She Told Me "Godspeed."

Before my co-teacher left for the rewards trip she told me, "Godspeed."

I chuckle now to think of it, as I did earlier when I finally sat down to eat my steak and bean salad in the middle of my crazy-busy day.  While I wasn't having an awful day-- thankfully, at this point of the year I know my students and what "teaching" in mid-June requires-- I was tested and tried.  If I hadn't expected most elements of my day, I would have had a terrible day.  The students were overly-talkative, dramatic, slacking, some slightly rude, one straight belligerent, and a few threw things like paper!  I emphasive "threw" because few things are as disrespectful as talking while the teacher is talking or a classmate is sharing his work, and throwing is one of those things.  To me, throwing is disrespectful to the classroom environment and all in it. 

I don't know how many times I have to tell children that I really do see everything.  I just pick and choose what I acknowledge.  I digress.

So there I was staring at my lunch, wishing I had also packed a piece of brownie instead of or in addition to my apple, and thinking of "Godspeed."  If I hadn't prepared myself in all senses of the word, I would have been done for it.  I wore something I feel good in-- a bright, cheery outfit with lots of bangles and two fun rings-- and I wrote an engaging lesson complete with two full *RAFTs AND an extension just in case.  I said my affirmations in the school building, not just before leaving my apartment, and I put a smile on my face and vowed to keep it there unless...

As I mentioned, I was tried.  I did raise my voice, but then I bought it back down.  I took it easy while addressing what really mattered.  I waited for silence, or close enough to silence and I held the paper-throwers accountable.  I also pulled one of my self-contained moves and displaced a student.  I took "her" seat, the one she thought she would still sit in after I told her where she was supposed to sit.  She threatened to walk out, was coaxed back in by an adult in the hall, and there I was in "her" seat.  I then proceeded to pull the two students she was engaging in off-task behavior, on task.
 
In between it all, I taught an interesting lesson-- using knowledge of body language to analyze two Def Jam poetry slams-- and I realized that sixth grade is teaching middle school and kindergarten all in one.

Love,
Miss M


*note: RAFT is the paragraph formula we use, and another way to make sure students take their time with their writing.  In my case, it bought me time to settle them down and gave those settled something to do.  Again,
"teaching" in mid-June.

Using a Mood Meter

Since learning about the Mood Meter in graduate class last week, I've already used it twice.  I first used it when I realized my small group, of former self-contained kids that I meet with for support classes, were dealing with a bullying issue.  I also used it the following day, when my co-teacher was talking a seventh grader down from that angry place from which one makes poor, impulsive decisions.

I realize now that the mood meter can be a conflict management device.  I really liked the idea of the tool when I first learned about it; I wondered when and how I might be able to use it in my fast-paced, college-prep, rigorous teaching environment.  Things like mood meters make me long for the days of self-contained and closed doors.

Steps:
1. Plot mood using energy level and level of pleasantness.  (I used the words good and bad to simplfy it for some of my students.)
2. Write down an emotion word that goes with where you plotted your mood.
3. Ask: What happened to cause this emotion?

And then hopefully, as the girl eventually did, go on to class or whatever the next activity is in a much calmer state.  (On a side note, this student who I had encountered previously in seventh grade coverages, now goes out of her way to tap me and say hello.  I guess for many students, relationships are key-- all or nothing.  I digress...)

One situation you'll find is that students and adults alike do not know how they really feel.  The girl in question plotted herself in the blue and said she was angry when she was no longer angry.  She settled on mad when called on it, but really I think she was hurting.  Naming emotions is hard work, but the longer I teach and the more I learn about SEL, or social emotional learning, the more I tout its importance.

More to come.
Love,
Miss M

my much used, color-coded meter from one class period.  I went from green to red when there was a fight, and back to the green.

Fiction: High-Low Book Series

The other day, I was searching for high interest, low level book series and I struggled to find reviews from urban, public school teachers, such as myself.  So here goes.  Below are a few excellent book series, I've come across thus far.

The Carter High series is amazing.  It is low level, as in third grade or so, and it is high interest in that it is a realistic fiction series that deals with issues high schoolors go through.  Middle schoolers, especially the upper grades that I've worked with, eat it up!  Both boys and girls seem to thoroughly enjoy this series. 

Ideally, a struggling reader will go from devouring the Carter High series and graduate to the well-known and loved Bluford series. However, the Bluford series while lower-level is still too high for some students who struggle with reading but are socially mature. It can be especially challenging to get most students to read what they consider baby books at their current levels.  The Bluford series is great for reluctant, middle school readers who are only one or two years below grade level.  Here is a link with information on how to purchase Bluford books for $1 directly from the Townsend Press publisher. Just a heads up, keep a tight grip on these books; they will disappear from your classroom forever if you are not diligent! 

For the not-as-socially mature, or perhaps more playful, struggling reader, R.L. Stine's Rotten School series is perfect. Who know the writer of the acclaimed Goosebumps series could be so hilarious!  The Rotten School series is on a third or fourth grade reading level and enjoyed by boys and girls. 

There is also the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilky.  This graphic novel of sorts is very popular with children who have a sense of humor or enjoy reading silly, not-too-serious books.  The reading level for the series is approximately third or fourth grade.  These books will also disappear from classroom libraries forever if the teacher is not careful! 

Similarly, there is the Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot series, also by Dav Pilky.  This action, adventure series is also a graphic novel, and is on a second grade reading level. 

The Weird School series by Dan Gutman  is on a second grade level and is a fun read for boys and girls. This series includes many, many books which can be helpful for older, struggling readers who need to read a lot at their level in order to improve their fluency and comprehension.

As you can see, most of the low level, high interest book series I can vouch for are humorous, often slightly-zany books. It is challenging to find realistic fiction books that adolescents can relate to. I did request that my principal order the Orca Currents series, but I haven't read any of these books nor have I seen students in my past school devour this series in the way they have responded to the aforementioned books. Either way, Ocra prides itself on catering to reluctant readers, so I will let you all know what I think when I get to read a few.

Next up, nonfiction books for reluctant readers.  Until then...

Love, Miss M

Trip Ideas in New York City

Sony Wonder Lab-- one of the best trips I've taken students on was to this interactive museum.  Very hands-on, fun and informative!  Plus there's a free Sony arcade in the adjacent building.

Transit Museum-- located in downtown Brooklyn, very interactive.  Great for younger kids and middle schoolers.

Musuem of Moving Image-- located in Astoria Queens, this is a must as most students don't get to go here.  This museum is also very interactive and informative.  The kids get to do voiceovers, sound mixing, create short animations and learn about the history of TV and film.

Museum of Natural History-- one of my favorite museums in the city, though many students tire of it by the time they reach middle school.  Plenty to see that aligns to science and history curricula. 

Hall of Science-- located in Queens, this is a hands on science museum with an interactive, science-orientated playground. The kids love it here, and so do their teachers!

Apple Store-- one of the best trips I've taken students on was to the Apple Store on 14th street for an iMovie workshop.  We learned how to create movies using photos taken with Photobooth.  Our instructor was very personable and great with my special education group.  We left the store with bright yellow t-shirts, and CDs containing our movies.  Very cool trip with a long waiting list.


Prospect Park Zoo-- most schools trek to the Bronx Zoo, which is the largest zoo in the city, but Prospect Zoo is small enough to enjoy in one trip and still has a variety of animals.  Plus, this zoo is adjacent to the beautiful Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Fixing Things: Using a Toolbox in School

I put some IKEA furniture together last weekend. I also took apart an old, cast iron table that was left in my newish apartment, and used a power drill for the first time.

As I sat there in the middle of my kitchen floor early Saturday morning, I thought of how I especially encourage my special education students to think critically and practically. We even had a toolbox in my self-contained classroom (a lovely paraprofessional I worked with bought it in).  There was one student who would fix everything-- from broken clipboards and faulty staplers to the DVD player which he disassembled piece by piece.  He liked to, as he put it, take things apart and see how they work inside. 

Aside from fixing things, this kid was not into school. He and his father lived and breathed baseball. This kid was going to be a star one day, and that's was that. So in between persuading him to read, write and think critically, I allowed him to take on side projects of things that needed to be fixed or improved around the classroom. 

This is one thing I miss about teaching self-contained:  having the space to figure those thing out, and to nurture children in different ways that do not fall under the usual academic lens.  From the naturally, organized students who organized the room and kept it that way, to the artists who made the posters and decorated the room when there was time. Seriously, there were some interior decorators in my classroom!  Maybe the environment I came from is especially different from my new, college preparatory, rigorous environment. Or maybe it's the pressure of the new Common Core State Standards and all the testing and test prep. 

Either way its important for children to explore and learn. Unfortutely this is not always encouraged in the home, and in the past as a self-contained teacher I had the space to do it. 

This weekend when I put together a table set with four chairs, and a lovely turquoise cart, I problem solved. I read the wordless directions that IKEA is quite fond of. I tried things out and tried them again. And then I got it.

We are all special learners. While I was never in a special education class, I am happy someone noticed and encouraged that I have a way with words. I'm glad that someone noticed I had organizational struggles and helped me with my binder and when my locker fell out in high school, didn't judge me. Reading, writing, mathematics, science and history are are main subjects. But, nurturing an artist, allowing an organizer to aid with organization, and motivating a student to complete classwork by allowing him to use a toolbox in class are also important.

Love,
Miss M

Teaching Students How to Read in Grade 6

It dawned on me the other day, I am a middle school teacher who is literally teaching two students how to read. Seriously, we started from AaBbCcDd and graduated to BeBop Books, an excellent series beginning at level A for emergent readers.

In between reading Bebop Books, there is Words Their Way, the alphabetic spellers edition.  I just finished teaching the first six word sorts, which have to do with the initial consonant letter/sound.  Next up is word families, like the -at family and the -an family.  Both of the forementioned sorts include pictures.  While the first group includes mainly pictures and just one letter on the header, the family sorts include both words, like cat, hat, mat, bat and the matching pictures.

I've actually had the complete set of Words Their Way as a resource for the last two years, but I never had the time to implement it. I teach five kids from my ICT ELA class in a small reading group. Two are emergent readers. Why one of them is just now learning to read is beyond me. The other is from another country and has had very limited schooling up until now.

In the past I have come across students in 7th and 8th grades who are emerging readers.  Middle school teachers are often ill-equipped to teach older children how to read. Also, regardless of small class or not, we have standards to follow and curriculums to teach.

I can now say that I know how. I can teach eleven-year olds how to read. The more I observe (I take copious notes after each session), teach and see progress, the more understanding I gain of how people learn to read.  Who knows, maybe I'll turn this knowledge into a side hustle during the summer!

In the past, with my non-readers, I did see some improvement just from the students being in a print-rich environment.  I, thankfully, had some BeBop books in my classroom, and would conference with these students as often as possible.  In those conferences, I would give them strategies to figure out unfamiliar words, take notes of new words and monitor comprehension.  I also used my paraprofessionals as resources to lead these children in shared readings.

One student I had last year improved drastically!  She knew her letters and sounds, but did not have a solid bank of sight words.  By reading the BeBop ooks, each one several times, and writing summaries (retelling the important parts), her reading and writing improved drastically.  I like to think of her because she inspires me; she shows what is possible when a student is open to do the work that it takes.  Often students masquerade and pretend with books way above their independent reading levels.  It can be challenging to get past that barrier when a student has been doing this behavior for years.  But, it can be done.

As all parts of teaching go, you may not reach all students, but there will be some who will amaze you with their academic growth.

Ah, the challenges of being a teacher!

Love,
Miss M

Individual White Boards

I use student white boards in my Remedial Reading class.  I have a mixed group of five, and they love to write on the white boards!  Here a student just finished reading a level A book and is retelling the story in three parts.

 

Here a student is sorting pictures by vowel sounds and spelling them as he does so.  

Another great use of white boards is as a check in.  You can have the students jot down their answer and hold up so you can quickly access who understands and who needs more support.

More ideas to come!

Love,

Miss M.