My cousin Laurie skillfully and bravely teachers senior AP English. The tall kids scare me, but she was born to do what she does. A few weeks ago she shared with me a lesson from her classroom that she was going to present to a group of teachers. Knowing that some elementary people would be in the crowd, she asked me about the connections I saw in her lesson to my own classroom. By the way, we've discovered over and over the many similarities between our two grade levels. On many an occasion, one of us will say something about a lesson from our classroom and the other will affirm that they've taught the same thing. She thinks we should write a book. Anyway, the big idea of the lesson she was presenting was asking students to notice. I had a few ideas for her but it wasn't until the next day when I was with my class that I discovered how many times throughout the day I expected the kids to notice and express their findings. I should have kept track of how many times I said, "What do you notice?" and how many times I heard back, "I notice that..." Here are a few I remember.
I introduced a handful of new sight words (or snap words as we call them). The kids noticed the tricky parts of each word. During writing workshop, I read a poem and asked them to share what they noticed. Their findings were integrated into the modeled writing that followed. After the shared reading of a big book, I showed them some words that I pulled from the story and asked what they noticed. They happened to be compound words. Of course, they noticed that. When I met with students about their individualized spelling words, I repeatedly asked, "What do you notice?" During our math warm up, as the students were counting by tens starting with a number other than ten, I was recording the numbers. They had a chance to share what they noticed about the numbers.
I've a feeling I left something out. It's such a natural part of the day that I didn't even know I was asking it as much as I do until I purposefully looked for it. It's true what Debbie Miller says. Our kids know more than they think they do. Given the opportunity and expectation, they'll notice. They just need to be asked.
I noticed that you mentioned writing a book and I say YES to that! What a wonderful post. Thank you for noticing that kids thrive on and are empowered by sharing their voice, and this is just another way to make that happen!
ReplyDeleteSending smiles from the south,
Barbara
Barbara, you're very right. They thrive and are empowered. It sounds like something we should get much better at letting them do.
DeleteThe tall kids scare me too! :) My sister and I have similar conversations as she teaches college kiddos-she complains about their handwriting too! I overheard a mother at the grocery store the other day asking her probably 3-year old daughter questions about what she was looking at and I really wanted to go up to her and thank her! I do think if we give them the opportunity, they will surprise us. Sometimes they just don't know how to verbalize it until we model it for them.
ReplyDeletePS-I like the book idea as well! :)
Not Just Child's Play
Miss Trayers, I help my cousin teach the college kids at church in Sunday school and I do okay, but I'm still wired for the little ones. :)
DeleteOh, the tall kids are nothing. More and more I think you with your little ones should get double the pay (for so many reasons, not the least of which is that you have the same ones all day. Now that's scary!).
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Mac. I am more and more convinced that great teaching is about being intentional. While I think my students are constantly noticing, if I do my job well I can help them become more conscious that they are noticing, and I can help them begin to articulate this noticing in ways that will inform all sorts of discussion and writing.
Yes, let's write that book.
Laur, you get to grade lots and lots of essays and such. That deserves double the pay. I'm grateful my students don't know that many words yet. Thanks for helping me notice how much I ask my kids to notice.
DeleteIt is so interesting to think about the connections between first graders and high school students.
ReplyDeleteTara
The Math Maniac
Tara, well maybe some day my cousin and I will write the book about it. Maybe some day.
DeleteI agree, I don't want to teach the tall kids either! :) I like that you are using What do you notice? I do that too! Doesn't matter if we are learning a new word (what do you notice about the spelling pattern) or reading a book. I bet you and your cousin have some great conversations!
ReplyDeleteLori
Conversations in Literacy
Lori, there are so many contexts where noticing is exactly what we want them to do. I'm not surprised you ask it as well.
DeleteAnother great post, Tammy! I'll go to school this morning with "what do you notice?" In my brain. That's a good thing:)
ReplyDeleteGrade ONEderful
Ruby Slippers Blog Designs
Barb, I bet your little ones notice all kinds of things. :)
DeleteI *think* I'm pretty good at this! but there are times when I'm in a rush that I probably don't allow enough time for noticing! Other days I let them share and share and share...until it becomes unproductive! ;-)
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Crystal, I'm guilty of rushing at times too. Oh to slow down.
DeleteThanks for reminding me to let kids notice. I used to do that a lot. I don't think I've stopped and asked this question in months. I just wrote the word "notice" at the top of my plan book. I hope I notice it!
ReplyDeleteJenny
Jenny, I've a feeling you'll notice it! :)
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