I'm really trying to be productive, but...

I am really trying to be productive during summer, but I seem to have encountered this slightly furry problem:

Yes, she's laying on the notebook where I'm taking notes for my next teacher guide for The Throne of Fire.  Apparently I missed the memo about it being kitten cuddling time when I'm trying to read...but oh well!

Bonkers for Bulletin Boards!

My new school has perhaps the cutest collection of bulletin boards I've ever seen.  It's an expectation that boards are well kept and well, fun.  This is such a refreshing change from my previous school where our boards were called "academic wall displays" and we were graded on them.  Yes, graded.  I was talked to on more than one occasion because some of my students' work contained errors...because they're ten and still learning.  Yet, perfection was expected of these academic wall displays, but we weren't supposed to jeopardize instructional time doing tasks for the purpose to put them up.  I would display partner tasks that my students did in centers but would then be marked down on for not including individual work.  Our boards had to have the standard clearly displayed and a description of what was being shown.  Cutesy titles and playful word puns? Frowned upon by my previous site...but not here!  I'm excited for yet another positive change.

I haven't decided on what my classroom theme will be nor have I picked the colors, so I won't know what my completed board will look like...but I have the outline in mind!

I picked up a roll of burlap last time I was at the craft store...

...and plan to turn it into this:

I won't be using animal print fabric but rather one of the sheets I scored on college move in clearance last year.  Flat sheets are a great cheap alternative to yards of fabric and more environmentally friendly then paper because they can be used year after year!  (Just make sure to diligently take out the staples before the annual summer wash.)

I'm excited for next year!

How cute is she?

My previous school essentially became a self-appointed turn around school.  Over ninety percent of my previous staff, including my principal, left for various reasons. 

I did my research and interviewed at one school which prioritizes reading and is quite close to my new home.  They did quite well last year on standards and have a diverse population.  They are still a Title 1 school but with an incredibly supportive community, which will be a nice change.

When I went for my interview, there were dozens of high school students coming over to volunteer and parents helping in the office.  Immediately I welcomed this change and the thoughts of never grading Aimsweb progress monitoring probes again danced in my head.

My interview went well and I was hired, which was a huge sigh of relief.  I was the last of my grade level to secure a new position.  One teacher is headed to teach third grade with several other staff members (oddly at the elementary school my boyfriend attended many years ago).  Another is leaving the district for charter schools with her husband.  A third member of our team is headed to an elementary school close to her daughters' daycare to teach departmentalized math and science, which her masters degree is in.  Our special education teacher is following our former principal to her new school, along with several other teachers.  We are all on to better things and I was finally, with a sigh of relief, welcomed into this club.

It was hard to tell my students I was leaving, but since they are all moving to middle school, I stressed that we all need change.  

My mentee in third grade and his wife had interviewed several places but were struggling to find positions at the same school (their requirement). 

I knew of one opening at my new school and quickly inquired about the possibility of another with my new principal.  I passed along her contact information to the married teachers and was thrilled when they had interviews.

I was even more excited when they were both hired at my new school.  He will be teaching third grade again while she will be back in general ed in second grade, which she's previously taught.  Adding to my excitement is she will be in my pod and only a few doors down!  I was thrilled when I got her Facebook message sharing they'd both been hired.

If possible, I was even more excited when my new principal texted to let me know she adored them and hired them both.  She thanked me for recommending them to join our school family.  This sense of support is such a refreshing change.  How cute is she?!

 I love that I'm going to a new school where everyone is excited to go to work.  I love that there is such a community feel and that two of my favorite teachers from my old school get to join me at my new one!

Onward and upward!

Simplicity part 1

I'm always looking for ways to make teaching just a little bit easier.  Some of the grand ideas on pinterest seem wonderful but when I start them, I quickly realize that these ideas simply won't work for me.

After sifting through hundreds of pins (hey, it's summer!), I found these three gems that I can easily implement next year:

Idea One: Sticky Labels

Now, I love sticky labels but didn't think to use them this way for grading.  I think this would work best for grading writing but I'm excited to adapt it for other subjects.  It would also be easily modified to include the standards at the top of the assignments.



Idea Two: Math for the First Day(s) of School

The first week is dedicated to establishing routines, setting up notebooks, practicing procedures, and building a supportive classroom culture.  One of the things I struggle with is incorporating math into the read alouds, team building, and getting to know each other activities.  This gem fits right in with the first week vibe:

I also think it'd be especially helpful this year at my new school.  I think this thirty minute activity could be great for not only introducing me to my class but helping them see how math is incorporated into every day life.

Keeping in mind with the first week theme, I liked this idea from pinterest as well:

Idea Three is enabling students to be problem solvers when they're in small groups and I'm conferencing with students.  I would type up these "what if" scenarios and have table teams brainstorm how to solve these problems, then open the discussion up for a class debate.  In doing so, they are creating their own norms and thus have more of a "buy in".

I'm excited to try these three simple things in my classroom next year!

Because that was a good idea?

I didn't always agree with the leadership of my previous school, thus prompting me to make a change.  I was by no means the only one who felt the decisions that were made were in the best interests of the teachers or students.

One staff member who has been at my previous school for decades just recently announced her school change.  This came as a shock to everyone.  She gave the polite "I'm moving to a 9 month school that's a few minutes from my house" response.  Pretty much everyone gave that politically correct response because it's hard to argue with wanting a shorter commute.

She gave me the real scoop.

The prep schedule for next year is...atrocious.  For one track, she would have been looking at three classes at once.  It's bad enough the specialists sometimes have double classes, but three? That's close to ninety kids.  That's in no way acceptable and I don't blame her for not wanting to be a part of that mess.

That choice is in no way best for students nor teachers.

Sigh...one major project accomplished!

I'm finally feeling the sense of relief that accompanies summer.  With the exception of a guest bedroom where I dumped my classroom (specifically several thousand books), my new home is decorated and unpacked.  Over the course of my summer break, I painstakingly painted thirty seven cabinet doors to give my kitchen a complete makeover.  We also painted our master bedroom and bathroom because olive green wasn't my preferred shade.  We patched the doggie door so our kittens won't try to be adventurous and explore outside and patched several dozen wall nicks from picture frames.  We had our friends and family over for our house warming and I can now finally relax.

By relax, I mean spend a few hours on pinterest finding ideas for next year and tackle the pile of books I've been dying to read!  My boyfriend asked what my plans for tomorrow are and was a bit shocked when my response was simply to read.  I've got The Throne of Fire and Mark of Athena just waiting to be devoured!

I also need to start figuring out my classroom theme for next year.  What I love about my new school is the fact that every classroom is cute and organized.  It makes me feel accepted and not like a strange person for wanting my classroom to be organized with coordinating colors.

One of my former neighbors is moving to teaching sixth grade science and gave me her entire cube collection that she used for her classroom library.  I'm excited to get to actually organize my books by AR levels and author rather than just throwing them all on the shelf and crossing my fingers that students find ones they like.  Granted, the first few weeks in August will be spent organizing my new classroom but it's a great thing that my new school is only 8 minutes away!

Now that my home is done, I can leisurely enjoy my summer and catch up on reading!

What? You've Never Seen This?

Now that it's summer break, I have time to reflect upon yet another year in the classroom.  This year was my most challenging yet and for that, I am grateful. 

I have some definite face-palm moments in my classroom.

Sometimes I forget that things I assume are common knowledge just...aren't.

The first of many, many moments was when I had to clarify that kings and queens do actually exist.  We were reading informational text on the American Revolution, which naturally included a discussion on King George III.  This was our mentor text:

They really enjoyed reading and analyzing this passage, although the language and vocabulary did provide some stumbling blocks.  However, through discussion, I realized that many of them were confused.  They knew the passage we were reading was true and based on facts because it's informational text (hallelujah they've got that down), but were "clunking" on the king label.  They didn't realize that kings and queens were real.  So after a quick discussion that included yes, kings are real and no, dragons aren't, they seemed to be more okay with the topic.  

Apparently they then all went out to recess and informed the other fifth graders, thus ending their confusion as well.  Kings did (and do) exist.  Glad that's cleared up.

Second, some didn't realize World War Two actually occurred at all, much less (potentially) within their grandparents' lifetime.  We were reading Number the Stars and I set the necessary historical background.  We looked at some maps (okay Google Earth...it's much more interactive) and took a virtual field trip of Copenhagen.

Then some of my higher students, who have read Number the Stars earlier in the year made the connection that wait, this was based on true events.  Another made the connection to some video game, which sparked a class-wide discussion.  Next time, I think I'll start with the video game reference since that made a lot more sense to many of them.

Live, learn, and teach on!