MCC Friday Reflections

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 prese...

A week of testing.  A week of focusing on questions, answers, filling in bubbles, writing responses, and explaining their thinking.  A week of specials being turned around.  A week without the math, reading, science or social studies lessons.  A week without stations or volunteers in the classroom (except one read-aloud).  A week of desks being situated in rows like the old days.  A week of being able to chew gum or have mints while in school.  A week of no homework. ISAT time can be stressful for kids, teachers  and parents.  It is amazing how much we all really depend on our routines.  There is a sense of security in expectations being fulfilled, schedules being adhered to, and plans unfolding as you laid them out.  ISAT time disrupts that and forces a new routine on kids...which in turn, spills over into the lives of the teachers and parents. Kids today are part of the generation that is connected worldwide.  Th...

     As February rounds its own corner and heads toward March we find ourselves at the tail-end of trimester 2 only to head long into trimester 3. Things have changed.       Instruction is more intense as we have laid down a good base of skills and knowledge. We can draw upon that base to learn more. Expectations are solidly in place and accountability is well rehearsed. We step with confidence into the third trimester.       The school year will take yet another turn when the weather begins to change. The snow will slowly melt, the grayness of winter will transform into the brightness of spring. Children will delight in the prospect of playing outdoors without their coats, hats, gloves, boots and scarves. This will lead to more anticipatory behavior in the classroom. More fidgeting, more catching a glimpse of the weather out the window during lessons. It's the natural progression of things...happens e...

      Every week, with the exception of Testing Weeks, our reading instruction has been comprised of "stations". It's an easy concept as well as an effective one.       Stations run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Students are divided into 4 groups and each group starts at one of the four stations. They remain in that station for 15 minutes, completing the task at hand. After the 15 minutes, we rotate. This occurs for one hour, allowing each group the opportunity to visit each station. Stations consisted of guided reading, spelling exercises, computer time, the Daily Practice Book, Grading spelling and grammar homework, and other relevant assignments. The kids knew how to cruise through the stations and often made the most out of each one.      This past week we've changed things up a bit. I've decided to adopt a teaching/learning model I employed many years ago. This model I ca...

It's happened every snow-filled morning. The darkness is slowly being lifted by the creeping in of light. Shovel in hand I methodically push snow to the edges of the driveway one row at a time. Being a creature of habit I am usually out there at the same time the task needs to be completed. Over the first part of this winter I have witnessed a scene that repeats itself each and every time I'm out there. Of course, right before the scene unfolds I am not even thinking about it...but then it occurs. The still of the cold air early in the morning is broken by a low rumbling in the near distance. The sound move quickly toward me and into my sight from around a bend appears a school bus. Dirty with gray-black snow on the wheel wells, smeared with the distinctive shade of road salt along its body, the large yellow-orange vehicle barrels forward. As it catches my attention I stop to look at the bus, maybe just to give my arms and back a rest, and there he is. Walkin...

Fourth Grade proved to be a bit of a challenge for me due to the fact that I attended three different schools that year. Our family had moved to Steven's Point, WI the year prior...third grade was spent there. Right after the new school year started I went to McKinley School in Steven's Point for about 1 month of 4th Grade then we moved back to the Chicagoland Area. I found myself at Washington School in River Forest, IL. We were renting a house as we looked for a permanent residence. Three months later we moved across town and I once again found myself in a new school...Roosevelt School this time. As I look back I can remember a small bit from McKinley, a little bit more from Washington, and a great deal more from Roosevelt. Each one, though, had its memories and each one had something to offer me as a student. I can recall learning cursive writing in McKinley. We had worked on it the year prior but when I started 4th Grade they seemed to be more serious about it. ...

W e find ourselves right in the middle of winter and right in the middle of the school year. The frigid cold is upon us, the snowy banks make for exhilarating snow slides and obstructed driving conditions. The closets here in Room 202 are overflowing with winter gear and the floor is sopping wet with the melted snow trudged in by all who spend their day here. While winter is fast upon us it will change...soon. We often tell our children that life is about "change". We reiterate by telling them that the only thing that really stays constant is the fact that things change. They must journey through the changes in life and it's ours to help them along. As a teacher working through my 13th year in a 4th grade classroom I can say with confidence that fundamental changes occur during this particular grade level unlike any other grade level. Yes, each grade level presents opportunities for change and they most certainly do occur; but in 4th grade the change comes threef...