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Sharon Ethier General

One Word

A friend of mine introduced me to a New Year’s trend a few years ago. Instead of making a New Year’s Resolution you choose one word to focus your intentions for the year. I’ve always made the obligatory eat healthier, less screen time, move more resolutions and they usually go by the wayside around March. The resolutions I made were about performing an action, however, using one word to set intention is about exploring and practising a mindset.

I think this year, I’m a bit late on choosing a single word. Last year was a tough one filled with a lot of challenges, loss, and change for me. I wanted a word with an intention that may centre myself. One that could evoke emotions that would lead me to remember that challenging times are temporary. Last night, I finally decided on the word “Embrace”.

The word embrace brings me comfort. It’s like a hug for times that are emotional and challenging, both celebratory and in consolation. Embrace reminds me that I can embrace each moment, even when difficult and find a way to be present and at peace. I embrace where I am in my journey and where I am in my understanding of work and life balance. I embrace my imperfections with love and care and embrace my growth to become better, even while remaining imperfect.

Educators have so many responsibilities and so much of our day can be spent working while still feeling like the work is never done. We are pulled in so many different directions at work – planning, assessing, caring for children and each other, report card writing, professional learning, personal growth. Then we return home and fulfill many caregiving duties for our own families and ourselves. It’s hard to remember that it’s okay to do our best, even when imperfect, and to take the time we need to rest and recharge.

I think about these periods of high stress with impending report card deadlines, assessments, and term two beginning. For me, it’s important to embrace this moment in a way that I can lean in mentally and emotionally to hold space for myself and know that this stress is temporary and I can get through it all. I wonder what it would be like for educators to embrace themselves with as much compassion as they give to others. I know that this year I will be reminding myself to do exactly this and exploring ways to treat myself with kindness and humanity.

I also think about my own personal journey to decolonize my own identity, to reclaim and rebuild what education means to me, and to create new identity affirming and sustaining spaces. It seems so daunting at times to work in social justice and anti-racism and I often wonder about my own impact on systems of oppression. Embracing each small step of the journey in 2024 this year may be the way to find joy in the struggle and to find moments of celebration with friends and allies.

Finding the one word to centre my intentions for 2024 isn’t the easy answer to healthier habits or a ‘new year, new me’ philosophy. It is a journey of self-reflection and exploration. Some people I know chronicle their journey using photos or quotes or journaling. Others I know take mindful moments of affirmation and focus. For me, I look at intention as a way to make meaning of my own goals for exploring my humanity; there are no rules, no one right way. Perhaps instead it’s many different moments and ways of honouring each one as they occur.

If you could choose your one word for 2024, I wonder what it would be.

Kelly.McLaughlin Curriculum Documents, Curriculum Planning, General, Language Learning, Science

Word Study with different subjects

Earlier this month I posted about the work our intermediate team was focusing on in terms of word study and teaching our students how to read. The focus for my class specifically is multisyllable words- reading them in everyday contexts as a whole group and in small groups.

In science, my grade eights are currently studying the “Top 10 Green Technology Innovations”. I used an article that focuses on ten systems that are entirely green. They are doing a science project on this topic where they are asked to select one technology and study it further. In small groups, I read parts of the article to my students. I told them to raise their hand when they heard multiple syllables. That word they identified was then theirs to write on the board. I had them break up the word into syllables and asked them to try to read it. I then repeated that with all students in my small group. 

Additionally, I asked students to try to guess the meaning of the words after I read them the sentence for context. In most cases, my students could read the words once broken up into syllables but could not provide its meaning. This means that more comprehension work is needed in the future. 

After they each got to break up their multi-syllable word and attempted to read it, they went back to their groups. Each student from my small group got to pick a student from the class to read their word. We went through them all until they had all been read. In most cases, my students were able to read the words because of the syllable break up. However, earlier that week when we had read the article as a class, many students struggled at most multi-syllable words. It was good to see that breaking it up helped!

Later in the week, our school participated in “Joy Day” (which I blogged about in 2022) and I taught a Hanukkah lesson with a group of grade eights. We did the same activity, selecting multi-syllable words and attempting to read them. Students had to come up and underline the word and then read it out to the class. We then clapped out the syllables and read it together. It was great seeing the students trying to find the words in each paragraph all while learning about the history of Hanukkah.

 I look forward to incorporating more small group and whole class word study activities as we work on this new curriculum expectation: B2.1- use generalized knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell complex words with accuracy and automaticity

 

Brenda MacNaughton General

Should You Stay or Should You Go?

Have you been considering a change? Moving schools or applying for a position at your board office? Here are a few anecdotes to think about as you consider this very personal decision.

As a child I had a teacher named Lilian as a neighbour. She was very kind to me and we often had little chats. She had worked in the same school for more than 20 years and then took the opportunity to change schools to work in a classroom with students who dealt with hearing impairments. Lilian told me she was very happy with her decision to move because it was invigorating and refreshing. She loved learning how to be successful in her new role and she adored her students.

At the beginning of my teaching career I was surplus to my school for 4 out of my first 5 years.  On the one hand, I was very happy to have a job. But on the other hand, I was frustrated. Being forced to move schools meant adapting to new staff, admin, students, parents and communities. All of that on top of adjusting to a new grade assignment.  In my fifth year, I was happy to be placed in a new school that wasn’t quite at capacity.  I stayed at that school for 26 years and was never declared surplus again.

Compared to Lilian, you might think I became stale and dispassionate about my job. One of my principals encouraged me to move, citing that it did him a world of good to change work locations frequently. I often looked at postings but always decided to stay on. After a decade of being a homeroom teacher, the position as a prep coverage teacher and teacher-librarian gave me plenty of change in subjects and students. I felt challenged by the role and really enjoyed being in the library for part of my teaching time.

There was an occasion when I applied and was interviewed for a position at another school. Part way through the interview I asked a lot of questions and realized I did not want the job. It was a relief to get the call that they went with another candidate. It wasn’t the right position for me.

Throughout my career I’ve met teachers like Lilian who made a happy change near the end of their career and some like me who made no change once they settled into a position they liked.  There are many variations as well.  We all wonder “what if” but in the end we realize that the decision to apply for new positions is yours to make. You will be considering many factors such as your health, family and career. Sometimes reducing your commute can improve your quality of life, even if it’s not the teaching position of your dreams.  It’s always a risk to put yourself out there but you will never know if you don’t try.

My new position as a semi-retired occasional teacher has been a welcome change. I used to say I would never be a supply teacher, but here I am, loving it. Every day is a new adventure!

I wish you well in the staffing process of 2024.

Take Care,

Brenda

 

Will Gourley Celebrating Success, Challenging Topics, Constant Learning, General, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, self reflection, Teaching as a public profession, Year End Reflection

daring pt 2023

Saying goodbye to another year can stir up a lot of emotions. I found myself reflecting about a farewell post to share with you knowing it will be one more that brings me closer to the end of my time here on this platform.

This in itself is not yet a goodbye, as there are still 6 plus months of writing to come. It is, however, a great chance to look back and look forward from the precipice of one year’s end and towards a new year ahead. Maybe this is a function of age or some other memory related trope, but I will prattle on nevertheless.

As a result of this melancholic thinking I find myself asking, “what did I do in the past year that was daring as an educator, and what will I do in 2024 that will be daring as well”? I guess I need to consider what counts as daring because this can be construed as mere subjectivity if it does not mesh well with the minds of others as it is intended. Dare I go on? 

Daring can conjure up a lot of imaginary thinking from one to the next so before you conflate ‘daring’ with dangerous please read on.

Looking back on 2023

From an outsider’s point of view, 2023 couldn’t have been more normal considering the turmoil of the lockdown, online, and hybrid models we taught through in the years prior. The joy of not having to prepare and deliver lessons for two different grades of in-class and online learners while not having to worry so much about social distancing, masking, or illness was cause for much rejoicing. As 2023 started, it felt like we were really coming out of the pandemic and I was able to really focus on my students. 

This meant taking time to reimagine what learning needed to look like for students who experienced learning in a manner that had never been delivered to them before. Daring to go back to old(er) ways didn’t seem right with my students. They needed something else, and that came in the form of social emotional learning more than academics. 

So 2023 started off with more team oriented and collaborative projects that asked students to recapture their abilities to listen to one another to accomplish a goal with just as much importance as succeeding at learning the curriculum infused within it. My goal was to put the individual learner back into the spaces that were stolen from them by COVID19.

Admittedly, there was a lot of work to do when it came to assessment, but that in itself was also a chance to be a bit daring too. Before you dial 911, please remember that we were all given a new hand of cards to play with during the pandemic. What we knew beforehand was only going to serve as a starting point and not a return destination.

It was, to forgive the pun, like the beginning of new year. It was full of promise and without any mistakes in it. Assessment became a chance to have students see themselves reflected in how they wanted to show their learning. We took time to democratize rubrics and methods to demonstrate understanding. For us that meant fewer pencil and paper tests, more conversations and check-ins, more feedback, and many more chances to revisit learning. Instead of teaching, testing, and moving on we learned, lingered on what needed more time, unlearned, and relearned as often as needed.

Yes, we still managed to get the whole curriculum and it was a government mandated standardized testing year as well. 

I think that 2023 also allowed me to dare a little more boldly into my lessons when it came to social justice focused on BIPOC excellence and culturally responsive and relevant learning opportunities that went beyond the heroes and holidays. Instead of a single day or month, these conversations became part of our class logos, pathos, and ethos. Ultimately, it allowed my students to feel seen, heard, and empowered with greater understanding of one another which also led back to the social learning I set out to teach to start the year. 

Being able to work with my class to start 2023 carried over nicely from January to December even with my new, much quieter, cohort of students and I am seeing the fruits from taking those chances earlier in the year even though the delivery is definitely different for this group, the goal to teach to their social emotional needs first remained. 

On a personal level we sold our house, moved, and continue to unpack. In between all of that were 3 weeks of summer school teaching, and a quick trip to bury an uncle. Life did not skip a beat when it meted out the highs and lows of 2023. For all of them, I am thankful to be working in a wonderfully led and staffed school filled with caring and curious learners each daring to take the steps towards discovering and developing their talents.

My next post will look at how I might be daring in my classroom in 2024. I ask you all to consider that too and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Sharon Ethier General

In Search of The Thing

When I first started teaching, I was always looking for The Thing. The Thing that was going to help students to learn best. The Thing that would make the lesson stand out in students’ minds. The Thing that would be the right fit for all students. Don’t we all wish we could find that one magical Thing?

In my search for The Thing I used a number of different graphic organizers. I had my KWL charts for every science strand, Venn Diagrams at different points, and collaborative Sequence Charts, Mind Maps, Brainstorming, etc. As time went on, my collection of graphic organizers continued to grow and morph from chart paper to include digital apps. I think this is really where I started to think more about The Thing and what it’s purpose was for our community of learners. Were they something physical we needed to have? Did they need to be visual in the classroom all the time? Which ones could we display on the screen and put away to revisit for the next time?

Sometimes I wanted to do some collaborative brainstorming. Students would be able to learn with and from one another; building upon their ideas and practising collaboration skills. I thought The Thing for this particular goal would be graphic organizers such as Mind Maps where students could see the relationships between pieces of a certain idea, topic, word, etc. We could track our ideas together if I wanted to activate some prior knowledge, take the temperature of the class as a whole about a specific concept in science or social studies, or even to help develop a deeper understanding of vocabulary for word work.

Sometimes I wanted to create an anchor for us as a class. Perhaps we were engaging in shared reading and we wanted to keep track of our thoughts or the events in the text. We might use a sequence chart or a timeline so that we could remember what had happened, how we felt or thought about what was written, or even to reflect back on how our thinking and opinions had changed. These anchor charts needed to be displayed, continually revisited, and always turned out to be messy and imperfect for the first few drafts – we were adding things, changing things, there were arrows pointing from one idea to another, and it documented our thinking. In the final review of this collection of thoughts, events, and ideas we could organize a neat, final draft but I always felt it was necessary for students to see that thinking was a messy process, it didn’t need to be perfect the first time around – or even the second!

Students always seemed to like using Venn Diagrams. Maybe it was the fun circles or the visual appeal for them. Trying to extend our thinking and explore different visual models, we used three and four circles to push our thinking; we looked at a variety of funny venn diagrams to interpret the creators’ ideas and we tried to create fun ones ourselves. Venn diagrams became a way of playing with our ideas, sorting and re-sorting what we saw and understood to know that there were many different ways of knowing and that learning could change and be seen from different perspectives.

Sometimes I wanted to really focus in and see what students were thinking. We would use Concept Circles or a Frayer Model and have students demonstrate their thinking with words or without. This would give me the chance to help students communicate their ideas in a variety of ways – using manipulatives, drawings, sketches, images, etc. Seeing students express their thinking in different ways helped those who were still attaining language or vocabulary and it also helped me to be intentional as a teacher in seeing their thinking, asking them questions, and talking to them about their ideas.

These are all really Great Things to use with students, but they weren’t The Thing. They were tools for learning; a visual way to engage with student thinking and allow space for student learning to be valued in the classroom. One of the biggest lessons throughout my years of teaching has been that it’s rarely about The Thing. It wasn’t the graphic organizer that the kids loved – although they did enjoy watching me make spelling mistakes or sounding out tough words. Rather, it was engaging in real collaborative thinking and learning. The messy ideas, the moment to be learning with one another was The Thing. I used to think that just giving them a graphic organizer would be The Thing to do and sometimes it still is. But now I also think of it as an opportunity to engage in critical thinking, to allow students to speak and voice their ideas and allow space to celebrate when their ideas change and develop and mature. In the end, maybe that’s The Real Thing.

Colleen Elep General

New Year, New Perspective: Discoveries in the Desert

One thing I have always loved about being an educator is that we have two “new year’s”: one in September when the year starts, and one in January when the year changes. Travel is a luxury that I feel so fortunate to enjoy during those moments: it is the perfect time to reset my thinking and refocus on the time ahead.

In the last year, the desert has been a special place for me to reconnect with nature and think critically about how we learn about the world. Learning about the environment from two very different cultural approaches has helped me to build a greater appreciation for different ways of knowing and seeing the world.

Learning the Sonoran Desert

I had the privilege of spending time in Arizona last January, and came a cross a place called the White Tank library. This place had an entire wall of back windows that faced a sprawling nature reserve. In the same building beside the library was a nature centre and bookstore. The bookstore had dozens of books for kids and adults themed on desert flora and fauna, particularly the notorious javelina (totally worth Googling if you have never heard of this animal!). There were desert spiders, snakes, and other creatures on display for people to look at, and guides on site to give information about them.

a library
Panoramic windows make the White Tank library feel integrated into nature. Source: author.

The trails at the back of the building were well manicured, with information signs throughout the walk explaining the different variety of cacti. Even if you didn’t feel like reading, the site was absolutely spectacular to look at. The trails looked well cared for, and loved by the locals we saw in technical fitness gear running and hiking through the grounds.

The library and all of its resources resonated with me because it aligned with my personal experience of learning – books, guides, and clearly defined trails that I could navigate easily. Immediately I imagined how great it would be to take students here, and how easy it was to connect science and literacy learning.

An incredible place to read about and explore the desert. Source: author.

A Jaunt in the Sahara

On another desert trip last summer, I went on a short tour of a small section of the Sahara in Egypt. Desolate, mountainous, and nearly unbearably hot, this desert contrasted starkly with Arizona’s Sonoran landscape. A wild and bumpy jeep ride took us about 30 minutes into the desert.

Rustic tourist centre for tourists near Hurghada, Egypt. Source: author.

The excursion took us to a desert village largely set up for tourists. According to the guide, the locals quite understandably did not like tourists peering into their homes, so they separated their homes from the area that foreigners could explore. Constructed of simple, open air buildings and a space where tourists could ride camels led by local residents, the whole experience of the place beautifully showcased the arid, mountainous landscape.

Rocky, unmarked trails gave led to vistas that showed how locals interact with the land. Source: author.

We looked into a small mosque, watched a young girl demonstrate bread making, and drank hot tea. A small hut featured local animals such as lizards and bugs. A rocky climb up a hill gave a view of the actual village homes in the distance. Completely unmarked, it was a struggle to climb until we became accustomed to climbing the steep and rather unstable ground.

And while the rustic tourist site bore zero resemblance to the modern, well-funded Arizona library and trails, it struck me how two completely different cultures had created similar  experiences for people to learn about the desert environment.

The Takeaway

There are so many ways to experience and learn from the outdoors. Why should we limit ourselves, and the students we teach, to a single perspective?

It is wonderful and enriching to have books, exhibits, panoramic windows, and guides to help us navigate nature. It is also equally great without all of these things, and learn from observing the way that people sustainably maximize the resources they have access to.

Outdoor education has come a long way in Canada. More and more, schools are embracing Indigenous ways of knowing, particularly when it comes to stewardship and wildlife protection. Books like Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass have offered powerful, Indigenous perspectives on the natural world and scientific learning.

It is an exciting time to embrace the different ways we can understand nature. In a time when stories of forest fires and climate change have become part of the daily news cycle, alternative ways of learning are more critical than ever.

Will Gourley Behaviour Management, Building Inclusion, Classroom Management, Constant Learning, General, Local Involvment, Making a Difference Through Education

what happened

Imagine a last week of school before the winter break that was so crammed with activities that when the bell sounded on the last day that there was applause and a collective exhale?

Imagine a last week of school that collected, organized, logged on a spreadsheet, and delivered over 600 non-perishable items to 2 local food banks?

Our class split into 3 groups (logistics, sales, and marketing). Each group developed and defined their roles in the project which included creating marketing materials such as posters to place around the school and daily announcements for the duration of the campaign. Our sales team was in charge of creating grade level appropriate presentations for grades K to 2, 3 to 5 and 6 to 8. Once the campaign started our logistics team collected the food from classes and drop off points, sorted them by type, checked for best before dates, and logged the items on to spreadsheets.

Imagine taking time for a kindergarten concert, a dance, and some class social activities? This included sending notes and games to our Sweet Secret Santa class in the school, and then joining them for a surprise shared read aloud. It also gave us a chance to cheer for their singing performances too.*

Imagine getting caught up on past work so that there was nothing to work on over the holiday? Perhaps it is a personal preference that has developed over the years, but I like to clean the homework house before extended breaks. It is not my goal to burden my scholars with busy work. Instead, I choose to encourage them to be helpful at home. I shared that washing dishes, doing laundry, using a vacuum, or tidying up will be good habits to start forming now in advance of those post secondary days away to come. 

Imagine having to do, not one, but 2 assessments on the last day before the break? That’s on me. I hate deferring good assessment opportunities for which all the prep has been put in. Plus we can all return to new learning once the break is over. 

Imagine not watching a single movie other than a few Bugs Bunny cartoons? If you want your kids to see movies in my class, then you are going to be disappointed. TED talks, short docs, creative animations or music videos (OK Go), and classic cartoon shorts are what you’ll find queued up. 

Imagine a team puzzle solving challenge that asked students to be leaders and encouragers when under pressure? I thought that this might be fun instead of playing a Kahoot or Blooket (both of which I really enjoy) for a change.

I found two 200 piece puzzles at the Dollar Store. The neat thing was that the puzzles were 150 cm x 30 cm in size. The large pieces made it easy for the 10 plus students to see who gathered around the large table to put it all together as quickly as they could. On the line, bragging rights and a bag of cherry blasters (gelatin free). My only advice was that good teams/leaders work hard at encouraging one another, not yell at each other. 

It was really interesting to watch the two teams (boys vs girls this time) work together. I witnessed two totally different, yet effective collaborative approaches. In my mind this activity was only going to take a half an hour to complete so I set it up before lunch thinking it would all be over just in time.

 Nope. 15 minutes into their lunch time, students were still buzzing around their puzzle tables working on their team task before one team prevailed. Victorious and magnanimous they shared their prize.

Photos by author. Edited using Prisma app

Imagine tidying up the class so that it sparkles for our return? Sweeping (me), tech , art supplies, books, math manipulatives all organized, book boxes and lockers cleaned out, and chairs stacked in manageable piles (students). This ongoing chance to model responsible class stewardship never gets old. I always love the zen moments that come from sweeping.

 Imagine saying happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and peace on earth? 

That’s what happened. 

p.s.
 Imagine being home for two weeks? For some these weeks will be the toughest times where they may not feel as connected or seen as they might be at school. My hope is that all students and staff will come back rested and ready for the next 6 months at school. Wishing you all the best for a healthy 2024. 

* It’s been a while since I have seen a JK/SK concert which was so entertaining and out of the traditional Rudolph and Frosty box. Based on student and adult audience reactions, I was not alone in this opinion. 

Brenda MacNaughton General

Self-Regulation with Sensory Experiences

We all experience stress and anxiety that can make self-regulation challenging. As adults we have figured out strategies to help us feel more calm and in control of ourselves.  Perhaps you listen to music, try a new recipe, get some exercise or chat with a friend. These strategies that use our senses can bring us out of our heads and more focused on the here and now. Our students will retain more of their learning if they are in a good headspace so let’s consider some sensory activities to try.

Slime

I highly recommend creating slime with your students. It is a fantastic learning experience in science and gives students a tactile, gooey substance to stretch, pop, roll, and squeeze. I’ve seen quiet students have confidence to talk to classmates while using slime and I’ve seen students who were screaming calm down completely when slime was introduced.

Brain Breaks

Exercising in the classroom with videos that have visual prompts, music and fun characters can put energy into a class after a longer period of sitting still. No video? No problem! Using a playlist of favourite music combined with body movement is energizing too!

Food Experiences

With a parent volunteer or co-op student it’s rewarding to get some easy recipes like fruit kebabs, veggies and hummus or personal pizzas going. There are so many recipes available to accomodate all kinds of needs. Plus your students will be more likely to try something new in this social situation. Years ago a colleague introduced me to the book Stone Soup and we made soup together. I kept that tradition with all my homeroom classes because students really enjoyed it and it reinforces healthy eating habits. 

Crafts

Having materials on hand for students to make creations can be very soothing.  The act of creating really gets the mind focussed and calm. I’m a fan of loose parts, a collection of odds and ends like paper towel rolls, scrap paper, plastic lids, bread tags, etc. 

Soft Start

Looking for a smoother start to your day? January would be a great time to implement the soft start.  Students enter the class and have choice of quiet activities. You may include things like building materials, play dough, drawing, reading, etc. Using a timer can help students to be aware of the transition to your start of day routines.

Invite Animal Visitors

You may have local organizations that sponsor pet visits to the classroom. Animals can bring out the best in humans! I have witnessed examples of empathy from everyone in the class when they are learning about dogs, chicks or even lizards.

I’d love to hear more helpful suggestions from our readers. What works to help your students with self-regulation? Do you have other sensory activities that your students love?

Photo Credit: T. Pfautsch

Kelly.McLaughlin Combined Grade Classes, Curriculum Planning, Language Learning, Literacy, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, Struggling Readers

Intermediate Reading- Part One

This year, myself as well as the other intermediate teachers in my school will be taking place in a three-part reading school sponsored professional development. We will be looking at phonics and its place in the intermediate classroom. I look forward to blogging about these three sessions.

For these sessions, Kate and Ashley (our consultants) came in to lead us through our reading PD. We had our first session last week with the focus on what everyone’s current literacy block looks like and how much time we are devoting to word studyfocus on the right to read report. To start our PD session, we looked at our different students and what their current needs are. We know that some of our students are starting to read, reading with some understanding or reading with a good knowledge of what they are learning about. We want to focus on assisting each student at where they are at.

We were introduced/re-reminded of what a literacy block should look like:

Literacy Block

  1. Whole group oral language and knowledge building- 30 minutes
  2. Whole group word study- 20 minutes
  3. Small group instruction- 20 minutes
  4. Reading and writing- 20 minutes 

Our focus for our first PD would be whole group word study and how we can incorporate that into our language lessons. Recently, our school support staff helped complete a CORE phonics assessment for our students. The data showed where students were at and what their needs were. Some examples of needs were: reading  multisyllabic words and di & trigraphs. The lessons we use in our class should be based on our core phonics reading data and the gaps displayed in that data. 

Our focus and curriculum expectation for our the lesson we would be co-creating would be:

Grade 7:

B2.1- use generalized knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell complex words with accuracy and automaticity

B2.2-  demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary flexibly in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use generalized morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

B2.3- read a variety of complex texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing, to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

Grade 8:

B2.1- use consolidated knowledge of the meanings of words and morphemes (i.e., bases, prefixes, and suffixes) to read and spell complex words with accuracy and automaticity

B2.2- demonstrate an understanding of a wide variety of words, acquire and use explicitly taught vocabulary flexibly in various contexts, including other subject areas, and use consolidated morphological knowledge to analyze and understand new words in context

B2.3- read a variety of complex texts fluently, with accuracy and appropriate pacing, to support comprehension, and when reading aloud, adjust expression and intonation according to the purpose of reading

 

Throughout our PD, we looked at how to teach our students these important skills and how they could be integrated into our other subjects. Some strategies include:

  • Using the vocabulary from our science units 
    • Break up the syllables, read, identify consonants and vowels
  • Using the vocabulary from Nelson literacy texts
    • Break up the syllables, read, identify consonants and vowels

Our school provided us with a book that would help us teach this new learning. The book is:

“Teaching phonics & word study in the intermediate grades” by Wiley Blevins. I have already tried one lesson from this book and my students had a great time. This lesson was designed with Kate & Ashley with other intermediate teachers.

Word Study Lesson

Activity: 

Write the word “fabric” on the board. Have the students count the syllables in the word and divide the syllables with a line. Identify underneath the consonants and vowels in the word. Then, repeat with several other words without saying the word aloud to them. Have students read the word out together after they have broken up the syllables. 

Duration:

We did this for about 20 minutes as a whole class with multiple words. 

Consolidation:

We talked about patterns and how we noticed that the word was broken up in between its consonants. We also talked about what type of words we were reviewing and how they were all closed vowel words.

Other words used:

  • Husband
  • Beverage
  • Jogger
  • Active
  • Package
  • Splendor 

I look forward to trying another lesson from the book during my next language class. 

Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Math, Professional Learning and Growth

Building Thinking Classrooms – The Ice Cream Problem

This year, my colleague and I have had the chance to participate in professional development from our Math Department around Building Thinking Classrooms. We’re learning about the 14 teaching practices for enhancing learning and working with teachers at our school on implementing the practices in junior classrooms. My colleague and I shared our learning around the first three practices and as a junior team, we agreed to work on the Ice Cream Problem – found on page 96 of the book – with students. In this post, I’m sharing a little about the first three practices and what I noticed when students worked through this problem. 

Types of Tasks

When it comes to building thinking classrooms, the goal is to give students thinking tasks. Thinking tasks require students to problem-solve. When we consider the Mathematical Processes in the Ontario Math Curriculum, to solve problems, students must: draw on their prior knowledge; try out different strategies; make connections; and reach conclusions. Building Thinking Classrooms suggests that we begin with engaging in non-curricular tasks and move into curricular tasks, as the culture of thinking begins to develop. I struggle a little with the categorization of some tasks being non-curricular because I often see mathematical thinking – particularly in the area of numeracy – in tasks that have been labelled non-curricular.

In the classes that I partner with, I’m absolutely amazed by the way that students are demonstrating their thinking as they have been working on solving the Ice Cream Problem. While the problem asks students to consider the combinations with 10 flavours, we started off with 5 and our first extension was to move into 6 flavours. I’ve seen different strategies used and I have also seen students reflecting on what they have done in the past when given an extension to the problem. I have one class that is particularly excited to come down to the library to solve problems that they see as different. It’s neat to see how excited they are to talk through and work through the problems in their groups. 

Looking for non-curricular tasks? Diana Hong has curated a number. There’s also a spreadsheet of curricular tasks and a site curated by Kyle Webb that you might find of use. 

Randomized Groups

On pages 44 and 45 of Building Thinking Classrooms, we learn about the benefits of randomized groupings based on what was noticed over time:

  • Willingness to collaborate – open to working with anyone they were placed with.
  • Elimination of social barriers – learning from and with other people allowed for the crossing of social boundaries and a greater awareness of others.
  • Increased knowledge mobility – sharing of ideas with others.
  • Increased enthusiasm for Math learning – as social barriers decreased, there was an increase in enthusiasm around Math in this type of way.
  • Reduced social stress – in the selecting of groups both for students who do and who do not have strong social bonds. 

Students know when they are being grouped by readiness or for any other reason. In order for students to believe in the randomness of groups, the groups have to be visibly random.  Using cards, popsicle sticks or Flippity, randomized groups are easy to create. Also, when students know what group they are in and where to meet their group, transitions are more easily facilitated. 

Groups of 3 are ideal in the junior classroom. I created simple emoji cards that I shuffle and hand out to students. Once they have their cards, they find the matching emoji at their workstations and get going on their task. I have been so impressed by how students just find their groups and get to work. Rarely have I had students comment on not wanting to be in a particular group or not wanting to work with someone. This could in part be because they know that groups are always changing and that they will most likely be working with someone else the next time they are given a task. 

Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces

Off and on, over the years I’ve used Wipebooks and the windows in our classroom as vertical non-permanent surfaces for students to work on. Whether or not I understood the “science” behind it, I noticed that students enjoyed seeing their work or solutions up on the wall and I also noticed that it helped students share their ideas or strategies with others more easily. It was up and visible to all. Also, as a teacher, I could literally see how students were working just by glancing around the classroom.

On pages 58 to 61 of the book we learn a little more about the findings based on using vertical non-permanent surfaces:

  • When students work on whiteboards, they can quickly erase any errors, which, for them, reduces the risk of trying something. 
  • Standing necessitates a better posture, which has been linked to improvements in mood and increases in energy. 
  • Having students work vertically makes their work visible to everyone in the room, thereby increasing the porosity between groups and heightening the possibility that ideas will move between groups.

For our Ice Cream Problem, I saw all three points in action. Students wrote, erased, re-wrote and organized their ideas with confidence. Groups that were stuck glanced around the room and got ideas from others to get them started or help them consider a different way of organizing their solutions. Students have really loved working on the Wipebooks and are often shocked by how quickly time flies when solving problems in their groups. 

This year we are on a journey to support students in their enjoyment of Math. Stay tuned as I’ll continue to share more about what I’m noticing in the coming months.