Celebrate and Celebrate BIG

This is just one of those years. I'm surviving but don't always feel like I'm handling my challenges gracefully. I take them to bed with me. They're there when I wake. It can be consuming at times. Though I purposefully look for the beautiful in each day and take notice of what's going well, I recognize the need to be more intentional about the space my thoughts inhabit.  

Recently I found myself reflecting on the word "embolden." Though I only knew its meaning in general terms, it felt like a word I was meant to embrace. I looked it up and found I was right. 

As a Christian, I am well acquainted with the story of David. Though he was greatly distressed, the Bible says he strengthened himself in the Lord. I'd like to think he emboldened himself. Though there are many people on my side, cheering me on, reminding me that I'm the teacher God is with, sometimes I simply have to embolden myself like David. 

Personally I know what encourages, fortifies, heartens, invigorates, emboldens my teacher heart - celebration. 

So Tam, be emboldened. There is no such thing as a victory too small. Recognize and celebrate each one. They will be your lifeline when it seems like you're simply surviving. As Wendy Hankins says, "Celebrate and celebrate BIG."

How to Prep For a Music Program

My class sang their little hearts out at our Christmas music program today. I was so proud of not just their singing but their behavior. It's obvious how very amazing our music teacher is. She pulls the greatness right out of them. Even though she's as wonderful as they come, I know she appreciates how classroom teachers support her. And I feel like it's my responsibility to do just that. 

Before our program rehearsal, I intentionally prepped my kids.

1. We watched this short video of a children's choir from America's Got Talent.

2. I asked the kids to notice what the performers were doing and not doing.

3. We created the following anchor chart. The ideas totally came from them.

4. I took the chart with me to the rehearsal and the program.

The moral of this tale is be intentional and clear about expectations. We can do so without telling. Use mentor texts (yes, videos are mentor texts) when applicable. Let kids notice. Document what they notice. Make sure the chart is visible.

And doesn't it seem obvious that our music teachers would love us forever if we all took fifteen minutes to do something like this before a performance? I think so.

To Wait or Not To Wait

Teachers, we can do better when the recess bell rings and the kids line up. Here are all the reasons why I believe it's wise and professional for teachers to walk out the door the second the bell rings instead of wait three or so minutes for them all to line up and then walk out the door.

1. It's good modeling. - I teach my first graders that when the bell rings they should say, "See ya!" to whatever they're doing and hustle to the classroom. I should be modeling the same behavior. Why should they hustle if I don't?

2. It's not my time anymore. It's theirs. - When the bell rings, my time is over. Period. If I'm not instructionally ready for them, I need to make adjustments to how or when I prepare. It's their time now.

3. It's preventative. - Bad things happen in an unattended line. Proximity will prevent most of the problems that might have occurred if I weren't present.

4. It's professional. - If I'm not out there, who's actually watching the children? The duty person can't. She's doing 12 other things while at the same time trying to get back to her classroom and her own children. Legally speaking, I have a responsibility to be present.

5. It allows me to teach. - All the stuff that happens in an unattended line follows the class inside, leaving me poor behavior to fix and conflict and drama to resolve when I should actually be teaching. Talk about frustrating.

6. It saves time. - There are four times throughout the day when the bell rings and kids line up. If I wait to go outside during each of those times, how many instructional minutes have I wasted? It might not seem like much, but it adds up fast. (A new teacher once spent a day observing my classroom. She noticed how quickly I got outside and brought my class in. She did the math. According to her numbers, I saved about 20 minutes of instructional time.)

If we stop to examine the wallpaper, we'll see that there are way too many reasons why the norm of waiting inside after the bell rings is not best for our students. Don't wait inside simply because that's the way it's always been done. If it's the norm at your school, be the change. Start on Monday.

Signed,
This Seems Really Obvious To Me

Finger Flashlight Friday

Thanks to the Units of Study in Reading from TCRWP (Teachers College Reading and Writing Project), there's something called Finger Flashlight Friday in my room.

I bought mine last year on Amazon. A few died, so I just restocked for less than $6.00. It's a great deal.

As I mentioned, TCRWP inspired me to use them. They come in very handy in the first-grade reading unit, Word Detectives, which I just finished teaching and would highly recommend. Now the flashlights come out every Friday during reading workshop. As one can imagine, they're a hit.

And because I own a soap box about most things educational, I have to say something about reading workshop. To my knowledge, there aren't many basal teacher's manuals that:

• stress or make time for independent reading. 
• recommend children have their own baskets or boxes full of books.
• plan for teachers to sit down in a community space with the children at their feet and teach a short mini-lesson on how to be a better reader before sending the children off to read by themselves.
• Every. Single. Day.

I'm going to refrain from quoting all the gurus who explain why daily independent reading is a game changer. Instead I'm here to say, whether the basal says to or not, every child in every elementary classroom should experience a reading workshop every day. Period. Yeah, hang around me long enough and you'll know I'm not a basal fan, but this post isn't about bashing basals (at least not this time). Instead I'm calling all teachers to know what's best for readers and make instructional decisions based on them. Manipulate the basal to fit what's best for kids, not the other way around. 

Signed,
Feeling Feisty