The reading this week was on Confidence, Humor and Common Sense.
As we have talked about before, building relationships with students is very important. The second section Humor first talked about how "when we laugh we connect with each other in ways that help us relate, understand each other, and feel comfortable in any situation." Ron Clark also talked later in the chapter about how appropriate humor is a tricky one for him and that he sometimes uses it when not appropriate. He also discussed examples of when he had embarrassed students with his humor and that he "learned to never use humor that could humiliate or make his students feel uncomfortable in any way."
Ron Clark later talked about how "Good teachers are always trying to find ways to spice up lessons and keep the learning process enjoyable and entertaining."
So the questions for the items discussed above are...
1. How do you use humor to build relationships but keep the healthy balance to ensure that students do not get embarrassed?
2. Tell about atleast one thing that you have done to try to "spice up" a lesson that you taught. How did you know that it worked and/or did not work.
Thanks for the great conversations on this blog. I know that people are getting a lot of new ideas and enjoying all that you have to say.
Have a Wonderful Week!
Vickie
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Vickie's Question- Week #3
My question for the week isn't specifically about one of the chapters, but was discussed at the beginning of Chapter 5 (Balance).
In this chapter Ron Clark discussed how he wanted to "turn his students into excellent writers".
"I didn't care if they had to write down to the bone, they were going to become great writers. I would stay up late every night, making corrections to their work. I would sit with the students individually, showing them their mistakes. We wrote, we wrote, we wrote, and in the end their handwriting got much, much, much better. For the most part, however, the content did not, and at the end of the year the class scored dead last in the country in writing. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong."
Several years ago, I can remember Bruce Hoover calling me into the conference room and asking me "How are you going to improve your reading scores?" I also remember thinking... "If I knew what needed fixed, I would have already done it." I spent a lot of time asking other teachers for ideas on what they did to first keep students interested in writing and second make them better writers. The following school year, I completely changed everything I did in writing. I knew that after teaching students the components of writing I mainly needed to focus on student interest and motivation. I knew that the students could do better but getting them to take the time to do it was another story. That following year my writing scores were significantly different but I could have never made the changes in instruction without the help of others.
It doesn't matter if you are talking about one student who doesn't perform as well as they should, or a whole class it is discouraging to know they can do it, but that they choose not to.
This week I would like you to answer the following questions...
1. Tell about a writing lesson and/or activity that really motivates or motivated students.
2. Tell about a lesson that integrated writing with another subject area and tell if that helped create more excitement for the lesson.
3. When January/February hits and students moan when they hear you say "you are going to write a story" what do you do to get them excited and motivated to do their best?
I hope this spring colored background is helping you get through this cold, snowy winter.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Vickie
In this chapter Ron Clark discussed how he wanted to "turn his students into excellent writers".
"I didn't care if they had to write down to the bone, they were going to become great writers. I would stay up late every night, making corrections to their work. I would sit with the students individually, showing them their mistakes. We wrote, we wrote, we wrote, and in the end their handwriting got much, much, much better. For the most part, however, the content did not, and at the end of the year the class scored dead last in the country in writing. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong."
Several years ago, I can remember Bruce Hoover calling me into the conference room and asking me "How are you going to improve your reading scores?" I also remember thinking... "If I knew what needed fixed, I would have already done it." I spent a lot of time asking other teachers for ideas on what they did to first keep students interested in writing and second make them better writers. The following school year, I completely changed everything I did in writing. I knew that after teaching students the components of writing I mainly needed to focus on student interest and motivation. I knew that the students could do better but getting them to take the time to do it was another story. That following year my writing scores were significantly different but I could have never made the changes in instruction without the help of others.
It doesn't matter if you are talking about one student who doesn't perform as well as they should, or a whole class it is discouraging to know they can do it, but that they choose not to.
This week I would like you to answer the following questions...
1. Tell about a writing lesson and/or activity that really motivates or motivated students.
2. Tell about a lesson that integrated writing with another subject area and tell if that helped create more excitement for the lesson.
3. When January/February hits and students moan when they hear you say "you are going to write a story" what do you do to get them excited and motivated to do their best?
I hope this spring colored background is helping you get through this cold, snowy winter.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Vickie
Dave's Question - Week 3 - Balance and Compassion
Balance:
There are a couple things in the chapter about Balance that are what I want to address this week. The first is "Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles" and the second is "Balancing Life With Teaching." The first question that I have for you is on the Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles section. I see lots of this going on in our classrooms. Kids are on the computer, working at the SMART board, doing things with manipulatives at their desks, over a a listening center with an iPod and headphones on, reading silently in a corner on a bean bag, reading out loud to a classmate, speaking out in the front of the classroom where they are expected to be the teacher. I know there are lots of great examples of this thinking that happens every day in your classrooms. I guess my first question isn't a question at all, but a prompt. The first think I'd like you to comment on is simply sharing something that you might think of as a normal, everyday, routine, run of the mill task that has to happen in your classroom, and how you have done something different to make it potentially more engaging. Here's an example...many of you have listening centers in your classrooms. This seems to be more prevalent in the younger grades, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen in older classrooms as well. Jen Davis has iPods that she uses for her listening center, and I know that Amy Klempa regularly is downloading mp3s from the Columbus library for her kids to listen to books. It may be done on the computer, or on an mp3 player or "the old fashioned" way of a tape or CD player, but it is a very effective way for kids to have a model for what good reading sounds like. Give an example of something that maybe isn't reinventing the wheel, but is made more effective because you found a way to change it up a bit. The second topic that struck me as critically important in this section was "Balancing Life With Teaching." I'm not sure that I really have a question per se on this one, but just that I want you all to know that I am keenly aware of the crazy amount of hours that you put in. I have long held the belief that elementary teachers put in far more hours than middle and high school teachers, (hopefully that doesn't offend anyone - I just believe it to be a truth) but one of the things that I think I need to try to do a better job of is to validate the work that you do. Linda Davis has told me on a few different occasions about the difference in the approach of our teachers at the Elementary when she came to us from the Middle School. Again, I hope no one takes this as me trying to knock someone else down, but I just want you all to know that I know how hard you work and I don't believe I could find a group of people who could "out work" you. You are amazing people. I guess the comment that I'd like for you to share, which could be a quick one, is share some of the ways you deal with the work load and still maintain a relatively healthy home life. Example which may or may not be real: I only stay till 9:00 on Thursday nights, every other night I leave by 5:00...or, I come in every Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 while my husband is watching football. :-) I guess what I am really getting at is: What are some "rules" that you put in place that allow you to maintain your sanity?
Compassion:
Reading this chapter has caused me to do some soul searching about the job I am doing as a parent. I think I am at times too hard on my own kids. I am guilty of pointing out the things that Nathan does that are hurtful to his sisters or when he talks back, how that is disrespectful to either myself or Allyson. I realize a great bit of it is just siblings being siblings, but I hope to learn some parenting ideas from this as well. It got me really thinking about how and why things for me, seem to be very different at school vs. at home. I think, Ron Clark is really right on when he talks about being clear with kids about what we will and will not tolerate regarding the behaviors in the kid to kid relationships that we try to help foster in a positive manner. I do think we are going in the right direction with both Second Step and the whole Wildcat Way thing. The point of both, obviously is to point out the way we expect things to be, and help give kids the "ammo" for when things don't go that way so that they can handle themselves with using their words to make something that might have been a negative experience into a positive one.
There are, however, a few students (you can probably name them at your grade level) who don't seem to "get it" as far as applying what we are trying to teach about being socially conscientious and compassionate, productive members of the "society" that we are building within our walls, and obviously, we want that to transfer beyond our walls. For those tough kids that saying a pledge or getting a sticker doesn't seem to ring true for more than keeping their behaviors where we want them to be - in the moment - share some ideas that you have either through years of teaching experience, parental experiences, or otherwise brilliant insight that you might have that teaches kids to be compassionate. I believe this is going to be a hard one to try to address, which is why I put it out there. I was speaking with a teacher the other day about how she is able to get kids to want to please her, and specifically kids who don't seem to have that same care for other teachers that they work with. I want you to be really analytical with this one. Think about some of the tricks that you have in your bag that helps you reach kids that maybe someone else might not have had success with, because, despite what that teacher I was talking with the other day said, it isn't just "magical." There is something or a process, or a relationship that is built, etc that allows you to be successful with a student that is one of the tougher cases. I believe it starts with us being compassionate and showing our pride in our kids, but maybe together we can hash this out and really get onto something that is hard to quantify. What is it that you do that makes kids WANT to do the right thing?
Sorry I was late last week. I know I wrote a lot this time, so I wanted to give you as much time as you might need to respond. Have a fantastic week!
Dave
There are a couple things in the chapter about Balance that are what I want to address this week. The first is "Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles" and the second is "Balancing Life With Teaching." The first question that I have for you is on the Balancing Instruction To Meet Different Learning Styles section. I see lots of this going on in our classrooms. Kids are on the computer, working at the SMART board, doing things with manipulatives at their desks, over a a listening center with an iPod and headphones on, reading silently in a corner on a bean bag, reading out loud to a classmate, speaking out in the front of the classroom where they are expected to be the teacher. I know there are lots of great examples of this thinking that happens every day in your classrooms. I guess my first question isn't a question at all, but a prompt. The first think I'd like you to comment on is simply sharing something that you might think of as a normal, everyday, routine, run of the mill task that has to happen in your classroom, and how you have done something different to make it potentially more engaging. Here's an example...many of you have listening centers in your classrooms. This seems to be more prevalent in the younger grades, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen in older classrooms as well. Jen Davis has iPods that she uses for her listening center, and I know that Amy Klempa regularly is downloading mp3s from the Columbus library for her kids to listen to books. It may be done on the computer, or on an mp3 player or "the old fashioned" way of a tape or CD player, but it is a very effective way for kids to have a model for what good reading sounds like. Give an example of something that maybe isn't reinventing the wheel, but is made more effective because you found a way to change it up a bit. The second topic that struck me as critically important in this section was "Balancing Life With Teaching." I'm not sure that I really have a question per se on this one, but just that I want you all to know that I am keenly aware of the crazy amount of hours that you put in. I have long held the belief that elementary teachers put in far more hours than middle and high school teachers, (hopefully that doesn't offend anyone - I just believe it to be a truth) but one of the things that I think I need to try to do a better job of is to validate the work that you do. Linda Davis has told me on a few different occasions about the difference in the approach of our teachers at the Elementary when she came to us from the Middle School. Again, I hope no one takes this as me trying to knock someone else down, but I just want you all to know that I know how hard you work and I don't believe I could find a group of people who could "out work" you. You are amazing people. I guess the comment that I'd like for you to share, which could be a quick one, is share some of the ways you deal with the work load and still maintain a relatively healthy home life. Example which may or may not be real: I only stay till 9:00 on Thursday nights, every other night I leave by 5:00...or, I come in every Saturday from 12:00 to 2:00 while my husband is watching football. :-) I guess what I am really getting at is: What are some "rules" that you put in place that allow you to maintain your sanity?
Compassion:
Reading this chapter has caused me to do some soul searching about the job I am doing as a parent. I think I am at times too hard on my own kids. I am guilty of pointing out the things that Nathan does that are hurtful to his sisters or when he talks back, how that is disrespectful to either myself or Allyson. I realize a great bit of it is just siblings being siblings, but I hope to learn some parenting ideas from this as well. It got me really thinking about how and why things for me, seem to be very different at school vs. at home. I think, Ron Clark is really right on when he talks about being clear with kids about what we will and will not tolerate regarding the behaviors in the kid to kid relationships that we try to help foster in a positive manner. I do think we are going in the right direction with both Second Step and the whole Wildcat Way thing. The point of both, obviously is to point out the way we expect things to be, and help give kids the "ammo" for when things don't go that way so that they can handle themselves with using their words to make something that might have been a negative experience into a positive one.
There are, however, a few students (you can probably name them at your grade level) who don't seem to "get it" as far as applying what we are trying to teach about being socially conscientious and compassionate, productive members of the "society" that we are building within our walls, and obviously, we want that to transfer beyond our walls. For those tough kids that saying a pledge or getting a sticker doesn't seem to ring true for more than keeping their behaviors where we want them to be - in the moment - share some ideas that you have either through years of teaching experience, parental experiences, or otherwise brilliant insight that you might have that teaches kids to be compassionate. I believe this is going to be a hard one to try to address, which is why I put it out there. I was speaking with a teacher the other day about how she is able to get kids to want to please her, and specifically kids who don't seem to have that same care for other teachers that they work with. I want you to be really analytical with this one. Think about some of the tricks that you have in your bag that helps you reach kids that maybe someone else might not have had success with, because, despite what that teacher I was talking with the other day said, it isn't just "magical." There is something or a process, or a relationship that is built, etc that allows you to be successful with a student that is one of the tougher cases. I believe it starts with us being compassionate and showing our pride in our kids, but maybe together we can hash this out and really get onto something that is hard to quantify. What is it that you do that makes kids WANT to do the right thing?
Sorry I was late last week. I know I wrote a lot this time, so I wanted to give you as much time as you might need to respond. Have a fantastic week!
Dave
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dave's question...Week #2 - Creativity and Reflection...
Creativity and refletion...
I think the reflection part is a natural part of what you do as a teacher. If you aren't constantly evaluating the effectiveness of your lessons and how you are reaching kids, well...you know that isn't effective, but I also know that you all are fantastic at reflecting on your practices. I know that we talk about reflection in evaluations and there is a very great difference from teacher to teacher and grade level to grade level as to what reflection looks like, but I also know that reflection needs to be personal, so I don't really believe it is my place to mandate to you as to how you should formalize your reflection. That being said, I think it does need to be formalized in some manner because if you only "think about how it went" and then never make notes or journal about lessons, a year later when it is time to do something similar, the changes that you were thinking about in the moment aren't going to be fresh in your mind. Please share some ideas of how you reflect on your lessons. How do you know that you are improving your lessons? How do you judge the levels of improvement that are being made?
Creativity...
Wow! There is just so much that goes on here, I don't even know where to begin. Actually, one thing that we've been thinking about a lot and having much discussion around is the topic of integration, or a term that Beth Hoch through out the other day, which I actually like much better is "comprehensive teaching." Give an example of how you have used your creativity and the resources that exist in this building to put together a fantastic lesson that you really felt reached kids on a deeper level. I love to hear people sharing what they do so that others can piggy back ideas on what you are sharing and adapt for your appropriate grade level or subject.
I think the reflection part is a natural part of what you do as a teacher. If you aren't constantly evaluating the effectiveness of your lessons and how you are reaching kids, well...you know that isn't effective, but I also know that you all are fantastic at reflecting on your practices. I know that we talk about reflection in evaluations and there is a very great difference from teacher to teacher and grade level to grade level as to what reflection looks like, but I also know that reflection needs to be personal, so I don't really believe it is my place to mandate to you as to how you should formalize your reflection. That being said, I think it does need to be formalized in some manner because if you only "think about how it went" and then never make notes or journal about lessons, a year later when it is time to do something similar, the changes that you were thinking about in the moment aren't going to be fresh in your mind. Please share some ideas of how you reflect on your lessons. How do you know that you are improving your lessons? How do you judge the levels of improvement that are being made?
Creativity...
Wow! There is just so much that goes on here, I don't even know where to begin. Actually, one thing that we've been thinking about a lot and having much discussion around is the topic of integration, or a term that Beth Hoch through out the other day, which I actually like much better is "comprehensive teaching." Give an example of how you have used your creativity and the resources that exist in this building to put together a fantastic lesson that you really felt reached kids on a deeper level. I love to hear people sharing what they do so that others can piggy back ideas on what you are sharing and adapt for your appropriate grade level or subject.
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