This I Believe, 2012

So, I’ve been thinking about our recent “This I Believe” unit. I tried to develop it into a collaborative projectand a few other classes signed up, but it didn’t get as much traction as I had hoped. There’s always next year. Anyway, I forged ahead myself. I teach in a classroom that is usually self-contained. [...]

Writing in Elementary Grades, at EduCon and Beyond

So, I’m still thinking about EduCon. The first conversation that I attended was presented by three impressive ladies:  Pam Moran, Becky Fisher, and Paula White. I knew from past experience that I would not be disappointed spending 90 minutes with them. I follow all of them on Twitter, try to keep up with that they [...]

Closet Clean-out

So, I’ve been thinking about what is in my closet. My school closet-not my clothes closet. There are clearly too many shoes in the one, and a lot of work from previous students in the other. I rearranged my classroom, again, just a minor change this time. That means that I have  a spare small [...]

Is a peer edit a good edit?

So, I’ve been thinking about peer editing. Honestly, there is no way that I can read and edit everything that my students write. And, just as honestly, there is no reason for me to do so. I get that I am the paid professional in the room, but that does not mean that I am [...]

Sometimes it’s ok to put it down.

So, I’ve been thinking about how I spent my summer. More specifically, I have been thinking about what I did not do in terms of school. Here’s what I did do officially: I participated in 2 FULL days of training for our new Mac laptops. 1 full and 1 partial day of PD/training about a [...]

Global Read Aloud, Week 2

So, I’m thinking some more about Edmodo and the Global Read Aloud project with Tuck Everlasting. I know I just wrote about it yesterday, but I’m on a roll here. 1. Today we used Edmodo in a new way. While I read aloud, the students did some “live-blogging” on Edmodo. I made a separate group [...]

We’re busting out of this town!

So, I’ve been wanting to get my students participating in learning with other students outside our school walls. Last year students had individual blogs and we worked on a little this and that. This year I am once again committing myself, and my class by extension, to more outside-our-walls experiences. One of the first things [...]

Experimenting in Language Arts

So, I’ve been thinking about experimenting in class. I announced last Friday that we were going to try an experiment. One student said, “Experiments never work out.” He’s a solid kid, not just trying to be the class clown at all. I replied, “Getting iPads was an experiment. . .” He was quiet for a [...]

Is “Tuck” everlasting?

So, I’ve been thinking about the books we read in language arts. We do not use a basal reader. We read novels (I don’t like the term “trade books” do you?) and teach skills through them. It’s 5th grade. We’re not reading “the cannon.” We, my 5th grade teacher colleagues and I, make changes here [...]

My New Colleagues

So, I’ve been thinking about what I call my class as a group. I know some teachers do the “friends” thing. My personal kids go to a Quaker school so their teachers certainly do that. And, I hear lots of teachers, usually of younger children, use “friends” at my school as well. I wasn’t sure [...]