Ella's Corner: 10 years old...(by Michael)
Ella's Corner: 10 years old...(by Michael): I sat in my classroom at my desk this morning, preparing for the day's lessons. The room was quiet, only the clicking of my keyboard fille...
The Turning...
We know why the leaves change colors. The temperatures begin to dip and the production of chlorophyll decreases. With the drop in chlorophyll production, the green color we have grown accustomed to over the past few months begins to disappear, and the other colors of the spectrum shine through. These other colors, however, unveil themselves at slightly different times and in different tones for each individual leaf. Each one is unique and beautiful when looked upon in your hand. When they are still on the trees, however, and viewed from a distance, the spattering of colors and brilliance therein paints a picture on our minds that dazzles the brain, creating a comforting, relaxed atmosphere.
Kids are the same way in a classroom right about this time. What is lost for the leaf is chlorophyll; what is lost for the student is the sense of the "unknown" they feel as they walked into the classroom one month ago. The leaf, as the green color fades, somehow shows us its true colors underneath. Students begin this process as well. All the leaves may have the same colors within them but in varying degrees...so it is with our kids. Their personalities encompass the spectrum of human personalities but it varies from one to the next. The truth about the way their minds work, the humor they appreciate, the needs they have, and the pleasures they seek. The glimpses of how they solve problems, what they gravitate toward, and what it means to be a friend are shared. Their personalities are coming forth, just as the leaves on the trees are changing---and it's all done in concert.
With every Fall, I know what to expect from Mother Nature; yet within that expectation I am entranced in the beauty of how different every year is...the same holds true of people.
Fourth grade is a year of extraordinary changes for kids...embrace the change as you embrace the beauty of the changing trees in autumn.
Mr. Casten
Sept. 30, 2011
Copyrighted material of Michael C. CastenMama Bracelets: "Cure SMA" Collection...
Mama Bracelets: "Cure SMA" Collection...: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) The progressive loss of motor neuron function leaving its victims incapable of moving on their own and, in...
Ella's Corner: For the First Time...(by Michael & Lindsay)
Ella's Corner: For the First Time...(by Michael & Lindsay): Lindsay & I attended an SMA Fundraiser for a young girl in Naperville. Her best friend has, for the past five years, put together an ev...
On Paper to Me...
My students are asked to write in their journals every morning when they arrive at school. It’s an exercise that allows them to put down on paper what is happening in their lives. There are four different entries a student can make. Each day they are asked to make one of the four entries based on the group they are part of (there are four groups of six determined by their "location" on my class list: students 1-6, 7-12, 13-18, and 19-24). The entries include: Home, School, Dear Mr. C, and Free Write.
The Home entry is an opportunity for them to write about what's going on at home; same with the school entry (what's happening at school). The Dear Mr. C entry is the time they write directly to me (they turn in their journal on their "Dear Mr. C" day); and the Free Write is just that--a time to write about anything.
The journaling typically lasts 10 minutes. Not for this group though.
This group takes the better part of 25 - 30 minutes. They write wonderful entries about their lives, their experiences, and their feelings. They create dynamic stories, creative characters, and entertaining spins on life during their free write. They write to me and ask me all kinds of questions while sharing their own thoughts about how they might answer some of those questions.
Dear Mr. C. The best part of my morning, before school starts, is taking the six journals from the little basket they are waiting in for me and finding the bookmarked page titled and dated. I read the note aimed directly at me and chuckle at the humor placed on the paper, or stop and think about the pressing question that has been posed. I am reminded to do things (like move desks) and am either complained to or complimented on something that occurred recently. After reading the entry, I click my pen open and write back to the author...addressing what they have started; letting them know that I "hear" them. I sign my "Mr. C" with a squiggly line underneath and move on to the next journal. When I have finished the six journals I place them back on the students' desk so that they can come in that morning and write their next entry.
The idea behind journaling is to get your thoughts down on paper in a way that is safe, satisfying and productive so that the day can begin fresh. I read a lot of what happens to kids, I've read much over the past years at Lincoln...I feel that I am connected to my students when I read what they have written~~and I hope they, too, feel a connection when they read my responses.
Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten
The Home entry is an opportunity for them to write about what's going on at home; same with the school entry (what's happening at school). The Dear Mr. C entry is the time they write directly to me (they turn in their journal on their "Dear Mr. C" day); and the Free Write is just that--a time to write about anything.
The journaling typically lasts 10 minutes. Not for this group though.
This group takes the better part of 25 - 30 minutes. They write wonderful entries about their lives, their experiences, and their feelings. They create dynamic stories, creative characters, and entertaining spins on life during their free write. They write to me and ask me all kinds of questions while sharing their own thoughts about how they might answer some of those questions.
Dear Mr. C. The best part of my morning, before school starts, is taking the six journals from the little basket they are waiting in for me and finding the bookmarked page titled and dated. I read the note aimed directly at me and chuckle at the humor placed on the paper, or stop and think about the pressing question that has been posed. I am reminded to do things (like move desks) and am either complained to or complimented on something that occurred recently. After reading the entry, I click my pen open and write back to the author...addressing what they have started; letting them know that I "hear" them. I sign my "Mr. C" with a squiggly line underneath and move on to the next journal. When I have finished the six journals I place them back on the students' desk so that they can come in that morning and write their next entry.
The idea behind journaling is to get your thoughts down on paper in a way that is safe, satisfying and productive so that the day can begin fresh. I read a lot of what happens to kids, I've read much over the past years at Lincoln...I feel that I am connected to my students when I read what they have written~~and I hope they, too, feel a connection when they read my responses.
Mr. Casten
Sept. 23, 2011
Ella's Corner: Ella's SMA Awareness Video
Ella's Corner: Ella's SMA Awareness Video: This one is for you. While words can be eloquent, they are inherently limited. Experiences are the most powerful influences to us. We inv...
Ella's Corner: Assistive Technology (AT) Equipment (by Lindsay)
Ella's Corner: Assistive Technology (AT) Equipment (by Lindsay): During physical therapy this past Tuesday, Ella's PT (Lynda) told us that it's time to officially start the process of getting Ella a stande...
Ella's Corner: Dear Ava & Henry...(by Michael)
Ella's Corner: Dear Ava & Henry...(by Michael): September, 2011 Dear Ava & Henry, The picture above was taken at your Thea Lillian's house in New Buffalo, MI on a crisp, clear Fall day...
The Moments of Change...
Each week we have a different story from our reader. This week, our story was about a man, who in the early part of the 20th century (maybe the 1930's), travelled from Japan to America. He settled in San Francisco for a bit. He returned to Japan after a few years, got married, and brought his new bride back to SF. After having a daughter, the family stayed in SF until she was grown...then they moved to Japan. The man in the story kept going from one country to another, and each time he was in a country, he missed the other. Each time he was in a country, he found something more that he liked about it.
The classroom offers a similar experience for both students and teachers. We come together in the early Fall, after spending time with our family and friends on a daily basis over the summer. When we first gather together in the classroom there is unfamiliarity. Students are looking at a new classroom, a new teacher, new expectations, and new learning experiences. They may also be with new students. The teacher is looking at new faces, new learning styles, new expectations, and new challenges. Together, students and teachers are missing their summer days and the comforts afforded to them by those days. They have a new routine, new sleep patterns, and a new demand on them socially as well as intellectually. It's funny---for the first two weeks of school, it is obvious and apparent that we all want to rush home to the familiarity we crave and miss.
Time passes, and within that time we begin the journey of spending it together day in and day out. We learn about each other; our strengths, our weaknesses, our desires and goals. We begin to relax around one another and find places for humor, for serious talk, and for idle chatter. We become dependent on one another for a variety of needs that we as humans have. The need to be accepted, heard, validated, and cared for.
As this develops I notice that while I am at school, I miss my home and while I am at home I miss school. Looking forward to going to both places becomes part of the life of a student and teacher...at least, that's the feeling we hope develops. It has for me.
I miss my family when I am at work. It does, however, make the time I am with them during the evening and weekends even more precious. I look forward to seeing my students during the week and feel good when I say good morning to each one of them every weekday.
A balance is being struck about this time of year. A balance between home and work. I consider myself a very fortunate man; for in both places I am accepted, heard, validated, and cared for.
Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten
The classroom offers a similar experience for both students and teachers. We come together in the early Fall, after spending time with our family and friends on a daily basis over the summer. When we first gather together in the classroom there is unfamiliarity. Students are looking at a new classroom, a new teacher, new expectations, and new learning experiences. They may also be with new students. The teacher is looking at new faces, new learning styles, new expectations, and new challenges. Together, students and teachers are missing their summer days and the comforts afforded to them by those days. They have a new routine, new sleep patterns, and a new demand on them socially as well as intellectually. It's funny---for the first two weeks of school, it is obvious and apparent that we all want to rush home to the familiarity we crave and miss.
Time passes, and within that time we begin the journey of spending it together day in and day out. We learn about each other; our strengths, our weaknesses, our desires and goals. We begin to relax around one another and find places for humor, for serious talk, and for idle chatter. We become dependent on one another for a variety of needs that we as humans have. The need to be accepted, heard, validated, and cared for.
As this develops I notice that while I am at school, I miss my home and while I am at home I miss school. Looking forward to going to both places becomes part of the life of a student and teacher...at least, that's the feeling we hope develops. It has for me.
I miss my family when I am at work. It does, however, make the time I am with them during the evening and weekends even more precious. I look forward to seeing my students during the week and feel good when I say good morning to each one of them every weekday.
A balance is being struck about this time of year. A balance between home and work. I consider myself a very fortunate man; for in both places I am accepted, heard, validated, and cared for.
Mr. Casten
Sept. 16, 2011
Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten
Patience, praise and a pat-on-the-back...
A brainstorming session was taking place in Room 202 this week. Students were asked to search their memeory banks for 8 events. Four of which they considered "good" events and four they considered "not-so-good" events. From this brainstorming session they will eventually write a narrative "Memoir" depicting one chosen event and how they felt about it.
I walked slowly around the room as they began their brainstorming. Blank papers are what I saw. Fidgity hands, tapping pencils, and long-off stares filled the room. Occasionally as I passed a student, they would look at me, sport a slight smile, and look down at their blank paper. Many sought out my examples, still on the front screen, trying to use what I had written during the lesson as a spark for their own ideas.
I felt like saying something. I felt like putting some ideas out there for them to grasp on to besides my example. I felt like they were on the verge of giving up. I resisted the urge. I continued walking until I found one student who had written something down. I stopped behind that student. I read their thoughts written down from over their shoulder. I leaned in. I tapped ever so lightly on the desk, right on the paper. The child turned their head, knowing I was going to say something. I read it again, only this time in a whisper. The student next to us was already looking at this unfold but another student, a few desks away, caught wind of my whisper and looked our way. I said, in a hushed voice, "This sounds interesting." and more kids looked over at us. The student said, "uh huh". I smiled and gave an approving glance, pretending not to notice that several pairs of eyes were witnessing this exchange between teacher and student. As I lifted my head, I placed my hand on the student's shoulder and said, "Keep going, you're in the zone now." I looked up and away from that student to survey the room. Several heads turned quickly, pencils to the paper, and the other previous sounds that filled the room were replaced by the scritch-scrating of pencils. By the end of the brainstorming session, all of my students had at least six (three good and three not-so-good) ideas from which to launch their papers.
The power of patience, the power of praise, the power of a pat-on-the-back reaches more than just the recipient. I know my students want to do well, I know they have that desire. I also know that encouragement, either directly or indirectly will allow them to succeed.
Mr. Casten
Sept. 9, 2011
Dear Mom & Dad...
Developed over many years, writing has become a passion of mine. It allows me to express myself in ways I would otherwise be pressed to accomplish. I can let the thoughts that lurk in the corners of my mind find their way to the outside world. The development continues as I reach out to different pathways of delivering my thoughts from their dwelling place to my readers.
When I teach writing in my 4th grade classroom I feel alive. I thrill in lessons that bring out the best in my students. I get excited when they learn new ways to express themselves. The rewards of the well written word from students can compare to very little.
This week I had my students working on several papers. We had the time and the motivation. One of the papers was a friendly letter to their parents that was to be read by the parents on Parent Information Night. I have had this as an assignment for many years now and I always wondered if my kids would ever write me a letter when they were in school. This year, however, I wondered what I would say if I wrote my parents. My mother passed away in 2008 at the age of 86 and my father, now 81, is still alive. Nonetheless, if I were to write them a letter that they would find on my desk in Room 202, it might go something like this:
Dear Ma and Pops,
I've just begun my 11th year as a teacher and I am thrilled that you have come to see my room. I hope as you look around you see the influence you have both had on me as I was growing up. It's my turn now to teach.
My students this year have shown themselves to be exceptional people and workers who persevere. They follow directions well, care for one another, and take care of their classroom. They are a bright group of kids and seem to have a love of learning that every teacher looks for in their students. I think this is going to be a grand year.
I appreciate all that you have done for me in my life. You raised me with values that have allowed me to draw people who are loving, caring and special into my life. You have given me experiences that have made me stronger for having gone through them. You showed me compassion, discipline and unconditional love. I think of you often.
I hope that whatever experiences you are having while we are apart from each other continue to be ones that bring you peace.
Love,
Michael
The written word is a powerful phenomenon of the human experience. It can be used to harm or heal, bring joy or tears, find meaning and questions. The beauty of the word on paper is that it is eternal in that once your reader takes it into their minds, it stays forever and helps shape who they truly are.
Mr. Casten
Sept. 2, 2011
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