Saturday, December 14, 2013

What KEEPS me from RW and WW?

With 5 schools days until Winter Break (yes, I AM counting!!), I am wondering why I am not ready to have the kids publish their personal essays (Writing Workshop goal) and why I am not ready to have the kids share their nonfiction presentations made using their stop and jot notes after reading multiple books on one topic of interest (Reading Workshop goal)??

Here's what I think got in the way of meeting our goal:
1. SNOW!!
It snowed some and in Northern Virginia that freaks everyone out so schools close. Monday and Tuesday were snow days and then Wed was a 2-hour delay (it was blue sky but still cold and schools got 2 hours to get the sidewalks salted and cleared!) So no chance of teaching RW or WW for 2.25 days.

2. JAPAN PEN PALS
One of my student spends his summer in Japan (his mother's family lives in Kyoto) and he attends Japanese school there. At conferences, the mother asked if we would be interested in exchanging cards with this school to help those students work on their English. I said YES because I loved having the opportunity for students to write authentically with friends across the globe. The plan was to make these cards on Monday but that got pushed due to the snow to distributing the cards on the shortened Wed and then more time was needed to write on Thursday and a few stragglers were still working on Friday and now they are in the mail! Due to this worthwhile distraction, I realize that only ONE writing workshop essay writing lesson occurred this week. But so glad we did the letters. One unexpected success - it allowed my student who reads at a DRA2 18 (beginning of 2nd grade level) to successfully write 10 simple sentences back to his Japanese pen pal without any assistance needed from me. I reminded the class to write using simple sentences as these students in Japan were just learning English. (It was even requested that we only use capital letters as they haven't taught the lower case letters yet - interesting!) This child wrote the most in one sitting that he has ever written and no prompting at all was needed from me. I love unexpected outcomes!! 

3. GRADE LEVEL TEAM
Unfortunately, I am not at a school or on a team that is fully invested in teaching using the workshop model to teach reading and writing. Daily I am realizing this is not ideal as I don't have much support. I feel a bit like an island and it is hard to stay motivated. Then teammates will suggest doing activities that I am constantly wondering WHY. There is a large bulletin board in our hallway. I suggested that I AM poems be written and hung for Back to School night in September. It was a quick writing activity to help build community the first day of school. So that went up and mine around the corner outside my classroom. Then as soon as the 1st personal narratives were written by my students, I hung these up. Then the 2nd and then a "___ is for Jamestown" page to share about something learned on our trip. And as soon as our essays are done, those will be displayed. This bulletin board - the I AM poems stayed up until Nov. Them a 3-D drawing of our house and an Indian Longhouse fan-like activity got hung. (WHY?? This seemed like a coloring activity so I didn't take time to do that) and now it was highly suggested that all the kids make a quilt square and add names of friends and add these squares to cover this board. (Again, WHY??) These activities are busywork in my opinion and I am never in need of just something to keep my students busy. Instead, I am trying to fit in strong RW/WW. But because all on my team are not on the the same page (or even in the same book) as me, I sit in team meetings (more time not used as wisely as it could if we all were on the same page) and listen and wonder why? So why did I choose to return to the classroom at THIS school? I ask myself this daily!! It seemed like a good idea last Spring. I worked at this school 12 years ago and the Principal welcomed me back and had a 4th grade opening, a grade I have taught before. I would not need to learn the SS material and I can do 4th grade math. And I knew he would not stop me from teaching RW and WW. I also came because the Reading Teacher is on board. She is a support. We have learned at TCRWP for the past 3 summers and attended a coaching institute together. I thought her support would be enough. Now I daily wonder WHERE I should be a teacher? I love being back in the classroom. I know I want to remain a classroom teacher and not return to being a Resource teacher. BUT I am not sure if it will be at this school? Unfortunately, the workshop model is not encourage in my district so maybe I need to change districts. Time will tell. I do think that a supportive team would help NOT take me away from workshop work and isn't just a "grass is always greener" mentality.

4. GEO BEE
I was told that all in 4-6th grades were to administer a GEO-BEE, 7-rounds of questions, each child answering one question and me recording the results. The high scorer will represent our class in the SCHOOL Geo-Bee. This had to be done on Friday. There was also a Music Concert on Friday morning so finally at 1:30pm (after our one of two 30-minute weekly Spanish classes), I could start the BEE. I had planned it taking 30 minutes and then having an hour of Writing Workshop. I arranged the 27 students in a semi-circle and I began the questioning. All 7 rounds took 80 minutes!! So much for WW! I only had time to announce our winner and we packed up to go home. Is this a good use of time?? So many of my friends could NOT sit still and quietly listen and participate for 80 minutes. But really? They are 10 years old. So often, I had to stop, redirect, told those having trouble that they could leave the semi-circle and quietly read at their seats. Finally, all Round 7 were completed and one student answered ALL 7 of his questions correctly. It was the same student I talked about above in #2 who reads the lowest in the class! (My highest reader scored 6 out of 7 correct and I was so expecting him to win.) It was fun helping this winning student get into his car at Kiss and Ride and tell his mom, "You are driving home our class Geo-Bee winner!!" As I said before, I love unexpected outcomes!!

I also LOVE Reading and Writing Workshop expected outcomes...
While on break, I will reflect OFTEN to see if I can fit in enough teaching time to reach my expectations!

This is my last posting of BACK IN THE CLASSROOM in 2013.
Next Saturday, I'll be driving with my husband and 2 amazing daughters to Ft.Lauderdale to hop on a cruise boat stopping at four ports in the Caribbean. I am so looking forward to having so many days to talk and be with a team that I love (an architect, a public policy grad student, and a Drama major/French minor almost- graduate) and who DO give me support!! 

More reflections to come in 2014!!


Saturday, December 7, 2013

Things that take me away from the classroom

This was a weird week...
Monday - in my district, the students leave at 12:30pm on Mondays so we can have time to plan and hold PD. This Monday, my Principal gave "The Gift of Time" telling us all that we could leave when the kids leave and take care of any personal December tasks we may need to do during our Monday contract time...

However, for me, I was asked by my district to represent our county by being a member of the 5th grade SOL Writing Committee and the committee was meeting in Richmond to work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. So I couldn't leave with the kids at 12:30pm because I needed to write substitute plans for 3 whole days. The good thing - there was no line at the copier. The bad thing - the whole school felt like a tomb...no one was around. It is hard to push on when one is ALL ALONE...

Then I spent 3 days away...
I wonder now, why?? As I age, I reflect more on what I do and why I do it. I guess because I have come to realize that my time is limited. And due to this, I want to make the most of the time I have. Did I need this distraction of three days away from my real job - teaching my 4th graders? Probably not. I will decline the invite to apply next year. Unfortunately, one usually has to do the task once and spend the time once to know they never will do it again...

Then I returned home Thursday afternoon and headed to school at 4pm. Friday was a big day in the 4th grade at my school - Colonial Day! In my room, students would come to do candlemaking and soap carving. Since I made it back home, I went to set up the classroom - move desk, roll up rugs, write the schedule on the board...I ended up working until 6:30pm, only to return to school the next day in my Colonial Day outfit at 6:30am.

Now it is Saturday and I reflect on this very different kind of week. My substitutes said the kids did a good job and worked hard while I was gone. I still need to look at all their worksheets (which I used more this week as it was easier to tell a sub to do this kind of teaching). Friday was SO fun and all had fun learning about history through the hands-on activities. But as I left school yesterday at 5:30pm I was exhausted...more so than the 14 hour fieldtrip to Jamestown, I think. I guess overseeing 25 kids dip candles and another 25 sit and carve soap in my large classroom space for five one-hour sessions, despite all the wonderful parent volunteers helping, just took a lot of my energy. But once I ate dinner and slept for 8 hours, I feel better today.

It wasn't the best week of learning for my students...but not the worst, either.

I still wish more was happening in my classroom:|
  • I wish I knew how to teach math well and had more than just four 55 minutes a week to teach math to a group of 23 kids who do not have strong number sense.
  • I told my strong readers that I'd be putting them into book clubs at their Nov conference. Now it is Dec. 7th and I wish I had time to get this started. I will, but when??
  • I am teaching strong mini-lessons but I wish I was having and documenting strong conferences in writing and strong conferences and/or small group instruction during independent reading in RW.
  • I wish I was not constantly giving my energy to guiding those students who constantly choose to make poor choices, causing my classroom management to struggle.
  • I wish I could find a balance to teaching ALL the subjects well. RW, WW, MW, and also science and social studies. Maybe it just takes time to figure out the content and how best to teach it in the limited days we have. I'll admit that my students ARE getting strong RW and WW instruction but not science and social studies...and math is a struggle, too...
So much to do, so little time...As I move closer to 2014, I need to ensure my time is being used wisely. This is my wish, the choice I WILL make!