The laws of measurement apply at the top of the world in the same way they apply to us. Surprisingly, Santa actually lives in a modest house, as we can tell when we calculate the area and perimeter of various rooms. I guess that makes sense since most of his time is required in the workshop. I notice that he has a pretty nice enclosed pool area out back. We all know that strange little song about the 12 days of Christmas. Most people don't know the meaning of the objects represented in the song. We tend to just sing it for the fun and silliness of receiving all of those noisy presents. Students told me they needed a tool to help them organize the gifts. When they worked with the chart, most handily solved the problem and were able to find the total number for the 12 days.
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Starting in January, Caitlyn Fitzgerald will begin her clinical experience in our classroom. Miss Fitzgerald is a senior teacher candidate at Missouri Southern State University. Originally from Kansas City, Fitzgerald joins us to gain some experience with a real class. And they don't come any realer than ours, do they? There will be a couple of weeks of strict observation before Miss Fitzgerald begins to teach actual lessons. We will co-teach for some lessons before she takes over the majority of the planning and presentation of lessons and activities. I want this class to be hers as much as mine, so we will encourage students to pay her the same respect. Still, there will some things that remain constant. Fitzgerald does not want to undo any of the progress we have made in the first half of the year, so procedures and certain organizational aspects will stay in place, and I will continue to monitor what's going on. I think the Hoggatteers will be in good hands. I am excited about the responsibility of helping influence this young lady as she embarks on a new career. One of my former student-teachers went on to be voted the best new teacher in his first year in a neighboring district before garnishing a lucrative national award. Still, there is more here than meets the eye. I'm always looking for hints and ideas for my own teaching. The candidate teacher program is a great way for a seasoned teacher to reconnect with the college community. I'm hoping to learn just as much along with Miss Fitzgerald during this adventure. It should give me the opportunity for some reflection, as well as develop more materials for use with my students. Consider the following list from MSSU. These are the things Miss Fitzgerald's university supervisor will look for when visiting our school to observe her. * Include specific directions and modeling of any new skills As the cooperating teacher in this new relationship, I to take a list like that with a grain of salt. Just about everything on the list can be stretched to an extreme. They can also easily be used ineffectively. Here's a list of questions the candidate teacher is supposed to answer for every lesson. Let me say that these questions obviously come from a college and are only loosely rooted in reality. Each is a good question in isolation, but a teacher can quickly become burned out if s/he stresses out about all of them all the time. * Who is doing most of the talking/work throughout the lesson? The requirements for acquiring a teacher certification should be stringent, exclusive, and critical, but at the same time, my job in the relationship is to coach - not to strictly adhere to the red tape of government requirements, but to encourage and cultivate America's next bright teaching star. I have to be the one to transition this candidate into the classroom. I am the middle-man existing between Caitlyn Fitzgerald the student and Caitlyn Fitzgerald the teacher. It's definitely an extra burden, but it's also an awesome responsibility.
Drawing to the conclusion of the book, Most Likely to Succeed, I picked up this little collection of words:
Could we find anyone to disagree? I remember someone telling me that no one can motivate another person. I don't know they said it or why they believed it, but that's what they said. I think the point was that no one can motivate another person, but that one can only awaken the motivation in the other person. What's the difference? I don't really know. What I do know is that some kids come to me when they are nine or ten years old, and they are unmotivated. They rest their heads in their hands, study their feet, and secretly wish for the teacher to overlook them. And it's my job to change their attitudes. Maybe it's a matter of showing them they are not worthless. Maybe it means I have to demonstrate compassion and patience for them while they bring emotional baggage across our threshold. Maybe they are not interested. The first order of business is to sweep the hair out of their faces, get them to hold their chins up, and teach them to maintain eye contact at all times. It's not something I can state on the first day and expect from my students; it must be done with explicit instruction and fidelity. There is some truth in the idea that students come to the fourth grade with nine years of habits, and the teacher has nine months to undo those habits. That's a hyperbolic observation, but there is truth in there. There is a change that comes upon my students in the first quarter of the year. I strive to maintain that positive change throughout the remaining three-quarters of the year. I work hard to motivate my students intrinsically, with little extrinsic rewards added where needed or required by the schoolwide behavior system. Many students begin to realize that they don't behave, improve, and learn in order to get trophies, cookies, or stickers. They don't do it to participate in a monthly celebration. They do them because they are the right things to do, and because they feel better about themselves. Read the sentence below. Do you see any problems? when he makes a promise he kept it Do not rewrite the sentence. In fact, don't even fix the sentence. Instead, on your paper, tell the writer how to correct three things.
In the past few years, the Math scores on state testing for our school have been lower than we would like. Personally, I have been unhappy with my own performance in teaching Math and in my students' ability to suck it up. I might not be as distraught about it had we not achieved higher relative scores in the past. But it's not something we didn't see coming. In fact, some teachers have been prophecying about a coming Math storm for several years. As administrators and educators continued to focus on Literacy, Math was pushed to the background. We heard the old cliché: if they can't read, they can't do anything else. But we know that isn't entirely true either. Sometimes the motivation for reading comes from other areas - Math, for example, History, Science, and yes, Spelling. Sometimes kids just need a reason to read. So while I've tried to steadily increase scores in Reading, I feel like Math instruction has suffered. I set out to fix that. That being said, I am somewhat pleased with the results of our mid-quarter evaluation: I am not one to get lost and tangled in the weeds of data analysis, fully aware that the Art of teaching gets lost in that swamp. I am also not one to teach to any test. Can't you just imagine a teacher becoming so possessed with numbers that s/he forgets the students have names? Still, there must be a balance. For the last ten years, people who claim to be experts in education have preached to us that the Science of teaching far outweighs the Art. Against that, consientious teachers have struggled to the point of breaking. But I digress. Again, I call for balance. I can't think of a classroom teacher who doesn't look at testing data and say, Yes, but... What follows may or may not be a valid reason for poor performance, but it often sounds like excuses and deflection. In fact, as you could tell by my second paragraph above, I cleverly did the same, attempting to deflect attention to administrative policies rather than take ownership of some lower than desirable scores. Still, there must be accountability. My bosses know the effort I put into my job. They know that I study outside of class, that I read up-to-date research. They see my attempts to integrate new ideas into the classroom. They see me as a leader in the school, and a passionate advocate for children. They know that I am not a slacker. They also know that I am concerned with growth. As I have made Math the focus of my planning, this year, I look at that table and I see a couple of things. Without getting tangled in confusing reports and drilling down too deeply into specific standards, substandards, and sub-substandards, we can see at a glance that our class made terrific gains since September. It's pleasing to notice that more than 90% of students in Room 404 met or exceeded the test's own projections for growth (That's all but two.). In fact, those 19 students nearly doubled the projections for their growth! Still, there is a dark secret lying beneath those numbers. It's something that I know that others may not realize. You see, many of these same students - the ones who just racked up some eye-pleasing numbers in Math - scored higher last spring, in the last examination period for their third grade year, than they scored at the beginning of their fourth grade year. What does that tell you? It tells me that somewhere along the line, Math instruction isn't sticking with them. It says that, while they obviously learned enough to take a test, that they forgot what they had learned and had to start over in the fourth grade. Part of that may be 10-year-old human nature, but it tells me that I have to try to embed strategies and skills into their brains in such a way that they'll stay there to be built upon by the teachers at the next level.
For now, in the short term, we look forward to seeing our scores in the spring, but in the long run, we can hope (and perhaps pray) for success in adulthood.
In the very end of their book, Most Likely to Succeed, authors Wagner and Dintersmith want to start a revolution. They clearly state that they do not want to incrementally change our current system, but that they want to start something innovative. While I don't agree completely, I understand their concern and their motivation. Our system, as the book points out, was created generations ago for a certain purpose. That purpose has evolved and needs have changed. Some have pressed educator-leaders to run the system dictatorially, mandating through grand edict everything done by a teacher in a classroom. ...[W]hen it comes to education policy, we have lost all sight of what makes our country great. Through a bizarre twist of fate, we have an education system that would make perfect sense in the 1970s U.S.S.R. but is completely out of step with America's core values and strengths. We insist on top-down command-and-control. We micromanage every minute of every lesson plan. I hear their passion. I also see their frustration...perhaps even their anger. I've felt the same way. It's difficult to see such top-down control coming down the highway - from Washington, from Jefferson City, from a district's own administration building. It's hard to know it's coming, dread its arrival, and face it head on when it reveals its evil face. It's hurts when it sinks its teeth into your own common sense and spit it into the wind. Yes, it feels very much like an attack. A professional educator who knows what works does not need bosses dictating his/her every move. Any teacher worth his/her salt does not need a supervisor with pet projects and deeply-seated personal beliefs breathing down his/her neck. There is reason for oversight and observation, but there is no excuse for gotcha oversight and micro-scrutiny. How do Wagner and Dintersmith put it? Instead of letting a thousand flowers bloom, we replace all flowers with the same lifeless, overtested weed. We take every ounce of bold creativity out of the classroom, replacing it with a soulless march through dull curriculum and test prep decoupled from life skills. We prioritize standardization and accountability, and don't seem to notice or care that students lack engagement and purpose. We rob our kids of their futures. But surely they are overspeaking, right? No they are not. With these lines, the authors have struck a chord with many teachers around the world. I gladly accept the titles of Rebel and Maverick in regards to my teaching philosophy and delivery. I just don't see myself doing this job any other way than to be myself, to add my own spice, to write my own script, and to blaze my own trail. The only thing micromanagement gets us is more people leaving the profession, less people entering, and much stress and depression among those of us who ride it out. That can't be why we signed up for this. We would rather change the world and share our passion with the children we encounter. Who's ready for a revolution? On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend an afternoon workshop with James Burnett, co-founder of Origo Education, an Australian company with an office in Missouri and representatives around the world. Mr. Burnett began the session by describing how much our world has changed in recent years. He then shocked participants by telling us about the technology of our near future, including the Internet of Things that has gained a lot of traction in the last couple of years. The point of his introductory remarks was to remind teachers that our system has not changed along with society. The needs, he said, are different, but we are still teaching the same content and using the same methods. Much of what Burnett presented has been said before, and while I agree for the most part, I can't help but continue to ask my question: how has technology advanced at such a pace in spite of our outdated education system? Could it be that our system has allowed and promoted those adancements? And if so, should it be changed? I'm constantly reminded that there should be balance in our processes - that there is a need for tradition and algorythm, while at the same time, there are also advancements and new tools that we need to be using. Mr. Burnett, in his Australian accent, shared the age-old information that we should teach, in the early years, using the natural language of students rather than the symbolic language of arithmetic. Again, there is nothing new in the information here, but I did receive some affirmation that the questions I ask - very simple questions - are on track.
I am currently revamping our Daily Thinking Outline and the daily thinking sheets that guide students through the process of beginning class and staying on track every day. While the daily schedule is included in the outline, the accompanying sheets are eclectic in nature (much like their creator). They allow for students to take notes throughout the day. They encourage goal-setting and reflection, and they provide students with opportunities to review and to look ahead. They are also quite open-ended in nature. Burnett's presentation showed me some things that I am missing in the process. I never want to attend a presentation of this caliber without taking something away from it and incorporating it into my methods.
Read the sentence below. Do you see any problems? we been friends cents we was in kindergarten Do not rewrite the sentence. In fact, don't even fix the sentence. Instead, on your paper, tell the writer how to correct three things.
Using a drop-weight system, students applied force to their vehicles. By adjusting the variable of the weight, they also recorded changes in the time it took for the cars to cross the tables.
But that's not how most of the world operates. And you'll notice I used words like good and well-crafted. With that in mind, we have to teach smarter. If our learners are growing new abilities to think critically and creatively, and to do work collaboratively, our teaching styles must adapt. Many of the concepts presented in Most Likely to Succeed confirm the things I have been writing and thinking for years. In my own Teaching Philosophy, I put it like this: It is not a teacher’s job to make learning so fun that students don’t realize they’re learning. I have heard myself say this, only to quickly retract it because it is blatantly untrue. Students must feel the learning process in order to appreciate it. To promote lifelong learning in ourselves, we must experience a collaborative struggle with material and process. We feel the exultation of success only when we exert ourselves in such a fashion. It’s similar to mountain climbing. The view from the peak is a by-product of effort;the real reward is the feeling that results from achieving a difficult climb. Still while those things are nice to read, and while I would like people to believe I teach in this manner all the time, with fidelity, it's simply not completely true. I don't ever want to be satisfied with what I do. There is always room for improvement. We must always work toward something greater! * from Collected Poems by Wendell Berry, 1987
The preparation for our Christmas readers theater is underway. My afternoon readers are ambitiously attempting to do three separate scripts for classroom performances. Our audiences will be invited to sit in the center of the room for our performances. Each performance will be presented in a different fashion.
Christmas Truce One is entitled Christmas Truce. Taking place during World War I, four British soldiers write letters home to describe the amazing events of meeting the Germans on the battlefield for caroling, soccer, and cordial conversation. This is a fictionalized version of a true story. Along one side of our room, we will use brown paper to show a trench as the soldiers would have known in WWI. This will serve as a basic backdrop for the performers as they stand and sit during their lines. The Night Before Christmas Other readers are ready to perform our rendition of A Visit from St. Nick, better known as The Night Before Christmas. Three elves will sit among the audience until while waiting for this story. We have some paper backdrops that will frame two sides of the classroom. On those papers, we are preparing crayon drawings to depict some of the scenes in the poem. These will appear dull or blank to our audience until we light certain parts of them from behind during the story. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas All of our afternoon readers are a part of this one. They will be on the fourth side of our classroom, with spotlights, reading the entire Dr. Seuss story. This performance will also feature background music to enhance the readings.
Dr. Moss will begin her new post on at the end of the school year, as Joplin’s new Superintendent. She currently holds the position of Superintendent of Schools for Harrison School District, Harrison, Arkansas. Dr. Moss has been with the Harrison School District since 2007 and has been their Superintendent since 2010. She has experience as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, building administrator, teacher, and counselor. Dr. Moss received her Doctorate from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri and her Master’s Degree from Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, Missouri. She has a BSBA in Finance and Banking from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR. The new superintendent's contract is available for public viewing on the website, as well as an extended introduction. I would encourage any and all parents and citizens to involve themselves in the education process by reading through the information here. I can only imagine how difficult it is to carry the burden of hiring the right person for such a position must be for a member of the school board. I have no doubt that serious thought, and perhaps prayer, was devoted to the search for a new educational leader for the children of our fair city.
While I was not selected, I was chosen as the second alternate. I don't wish to ask for ill will on strangers, but I am hopeful that a couple of people have a change in plans so I may still attend (Maybe they can earn a hefty award for catching a criminal, quit their jobs, and move to a private island somewhere.). If not, as the letter below encourages, I shall reapply for a future program. I will feel even more of an accomplishment it I have to work harder for it anyway. Thank you for your interest in the 2017 Spring Residential Programs at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. We were delighted by the number of outstanding applications we received from educators, which made the selection process very competitive. I tend to have eyes bigger than my stomach. I also tend to dream beyond my abilities. I have visions of a class that is totally engaged in activities during the month of December, and because I dream too big, I imagine us doing all kinds of things, completely knowing that we don't have the time to get it all done. Looking at the calendar, I realize we only have twelve days of instruction remaining in 2016! Are you kidding me? Not only that, but we will do our NWEA testing, Monday and Tuesday, I will attend a professional development for 1/2 of a day, a leadership meeting for 1/2 of a day, and the last day before break is only a 1/2 day (dominated by a party and who knows what kind of other plans. I've opened the possibility of my afternoon group performing three readers theater scripts for other classes at some point. Of course, my dreaming imagination tells me it needs not be the typical readers theater, but that it needs to be special, and this could be tough. I have some creative presentation ideas that could make this pretty cool, but can I get them to germinate and flourish? We're working on it, but only time will tell. Decisions, decisions. When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. Here's your chance to do a bit of shopping yourself. Let's see what kind of lists you might make based on the following two products. List the positive and negative features for each on an organized chart, then justify a decision for buying one or the other. Now, can you be the salesman and convince customers that your chosen product is the better choice for them as well? From the Walmart website: Mountain Mover Snow Shovel, 18-In. Yukon, Mountain Mover Snow Shovel, 18" Poly Blade & Ergonomic Aluminum Curved Handle With Large Ergo Versa-Grip, Allows The User To Hold The Shovel With More Control In Different Positions. From the Walmart website: The Suncast 20" Bent Handle Snow Shovel features a no-stick graphite blade. The blade also includes a galvanized wear strip with a textured steel core handle. Does your selection depend on:
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