Critical Thinking Questions

In preparation for the Spring Conference, we have been reviewing how to write questions that promote critical thinking. I want to create questions that will share my guided math implementation and help my seminar attendees connect with the information I present. I want to design questions that will not only peak their interest but also hopefully address some of the challenges they are struggling with on how to begin guided math in their classroom.

How does implementing guided math insure that student needs are being met at all ability levels?

• Implementing guided math has allowed me more flexibility when working with students at different ability levels. I am able to spend more time on a new concept with my struggling students and move on to more challenging concepts with my advanced students. I like that I still get to meet with all students each class period. In the past I found myself focusing my extra energy on the struggling students and just sending an extra worksheet with my advanced kids to keep them occupied. Giving them equal amounts of attention leads to everyone getting what they need.

How do you find enough time in your schedule for another large block of instructional time?

• This was one of my biggest challenges when first deciding that I would implement guided math. I already do guided reading so the majority of my mornings were filled with Language Arts instruction. I pushed my Science and Social Studies to the morning right before lunch. I was able to open up the 2-3:15 time slot on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. On those days we have to give up our end-of-the-day recess but instead do more brain breaks throughout the afternoon. I will be the first to admit that I was initially dreading having math at the end of the day but with the 15 minute rotations the kids stay surprisingly engaged. 

Presence and Engagement

I can't believe how quickly our M.Ed. journey is coming to a close! It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I was writing my entrance essay and waiting for that acceptance. Now we are down to 3 months. I have learned so much about myself and my profession over these past 5 semesters. In relation to AGAPE, this week were are focusing on the last two letters: Presence and Engagement. After reading our article and viewing a video, I realized that I identify most with these two letters both personally and professionally.

• How does a teacher use presence in the classroom to create an atmosphere conducive to learning?  
• I think a teacher uses presence in the classroom when he or she "sets the stage" for learning to happen. Teachers who are present create a welcoming environment where students feel safe, feel comfortable asking questions, and can take pride in both their successes and failures. When these basic needs are met, the atmosphere is more conducive to learning.
• What kinds of things engage students in their own learning?
• I think student choice has a huge impact in engagement. When students can choose an activity based o their own learning style, they are more likely to be engaged. While this isn't always a possibility, good teachers allow choice as often as possible. Students also need to see that their teacher is actively engaged in the lesson as well. Teachers are the biggest models of behavior; if they are "checked out" of a lesson students will most likely follow suit.
• What is the role of technology in this engagement?
• Technology is becoming more and more useful in terms of student engagement. More possibilities for differentiation exist when students can use laptops, iPads, etc. and truly work on activities at their personal academic level. Technology also provides active visuals to enhance student learning. When students can physically interact with content on the Smartboard they are more excited and willing to focus on the information.
• Do students have a responsibility to attend to their own engagement or is it solely the responsibility of the teacher?
• I think it is the responsibility of the teacher to teach students how to become (and stay!) engaged in their learning. This is certainly easier for some students more than others. Teachers can coach students on how to choose activities that play to their stronger learning styles. Teachers can also use an example assignment and discuss the different ways students can approach it. Students then should begin to take more responsibility for their engagement. It will certainly take some practice.

Catching My Breath

I feel like most of my posts about guided math have been really positive this year. The implementation in my classroom has been going smoothly, I've been seeing good results, and my kids seem to enjoy the structure.....but it does get exhausting! This week we only have school Tuesday-Thursday and are trying to wrap up things for the quarter. I got to school extra early this morning to prep for guided math and was SO relieved to see that I didn't schedule parent volunteers for today and tomorrow. WOOHOO! Don't get me wrong, we could have certainly done a lesson today and everything would have been fine but I felt a huge weight lifted when I didn't have to commit to that 1+ hour with this short week. We were able to finish up projects and hunt down missing work in a much more relaxed environment. It was great for everyone! Today served as a good reminder to me that it's okay to take breaks sometime. The kids will pick up next week right where we left off... hopefully :) 

Guided Math Observation

My principal observed my guided math block on Monday. Our observations are scheduled on an every-other-year rotation so it worked out great that this was my year! Today I met for my post-observation meeting and would like to share what an "outsider" had to share about how things are running in my classroom.

My feelings: I felt like the block didn't run as smoothly as they have been going all along. My class was having a loud day overall and had a tough time settling into partner and individual work. I was concerned that I had been working so hard, and then when my principal finally gets a chance to see it in action, my class turns into a circus. [Thanks a lot, Mother Nature, for all of the indoor recesses!!] The new concept was probably the most challenging of the year so my individual workers struggled significantly more on their own than they have up to this week. I had a lot of kids coming back and asking questions when they usually can ask each other and figure things out. I would have to reteach a lot of our lesson, which I did today and the kids did really well hearing things for the second time. 

My principal's thoughts: It wasn't a circus :) The kids were a little noisy but did get settled down after a few reminders here and there from me. She was impressed with how smoothly the transitions went- I didn't even have to announce where kids needed to go. When the timer beeped, kids wrapped up what they were doing and knew where to go next. It was nice to hear that all of our practicing has paid off. The kids were engaged and were able to recall the content later in the day when asked by our principal. It did make some sense to the students!   She shared that several people are keeping an eye on how this is working for me. Our Curriculum and Instruction director asked if I would be wiling to teach a mini session on guided math at our back-to-school workshops in August. It was a nice surprise and a little added pressure. There are some big changes being made to our schedule next year and creating longer math block is #3 in the order of scheduling. We talked about the pros and cons of having a common math block with 1 or 2 grade levels (2 or 4 classrooms) to meet even more needs. I'd be up for trying it!

We are taking our NWEA test next week so I will be able to draw some final conclusions when comparing Fall and Winter data. I'll share what I can decipher from the results soon.

Entertaining an Elephant- Week 2

We are almost done with the book. Just a few more pages to go! 

What are 3 positive things that are happening for Mr. Reaf?
- Mr. Reaf is allowing himself more flexibility in his class routine
- The students are starting to enjoy coming to his class
- The students are opening up to Mr. Reaf and he is doing a bit of it as well
What are 2 characteristics of Mr. Reaf that you see in yourself?
- Sometimes it is hard to get out of your 'groove' when it seems to be accomplishing your goals
- Showing that you care for students, beyond the classroom, means a lot to them
If you could ask Luis 1 questions, what would it be and why?
How did he become so wise and knowledgeable about life? I wonder what Luis did before he began working at the school that allowed him to develop this view of life.

Who is your “janitor”?
My janitor is our RB2 community. I didn't know what to expect when I signed up for a Master's course over a year ago. One our very first day I knew I could not have made a better decision. Our RB2 members have so much to share with each other! Not only have I learned from my subject alike/grade alike groups, but I never have the chance to interact with teachers outside of my PK-7 building. I love hearing what's going on with the "big kids" in different classrooms!
What role do the quotes play for Mr. Reaf’s class?
The quotes in Mr. Reaf's class give his classes a 'jumping off point' the doesn't revolve around grammar. These quotes allow his students to have deeper conversations and get to know one another. Mr. Reaf is also learning more about his students each day.
What do you use for “quotes"?
In my classroom, I start most lessons asking if someone can tell us what we talked about the day before. Sometimes I like to see if a student is able to re-teach the class the big ideas from the previous day. It gets everyone thinking right away. 
What do you consider Mr. Reaf’s greatest transformation?
I think Mr. Reaf's greatest transformation is how he is now connecting with students. At the beginning of the year he was more focused on just getting through the day and doing his finger count. Now he is engaging with students during the whole day. He doesn't feel the need to finger count anymore because the days are going so much better for the students and for himself.

Recharging the Batteries

Happy 2015! It was so nice to have some time off from classroom work and grad work and just reeeeelax. Now the trick is getting back into the swing of things. Judging from the past two days, I think I can safely say that this is true for both students and teachers! *arctic blast and indoor recess all week certainly doesn't help anyone get back into routine* BRRRRR!!!

Over break I did spend a couple of hours with my Action Research paper. I tried to establish an outline of how I will organize all of the many pieces. It feels reassuring to see it slowly coming together. I am most excited to make some changes to how I have implemented guided reading and draw some conclusions from pre- and post- adjustments. I hope to be able to put into words the growth that I have seen exhibited in both my students and myself over the past few months. That isn't to say there were certainly trial and error moments, but on a whole, things have been pretty positive. 

Shackleton Wrap-Up

I wanted to give a brief wrap-up of my Shackleton Strength Leadership Goal. My students all presented their How-To projects and did a phenomenal job! I was thoroughly impressed and had 22 of those "proud teacher moments" that we all love to have :) I had the iPad in hand and recorded each presentation. I am now starting to load them onto a private YouTube channel for families to view. I was surprised at how well rehearsed some of the students were- it was evident they had practiced at home. Presentations ranged from 45 seconds to a little over 5 minutes. Our culminating conversation focused on the different strengths we each have and now the combination make our classroom so great. We talked about what students learned to do that they had never done before. We also discussed and strengths that someone had that we didn't know about until they showed us. I will certainly be doing this project again the future!