December 4, 2015

Curriculum Connections...

Happy Friday to all... the first Friday in December! Hope everyone had a wonderful four-day week- even though I know juggling dozens of conferences is often more work than the daily learning and teaching. Please know your efforts do not go unnoticed and the feedback from the parents over the last couple of days has been incredibly positive - they are so grateful to be part of the Cantiague community because of each of you and our collective dedication to doing what is in the best interest of children!

One of the things that I have been reflecting on over the last couple of weeks as I have been doing formal classroom observations is this notion of the gradual release of responsibility for learning from teacher to student. This is the method that the workshop model is built upon where the teacher slowly relinquishes control of the learning to the students. Although we focus heavily on this philosophy when talking about literacy instruction it is clear to me that it is a model that could apply to any and all content areas... math, social studies, science, engineering, etc.

Here are a couple of graphics that helped me visualize and better understand what that might look like in a classroom...

From Xenia Public Schools

At the core, the philosophy is based on this idea that the teacher possess some level of expertise and thus begins the lesson with modeling or direct instruction. This portion of the model should be short and direct - really no more than 15 minutes. I, the teacher, shows you, the students.

The learning experience then shifts to guided practice where the children begin to explore the concept that was just taught by the teacher but the teacher now does the work with the students. This could be done independently or in partnerships or even small groups. Typically the guided practice portion of the model unfolds with the teacher in close proximity so they can monitor student progress. So, for example the children might stay on the rug for this portion of the lesson. This portion of the model should be no more than 10 minutes - it's a quick guided practice. I, the teacher, and you, the students, do this together. 

The final component to this instructional model involves the students doing the work independently so the teacher can assess whether or not the strategy or skill or concept has been mastered and which students need more scaffolding. This is a prime opportunity for the teacher to either pull a small group or conduct 1:1 conferences to informally assess the progress of the group and begin planning for future instruction. This portion of the model could be anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the content, routines and independence of the children. You, the student, do the work while I, the teacher, assess and support. 

I share this overview as a reminder for how any and all instructional periods could look from reading workshop to genius hour because our goal should always be to move towards student independence and always keep the focus on the learning!
#EDUWINS for the week included...

• Melanie incorporated MineCraft in a meaningful way when she had her children using the game to create arrays to enhance their current study of multiplication! The kids were so engaged and she was able to quickly differentiate by challenging the students to come up with easier or more challenging arrays based on their readiness levels. WOW! 

• Reading workshop in Mandy's room the other day was AWESOME! The children were reading back to back and were actively engaged in their books and reading with such enthusiasm and vigor! Near the end of the workshop I had the chance to interview Sonia for a mini podcast to hear her take on reading - check it out here.

• The students in Donna and Christine's class had free writing time and the work they were creating was so impressive. The children were engaged the entire time and they were writing everything from chapter books to comic strips - such an important reminder that free writing time is critical!  

Tech Tip of the Week...
As you know, next week kicks off the #HourOfCode week. The following article provided some great information to get coding: Calling All Learners and Teachers for Hour of Code 2015!

With that in mind, check this out...

Computers are everywhere, but fewer schools teach computer science than 10 years ago. Good news is, we’re on our way to change this. If you've heard about the Hour of Code before, you might know it made history. More than 100 million students have tried an Hour of Code.

With the Hour of Code, computer science has been on homepages of Google, MSN, Yahoo! and Disney. Over 100 partners joined together to support this movement. Last year, every Apple Store in the world hosted an Hour of Code and even President Obama wrote his first line of code as part of the campaign.


Get started at http://hourofcode.com/us 

Please try coding with your kids next week (and beyond) and tweet any and all pics including the #Cantiague hashtag and the following hashtag: #HourOfCode!

Blogs Worth Reading...
Dear Administrator - After the Observation by Pernille Ripp (I share this because it gave me a lot to think about and I would like to remind all of you to continue questioning me and pushing for feedback)

How To Build Better Reading Habits & Finish a Book Every Day (for adults) by Jeff Goins

Redesigning My Classroom Environment by Heather Gawron

Staff Reflection/Blog...
Our latest post comes from Matt who shares a personal reflection about working with behaviorally challenging children...


Throughout my short time at Cantiague I have worked with some very challenging students.  The children I have been “assigned” to all have had behavioral problems that stem from emotional issues.  Making connections and forming relationships with these children are two crucial aspects in helping them become as successful as they can be.  Being flexible also plays a pivotal role in order for these students to become successful, both socially and academically. 

My days are often spent gauging the moods of my students, and modifying assignments on the fly, to ensure they are able to work to the best of their ability. Knowing how far I can push a child without overdoing it is critical - if I push too far the results can be catastrophic for the child.  Something else I always keep in the back of my mind is to pick my battles strategically - everything shouldn’t be a fight and there are times when I have to step away (even if the student isn’t doing what they are supposed to). 

Many of us experience the challenges these children face in the classroom first hand; however, the difficulties they encounter during recess and specials are far greater.  Periods we take for granted and feel should be a breeze, are some of the most difficult and frustrating times of the school day for these students.  The anxiety level of these students can be astronomically high when they know one of these “difficult” periods is coming up. Being mindful of this can greatly increase the success of these students both socially and academically.

I think I can speak for all of us that connecting with our students is one of the most important things we can do as teachers.  As difficult as it is, sometimes connecting with our challenging students is even more important.  Many of you have said to me; “I don’t know how you work with a child like that all day every day.”  Yes, some days are more difficult than others and I have pushed kids over the edge and I have dealt with some “interesting” tantrums - but the hope that I am making a positive impact in my students’ lives makes even the hardest days, worth the battle.    

SCHEDULE OF THE WEEK... 

Monday, December 7
"A" Week
Literacy Check In with Grades 2 & 4

Tuesday, December 8 

Literacy Check In with Grades 1 & 3
FEO at 3pm for teachers - district-wide grade level meetings!
Visitors in the building - my former graduate students from Lehman

Wednesday, December 9

Holiday Party - hope everyone can attend!
Gr. 1 & Burrows on a trip today - be safe!

Thursday, December 10

CST @ 1:20pm
PTA Executive Board at 9am
Rubinberg on a trip today!
Cultural Arts!

Friday, December 11

Happy TGIF!
Team M&M on a trip today!
Kindergarten Literacy Check-In

Reminders... 

• Don't forget that Monday kicks off the HOUR OF CODE so let's get our kids CODING!
• Next Monday, December 14th will kick off our 8 Days of Holidays event leading up to the break - be on the lookout for the next Friday Focus that will feature details!
• Planbooks to be submitted next week; remember, there are alternatives - ask me about them!