MCC Friday Reflections

Six weeks has passed since the beginning of school. In those six weeks one of my "Friday Reflections" was about establishing a classroom within the first six weeks. Well, here we are. So how has it turned out? I would say quite well.  They are still pushing in their chairs when we leave...that's encouraging! And they are slowly but surely become a "well oiled machine". One area that proves to be challenging for any class I've had is our rotating stations for Reading & Math. Three times a week, faithfully, we have Math Stations in the morning and Reading Stations in the afternoon. The kids are split into four groups and there are four activities. One activity is always with the teacher, the next activity usually involves a practice book of some sort (Math Journal or Daily Practice Book), a third station will be a game, grading, or extension activity, and the fourth station is always the computer station. The groups of students sp...

Today is Thursday. I'm writing my Friday Reflection one day early. It is late afternoon slipping quickly into evening. I sit in Room 202, the sound of the air-conditioner humming in the background, silence around me otherwise. I will not be in school on Friday. There will be a substitute teacher taking care of my students for the day. It will be the first time this year that my students will tackle the day without me. It's a day of many activities on the agenda. They will be taking their Selection Test for the story, "Marven of the Great North Woods" along with their spelling test on the laptops. Of course, the Basic Math Fact Test will also be taken with paper & pencil. They will learn about fire safety in our 2nd week of the "Learn Not to Burn" lessons given by the Elmhurst Fire Department. They will have Spanish and Gym. They will complete Reading work and grade math homework. To end their day they will be practicing a "Secure in Plac...

Fourth Grade is considered a "turning point grade" in the field of education.  It transitions a child from the primary level learning to the intermediate level.  With this transitions comes a host of changes; academically, socially, emotionally, & physically. A social-emotional aspect that always presents itself revolves around responsibility and accountability.  The two "-abilities" that present the highest level of frustration, confusion, and stress for 9-10 year-olds in a school setting. On Fridays the kids are given their "work from the week".  They have completed many assignments through the course of a week; grammar, spelling, morning work, science, social studies, test, quizzes, etc..  They like getting their packets of work.  Each Friday I can hear the flipping of pages at the end of the day as kids look at the work they produced.  Minor squeals of delight and moans of distress often accompany the mad rush through the pa...

When I began teaching some 13 years ago my principal at the time gave me a book.  It was called, "The First Six Weeks of School" This book outlines strategies for setting up a classroom and getting the school year off to a good start.  It emphasizes the importance of establishing routines and expectations.  It details ways to model and teach how the classroom should run on a day-to-day basis.  It provides practical advice on how to communicate in a way that elicits respect and an appreciation for both the student and teacher.   As you might be able to ascertain from the title, the book proports that the first six weeks of school are really the most critical in this "establishing of the environment".  I can recall thinking to myself that six weeks is way too long to spend on establishing a classroom.  There was teaching to be done, curriculum to get through, chapters and quizzes, tests and papers, grades and report cards.  Maybe...

There are 25 students and two adults in Room 202.  That's a lot of people in a room for 6 hours a day.  Needless to say, there is a shortage of space.  It's hot.  It's stuffy. On the first day of school I told the kids, as I always tell my new students, to push in their chairs when they leave their desk.  I told them this is especially true this year since we have so many people. They listened.  Not only did they listen the first day of school, they kept pushing in their chairs day in and day out.  It may seem like a small thing, maybe even insignificant.  But it's more than a simple act of pushing in a chair...it speaks to the character of the class; and ultimately the character of the individual. A fourth grader has many things on their mind...least of which is to push in their chair when they get up.  They have to think about their school work, their friends, their family; who they are going to sit next to ...

The week comes to a close today. My 13th year of teaching is underway. I am fortunate; in many ways. Being able to work with children has afforded me the opportunity to reach into the future. The kids I taught 13 years ago are now in their early twenties. Some may be finished with college and seeking employment; some may be fully employed. Others may be furthering their educational endeavors by going for a higher degree, while still others may be seeking to start a family. As a teacher, it is strange to think of these scenarios when talking about my former students. You see, I still picture them as the nine and ten year olds that they were when they were with me. Placing them at a graduation ceremony, a job interview, or even a wedding seems to stretch my imagination. But I know they are there; living their lives probably in a manner consistent with their personalities that shone through in my classroom. In the end, I know in my heart that they are fine. And hopefully th...

One hundred. 100. The number of unsolicited compliments earned by this year's 4th graders in Room 202. 100. They set their goal at 81. 100. They had runs of several compliments in one day. 100. They had runs of one compliment a day for several days in a row. 100. They had dry spells; some lasting a week or two. 100. They encouraged each other to "do what it takes" to earn a compliment. 100. Many students earned a compliment for the class by getting an individual compliment. 100. They were just as excited for their first compliment as they were for their 100th. 100. Compliments were given by teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents. 100. Throughout each day opportunities presented themselves to earn a compliment. 100. They capitalized on (at least) 100 of these opportunities.  Often times more...which went unrecognized...but I saw them! 100. They earned them in t...