Not JUST a teacher...

Reality check:  Teaching is exhausting.  It's not one of those jobs that end at a designated time every day.  Not even a Monday through Friday gig.  When you go home, your work follows you.  In fact, I don't think you can ever really catch-up and not have anything to do.  An endless to-do list.

That doesn't even include all of the daily hurdles of teaching concepts, grading, lesson planning, copying, organizing, disciplining, dealing with problems, progress monitoring, a thousand questions daily to answer, social aspects, behavioral issues, differentiating, germ cleaning, feeding, parent contacts, and testing.  

Educators are SO much more than just "teachers"...

Okay, that was sort of heavy.  But my point is, you never really understand how stressful, busy, and exhausting teaching can be until you've been in those shoes.  When I chose this career field, I don't think I truly understood the depth teaching and all of the different aspects in includes.  Even now, I'm still figuring it all out.  I really look up to those of you who have been teaching for years and years and have kept your passion alive.

This past weekend, someone asked me what I did for a living, and I told them teach.  Their reply was something along the lines of, "Oh, so you play with kids all day and color?"

Silence.  *crickets chirping*

I couldn't even respond.  Teaching is so much more, and I'm blessed to be a part of it.  But more important than that?  I am so thankful for those wonderful teachers I've had in the past who have helped me become the person (and teacher) I am becoming myself, and I'm thankful for those wonderful mentors I have in my life right now.  I'm hoping that someday I can be half the teachers they are.

Just food for thought.

Emily :)

Collecting Characters

As I've told you, I'm over waist deep in book club activities right now.  My kids are currently reading Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.  In the book, there is a multitude of important characters that my students really need to know.

 

Of course, every good book club looks into characters, makes connections, and extracts details.  I wasn't sure how I could accomplish this with as many important characters as there are in this book.  So, I decided to have each student tackle the job of profiling a different character, and then presenting/sharing with the group.

 

The result of this idea?  Character Trading Cards.  I made a graphic organizer that includes important details, ideas, and descriptions about the characters, along with an illustration.  I printed them off about half of the size of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper, so we could make a booklet of all of our trading cards.

 

Here is a preview: 

 

 

 

To purchase, check out my TpT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ms-Rothering

 

You can also make the cards smaller - 4 to a page, and copy them so students can have one of each character from your book.  This was a fun way for students to dig deeper into a book's character and look for similarities/differences to themselves (text-to-self).  Obviously, it doesn't have to be used with the book I am teaching - it can be used with any book!  The students think it was fun to "collect" them all and put them together.  They were continuously adding to the cards throughout the book which allowed a lot of great detail.

 

Happy collecting!

 

Emily :)

Author, who?

Authors.  Who are they, anyways?  When I was growing up, I feel that most of the time, the author was just the man/woman who wrote the book, and that was about as far as it went.  Sometimes, I'd recognize names of authors who wrote several books that I like, such as Eric Carle or Roald Dahl.  As an adult, it's sad to think that I didn't know more - or even care to know more - about the people who were creative to write some of my favorite books.

 

But did I know who they really were?  No.  Did I know what other accomplishments they had made?  No.  Could I tell you anything interesting about them?  No.

 

That's where I've decided to change my lack of knowledge and not only look into authors myself, but create an opportunity for my students to experience researching authors as well.  So, I decided to develop an Author Study Graphic Organizer for my kiddos.  Here's a glimpse of part of it:

As you can see, I went a bit out of my way to make it more interesting.  Research can be boring, but I've found that students like when it is "fun" and you can color/draw as well.    I've done author studies before, and it was just a whole bunch of writing or typing in an arbitrary manor.  All of the information needed for an effective author study is included in my graphic organizer, but a little more exciting.

**To purchase it, check out my TeachersPayTeachers store:

 www.http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ms-Rothering. 

It is listed as "Fun Author Study Graphic Organizer" **

 

For this particular assignment, I presented it to my students as a project option for our end-of-the-novel assessment project.  It could also be used as a class activity (if computers are accessible), a homework assignment, extension activity, or extra credit.  For this particular occasion, I used it with fourth graders.  However, I believe you could use it with a range of students.  All of the information required to complete this can be accessed fairly easily, or even with the help of an adult.

 

I've been noticing that I'm starting to reflect a lot on my childhood and my experiences as a student myself.  It's scary - I'm starting to feel older and older each day!  But, as "they" say a lot - and I mean a lot! - it's important to be reflective as a teacher and to use your experiences to enhance opportunities for your own kiddos.

 

If anything, this is my attempt to make research a little more fun.  Not all students like to do it, but hopefully having it a bit more fun can help encourage them.  A little enticement never hurt, did it?

 

Emily  :)

Rain drops on roses...

First of several "favorites" posts I will be doing throughout the holiday season...!

 

Children's Books.  We all have our favorites.  Children's books are like a teacher's left arm.  Then, there are those unforgettable classics that we ALL know and love.  So, I thought I would share a few of my (not-so-well-known) favorite children's books than can be used in the classroom and across the curriculum.  Each has a great theme that can be used as the basis for a lesson or to accompany another unit.

 

The first think you need to know about my favorites are some of my absolutely favorite children's book authors. 

 

1. Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear/Brown Bear, The Very Quiet Cricket)

          -http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html

 

2. Jon Scieszka (The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Stinky Cheese Man, Squids Will Be Squids)

          -http://www.jsworldwide.com/

 

3. Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, Elephant & Piggie)

          -http://www.mowillems.com/

 

Alright, I had to put some thought into this small list.  You have to understand - there are SO many more I would love to include!  But for the sake of length, I chose five books that are more "me" and not as well-known.

 

1. The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka

 

-This book is ridiculous.  It's clever, funny, and TOTALLY kid-friendly.  The stories are all based on well-known children's tales, stories, and poems, with a funny twist.  The illustrations are great and very expressive.  Kids always get a kick out of the silly twists and outlandish words.  The book has a great underlying theme of fake vs. real ideas and how to compare/contrast.

 

2. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard

 

-In this book, when Miss Nelson's class gets out-of-control and disrespects her as their teacher, she goes missing, and a wicked, super-strict witch comes in to substitute - Miss Viola Swamp.  Come on, what teacher can't relate to that?  :)  I have loved this book since I was a youngster myself.  It's suspenseful, funny, and relatable.  Even better?  It's got a GREAT lesson for students to learn about respecting and appreciating their teacher. 

 

 

 

 

3. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

 

-Alexander has it rough.  Nothing goes his way, and things keep getting worse and worse.  Alexander finds MORE and MORE reasons to be upset, and his alternatives keep getting more and more extraordinary.  This book can be a clever tool to use with a group of Negative Nancy's.  You know who I'm talking about already, don't you?  A good attitude can go a long way, and this book is a perfect way to teach that to our students.

 

4. Confessions of a Former Bully by Barbara Coloroso

 

-Unfortunately, we have to fact the truth: bullying is everywhere.  Child-friendly literature about bullying can be a great teaching resource.  I came across this book during some research a year or so ago and love it.  It's a fact-filled book from the perspective of a former bully.  It turns the tables and might just open the eyes of a few miniature bullies in your class.  I will have a LOT more to tell you about Ms. Coloroso later.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

 -One word: ADORABLE.  Mo Willems is a fantastic author with countless adorable, dorky books - right up my alley!  This book is about his real-life daughter, Trixie.  She loses her beloved stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny.  What kiddo can't relate to that!?   There is a lot of complimentary tools out there, too, including an animated read-aloud that Mo Willems and his daughter read themselves.  Better yet?  There are two sequels!

6. Don't Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin

 

-Bullied kids unite!  This book (with adorable illustrations) is about students who are bullied and how they turn their unfortunate situation around.  What's even better is that proceeds from this book (if you choose to purchase it) goes to Operation Respect - a campaign against bullying.  We can't always stop bullying as teachers, but we can help those students who are bullied feel empowered to stand up for themselves.

 

 

My hope is to share these with the idea that maybe you will be inspired to find your own odd "favorites" or even use some of these in your own classroom!  I love being inspired by fellow teachers and sharing some of the knowledge I've gained throughout my own experiences. 

Three strikes...!

As I've previously mentioned before, it appears as though my fourth graders are experiencing a bit of "mid-semester buzz".  They appear to think that rules are relaxed or that they might be exempt from our behavior management system.  Not a chance!  :)

 

I think most teachers experience a low where students become comfortable with the atmosphere and learning environment they are put in.  This might result in a difficult period where rules are needing to be enforced or a lack of respect.  With more challenging classes, I think teachers might have to alter their behavior system to keep things interesting and successful. 

 

In my situation, I decided to keep the red-yellow-green behavior management system and add an extra "step" so-to-say to the process.  As noted in my last post, students always begin the day on green.  For minor or low-risk behavioral problems, students turn their card to yellow and can work their way back to green.  If students turn to red, they receive a "problem solve" that they must complete with a school counselor/psychologist.  In my small groups, I have never had to turn a student to red, thankfully, but I have had instances where students received a yellow.  Lately, I've noticed that students are very comfortable with me and one another, and think it is acceptable to talk out of turn, talk when a classmate is speaking, blurt, or answer without raising their hands. 

 

So, I researched several different strategies that other teachers have used to fix this problem.  My solution came from an idea I found on Pinterest.  Although it's not the same, I was inspired by the idea of creating a "Blurt Chart."  However, in my class, students are granted three strikes before they turn their card to yellow.  Here is what my chart looks like:

 

As you can see, each student gets three yellow dots, or strikes.  [Get it?  Yellow dots for a yellow card.  Cheesy, I know :) ]  I put Velcro on them so I can easily take them off without ruining the poster.  The poster is posted in a visible location where I can easily access it without removing myself from the teaching area.  I also have a pocket attached to the wall so I can put the yellow dots in a safe place if they have been removed.  If my portable classroom was big enough, I would have students remove their dot themselves, but due to lack of space, I remove it myself if needed.

 

Honestly?  So far, it has worked LIKE A CHARM!  My kiddos get so nervous if I wander over towards the poster - they assume someone is getting a strike!  I also hear them saying things like, "Shh, you need to listen to Tommy so you don't get a strike!".  They hold one another accountable so nobody loses a strike.  It is also a great way to have students learn to be responsible for themselves. The best part is, each day begins new, with a fresh opportunity to be "strike-free" for the day. 

 

I can't say this method will work for you, or it will be an end to all of your troubles, but I can tell you from experience that I have implemented this strategy and it has worked out really well!  The amount of blurting, talking out of turn, and not paying attention has gone down and our lessons are more constructive and positive.  Sometimes, you just have to roll with the punches and alter your strategies to fit the ever-changing needs of your kiddos.

 

My goal is to not need the chart by the end of December.  Cross your fingers!

 

Emily  :)

 

Got PBIS?

A good school creates a behavior management system and implements it.  A great school chooses a system, believes in it, supports it, researches it, and constantly develops it.  In my school district, PBIS is supported across the grades.  Within my school, PBIS is class-wide and thoroughly supported. 

 

PBIS?  It stands for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports.  PBIS is an approach that aims to help schools and staff use behavioral interventions that are evidence and research-based.  It is structured as a continuum with prevention-oriented supports.  The goal of PBIS is to prevent problematic behaviors from happening, and improve ALL student behaviors - it's not just targeting "repeat offenders".  ( For more detailed information, check out www.pbis.org )

My school has developed a wonderful plan to fully implement PBIS school-wide.  The teachers and staff have agreed upon a behavior management system that focuses on the goals of PBIS and is used in every classroom.  We use a PBIS behavior matrix that outlines what good behaviors look like in the classroom, hallways, playground, cafeteria, etc. I love this consistency and think it is highly beneficial for students.  Classroom rules, of course, are developed and implemented by the classroom teacher, but all other PBIS rules in that matrix are enforced school-wide, along with the general behavior system.

So, I'll explain the system.  We use the "red-yellow-green" behavior card system - also known as stoplight behaviors. Each student starts on "green" each day (good behavior that follows school expectations.  If a student is struggling with expectations, they will have their card turned to "yellow".  These behaviors can range from not listening to directions, talking out of turn, blurting, being disrespectful, etc.  The final stage of intervention is "red."  Students turn to "red" for serious behavioral issues  In the event of a "red," a student will receive an in-school referral and parents will be notified.

Of course, students always have to opportunity to make the decision to turn their behavior around and meet behavioral expectations.  An exciting change that occurred within the school this year was the addition of the "purple" level.  Students who display good leadership qualities and exceptional behavior can be moved to "purple," which stands for the district's high school mascot - the Purple Knight.  We want our kiddos to work towards Purple Knighthood everyday.  It's an exciting idea for them and they love being able to turn to "purple."

Naturally, I chose to implement this system within my small groups.  I created a pocket-chart for each student.  They have a red, yellow, green, and purple card in their pocket.  If students need to change their card for any reason, they must do it themselves.  I think this helps enforce that they are in charge of their own behaviors.  Here's what it looks like!

 

So, the main reason I wanted to share this is because I have been researching other behavior management systems that other schools use.  I have found that the red-yellow-green system is very popular - and successful!  I think that the more students get comfortable with a school management system (such as PBIS), the more they decide to look for ways to work around it.  I have to admit, I've been struggling with my kiddos lately.  Whether or not it's the mid-semester craze, or the pre-holiday jitters, I can't say, but all I know is I need to implement an intervention to support the foundational PBIS system we have in place.

What will I do?  You'll have to wait for another post to find out....

Emily  :)

PS.  Sorry for the drone-like post, but I had to explain our system before going any further... !!!  :)

Election Extravaganza!

We all know what today is.  But do our kids know?

The fourth grade at my school decided to take this special opportunity of a presidential election to spend an entire day devoted to learning about anything and everything related to the election.  Each fourth grade teacher (there are four) would have their own station.  Each class got 45 minutes at a station with that specific teacher.  We spent the ENTIRE DAY doing election activities!

I thought it would be beneficial to have each station focus somewhat on a type of skill, so here's what we decided on:

(1) Arts & Crafts - Kids created a woven American flag out of red-white-blue construction paper.  They also decorated their very own star with all kinds of fun crafts.  These stars will be strung together and hung in our hallway to show they are the "United Students of Morgan".  I'll post a photo once it's done!

(2) SmartBoard - They learned about the president's job, life, and responsibilities.  They engaged in a fun interactive SmartBoard presentation that was interesting and very informative.  Then, they were able to make their own presidential poster, encouraging others to vote for THEM for president!  The posters were too cute and really creative.  The students got really into it and meant business!

 

(3) Electoral College and Political Parties - This was an awesome opportunity to teach students about the electoral college.  I remember learning about it myself much later in school - late middle school or later.  They followed a PowerPoint presentation and completed some really fun graphic organizers that allowed students to color in states red/blue based on the information given about electoral votes.  Students got the opportunity first-hand to see how electoral votes can impact an election.  Students also learned about Democrats and Republicans, which tied well into the electoral college.  They learned about general ideas that each party supports as well.

 

(4) iPad Research - Our school has one complete class set of iPads.  This was right up my alley (although it wasn't my station) because I taught in a paperless classroom last semester that ONLY used iPads and NO PAPER.  Students got an opportunity to use the iPads to research a president (that they picked out of a hat).  They really enjoyed it and got to spend free time - if they finished early - playing an app called "Stack the States."  If only we had iPads for our whole school.....!

(5) VOTING! - I think this was the favorite station.  Several members of the fourth grade team slaved away in making this SPECTACULAR voting booth (if I do say so myself :] ).  We painted each side a different color - red, white, or blue - and had one side say "Obama" and the other "Romney".  As you can see, there was even an official ballot (similar to real ballots with the unfinished black arrows) that they used with a black marker in the voting booth.  Then, students deposited their ballot in a box and it was counted.  But BEFORE they could vote, we had them register and create a voter ID, complete with an actual photo of themselves!  It was a great learning experience for them, and they were all really excited about it.  The students engaged in constructive conversations about who to vote for, as well!  As it turns out, the fourth grade elected President Barack Obama for a second term by a landslide. 

Ultimately, the day was a success.  It was a bit hectic, but totally worth it.  It was a fun-filled day of great learning experiences, and an exciting break from the usual schedule.  I think I've had my fill of arts and crafts for a while, though.  I couldn't help getting into the patriotic spirit today and dressed head-to-toe in red, white, and blue (including my socks and lanyard!).  I'm not one for politics, but I can't pass up an opportunity to deck out!  Hope you had a fun election day!

 

 

Emily :)

Book Baggies

Remember the book club I'm teaching that I'm SUPER-DUPER excited about?  The book - Gregor the Overlander - by Suzanne Collins? 

 

(Refer to this post if you don't - http://thejourneyofayoungteacher.blogspot.com/2012/10/gregor-overlander.html)

 

Well, I don't see my kiddos all day.  In fact, I only see them for thirty minutes, five days a week if I'm lucky.  So, I needed a way to store their materials in the classroom and send them home with the intent that EVERYTHING comes back the next day.  Easier said than done when you're talking fourth graders.  I devised a plan to give them their own book bags.  Better yet, water-proof book bags!  I gave each student a large ziploc bag and put their name on it.  I made sure all of the materials that they need to successfully complete homework can fit inside as well.

 

Take a look!

Inside, they keep their novel, book club journal, book club guide, and homework card.  They also have at least two pencils with erasers on the end.  Everything has their name on it, and they are not aloud to leave our classroom without their materials inside.  This is a great strategy because my kiddos put the baggie directly in their backpack after our small group (so it does not get lost before the end of the day) and in the morning, bring it directly back to my classroom.  When students get home, they are all ready to go to complete the necessary assignment because their baggies have everything they need.

 

It's a great way to operate when you've got younger kiddos, and also allows them to recognize how to stay organized and responsible.  Give it a shot yourself!  I know you'll love it!

 

:)  Emily

Fridays are the best day of the week...!

Happy Friday!

 

What teacher doesn't love a Friday?  In my classroom(s), it means Friday fun, no weekend homework, maybe a little extra recess, and some ketchup and pickles.

 

Hold it.  Rewind... Ketchup and pickles?  This happens to be a fun idea and time set aside for kiddos to catch-up on work, or be rewarded for working hard during the week to finish their work.  See for yourself...

 

I created a large (about 1 1/2 feet?) ketchup bottle and animated pickle.  Okay, I know I went overboard with the pickle. But he's cute, isn't he?  Who doesn't love a happy little veggie at the end of the week? 

 

Each Friday, I put these on my whiteboard, and write the names of my students underneath (they must go in one of two categories).  Students will either be a "pickle" for the day, where they can PICK a fun activity, or they are "ketchup", in which case they need to CATCH-UP and finish some work.  All of the pickles engage in a fun activity (either individually or as a group) that relates to the topic or standards being taught.  However, I make sure it is fun and a great incentive for the week.  Every Thursday students are pining over whether or not they will get to be a pickle.  It's serious business!

 

As you can guess, the ketchup kids have to finish any work they are behind in or have yet to complete.  This is also a time to help students who may have been absent or pulled out of class for whatever individual reason.  I choose to not give my students "zeros" for unfinished work, but instead, have them work on it every time we do Friday Catch-Up.  Although they won't get full credit (for those students who missed the deadline), they are still completing their work.  I think it's important that no matter what, they get the practice and exposure to whatever skill we are working on.  I feel that it is much better than the student not doing their work at all!  For those students who were simply absent, this is a great opportunity for me to teach a mini-lesson on the skill or explain the assignment.  The student also gets needed one-on-one time with the teacher to ask questions and clarify the material.  It's a win-win-win situation!

 

So, if you're looking for a fun way to wrap up the week and get work done, try pickles and ketchup.  It's a wonderful combination, and kids eat it up - figuratively, of course....

 

Happy Friday!

 

:) Emily