Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello!

     Happy Belated Valentine's Day!  With all of the snow and cold temperatures in the Northeast this year, Valentine's Day came by quickly; so quickly in fact that I was not able to post prior to the holiday!  It worked out for the best, however, because now I am able to have pictures of the projects that were created!
     Since this is my first year in second grade, I wanted to do something different to celebrate this February tradition in a more original manner. Since I am able to stay with the same group of students the entire day, I feel that I have more time available to work on projects.  Also, this year I want to infuse creativity into my students' lives more often so I figured Valentine's Day was the perfect place to insert it!  
     A while back, I received an email from Michael's Arts and Crafts stores showing a kit that you could purchase to create a Valentine's Day mailbox.  One of these kits happened to be an owl, which is my theme for the year.  (Side note: Owls have great vision, intelligence, and power which make them a great animal to show respect to throughout the year).  Immediately I went to Michael's to purchase this kit and saw that not only would it be too expensive to purchase one for everyone, but it already included the colors and size for each piece.  If I were to have my students create this, all they would have to do is paste the pieces together which involved very little creativity.

(A snapshot taken from the Michael's advertisement on January 30th)

     Instead, what I did was purchase the owl kit along with many other supplies from Michael's.  These supplies included multi-colored and patterned scrapbook paper, plain construction paper, and thicker paper to make my own tracers.  When I got home, I unwrapped the package and got to work duplicating all of the templates for my students to use and for the process to go smoothly.
     Once I got to school, I was not sure how this project would turn out.  Even though I was prepared with all of my supplies, I had not actually constructed the mailbox myself so I did not know the process that it would entail.  I was so excited about the project, however, that my students took to it with gusto and their creativity blew me away.  They carefully selected colors that went with one another; some decided to go with a Valentine's Day theme while others wanted to include colors that made them happy.  Either way, the finished products were outstanding!

     I truly enjoyed this project because the students were able to practice their cutting, pasting, and direction following skills while inserting creativity, choice, and their own ideas of what a "Valentine's Day owl" should look like.  Students added expression in their owl by changing wing direction or eye size, included details such as fringe on the wings or a glisten on the pupil, or added an object such as Cupid's bow and arrow or a mustache.  
     Even though I was unsure of how the project would turn out or how long the procedure would actually take, it went by smoothly, flawlessly, and the enthusiasm of the students was unmatched.  Taking the time to do this with my class was certainly worth it.  Even though Valentine's Day has passed, take the time to inspire creativity in your classroom wherever you can.

Enjoy!

A Complaint Free World

“If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." —Maya Angelou

Hello!

     During all of these wonderful snow days, I read the self-help book called A Complaint Free World.  It was recommended by a good friend and fabulous educator who said that this book changed her life.  It was quick and easy to read and had a lot of practical advice as well as statistics about complaining and its effects on the world.  In one section the author, Will Bowen, explains that "most people claim to want prosperity, but spend most of their waking hours complaining about what they already have.  In doing so, they repel rather than attract prosperity."  He continues with a quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer that says "If you're not happy with what you have, than why would you want more?"  I am a strong believer in that we become the words that we say so they should be positive and optimistic.  Realistically, this is certainly easier said than done, especially when one is having a bad day.

Russell and I are ready for our Complaint Free Challenge!  I have a feeling it will be pretty easy for him.

     Throughout the book, Bowen describes ways to combat complaining.  The first way: to be aware of how much and how often you complain.  In order to do this, he began the Complaint Free Challenge, where people can buy bracelets ($10 for 10 bracelet which includes shipping and handling) off of the website to help one be aware of their complaints.  You put the bracelet on your wrist and each time you complain, you move it to the other wrist which means that you start back at Day 1.  The challenge is to go 21 straight days without complaining.  If you do something for 21 days straight, scientists believe it will become a habit.  There is also a widget you can download on your computer to help you keep track of your days.  Sounds easy, right?  Wrong!  Most people spend many days at Day 1 and then once they move on, can lapse back to the beginning again.  The challenge is to not give up.  Imagine what the world would be like if everyone irradiated, or at least minimized, their complaining?!
     How does this relate to education and schools, you might ask?  While reading this book, I thought about my students' attitudes towards some assessments and how their mood usually impacts their performance.  When I hand my students a writing prompt and they immediately groan, I notice that their scores are not as high as expected.  In contrast, when the students are excited or confident about the project that they are undertaking, their scores skyrocket.  In order to help promote this positive dialogue, I started having my students repeat optimistic mantras before tests or writing prompts such as "I can do this!", "I know exactly what to do!" or "I am going to do great!".  We would say them aloud throughout the year and I noticed that some students started whispering them on their own as the year continued.
     To teach complaining to children, Bowen created a Complaint Free Curriculum for schools.  The curriculum is modified for multiple grade levels and has various activities to engage students.  There are journal prompts, hands-on activities, discussions, and quotes to analyze.  The ten lessons can be done back to back, combined to make a larger lesson, or spaced out if there are time constraints.  Each one is unique and creative, and students can easily understand and practice being complaint free.  This positivity is crucial to any classroom environment, especially with the new demands that every teacher and student faces.  Instead of focusing on all that needs to be taught or learned, we can put our energy towards all that we have accomplished and all that we know.
     Now, for those of you that know me, I can certainly do my share of complaining, especially about specific people in my life.  Writing this post, I do not want to sound like a hypocrite, because stopping complaints is quite a difficult thing to do.  I do believe in Bowen's mission, however, and I feel that limiting the complaints that I say can make my world, as well as the worlds of the people around me, much nicer.  I ordered my complaint free bracelet and am ready to begin!  I am excited to tell my students about my undertaking.  Even though I will not instruct using the curriculum just yet, I hope that my students become curious and interested in my challenge because I would love to share my journey with them.

(http://www.amazon.com/Complaint-Free-World-Complaining-Enjoying/dp/0770436390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423493058&sr=8-1&keywords=complaint+free+world)

     A Complaint Free World is a great read for anyone who wants to inspire more positivity and optimism in their life.  To find out more, visit the accompanying website by clicking HERE.  Please share your Complaint Free Journey with me so others can be motivated and emboldened to join in.

Enjoy!

Test Prep and the Daily 5

Hello!

    Test taking season is upon us!  During this time, many educators try to teach their students every last concept and give them every available tool that could help them to be successful on the standardized assessment. As teachers, all we want is for our students to feel confident.  Stop!  Sometimes I feel that instead of giving our students confidence, we need to give some to our teachers. I don't think that is done enough.  I want you to take a deep breath and know that every lesson you have taught, every skill you have instructed, and each concept that has been mastered has prepared your students for this point in time. They are ready and so are you!

(http://www.rtsd.org/Page/4201)

     I have this confidence after reading an article about how the activities that are done every day in our classrooms benefit our students on standardized tests.  Specifically, if you execute the Daily 5 procedure in your classroom, you can also rest assured that your students are prepared for test taking. Janice Such, a reading specialist and instructional coach, posted an article in regards to the Daily 5 and how it supports the high stakes testing that has to be given throughout the country.  The Daily 5 consists of the following components, all of which support standardized assessments:

• Passion: Students will do well on tests when they have a love for reading and writing.  That is truly the foundation of the Daily 5 and something that is practiced each and every day using this model.
• Read Alouds: When teachers share beloved books with their students, they not only show the joy of reading on their own faces (which is contagious, in my opinion) but helps students build background knowledge, introduces various genres, and shows students how books work.  When reading the text aloud, correct phrasing, expression, and pace are modeled.  For some students, this might be the only opportunity they get to interact with text at or above their reading level.  What an experience!  The more interactive the read aloud (with partner talk, questioning, and think alouds), the more beneficial to the students.
• Stamina: Through the Daily 5, stamina is mentioned countless times.  During this process, students can actually see that the more they focus and get better at a skill, the amount of time they can sit to complete the task becomes longer.  Stamina is essential during test taking since the assessments can be extremely time consuming.  Reminding students of how long they are able sustain focused reading and writing during the day will show students that they can easily handle whatever time limits the test places on them.
• Read to Self: Since students can choose texts of their own during this time, they are able to increase their confidence and ability to concentrate.  Using the skills learned in guided reading while completing Read to Self will increase their comprehension and help them read the text closely during testing.
• Work on Writing: This part of the Daily 5 allows students to write what they want, take risks, practice a writing style that interests them, and gives students a chance to express their thoughts.  This entire process creates a writing habit in students and builds confidence which will help them during any situation.
• Word Work:  During this portion of Daily 5, students get to discover and explore word parts, prefixes, suffixes, compound words, and base words.  This manipulation of letters and words helps students with decoding which they will need when reading and answering vocabulary questions on standardized tests.
• Read to Someone: When students read with one another, they practice fluency, thinking while reading, retelling, and constantly check for understanding.  Even though test taking is done individually, having students practice these skills with a partner will allow them to improve when reading by themselves.
• Listen to Reading: Many new standardized tests ask students to interact with videos and various forms of multimedia.  Since the students have practiced listening closely to what is being read as well as how to manipulate the functions on computers and other devices during Listen to Reading, students will be prepared for what they might encounter on a test.

     If you would like to read the entire article, please feel free to read it HERE.

     Feel confident in knowing that the procedure that you put into place in your classroom and practiced throughout the year will greatly benefit your students during test taking.  They will do GREAT!

Enjoy!

How Schools Kill Creativity

Hello!

     One night I was writing lesson plans on my computer as my husband sat on the opposite end of the couch, listening to a TED talk that was required for a class he was taking.  As the video played, I couldn't help but start to listen, especially when it started to talk about school and the education system.  Now, my husband is going to school and taking courses for business management, none of which have anything to do with education or teaching.  The purpose of his class was to focus on creativity and how it applies to the workplace.  Not only did the information I was hearing in the TED talk intrigue me, but made me think that the course my husband was taking as well as the job that he currently holds are what I have to prepare my students for in order to be successful in their future.  
     Immediately, I asked my husband what he was listening to and started focusing on the information itself.  When I identified the title, "How Schools Kill Creativity", I suddenly became defensive.  Schools do not kill creativity; school was the place where I learned to draw, sculpt, paint, and craft.  This is where I was able to create a story from my imagination and act in plays about characters that I could never actually become (like a talking/singing pine tree <- true story).  I was outraged!  Who was this TED talker and what was he talking about?!?!
     I then did my research.  This talk was given in February of 2006.  The person giving the TED talk was Sir Ken Robinson, an English author, speaker, and international adviser on education in the arts.  He advises governments, non-profits, education and art organizations (additional information located on Wikipedia).  Ok, so he has some credentials but what exactly does he mean by "schools killing creativity"?  I then listened to the entire TED talk and instantly became fascinated.

(Found on YouTube and TED)

     Sir Robinson explains that "creativity is as important as literacy."  He continues to explain that schools all over the world have a hierarchy in terms of subject matter; mathematics and literacy are at the top, with the humanities following, and ending with the arts.  Currently, the "most useful" subjects are at the top because these are the skills that help us acquire a job.  Sir Robinson explains, however, that quickly our society and world are changing where this type of academic knowledge will not be as useful as it is today.  To paraphrase Robinson, in the next 30 years, more people will be graduating from college than all of history combined.  This means that a traditional college degree will be worthless and that we must change the way we look at intelligence.

     I was shocked while listening, especially since I am a self-proclaimed "education nerd" and value it with the utmost of importance.  But what Sir Robinson is saying is not that what schools are doing is wrong, but we have to change our system to evolve with the new generation.  Already, companies like Apple and Google are not necessarily hiring the smartest students from Harvard or Yale, but the ones who are showing the most innovation, work ethic, and are willing to take risks.  As teachers, we have to create an environment and  allow our students to make mistakes, understand why the mistake was made, and grow from those failures.  We must teach and model to our students that failure is a stepping stone towards reaching our goals.

     As mentioned in an earlier post (which can be read HERE), creativity is crucial in the classroom.  This is still my toughest challenge as a teacher due to all of the requirements that are necessary. Incorporating academics with creativity is what I am trying to do with my second graders as much as possible.  I know that personally, when I come home from work and am able to create a craft from Pinterest, develop a new dish in the kitchen, or design decorating ideas for a room in my house, I am able to focus on work much easier and do a better job than if I came home and went straight into lesson planning.  If a child comes home from school and wants to dance out his spelling words in the basement, or if another child wants to shoot a basket in the net when thinking about her vocabulary words, these techniques can be even more useful than sitting down at a desk and memorizing.  Students need someone to help inspire creativity in their own lives and be told that it is valued!

      I cannot wait to hear the ideas that you utilize to promote creativity in the classroom as well as continue to research ideas that can be implemented by educators in order to meet the needs of our current learners.

     Enjoy!

Picture Books for the 21st Century

Hello!

     As teachers, we are always trying to get our students to want to love to read and be engaged in the process.  I certainly want to do this each and every day that I am in the classroom.  This can be an extremely daunting task, though, especially with our struggling readers.  In this case, it is even more important to promote a love for reading.  Throughout my search for different kinds of books that would interest students, I found an author who engages children in the subject matter of her books simply by reading the title.  Her name is Ann Droyd (being that she likes technology, I am assuming this is a pseudonym.  Get it- Android) and she writes parodies of classic children's books.  

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399158561/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0399169261&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1ZTW818MWAJ496R3XVDS)

     Ann Droyd's first book, titled Good Night iPad, is a parody of Good Night Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown in 1947. Droyd modernizes a simplistic storyline to include all of the technology of today; from Blackberries to HDTV, Facebook to Angry Birds.  Immediately when I showed the students that I tutor of various ages (second to sixth grade) this book, they gravitated towards it, some literally grabbing it out of  my hands to see what it was about since it had the word "iPad" on the cover.  My older students were hysterical at how it portrayed the different gadgets while my younger students loved to identify the different ones that they owned!  Each student enjoyed the book even though each had their own personal reasons.  Truthfully, adults will love this book just as much as kids do because the adults that are featured in the book act very similar to their children... :)

(http://www.amazon.com/You-Give-Mouse-iPhone-Cautionary/dp/0399169261)

     Ann Droyd's newest book is called If You Give a Mouse an iPhone which is a parody of the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by author Laura Numeroff.  The original version was published in 1985.  I loved If You Give a Mouse an iPhone even more than the first story written by Droyd.  Here the mouse goes on an adventure but does not realize it since he is on his iPhone the entire time.  The lesson learned at the end, about being present in the moment, is an important one for this generation (young and old) since technology is a significant part of our lives.  As you read it, you will smile, laugh, and relate to how the mouse is acting.  I feel that this would be a book that many parents (and maybe their own children) could refer to when becoming too absorbed in their electronics.  "Remember what happened to the mouse..."

     Both of these books can be used in the classroom in numerous ways for multiple grade levels.  Students of all ages could do a compare and contrast between the original versions and the newer ones by Ann Droyd.  Posing the question as to why the author would update the original would be a great discussion to have with a classroom, as well as if this should or should not be done to classic pieces of literature.  For older students, having them identify the message in the stories would be a great discussion starter.  For a creative, innovative, and exciting project, students can go to the library and choose books in which to make their own parody.  Taking the story Hansel and Gretel, for example, which was originally created in 1812, could be updated just like Ann Droyd's stories.  Instead of leaving breadcrumbs in the woods in order to find their way to Grandma's house, getting lost and then meeting a witch, Hansel and Gretel could use Google Maps to get where they needed to go or Facetime Grandma to ask for updated directions when lost.  Adding 21st century technology into older stories would allow students to practice various writing skills, give older stories more relevance, and enable creativity in the classroom.

(Videos found on YouTube and Ann Droyd's website)

     Additionally, if you would like to show an animated version of these stories to your class to help aid comprehension, they are available on YouTube.  The little movements of some of the characters help to make the story come alive.

     If you use or have used these stories in your classroom, I would love to hear how it went and if your students liked reading these picture books by Ann Droyd.

     Enjoy!

Helping Students Set Good Intentions

Hello!

     On Instagram, I follow many people in the education field as well as others who are very positive and uplifting.  One of these people is a girl named Katie who I met while obtaining my undergraduate degree in college and whose posts are very inspiring and motivating.  She is someone who always has a kind word and makes me want to be a better person just by seeing her pictures on social media.  (Note: If you would like to view Katie's encouraging posts, follow her on Instagram @katiewestlake1). 
     Right at the start of the new year, Katie posted about making a vision board for 2015.  The idea of the vision board came from The Secret by Rhonda Byrne which was popular around 2006.  The purpose of a vision board is to set intentions for yourself through pictures, and then look at those pictures everyday in order to remind yourself of your intentions.  Every year, people make resolutions but they usually go unfulfilled because we forget, things get busy, and life moves on.  Making a vision board where you can see your intentions daily reminds you of the changes you want to make in your life.
     After reading Katie's post, I knew I wanted to make a vision board for myself.  My husband and I set off, looking through magazines, thinking up ideas, and creating individual and combination boards for goals we wanted to accomplish together and for ourselves.  Then I thought, what a great project do with my students!
     That day, I wrote an email to my students' parents, asking for them to send in magazines and explained the project.  As soon as I came into school, my students were excited to start this activity.  I wanted to combine it with writing so these are the steps I completed with my class:  First, we had a discussion about what goals and resolutions are and why people make them.  Then, we brainstormed in our Writer's Notebooks different changes we wanted to make during the new year.  I modeled by reading my own list to them. Sharing these goals with each of their classmates was fun for the students because they ended up getting more ideas from their friends to add to their own lists.  Next, students began the creative part; they looked through magazines to find pictures that represented each of their goals and glued them onto a piece of paper.  If they couldn't locate pictures for their intentions, they could draw them as well.  Of course, students could add more intentions to their list throughout the whole process.  One of my students ended up with 30 goals for the year!
     Once the construction of the vision boards were complete, we chose three pictures to write about in a paragraph (remember, I have second graders).  For my model, I wrote "I chose a picture of a beautiful living room because I want to decorate my own house just like this picture."  Students wrote using my model and a fill-in-the-blank technique to add their own pictures and goals.
     All together, the final vision boards were amazing!  The students put so much effort into their goals for the future and they were extremely unique for each individual.  Here is a picture of two of my students' vision boards:

     When I asked these two students to tell me about their vision boards, it practically brought me to tears.  The student who made the top vision board said that she added the globe and x'd out the picture of the electronic device on her board so that she can "travel more and not play on her electronics as much."  When I asked the student who created the bottom board about her pictures, she explained that she added a picture of a bed, cooking, and an art supply set so that she would "keep her new bedding nice and neat, cook more with her family, and make time for crafts."  What precious thoughts and wonderful changes to make in the new year!  I noticed that almost all of my students wrote something about spending time with family, whether it be in the form of vacations, cooking together, or being nicer to their brother or sister.  That is truly what means the most to children- being with the people who love and care for them.

     This was such a fabulous activity that allowed me to learn even more about each of my students' wishes, hopes and dreams for the future as well as to help spread positivity for the new year ahead.  After we hang them in the classroom for a little while, I look forward to hearing about how these intentions evolve once the students bring them home and share them with their families.

     If you complete this activity with your class, I would love to hear how it goes!

     Enjoy!

Boy Writers

Hello!

     The new year has begun and I am excited to go back to work tomorrow to begin 2015 with my students!  Not only am I excited for all of the lessons and learning that will be happening, but also for getting the chance to try out unique and practical ideas that I received from reading the book Boy Writers by Ralph Fletcher. This is a book that all educators should read.  Even though it was geared towards boys, there are so many easy, realistic ideas that could be used in the classroom to engage all students.  Additionally, it makes teachers reflect on how we teach the boys in our classrooms and what we think about the way boys write.
     Now, during some posts in the past on this blog, I have mentioned how important it is to educate and provide leadership opportunities for girls.  (To read this post, please click HERE )  Writing this current post, I certainly do not mean to pit the genders against one another.  It is never right to bring one gender down in order for another to succeed.  If that becomes the way, no one flourishes.  Looking at differences in gender, however, and finding ways to help both improve through various methods will benefit the entire education system as a whole.

(http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Writers-Reclaiming-Their-Voices/dp/1571104259)

     Throughout his book, Fletcher mentions many statistics and research-based findings on the education and development of boys.  Currently, boys are scoring significantly lower than girls on writing tests.  On average, girls learn by sitting still, concentrating, multi-tasking and listening to words, whereas boys do not.  This is how many classrooms function which already put boys at a disadvantage.  Scientifically, there are many differences in each gender's brain as well. The females' corpus collosum (the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres and allows them to communicate with one another) is 20% larger than it is in males.  Additionally, many young boys do not have the fine motor skills necessary to write and are years behind girls in this development of the brain.  Biologically, this puts boys at a disadvantage immediately.
     With all of these facts, what are teachers to do?  Being a female teacher and growing up with mostly girls in my household, how am I supposed to relate to boys in my class effectively?  Fletcher gave many suggestions that could be used in the classroom to benefit boys, however, I feel that many girls would also enjoy some of these ideas as well.  Even though I write "boys" in many of the ideas below like Fletcher did in his book, it is synonymous for "students".

• Tell high-interest stories (like squishing worms or catching snakes) to show boy writers that you can be on their wave-length and are eager to read their stories.
• Make sure that boys have a real and varied audience for their writing.  Sharing and celebrating should not be a rare occurrence but a regular event.
• Set "out of bounds" spaces where students can write that's not for the public.  For example, have students turn down pages in their notebooks that they do not want others to read.
• If boys want to write humorous pieces, ask them to review books by Jon Scieskza and Dav Pilkey to copy their style and get ideas.
• If fine motor skills are an issue, allow the use of a computer.
• In conferences, utilize specific rather than general questions.  For example, rather than saying "What effect are you trying to make?" or "What do you think..?" try "You need a dramatic scene here." or "Add sensory details here."  Using this direct approach brings much relief to many boy writers.
• Many do not like to revise their writing because they feel it is the best it can be already.  As a teacher, be flexible during revisions and learn to "give and take."  Show writers that we can meet them half way, even if we do not 100% agree with some of the content or jokes that students use in their writing.
• Always give a "glow and grow"- one thing that the writer did well and one suggestion for the future- to build confidence and strength in writing.
• Allow DRAWING in the Language Arts classroom!  "Sketch and stretch" while reading a story without pictures to aid comprehension, and allow students to draw their ideas first, before putting their story into words.

     Either way, whether you have boys or girls in your classroom, we need to give our students opportunities to write.  Fletcher mentions that twenty years ago, British students wrote 100 words per day while American students only wrote 100 words per week.  With technology today, I am not sure how accurate this is however the overarching theme is that students can only become better writers when they write, write, and write some more.

     I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how you not only engage boy writers, but girl writers as well. 

     Enjoy!