More metacognition, a classroom visitor, and trendy things...

I was in a third grade classroom this week and had some time to look around the teacher's class.  You can really get a feel for how a class is run by observing the walls.  I really liked this poster.  As discussed previously, we are learning that students have to be engaged and aware of their own learning to truly retain knowledge and be good thinkers.  I thought this was neat how there were some codes to help students verbalize how they are feeling about material.

Also while I was there,  praying mantis popped his head in.  He was huge!  It's not often that you get to look at one so closely and from the belly in.  I allowed students to take turns to come and visit the mantis.  What a neat thing!

And finally, this.  These rainbow loom bracelets seem to have taken over the world, and even my house! :)  I have been in all different grades and all over Summit and Portage Counties and these are the common thread.  In a couple of cases, it has allowed me to make a little bit of a connection with students, asking them about the pattern of theirs.  Again, teaching is much about making connections, even if it is over something as silly as a bracelet.  

Effort!

This is not something I found while subbing, but since this blog is a lot about making note of really good teaching practices, I felt I would write a little post!  As educators, we know that students will be more successful in school and in life if they put EFFORT into the things they do.  This is a high level idea- to be aware of how hard we are trying.  I feel it's important to instill in young students.  This is something that came home with my second grader the other day.  Apparently they do this often after working with a partner:

I love this.  I love that he is thinking about how he worked with his partner and has something to go on the NEXT time he works with someone.  

Math Time Success and Grade Level Clustering

                                                               

Don't you just love when things work out right?  Odds were in my favor, (that joke is funny when you realize I was teaching a lesson on probability), but the math lesson when perfectly!  In my last classroom experience, I was lamenting a bit that the teacher hadn't left me more to teach, just busy work.  Today, the regular classroom teacher left me some great lessons, including the regular text book math lesson.

I was a little intimidated by the lesson.  The ones in this math series build upon each other, and if you aren't the one to deliver the last lesson, it takes a bit of catching up to do before you go on with it.  Luckily, the class had some related arts time which allowed me a bit of time to do this.

To briefly sum up the lesson, the students had to figure out what color and how many of each color cube were in a mystery bag with 5 cubes.  By using random selection 30 times and then recording their data, they were able to figure this out smashingly!  They performed the experiment without a hitch, recorded, and analyzed their data. I won't bore you with all the details, but it felt really good to execute an engaging and successful lesson today!

One last thing I noted during my time at this school today is that their classrooms are in clusters.  The rooms are separated by half walls and some shelves.  My first impression is that this would be nerve-wracking, but it was actually quite nice to have the other teachers there.  I have to imagine that this makes for great collaboration among the regular teachers as well!

Top 5

Who doesn't love a top # list?  I know I do.  Add to it that I am compulsive lister and you have a perfect storm of numbered happiness.  So, as I was getting up this morning, dragging a little under the darkness and coolness of this new fall weather, I got to thinking about why I didn't want to go to work.  For the most part, subbing is great. (see part 2 of this post). However, like anything else, it has some challenges that just need to be recognized.  So this compulsive lister came up with:

Top 5 Challenges of the Substitute Teacher

5.  You are a stranger.

...at least if you are new.  And if you are like most subs, you sign up for many schools in different districts, which makes you new all the time.  

4. You don't get to take part in the creative process of planning.

Yeah, yeah.  Some people would see this as a plus.  However, once you have been able to plan, execute, and evaluate an entire unit on anything, you miss the feeling of the "whole" and the accomplishment that goes along with it.

3.  You feel scrutinized. 

Ok, not always.  But just enough to put you on edge when you are with your temporary class around the other teachers in the building.  And this is especially true when you are trying to follow the dismissal procedures (which vary GREATLY from building to building) or trying to take your class on a group bathroom break and aren't sure of that building's bathroom break etiquette when there is already a class.  I realize that seems ridiculous as I type this, but believe me, there are teachers who are very protective of their bathroom break turf!

2.  Classroom management procedures....

I cannot tell you how many different card changing, pin changing, colored block moving, earning baseballs, warm and fuzzy/marble/penny jars, classroom dollars, happy helper lists....I have encountered.  And to the kids, these are SACRED.  Which is a good thing, but if you plan on subbing, be sure to familiarize yourself quickly with whatever system that teacher uses.  Even worse are the classrooms that have none, but that's a whole other blog post....

1. You really want your own classroom home and students.

This might not be top for everyone, but is for me.  You know that one day, the stars will align just right and it will happen, so you are subbing and learning as much as you can in the meantime.  

Well, now that I have just gotten all my negativity out of my system, I will satisfy my other compulsive side, which is always to find the silver lining.  So, part two of this post:

Top 5 Reasons Why Substitute Teaching is Great!

5.  You get to "try before you buy."

This is fantastic!  You get to visit different school districts and buildings and get to see the different cultures.  And if you find you don't like a particular one, you can rule that out.  After all, most teachers get into a district and stay for life.  You better like the one you pick!

4. Flexibility and family time.

Teaching is demanding.  It requires a lot of outside time planning and grading papers, after school activities, and general worrying about the well being of your students.  Although, this is wonderful and rewarding, there is a trade off.  As a sub, you have a lot more time.

3. Exposure to all sorts of classroom environments, instructional methods, and materials.

There is more than one way to skin a cat.  If you pay close attention while you are in another teachers classroom, you can pick up lots of great ideas. 

2. Meeting all sorts of cool kids.

Even when you work with the difficult ones, you learn a lot about different personalities.  Since teaching is very much about making connections with people, subbing provides daily practice in this.

1. It's networking and good practice for your OWN classroom one day!

'Cause it's going to happen!  

:)

Sixth Grade, Classroom Management, and Sanity

     Sixth grade vs. me.  I am thinking I won today, but it was a fight to the finish.  In the end, some learning happened and I didn't lose my cool.  As far as I concerned- WIN!

     Kidding aside, I decided to take a step outside of my comfort zone and sub half a day in a sixth grade classroom.  After all, I am certified up to 5th grade, why not stretch a bit?   Stretch I did.

     I was slated to begin right after lunchtime.  The regular classroom teacher had had some health issues and had been out quite a bit already and it seemed as if there hadn't been a lot of consistency of subs.  The teacher warned me that they were very "social."  (Which is usually teacher code for difficult.) Thankfully, she team teaches, which gave me a very helpful resource in her partner teacher.  Also, I was able to switch groups halfway through my afternoon, which gave me a fresh set of faces.  As I distributed the teacher's assignments, I began to think about what I was going to gain from this experience.  When I started this blog, I wanted to be sure to learn as much from other teachers as I could.  It appeared to me quickly that the biggest focus of this day was going to be holding it together, uh, I mean, classroom management.

     In my teaching bag, I always keep a couple of fun books and lots of stickers.  I have found that in most cases (at least in younger grades), I can get through ANY situation with these handy items.  I figured out quickly that stickers weren't going to cut it.

     After trying several techniques (clapping, restating expectations, warnings, etc.).  I came to several conclusions on the subject:

1)  Positive reinforcement was my best bet, even with these older kids.
2) I wish I had been given more material to "teach" rather than a few hours of busy work.
3) In order for me to be really successful with this group, it would take time.  I wasn't going to do it in a few hours, so I cut myself some slack and just tried to keep it together for the rest of the day.

     So, 6th grade, though it was a tougher afternoon than I am used to, I still have to say, "I win!"  When I turned off the lights and shut the door, you all had your homework, bags, and I still had my sanity.

Naptime, Fall things, and EEKK!

     In my 2 years of subbing, I came across something that I didn't think existed in schools anymore--- NAPTIME!  Actually, the teachers at this school refer to it as "rest time."  For about 30 minutes, Kindergarteners have the chance to lay down on their mats and rest.  The students quickly and efficiently got their mats, spread out, and got comfy.  Several even fell asleep.

     Now, I know many administrators would see this as a non-use of instructional time.  However, I really feel the students were more centered and ready for the rest of the afternoon.  A neighboring teacher also pointed out that this is the teacher's time to progress monitor with individual students.  Any Kindergarten teacher will tell you that numerous individual assessments that are required for these youngsters can be overwhelming.  In my opinion, I think this rest time/progress monitoring time is brilliant.

     While I was in this class, I was able to talk about fall things, which is always enjoyable.  I also took a picture of this poster because I loved it:

Kindergarten! Everyday Math

     Today I spent a full day substitute teaching in a Kindergarten class.  I have a special place in my heart for Kindergarten.  I find the grade to be very challenging, yet so very, very fulfilling.  I mean, how can you not be happy when they are just so darn cute?  Anyway, professionally speaking, I am always watching for how material is presented to these youngsters.  Especially now that we are so Common Core driven and the expectations are high, yet they are still 5 & 6 year olds after all.

    The math series used was Everyday Math.  I have heard various opinions on this series.  It closely resembles the series I am most familiar with: Investigations.  It is often criticized by parents for not being "solid" enough.  Like Investigations, I believe it is striving for the students to have a strong number sense.  Parents often get homework that is unrecognizable. When you are in your 30s or 40s and you are not "carrying the one" in addition, you are not in comfortable math territory. 

    As we sat on the ABC rug and discussed the number of the week, we created a number poster for the number 7.  (The teacher had done this for every number sequentially to this point, so the kids were very familiar with the routine.)  I have to admit, I had fun!

     This is not a crazy, new concept to make a number poster I realize.  However, I did like this for a couple of reasons.  1)  I liked how the teacher incorporated money stamps and 2) the Popsicle stick tally marks were a neat idea.