Shawna Rothgeb-Bird Classroom Layouts, General

Seven Reasons I Like to Gather My Students at the Carpet

I’m a little late getting this one posted. There was recently a death in my family, and my head just hasn’t been in the teaching game. I’ve been off work for almost a year, too, and man I can’t wait to get back. Staying home with a baby is cool, but I miss the madness of a busy Junior classroom! On that note, let’s just jump right in…

I rarely use my chalkboard. Sometimes a whole week will pass with the notes from Monday’s lesson still there, untouched but for spots where my students ran their fingers through the chalk on their way by. One section of my chalkboard is dedicated to reminders to be written in the agenda – but since I don’t assign homework (an issue for another post), even that is rarely used.

There is no “front” to my classroom, either. There isn’t one place where I stand while teaching, one spot where my students know to look for me if it’s lesson time. My desk and my computer are on opposite sides of the room. My students sit in groups/pods, not rows.

I am, I guess, what you would call a fairly non-traditional teacher.

When it comes time for whole class discussions, more often than not, I gather my students on the large carpet. (Okay, up until last year, my “carpet” was actually two giant rugs I bought from IKEA with my own money… but last year, RIGHT before I went on maternity leave, my principal let me know that I was getting my very own large rug provided by the board. Awesome! I’ve seen it. It’s great. I can’t wait to use it!)

Gathering students is awesome. It was something that was never really talked about during my teacher training, nor did I see a lot of my colleagues doing it. I started doing it in my Grade 5 class because I had set up a really lovely little reading corner and found that my students really enjoyed the space. We used it for read alouds at first, but since I saw the benefits of having them there, I expanded it to most lessons. Now, four years later, I pretty much only teach that way. Why is it so awesome? Let me tell you!

1) No desks, no random things to play with. We’ve all had students who just can’t keep their hands out of their desks or their chair on the floor during lessons. I got tired of telling my students to keep all four feet of the chair on the floor every few seconds. I got tired of trying to keep their hands out of their desks. When the class is gathered on the carpet, there are no desks to hold tempting trinkets and no chairs to lean back in.

2) Kids can move. I find it much easier to accommodate students who need to move around when we are gathered at the carpet. Kids who benefit from being able to walk around during lessons can sit on the edge of the carpet, giving them freedom to get up and move without disrupting their peers. When you want to give the whole class a body break, you don’t have to hear thirty chairs all screeching at the same time.

3) You can set up centres before class. Sometimes I set things up on my desk pods while my students aren’t in class. When they come in and see things on the desks – group work supplies, science experiments, etc. – they know to go straight to the carpet instead. From there, I can give all instructions and send students off to the desk pods without worrying about them touching things or having to set things up while they wait.

4) It’s easier to hear everyone. Students can hear me better, I can hear them better, and they can hear each other better when we’re all in a group on the carpet. It’s a smaller space, so even the quieter students can speak their minds without too much difficulty. I don’t have to project as much, which makes me seem “softer,” if that makes sense. Redirection doesn’t seem so harsh, reassurance seems even kinder.

5) Turn and talk is more varied. I find my students never sit in the same place every time, so when you ask your students to “turn and talk” during a lesson, suddenly they’re speaking with a wider variety of peers when they’re gathered on the carpet. In pods, they are always stuck talking to the same peers, and that gets a little stale.

6) Students need fewer reminders to pay attention. When you have students sitting in pods, the temptation to look across the desks to the person sitting in front of you is huge. You can make faces, pass notes, generally just not pay attention… and it’s pretty easy to get away with, too. Sitting on the carpet, everyone is facing one direction: the speaker. It becomes glaringly obvious when you turn to speak to the person next to you. When you aren’t paying attention, you get called on it immediately. Very quickly, students learn that during carpet time, they’re just better off paying attention from the get go.

7) It feels like a community. There’s something really nice about everyone sitting together as a group on the carpet. Instead of sitting in pods or rows, you’re sitting with all of your peers together. It feels different.

There are many, many more reasons why I like having my students gather on the carpet, but hopefully those gave you at least a few things to consider. If you never gather your students together (and you can do this even if you don’t have a carpet – the bare floor works, but you can always do it outside, too!) maybe think about trying it out for a read aloud one day. You might be surprised by how much your students enjoy it, even at the Junior level!

Will Gourley General, Professional Learning and Growth, Resilience, Start of the year

The Re-Org

Well, it’s bound to happen in any school once, but again? That’s new.

I teach in an amazing school in York Region that opened in Sept. 2014; right in the middle of a growing subdivision. Our original numbers for K to 8 seemed modest  at 300+ last year, and have since grown to over 5oo+ and rising in 2015.

Yup! Despite the statistical wizardry school boards use to construct population models, even the most seasoned actuaries struggle to solve an illusive problem in education, that of population growth or decline. As such, many schools like ours needed to be “re-organized”, and with that come a few highs and lows.

Re-Org

After months of prepping, planning and perspiring to start the year, our school has been re-organized to accommodate the incredible growth in our area. This week many students were introduced to new classes, new routines, new schedules, and new teachers. At the same time, teachers were introduced to new students,  had to choose which students to transition to new classes, rewrite plans/paperwork, and prepare for the possibility of different teaching assignments. None of which is ultimately a bad thing on its own, but to a new teacher it can be pretty daunting.

To outsiders, reorganization is something related to the business world that is usually a precursor to bankruptcy proceedings. In education it is merely a reality due to unpredictable student population growth and decline. Here’s a brief explanation as explained to parents;

“In order to comply with the Ministry class size reduction strategy, we have had to move small groups of students from many different classes. This process was done with emphasis put on academic needs, boy/girl ratios and social needs of students.”

In education it is an important measure to preserve government mandated class sizes in all elementary panels. As any teacher who has experience Re-Org knows, classes can be overcrowded to start the year. Frequently, JK/SK teachers can have 30 +/- , as can junior and intermediate teachers.

As students fill the classrooms to capacity and beyond, the need for more manageable class sizes becomes necessary and mandatory. This could mean more or less split/combined classes, new hires, surplusing, a complete reworking of teaching assignments, and or no change at all. Actual class sizes will then vary depending on the school, administrative creative class structuring, and or willingness to reorganize classrooms to accommodate what has been  “mandated” by lawmakers.

As a teacher it helps to be able to adapt/adjust and advocate for yourself when Re-Org happens. You are not alone. If you are new to teaching, ask for some support from your admin or a teacher who has gone through it before. Take time to communicate with students, clarify changes to schedules (yours and theirs), and collaborate with colleagues for resources, plans and curriculum content.

With school’s officially starting in September, it may not be until Re-Org in October when the routines, roll call, and real teaching can begin. You can do it.

Will Gourley General, Making a Difference Through Education, Mental Health, Professional Learning and Growth, Resilience

My O.B.I.T (open biographical info time)

I ‘ve always wondered about the biography portion of blog sites. Do people read them?
If they do read that section, does it connect or disconnect them more to the writer?
Do the writers keep them updated? After all, it’s a two way street.

What happens when the blogger writes something disagreeable? Do readers continue subscribing to see what comes out next or is as Eminem says, “you only get one shot”?IMG_2116

What if the text is too vanilla? Oh? People like vanilla, but why read at all if it was the only flavour? And now it’s my turn to churn.

How many take time to reply in lieu of muttering to themselves or the closest ear?

So in the interest of transparency, glasnost, and nothing to hide here’s a bit about me.

My name is Will, I have been bullied and been a bully. I have failed in every possible way as a student and according to North American standards of success. I have also succeeded in a world that is overcrowded with enmity, ennui, and expectations to maintain the status quo.

Teaching is my 6th career. Restaurants, real estate, radio, writing and retail were its predecessors. Even though each job was different, they all contributed to a bigger understanding of life and in shaping my world view. Human interaction, failure, and resilience (stubbornness) have contributed also.

I did not start this chapter of life until my 40s. In a way it’s like Plutarch (a convenient hero), who in his 40s went to school, and then became the teacher of the emperor of Rome. Although, I have yet to teach an emperor, many noble minds have graced my classroom in my first 6 years. Along the way I found a series of opportunities and passions revealing themselves and opening my life up great things in and out of the classroom.

I am passionate about infusing social issues into every element of my classroom. My goal in the classroom is not to cram the crown onto the heads of my students, but to hold it above for them to rise to it. I love sharing TED Ed with teachers and students every chance I get. Through these posts I will be able to provide glimpses into the spaces where I teach and in between. Look for pieces about mental health, social justice, genius hour, success and failure as they relate to the teaching profession, our practice and those we are privileged to teach.

Will

ps My next post about Re-Org is almost ready to share.

Photo of Tammy Axt
Tammy Axt First Week Reflections, General, Learning About Your Students

Getting Started With Music

Hi everyone! My name is Tammy Axt (formerly Tammy Gallant) and I am a music teacher for students in grade 3, 4 and 5 in the Peel District School Board. This is my fifth year as a music teacher and I hope to be able to assist those new to the planning time role in schools across Ontario. My school is a suburban school about 30 minutes outside of Toronto with a very high ELL population. In addition to music, I also have planning time coverage in a contained Autism Spectrum Disorder class.

At the end of June last year, one of my students was very surprised to learn that my family lives in PEI. I realized when she mentioned that fact, that I don’t talk or mention things about myself very often. We are so busy in my music class creating or practicing that I rarely share things that happen in my life. So I decided this year to start off by doing a music activity where both the students and I share a little about ourselves.

To share the things I did during my summer, I created a “Prezi”. Prezi is a great online program for preparing presentations that are a little bit more exciting than PowerPoint. I made slides about learning to ride a motorcycle, getting married and hanging out with my nephews. All the things that I love and that made my summer so great. You can see the Prezi I created at https://prezi.com/rl-hlpfivx5q/my-summer-vacation/. While completing the prezi, I made sure to include things that I did that could have clear and obvious sound effects.

After I presented the Prezi to my students, I gave them an opportunity to talk with an elbow partner about some sound effects that go with some of the activities that I did over the summer. I encouraged the partnerships to make the sound effects with their body or their mouth. I showed the Prezi again and we added all sorts of crazy sound effects to the slides.

After hearing about my summer, the students chose one thing they did over the summer and created a sound effect that went along with their activity. Listening to all of their sharing, it gave me some really great insights into my student’s lives. Some of them come from BIG noisy families, some had great tragedy over the summer and some of them love sports. All of this information will help me in planning our upcoming lessons and helping them all be successful this year!

Beverly Papove Classroom Layouts, First Week Reflections, General

Experienced teacher tackles Kindergarten for the first time

With the generous help of colleagues, I made it through 2 whole days of Senior Kindergarten this week. It is all so new to me! As it was, I still felt as if I bumbled my way through a lot – still not sure how much to slow my speech down for the wee ones and or how quickly I need to be ready to switch gears when fidgeting and yawning starts during circle time.

As per a space ready for Inquiry-based Learning, my classroom has almost nothing in it – empty bulletin boards waiting for student work, shelves still holding materials for work areas which will slowly be opened during the next week, and no class calendar, alphabet or number line posters on the walls. Only one small bamboo plant in a bottle of water sits on the window ledge waiting for other plants to join it. I admit I feel a bit relieved that I don’t have to spend a bunch of money at the teacher’s store or resurrect dog-eared posters to put up on my walls, however, I wouldn’t quite know how to involve the students in the making of anchor charts without the experienced help of my colleagues and a Pinterest account. They lead me, I follow.

My learning curve is looping over itself as I discover so many wonderful ways we will be guiding the students in their learning – Mindfulness, Environmental Inquiry, Zones of Regulation, Writer’s Workshop for Kinders – to say nothing of the amazing experience of spending each day with 4 and 5 year olds…I am definitely not in Grade 3 anymore! These first two days were a trial run for me, and they went quite smoothly, all things considered. My first full week this week will be my next big challenge – and I anticipate there will be a whole lot of learning going on for everyone.

Tisha Nelson Before School Starts, Building Inclusion, First Week Reflections, General, Learning About Your Students, Start of the year, Student Ownership, Wellness

The First 20 Days of School – Connecting with Students is a Great Place to Start

Teaching is always new! With a new group of students, fresh reflections on practice and the opportunity to start from scratch, as it were, the start of the school year provides teachers and students alike the opportunity to create new beginnings every year. Knowing this, what might some important considerations be to make it a great start? Chapter One of The Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning: Practical Ideas and Resources for Beginning Teachers highlights four important themes for success: connecting with students, passion for teaching, attributes-based approach and importance of school culture. I would like to focus this reflection on the importance of connecting with students within the first 20 days of school as a means to establish an authentic relationship with students that fosters trust and inspires a willingness to take risks within a safe learning environment.

Renowned poet and author Maya Angelou once said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This profound sentiment holds true for teachers and their relationship with students in that when students feel respected, safe and cared for, the experience of learning is enriched. The following are five practical ways for teachers to build authentic connections with their students at the start of the school year:

1. Be authentic. When teachers model what it means to be an authentic learner – mistakes and all, students are then encouraged to take risks without fear of reprisal. Let your model of authentic learning influence students to do the same. This form of transparency sets the tone for fostering meaningful connections between teachers and students.

2. Ask students about their needs and listen. Validate student voice by positioning them as the experts on themselves. Invite students to share their learning needs and the things that you could do as their teachers that would support their success and commit to doing them. Conducting multiple intelligence and attitudes and dispositions surveys are great ways to begin the dialogue for students to articulate how you can support their learning and their level of self-efficacy.

3. Explore student interests. As teachers we all need to cover the curriculum but viewing the curriculum as a launching pad as opposed to a landing pad can invite student’s interests to take centre stage in the teaching and learning process. Ask students about their interests and find creative ways to invite further inquiry into them while exploring the curriculum at the same time.

4. Learn the students. In addition to the information that can be found in student records (i.e. OSRs), commit to learning more about your students in meaningful ways. Pronouncing student names correctly is important way to let students know that they are valued. Challenge yourself to learn at least five non-school related facts about each of your students. This can help to build a positive relationship and validate their experiences outside of the domain of the classroom. Finally, being aware of students personalities (i.e. introverts, extroverts, etc.) will inform how to relate to them as well as setting the conditions of the classroom experience.

5. Invite to student voice by fostering a reciprocal relationship with your students. Nurturing a collaborative learning environment for students does not merely mean giving students the opportunity to collaborate with each other, but it also means positioning students as collaborators with you. Partner with your students to design the learning space and learning opportunities. This fosters student ownership in the teaching and learning experience and empowers students to be meaningful contributors to the class. When you invite their voice in classroom decisions, ensure that it is validated by action on your part. Leveraging positional power in the classroom creates space for a more meaningful connection between students and teacher.

As teachers we are in the business of supporting students success. Fostering meaningful connections with students goes along way in promoting both student achievement and well-being. When students know that their teachers authentically care about them, their willingness to learn will support their ability to do well. Starting the school year with students in mind will set you on a solid foundation for building upward. Make it a great start.

Will Gourley First Week Reflections, General, Professional Learning and Growth, Start of the year

This is not a drill. We are live.

Dawn of new year.
Dawn of new year.

It’s the first day.
I’m alone in my classroom.
Wow! It’s so calm in here.
And why not? It is nearly 2 hours before the first bell of the new year.

Why do I feel so excited? Yet, at the same time like butterflies are barfing in my stomach? 

We’ve all thought about it, dreamt about it, and for many, myself included, stayed awake the night before thinking about it. Our first day. Albeit,  only for a moment, or as part of lifelong “professional reflection”, the first day of school evokes feelings of anticipation, excitement, fear, or fearcitement (my word).

Did I set my alarm? Am I dreaming? What will my students be like? What about the parents? Will admin be stopping by our class? Is everything organized? Did I pack a lunch? Where’s my coffee? What if they don’t like me?

If you’re experiencing anything from self-doubt to euphoria to start the year, take heart; you’re not alone. Whether this thought life is old hat or brand new for you; congratulations you’re a teacher. For many entering the classroom for the very first time, it is the culmination of many years of hard work and dedication to our profession.

In this new era, just landing a job is worthy of celebration in Ontario. So when you get a moment, set aside some time to take it all in.

It seems like only yesterday. I recall being there 2 hours before the first bell. I recall the faces of students and parents meeting the “new” teacher outside. I recall the first big breath taken before entering the classroom. I recall the sense of accomplishment knowing I survived. Moreover, I recall this where I began to thrive.

Thinking back on the excitement from my 6 first days of school; I  appreciate how they have led to personal growth, professional friendships and constant learning.

So take some time and enjoy the moments that can only happen on a first day of school. Take time to watch the parents who are seeing their child off for the first time. Take time to notice the student who is standing off to the side trying not to make eye contact. Take time to be still and appreciate the world of difference you are about to make in the lives of your learners. Take time to get caught up in the excitement, and let it carry you through that first day.

Enjoy every moment. I know I will too.

Will

Shawna Rothgeb-Bird General

Why My Facebook Profile is Private (A Cautionary Tale)

Every year, I find myself having a discussion with a colleague about social media. Often times it’s with a newer teacher who is excitedly posting photos and details about his or her new teaching assignment to their Facebook page. I don’t blame them for being excited; I am often proud of things I have done in class and want to share them! When I got my contract, I couldn’t wait to tell people. And you can do that! Just be careful about HOW you post details of both your personal and your professional life.

At least once a year, I find a teaching colleague who has a public Facebook profile. Sometimes these profiles are perfectly tame – no details, no real status updates, and I get the distinct impression that they have a profile only to read other people’s posts. Often, however, I find a wide variety of details: names of family members, home address or phone number, e-mail addresses, photos of themselves and their families or friends, sometimes some truly unflattering photos which don’t even approach “professional”…

I’m not Facebook stalking, I promise. When I come across these teaching colleagues’ profiles, it’s usually because they popped up in my “People You May Know” tab, likely because Google and Facebook are forever stalking ME and connecting all of my social media accounts without my knowledge. I should probably stop leaving five Gmail tabs and two Facebook tabs open at all times.

Back to the topic at hand. Sometimes, I find photos of students at my school. Posted by teachers. Purely innocent – it’s often a “Look what awesome thing my students did today!” kind of post. The intention is kind. The thing is, those aren’t your kids. You don’t have permission to post those photos. And if I’m not on your friends list and I’m finding these photos, it means that anyone can see them – along with any other details you’ve posted, like where you work.

Now, lots of people think, “Really, Shawna? Who even cares about that kind of thing, though? I have ten Facebook friends. No one is ever going to find my profile… definitely not my students or their parents.”

Ha. HAHA. 🙂

In five years, these are just some of the experiences I have had on social media:

  • Students looking me up by name on Facebook;
  • Students looking me up by e-mail on Facebook;
  • Parents finding me through mutual friends because they saw me comment on said friend’s profile and figured out who I was even though I was using a pseudonym;
  • Parents finding me through posts I made on ETFO’s Facebook page;
  • Students finding my personal e-mail address which does not have my name anywhere in it and isn’t connected to ANYTHING I do professionally;
  • Students finding my personal Twitter account;
  • Students finding my XBox Live account with my personal e-mail address they found somehow…

I could go on, but it would become (even more) glaringly obvious to everyone reading this that I spend entirely too much time on the internet.

Those are all things that have happened to me in five years of teaching Grades 4 and 5, and I’m careful. I didn’t use my real name for ages on Facebook. I never do anything professional with my personal e-mail address. My personal social media accounts are not connected to my work e-mail address in any way. When commenting on friends’ pages, I do not give any personal details. Still, they find me. They request to add me as a friend. I turn them down. We do the same dance six months later when they find me again. Try having a parent/teacher interview after you’ve (kindly) turned down a parent’s Facebook friend request. It’s awkward.

The point is, they’re looking. They look up everyone. Students, parents, colleagues – someone out there has looked you up on Facebook, almost certainly. And if my Facebook profile wasn’t private, they would suddenly have access to ten years’ worth of photos, status updates, events, rants, laments… I’m pretty open with my students, but not THAT open.

While I am in no way a fan of the idea that everything you do online can have professional repercussions, like it or not, we are members of a profession which doesn’t really have “off hours.” Before you post that photo of you at the cottage with friends, before you post a photo of a few of your students doing your hair because they met their Terry Fox goal, before you use the same address for both Facebook and communicating with parents… imagine your students looking you up. Or their parents. Or your boss.

Be careful what you post. Be mindful of your privacy settings. Know that nothing is ever completely “private” on the internet because someone with access could repost it without your consent.

And for heaven’s sake, set your Facebook profile to be private. 🙂

Shawna Rothgeb-Bird General

Summer Reading – Blog List

Here it is, last day of June, and I am finally finding the time (read: sequestering myself in the office while my husband watches the baby) to post. Sigh. 🙂

In simpler times, when my only real concern over the summer was daydreaming about my class the following year (because I am a giant nerd), I found myself perusing blogs for ideas the way many newly engaged women pore over bridal magazines. My summer has always been full of planning, thinking, dreaming, and preparing. In my travels, I’ve come across a few really wonderful teaching blogs which have provided me with a wealth of ideas and inspiration. I can’t possibly be the only one always looking to others for new strategies, so with that in mind, here are a few of my favourite places to visit:

Runde’s Room – Home to heaps of resources and ideas. She has a VERY good shop on Teachers Pay Teachers. When I was teaching Math, I purchased several of her resources and my students always loved them.

That Artist Woman – So many engaging, wonderful art projects on her blog, complete with tutorials. I always find lots of inspiration here. I think I might have more fun doing these projects than my students, but that’s just because I love art so much!

Living Avivaloca – Another well-written blog full of reflections on teaching and learning, written by a Grade 1 teacher.

Madame Bellefeuille – She doesn’t post too terribly often any more, but this blog has been great for finding resources for beginner French Immersion.

Teaching FSL – Mme Aiello maintains her blog regularly and her Teachers Pay Teachers store is FULL of great products for FSL teachers. She regularly offers freebies, and her blog is full of advice for new and experienced teachers. Her ideas saved me regularly while I was doing occasional teaching work, and now that I have Core French on my schedule next year I expect to be visiting her blog even more regularly.

 

Hopefully someone out there finds one of those links as helpful as I have. 🙂 If you have any other favourite places to visit online, I’m always looking for new sites to add to my blogroll!

Photo of Samantha Perrin
Beverly Papove General, Year End Activities

Keeping it calm during the last week of school…

To be honest, it isn’t really possible to keep calm and carry on during the last week of school. There is so much anticipation for the summer holidays that everyone is feeling a little giddy with excitement. However, it is possible to keep your students occupied and happy, and not push yourself too far towards further exhaustion by involving your students in an all-ages/all abilities project that takes little preparation and that can evolve over an afternoon or a few days.

Although workbooks and school materials may have begun to make their way home, usually you can find the bare minimum of materials the students will need to complete this project. What they need, they often make themselves or find in the school yard if you don’t have it in the classroom. The project involves students making a board game that employs elements of math, arts, and language. As an added challenge, perhaps they can include an aspect from a strand in science or social studies topic that will truly be a culmination of their learning over the year. Sometimes, however, the games are modeled on games they already know well, such as Pokemon or Mindcraft. Regardless of the genesis of ideas, students seem to have plenty of enthusiasm for creating a game and for fine-tuning it so that is will be successful.
Materials needed;
• Scrap paper for rough copies
• 1 sheet of legal-sized paper, car stock or poster board per person/group for final copy
• Pencils, erasers, markers
• Rulers

For the criteria for creating the board game, I ask students what elements make a game fun to play.
Criteria for Creating a Board Game;
• How many people can play?
• Will you need dice, spinners, or numbered cards, etc. for probability?
• What will you use to move across the board? (ex/ stones, coloured blocks, lumps of plasticine)
• What is the goal of the game?
• How can you win the game?
• What are some challenges that may prevent you from winning the game right away?
• Are there colourful graphics?
• Are the rules easy to understand?

Students seem to be happier to do this in partners, although some students prefer to work alone. Whether they work alone or in pairs, students plan to have a game day on the last day of school where they invite other students from other classes to play their game with them (your colleagues will love you for this!) When the weather is nice, students can play out doors in the school yard. Every year, I love to see everyone busy creating and playing and trouble-shooting their games, and then proudly sharing their creations with their peers. And, a fun, student-led activity is definitely a great way to end the school year.
Let the games begin!