Feel or Don't Feel?

I have a certain way of introducing the idea of vowels and consonants.  I'm fairly certain it's not research based, but it works for me, and my kids seem to get it.  

I start out with this chart, minus everything below the pictures.

We gradually add letters to each side, depending on whether we can feel them or not.  In other words, if anything moves or touches in our mouths, we can feel them.  (The only one that is tricky is R.)  Once all the letters are on the chart, I ask them what they notice.  Someone typically figures out that the letters we can't feel are called vowels.  That's when I label each side.  

This chart certainly doesn't make or break my readers, but when we then start talking about vowels and consonants in more depth, they have something to link those words too.

Saturday Sayings: Are You Right?

Isn't this so true?  A few years ago I heard a math teacher tell about the day she asked a mathematician about his solution, and he immediately began erasing it.  This young man, and many other children, have been trained by adults to believe they must be wrong if they are ever questioned.  I wonder if some children have no real clue as to whether they are correct or not.  No questions = I'm right.  Questions = I'm wrong.  What a disservice to our young thinkers.  We need to ask more questions.

I love how this thought translates into other subject areas as well.  Several years ago during my Reading Recovery training, I learned how important it is to question readers, especially when they're right.  The question, "Are you right?" makes them analyze their attempts, their thinking, and their strategies, and for many of them, "yes" is an uncomfortable answer to give.  Further asking, "How do you know?" takes the process another important step.  It trains them to know when their attempts are right and why they're right, hopefully increasing the odds of more good strategy work in the future.  After a while, this uncomfortable interaction becomes something they can do with more ease, and the validation of knowing they're right and why, builds confidence so that the next time an adult questions their work, they won't be tempted to break out the eraser.

Who's This?

To a young learner, an object is an object no matter which way you move it or look at it.  Turn a bowl upside down and it's still a bowl.  Obviously this isn't the case with letters and numerals.  To help my first graders catch on to this new concept, I use one of my smaller kiddos to help me demonstrate the idea several times during the first weeks of school while we're learning correct letter and numeral formation.  My kids love it every single time.  

Me:  Who's this?

Kids:  Michael

Me:  Who's this?

Kids:  Michael

Me:  Who's this?

Kids:  Michael

(I usually turn him one more time and ask the question again before this last step.)

Me:  Who's this?

Kids:  Michael
(Their favorite part!)

Then of course we talk about how this isn't the case with letters and numerals.  Turn them around, and they're not who they used to be.  Like I said, the kids love it and it makes a great point.

P.S.  I don't typically wear shorts and knee pads to school.  It was alphabet dress-up day, and my letter was V.  Look here if you'd like to know more about it.

Peacemakers

I suppose most everyone has seen the peacemakers and peacebreakers chart that's all over Pinterest.  It's been a wonderful addition to my classroom the past few years, which makes me very grateful to its creator.  Anyway, this year I decided to make a simple classroom book out of the idea.  I want everyone in my class to see themselves as a peacemaker, even when sometimes they aren't.  We all have those moments.  My hope is that there would be power in seeing those words in black and white written about their own little selves.  "Hey, look here.  It says that I'm a peacemaker."  

See?  So very simple but so very powerful.

Saturday Sayings: I Can

I'm aware that this topic is not a new one to Saturday Sayings, but I can't get very far from the reality that I'm an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to the success of my students.  Yes, there are other influential factors involved which means the burden is not totally on my shoulders.  I can't control other factors though.  I can only control the quality of my instruction, which brings me back once again to my role as a learner - the most important one, according to Graves.  

Learning targets and I Can statements are new to my school this year.  In fact, I officially heard about them for the first time a few weeks ago.  Learning how to write learning targets for my kids got me thinking about my own learning targets concerning things I'm trying to improve upon this year. 

• I can build math tasks around children's literature.
• I can use and teach the calendar in a more authentic way.
• I can allow and expect students to lead math discussions.
• I can position my students to let out their greatness.
• I can develop better systems for organizing conferring notes, assessments, and goals.
• I can improve the communication skills between students.
• I can use technology in authentic ways.
• I can continually seek ways to make phonics instruction more authentic.
• I can add whimsy to my classroom.
• I can use technology to build character.
• I can make charts with my students that are easy to understand and become tools that they refer to often.
• I can seek deeper conversations and deeper thinking with my students.

I believe that's the abbreviated list.  If I think too much longer about it, I'm sure I could add more.  More isn't always better, so I'll be content to simply tackle these learning targets for now.  What I Can statements are on your list?

(Sometimes it helps to write them down.)  

Smarter Teacher, Smarter Charts

Have you read Smarter Charts yet?  It was one of my favorite summer reads.  (Look here if you're interested.)  I feel light-years away from really having a handle on charts, but I think my charts and I are getting a little smarter at least.  I thought I'd share a few that I've created so far this year.

Talking Tips:  I see this chart growing or at least inspiring a chart about how to listen and what kinds of things partners say to each other when they listen well.

When You're Done You've Just Begun:  I can thank Lucy Calkins for this idea.  I've been making a chart for this concept for years.  This one is just a whole lot easier to understand.

And look, it became a table chart too.  I just took a picture and now each table of desks has one.

3 Ways to Read a Book:  This idea comes from The Sisters and Daily 5.  Again, this one is so much more simplistic than the version I used to make.

More or Less: This math chart could have started with pictures instead of numbers and then eventually grew by adding numbers.  It could also be interactive by having kids change out the numbers.

Math Journals: I think in the future I'd give this one a better title, but I do like how it breaks down the steps for how we prepare our math journals.  I also have been thinking about adding a step for partner talk.  Without creating chart pollution, I can see how creating a separate chart for how to talk with a math partner could be useful too.

Smarter teacher + smarter charts hopefully = smarter kids.   

Tolerance is...

Although for years I've been talking to first graders about how it's okay to be different, partly thanks to Todd Parr (see here), I've never used the word "tolerance" in my room until this year.  I'm not sure if my attempt was extraordinary by any means though.  How would you define the word for first graders?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Here's my definition:

Tolerance is being kind even when someone is different.

My lesson started with a story about my experience at the gym one evening when I saw someone who looked very different than me.  I specifically talked about what I could have done or said but didn't.  Out of the story, came the chart below.  I asked the kids what differences they've seen in people and what peacemakers and peacebreakers do about those differences.

It's not a perfect chart by any means and will surely be more developed next year, but I hope it was a step in the right direction.  

These books have been staples of mine for years as well.  They teach about differences and tolerance better than I ever could. :)