A Curious Thing

The school year moves quickly.  The excitement related to the novelty at the beginning often transforms into the pleasure of getting to know one another.  Personalities come forth and we enjoy learning together.  A sense of belonging permeates the classroom as we move through our days.  From that pleasure we derive a deeper understanding of education and the role that each of us play in the acquisition of knowledge.

I often take time to step back and simply watch as my students go about their business.  One of my goals set forth with my principal was to elicit a more conducive classroom atmosphere for my students to be independent learners.  To this end I first must develop lesson plans that allow for kids to be active participants.  From there I teach them the routines required to be self-sufficient in the classroom.  We practice this autonomy and gradually I release the responsibility to them.  It takes discipline, both on their part and mine, to navigate the world of a classroom and its learning agenda.

The discipline required of me is to allow myself, as the teacher, to step back enough to let them “fly on their own” yet stay close enough to catch them if they “fall”…all the while not allowing them to know I stand quietly in the near distance.  Watching, as they make mistakes that won’t cause them to “fall” but maybe just “trip” a bit, takes patience on my part.  My inclination is to step in right away and correct the mistake.  If the mistake is of greater consequence (academically speaking) I am in the process of teaching myself how to approach my questioning techniques so as to gently guide the student in the direction they must go in order to make sense out of the content in question.  It’s a thin line that I walk on as I pursue this challenge of teaching.

The discipline a student must take on requires them to engage in daily risks.  With these risks come their realization that they will “fall” every so often.  They must learn to not focus on the fall but rather on how they can “get back up” and learn from their mistake.  It’s tiresome to them as it would be so much easier, in their eyes, for the answer to be given to them after they make the mistake.  They must accept the responsibility for their work, their learning, and their willingness to try, try again. 

A curious thing has developed from this experience…a phenomenon that I was not expecting.  As I step back and watch my students work I notice how they help one another.  They truly teach each other as they help.  It’s not the given help that amazes me but rather they way in which the receiver of the help reacts.  They welcome the assistance from their peers.  They delight in creation of a partnership created as they work on understanding a given problem.  They increasingly strive for this understanding.  I’m noticing that they are becoming more concerned with the process, the understanding, and the knowledge of concepts rather than simply the “right” answer. 

My goal is in its infancy.  My students are just now beginning to bring to the table those skills and strategies which allow them to be independent learners; to be students who understand that knowledge is a dynamic force that can be shared, utilized, and nurtured.

Mr. Casten

Dec. 19, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Wonder, Wish, Wait

Sometimes I wonder.  

I have thoughts about what the world will be like for my students when they grow up.  I’ve had fourteen classes (including this year) and when I reach back to my first year of teaching I realize that the world was much different when I walked into the classroom in late August, 2001 than what it is now.  The students I had back then are in their early twenties today.  The world they currently live in is vastly different from when they were fourth graders.  Technology has advanced exponentially, education has shifted dramatically, wars have been fought, leaders have come and gone, medical science has advanced, and people are more connected to one another as well to events of the world like never before.

Sometimes I wish. 

I often find myself seeking answers to questions that can only be answered by time.  I attempt to mentally play out the future the way I think it’s going to proceed knowing full well that the future is to be left to itself; and that the present time is what’s most important.  It’s the teacher in me, I suppose…planning lessons, predicting outcomes, preparing for multiple scenarios and knowing all along that some of the best lessons are the ones that come from some semblance of spontaneity.   I wish I could reach into the future to help prepare my student for it…but alas to no avail.

Sometimes I wait. 

In my early years as a teacher I often wanted things to move quickly.  Most likely I was robbing, from my students, the time needed to formulate answers.  I’ve learned over the years that learning is truly a process of experiences, patience, and perseverance.  Today I step back more often, allowing the natural flow of learning take command, releasing responsibility to my students, and knowing that the present moment is the only one that really matters as they grow.

To wonder, wish, and wait. 

A teaching philosophy that is becoming part of me as an educator; and as I engage in these processes, I still can’t help but imagine what the future holds for the young people I teach today.  What will they confront?  How will they fare?  Who will they be?

Pride Fuels Desire

We sat, barely knowing one another, and talked about setting goals for behavior.  We defined the behaviors we thought should be shown throughout the days, weeks, and months of a school year.  We discussed the act of setting realistic goals…attainable yet challenging.  We spoke to the fact that we are a group and each person has a responsibility to the group, and a responsibility to help reach the goal set forth.  We delineated a way to track the progress of our goal. 

For the past 13 years of teaching I have had my students set a goal for unsolicited compliments.  The goal itself has varied as has the way each class progressed through the year toward their goal.  Every class has met their goal, some surpassing it.

This year is not different.  The goal was set on the first day of school…90 unsolicited compliments in nine months.  I can remember us talking about how we would need 30 per trimester to reach our goal.  I look at our whiteboard where we keep track of our progress and see that to date we are at 30…right on track.

They get excited when they move the magnetic numbers, watching the total rise.  Not because they think they are going to get something in the end but because they know that it is because of their choices that progress is being made.  They are proud of themselves…and that pride fuels more desire to excel.

Trimester 2 is upon us and we are solidified in the routines, comfortable with each other, and open to exploring more each day.  The goal set forth is well underway, too; and with pride and commitment we know we can reach our destination and then some. 

As the teacher I find it fascinating, each and every year, to watch my students embark on such a worthwhile endeavor such as presenting their best side every day in order to attain a good feeling in the end.

Unprompted

Behaviors are a peculiar thing.  They often surprise us, too.  Kids can go from one extreme to another in a matter of minutes.  They are testing the boundaries, trying to get a handle on how to navigate the world we’ve placed before them.  They take cues from the adults in their lives, the celebrities that they watch, and each other. 

Being in a classroom presents an environment that allows for all three influences to play a role in daily behaviors.  It’s not uncommon to see children mimicking celebrities, talking about their family life and the rules & expectations they must follow at home, and some even pretending to be the teacher.

Day in and day out kids, like adults, have to make choices about their behaviors.  They often are in conflict of whether to follow their instincts, follow authority figure expectations, or to stay “cool” in the eyes of their peers.  Sometimes they make good choices and sometimes they do not.

This week, a group of students found themselves acting up a bit…not uncommon or even unexpected… par for the course if you will; the natural order of things.  I see these times as opportunities.  I see them as opportune times for me to teach…opportune times for kids to learn.  Upon completion of the “behavior lesson” something extraordinary happened.  Each of the students who were involved in the misbehavior approached me individually and sincerely apologized for their behavior.  Each apology was unprompted.  It took me pleasantly by surprise yet helped me to see that they cared about what they learned from their misbehavior…it wasn’t for naught. 

Behaviors often surprise us, don’t they?

The next day I was absent as I was taking care of my own children.  Naturally there was a substitute in the classroom.  As per usual the substitute left a note about the kids’ behavior.  She wrote a wonderful report.  Of course, that was my expectation for my students…I expect nothing less.  I went about my normal morning routine, which includes reading the students’ journal entries called ”Dear Mr. C”…a weekly journal entry that each student completes where they write to me personally and I respond.   I sat down at my desk and opened the first one from the day before; the day I was absent:

"Dear Mr. C,

Mrs. D is a really nice and gentle substitute. She makes everything fun just like you. She understands everything we say and helps us easily. I'm glad she's our substitute. She knows how to quiet us down when we get too loud right away, and she knows exactly when we are too loud. I hope to see her again."

I shared this with the sub who greatly appreciated it.  I also wrote back to the student…thanking them for being a great kid and student.

Behaviors often surprise us, don’t they?

Mr. Casten

Nov. 14, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Michele...

Ones of Ours

Over time the classroom becomes a tight-knit community. Students and teachers spend some 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 9 months a year--together. We watch many of them grow from the kindergarten years right on into the middle school years. We send them off with a tug at our hearts and a prideful gleam in our eyes. Over this time students and teachers get to know one another, care about one another, and stand up for one another. 

Teachers, too, develop relationships amongst themselves. Working closely with other adults to develop and practice the art of teaching affords us opportunities to get to know one another on a personal level as well as a professional level. Our paths cross often as we find ways to help, encourage, and teach the children that pass through our respective doors. Personal celebrations and discords are shared equally; and we support one another as a family might. 

A teacher who has been a defining part of Lincoln School is travelling a road filled with challenges. She has travelled it before and has been pushed back onto this path. Mrs. Clancy, one of our 3rd Grade Teachers, once again battles breast cancer. Her Lincoln Family stands steadfast behind her as she boldly stands up to fight once more. Students have rallied around her calling for all to wear pink on this upcoming Tuesday to show our solidarity against breast cancer in honor of Mrs. Clancy. Whether they understand the implications of cancer or not, they do understand is that one of ours needs all of us…and so they stand behind her in the ways that they can…as a tight-knit community. 

A young boy here at Lincoln, all of 9-years old, expertly moves about his environment in a power wheelchair. Growing up with a disease known as Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy, he faces obstacles and challenges unknown to many, yet are very real to him. Students rally around him in ways that show the innocence and grace that children naturally possess; supporting him. His teacher, through a generous heart, has joined his family’s quest to provide him with a wheel chair better suited to his needs as well as a means of family transportation. There is now a website dedicated to him that accepts donations to this end (website address at the end of this document); a way for others in the Lincoln Community to help care for one of ours. 

Colorado is a long ways away from Elmhurst. For a student of mine a trip there is fast approaching as his family is moving…a move that came upon them rather suddenly. The classroom atmosphere, made up of many facets, will be altered when he leaves. A void will remain. Although he was new to Lincoln this school year, he has found his way into the hearts and minds of us all. I received a note from another student asking that we do something special for him before he leaves. This student exemplifies the “tight-knit” community mentality…taking care of one of ours.

The untimely passing of Mrs. Turrise over this past summer has left the Lincoln Community with tears, questions, and open hearts. She left behind two young children. They now must go forward in life carrying the love & memories of their mother while forfeiting her physical presence. One of the first orders of business, as teachers returned to school this Fall, was to find ways to support her children. We are doing so in a myriad of ways. The Turrise children are one of ours now. 

I too, have felt the touching grace of this tight-knit community. Students, teachers, and the families of Lincoln and Elmhurst have taken special care of my family as we have seen our share of hard times over the years. Through these difficult times the community as a whole has rallied around us, raising us up from the darkened depths we found ourselves, and in true loving fashion, taken care of one of their own. 

It’s an amazing feeling to experience both the ‘giving to’ and ‘receiving from’ a community that gathers together in so many ways to take care of one of their own. As we all know, life has many twists and turns and navigating these alone can be overwhelming. Knowing that one is part of a community that cherishes the spirit of family provides comfort and solace. 

Tuesday, Oct. 14th, 2014: In honor of Mrs. Clancy returning to school after receiving the diagnosis of breast cancer, we ask all to wear pink. 


If so moved, please visit http://www.gofundme.com/muscles4marshall to help provide for Marshall Bell’s special needs. 

For the Love of Reading

Mastering the art of reading can be a lifelong endeavor.  Some people love to read while others prefer alternate ways to nourish their desire for a good story.  Either way, school provides students with a host of opportunities to experiment with the written word.

Teaching students to read is a complex task.  By the time kids reach fourth grade they are reading and the focus shifts from “learning how to read” to “reading to learn”.

Comprehension.  An all-encompassing concept designed to elicit responses to reading in a variety of ways. Students spend much time sorting out main ideas from details, analyzing inferences, delineating fact from fiction, determining cause and effect, critically thinking about author’s purpose, and figuring out how to summarize effectively, among other skills and strategies.  It’s a tall order for kids…I’ve seen all kinds over the 14 years I’ve taught, both on an individual basis and as classes.

Throughout a school year I look at individual performance as well as classroom (as a whole) performance.  I track progress, find ways to help, and provide appropriate instruction and support.  One of the first things I accomplish within the first six weeks of school is to determine the class’s “relationship” with reading.

This year is no different.  Well…maybe just a bit.  You see, I have noticed that this group, as a whole, has a wonderful relationship with reading.  They truly enjoy their books.  And not only their books; I’ve noticed they enjoy the classroom book (Reading Street) as well.

How do I know this, what have I seen?

As I’ve always practiced, when students are finished with an assignment ahead of others, they are to either work on some other unfinished work, silent write, or silent read.  Invariably many kids this year choose to silent read, many more than any other year.  When I read-aloud to them, they beg for more.  When we sit and have discussions about common text we’ve read, they are engaged, inquisitive, and genuinely interested (most of this time).  They analyze characters and events; seek proof for their answers, and ask for help when they don’t understand.

They are well on their way to being life-long readers; they are, if not already, developing a love for the written word.  As they progress through their schooling, one can only hope the relationship being fostered develops, blossoms, and brings them joy.

Mr. Casten

Sept. 26, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

An Orchestra of Relationships

The workings of a classroom are many and varied; an orchestra of relationships competing for attention, striving towards goals, and developing individualism.

Students not only interact with the teacher, they also interact with each other, technology, the written word, sounds, and sights.   This concert of information bombards them constantly as we learn, work, and play.  Interactions can go smoothly or travel a rocky road.  They can enrich the experience or cause trouble within.  It’s a balancing act we must teach our students to perform…finding just right balance of how to manage these relationships in order to be successful in school.

Part of learning requires working together with other students on a common project.  This week, kids were placed into groups of 5-6 students and had to write a newsletter.  They each came up with their own story and then had to collaborate to get the story on the computer, designed, named, and printed.

The first day of group work the expectations were explained.  I then stepped back and let the chips fall where they may. 

It was chaotic.

I firmly believe that from chaos comes order.  After the allotted time was up and we re-grouped I used this as an opportunity for us to explore why there was so much chaos in our classroom.  We found areas within the students’ relationship among each other as they worked that needed strengthening and areas that worked well.  We resolved to have a better “work time” the next day.

Lo and behold the next day arrived and we were right back at it…designing, writing, and collaborating on the newsletters.  This time, however, and every session thereafter, things ran more smoothly.  More work was accomplished; more kids were smiling with the satisfaction of a job well done. 

Four newsletters were produced.  Each one was finished and turned in on time.  Collaboration was felt throughout the classroom and the positive consequences ensued.  

Traversing through the thick forest of relationships while working in a group became a bit easier this week for my students…and they now can look forward to more such experiences; those that will hopefully enrich their lives and their learning.

Mr. Casten

Sept. 12, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Grow Well & Experience Much

The routine is settling in.  For my students that is.  For me, it has been the same basic routine for many years.  And while there are similarities between classes from one grade level to the next, it’s the specific routine pieces that help define a classroom.  These specifics are what need to be explicitly taught by me and practiced by my students.

Each morning I stand outside the school doors on the little “4th Grade Wing Porch”; the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders are there waiting to be let in the building.  They wait patiently for the signal that their class is to begin the trek inside.  I hold the door for them.  As they pass me I greet them in some manner…a “good morning”, a “hello”, a “what did you have for breakfast?” or even a “wake up and smile, it’s [day of the week]”.  Sometimes I receive a verbal response, sometimes a questioning look (depending upon what I say), and sometimes I’m either not noticed or simply ignored.  Whatever the response it sets my day in motion; a day filled with routines and spontaneity.

We practice routines such as how to line up, what to do when finished with a given assignment, when to sharpen the pencil, how to access the 4th Grade Folder on the Shared Drive on the computers, etc.  These, and other routines, are what gives us a sense of control and comfort.  It allows the mind to relax enough so that learning can take place. 

Yet there is that spontaneity piece.  

Conversations suddenly spark up and take us off topic.  Humor interjects itself and the sound of laughter fills the room.  A new idea suddenly comes to one of us and leads us in a different direction than we planned.  This spontaneity is what makes the learning exciting.  It sparks our imaginations, challenges our comfort zone, and brings forth our genuine personalities…that part of each of us that makes us who we are.

Between the routines in place and the spontaneity that occurs, the classroom becomes a place where teacher and students can grow well and experience much. 

First...My Ear

     The first weeks of a school year are primarily dedicated the idea of “getting to know”.  Students get to know their teachers, classmates, classrooms, rules, expectations, and the daily routines.  Teachers get to know their students, roles in the building, new staff, and new parents.

     

     Embedded with “getting to know” the students is the students’ academic performance that a teacher must take into consideration before diving fully into the teaching arena.  We must ascertain what our students know, their skills, strategies, learning styles and attitudes toward school & learning.  This is accomplished in many ways through short group exercises, whole group meetings, individual assessments, and simple observation.  It’s an arduous, time-consuming task that comes to fruition somewhere around the fifth week of school.  

     

     

     From the time school started last week until today I have been busy working on this part of the “getting to know” idea.  I have established where each of my students stand in terms of their basic math facts…we shall work on these according to their needs from here on out.  I also, among other areas, took a first look at their reading.

     

     

     There are several ways to identify a student’s proficiency in reading, including vocabulary, comprehension and fluency skills.  This past week I first relied on my ear.  I listened to them read a story.  Much information can be gathered from simply listening to a person read.  You can gain a sense of their reading speed and how it fluctuates within and between sentences.  You can hear the inflection of their voice as they navigate the punctuation, tackle the idioms, and “become” the character(s).  You can identify the strategies they use to pronounce difficult words and fix minor mistakes as they read.  You can see how well they can follow along while another person is reading.

     

     

     Listening to my class read aloud this week was indeed a pleasure.  Each of them, as they read from the same story, helped bring the story to life.  I found myself relaxing while I listened to them.  They lulled me into a state of “teacher-euphoria” (a state that teachers find themselves in when their students perform particularly well at something). I enjoyed the story as it was read to me, allowing myself to become an active listener. 

In other words, they read beautifully!

     

     I’m excited to be working with a group that shows such promise.  I’m eager to begin the journey of reading comprehension with them…if their reading skills are any indication---I’m sure we’ll travel far!

Mr. Casten

August 29, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

All That is New

I walk into my 14th year teaching walking into a new classroom (literally).  The past 14 years of my teaching life have been spent on the second floor in the same room, Room 202.  I now reside on the first floor, room 126.

     Quite unexpectedly I have found a burst of novelty.  Not only for the physical space in which I teach, but also in the teaching itself.  A fresh perspective; from the scene outside my "new" window to the way my space is organized.  The move allowed me to rid myself of items that I no longer used or needed, providing a cleaner, more organized look to my current classroom.  Couple this novelty with the new school year and I find myself with an extra "spring in my step" as I cruise around the room as students work.  

     Then there are the students.  New faces for me to pair with the names I've written and typed on so many documents thus far.   As I was setting up my classroom, grade-book, and organizing the various aspects of the room I recognized some names from having their siblings in the past, others were new to my eyes, and still others were also familiar--but I never had the pleasure of teaching their siblings. The names come to life as I meet my new students.  We enjoy the time we have now as we get to know one another, as personalities shine through, and as we embark on the business of learning.

     The routines are being presented and practiced.  My voice grows hoarse as I am speaking more than I have in the past two months.  My feet are sore at the end of the day as I haven't worn my "school-shoes "all summer.  My alarm clock now is the first sign of the new day each morning as it unfailingly wakes me so that I may prepare for another day of teaching.  

     My students are busy organizing themselves; figuring out their goals, finding the best way to set up their desks and lockers, and exploring the classroom, the rules, and their friendships.  They play the most important role in this building...a role that requires determination, focus, strength, and stamina.   They endure & experience disappointment, excitement, mistakes, and successes.  They takes risks daily as they are asked to push their minds to the limits...seeking that elusive answer and the process that gets them there.  

     So as I can say I miss my old room for what it was, what it taught me, and more importantly, for the people who shared it with me...I can also say that I am looking forward to this school year with a quiet confidence elicited by all that is new.

Mr. Casten

August 22, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Stretching Far Beyond

The life of a teacher is muftifaceted.  

First and foremost we educate; attempting to bring meaning to ideas and concepts that, when our students first came to us, had eluded them.  

We are detectives in that we must ascertain the personality of each child we encounter.  We must look beyond what we see on paper, seeking to know them as people...yet as people they are changing right before our eyes as they grow and mature.  

We are "police-judge-jury" as behaviors of childhood crop up throughout our days; behaviors that naturally exist as children seek power or attention, as they battle insecurities or feel the need for some sort of revenge.  The cornerstone of misbehavior falls under one of these categories.  We must have keen eyes and ears to witness, use fairness and an open mind while sorting through things, and employ compassion and understanding while giving consequences...all in the while hoping we are teaching the children something along the way.  

We console and encourage, striking a balance between reality and nurturing the hopes and dreams of our students.  Anything is possible...it's really just a matter of finding the path to get one where they want to go, where they want to be.  

Yes, teaching in multifaceted.  Yet in all that we do throughout a day, a week, a month,  and a school year ties it all together; we hardly notice the distinction between the "roles' we play.  It becomes part of who we are, or maybe, who we are becomes part of our teaching.  Either way, the rewards of teaching stretch far beyond a paycheck, far beyond the comradery found amongst fellow educators...the rewards are embedded deep within our souls as we watch our students grow and learn; if only for a short, short time of their lives...we watch them becoming who they will ultimately be.

Mr. Casten

June 4, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Hole Punch

     My classroom is a compilation of over a decade of memories, experiences and stuff.

     I have things that were given to me long before I was a teacher, things given to me as I became a teacher, and still other things given to me as I am presently a teacher.  I've collected items myself from garage sales, yard sales, stores, and things around the house.  I have even gathered things from my late mother's house...things which I use on an almost daily basis.

     One of the "mother" things I have is a hole-punch.  This isn't an ordinary hole-punch though.  It is circa 1932.  It's made of steel, through and through.  It has some weight to it.  It is a three-hole punch and is adjustable.  It boasts a squeak as one pushes down on the lever that engages the "hole-making mechanisms".  It has survived 82 years on this earth and undoubtedly has seen some incredible papers passing through it's rounded "teeth".  My mother was a chemist and a university professor. She was a brilliant woman who came over from Germany during WWII.  She built a life for herself complete with a family, a career, and a purpose.

     The hole-punch sits quietly in my desk most of the year.  It makes an appearance every so often as I need it.  It's familiar sound reminds me of my mother;  it's strength and resilience echoes her personality.  The quiet life of the hole-punch comes to an abrupt halt during State Report time.  The kids get a good look at it and often question, at first, what it is.  Once they know they watch as I use it.  They tilt their heads, squint their eyes, and usually let out a "hmmm...that's cool".  They become fascinated by its simplicity, captured by it's structure, and enthralled by how it works...without batteries, without a plug, without a switch.  Over time I allow them to use it on their own.  I begin to hear the squeak as kids are putting together their State Binders.  They take care of the hole-punch; they respect it;  maybe for what it is...maybe for who it represents to me, or maybe for the simple fact that it allows them to work with a tool that has been around for more than eight times their lifespan.  

     For whatever reason the hole-punch, as I work through the years as a teacher, will undoubtedly hold more than a memory of my mother...it will carry the memories of my career as a teacher. 

  

Mr. Casten

May 9, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Downhill

     A flurry of activity filled the classroom this week.  From new morning work activities to State Report research to Science projects.  The room was a buzz all week.

​     

     Once Spring Break ends I often say that "it's all downhill from here".  The days whiz by and the engines of the classroom hum, producing wonderful works of art, beautiful pieces of writing, and thoughtful explorations.  Learning takes on a whole new meaning these last weeks...it's as if collectively we know that time is short even though we don't really think about it too often.  

     Things seem a bit lighter, too.  There's a bit more laughing, a bit more joking, and a bit more silliness.  It's as if we all are putting forth our best, appreciating one another, and finding that common bond that makes us the Room 202 Class of 2013-14.

     There is also an aura of sadness.  A feeling of wanting to stop time, or at least slow it down just a wee bit...so as to spend just a little more time together.  The months past have brought us to this time; they have brought us growth, maturity, and bonded us.  It's the miracle of a school year.

     Every school year is different.  Every class is different.  Every child is different.  It's a privilege, an honor, and a blessing that I get to be a part of my students' growth.  I get to be a part of their academic maturation.  I get to be a part of who they are...and vice-versa.

     The last weeks of school are really "all downhill from here".  The road of the 2013-14 school year has its end in sight.  There are many paths at the end of the road; each student will follow one or the other...I just hope they look back once in a while and can still see me at the bottom of that hill...watching them move forward. 

  

Mr. Casten

April 17, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

Escaped

The bell has rung.  The room stands still.  Pencils are entering 

dormancy and papers no longer crinkle.  Folders are resting 

quietly in the places that their owners left them, and supply 

boxes are recovering from the flurry of activity they were a 

part of this week.

Where has the time escaped to?  Spring Break is here.  Seven-

and-a-half months have passed since my students first 

stepped into Room 202, stepped into 4th Grade, stepped into 

my daily life.  They have learned, grown, and matured since 

August of 2013 and as I look across the solemn room that has 

housed me for the past 13 years, I realize that time is slipping 

away quickly.

Before we know it summer will be upon us.  Until then we 

will work diligently on State Reports, science concepts, 

reading applications, writing exercises, and math problems.  

We will transition into the warmth of summer as we shed our 

winter coats, hats. gloves and boots.  The cloak closets will be 

able to breathe once again and the lost and found in the 

building will dwindle in its contents.  Children running in the 

warmth of the sun will catch our eyes during recess as they 

race to play yet another game of their liking.

Spring Break allows for a moment in time to rejuvenate one's 

mind, body and soul.  It allows the family to gather together 

after a long winter, spending time celebrating the gifts of 

nature as they blossom and bloom.  It is a time to re-aquaint 

with one another as summer fast approaches.  Before we 

know it, summer will be upon us.  My students and I will 

travel in our own directions with the promise of seeing each 

again come next Fall, if only for a quick hello, a reassuring 

smile, or a moment of remembrance for the time we had 

together.

Enjoy the time with your family; for as we all know...time 

escapes so quickly.

Mr. Casten

March 28, 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

A Defining Time

What resides in the mind of a 4th grader can often surprise us.  The notions, beliefs, and views of the world that come forth at this age can precipitate a sense of wonderment in the social development of humans.  Witnessing the evolution of the mind and the implications therein, make for a worthwhile journey.

A discussion about friendships, respect, and politeness entered our classroom this week.  The conversation came on the heels of an "Ease the Tease" assembly and classroom presentation.  The message was clear:  bullying is not acceptable. 

  

I watched the performance in the morning as it was a 3-5 assembly.  Hundreds of kids, several teachers, & a handful of PTA members scrunched in the Multi-Purpose Room and learned and reviewed strategies for dealing with bullying, teasing, and disrespect.  The message was clear:  You have the power to stop inappropriate behaviors.

I further watched the classroom presentation following the assembly.  It allowed my students to try the strategies spoken of at the assembly.  It allowed the discussion of "how to treat one another" to be opened.  The message was clear:  Disrespect is not acceptable.

After the "crew" of actors left, I set aside my lesson plans and took the opportunity that lay before me to engage my students in a discussion that quite frankly surprised me with its content.

We began by speaking about respect for one another and moved on to friendships.  The kids became quite involved in this part of the conversation.  They led the discussion to places of exploration such as how to be a good friend; how many friends is desirable to have; how to strengthen friendships when there is a disagreement; how to help a person who finds themselves friend-less.  This group of 26 nine and ten year-olds brought to the table a mature conversation; expressing personal experiences filled with happy moments, sad moments, and even some scary moments.  I noticed that in their frailty of childhood they were strong.  I found that behind their silliness they thought deeply about things sometimes.  I was humbled to listen to stories that ended with tears welling in some eyes only to be quelled by the words of another.  I witnessed a maturing moment in my students.

We all know growing up is not easy...no one ever said it would be.  My students are in the throws of it as I write this and you read it.  They are at a point where they can and will make conscious decisions on who and what they will be to one another.  It an exciting time for them...a defining time at that.

"It makes no sense to try and be someone you're not because that person is already taken."  ~4th Grader

    

Mr. Casten

March 21 2014

Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten