Rounding Up

Time seems to have truly flown by this semester. I can't believe that we have actually made it this far! I feel that I have learned so much in the past three and a half years, and I'm ready to take on the real (class) world. I know that I still have so much more to learn, not only next semester, but even as I continue my career. 

Last week I talked about how we can reflect on ourselves. This involved looking at things we should stop doing, start doing, and continue doing. I think that it is a valuable part of our teaching and learning for us to take the time to reflect. But what about our kids? I also believe that reflection for them is a really important part of their learning. We are taught to teach and give assessments, but then what? Do students really understand what they gained from all that happened and all that they were exposed to? Did they take ownership of their learning? How do they feel about the work that they accomplished? 

I started researching on the internet and there are a lot of different strategies and resources that you can use to help students reflect! I found a resource on Edutopia that I found really exceptional. From the link that I'll provide, you can access 40 reflection questions for your students. I will say that I think this might be somewhat difficult to do in younger grades, because students are still learning to take ownership of their learning. However, I still think that it's possible if you really want to take the time to have your students learn the value of reflecting. 

There are four different types of questions that are included on the resource: backward-looking, inward-looking, outward-looking, and forward-looking. Choosing a few different questions from the different types would help students reflect on the overall experience and learning that took place. This could happen in several ways. Finding creative outlets for students would take them to the next level. This is also a great opportunity to incorporate critical thinking and communication in the classroom. 

I look forward to the upcoming semester and taking time to have my students and myself reflect. We can use the time to learn together. I encourage you to check out the 40 reflection questions and put it away in your resources! Good luck to everyone as they round up the semester and embark on their next journey!

Download the questions from the link below:

https://www.edutopia.org/resource/40-student-reflection-questions-download

Stop, Start, Continue

First, I want everyone to just a take a minute and think about the fact that we only have four weeks of the semester left after this week.

My CE and I were talking the other day, and I said "I can't believe I take over in 2 months, that makes me want to throw up." Her response was "That makes me want to have a party!" Hahaha. 

At this point I am just trying to prepare myself mentally, physically, and academically for January! Don't get me wrong, I'm scared, anxious, nervous, but I'm crazy excited and feel so blessed to have made it this far. 

As I prepare myself for this upcoming time, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my practice. What are my strengths, and what do I really need to focus on before January? I think that it is important that we do different research and find different articles and blogs that we can connect to, learn from, and take new ideas. 

I found one article in particular on Edutopia that I really connected to this week. The article talks specifically about things that we need to stop doing in the classroom, things that we need to start doing, and things that we should continue doing. Maybe you aren't doing any of the "stop" points, and maybe you are already doing the "start" points, and if that's true for you, then good for you! I can definitely tell you that they were all things that I took something from though. I'm not going to go through and explain each of the things that they talk about, but I really encourage you to go look at what each of these mean. 

What Should We Stop Doing?

Stop teaching as if we have the answers.

Stop rushing.

Stop talking.

What Should We Start Doing?

Start looking for problems to solve, actions to take, and beauty to create.

Start teaching with new discoveries about the brain in mind.

Start seeking out authentic, high-stakes audiences for student work.

What Should We Continue Doing?

Continue with your professional development, and model the growth mindset in action.

Continue to place our work with students in global contexts.

Continue believing in the potential of every student.

Each of these things have really valuable points backing them up. I think that we all can take something away from this article and hopefully use them to reflect on our own practice and start building and working on our future practice! 

Check out the link below to read the full article:

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/stop-start-continue-conceptual-meets-applied-david-hawley?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Technology

Well, like always, I have trouble integrating technology into my lessons. My CE doesn't do this a whole lot, and it also can be difficult with kindergarten students, because they haven't had a lot of exposure to technology yet. My go to is always watching a short video, or showing something on the smart board. I want to be more intentional when trying to integrate technology and find new and creative ways to do this. Meredith introduced me to SeeSaw, which was just amazing to me, and I'm excited to try that out next semester. I think that this is something that could be done, even in kindergarten.

My CE doesn't integrate technology a lot either, besides some of the basic ways that I have always done in the past (show a video here and there, play a game on the smart board), but I will say that she has introduced me to some great websites that are fun for students to engage with on the smart board! Her and I are both experimenting with this and both want to learn more about different ways to integrate technology.

I think that sometimes this can be difficult for new teachers. We get so caught up in other things and either forget about it, or we simply don't know the right resources. I found this great article on the wonderful Edutopia that has access to many different resources and tools!

On this website you can look at:

• Resources by Topic
• Tips and Strategies to Get Started
• Standards, Models, and Frameworks
• Finding, Evaluating, and Selecting Technology Tools
• Managing Technology in the Classroom
• Teaching Digital Literacy and Citizenship

The website is laid out in a way that you can look for and access things easily. It is broken down into categories that makes it easy for you to look for the exact resource that you need. 

This is something that I think all of could use both now, when student teaching, and even when we have our own classroom. 

This directly relates to standard 4: integrating and utilizing technology. 

Check out the full site below!

https://www.edutopia.org/article/new-teachers-technology-integration-resources

Next Level

Well peers, the end is in sight. With half of the semester gone so far, it is becoming more real, a little scary, and a little surreal. At this point, I am truly trying to prepare myself for what comes next. I love that I have been able to spend so much time getting to know my kids, learning the schedule, learning procedures, learning how my CE teaches, and becoming comfortable in my classroom. Like many of you, I have begun taking over small portions of the class. I feel myself doing a little better, being a little more confident, and little more prepared each time I step in front of the class, but I still struggle with some things. One thing that my CE does SO well is ask questions. The questions that she asks the students are simple, yet extremely effective questions. They are questions that make the students think, use their brain, and teach them beyond the basic lesson. The question may have nothing to do with the 'topic' at hand, but it is always asked for a reason, even if teaching students a life lesson. I can't help but think sometimes, 'how does she come up with these questions?!'

Dr. Clark mentioned this kind of questioning in one of our meetings. I know that this is definitely something that I need to work on and truly be intentional about while I'm teaching. My CE assures me that this is something that comes naturally with time and becomes something that you don't even think about. In the mean time, working towards that place is a specific goal of mine. 

I found a short, but helpful article that talks about 'Questioning That Deepens Comprehension'. The author talks about 4 different kinds of questions that we can ask our students. 

"

• What does the text say?
• How does the text work?
• What does the text mean?
• What does the text inspire you to do? "

She goes into much more detail about each of these questions and also gives examples of each. Of course depending on grade level, you have to adapt these questions to fit your students; some maybe more so than others, but either way, these are the types of questions that take students to the next level and deepen their comprehension. 

If you have any strategies on developing effective questions, I would love to hear them!

I really want to connect this to standard 4. This is really about facilitating learning for students. We can help build problem-solving and critical thinking skills by making them use a higher order of thinking and taking them to the next level. 

Check out the full article below to read more about the four kinds of questions!

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/questioning-that-deepens-comprehension-douglas-fisher-nancy-frey

Field Trips

Well... this is my second time being sick this semester. That was particularly hard this week, because I had to miss the class field trip. I'm not complaining too much though because I only had strep. A few of my students were reported to have mono, so I'm just thankful I didn't catch that! I really don't have time for all that!

The sad thing was, I was really looking forward to the field trip! The students were going to an orchard to pick apples and look at pumpkins! Luckily, I already went on this field trip once this year with the kindergarten class at the private school I use to work at! Still, I was looking forward to seeing how my CE planned and managed this kind of event. 

The first field trip that you go on can be a little scary. You basically are taking a large group of kids into a public place, are responsible for all them, have to keep them safe, keep them calm, all while not losing anyone. Luckily, this has become a pretty second nature thing for me, because I have gone on A LOT of field trips. At the summer day camp that I worked at the past two years, we go on 2-3 field trips a week. It's always nerve wracking going on a trip for the first time with a new group of kids, but it gets easier. 

It's important that you PLAN, PLAN, PLAN when you go on a field trip. What is the schedule going to be like? How much is everything go to cost? How is transportation going to work? How will students sit on the bus? Where do you go when you arrive? Will there be a guide? There is really A LOT to think about. More than you actually realize. It is important to think about all the small details before you start planning!

I found a really great website that talks about planning a successful (and EDUCATIONAL) field trip. Its important that your field trip that you're planning supports the curriculum. Have learning outcomes, align with NCSCS, have essential concepts, and have key vocabulary. 

You then want to prepare your students. Introduce the trip as a part of a lesson, stimulate students' interest for the trip, discuss your expectations for learning and behavior, prepare students with a twenty-four hour "staging period, develop a schedule of activities, and create a packing checklist. 

Preparing others is also a big step in this process. Obtain parental permissions, complete medical permission forms, prepare chaperones, and hold a meeting with the bus driver. 

Finally, prepare yourself! Conduct a pre-visit to scout the site, develop a participant checklist, check the weather in advance, and reconfirm travel and accommodations. 

The website provides a lot of explanation and more great tips for planning. Other things to take into consideration is a list of things to bring or not to bring. Also consider not fundraising. Don't make the process more complicated than it needs to be! 

This really connects to so many of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. Teachers must show leadership by taking initiative to plan the trip and also be a leader to students while on the trip itself. Teachers also need to provide a safe environment and respectful environment to all students while on a field trip. It also connects to standard 3 by teachers connecting the field trip to curriculum and NCSCS. Teachers should also make the instruction and trip relevant to students. Teachers should also facilitate learning. By planning a field trip, teachers are using a variety of instructional methods and planning appropriate instruction. All of this included standards 1, 2, 3, and 4. 

I encourage to read the entire article to get a more in depth understanding for things to think about and things to plan for!

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/1824

Tired.

The past couple of weeks have been rough. I honestly just feel tired and overwhelmed. I know that many of us are feeling that way at this point. It's not that I'm unhappy with what I'm doing, it's simply that life itself is taking over and many different feelings rush in. There are so many things that are going on that it is difficult to maintain a steady pace and stay ahead. No matter how hard I plan and organize, I find myself discouraged and drained at the end of every day. While trying to juggle my family, my friends, a home, lesson plans, fall festivals, 5 classes, learning experiences, and work, you tend to forget about yourself.

There are a few things that I want to share with you this week.

First, I want you to understand that I don't regret anything that I'm doing. I love the path that I have taken. I love the place where I'm headed. And I appreciate all of the opportunities that God has given me. I simply want to make sure that I am living a healthy, positive life, while also keeping in mind what is important.

Next, I want you to learn how have began to cope with this stress. My biggest life support over the past few weeks has been my quite time. Let me say that I am so thankful to be a part of a Christian University where I can share this kind of thing with you all. Without the grace of God, I literally could not go another day through this chaos. Taking time each day (especially at the beginning of each day) to pray and talk to Jesus makes my day 1000 times better. I find that if I skip this time, it often results in negative thoughts and bad attitudes. I use this time for different things every day. Maybe I'm praying about my students, maybe I'm praying about a particular learning experience, or maybe I'm simply using this time to say thank you. Either way, this is the most important part of my routine.

Next, I want to share a very special book with you.

“What kills a soul? Exhaustion, secret keeping, image management.
And what brings a soul back from the dead? Honesty, connection, grace”
― Shauna Niequist, Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist has been an inspiration to me over the past few weeks. This is book about finding what is necessary, finding who is important, forgetting the busy, concentrating on grace, settling for simplicity, giving up on being perfect, living in the present, and enjoying God's peace. This is something that 21st century people aren't use to doing (especially American's), because the expectation is that we go go go. Why though? What's the purpose? Finding what is important to you and focusing on those things will change your life.

Finally, I found a simple blog on eduptopia about rest. The blog basically talks about a first year teacher that found herself exhausted and almost broken. She wanted to find a way to build herself back up and become the best teacher that she could be. After 20 years of teaching, she has found a way to keep herself healthy, sane, and thriving. Her three recommendations are:

"1. Sleep is imperative.

Author Arianna Huffington writes about the importance of sleep in her book Thrive. Fifty-nine percent of women report being sleep deprived, and 50 percent say that they sleep less than six hours per night. Men aren't far behind. She reminds us that when we're sleep deprived, we're prone to illness, stress, traffic accidents, and weight gain. So during the past year, I've overhauled my sleep practices, researching and renewing my commitments to nurturing great sleep habits.

The National Sleep Foundation reports that most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night to feel fully rested. Clinicians suggest improving our sleep patterns by keeping a regular schedule; sleeping in a dark, quiet, well-ventilated space with a comfortable temperature; avoiding stimulating activities within two hours of bedtime; avoiding caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the evening; and avoiding going to bed on a full or empty stomach.

2. Create sanctuary.

You can give yourself the gift of creating sanctuary: a moment or experience with spaciousness. Maybe it's on your morning commute, curled up in your favorite armchair, or mindfully indulging in a hot cup of herbal tea. Maybe it's the first five minutes of the day -- just five -- set aside for meditation or journaling. Finding ways to create sanctuary are necessary, restful practices giving us the room to rejuvenate.

This week, I sat with one of my teachers who described checking into a local hotel, indulging in a king-sized bed, ordering yummy and healthy room service, and just enjoying the space to breathe. Her experience reminds me that designing what we need to nourish our sacred work is an important investment.

3. Cultivate gratitude.

Listing my offerings of thanks in my journal is something that I've done for years. For my 40th year, I cultivated a more intentional practice of handwriting a quick thank you note each weekday morning and mailing them all at once on the weekend. It was the discipline of noticing people around me who were contributing, making a difference, going above and beyond. However you practice gratitude, it requires moments of reflection, focus on the good, and a perspective shift. Practicing gratitude helps us focus on what matters most.

Research shows us that cultivating a gratitude practice is restful and rejuvenating. In the study "Counting Blessings Versus Burdens" (PDF), Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough describe how, each evening over a seven-day period, participants wrote down what they were grateful for. At the end of that week, participants in the gratitude group reported fewer health complaints and even spent more time exercising than those in the control groups. Other descriptors of the gratitude group include: more joyful, enthusiastic, interested, attentive, energetic, excited, determined, and strong."

Maybe this blog doesn't seem like a lot to you this week. Maybe you don't find yourself any better of a teacher now than you were before. Maybe you didn't find it meaningful or with any depth to it. If that's the case, I'm glad, because that means that you haven't reached this point yet. However, I have a feeling that at some point, you will reach this feeling of exhaustion. At that point, you're going to be looking for some relief. I really hope that these small, simple, yet truly effective points will help you push through. 

Rather we really realize it or not, this really applies to many of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. I would argue that it applies to all of the standards in some way, but especially standard 2. If we can't first take of ourself, we won't be able to take of our students. Teaching them ways to cope with their own stress, learning to take care of themselves, and the importance of rest will take students a long way. We can create positive and nurturing relationships with students by teaching them things as simple as this.

Click the link below to read more:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/rest-the-antidote-for-discouragement-karine-veldhoen

Classroom Management

Well today was the day! Dr. Parker, Dr. Clark, and Dr. Wesson all came to observe me today. I mean, overall I think it went okay. I think it definitely could have gone a lot worse, but there were obviously some things that I could work on and address. Strangely enough though, I felt my class falling out of control. I have always felt that I had a relatively good grasp with classroom management in the past, but today was not one of those days at all. They were extremely talkative, fidgety, and talked over me quite a bit. I do have to remind myself that this was a rough week for the students. They had a lot of changes in their schedule the entire week with a lot of visitors and activities. However, they have to learn that this is never okay.
The thing that makes me feel a little better is that this not only happened with me, but also with our phonics teacher. I have noticed that many times the other teachers simply ignore the conversation and keep pressing on, which is what I tried to do, but that didn't work today (not even with the phonics teacher). She eventually chose to move every clip down of the students that were talking over her. Maybe I could have tried this as well so that they would have known that I meant business. I guess I've still been hesitant to take this step with the students, but it very well may be a necessity. This is definitely something that I need to address before student teaching and also before I have my own classroom.
I found a website that might help me prep for this and also make some small changes that might make a big difference. Of course I believe that every grade level is different, but I think that with a little tweaking, these could fit with every classroom.
I'm not going to go through all of the strategies, because there are 19 of them, but I really encourage you to take a look at them to get some ideas. Also, as we are tweaking and making final touches to LE 5, these will be very helpful.
I think that this applies to several of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards, but the one that I connect it to the most is being a leader. I want to be a strong leader in my classroom that students respect and also love.

Check out the website below!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-and-small-classroom-management-strategies-todd-finley

Sick Days are the Worst

Well... It's that time of year again. Colds are starting to spread. I have had the unfortunate luck of catching a cold already. It's common knowledge that with the cold weather and working with children, sickness is bond to follow. It's a good idea if we go ahead and accept this and learn how to deal with it. At this point, I am fortunate enough to be able to text or email my CE and let her know that I won't be able to make it. However, come next semester, it won't this easy. Come next year, it definitely won't come this easy.

So what happens if we get sick as a teacher? What happens when we wake up and can't make it to class that very day? Are we going to be prepared? Will our substitutes be prepared when they walk into the class that day?

I personally want to feel confident that my substitute will come in and my students will still learn something. Luckily, part of LE 5 is creating our own sub plans. But where do we even begin when it comes to doing this? What kind of things should we think about? Everyone has their own way of doing this, but there are some things that could help us.

I found a great website that gives some GREAT tips and ideas on developing plans!

Tips
1. Include pictures
2. Format plans (be consistent)
3. Go digital

Include 'Good Anytime' Activities
1. Hundreds Chart Activity
2. A-Z activity
3. How to note read fluently

Creating a Sub Plan Organizer
1. Tub
2. Expandable File
3. Drawers

There is a lot more information on the website with some great resources and ideas. You really need to check it out to get the full effect!

This really applies to facilitating learning for students from the NCTCS. Finding ways to have students effectively learn even when we can't actually be in the classroom is really important. Don't let these sick days go to waste!

Check out the website below!
http://www.teachjunkie.com/planning/sub-plans-emergency-sub-plans/

Tests for Days

Tests, tests, and more tests.

That's right ladies and gentlemen, I proctored my first test. Honestly, I can still remember sitting while taking my own test and hating every minute of it. I even remember my very first standardized test that I took in third grade. That's why I really felt for these students and could relate to what they were going through. I was a nerve wracking, intense, and a little scary for many of them. It took the entire three hours for several of the students to finish, so what did I do for three hours?

Not much of anything. You're not allowed to take anything with you, except maybe a bottle of water, you can't read anything from the test, and your not allowed to really answer questions in depth. As a proctor, my main job was to make sure students were bubbling in their answer sheets right while following along with the questions, make sure students weren't cheating or talking, and make sure that all guidelines and rules were being followed. Luckily there was a training and a manual to prepare me for all of this.

I found a website that had four helpful tips when it comes to administering or proctoring a standardized test. I found that these are the most important things and wanted to share them with you all.

1. Wear comfortable shoes!

2. Carry extra pencils and erasers.

3. Take tissues.

4. Read the manual.

The website elaborates more about each of these, so I urge you to check it out.

I'm SO thankful that I was able to partake in this opportunity. Even though I don't believe in standardized testing, the fact of the matter is, it's a part of our system. At this point we have to embrace it and teach our students to do their best.

I know that personally I tend to overlook standard 6 of NCTCS. However, I think that this relates directly to that particular standard. This is helping contribute to academic success of students. We need to help prepare them, but also make them feel comfortable while testing. I think that this can make a huge difference in their performance. 

Here is a link to the website for you to check out!

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/student-assessment-tools/11674-four-tips-for-administering-proctoring-a-standardized-test/

If you have resources or helpful tips for proctoring or administering standardized test, please share!

Brutally Honest

“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.”

Deuteronomy 32:2 

I will start my blog this week off by being brutally honest. It was crazy. All in one day, an autistic student in the class had a melt down, a student came out of the class bathroom with their pants all the way down, a parent send a very disturbing note to my CE, and to top it all off multiple students were sent home with lice. Welcome to elementary school ladies and gentlemen. But still being honest, it was great. I wouldn't trade this for the whole world. Along with all of those things, I saw students learn new things for the first time and light up, I received my first painting from a student, I saw kindness and manners in students that gave me hope, and students fought over who was going to hold my hand while walking through the halls (which doesn't sound good, but it made me feel pretty great). 

I often hear that in teaching it is very easy to get burnt out. We set often set expectations for ourselves that we can't meet or too get too caught up in saving everyone. The fact of the matter is, we can't do it all. We need to accept that so that we won't ever get to that point. Once we reach that point, it often becomes about surviving. I also worry that by the end of student teaching we will barely surviving. 

Personally, I don't want to survive. I want to thrive. I read an article this week that gives some steps that can help a person shift from surviving to thriving. We can already start practicing these things so that we can thrive from the beginning. 

1. Become a good listener

2. Find and add to multiple PLNs

3. Know when to shut your door

4. Be creative

5. Be a human being

6. Know your sweet spots

7. Reflect, reflect, reflect

8. Be nervous

9. Don't take yourself too seriously

10. Have your own quality standards

This article goes into more detail, so I strongly encourage you to just glance at it. This can be a great not only a great guide, but also an inspiration.  

This article connects to all of the standards in some way. All of these things show teacher leadership. Multiple of these establishes a respectful environment. Knowing your sweet spots connects with knowing content. And of course reflecting is included. This guide is a way for us to work on and develop every aspect of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards in some way. 

Below is a link to the article. Check it out!

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/really-truly-happy-teacher/?utm_content=buffer92ca6&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

First Week of School!

Well, the first week was a success! It was a bit crazy, and very overwhelming, but no one threw up and no one cried, so it was good! I will tell you that it would be beneficial to us all to learn a little bit of Spanish that we can communicate with some of our students. I'll ask Dr. Laws to help me out with that (haha). 

I realized that the first two weeks of kindergarten consists mainly of going over rules and procedures 100 times a day. It takes twenty minutes to go anywhere, you constantly have to remind students to keep their hands to themselves, get back in line, turn on their listening ears on, and "no, it is not play time". After the second week though, they usually start to get into a routine of things. 

The biggest thing I want to share with you this week is my experience with our county's new literacy program. Last week I mentioned that our school had adopted the phonics program Letter Land. After attending a literacy workshop last week, it turns out that it is SO MUCH more than that. It turns out that our entire county has bought the program Letter Land and everyone will be required to use it this year. Not only that, but our county brought in Dr. Max Thompson to come speak about the Learning-Focused School Model. Dr. Thompson is the project director of this new model. 

Here is link that will take you to a page telling more about Dr. Thompson:

http://www.learningfocused.com/max-thompson-vita/

Me, being a new, young, open-minded student, didn't think twice about what he was teaching. In my head I was thinking, "Oh, yeah! That sounds good to me! I think I could do that!" However, not everyone had the same opinion that I did; especially those teachers who had been teaching for twenty years or more. They were not excited about the new change that the county has set. Throughout the workshop I noticed facial expressions, murmurs, and eye rolls that gave me the impression that there was a lot of controversy about the new framework that Dr. Thompson wants teachers to start practicing. After the workshop, I reluctantly asked my CE about her feelings. She told me that she had her doubts and that she was reluctant, but that we would see at the end of the year. 

Dr. Thompson says that he has the research to back up his methods. He also says that these programs are extremely effective in high poverty schools. Our county fits the criteria from his research, so the administrators are hoping for strong results. The educators are not so sure. Standards this year have been raised and curriculum has been changed. 

High frequency words are out, content vocabulary words are in. Partners are out, collaborative pairs are in. This year, kindergarteners are expected to write eight full sentences by the end of the year. There are much more to this model, but these are just a few examples of the things that are making teachers question his framework. Like I said, I didn't question much of what he said, simply because I haven't had personal experience with this kind of work. I think the biggest reason for doubt and reluctancy is because it is change. When you have been teaching one way for so long, it can be very difficult to change, and I understand that. However, we also have to look at the research and facts and think about the students' best interest. It will be interesting to see how things in my school throughout the year, and also how growth will be effected this year. 

I STRONGLY recommend everyone go look at the Learning-Focused website. For us, there is much to learn and a lot of helpful resources. I think that the framework could really make a difference in student learning and could be something that we as student teachers could benefit from. 

Check out the Learning-Focused Website below to learn more:

http://www.learningfocused.com

This topic really relates to standard 3 of NCTCS. Teachers need to know the content they teach. It is so important for us to learn EFFECTIVE ways to teach our students and help them succeed. 

Back at it Again!

Four Months.

Four months is how long we have left until we will be student teaching. I can't help but take this moment to stop and think back to 250. Wow, how things have changed! I sat listening, ready, and eager to learn, yet with not a clue what was actually going on. Over the past three years I have learned so much, and I can only imagine what this semester has in store.

In my last blog I wrote that my goal was to blog throughout the summer. Yeah right.. That didn't even cross my mind, but I really wish that I had taken the time to do so, because it can be a really great and even relaxing time. I look forward to blogging especially this semester and next so that I can reflect on my clinical experience throughout the year. It will be especially interesting to go back and read them once the year is over!

This semester I plan on being in the classroom all day on every Monday and Wednesday and occasional afternoons on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This will give me the opportunity to see what a full day of instruction looks like and spend as much time as I can getting to know my students. Tuesday and Thursday mornings I will be taking a yoga class at my local community college. Even though it is a required PE course for me, I'm thinking that it will be pretty beneficial. I have no yoga experience at all however, so it's going to be interesting. I'll keep y'all updated.


Now to the good stuff.

Last year when I was teaching Pre-K, there was a lot of controversy about what style of handwriting we should teach. Some elementary schools in the county are currently teaching D'Nealian, where as others are teaching standard block. I the school that I am placed in this year, they have always taught D'Nealian in the past. However, this year they have adopted a new phonics system called "LetterLand" that teaches standard block. This will be quite the transition for teachers like mine who have been teaching D'Nealian for the past twenty years.

So what is the overall consensus from teachers?

I found a website that allows teachers to discuss back and forth about issues like these. There are honestly mixed feelings about the overall topic. Teachers use to love D'Nealian because it was preparing students to learn cursive. However, cursive has been thrown out so there is really no need for it. The biggest reason that teachers tend to lean towards standard block lettering is that books, internet, newspapers, and most print that we see and read is printed in block style letters. This isn't a huge deal with most of the letters, but for letters like "k" it makes all the difference. In my opinion, we need to all be on the same page. If a student moves schools right now, it could be quite confusing. It would be beneficial to all students if they all were being taught the same method.

This topic mainly applies to standard 3 of NCTCS. Teachers not only need to know the content they teach, but they also need to make teaching relevant to students. If D'Nealian is no longer benefiting students and isn't relevant to their 21st century lives, then we need to make changes.

Check out what teachers are saying in the website below:
http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/index.php?threads/dnealian-vs-block-style.107931/

Blog Reflection

Well everyone!

We made it. The end is here and we have successfully made it through SSED 307. I can honestly say that this was the hardest, toughest, most challenging, rewarding class that I have taken so far at Gardner-Webb. We all worked our tails off, struggling each week to complete all the assignments, taking it one day at a time. Looking back at over the semester though, I have never been more proud of myself. This isn't the first time that I have said this, I have learned more in this one class than I have my entire time at Gardner-Webb. I feel more confident and prepared for student teaching than I ever have.

When Dr. Parker first told us that we would be blogging each week, my stomach was in knots. I literally had no desire to blog, or even learn how to blog. I remember trying to write my first blog. I had no idea what I was doing or what to research. However, as the semester has progressed, that became the easiest (and honestly, my favorite) part of the week. I could pretty much effortlessly find an article that I wanted to address. I felt that the articles I chose were relevant to our learning experiences from the week and helped me better myself and learning throughout. Looking back though, I would like to have made my blogs more personal by adding in more personal experiences from the week. I am with five years all day long, I could have connected with articles more. I also spent a lot of time in the classroom this semester. Talking about this more in my blogs to make them more personal is something I would go back and do. However, this helps me prepare for my future blogs in 435, 450, and hopefully in my own classroom. Overall, blogging is a time for me to vent, reflect, and learn.

There are two main standards that we can connect this learning experience to. The first one being standard 5: Teachers reflect on their practice. Blogging has been a great way for us to analyze and reflect on what we have been learning, the work that we have completed, and the overall semester. This will set us up to be productive and successful bloggers in our own classroom. Blogging specifically for parents may be a great tool for future classrooms. This has not only taught me the importance of reflecting on work, but also reflecting on current events and issues regarding education. Education changes everyday. It is especially important for teachers to be aware and up to date with the changes that are occurring. This brings me to the second standard that we can connect to. Standard 1: Teachers demonstrate leadership. Blogging shows that we are continuing to learn, showing students how important it is to never stop learning. It also shows that we care about our work and what we have learned. This shows great leadership for us students, but also other teachers.

This summer I will be working with 4th graders at a Christian Day Camp. This is an 8-5 day with twenty fourth graders (this is a LONG day). This is something that I am really looking forward to! This will give me an opportunity to have more experience with upper grades. Even though we are not planning academics, we do make lesson plans which will consist of different engaging activities, physical activities, and Bible lessons. We will go on MANY field trips this summer, where students will have the opportunity to learn about many different subjects. After blogging each week for so long, my goal this summer is to continue to blog this summer at least once a week. This will give me the opportunity to reflect on the week, continue to learn new things, stay up to date on current events, and also stay in the habit of blogging each week! Next fall will be here before we know it. At that point, blogging each week will be something I won't even think twice about.

Overall, this has been a wonderful experience for me. I feel so accomplished this semester. I have been accepted into the education program, passed my NCEL, taught my first independent lesson to a full class, become an expert with differentiation, learned about flipping a class, and gained a wealth of knowledge. I know that this class and blogging has prepared me greatly for the future.

A New Outlook on Teaching

The semester is coming to a close and things are starting to to get a little crazy. Throughout the semester, this class has been filled with many assignments that have kept me busy and stressed. However, I now thank Dr. Parker for assigning all that work early in the semester, because the rest of my classes are just now starting to become crazy! My work is just now due for all of these other classes. It is nice to have a break finally in SSED 307.

Of course, we don't have a real break, because our units are due in only a couple of days. I am working to get this completed and finish with a bang!!!! As I have planned this unit and talked to my CE this semester, I have thought about how I would like to plan units in my own future classroom. I recently found an article on Edutopia talking about Project-Based Learning. I think that this can be such an amazing and fun learning opportunity for students!

The article was originally written, because a dad found an opportunity for project-based learning with his own son. His son wanted to build his own hospital. This gave the dad the opportunity to step in and teach his son many new things! This type of learning gives students a chance to be actively involved in learning. It also gives students a chance to use imagination and exploration. It is amazing how projects allow students to develop critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, compromises, and patience. Students will develop so many skills and have the opportunity to put their learning into action, whereas they don't have the opportunity to do so normally.

Th article talks about learning through play as well. This made me think of my own Pre-K classroom. When we were learning about pets and animals, we had a "veterinarian" center set up in our room. We had a waiting area where students looked at books about pets. There was an actual veterinarian area where students brought their "pets" to various students who took turns being the vet. We also had a pet store where students could buy various items for their pets. It was awesome watching the students be excited about learning and actually put themselves in the learning environment.

I always want to come up with new and creative ideas for my students so that they are learning, but having fun as well! I think that this type of learning will also help students see how the lessons relate to their own lives. It helps put their learning skills to use!

Standard 3:

Teachers make instruction relevant to students.

Check out the article to read more about Project-Based Instruction:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/making-room-childrens-ideas-pbl-jack-dieckmann?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Official Teacher Y'all!

Well, I taught my every first lesson today! Yep, that's right! I am an official teacher y'all. Well, not really, but it's quite a large step.

I taught a fifth grade class today about the Trail of Tears. It was really an amazing experience. I thought it went great to be my very first time! My biggest fear that my students were going to ask me question that I didn't know the answer to... Thankfully, that didn't happen! My students stayed engaged the entire time, and I felt that they really walked away learning what I wanted them to. My goal for them was to not only learn the facts from the Trail of Tears, but to understand the devastation and hurt that came from this terrible event. I had my students read a personal narrative from the Trail of Tears. These students were so affected by the narrative, that it was really touching.

As great as I thought my lesson went however, there was a lot that I still need to work on! However, this was a great learning experience, confidence boost, and encouragement.

I often worry about when I actually become a teacher. I don't worry about student teaching as much, because I know that I will have a fantastic support team. However, when the time comes to have my own classroom after graduating, I will be an absolute nervous wreck!

I found a great article on Edutopia that talks about tips and advice for new teachers. The one that stood out to me the most was "find a coach... and if you can't, MOVE". Wow! This teacher was talking serious business. It is absolutely crucial to find a support team and coach. There is no way that we can do this alone, and it is important for me to remember this. I so often take on WAY too much and think I can do it all by myself. I have to accept the fact that it is okay to ask for help sometimes. When I get into the classroom, I should be acting as a leader for my students. Things that I do, they will do. I need to set an example for them and let them know that it is okay to ask for help sometimes.

Standard 1:Teachers will demonstrate leadership


Check out the link below to get great tips and advice for new teachers!
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-i-wish-id-known-new-teacher-elena-aguilar?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

The Crown of Literature

The last day of March. My, how the year is flying by. 

April is right before us! April and May are my most favorite months of the year. 

April holds lots of exciting times!

1. April Fools Day!

             This may be my favorite day! I love to play pranks on everyone in my family. I always get everyone really good! Last year I happened to be observing in the schools on April Fools. The teacher I observed got her students so good! They had missed quite a few days from all the snow, and she had the office call down and announce that spring break was cancelled due to all the snow. Her students had a fit! This made me laugh so hard! I just know that is the kind of teacher that I will be. I love to laugh, and I love to make others laugh!

2. Spring!

              Spring is the most glorious time of year. My husband is a farmer, and this is the time of year that you see everything come to life again. I myself grow my own flower and vegetable garden. Due to the beautiful weather we have already been having, my herbs are coming along quite nicely. This year is a special year for us though! We have baby chicks living in our home! It's so amazing to watch them grow and play! It has truly been a blessing to have these sweet animals join our family!

3. National Poetry Month!

              Before I decided to become an Elementary teacher, I wanted to be a high school Social Studies teacher. The more I thought about though, the more I knew that this wasn't the right path for me. Number one, my heart really lies with younger children. Number two, I love all the other subjects too much to just focus on one! Literature has a very special place in my heart. I once read that the crown of literature is poetry, and I couldn't agree more. Poetry is a way for people to express themselves in anyway that they like. There are no rules, no guidelines, just room for imagination and creativity. 

I read a blog that gave the idea for teachers to start everyday in the classroom off with a poem. What a lovely idea! I think that this would be just the most wonderful thing! It could really set the mood for the whole day, leave students with more knowledge and understanding, and be an absolutely amazing learning experience each and every day. My hope would be that students would begin to develop a love and passion for poetry as well! 

I found another website that shares "25 Must-Share Poems for Elementary School". These are great poems that teachers could focus on throughout the month to teach a variety of subjects and knowledge. There are so many creative activities to do with poetry as well. These activities allow students to learn, but also have fun. I can see this being especially exciting and effective in upper-grades. So far, in my short experience in the classroom, I haven't seen a lot of instruction with poetry. However, last week I did hear my teacher tell one of her students that he could write a rap for his assignment if he wanted. Rather that student realized it or not, he was writing poetry! This is a great way to connect to students in our classroom today. It makes them feel that they are learning about something relevant and close to their lives! I hope that I can find ways to do this every day. 

Standards to connect to:

Standard 3:

teachers make instruction relevant to students. 

Standard 4:

teachers use a variety of instructional methods. 

Check out the links below to learn more:

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2016/03/25/25-must-share-poems-for-elementary-school?utm_content=1459160555&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter#.VvkF1F9b3DI.twitter

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/start-class-poem-each-day-brett-vogelsinger?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

A Very Special Day

For many of us, today was a day filled with many emotions. We were scared, stressed, excited, anxious, nervous, and hopefully relieved. Yes, today was the day that many of us interviewed for the School of Education. 

As I tried to prepare myself for my interview, many different questions were brought up. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? Why did I decide to pursue a career in education? If I could change a school situation, what would it be? 

Even though that many of the questions that I asked myself weren't asked during the interview, they helped me evaluate myself and answer questions that I had never thought about before. In the interview, I did make the statement "Our students should be learning everyday, and teachers should be learning everyday." There is always someone with a new idea, a new strategy, a new method. It is important for us to branch out and find these things to help our students learn more and better. 

The interview and my own personal questions and answers made me begin to think about my Professional Development Plan. I am doing a lot to work towards bettering myself as a future teacher. What made me stop and think twice was "what about after graduation?"
We should continue to develop professional development plans every year as a teacher. That will help us become better teachers and grow in great ways EVERY year. 

The article I found on Edutopia discussed an ultimate professional development plan. This teacher discusses the three primary tools that she uses to grow each year. 

1. "My first tool is my spiral notebook. Here I jot notes while I conference with students, tape in samples of their work, and record insights and observations. Each evening, I reflect on my notes and use them to plan for tomorrow.


2. My second tool is my iPhone. Throughout the day, I take pictures and videos of my students' writing samples, projects, and engineering feats. I often interview them as they share their innovative thinking. These visuals sometimes go in my spiral notebook, sometimes in my Evernote app, and often on my blog to parents. I also use them when I share my students' thinking and creations at our research team meetings and when I present at conferences or write about my practice. The visuals serve as an outward product of our classroom's evolution.


3. My third and most important tool is my teacher research team. These colleagues focus me and serve as a sounding board and support network for my contemplations in the classroom."

We often talk about assessments. Assessments can't always be tests or quizzes. They often may be verbal assessments. Having a spiral notebook would help a teacher keep track of various students and various assessments throughout the day. 

I also mentioned in my interview that I struggle with embracing technology. However, this teacher mentions how she utilizes and uses her phone and other apps to help her develop and grow as a teacher. What a great thought. Something so easy to use and right there at our finger tips. I also LOVE the idea of blogging to parents. Blogging was something totally new to me this semester, but I have found it almost relaxing. 

Finally, this teacher talks about her research team. The article goes into much more detail of what this consists of and what they do. It is something that she encourages every teacher to join or start. It is basically a group of teachers reflecting on their own teaching and their students learning. They come together to share and learn from each other. I think that this can definitely be the great tool and resource to ANY teacher. In my opinion, it is impossible to grow and expand learning without collaborating with other teachers. Having an opportunity to do this once a week is especially useful. 

All of these tools are ones that I want to utilize when I have my own classroom. I want to make sure that I am reflecting on myself as a teacher and helping my students, and myself, become better. The teacher research team may be something that I have to develop on my own, but this would be an opportunity to be a leader in my own profession (NCPTS Standard 1).

This ties in with all of standard 5 of the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. Teachers should be reflecting on their practice. They should analyze student learning, but analyze themselves. More importantly, standard 5 tells us to link professional growth to professional goals. We should strive to grow and develop at all times. This is possible if we use the tools and resources around us, and care enough to put them time and effort in. 

Check out the article:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/reacher-researcher-ultimate-professional-development-dorothy-suskind

Happy Birthday!

It has be different, but interesting developing my concept-based learning plan this week. It has been a new experience for me, but I have really enjoyed this format better than others that I've worked with in the past. I have seen the significance of concepts and generalizations develop with my unit and lessons. I do think that it important to make learning experiences fun for kids! I get bored with the same ol' stuff just like students would! 

That brings me to my next point!

Do you know what March 2nd is? 

http://solvaylibrary.org/?p=3871

That's right! It is Dr. Seuss's birthday!! What a great opportunity to read a few Dr. Seuss classics!

If you are thinking to yourself that Dr. Seuss books can't relate to any important concepts in your classroom, YOU ARE WRONG! Dr. Seuss addressed some truly important issues and ideas in his books. Seuessville.com has some great suggestions on how to take some Dr. Seuss books and make great and effective learning plans! A few concepts recommended include:

-conservation

-racism

-greed

-perseverance 

-self-discovery

I think we have all seen or heard about teachers connecting The Lorax to the environment, recycling, or Earth Day. This is a great opportunity for students to connect to these concepts in a fun way! You can connect to all subject areas by reading, talking about poetry, writing their own poems, counting or graphing objects from the book, and talking about the environment and other aspects! Spending the whole week on an integrated unit for the subject would be a great way to address various learning areas. 

A-Z Teacher Stuff had other GREAT ideas! 

One of my personal favorites:

Green Eggs and Ham:

• Make green eggs and ham in your class.
• List green foods.
• Rhyming Bingo
• Discuss animals that lay eggs other than the chicken.
• Eggshell Art

We actually made green eggs and ham in my pre-k class today and graphed who liked it and who didn't! This was a time for students to learn, but have fun be engaged the entire time! 

I want to make sure than in my future classroom my students are learning and developing their skills more and more every day! I think that the best way for this to happen is to find ways to engage the students. 

This could connect to a few different standards:

Standard 3:

Teachers make instruction relevant to students.
Teachers incorporate 21st century life skills into their teaching deliberately, strategically, and broadly. These skills include leadership, ethics, accountability, adaptability, personal productivity, personal responsibility, people skills, self- direction, and social responsibility. Teachers help their students understand the relationship between the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and 21st century content which includes global awareness; nancial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; and health awareness. 

Standard 4:
Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students.
Teachers collaborate with their colleagues and use a variety of data sources for short and long range planning based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. These plans re ect an understanding of how students learn. Teachers engage students in the learning process. They understand that instructional plans must be constantly monitored and modi ed to enhance learning. Teachers make the curriculum responsive to cultural diversity and to individual learning needs. 

These both say that instruction should be relevant, engaging, and appropriate. Planning a unit or lesson relating and connecting to this subject would be doing all of these things.

I STRONGLY urge you to check out these websites (especially the second one!!)!!

http://www.seussville.com/Educators/educatorClassroomResources.php?id=printables#4
http://lessons.atozteacherstuff.com/80/dr-seuss-activities/

Opt-Out Movement

The Opt-Out Movement. Have you heard of it? I hadn't until I found an article on Twitter addressing the meaning of formative assessments. As hesitant as I was to Twitter and social media, I found it to be a huge learning resource. There are articles after articles addressing various learning techniques and educational issues.

We have been taught what formative assessments are, but the real question is 'what do we do with the assessment?'. The article begins by talking about the issues that teachers and students are facing. We have been partaking in end-of-year testing for quite sometime. Many people feel that these assessments aren't serving their purpose or helping develop student education. Many teachers don't receive test scores back until the following year. This means that teachers aren't able to look at student progress and help students go in the right direction that is needed. Due to all of the problems with this kind of assessment, teachers are joining the Opt-Out Movement and looking more to formative assessments. This allows teachers to have developing, on-going assessments throughout the year.

After formative assessments have been given, there are 3 main questions that we need to address.
1. Where are my students going?
2. Where are my students now?
3. How do I close my gap?

Basically, these questions help us determine where are students need to be, how far do they have to get there, and how can we help them reach that point? Before planning lessons we need to decide what exactly we expect our students to know. If we can determine where the students already are, we can then determine the steps that need to be taken to reach the end product. This allows teachers to collaborate, reflect, and redirect.

I feel that this especially applies to future teachers. I think that more and more teachers are becoming aware of end-of-year testing. The hope is that there will be change in our near future. We need to be aware of the alternative assessments and how they can help us. I feel that in my future classroom, formative assessments will be my most valuable tool. This will allows me to evaluate not only my students, but also myself.

This all, of course, connects to standard 5 of the teaching standards. Teachers are to reflect on their practice and analyze student learning. This allows teachers to grow and help their students grow.

Look up 'Opt-Out Movement' to find out more
Click on the link below to learn more about formative assessments:

http://www.mentoringminds.com/blog/infographic-assessment-for-learning/

Are You Ready to Flip?

Flipped classrooms. The new rage. I found the course we completed quite interesting. I struggled at first to come up with an idea and then implement it, but I think I finally got the hand of it. I think that flipped classrooms can be a great tool. I feel that flipping the classroom would be amazing for high school classrooms. I think that many middle school classrooms could really benefit from this too! I understand the purpose behind the concept and what it looks like, I just find it difficult to imagine myself implementing this in an elementary classroom. First of all, no student is guaranteed to have internet or computer access at home. Some teachers make arrangements for students to come in before school or stay after. That could be a good alternative, but there are students that this isn't possible for either. Other teachers make DVD's to send home with their students. Once again, you don't know every students home life and situation. In the county that I live in have students without power. 

Forget being able to access the videos or resources. I still have to consider that these are elementary age students. They need the one-on-one contact in the classroom. They need the conversation and discussion. They need to truly be learning and taking in the content being taught. 

This week, I found an article on edutopia that discusses an alternative to the flipped classroom. This method is called the "In-Class Flip". Basically this involves still recording and making a video lecture. Once in the classroom, students are split up into groups. Watching the video becomes one of many stations that students will rotate through. Other stations include group work, individual work, and other activities related to the lesson. This gives students the opportunity to quickly watch the lesson and take turns discussing and practicing what they've learned. 

There are some advantages to this technique and also some disadvantages. 

A few of the advantages include the teacher is able to monitor student participation, the lecture has a better chance to sink in, and hardware is safer. Disadvantages include more preparation required, you don't "gain" class time like you would in the flipped classroom, and it is difficult to implement in one-period classrooms. 

Overall, I feel that this technique would apply much easier in my own future classroom. I want my students to be able to succeed and learn as much as possible. I fear that it could be difficult to flip the classroom in many situations. This gives teachers the opportunity to practice a certain version of this. 

This subject could apply to all areas of standard 4 of the teaching standards. Teachers need to facilitate learning for their students. Practicing a technique like this would show that appropriate measures are being taken to meet students needs but they are being challenged and encouraged to learn. 

Read the article to find out more about the "In-Class Flip":

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/flipped-classroom-in-class-version-jennifer-gonzalez

Teacher Leadership

The days seem to be flying by. January came and went, and now February is quickly passing us by. Before we know it, we will be student teaching and shortly after (hopefully), we will have our own classroom. At this point, we are all probably still scared and overwhelmed. I have no doubt that when the time comes, we will step up and be the teachers we all hope to be.

I want to always make sure that I am challenging myself and looking for ways to become the best teacher I can be when I finally have my own classroom. I look at the standards that will be there for us to follow. The very first standard tells us that we are to be demonstrating leadership. From currently being a pre-k teacher, I have found that leading in the classroom comes naturally to me. Beyond leading in the classroom though, I want to be sure that I am leading in the teaching profession.

NEAToday published an article yesterday talking about the recent meeting between various education organizations and current teachers. The meeting was held to discuss improving and embedding leadership in the teaching profession. At first, when I heard the term "leadership in the teaching profession", I immediately thought of becoming an administrator. However, Deborah Hollis tells us that this isn't the case.

"Hollis explained the being a teacher leader doesn't mean you have to leave the classroom and become an administrator. Leading the profession could be sharing with other educators something that is working well in your classroom and inviting them to observe-"that's a teacher leader," explained Hollis, who has been in the teaching profession for 14 years."

That gave me a whole new perspective about leadership. There are simple but effective ways that we can lead in our own profession. This should challenge us to come up with new ways to do this. The first step to doing this would be to be strong and confident your teaching philosophy. Step two involves being caught up on current issues and ideas in the education world. From there you can come up with new ideas to make change or help other educators.

Educators are already starting to take action together. There are many times that new policies and initiatives are put into place in the schools. However, classroom teachers were not there to give any input or advice. These are the ones that should be making new suggestions. Classroom teachers know what works best, what their students need, and what needs to be changed. These are the people that see it and deal with it every day, and these are the ones that will continue to implement these new policies. Current educators are in the process of creating a council that will help make more decisions. This will give teachers more leadership, but also lead to more efficient policies in the school systems.


Check out the full article!!
http://neatoday.org/2016/02/10/teacher-leadership-summit/

A Significant Month

February. The month of love. The month of showing friendship and kindness to others. February can be a lot of fun in a classroom! I know that as a preschool teacher I am having a blast with it! It's okay to talk about Valentine's Day in the classroom, but there is soooo much more to February.

Can anyone think of what else February means?   Black History Month!

This is such a special time for social studies loving teachers especially! Teachers are able to teach their students about so much during this month. A few concepts that could focused on are change, freedom, and human rights.

As a future teacher, I want to make sure that I am teaching this subject in an appropriate way so that my students are learning the important ideas, information, and concepts. I want my students to receive everything they should from my lessons. Edutopia had a blog called "6 Teaching Tools for Black History". This blog listed several resources to use when teaching and planning these lessons. The blog mentioned Pat Russo would wrote an article called "Do's and Don'ts of Teaching Black History". He mentions several methods for teachers when teaching this subject. His very first Do stated, "Incorporate black-history year round, not just in February. Use the month of February to dig deeper into history and make connections in the past." This basically said to me that students should already be familiar with what this subject means. Students should be familiar with the Human Rights Movement, the Civil War, and slavery. This should just be an opportunity to really study the details of what was happening during these times. Russo also tells teachers to make sure that students know that ""black" history is American history". I felt that this was a great statement. Students should know that regardless of their culture or background, this subject is always relevant to them. Along with some great do's, Russo gives some interesting don'ts. He states that teachers shouldn't be afraid to talk about the controversial issues. Students need to be aware of what was happening and what is still happening. This may be harder for younger grades to understand and comprehend. Luckily, I see that many young students don't see color and they don't understand the issue. However, with upper grades, this is an excellent way to reach students.

Russo gives specific do's and don'ts that can be great guidelines and tools for teachers. I feel that they would help me in my own classroom. I want to develop great lessons for my students. I also want to develop great performance tasks. We have learned how important it is to not create activities, but performance tasks. Creating great performance tasks connects to standard 3 of the teaching standards. Teachers need to align their teaching with the NCSCS. Creating grate performance tasks related to black history relates to standard 2 of the teaching standards. Teachers should always be embracing diversity. Showing students how important diversity and culture is can make a huge impact.

As a future teacher, make sure that you start making February a significant month.



http://www.edutopia.org/blog/black-history-month-teaching-resources-matthew-davis

Read Pat Russo's article to learn more!!!
http://www.tolerance.org/article/dos-and-donts-teaching-black-history