This week felt craaaaaaazy because of testing. On top of Learning First, we had another round of tests for our school. However, the tests didn't line up with our learning targets, so my students were being tested on things I didn't teach them. Also, they were in rows for most of the week because of testing. I do not like rows. I have to admit I had threatened them a few times when the talking wouldn't stop, I know now I would never actually implement them. Having rows threw off so many of our routines that we had worked so hard to create. In many ways it felt like week 1 or maybe like they had a sub for a week.
On a positive note, it's a long way from March, and hopefully by then I will have prepared them better for ISAT.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Teaching somewhere between 4th and 5th
This week was a blur, and it's a good thing I keep a copy of my plans in the back of my binder, so I can look and see what we did. This was the week where we started 4th and 5th grade math. It is crazy and messy, but when you get down to it, I love teaching math, no matter how many lessons are going on at once.
I found myself being more dramatic than ever while teaching them math, and honestly, it is hard to act even more dramatic than how I am when I read Sahara Special, which feels more like a monologue that I am performing for them. I do worry though for how I can meet my students' math needs this year. By the end of the day on Friday, I was sitting on the floor with my 5th graders....and we weren't anywhere near the rug. I just felt like I had to get them focused and I said, "I'm going to whisper the rest of this, so you better get to where you can hear me." The next thing I know, we are all sitting on the ground, and they seemed more excited that they just gathered in a group, than the fact that I was trying with all of my might to get them to understand why 5,412 is divisible by 2 and isn't by 3. After we continued discussing divisibility rules (where I learned that most of my 5th graders don't know the difference between even and odd numbers), we decided as a group that I would try to teach them some math on the rug, so they could focus better.
If there are any genius split teachers at your school, let me know because I want to find out how they provide the support during math that their students need.
I found myself being more dramatic than ever while teaching them math, and honestly, it is hard to act even more dramatic than how I am when I read Sahara Special, which feels more like a monologue that I am performing for them. I do worry though for how I can meet my students' math needs this year. By the end of the day on Friday, I was sitting on the floor with my 5th graders....and we weren't anywhere near the rug. I just felt like I had to get them focused and I said, "I'm going to whisper the rest of this, so you better get to where you can hear me." The next thing I know, we are all sitting on the ground, and they seemed more excited that they just gathered in a group, than the fact that I was trying with all of my might to get them to understand why 5,412 is divisible by 2 and isn't by 3. After we continued discussing divisibility rules (where I learned that most of my 5th graders don't know the difference between even and odd numbers), we decided as a group that I would try to teach them some math on the rug, so they could focus better.
If there are any genius split teachers at your school, let me know because I want to find out how they provide the support during math that their students need.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Science fair oh science fair
This week I hope will be the first week where I get to every subject. We are about to start EDM 1.1 That's right. After 2 weeks, we will start 4th grade 1.1 and 5th grade 1.1. Up until last Thursday, I didn't have my books or a clear plan of how to teach the split. At first I was told I would teach 5th grade math, but then it was back to 2 grade levels. We tried looking at teaching the same material out of the 2 grade levels, but that seemed more confusing for the kids. I have given the students math seats by their grade level peers and we practiced moving to those seats. I went over how it will work with them. As I work with the 4th graders, the 5th graders will work on today's math message and yesterday's math boxes. When it's time to switch, I will teach the 5th graders their new lesson and the 4th graders will work on today's math boxes. As practice for "tuning Ms. Blum out when she is not teaching your grade level" we did a clapping exercise where each grade had a different rhythm and we tried to mess the other grade up. They thought it was fun, but I am truly scared that I am asking the impossible of them.
I am also worried about science fair. I am to teach science 3 days a week. How am I to teach FOSS, get non-fiction science reading in that touches upon a variety of science topics, and help them with science fair! I am feeling overwhelmed and would love to hear what others are doing with that. Also, Bob and Lloyd, what will science look like for your 4th graders this year?
I am also worried about science fair. I am to teach science 3 days a week. How am I to teach FOSS, get non-fiction science reading in that touches upon a variety of science topics, and help them with science fair! I am feeling overwhelmed and would love to hear what others are doing with that. Also, Bob and Lloyd, what will science look like for your 4th graders this year?
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Week 1....check!
Here is what is on my mind.
1. I like my kids.
They aren't that bad! There are 2 or 3 big talkers, but they do not seem angry, like many of my students at NKO seemed. I was also surprised to see only 21 students in front of me on Tuesday after having 28 listed on my roster. However, that number slowly crept up to 25 by Friday. I suppose it might get to 28 by week 2, but those low numbers helped me keep my sanity this past week. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to match my students' faces with their names by day 2, so I worked hard all Labor Day Weekend at memorizing first and last names. After meeting them outside on Tuesday morning, I was able to walk inside knowing all of their names and faces. What I haven't pushed myself to master is learning what grades my students are in. Sounds horrible, right? I realized yesterday as I passed out two different math pre-tests to my 4th graders and my 5th graders that I had thought some students who were in 4th were in 5th and vice versa. I told them, "Raise your hand if you are in 5th grade," and lied when I said, "Well, I know what grade you are in, it's just that it will make it easier for me to pass these out to you." My new goal for this weekend: memorize what grade my students are in. Perhaps my goal for the following weekend will be to memorize their ages. (9 to 12...yikes!)
2. My students want to learn.
They may not like how I ask them to be quiet in the hall. They also may not like this new concept of sitting on the rug. However, they do like to learn. Just like Catherine presented in her July presentation, management is better when students are engaged. After not doing math all week for a variety of reasons (no materials and we still aren't sure if we will all do 5th grade or if we will do 4th and 5th), the second I told the students it was time for math, there were cheers and smiles; students were buzzing about how good they are at math; and last but not least, they focused the entire time on their pre-math assessment. (Thanks for Stacy and the Barton 3rd grade all-star team for that excellent idea to use the mid and end year assessments from the previous year(s).)
3. the "R" works
Do you remember my students' signal from NKO summer? If my students saw that their peer wasn't doing what they needed to do or if they were talking to them when they shouldn't' have, they would do the "shh" sign (without the noise). That gave students something to do when they wanted their peers to behave. It was that or students feeling so frustrated that their classmates were not getting quiet in the hall, that they would yell at each other to be quiet, and that was not acceptable. I wanted an age appropriate signal and came up with the American Sign Language "r," which for now stands for "reminder." Students are giving each other reminders all of the time. If someone isn't tracking the speaker...."r"! If someone is talking when they shouldn't be..."r"!
4. A 2 minute commute...
I told my friend the other day that now I have to think about what I wear, even when I go to Walgreens or Treasure Island. No more throwing something on and running errands. I might see my students! My friend thought I was a little paranoid and I just might be. Well, I saw a student today at Blackstone Library! She didn't noticed the rips in my jeans, but she also didn't seemed surprised to see me there. Most of the teachers at our school do not live in HP, so why wasn't she surprised? It was nice though. I was able to help her choose some books for next week.
5. It's time to start content....
I would love to hear about the election units that you are planning to do. I borrowed some books from the library on elections and government, but haven't been able to concentrate enough to do some serious unit planning.
1. I like my kids.
They aren't that bad! There are 2 or 3 big talkers, but they do not seem angry, like many of my students at NKO seemed. I was also surprised to see only 21 students in front of me on Tuesday after having 28 listed on my roster. However, that number slowly crept up to 25 by Friday. I suppose it might get to 28 by week 2, but those low numbers helped me keep my sanity this past week. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to match my students' faces with their names by day 2, so I worked hard all Labor Day Weekend at memorizing first and last names. After meeting them outside on Tuesday morning, I was able to walk inside knowing all of their names and faces. What I haven't pushed myself to master is learning what grades my students are in. Sounds horrible, right? I realized yesterday as I passed out two different math pre-tests to my 4th graders and my 5th graders that I had thought some students who were in 4th were in 5th and vice versa. I told them, "Raise your hand if you are in 5th grade," and lied when I said, "Well, I know what grade you are in, it's just that it will make it easier for me to pass these out to you." My new goal for this weekend: memorize what grade my students are in. Perhaps my goal for the following weekend will be to memorize their ages. (9 to 12...yikes!)
2. My students want to learn.
They may not like how I ask them to be quiet in the hall. They also may not like this new concept of sitting on the rug. However, they do like to learn. Just like Catherine presented in her July presentation, management is better when students are engaged. After not doing math all week for a variety of reasons (no materials and we still aren't sure if we will all do 5th grade or if we will do 4th and 5th), the second I told the students it was time for math, there were cheers and smiles; students were buzzing about how good they are at math; and last but not least, they focused the entire time on their pre-math assessment. (Thanks for Stacy and the Barton 3rd grade all-star team for that excellent idea to use the mid and end year assessments from the previous year(s).)
3. the "R" works
Do you remember my students' signal from NKO summer? If my students saw that their peer wasn't doing what they needed to do or if they were talking to them when they shouldn't' have, they would do the "shh" sign (without the noise). That gave students something to do when they wanted their peers to behave. It was that or students feeling so frustrated that their classmates were not getting quiet in the hall, that they would yell at each other to be quiet, and that was not acceptable. I wanted an age appropriate signal and came up with the American Sign Language "r," which for now stands for "reminder." Students are giving each other reminders all of the time. If someone isn't tracking the speaker...."r"! If someone is talking when they shouldn't be..."r"!
4. A 2 minute commute...
I told my friend the other day that now I have to think about what I wear, even when I go to Walgreens or Treasure Island. No more throwing something on and running errands. I might see my students! My friend thought I was a little paranoid and I just might be. Well, I saw a student today at Blackstone Library! She didn't noticed the rips in my jeans, but she also didn't seemed surprised to see me there. Most of the teachers at our school do not live in HP, so why wasn't she surprised? It was nice though. I was able to help her choose some books for next week.
5. It's time to start content....
I would love to hear about the election units that you are planning to do. I borrowed some books from the library on elections and government, but haven't been able to concentrate enough to do some serious unit planning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)