Having  a student intern this semester is allowing me to reflect on my own teaching. It has been interesting to see the transition of college knowledge to classroom application.  The university has expectations to train teachers and then the elementary classroom happens.

As an educator I am constantly using assessment to guide my teaching.  Information gathered helps me prepare lessons and meet the needs of my students in formative and summative format.  Today, however, Lauren was the one getting assessed.  I was not part of this process; just as when I give assessments in the classroom and take a step back, today Lauren was on her own.  She had her first formal observation from the college.

Mentor Teacher:  Lori Rice–We spent time over the weekend reviewing and talking about the lesson plan for her first formal assessment.  Lauren has developed these skills and can prepare for a lesson well.  She picked writing as her first formal observation because she feels comfortable with this subject.  We talked about her lesson and the teaching points she was making.  We also talked about classroom management and higher level questioning.  These are the areas she is learning still and brought the least experience with her from her collegiate classes.

Lauren is working on stating her expectations for both academic objectives and student behavior.  Teachers who can master being clear and following through in these areas have more student engagement in activities.  There is a balance in preparing students for the lesson and moving quickly to keep their attention.  We discussed being clear in expectations and hold students to those expectations.  Lauren wrote these into her plans as reminders.  Classroom management can impact the success of any lesson.

Teacher Intern: Lauren Laudan–My goal for this lesson is for students to practice writing descriptive and vivid words as we begin word choice in writing.  These words will  help paint a picture in the reader’s head- “show not tell”. The students have been practicing writing with voice, so word choice is a very similar trait.

My objective for this lesson is: “Students will hear a story with strong word choice, examine sentences by changing dull, dry, and overused words, and then identify words in a paragraph which need stronger word choice.”  This should be stated at the beginning of the lesson to help students focus their learning.  This group of students has demonstrated mastery level of voice, so now they are moving into looking at word choice. For my students who need more support, I will allow them to work at a slower pace. For students showing mastery, I have “next step” activities ready to help extend their learning.  After this lesson, the next step is for students to write a poem about themselves and  create a users manual about themselves and how they best learn.  The users manual will be their final assessment.  

This lesson builds on a previous lesson which introduced the trait of word choice. Before word choice, the students focused on voice.  In this lesson, we will discuss how voice and word choice go together well and have many similarities when writing.  I also want students to clearly identify the difference between voice and word voice.  I need to state my expectations of having all students’ eyes on me when I speak, using a 0 voice level voice (no talking), and writing their ideas in their journal.  Stating my expectations will allow all students to understand their role in learning.

Students often hesitate to pick up a thesaurus to find a “better” word when they are writing. However, encouraging students to use this resource will help them apply synonyms and antonyms, an activity we do weekly in vocabulary.  I have noticed my students’ writing often includes the same words over and over again. Students also do not focus on replacing dull, overused words with more vivid and descriptive words.  When asked to change a single word in a sentence they are able to put all their focus on word choice. 
I plan to have students recall the “RIP words” from the previous lesson. I will also play an engaging video of a fourth grade class attending a funeral for “dead words” using the Smart Board to show the YouTube video. The rest of the lesson will consist of pre-made task cards and copies of the paragraph to edit and complete.  Get a copy of my lesson plan here.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–The assistance I could give Lauren was over.  When the college observer arrived it was no longer my class.  I left a few minutes before she was to arrive so Lauren would be seen as the classroom teacher by the students.  I wanted them responding to her authority and did not want my presence to interfere in her observation.  Leaving my classroom was bitter-sweet.  I felt proud of Lauren for her hard work, but misplaced as I was not the classroom teacher any longer.

Student Intern: Lauren Laudan–In this lesson, I first modeled what I expected my students to do with their
own task cards when they worked independently or in their small groups. I began the
lesson with recall, which also served as a formative assessment. This helped me know students that might need to work at a slower pace or would require more support.

I believe in keeping students actively engaged with a variety of strategies including whole group discussion, pair-share, and independent work. I included all three of those in this lesson as students were allowed to use their group
members during the task card activity. The paragraph editing was completed independently as a formative assessment.  For the students who usually sit at the back table with a Para, I stopped frequently at their desks to check for understanding. I was able to assist by reading aloud to them. We also reviewed the various parts of speech. I encouraged students who finished early to write more than one sentence for each task card.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–When I walked back into the classroom the students were engaged in a read aloud activity.  Lauren looked like she belonged in the front of the room.  I asked her later how it went and she said well.  I was honored, when we were alone later, that she asked if I wanted to see the comments.  I could see how our work together was impacting her skills.  She is strengthening her classroom management and higher level questioning.  These skills will just continue to grow throughout the semester.

This series is a reflection of our experiences during the spring semester as a mentor teacher and student intern. If you have not been reading, check out our past articles.

There are many amazing things about sharing a craft I love with Lauren, my student intern.  I am forced to reflect on my own practices and the reasoning behind my teaching.  I am also able to stop and watch my students; it is amazing how much you can see when you look.  I am enjoying being an extra set of hands to dig deeper and help my students in a role I do not get to experience when I am the sole teacher in the classroom. I know, however, that this will not last.

There comes a time when the responsibility is transferred.  My role has transitioned from lead teacher to co-teacher and now is slowly moving to ghost teacher.  I am in the room, silent, and will be leaving soon.  It is no longer my job to demonstrate classroom management and teaching strategies to Lauren, it is my responsibility to let her implement her learning.

Habits are  repeated practices, either intentional or unintentional, that done over time become automatic.  We develop many habits in teaching.  The other night I pulled out my computer to look for lesson ideas while watching TV.  I opened Google and paused, I had no upcoming lessons that needed planning.  Lauren is doing the groundwork for that.  I simply read and reflect on her lesson plans.  I had nothing to do.

When you become a mentor teacher your role will change.  You are still responsible for the learning of your students, but there comes a period of time where you must trust the lessons you have edited with your intern and let your intern teach.  I have made myself walk out of the room.  It is a strange feeling to know the best way you can help is to walk away.

Over the next few weeks most of my work will be done outside of the classroom.  I will continue to check lesson plans and provide feedback.  I will watch the grade book for anything concerning so I have a pulse of my classroom.  I will also have a majority of my time spent out of my room.  So, what’s a teacher to do?

• Reflect on your own lessons and spend time updating presentations.  I am working on our new integration of ELA with science and social studies.  I am able to strengthen our unit plans and Active Inspire presentations for next year.
• Find an area you need to continue to work on and read and reflect.  I am working on formative assessment and student reflection.  I was able to attend a workshop this week and I am looking for educational books to read on these subjects.
• Discuss an activity or program that would benefit your school with your administrator.   Help get this started.  I am organizing a math night for parents next month to come learn new math strategies we are using.  I am also setting up guidelines and creating information to start a volunteer program in our school next school year.
• Offer to help other teachers.  I have helped teach science in another fourth grade class and modeled a math lesson for a new third grade teacher.  I am going to be modeling reading group lessons for our new reading assistants.
• Organize your supplies.  I am working on cataloging my personal student library so I will know the books I have and those I want to purchase with bonus points.

Teachers are always busy doing a million tasks a day.  Being a mentor teacher you are given a gift of time.  While my first responsibility is my students and my second responsibility is mentoring Lauren, part of that responsibility involves giving her the opportunity to teach without me.  It is difficult to leave the classroom.  So finding ways to use your time will make walking out of that door easier.

Teachers use multiple resources to learn and strengthen their craft.  There are online resources, educational journals, district level in-service, networking groups and educational conferences.  This week Lauren and I were both able to participate in conferences offered outside of our school district.  There is so much value to networking and learning offered at conferences.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice—As a veteran teacher of 19 years I sign up for conferences with excited hope.  There are many things I am implementing in my classroom successfully, so finding a conference that will provide new information can be difficult.  This week I was able to attend two conferences, however, with new to me information.  I love when I come across things that make me think.

The first conference I attended was put on by the State Education Department.  I have been using formative assessment, but his week I was able to hear Margaret Heritage speak to teachers in Kansas.  We covered 10 strategies for implementing successful formative assessment in classrooms.  I was pushed to think about going beyond exit tickets and checklists.  Formative assessment is embedded in good classroom management and pushes our students to bridge gaps between their current knowledge base and where we want them to go.

The first two strategies are setting clear objectives and clear success criteria.  I have been thinking about moving what I want my students to know beyond objectives into higher level learning.  This can be accomplished when I am clear in what those goals are and clear in what success looks like.  I am looking forward to working on this skill and also having conversations with Lauren about what this can do for students.

I also attended a conference sponsored jointly by the Kansas Council for Social Studies and the State Department for Education.  I learned about many resources for elementary teachers.  There are online resources for economics and teaching historical thinking.  Again, I was able to think about incorporating some of these resources and activities into my classroom this year.  We can use some of the historical thinking activities with reading groups and also with writing this last 9-weeks. We have two regions of the US to cover and I plan to focus on economics more to include those standards.    With technology being ever-changing, it is fun to sit with other educators and reflect and share resources that are useful in classrooms.

Student Intern:  Lauren Laudan–This past week I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Kansas Exemplary Educators Network (KEEN) Conference in Topeka, KS.  It was sponsored by the Kansas Department of Education. Attending KEEN was a huge honor.  It is composed of teachers who have been recognized
for their wonderful work in the field; those who are at the top of their career.   I was nominated by a professor from Kansas State University and then selected by a committee to represent K-State as the 2015 Teacher of Promise. This gave me the chance to meet and connect with  future teachers, current teachers and learn about their journey to become a teacher.  I also got to network with amazing educators including  Teachers of the Year and our state Interim Commissioner of Education, Brad Neuenswander.  It was truly two days I will never forget.

One session I attended was “The Power of You: The Hopeful Mindset”.  There are two mindsets one can possess: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. A person with a fixed mindset avoids challenges, gives up easily due to obstacles, ignores constructive criticism, and feels threatened by the success of others. They tend to be the person holding the rest of the team back. “There is no way we can get this done in such of short amount of time.” Or as we may hear from our students, “I will never be good at math.” We all know these people. Or maybe we are these people. 

On the other hand, a person with a growth mindset embraces challenges, persists in the face of setbacks, learns from criticism, sees effort as the path to mastery, and finds lessons and inspiration in the success of others. This is what we should strive to model for our students everyday so they too can develop a growth mindset. 

The tricky part is we may think we have a growth mindset, but may not be modeling it in our daily lives. If you have ever said to a student, “You are so smart for getting that problem correct”, you are teaching students it is about being smart in finding a correct answer, not persisting, trying new strategies, or doing their personal best. Instead, next time try saying, “I’m so proud of how you didn’t give up and you kept trying, I know that problem was challenging.” Try to remember, “Failure should be a tool, not an outcome”. And as teachers we need to stray away from using failure as a negative and instead see it in a new, positive light.

This breakout session also discussed the remarkable power of hope and how as teachers we can instill hope in our students by creating excitement about their future and showing each student they have the power to make their future better. Fun fact: the ideas and energy we have for the future can change lives and is a stronger predictor of success than a GPA or SAT score. But unfortunately only half of American students are hopeful. This leaves a
lot of our country’s children hopeless. All it takes is one person to affect the lives of many, for good or for bad. Hopeful students take on challenges energetically, are full of life, and focus on success. There are many benefits to being a high-hope person including living longer, experiencing less stress and anxiety, and having a higher well-being.

At the end of this session we were given a rock and told to go out and create “ripples of hope for others.” How will you create ripples of hope?
Another session I attended was “An Envisioned Future for Kansas Students”.  “Right now it may seem dark, but that’s when the stars shine the brightest”. There is a lot of controversy and politics involved in education, but stars are shining all around us.  Whether it’s teachers changing lives or students learning to believe in themselves it is important to focus on our students. Instead of focusing on what needs improvement in our schools, let’s make an effort to focus on what is going right. Because in the end, we are there for one reason and one reason only: our students. And they are counting us.

Although I cannot include everything I took away from these two days in one article, these were the highlights I took away. It was about the difference between a fixed and growth mindset, learning about the power of instilling hope in our students, learning strategies of inspiring and motivating students to learn and grow,working with the Kansas Commissioner of Education to rewrite the vision of Kansas education and more.  It was also crazy, exhausting, motivating and a refreshing couple days.  Just as we ask our students to push themselves and learn, we as educators must do the same.

There is always a point in the year when the students have become comfortable with each other and I know.  Patience runs out, words develop edges and group work becomes unbearable.  I have an activity I pull out each year to help students build each other up and look at each other with grace and respect.  This year, however, I am not in charge.  I am an observer and guide in my classroom.  There is always a point though.

Student Intern: Lauren Laudan–We are two weeks away from Spring Break, a much-needed week of renewal, rest, and possibly vacationing. With the bitter cold temperatures and wind chill Kansas is currently receiving, students are not going out to recess and thus stuck in the classroom or lunchroom playing board games. This missed exercise is now getting bottled up inside.

Where does that extra energy go? Brain breaks have never been more needed and students need learning opportunities in which they can move and learn hands-on. Students also need mini pep talks to help them (and you) get through the next two weeks (especially since we have parent-teacher conferences next week). Lori and I have made the decision to spend a few weeks focusing on helping build up our students’ self-esteem by showing them how to look for strengths they admire in one another. Teaching about self-esteem is something that is very relevant and necessary to elementary students as I often overhear my fourth graders saying, “I can’t do it” or “I’m not smart enough”. In particular, one of my girls has even said to me, “I’m stupid.”

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–For a university assignment Lauren is to do an action research project.  Teachers do this daily in their classrooms.  The idea is to observe student behavior and collect data.  Then, a process is introduced to change the behavior.  After 10 days data is collected again through observation to see them impact of the project.  We do this with sticker carts and incentives for individual students.  With the barometer of the classroom, however, I suggested Lauren look at my usual activity with new eyes and develop a process to build students up.

Teacher Intern: Lauren Laudan– To begin this project, I asked students to think about their strengths and gave them one minute to make a list. They were given a post-it note and could list as many traits as they wanted with no specific guidelines given. Many students wrote that they excelled at specific sports such as volleyball, football, or basketball while others wrote subjects such as math, science, and art. Very few students wrote values they feel they possess such as respect, patience, compassion or kindness.  These were collected and the results tallied. 

Day 1: Lori and I decided on a character trait to write on each students’ desk while they were at lunch. When they came back into the classroom they were very curious as to why a word such as “listener” or “helpful” was written on their desk in a dry erase marker. After a few minutes I explained that the word on their desk was a word that described them and something both of their teachers admire. I also told them their word was for their eyes only and they were not to look at any other desks. After they read the word they were to erase it.

During language arts we did activity on character traits.  Each table group was handed a list of character traits, both positive and negative, and as a team they had to work together to highlight the traits they strive to be. Examples  included kind, determined, responsible, considerate, and persistent. Words that were not worthy of highlighting included hateful and conceited. This   for students to develop a higher vocabulary as we discussed those unknown or new words. After sharing some of the positive values, I asked students if words such as “pretty” or “good looking” taught us about someone’s inner character. The students all agreed that these comments didn’t truly build us up on the inside, although they were nice to receive. 

As I continued explaining the project, I wish I would’ve taken a picture of the students’ faces when I told them they were going to get to write on their classmates’ desks with dry erase marker when they witnessed a student demonstrating positive character traits those words that “build us up”. I gave an example, “If I see H loaning a pencil to J who doesn’t have one, later that day I can go write on her desk ‘giving’.” You don’t want the person to see who wrote it though as this is an anonymous activity, which is part of the fun! Students were told they could not sign their name or ask who wrote the words on their desk. The point was to know that someone was watching them not give up, share, or help care for another person. As soon as the word is read on their desk, they erased it and kept it in their hearts.

By the end of the day, each student had at least five to ten words written on their desks and other classrooms of fourth graders and teachers had even picked up on it. It was amazing to hear from a student who later in the day share with me, “I love this project because I have been writing on my classmates’ desks that I don’t normally talk to.You usually don’t just go up to a person and tell them they are considerate, but now I can.”

We did lessons over the two-week period that brought attention to character.  Students wrote a poem about themselves and where they are from.  They focused on one body part that helps them and wrote a poem modeled after “The Best Part of Me”.  They wrote a users manual about themselves focusing on habits of mine.  We discussed how they learn best, what helps their learning, how they show persistence and how they like to receive feedback.  At the end of the two weeks the students created collages of themselves.  They used pictures from the beginning of the year, their poem “Where I’m From” and cut words from magazines.  These were a wonderful talking point for parent teacher conferences.

Throughout this two weeks the students wrote on each other’s desks.  As expected, the amount of writing decreased after a few days.  When a student was absent, however, their desk would slowly be filled that day so they came back to a “sheet” of compliments.  With teach modeling and prompting the writing continued.  We did monitor and erase if words were surface words or descriptive words that were not positive character traits.  Those, however, were few and far between.

On the day before spring break we read “If I Only Had a Green Nose“.  After the book students were given a sticky noted and again asked think about their strengths and were given one minute to make a list.  One student commented, “Oh good!  I have more strengths to add!”  This time their words included strong, friendly, caring, helpful.  We will continue to encourage students to focus on positive character traits and look forward the continuing our community this last nine-weeks of school.

Twice a year the school system demands we stop and reflect.  This is not enough, but I love this time of year when I look at the growth all students have made.  Not everyone is where I want them, but it is important to focus on how far students have come in the year and share this progress with parents.  Parent teacher conferences are an important reflection period in our classroom.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–I believe in showing growth and focusing on what students have done.  I start each conference with a student written letter.  The students are asked to include an accomplishment and proof of that accomplishment, a goal and how they intend to work towards that goal, and something important they want their parents to know.  This sets the tone to show learning and effort during each conference.  I spend the time during conferences looking at student samples and performance with parents.  This is an important time to answer questions and provide evidence of where I need students to move next.

Teacher Intern: Lauren Laudan–This past week Lori and I finished up meeting with the parents of our 24 students.
Although exhausting, due to staying at school past 8 pm two nights and having to teach full days, it was truly an amazing experience to get to share each student’s growth and progress. We also were able to assist parents on how to better help their child succeed academically at home. It was neat to see the similarities between the students and the parents and match personalities together!

One of the best parts of conferences was the kindness and appreciation parents had for Lori and me. Getting to hear that their child looks forward to coming to school each day and wants to succeed was refreshing to hear. One parent even thanked us for pushing her daughter to think more critically in all aspects of life. Another parent also appreciated the responsibility skills we have helped instill in her child. Lori and I are fortunate enough to have parents and guardians who are willing to help their child in any way they can and that was definitely shown in the conferences.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–Teachers understand education is about the whole child.  We are not simply teaching math, reading, writing.  We are teaching tomorrow’s generation and leaders.  We are teaching 21st Century skills.  We are teaching students to be compassionate, caring, helpful, honest, giving, persistent.  There are many things that are taught and growth that can be reflected upon that can not be found on the grade card.

Teacher Intern: Lauren Laudan–Although it is important that teachers focus on what their child has improved on throughout the year, parents and guardians want to know the honest truth and often are well aware of what that is before they step into the classroom. “Does my child participate in class? Talk too much or too little? Does my child have friends or does he/she play alone at recess? Does my child goof off and distract others or does he/she focus during instruction?” These questions require the teacher to understand the makeup of the class and be fully aware of each student’s needs academically, behaviorally, and socially. I am thankful that Lori and I have taken the time to truly get to know each of our students so that we are able to quickly notice if a student is having an off day and in this case need some extra TLC. This allowed us to answer questions parents had easily as well.
I am a big believer in involving parents in the learning environment and I understand they play a huge role in their child’s growth and development. By keeping parents up-to-date with daily or weekly emails, phone calls, and/or blog
posts, I plan to ensure that the parents of my students feel part of our classroom community. However, there is also something special about getting to meet with each parent/guardian face to face and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.

If this is your first year for parent teacher conferences or you are an expert, enjoy the reflection.  Check out how we ran our conferences and find what works for you.  These are personal connections.  Reflections of each child.  Celebrate the learning that has been done and celebrate each child.

This weekly series features the observations and experiences of a veteran teacher and her student teacher as they learn together this semester. 

At the beginning of the year it is important to establish the tone of your classroom.  I like to select a theme that ties things together.  For the past couple of years I have used Superheroes.  We set up our classroom as a super community.  It provides great lessons for understanding your own strengths and weaknesses and allows students to understand failure, learning and trying are important in our classroom.

Coming back from Christmas vacation (or any long break), review of classroom expectations is important.  The more you involve students in this discussion, the more buy-in they will have.  For a student teacher coming into the classroom mid-year, maintaining the expectations of the classroom is important.  But it is equally important the student teacher set up the classroom with their own ideas.  Every teacher has their own personal tolerance levels and expectations.  Identifying what you want students to accomplish, how you want them to work, and what they need for success is an important place to start.

Teacher Intern–Lauren Lauden:  I believe in order to receive respect from students teachers must first show students respect. Throughout my student teaching experience I have done this by modeling how I wanted students to treat not only me but also their classmates and other teachers or staff. By being polite and using manners, saying “I’m sorry” and meaning it, listening and looking at someone when they are speaking, and by owning up to my mistakes, I am a role model for my students and have shown them we are all humans who mess up at times, and that’s okay!

I have taken teachable moments when I saw them in order to clear up any confusion and remind students the importance of “treating others the way you want to be treated.” Throughout this semester I also noticed the importance of reminding students to not only treat others kindly but also materials, especially iPads, and that expectations for borrowing materials must be set and constantly followed.  You can not assume students know what is expected.  You must be clear on your expectations for getting supplies, using supplies and putting supplies away.

Positive reinforcement is a big part of my classroom management plan. When I noticed a student being on-task, helping a classmate, or persisting in a task, I would tell them they could get a “lightening bolt.” Since the theme for the year was “superheroes,” students got to wear a lightening bolt necklace when they were seen doing good. Students who received a lightening bolt for the day got to go out to recess a few minutes early and also got to wear it on their necks all day long! When I awarded lightening bolts I immediately noticed the other students’ behavior change to whatever that particular student was doing. This was just one way of encouraging positive behavior in
my class. You have to find what works for you and what you will implement consistently.

Another way I encouraged positive student social interaction was through the “Building Each Other Up” project. During this project we discussed positive character traits and values we admire in other people. Examples included compassion, helping other, giving, caring and persistence. We also talked about those traits we do not admire in others such as selfishness and being conceited. Students watched their classmates and when they noticed someone “doing good” they were allowed to take a dry-erase marker and anonymously write a word (one of our positive traits) on that student’s desk when they were not looking or in the room. As soon as the student saw the word on their desk they were to erase it and hold it in their heart. The purpose of this activity was to help build up students’ self-esteem and promote positive values.

Establishing classroom management takes time.  It is important to think through what you want and how you are comfortable handling situations in the classroom.  Consistency and patience along with clearly stated expectations are key.  There are many ideas, but the base of any good classroom management program is respect.  We are not only teaching students the content of our grade level and curriculum, we are teaching them the skills they need to be responsible citizens in their community.  Build your community on these standards and you will be amazed with what your students can learn.

When students enter preschool and kindergarten they are excited by learning.  They explore and engage in activities for the sake of what is happening.  Teachers set up experiences and lessons that develop skills and provide learning for students.  As students progress through elementary school, however, they begin to see the association of work for “a grade!”  When does learning change from the process and act to “the grade”?

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–I have an Early Childhood and Elementary degree.  I understand the importance of play in learning and the focus in my classroom is helping students push themselves as learners.  In my classroom I develop lessons that move students from where they are to the next developmental level.  To do this I set clear objectives and have clear criteria for measuring these objectives.  Our focus is on the learning process, effort and creating work we are proud of that shows best effort.  We don’t focus on grades.  It has taken a process of building a community to get students to break this habit of operating under the idea, “This is for a grade”.

Student Intern:  Lauren Laudan– Early on in my semester I noticed that whenever a task was assigned the first thing students would ask was “Is this for a grade?” Unfortunately, the is often so much emphasis put on the final grade, students often slack off if an activity or assignment is for “practice” or  “formative assessment”.  These activities are an important part of the learning process aimed to help the teacher form instruction and know how students are doing. I needed skills to switch this learned response, “Is this for a grade?” to seeing the learning in our classroom.

Lori taught me to respond to this question by saying, “Does it matter? Shouldn’t you always be doing your best?” While it is important for students to take pride in their grades, I want them to focus on the learning. This response showed me the importance of setting a purpose (with clear objectives), making connections to the world and sharing those things openly with students. They need to see the bigger picture. For example, many students struggle to see how decimals relate to their lives; as soon as we started relating decimals to gas prices, buying items at a store, comparing them to prices we see, students began to realize just how important decimals really are.  This showed them a bigger picture beyond grades.

Using differentiation and Bloom’s Taxonomy I am able to help students in their learning and moving beyond the grade mentality.  By having students apply their knowledge, create and synthesize they are exposed to high expectations and therefore challenged. However, I am also there to scaffold students who need support and who struggle with concept(s). I believe in the importance of varying methods of instruction and I always strive to accomplish that with my students this semester. Whether it is engaging students in a video about different angles, doing a brain break to show different angles with their bodies, or looking around the room during an angle scavenger hunt, I never want them just sitting and listening to me lecture. This particular class had a lot of kinesthetic learners who benefited from those hands-on experiences and movement.

Technology is another great tool in learning.  I have students actively use the Smart Board (something they love) when solving problems in DPP (daily practice problems) or correcting sentences during DLI (daily language instruction). Allowing students the opportunity to write on the board encourages student engagement and participation.  This enables me to guide class discussion and move the students from “the grade” to the learning.  

When I plan lessons they are focused on objectives, not grades.  One lesson that particularly stands out as being successful is my sound energy lesson. For this lesson, students were given five straws and asked to create a pan flute. They were given very few directions to follow; I wanted to see their creativity and application of what they had learned previously about sound waves and vibrations. Students were given a clear objective and criteria.  They did not ask, “Is this for a grade?”  The engagement and excitement was truly amazing. I also noticed that because the students were so interested, behavioral issues and disruptions were kept to the bare minimum and the classroom management came much easier.  In the end students displayed their instrument on their desk and took a museum walk around the room.  They quietly viewed each others instruments.  Then, instead of a grade, they gave feedback to one classmate using a sticky note.  They had to use one or more words (vibration, waves, sound, pitch, frequency) and this demonstrated the learning.  

Learning is a process. In the classroom it is the job of educators to help students learning is fun.  The process and journey in learning is as important as the end.  It is about the path taken and the path not taken.  It is about the triumph and the failure.  It is about understanding and questioning.  We have a final responsibility to report learning as grades.  But push your students, your families, and yourself to see beyond the grade.  It’s about finding something new.

Today there are many ways to expand your classroom walls.  Field trips, virtual trips, Skype conversations, and traveling trunks can all provide your students with experiences and expertise that help their learning.  As an educator you need to be able to match your objectives with resources near you.  Inviting visitors into the classroom is another great way to bring the world in.

Mentor Teacher: Lori Rice–Each year when we do our presentations on electricity we invite the local cooperative in to talk with kids.  Many companies have classroom connections and they will come into your room to present.  Know how the presentation matches your objectives and tell the presenter what you would like to be covered.  It is also important to ask a few questions when setting up your visit.

• How many students can you do a presentation for?
• What supplies will the school need to provide?
• Is there a fee?  How much?
• What topics will you cover?
• What grade levels is this appropriate for?

Student Intern: Lauren Laudan– I invited Bluestem Electric to come speak to my fourth graders about electric energy. I planned for them to come after I had given students an introductory lesson on electricity.  We discussed how we use electric energy all the time; whether it’s to light our houses or power our televisions. Students also read about lightning and transmission wires, because I knew they would touch on electrical safety as well. The kids were very engaged in the topic, especially once they learned that lightning is approximately 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit!  This helped with engagement during the presentation. 

This was one of the highlights of my unit and I am so glad I invited Bluestem to come to our class. The students were so fascinated and loved the movie they played, the demonstrations with mini power lines (and fire!), and the plasma lamp they all got an opportunity to touch on their way out the door. “This is so cool” was the whisper heard throughout the room as they were watching the presentation.  Since the company works with electric energy for a living, this was a knowledge source for student questions and made them even more interested in the topic. I would not have been able to answer all the questions my students asked, so it was neat to see their engagement and how one question would lead to another student building off it. I would not be surprised if a few of our students thought about this as a career choice.

Expectations are important when going on field trips or bringing resources into the classroom.  Be sure to set up clear expectations for how the event will work and what students should do during the presentation.  The teacher has a role to watch for discipline and engagement to help the presenter.  Remember, you are the expert educator and they are the content expert.  Building relationships to bring content into the classroom and bring the world to your children is an important part of their learning.

Teaching is the greatest job on the earth.  It is not the most respected or highest paying and it does not bring you power, wealth or fame, but it is the toughest job that has the most impact on our future.  Each year teachers enter the classrooms and meet student with stories.  We make connection.  We set up an environment for success and safe failure.  We develop communities that care about each other.  We put our hearts into our jobs so these children, our children, become citizens that will make a difference.  To prepare others for this profession we have the experience of student teaching.  This experience not only prepares the student intern, it provides for reflection and renewal in the mentor teacher as well.

Mentor Teacher:  Lori Rice– I can’t believe this journey has come to an end and how much I have learned.  From modeling and thinking through each decision I make daily in the classroom, to co-teaching, to watching someone else take over my classroom I have had the opportunity to develop deeper relationship with my students and reflect on my own profession.   I have strengthened my own philosophy that by bringing together a community of learners teachers should meet each child at their level and help them find their own successes.   I am looking forward to being back in my classroom full-time, and cherish the time I had to find new lessons, organize old lessons and see my students through a different set of lenses.  Being a mentor teacher allowed me to strengthen my own skills.j

Student Intern:  Lauren Laudan–  “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.” This quote, by Ben Franklin, accurately represents my view of education. I believe in the idea of constructivist teaching and the engagement of students in the learning process. Teaching is not the same today as in the past.  It has evolved from teachers who simply stand up and lecture straight from a textbook. In our continually changing, technology-driven society, teachers must recognize that our students can thrive only when we provide meaningful, challenging, and active learning experiences. However, it is essential these purposeful learning experiences foster creativity, critical thinking and problem solving all in an inclusive classroom environment where each child feels safe and cared for.  Involving every child is the key.

Fairness will be the foundation for which I build my own classroom community. However, fair does not always mean equal– each child has different needs that must be met in order for learning to occur. Not long ago, children with special needs were taken completely out of the classroom, segregated, and often considered “outsiders”. Thankfully today’s classrooms look a bit different, as these wonderful and deserving students are part of the everyday routine. I have witnessed firsthand the amazing benefits these children reap when they are placed in a regular classroom environment with a caring teacher and supportive peers. Not only can the child with special needs build relationships, develop more social skills and build self-esteem, but the other students in the class practice leading by example, demonstrating patience, and embracing diversity. Yes, for the teacher it can be challenging at times to teach a class full of students each with different needs and desires. However, it is our job to reach every single one of our students. And this can only be accomplished when we truly know our students and listen to their voice.  Learning about each individual is important for every teacher.

Along with fairness and equity I will  differentiate instruction meet the needs of all my learners. Each student learns a little differently and performs better in situations that suit their learning style and/or preference. By alternating instruction I will be able to incorporate opportunities for students to learn visually, auditorily, and kinesthetically. Lastly, I believe in the power of giving students choices and allowing them to take on some of the responsibility when making decisions.  When students are met at their level their engagement increases and this brings learning to the classroom.

Along with an inclusive learning community, each of my individual students’ diversity will be celebrated. Throughout my experience observing, working, and teaching in various classrooms, I have witnessed the beauty of diversity and the importance of embracing each child’s uniqueness- whether that be in their culture, race, ethnicity, or beliefs. Every student that walks into my classroom carries with them a rich history that deserves to be shared. The United States is continually becoming a more heterogeneous nation and it is no longer simply a “melting pot” of beliefs and ideas. As teachers we have the power to make each child feel loved and accepted no matter where they come from or what they believe. We also have the opportunity to build on student differences while teaching about the beauty of individuality and the special gifts each child can bring to the world.  

Classrooms are more than academics.  Building a community that offers hope and success to all students in the classroom provides a backdrop for engaged learning.  Teachers are here for the heart.  We are here to help each child find their purpose.  We are here to make connections and help our students along the journey.   We put our hearts into our jobs every day so our children become citizens that will make a difference.  

This semester flew by and it was an amazing gift to see my students through fresh eyes.  Having a student intern gave me the chance to reflect and think about my own teaching, as well as help my students in ways only possible when you have more than one adult working together in a classroom.  Having a student intern allowed me to do more and be more for my students.

Next year, this class of college graduates will move into their own classrooms.  Lauren, my student intern, along with thousands of others, will be able to set up learning communities that take small pieces of each classroom they have been involved in and they will mold those ideas to match their own personal philosophy and style.  In August they will have fresh, new faces greet them and they will be YOUR kids. While this responsibility is enormous, you are ready.

In the first few days and weeks you will be a type of tired you did not know existed before having your own classroom.  You will have great days, you will have successes, you will see learning.  You will also have lessons fail, you will have disappointments, you will wonder why you are in this profession.  You may have parents love you, you may find colleagues you click with, you may have a million questions you find small answers to every day.  You may have parents upset with you, you may disagree with colleagues, you may question what this is about.  At each quarter and at the end of the year a smaller version of this beginning of the year tired will return.  It is in the moments you doubt and in the moments you shine I wish for you to:

-remember the joy you had on your first day

-laugh with your students each day

-allow yourself time to sit and reflect

-allow yourself time to sit and have a good cry, then move on

-tell each student what you value in them

-show respect to all students

-remember everyone brings something to the classroom

-remember those who act out, are simply asking for love

-remember you were young once too

-remember the importance of play

-find the learning in failure

-encourage students tell each other what they value

-share a success with a colleague (no matter how big or small)

-celebrate the little and big accomplishments

-give yourself grace

-have some chocolate (or whatever little indulgence you love)

-write down the funny things, read them, reread them

-send thank you notes for gifts (no matter the size)

-remember why you started

This amazing, demanding impossibly possible job is the best there is.  You will touch the future every day. My wish for you is to hold onto the hope, the dreams, the passion, the love and the joy of the journey.  Celebrate and have fun down along this path.  And remember to laugh!

I am blessed to live in a small community just outside of a university town.  With this comes the opportunity to have pre-service teachers in my classroom.  While learning to teach, they are also my students.  I have had the opportunity to work with early field students just beginning their educational work, students in their “block” classes beginning to teach their first lessons, and teacher interns on their last leg of their classroom experience.  The scaffolding for each level is different, but they all need the experience and expertise of classroom teachers.  We are the experts.

Early field experience provides an opportunity for college students to get one of their first inside looks at a classroom.  They are crossing the barrier from being a student themselves just a couple of years back, to seeing the management, organization, planning, prep-work, paperwork side of teaching. Early field experience teachers come into the classroom to observe, as well as begin to interact with students in small group guided lessons.  As a classroom teacher, I use these extra bodies to listen to students read, assist students who need guidance in staying on task or finishing projects, or to lead small groups after assignments have been given.  With direct and specific instructions (making sure this is in check with the university expectations for their classwork) you can benefit from having extra eyes and ears in your room. Explain what student work should look like and how the early field student should help.  This not only gives your students more support, it provides the college students with experience moving from that role of student to teacher.

The “block” students in our university setting are learning about the content areas and applying that knowledge with support.  These students come into classrooms to observe, gather information and teach whole group lessons on content from class.  Last week my block students dipped their toe into the water with a read aloud.  Watching this process reminded me of everything we do when teaching.  It is an art to keep students engaged, ask questions while continuing to move the story forward and read aloud to elementary children.  After the experience, I provided meaningful feedback with specific words and examples to praise the strengths of the read aloud and provide some guidance on what to do differently next time.  I am also mind fully providing the group with literature selections to read when they come.  I want their books to connect to our lessons.  Being organized is a huge necessity when working with pre-service teachers.

This group of “block” students will also jump into teaching this semester. With a language arts and science content block, I modeled how I teach vocabulary this week (such a huge part of any lesson) and they are going to group teach next week.  Lesson plans are due on Monday the week of the lesson, but I requested they turn then in to me by Friday.  I want to be able to give them meaningful feedback and know the best time for that will be over the weekend. I read through their lesson, added standards (they had one) that I know fit, asked questions to prompt their thinking about classroom management, organization and time management and sent it back with comments.  While this is extra work, reflection is such a huge part of teaching and knowing how to guide them strengthens what I do.

The last step before you are thrown to the wolves, I mean get your own classroom, is teacher intern.  Having a teacher intern is such a journey.  You can read further about my experience last year in my series “Student Teacher Diaries”. The responsibilities here go beyond checking a few lesson plans.  I noticed my teaching shifted from planning and preparing to evaluating.  I spent late nights giving feedback on lessons, but then during the school day I was able to observe not only my student intern but my students as well.  I had time to organize and strengthen things I was already using while she took over teaching responsibilities. Looking at the learning happening enabled me to think about ways to push myself as a teacher and the things my students needed.

Learning never stops.  Inviting and accepting pre-service teachers into your classroom allows you to reflect and strengthen your own craft.  Being organized to have tasks ready, know what standards will be taught next week, and have references available to share is a necessity.  You will also be able to model classroom management and demonstrate how to meet the needs of all learners to the teachers of tomorrow.  It shifts your work load and pushes your thinking, but we don’t learn if we become stagnant.  If you have an opportunity to open your classroom to pre-service teachers say yes.  Share your knowledge.  Give back.  You are the expert.