Win some, lose some

Unfortunately, it's felt like the latter part of this statement for most of this month...

The spring break countdown has begun!

I'm ready, I think...

I woke up early this morning with the admirable intention of working on the next region for social studies, which is slated to start in about two weeks.  I poured myself a bowl of cereal, made a mimosa, and gave it a good thirty minutes worth of effort.

But then I decided that no, this wasn't how I was going to spend my last day of winter break. 

Instead, I went back to bed for a leisurely two hour nap.  From there, I tried out my new make up and had a nice long lunch with B, his cousin, and her husband at Buffalo Wild Wings.  We stayed for the whole Cardinals-Seahawks game (tough loss today) and had appetizers, our meal, and dessert.  Since my school is doing Biggest Loser starting tomorrow (which I fully intend to win), I viewed this weekend as Mardi Gras.  We lived it up food-wise.  But tomorrow, the healthy choices start.  Now, don't get me wrong, there will be cheat days, but I'm aiming for good choices 90% of the time.  There's also healthy, friendly competition at work, so that'll be a great motivating factor.

As for that whole work thing...

(This is what my admin posts on Facebook.  They're amazing.)

 My lesson plans are ready. I have a to do list for the morning detailing both what I must do and what I should do if there's time (an important distinction in the world of teaching).  I just cut up pineapple chunks for my water bottle and have a crock pot meal picked out to make in the morning. I think I know what I'm wearing and it's supposed to rain, so there's no point in straightening my hair. I've got a game plan and am only focusing on Monday. I've got Battle of the Books after school, then will enter writing grades.  

I read this {awesome article} this evening:

Then found this online:

 

I'm ready to start the new year on a positive note.  Who's with me?

Preach

I've had a lot of feelings lately, most of them being irritation with others.

I don't like feeling irritated with others. 

But I also have a firm sense of fairness and I get frustrated when others don't pull their weight.  I work hard, every day. I prioritize the tasks my grade level needs, then put my own classroom needs second.

I try new things and sometimes there are bumps in the road...that's okay!  I tried flipping my classroom this week and it was super awkward to talk to the camera.  I'll get better with practice.  I am tired of being told that it was a waste of time to try something new.

I'm tired.  

I'm tired of working so hard when others aren't.  

I'm also tired of their complaints about their long hours.  It doesn't count if you stay at work and chit chat with people for hours.  That's not working, that's socializing.  

I'm tired of the negativity about the school district.  Yes, we're in a crappy situation.  Yes, it could be worse.  Complaining about it every day doesn't make it better.

I'm tired of being put down.

I'm tired of being interrupted when I'm trying to work.  

I'm trying very, very hard to remain professional. I'm trying very hard to continue to be the bigger person, but it's exhausting.

{This article}, which is an open letter to teachers who bully other teachers, pretty much sums up 90% of how I feel. 

I wish I'd found it weeks ago.

Our frame

So it's like three weeks late, but one of my first tasks as co-chair of Sunshine Committee was to make a frame for first day of school selfies.

I appointed myself this craft project and didn't really ask anyone's permission.  

I used a velcro dot to attach the first day star to the frame.  There are matching stars for the last day and the hundredth day of school.

Kyla is one of my work wives :)

So is Mrs. H!  Her hubby knows of our close friendship.

Teachers need to have fun too!

Fifth Grade Team

The frame was a big hit and all the selfies were uploaded to our school's facebook page.

What fun first day traditions does your school have?

Teachable Moments, part 2 (the roster)

A large part of teaching relies on being reflective of one's practices.  Some lessons I've bombed and that's alright. I made corrections and retaught it with a different strategy with a different outcome. I don't make the same teaching mistakes twice.

Sometimes I embark on various different tasks and when I'm done, I realize there was a much more efficient way to get the job done.  Here is part two of teaching lessons I've learned the hard way.

The Roster 

I'm almost embarrassed to share how long it took me to figure out the glory of the roster.  With our new gradebook, it's always a challenge to find things because they aren't always in the most logical place.

In the past, I printed a roster when I needed it (which wasn't often).
 

After observing other teachers and listening to their conversations, I realized there were some much better uses for this glorious piece of paper.  Here are my top 5!

5) Collecting anything (permission slips, progress reports, etc).  I print a roster, label it at the top (example: progress report), and staple it to a manilla envelope.  I then place the envelope near my collection zone and place the responsibility on the students.  Whenever they turn ___ in, they highlight or check off their name.  I normally model this day one so they can see which system I'm using.  I tend to give a positive reward for turning the form in on the first day they could, which encourages them to not only be responsible, but get things done in a timely manner.  I tend not to give a negative consequence until the third or fourth day the form was due because sometimes it's not up to them, it's up to their parents.

4)  Leave it for the sub with notes about nicknames and how to pronounce any unique students' names.  Bonus points if you can print one with students' pictures.

3) Use it for informal conference notes.  Check off students' names after you meet with them about ___, then pat yourself on the back for not skipping anyone.

2) Put the roster in useful places, like by the phone and in the emergency folder/backpack.  Having a list of parent phone numbers right by the phone makes calling home (for positive reasons or classroom concerns) that much faster.  It's also great for making random groups of students or assigning writing partners.

1) Grading.  With our new system, I'm not 100% confident in its ability to you know, save assignments.  So we've had to create paper backups of everything.  However, I soon realized that if I write down all their scores first, it makes entering grades a breeze because everything is already in alphabetical order!


BONUS tip:
Using your handy dandy roster, print your student names on sticky labels (size 8 font) and put them on the back of your teacher ID.  This helps during emergencies!

How do you use your roster?

Spring Break Goals, Part Two

I previously blogged about my lofty spring break goals and now that it's Thursday, I think I should revisit them.

1) Finish rewatching Friends on Netflix. 

This goal is part way done!  We are on season 7!

2) Finish Parks and Rec.  I haven't been emotionally prepared to see the end of this glorious show go, so I've been avoiding it.

This is tonight's goal.  I have tissues ready.

3) Try a new restaurant for date night.  A few new places popped up near us so I'm excited to try them.  As an added bonus, most are breakfast food places. 

Um, not yet. Maybe tomorrow or Saturday or Sunday with B's family?

4) Restain the bathroom cabinets.

HA! This didn't happen.  We spent hours at Home Depot and for the security door I'd like, it's just not in our budget right now.  Maybe summertime :)








5) Doctor's appointment. 

Woo hoo, I can check one off!


6) Finish going through my closet and actually take the pile of clothes and shoes to Goodwill instead of letting them accumulate in a bag in the garage.
Um...maybe tomorrow.

7) Finish the small tasks I've half-way started: ...yeah.  Not.  Grading is almost done! I've taken myself out to lunch a few times in an attempt to get that done.

8) Try a new recipe or two.  Maybe just one. Let's not get too ambitious here.

The ingredients are purchased and it's the plan for tomorrow!


9) Put away St. Patrick's day decor and decorate for spring.  Woo, two done!

10) Girls lunch date(s)?  Yes, I had lots of these :)

11) See new babies (?).  We were hoping to go see baby Sophia, but they're getting newborn pictures done Sat am.  Maybe next weekend.

12) Finish the books I'm reading.  One is for professional development and one is for pleasure.  I know which one will be read first!  



Yeah...didn't happen.

13) Cancel my gym membership....check! On a roll.

14)  Change my pedicure.  My Jamberry mint chevron wrap is holding strong at four weeks, but I think I want something pink...maybe tomorrow.



15) Make a new front door wreath.  I started one, then ran out of both burlap and wine.  This shall be completed tomorrow!

4/3 update: Finished! (For now)

 



16) Spend a whole day in pajamas!  Oh, this happened more than once!


17) Start crafting their end of year and testing treats :) 
I looked on pinterest? Does that count?




So, of the 17 ambitious goals I set for myself...I accomplished five and some parts.

And I in no way feel bad about it!  I did some grading, some shopping, got my hair cut, went dancing, and took a lot of naps.

How was your spring break?

Reading Week Recap

It's been a while dear readers, and for that I apologize.

Life got in the way.  

Since I last blogged, there's been a few nail parties, baby showers, and new students that have soaked up a majority of my free time.  I've begun spring tutoring and book club with my students, in addition to a teacher book study.  (I love learning and was given hot pink post-its and can write in the book, so why not?!)  Plus...it was reading week.

For those of you not in elementary school, reading week is a magical and exhausting time.  Our librarian did an amazing job of putting together various activities, including:

• daily DEAR time (drop everything and read)
• mystery readers
• book bingo (which we won, by the way!)
• assemblies
• guest readers, including members of the Air Force and from our local news stations
• door decorating contests
• a scavenger hunt
• lunch with a loved one

Oh, and the Scholastic book fair.  Oh, and every day was a spirit day.  Oh, and book club started that week, in addition to tutoring.  Oh, and the fifth graders took their panoramic picture for the year book.  Oh, and the fifth grade team was in charge of the First Friday breakfast for the teachers, so we decorated the lounge and had a plethora of yummy breakfast foods.

Oh, and we toured the local middle school, so add that field trip in there.  While on the field trip, I was confused for a middle school student, by a middle school student.  Not the best for my ego, but I'm glad I can blend in with teenagers...oh wait, no, I'm not glad.  At all!  College and high school are fine, but middle school?! 

I am exhausted.  This week, I wore crazy socks, was both Medusa and Batman, rocked Dr. Seuss stripes, and was a minion. 

My crown of snakes.

 I went to Fresh and Easy before school Friday (for last minute breakfast items) in not just a Batman tee shirt (because that would be socially acceptable), but full on boots, yellow tights, a cape, and a utility belt.  However, once I clarified with the cashier that it was reading week, she understood completely.  She has a first grader, so my ensemble made sense.  I must say, cross walk duty was interesting when dressed like this:

We did finish our novel The Lightning Thief, bringing us up to two completed novels this year.  I don't think I'll start another, but instead continue with "Teaser Tuesday" and start reading aloud novels...but stop at the intriguing parts.  Mean? Yes. But if it sparks their curiosity and makes them want to continue reading, then I've done my job.

I do have to make permission slips for them to watch the movie "adaptation" since it's PG.  The movie is so ridiculously different from the book, which prompted me to make this, which I'll be using with them.  I'm glad things have worked out timing wise, because I'll be showing the movie on the Friday morning before Field Day, which is the Friday before Spring Break.  I know they'll have extra short attention spans, so I might as well hook them with multimedia elements.  Plus it's directly related to the 400 page book I read to them, so it's academic.

I however, am in need of a nap.  It's barely ten am, but all my weekend grading is done (huzzah), chores are done (hoorah), and I've got a late night with friends planned.  

15 teaching days until spring break, hallelujah!

Balance

I struggle at times with finding balance between my personal life and my professional life.  Sometimes I put more emphasis on the teacher part of me and neglect the rest of my life.  Making sure I strike that balance is becoming increasingly important and I am proud of myself for prioritizing me this year.

I get to work early.  I like the quiet time before most teachers are there.  I like having that time to collaborate with other early risers and not have to fight for the copy machine.  I like to have my day fully prepared before any morning meetings start.

That being said, I am trying to leave shortly after the kids do each day.  We dismiss around 3:30, so I aim to leave by 4.  That thirty minutes gives me enough time to save my documents, shut down my technology, tidy the room, and make sure the parking lot is clear before I start my ten minute drive home.  Some days I'm there longer, but most of the time I get home before 4:30 and that's a wonderful feeling.

I've recently fallen in love with Jamberry nail wraps and am excited to be an independent consultant during my free time.  I like that there is NO drying time and that these last through my real life.  Over fourteen days of teaching, cleaning, cooking, laundry, and actual real life activities, these wraps stayed firmly adhered to my finger nails. 

 I've gotten compliments on them from teachers and parents alike.  I keep my nails short so I think it's completely professional to have fun colors and prints (like this cheetah one!).  It provides me an opportunity to bond with my students (the ten year old girls notice my nails and want to talk about them).  

I've also started using DoTerra oils as a natural way to ease my aches and pains.  I love the calming effect of lavender scent before bedtime.  I'm trying to make healthier choices, so I am flavoring my water with drops of wild orange (instead of reaching for soda). 

I'm also taking time for friends and family.  Whether it's hour long phone calls with my mom or texting my Florida pals, I'm trying to put more time into those lasting relationships.  We are having gorgeous weather, so I sat on my patio with tea and talked to my mom for a while this morning.  Then I did some yoga and snuggled with my kitties.

I feel more balanced. I feel happier.  I am proud of myself for prioritizing my personal life as well as my professional life.

And as for my relationship with B?  He had a rough day at work, so I made him cookies. I coincidentally timed it perfectly because as he walked in, I was taking them out of the over.  Score for girl friend points!  We are seeing his parents later today, have a date night planned, and are meeting up with friends tomorrow to watch football.  Our teams are playing one another, so the losing team does dishes for the next few days!

I like that I'm happier after my change.  I like that my new grade level (and whole school really) is incredibly kind and supportive.  They recognize that teachers are first and foremost people with lives outside of our school.  That's important to me.  I need that balance and at my new school, balance is encouraged.

What have you done for you lately?

Blog-tember! (day 2)

I stumbled upon my dear friend Katie's blog and saw she was doing blog-tember, linking up with Bailey from Brave Love.  I'm really pushing myself to focus on the positive things this year, starting with today's challenge!

Day 2: Write about what makes you happy, from the little joys to the huge game-changers.

I'm a sucker for small, sentimental gestures.  I like private praise and meaningful notes. I save cards and love scrapbooking.  I've started making smashbooks about my relationship with B (we are in the second album). I'm a list-maker, so here goes:

Sweet notes from loved ones. Fresh, pink flowers. Polka dots. Coming home to my fur babies, who are wonderful cuddle buddies.

Pedicures. Girl talk. Sangria. Whiskey. Pineapple. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Panera Bread. Line dancing. Decorating for the holidays. Fuzzy blankets. Sharks. Puzzles...even when I have a helper.

Harry Potter, always.  New books. Re-reading old books. Naps.  Being organized. Thank you cards. Sharpies and office supplies in general. Sale shopping. The fact that I'm now officially a home-owner.

My family. My friends. My B, who is the most supportive boyfriend ever.  Game nights. Crafting. Movie marathons.  The relaxing feeling after yoga or a nice work out.  Taking off my shoes at work, curling up at my desk and checking emails.  Adding joy into my classroom.  My fuzzy area rugs. Quilts from my mom. Hugs...from non-creepy people. Batman. Comic books. Sparkly things. My scentsy or scented candles. Memes. Parks and Recreation (because Leslie Knope is my spirit animal).  Home design magazines.

It's the simple things that make me happy.

What makes you happy?

It's that time of the year.

And...I'm back to work.

It's Saturday. That being said, I spent about six hours in my classroom and all I really feel I accomplished is making a big mess.

After my final day of math training, I went to my new school to get my keys.  I stayed about two hours because I had my final day of tutoring before the family heads back to Europe.  I managed to get my technology all set up and decided where I wanted my furniture.  I only had to move the filing cabinets and wardrobe twice before being happy with the placement!  I set up my desks in Kagan groups, unpacked the few boxes I had, then headed home.

Last night I finished The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee while packing more.

This morning I woke up around six, typed up the rest of my teacher notes on the novel, wrote a grant for books on donorschoose, then headed over a little before nine am.  I worked until noon, came home to load up again, met up with the boyfriend and bestie, grabbed lunch (my treat...err bribe. Let's be real, it was a sub bribe) and headed over.   We only got to work for about an hour and a half before it was too hot and we had to leave.  (They shut the air off at one and it was close to three.)

Today we accomplished moving about a hundred outdated text books to a storage cabinet, putting math books in all the desks, partially hanging two bulletin boards, and beginning to unpack boxes and organize my library.  We didn't finish hanging the bulletin boards because I use sheets and they had to flatten out.  I staple up the top part of the board, then use anti-wrinkle spray and let them air out over night before stapling the rest.

I think there is a small pile on every desk.  I've taken over about 70% (of the materials I've gone through) so I think this is progress.  I'm just overwhelmed because so many other teachers' classrooms are done.  I need to keep reminding myself that it's okay to not be done. I'll go in tomorrow for a few hours (when the building has AC).  I'll go in for most of the day Monday and Tuesday. I have Wednesday after training, all day Thursday, and next weekend.  My room has to look presentable for open house...which is in 6 days. Yikes!  At least it's a short commute and I have awesome friends who can help.  Plus everyone at my new school seems super friendly and helpful.  It's such a positive, refreshing change.  I can honestly say I'm excited to go to work again.  

However, once it's all done, I will treat myself to a mani & pedi :)

Adjustments

I'm mentally preparing myself to go back to work. I like to ease into the process so it's not such a rough adjustment.  I bought my school supplies yesterday. I have four days of training next week. I think I'll go back next Friday and make that my first full day in the classroom.

I'm excited for a new group of fifth graders but nervous about starting at a new school.  I'm not nervous per say about the teaching aspect (any more so than normal) but rather about fitting in with the other teachers and knowing how the new school runs.

I'm also trying to adjust my body back to a work-friendly sleep schedule.  I think I've lost the ability to sleep past nine am and am normally up and productive around eight, but that simply won't work with my work schedule.  I'm focusing on getting up at seven this week, then six next week, and five thirty (normal wake up time) the week after.  I plan to be at work by 6:30 every day (a good two hours before start time) to get everything prepped.  I'd rather get there early and leave about twenty minutes after the kids do then stay late each night.  Last year, I'd do both: get there early and stay late.  That with a thirty minute commute each way simply wasn't good for my sanity.  So I've decided I'll go in early, do some grading at home, and leave by four.  I'm focusing more on a life-work-fun balance this year!  After all, happy teacher leads to happy students, right?

Co-teaching

For the past few years, I've participated in co-teaching with a fairly high degree of success.  Co-teaching is when two teachers (one usually being a special education teacher) are both in the classroom.  There are many models of co-teaching, all of which I've used.

1) One teach, one observe

I use this model least frequently.  We usually did this to provide lesson feedback for the instructing teacher or to model a lesson for the observing teacher.

2) Station teaching

We used this model for math groups.  I would teach the new lesson at the smart board, my co-teacher would be at the kidney table pulling another group to review, work on word problems, etc while the rest of the class was on the computers, doing partner work, or at a math station.  Each teacher was doing a separate lesson.

3) Parallel Teaching

We used this for reading and writing.  The class was divided in half and all the students were given the same lesson.  This style lended itself well to writing because each group would have a different perspective.  

4) One teach, one assist

This model was used most frequently.  One teacher, usually myself, would be giving the lesson while the other would be walking around clarifying for students or pulling conferences.

5) Team teaching

During this model, both teachers are giving instruction.  This worked quite well for think alouds where we would model accountable talk and show what partner discussions should look like.

6) Alternative Teaching

During this model of co-teaching, one teacher would pull aside a small group and deliver remedial or extension activities.

I'm not sure if I will be doing any co-teaching this year, but it definitely has it's strengths and weaknesses.  For me, it was difficult to give up control of instruction to another teacher.  Trust also comes into play because you have to trust that the other teacher is doing his or her job.  Planning can also be a struggle, as can work ethics.  I know that as an educator, I tend to overplan which is beneficial but also meant I was doing more than my fair share of the preparation for co-teaching, which wasn't always fair.

Today I had the opportunity to co-teach:

I'm not sure which model the one teach, one naps on the material best aligns with...

On the bright side, tutoring is going well!  Look at her go in that notebook.

Interactive Notebooks

A few days ago, a fellow teacher and former colleague reached out to ask about interactive notebooks.  I've used notebooks for a few years now, each year with more student success, so I figured I'd offer some tips and tricks about implementing notebooks in the classroom.  Hope it helps Mrs. A! (Since this would have been way too long for an email!)

First, what is interactive notebooking?

Basically it's a notebook that students record their thoughts in.  They simply don't copy down information like mindless robots, but rather interact with the material.  They reflect upon it, analyze it, deconstruct it, edit and revise it, modify it, and so forth.  They record their thinking as they work with the material. There are things that are glued in.  There are lots of graphic organizers.  There is probably a combination of pencil, pen, marker, highlighter, tape, glue, and post-its within the pages.  It's a student-built resource that holds the record of their educational journey...and it can become a hot mess if not dealt with using structures and consistency.

Second, why?

You also might want to think about what your end goal is with the notebooks.  Are you using them because it's a school mandate?  Did your site get a huge donation of them and it's now a surprise expectation that these notebooks will be used?  Did notebooking become a buzz word and make its way into your site's school improvement plan?

Hopefully you're using notebooks in your classroom because you want to...but if you're forced to, hopefully this post makes the process a little bit easier.

Is it a place for them to only write down what you say?  Is it a completely free space for them?  Chances are, it's somewhat of both.

For me, notebooks have been a place for them to record their educational journey through different subjects.  The notebooks aren't for me, I've mastered fifth grade content.  The notebooks are for students.  It's a place for them to not only record the "big ideas," but make meaning as well.  It's a place for them to build a glossary of terms and record how characters change over time.  It's a place for them to model math strategies and show a problem several ways.  It's a place for them to write their thoughts and peer edit on drafts.  It's a place for them to annotate their thinking on close reads for poems and write their reactions to specific events in their novels.

It's their place to show their learning.  Like young minds, notebooks are best when used frequently.

Before using notebooks, some things to consider:

1) How many notebooks will you want your students to use?  

I recommend one per subject because I think it prepares my students for middle school, but it's ultimately it's a teacher decision that should be made prior to implementing notebooks in the classroom.  While I like one subject per notebook, I know other teachers have used the multi-subject notebooks.  Others have done two subjects in one notebook, starting one subject at the beginning and the other from the end and working forward.

2)  What type of notebooks do you want your students to use?

While you don't have complete control over what families bring in, you can ask for different types of notebooks for different subjects.  Last year we asked for both spiral and composition notebooks for different subjects.  

If possible, have the whole class use the same type of notebook for each subject.  In a perfect world, they'd all have the same color too...a teacher can dream!

Spiral notebooks: We used these for math, writing, and small group reading.

We used these because math problems or writing prompts frequently span more than one page and spiral is easier for students to flip to the next page and keep going.  The pages also easily rip out if students need to turn in work or collaborate with peers.

**teaching tip** Make sure students know the pages will be ripped out for an assignment prior to starting the task, that way they don't accidentally rip out something they needed to keep.

Floppy journals (usually provided by the school): We used these for word study (phonics, syllable types, Greek and Latin roots, etc).  If floppy ones aren't available, I'd use a composition notebook for this subject.

I cut these in half using the paper cutter at school but rumor has it Staples, Lowes, or a hardware store will cut them in half for you!


Composition notebooks: We used these for (whole group) reading and science.  

We used these because they were larger (we took more notes in these subjects) and the pages didn't rip out as easily.  They also held up better to gluing in graphic organizers such as these:

My inserts can be anything from FCRR character charts to closed notes for science to a poem we are going to use for a close read.  My general rule of thumb is if there is a precise drawing or copying the information will take them more then 5 minutes, I type it up and prepare it myself.  I usually prepare these on 1/2 size sheets so there's no overlap, but for some of my special ed students, I make a full size sheet and have them fold it in half to glue in.

I do go over my gluing procedures with them the first week of school because even fifth graders need reminders.  I expect them to put a large X in the middle and trace the edges of the paper before passing along the glue stick.  I have them show me with their fingers how we glue before they even touch glue sticks.  This does help eliminate their innate desires to coat the entire backside of the paper with globs of glue.  Hey, I'm not made of money to continually buy glue sticks! 


3) Organization of the notebooks

Before implementing notebooks, you'll want to decide how you want them organized.  I usually spend time the first week setting up notebooks with my students, modeling under the ELMO (document camera).  Whenever I have students take notes, I model in my own teacher notebook.  While this is time consuming, it's nice to have an accurate model for students who are absent.  Plus it's nice to have to reflect upon lessons to make the necessary tweaks!

Questions to ask yourself:
 
Are you going to have students number pages?  Does each side have its own page number or will both sides of the page have one number?  Will they use both sides of the page?  It's best to have this figured out before you model setting up notebooks with students.

Are you going to have your students keep a table of contents?

How often will they update the table of contents?  Will they do it as part of a lesson closure or during the opening?  I recommend writing the topic in together and acknowledging that the students' page numbers will not all be identical.

Will you have them color code their notebooks? Read more about this idea here. 



4) Model, model, model

I model writing in my notebook whenever I have students copying notes.  I do a lot of T charts where I have my notes (teacher input) on one side and students record their thinking (student input) on the other.  I model writing in the table of contents, I model making sure I'm on the right page, I model making sure I'm in the right notebook.  I then have them check in with their shoulder or face partner and give me a thumbs up to ensure that everyone is where he or she needs to be.

Frustrating and redundant? Absolutely at times, but it's worth taking a few extra moments to make sure everyone is on the same page (literally).

I prepare a lot of my lessons on smart notebook and I don't necessarily want my students copying down every single word I've typed.  To help them learn to decipher the important information, I will highlight the "must have's" that go on the teacher side.  We then discuss the information and I let them "chew" or "talk it out" with their table teams.  I then allow them reflection time to record their thoughts on the right hand side of their notebook (student input side).  From there, we'll come back together and I'll ask for volunteers to share what they put on the right hand side, thus allowing me to do a quick check for understanding and gauge the room.  After 1-2 students have shared, I'll do an informal check for understanding with hand signals (based on the student's response):

Thumbs up: We wrote basically the same things.

Thumbs sideways: We were close but I had a few things different.

Thumbs down: We didn't really have anything similar.

During this time we also talk a lot about how this notebook is their resource.  They might need to write down a lot of information for them to make meaning of concepts and that's okay.  They might need to draw diagrams. That's okay.   I make sure to model different strategies to help them determine how they like to take notes.


5) Procedures 

Before starting notebooks, you'll want to think through procedures and "what if?" situations.

What will you do if students leave their notebooks at home?

I usually have them copy on a blank piece of paper to glue or staple into their notebooks later.


What if a student is absent?  

I have a peer write for them.  Since I use Kagan groupings, there is (ideally) a higher student in each table group.  That student usually writes pretty quickly, so when he or she is done with his/her notebook, I have that student copy for the absent peer.  

Since my students don't all write at the same speed, I usually have them discuss the ideas in a whisper while their classmates are finishing up writing.

What if a student is in the restroom?

I try not to have more than 2 students out at a time, but I'll have them pass their notebooks to a peer to write for them while they're gone.  After a few weeks, students are pretty good at realizing which of their peers can write legibly and quickly for them.  I do have them pass their notebook to a peer at their same group to save time.  (You know, the looking around the room for their best friend, the slow walking to the best friend, the not-so-silent giggles with the best friend, then the same process on the return from the restroom...no one has time for that!  Pass it to a neighbor and go do your thing kiddo!)

The inevitable "what if I run out of room?" question from the students will occur.  I must have answered this on a weekly basis for my fifth graders, but I simply have them turn to the backside or next page and keep going.

6) What goes in the notebook?

You've thought about what type of notebooks you want and how they'll be used in the classroom.  Now comes the fun part...what the heck goes in them.

Well, the content naturally varies by subject matter and age.  Having only taught fifth grade, I can speak about elementary notebooks with much more authority then high school ones.

Reading

For our reading block, we separated into three sections: phonics/word study, whole group (skill/strategy) and small groups (differentiation).  

Phonics: (5-10 minutes a day)
We started the year going over what makes a syllable, going into the six types of syllables, reviewing long and short vowel sounds, reviewing verb tenses, irregular words, and going over the nuances of the English language (when Y becomes I and so forth) before moving into affixes (prefixes and suffixes) and Greek and Latin roots.  At my previous school, almost all of our students were English Language Learners (ELL) and I had an inclusion classroom, so several of my students were special ed.  We couldn't start with fifth grade standards (affixes and roots) because we needed to fill in their knowledge gaps.  So we reviewed K-4 phonics content during the first twelve weeks.  Did my previous administration agree with this choice? No.  Did we have great growth in Aimsweb because the students were getting daily practice on strategies to read multisyllabic words? Yes.  That did get them off our backs. 

For phonics, we introduced the skill on Monday, did a closed sort Tuesday, did an open sort Wednesday, used fill in the blanks on Thursday and did a quick check on Friday.  We read aloud words with the skill both in isolation and in paragraphs daily.  This phonics time was our warm-up.

In their notebooks, they'd record the skill name, the rule(s) and examples/non-examples.   For ELL students, the non-examples are extremely important.  They'd also write down their sorts and do their quick checks.  

Whole Group Reading (30 minutes)

We glued in mentor texts (usually poems), graphic organizers, table of contents, copies of chapters, scanned reader's theater pages, etc.  We wrote over the mentor texts, a lot, taking note of character changes and author's word choice.  Here are some snap shots:

Theme reference chart 

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New Colossus mentor text 

Example from phonics notebook 

Example of reader's theater script (they were learning the components) 

K/W/L (know, want to know, learned) chart and circle map all about components of literature

 

mentor text with student thoughts underneath  

 what makes a reader (making meaning and internalizing goals for the year)

 Keeping track of characters in our novel The Lightning Thief 

 

Table of contents for The Lightning Thief 

 

Phrasing activity (left) and overview of Greek gods (right)

 

Leaving space underneath a poem to record additional thoughts

mentor text (poem) that can be flipped up to record thoughts

Table of Contents to help students organize their notebooks

Steps for comparing and contrasting settings, so students can refer back during guided practice

 Text and places for them to record their thoughts

Example of an FCRR foldable 

Fluency guides

homework ideas

modeling what should be recorded

Creating T-charts for debates

Annotating their thinking

Graphic organizers (brightly colored so they can easily be found) with places for students to put their own examples

Small group reading: (1 hour)
We glued in fluency rubrics and character charts.  Much of their SG notebooks were dedicated to written responses about their characters.  I'd assign the groups chapters and their homework would be to respond to these questions by our next meeting date.  I had the higher half of the grade level, so they were able to handle this task.  They also did a lot of their must do activities in their notebooks.


Math

For math, this is where they'd copy down the vocabulary and work through problems with me.  I like to print problems on sticky labels for them to work on collaboratively.  We also made foldables for vocabulary.

Note taking guide for students to explain their thinking 

Science

We glued in glossaries for our science notebooks and diagrams, which students labeled and explained.  I made them a graphic organizer for their wonderings so they could eventually create their own science inquiry questions.

 

Making maps of our classroom

Writing

We made a FANBOYS foldable and did some sorts (revising vs. editing) in their notebooks, but these were mostly for their quick writes and drafts.  We used post-its with peer editing and different colored pencils when revising and editing.


Notebooks can be a daunting task but when taken slowly and used daily with students, they are a great place for students to make meaning of their learning.  As a teacher, you are guiding them to create their own reference materials and take charge of their understanding of the topics.  You are providing them with a place to navigate the content and challenge their previously held conceptions.  Yes, notebooks can be a lot of work...but it's worth it.

Any other tips and tricks fellow teachers?  Mrs. A, I hope this helps!

Good luck!