All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

I recently read this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/06/02/you-wont-believe-these-kindergarten-schedules/

The author seems to be concerned about the amount of time students spend on structured learning activities rather than constructive based play.  I am an advocate for developmentally appropriate practices. However, I am also keenly aware of the research that ties long term achievement to students' earliest success in school.

What are your thoughts?

How do we find balance between work & play in the kindergarten classroom?

I can't wait to hear from you!

Weekly Newsletter #1:

Life Requires BALANCE

Many people will argue the definition of success. Dictionary.com defines success as:

suc·cess

/səkˈsɛs/ Show Spelled [suhk-ses] Show IPA

noun

1. the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.

2. the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.

 

For me, success is finding BALANCE in those things that make you happy (whatever those things are). Success does not look the same for each person or for the same person in a different season of her life. Success if ever-changing, always evolving, failing, and growing.

 

 

 

When I think about success from the standpoint of a reader I do not see how it is much different. A successful reader takes on a balanced approach. Changing, evolving, failing, and growing are all part of being a successful reader.

 

If we begin to embrace that definition of successful reading how would our reading instruction change?

 

Our goal as teachers is not to teach students to read, but to teach students to love to read. I cringe at the sound of someone saying reading "program." Most reading programs are sequential and rigid. Teaching reading is neither. Teaching reading is MESSY.  Find out what the student is most interested in, peak his interest, give him reading material that is not always a book. The most effective way to not only teach a child to read, but teach a child to LOVE to read is to know the student. Programs don't come with that information pre-loaded in a cute cart with a flash drive! 

 

Reading instruction takes work. Capitalizing on the student's strengths and building on his deficits are the best way to teach students who love to read!

 

 

 

Over the course of the next weeks I will be sharing strategies what I consider to be most effective reading strategies. These strategies are not ordered or rigid...they are BALANCED. By balanced I mean that they incorporate all modalities and take into consideration word study, writing, whole group instruction, small group instruction, fluency, and independent practice.

 

If you want to learn more about balanced or comprehensive literacy please follow myself @JennGRoach and my partner in crime @bethhill2829 as we embark on this journey together. The first week in June we will host our inaugural #complitchat to learn and share all things balanced or comprehensive literacy. We haven't decided a time so please leave us a proposed day or time in the comments or tweet us with what you think would be most convenient.

 

Until next time, READ on! :)

 

 

Nacho Normal Math Night

I was given the opportunity to plan a Parent Education Series this spring. If you'll remember we began with "Fall in Love with Reading" back in February.

http://literacyleadershipandlife.blogspot.com/2014/02/fall-in-love-with-reading.html

While literacy is my passion I definitely wanted a fun atmosphere for our math event. Thanks to the great idea of a 1st grade teacher we hosted "Nachos & Numbers." 

The only parameters provided were that teacher teams had to create math games for families to enjoy together. Our second grade team had students create their own math games, Caine's Arcade style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U (If you're unfamiliar with Caine's Arcade it is a must see.) We had bingo, a real life in & out box, dominoes, card games, trail games, a duck pond, and much more.

After a musical by our first and second graders our families hit the halls to play math games and learn math strategies that would support student learning. Students were asked to visit five math stations, get their punch card punched, and return to the cafeteria for nachos. We had a HUGE turnout.

It was exciting to see our reading teachers embracing math. Math night opened the doors for many conversations about how parents can support math instruction through relevant daily activities...laundry-sorting, shopping-money, driving-measurement.

Parent nights always serve as a simple reminder that these parents love their babies. They send us the best they have to offer-their precious children. With a little insight and some encouragement they are happy to support instruction.

Stay tuned for the remainder of the Parent Education Series:
March Madness SuperSTAARS
Tech Night & Parent Appreciation

Big Bad Test

Last week was the grand finale of our "Testing Season." Throughout the week I began to see an increase of parents and educators posting prayer requests on Facebook about the STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness). While I am all about praying for our students and teaching staff I grew more concerned with each post. And then I opened my big mouth...

 

Many comments ensued and I attempted to help my friends understand that they control the lens through which the assessment is seen. It's all about PERSPECTIVE!

 

I kept getting the same question, "But what if my child has all As and then doesn't pass the test?" For me, this is less of an assessment issue and more of an alignment issue. If your child has all As and can't pass the test that is given over the standards for which he receives As I would have some difficult conversations with the classroom teacher.

 

Another question was asked, "What if my child fails?" To this I say use this as a stepping stone. Work with the teaching staff to devise a plan for success. One failing grade does not have to be a trend.

 

It's all about perspective.

 

STOP allowing numerical data to define our children. No number on any assessment will determine who they are, how much they are loved, or their lifelong potential.

 

Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of standardized tests when they are used improperly. I feel like we expect teachers to differentiate instruction. Therefore we should (and do)  use differentiated assessments to measure understanding of taught concepts.

 

So what is the BIG scare? While I think that we can and should use multiple modalities to assess students I do not think that standardized tests are going anywhere. We are required to complete assessments to drive a car, apply for most jobs, get into college, and become certified for most professions. If schools really exist to prepare global citizens to navigate the world in which we live isn't it important to give them the necessary tools?

 

Special thanks to @DrMattParker for the encouragement! :) Check out his blog for more on testing: http://drmattparker.wordpress.com.

 

 



An Open Letter to "Count Downers"

Being an educator is the most rewarding career one can choose. In addition to the hugs, kisses, and sweet words of encouragement comes lots of responsibility. When I received my first teaching assignment a non-educator friend purchased a gift for me. When I opened it it was appley-teacher sign that said, "Teachers live for June, July, & August." Thus began my despise of the countdown. 

I love countdowns. I count down the days until a fun trip, birthdays, and other exciting life events. But one particular countdown, and I see it more and more with the influx of social media, is the countdown until summer vacation, which I absolutely despise. 

• Yes, I am human. 
• Yes, I have a family. 
• Yes, I love to sleep late.
• Yes, I love the summer. 

However, every student I encounter may not go home to a mom who loves the summer time snuggles of her children. Therefore our beautifully constructed "Blast Off to Summer" bulletin boards may bring about a dreaded time for some. It may remind our students that they won't have books, routines, nurturing, or even food. Is that what we want students to perceive as our celebration?

Furthermore, as educators do we want the world to think we became teachers for the summer off? We, as educators, want respect. We want our voices heard. We love our students. So let's act like it. Take down your countdowns! Celebrate the learning, and quit wishing away your lives and the lives of our students. 

Let's all learn to live in the moment we are in. Live like this is the last opportunity to impact the lives of your students. 

🎶What Does the WALL Say? 🎶

What do your walls say about your school? Are they filled with student work? Inspirational messages? Or rules and schedules? How does what is posted on your walls speak to your students and staff? 

If we want our school culture to be that of a family shouldn't we make our school feel more homey? 

Upon entering my home you immediately know that I'm a proud mom of two boys. With a bit more investigating you would notice that my boys love sports; I have three precious nephews; I am a believer. It is obvious. I don't need a poster or bulletin board to indicate these things. The photographs on the walls, the artwork, and the mess say it all! 

Why should our schools be any different? Shouldn't they be a reflection of who we are as a campus? Who wants to be greeted by all of the "Do nots," and really, who is reading all of that anyway? How many mischievous students have stopped running because of the posted rules? How many boys go back into the restroom to wash their hands because of a sign? I'm not saying they shouldn't wash their hands or we shouldn't post a sign, I'm simply curious about the efficacy of the system. 

Because of our life changing involvement in No Excuses University our school is full of college paraphernalia. Every classroom adopted a different university. Each university is represented with banners, pennants, flags, jerseys, bulletin boards, and photographs. We are sending a powerful message that, "After high school comes college," thanks to Damen Lopez. I love that this symbolism serves as a message of hope for many students. It opens their eyes to the many possibilities. 

In addition to college proofing our campus we were also challenged by a leading Learning Walk consultant, Nancy Mullen, to post exemplary student work with rubrics. That has been a challenge our teachers have risen to and surpassed. 

Academic vocabulary walls throughout the campus are another feature we've added. Our teams went above and beyond and we now have several science, language arts, and math word walls throughout the campus. The walls were strategically placed at waiting points, such as near the cafeteria and gym. As students wait for electives or lunch teachers can reiterate learning targets. These walls serve as reminders for older students, but primary teachers also preteach by utilizing academic word walls. 

In addition to college proofing and academic word walls we also fill our walls with photographs of students playing, working, and learning. We show off all of the amazing learning that is taking place, both in photographs and student work samples. 

What do your walls say about your office, classroom, or school? What can you add or eliminate to ensure that they reiterate the message you hope to send? 

Differentiation VS Standardization

 

Last week during #sunchat I tweeted, “We cannot keep differentiating instruction and standardizing assessments. No continuity or transparency for students or parents.” After being favorited, retweeted, and discussed, Jeffrey Farley (@FarleyJeffrey) asked, “Which practice leads to a more authentic learning paradigm-differentiation or standardization?” To which I asked for a little time to ponder that thought. After thoughtful consideration I’ve decided that my answer cannot be contained to 140 words, much less 140 characters.

In order to answer that question, one must understand that I believe wholeheartedly that we must educate EVERY student in a way that prepares him for college. No exceptions, no exclusions and no fine print. This is not making a declaration that all students WILL go to college. It is just a statement of belief that says I will not decide which students will or will not have the prior education necessary to excel if they so choose to attend college. It is by no mistake that our district’s mission and our school’s vision fall right in line with this belief.

 

With that in mind, I will step out on a limb and say that high standards are not the problem. I believe we need to hold everyone to high standards, starting with the adults in our building but trickling down to all students. How we assess those standards, now that is a problem. Standardization of assessments is problematic, but I believe it is necessitated by the desire for accountability. We want to know that our students know concepts and content without assistance. But isn’t assistance part of real world working and learning? I’ve never been reprimanded for asking a colleague or my supervisor for assistance. But on test day we only want to see what students know in isolation. We do not take into account that as college students or adults they will have technology and human resources at their fingertips. I do not feel that standardized assessments are the root of all evil, but like everything else, they need to be made relevant.

Differentiation occurs when we take the learner’s prior knowledge, readiness, learning style, and interest into account and act accordingly. Differentiating instruction to meet the needs of learners is an important process that great teachers utilize. Do I think we may be taking differentiation a little too far, definitely. We are differentiating so much, with the best intentions, that we water down the curriculum to a point that mastery is easily attained without a challenge. Differentiation was not designed to make content less difficult, but to provide the content in a way that gave students the opportunity to rise to the challenge.

 

 

 In all actuality, the students who will be most successful are not those who have all of the answers, but those that have the perseverance it takes to find the answers. The time is now to equip students with the thinking skills necessary to create their own solutions when the answer is not readily available.

In answer to the initial question, “Which practice leads to a more authentic learning paradigm-differentiation or standardization,” my answer is neither. I do not think that an authentic learning paradigm can be boxed into a buzz word or catch phrase. Authentic learning is as different for each teacher as it is for each student. We must create classrooms that foster a love of learning while always inspiring students to create and share their learning globally. That is a real paradigm shift.