MCC Friday Reflections

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 i...

     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 f...

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 wil...

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...