amazing inspirational quotes to use in the classroom. One of my favorites is:
There are just so many Seussified things to do with your class - I think I'll try a different one each day this week! How about you? Are you Seuss Inspired?
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Friday Afternoon With Time to Kill
It's Friday afternoon and the rain is pouring down. Inside my classroom, my students are vibrating from the novelty of the rain (Southern California - very dry winter) and the weekend soon to come. We are finished with our academics, and it is no time to start something new. What am I going to do with the afternoon?
It's time to pull out an oldie but goodie that I haven't used in years...
I have each of my students pull out a piece of paper and I ask them to write the title of a story that they would like to write. Some students know exactly what they want to say, while others look around in confusion. "Just write a title," I say. It doesn't matter, anything you want.
As soon as everyone is ready, I ask them to pass their paper to the person on their right. I tell them to read the title and begin writing. This is the beginning of the story, so their job is to introduce characters and setting. We want to get to know their characters, so they need to include character traits into their writing. I let them write for about three minutes, then I asked them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils.
With all pencils down and eyes on me, I explain that we are going to pass the stories to their right again. This time they will need to read everything that has been written and then they will continue the story. Their job is to continue establishing characters and setting, then introduce a problem. Again I let them write for about three minutes before I ask them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils. There is a lot of giggling erupting.
We pass the stories again, now the giggling becomes gleeful. The kids are loving this activity, and they are enjoying the interactive writing. This time the students need to make sure that a problem has been introduced and then they need to begin to build suspense. They want to add events and details that compound the problem or add to the situation. It seems no one can write without a giggle escaping every now and then. At this point, I extended the writing to five minutes, because the kids were so in to it!
With the next pass the students were asked to build the suspense to the climax of the story. The classroom is silent except for the sound of pencil scratching on paper and the occasional "te he" or "sigh". They have so much to say, no one is looking around the room or staring off into space. They have a story to write!
The next pass is the final one before the students get their own paper. They need to make sure that the story has reached its climax and then they need to begin writing the resolution. All lose ends need to be tied up, all questions answered.
Finally, the students get their own story back. The giggling when they read their own stories fills the room. Their job is to clean and fix their stories in anyway they want. Edit, revise, etc.
Then we shared some of the stories. So many wanted their stories read aloud, but there were only time for a few. I told them we will continue to share them this next week whenever we have time.
As we venture into Common Core waters, it is important to remember to dust off some of those oldies to keep the joy in learning!
It's time to pull out an oldie but goodie that I haven't used in years...
I have each of my students pull out a piece of paper and I ask them to write the title of a story that they would like to write. Some students know exactly what they want to say, while others look around in confusion. "Just write a title," I say. It doesn't matter, anything you want.
As soon as everyone is ready, I ask them to pass their paper to the person on their right. I tell them to read the title and begin writing. This is the beginning of the story, so their job is to introduce characters and setting. We want to get to know their characters, so they need to include character traits into their writing. I let them write for about three minutes, then I asked them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils.
With all pencils down and eyes on me, I explain that we are going to pass the stories to their right again. This time they will need to read everything that has been written and then they will continue the story. Their job is to continue establishing characters and setting, then introduce a problem. Again I let them write for about three minutes before I ask them to finish their sentence and put down their pencils. There is a lot of giggling erupting.
We pass the stories again, now the giggling becomes gleeful. The kids are loving this activity, and they are enjoying the interactive writing. This time the students need to make sure that a problem has been introduced and then they need to begin to build suspense. They want to add events and details that compound the problem or add to the situation. It seems no one can write without a giggle escaping every now and then. At this point, I extended the writing to five minutes, because the kids were so in to it!
With the next pass the students were asked to build the suspense to the climax of the story. The classroom is silent except for the sound of pencil scratching on paper and the occasional "te he" or "sigh". They have so much to say, no one is looking around the room or staring off into space. They have a story to write!
The next pass is the final one before the students get their own paper. They need to make sure that the story has reached its climax and then they need to begin writing the resolution. All lose ends need to be tied up, all questions answered.
Finally, the students get their own story back. The giggling when they read their own stories fills the room. Their job is to clean and fix their stories in anyway they want. Edit, revise, etc.
Then we shared some of the stories. So many wanted their stories read aloud, but there were only time for a few. I told them we will continue to share them this next week whenever we have time.
As we venture into Common Core waters, it is important to remember to dust off some of those oldies to keep the joy in learning!
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