Literacy Week Eight

Kirsten posted this cartoon, and I really thought it tied in well with what we discussed this week in literacy:

I think that assessing writing can be tricky for educators.  Depending on where the kids are in their writing curriculum, a teacher can be looking for content, grammar, syntax and spelling.  What Routman was saying (and as a group, we agreed with) is don't get so caught up in the format of the written peice, but look also at what the child is saying (or trying to say) in the piece.  Is the thinking there?  Are the ideas contained in the writing?  Routman cautions against using rubrics to assess students' writing because then the writing becomes stifled and narrowly defined-- as she puts it, "rubricized."  But then what I wonder is:  What if our unit or lessons are on very specific elements of writing, like punctuation or correct essay formats?  If the ideas are there, and are well-written and expository, should we make a mark that lets the student know that the ideas are wonderful, but the rest of the essay (format-wise) needs work?

It seems difficult to find that line between grading and judging.  The last thing I would want to do is damper a kid's enthusiasm for writing because I found errors in the way it flows, or say, wanted them to write their own story, but in my way (see above, ha)!  I do like the six traits handout we were given the other day-- I'll most likely use that as my guide (depending on grade level, of course), but I also think a lot of it boils down to knowing your students (imagine that--going back to something we focused on in a major way during the beginning of our tenure here at UWB)!

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Literacy, Week Seven: LaMott quote.

I don't think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won't be good enough at it, and I don't think you have time to waste on someone who does not respond to you with kindness and respect.  You don't want to spend your time around people who make you hold your breath.
~LaMott, 170.

I think this chapter and quote really spoke to me in two ways, and it's not just applicable to writing or literacy, but to my whole world-view.

First, why do I waste so much time telling myself something isn't going to work because I do not think I am good enough, smart enough, capable enough or talented enough?  All that wasted time that could have been spent creating, exploring, working, or improving instead of worrying, stressing or stalling!

An example that happened the other day:  My sister is an extremely talented artist, and so I sat down to play with some watercolors as she worked on a commission.  Initially, I didn't even want to start because I felt I would disappoint myself by creating something that looked amatuer, or fake-- never mind being embarrassed in front of my talented little sister!  I began to simply play with the watercolors as my sister sat beside me--she creating a gorgeous replication of a vase of flowers, myself creating a simple heart with color gradiation--and I stopped and sighed.  "This looks so ridiculous," I said.  My sister looked at me, squinted her eyes, and said, "Steph, knock it off.  It's art.  Stop being a self-doubting artist."  I guess that kind of opened my eyes a little--I don't need to be good at something to thoroughly enjoy it, nor do I need to be accomplished to begin something.  Just go, stop wasting time and try it, do it, enjoy it.  And if you don't enjoy it, then stop!

It also reminds me of the chorus to one of my favorite Alanis Morrisette songs, entitled "So Unsexy:"

I can feel so unsexy for someone so beautiful

So unloved for someone so fine

I can feel so boring for someone so interesting

So ignorant for someone of sound mind. 

Secondly, the LaMott passage spoke to me because of the value of constructive criticism.  A trusted person with honest and supportive feedback and criticism is vital and so valuable to improving and growing in one's work-- whether that work is in teaching, painting, writing or construction.  On the flip side, someone who criticizes your work in order to tear you down or make you feel small is not a valuable resource and isn't worth wasting your time on.

I feel my master teacher really does a wonderful job of providing constructive criticism as well as positive feedback.  She considers observations a chance to really improve her practice as an educator, and if she doesn't receive any constructive criticism, then she is disappointed and feels it's a waste of the observers time.  She craves that chance to improve her practice or try something new-- she never wastes her time, and that is something I would like to strive for as an educator.

 

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Study Guide, Literacy Week Six

The study guide is in my notebook, and was e-mailed to Nancy :)

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Literacy, Week Five

My master teacher uses shared writing when we create class rules and charts to become better listeners/readers/writers.  Actually...does this count as shared writing or is this more about creating community or getting input from my class?  I need to think on that a little more...

As Tony demonstrated in class yesterday, shared writing can get a little chaotic.  He demonstrated several ways of containing the conversation such as just shouting out an answer, choosing a table "speaker," small groups and raising hands.  I found that something the instructor will have to watch out for is simply choosing the loudest person in the class, or allowing the class to be rude or mean when rejecting another student's idea.  I can't say my feelings were hurt, but I could absolutely say that if you had a sensitive kiddo, and their idea was shot down immediately or harshly, they could shut down for the rest of the activity.

However, I liked that when we had a finished product (the letter to Mrs. B's class), it was indicative of everything we as a class wanted to say to the kindergartners and it was a good feeling knowing the entire class' opinions and thoughts were on the letter.  It was a great model of how the lesson COULD feel, and how the lesson SHOULD feel.  My blog is not incredibly profound this week because all my energy has gone into planning a lesson for my first evaluation.  Sorry!

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Literacy- Week Four

I do think that it is vital to foster an environment where students are encouraged to be great readers and writers, but I know that it won't be possible to make every child love to read, or every child love to write.  However, this doesn't mean I won't try my hardest as an educator to create voracious readers and writers out of my kids.

Reading was my first love, but writing soon followed as I began to write poems, short stories and fairy tales.  Kids have this fantastic store of imagination and creativity to pull from, and with many kids the stories just seem to flow out of them--and I was one of those kids!  I wrote stories in my free time for fun, I entered contests (I even won a Young Authors award!), and I wrote for the love of telling a tale.  So where has that magic within me gone to?  I think it's been replaced with stark resumes, scholarly essays and a collegiate attitude that creative writing doesn't serve much of a purpose--which I understand, it happens.  It's the end of Peter Pan and the beginning of Captain Hook; it's the end of Harry Potter and the beginning of Muggledom.  Reading and writing because "I want to," give way to reading and writing because "I have to."

Luckily, my joy in reading has never disappeared... but the joy of writing has.  I find myself stifled and blocked when I try to think of creative things to write, and it can take me hours to come up with the perfect five page paper.  I loved to write in my personal blog, but I find blogging because it's an assignment or an evaluated project (well, sort of like this journal) takes even the joy out of my personal blogging.  I find that when I am writing about things that really strike me or things that I really care about the words just flow forth and *BOOM*  I have a fourteen paragraph blog in 20 minutes!  But set me down to write a blog about a reading...and I'm stuck.

So I guess in relating this to teaching, I wonder how, as educators, we can continue a love of writing in children.  How do we keep writing from being a chore?  And there can't be an easy answer-- there are somethings in life that can't be avoided, especially as you advance in education.  Scientific papers, expository writing, forced creative writing-- you just can't avoid these things in academia.  So is there even an answer to this question?  Can we keep a student's love of reading and writing alive as they get older?

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Literacy: Week Three

What I am really enjoying about reading Fox's book, Word Identification Strategies: Building Phonics into a Classroom Reading Program, is the fact that I can finally identify the why and how my MT evaluated emergent readers.  It was supremely frustrating to see the process but not understand the reasoning behind the process- and to be asked to help with the running records and not be fully aware of what I was helping to evaluate.  

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The delicacy of knowing when to "joke."

Well, I had my first experience with a sub in my main placement yesterday.  I go back to WM on Fridays just to keep in touch with the kiddos, and let them know how much I enjoy them.  I knew my MT would be gone on vacation, so when I arrived at lunch time, I saw the kids standing in line for lunch first.  I think it was Q or T that saw me first, and their little faces just kind of lit right up!  It was such a heart-warming moment when the word that, "Ms. Martin is here, Ms. Martin is here" spread down the line like wildfire and all the kids said hello so excitedly.  It feels very good to know that these kids really do like me as a person.


Anyway, the kids got their lunches and we were all chit-chatting about the latest and greatest in our lives.  They wanted to know when I would be back, where was I when I wasn't there, etc.  They wanted to tell me about their Halloween costumes, the trips they would be taking, and the coloring they had been working on that morning.   Then the sub read a story to them during lunch and it was one of the worst read-alouds I have ever heard.  Boring, flat, lots of pauses and she kept forgetting to show the pictures on docu-cam!

After lunch recess, the kids came in and sat down for math.  I was by the blue table group where my dear Mr. A sits  (Mr. A is the kiddo that constantly challenged me [I would say up, he would say down] during September, but I had an "a-ha!" moment with him the last time I visited my main placement).  Anyway, the sub came over and I was telling her (in front of the kids) how much I enjoyed this class and all the wonderful kids in it, and she laughs and jokes, "Well, except this kid.  He's trouble!" and she points to... Mr. A.

I cringed inside: of all kids, she points to him, who happens to be a kid that gets into some mischievous stuff in school and does have a rambunctious side to him.  As she said that, I saw such confusion darken his beautiful green-brown-hazel eyes.  I could see the wheels turning in his head as he thought along the lines of, "What did I do?  I'm a bad kid?  She doesn't like me?!?"  The fact is, in first grade you can NOT joke like that with the kids.  They take it seriously, personally, and they take it hard.  Third grade, maaaaaybe you can say those jokes.  But first grade?  Not at all.

I will fully admit that in that moment I did not know what to do, so I kind of smiled and nervously laughed, and the conversation moved on to a disastrous math lesson using money (oh my goodness, classroom management skills were non-existent for this sub.  Example of a particularly cringe-worthy exchange:  Sub:  "Okay, fine- if we can't listen to the math lesson, we'll just sit here and do nothing."  Cue many of the kids: "OK!"  "Awesome!"  "Yesss!"  Oh dear- that was a bad move, Mrs. Sub!).  

Afterward, one of the adult classroom helpers pulled me aside and said that Mr. A had asked her if, "he was a bad kid," obviously because of what the sub had said.  It just about broke my heart.  I knew, I just knew the moment that sub said that, that Mr. A was going to take what the sub said personally.  So, when all the kids came back in the room, I asked Mr. A if he would step outside with me (in a very cheerful voice so that he knew he wasn't in trouble).  We got out into a private area, and I asked him if he was doing okay.  He said he was, and so I just took the reigns, dove right into the issue and said:

"You know, sometimes grown-ups make bad jokes.  I want to make sure you know that Mrs. T was trying to play around with you when she said that you were a 'bad kid.'  Sometimes people try to make friends by joking around with them, and what she said was a joke that just wasn't funny.  But I want you to know that I know you are a wonderful, smart and great kid.  I know that Ms. McN and I are very happy you are a part of this classroom, and we think you are a fantastic kid-- not even close to a bad kid!  In fact, A- did you know you are a highlight of my day when I come to visit this class?"

He looked quizzical, so I said, "Do you know what a highlight is?"

"No..."

"When I say you are a highlight of my day, it means that you are one of the very best parts of my day!"

His face, that sweet little face just lit up!  I can't even put it into adequate words-- those astounding eyes just kind of lit up, he stood a little straighter, and I could just tell that the damper the sub's "joke" had put on him was shrugged off.

Looking back, I should have nipped that comment in the bud.  I was afraid of stepping on the sub's toes, or making her feel awkward, when what I should have been worried about was the fact that I KNOW Mr. A, and I knew how he would take that "joke."  And sure enough, that was the case.  I should have been worried about Mr. A, and his feelings.  Reflecting back, I should have been the one to keep that safe environment Ms. McN created for the class, and I should have shut that bad joke down with something like, "No way- A isn't a bad kid-- there's not one trouble-maker in this fabulous class!"   I learned a lesson, though.  I'm just sorry it had to come at A's expense.

When it was time to leave, I told all the kiddos how happy I was to see them all, and that I was looking forward to next Friday.  Mr. A raised his hand and asked, "When do you come back forever?"

That, my friends, is the best thing a wanna-be teacher could ever hear.

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So You Want to be a Writer by Charles Bukowski

 So You Want To Be A Writer

if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.
Charles Bukowski

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Literacy Prompts; Week Two

Sulzby & Teale:
Think about classrooms you have visited. What aspects of emergent literacy have you observed in young children? How have you seen teachers support the growth of young children's literacy?

In my main placement, a first grade classroom, my MT has books everywhere!  Leveled books in bins, books separated by subjects, books placed into author tubs-- she even has a billboard that is dedicated to a children's literature author every month!  This month the author was Kevin Henkes (Julius, Baby of the World, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, Wemberley Worries).  My MT also reads emergent lit books, as well as more detailed, complex stories to the kiddos, and also reads a book during lunch with the docu-cam (it helps the kids focus on the story and eating rather than goofing around and rough housing during lunch).

Other literacy support is found in the materials posted around the room about loving books, pictures of kids reading books, how we take care of books and other fun visuals.

Council on Interracial Books:
If you have a book that might be considered racist or sexist, please feel free to write a response about it and/or to bring it to class to share.

Well, I do have Tikki Tikki Tembo in my collection.  How sad I was to hear it is actually a red flag book!  I just always thought of it as a folk tale, not a book with insidious prejudice or ignorance inside.  Tikki Tikki Tembo was such a favorite of mine as a child-- my best friend and I used to harmonize "Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo" in a thousand different variations!  I guess I just never thought about the fact that it is not only is it offensive to Chinese language speakers, it also is a re-telling of a JAPANESE folk tale (and, historically, the Chinese and Japanese have animosity towards each other) but placed in a Chinese setting.

Even after hearing Jocelyn's doubts on the book, I still felt that Tikki Tikki Tembo wasn't inherently racist, so I did a little research on the internet and I have to say that maybe this is one book I will have to keep to myself at home (at first grade, I think the multi-cultural lesson to be learned from this book is a little too large of a concept [Japanese and Chinese at odds]).  I found this Wikipedia article very thought-provoking and inspired me to really reflect on why I was insistent that Tikki Tikki Tembo is not a racist book.

I know today that Kim felt "attacked" (which I hope she truly didn't feel that way-- I think people just emphatically disagreed with her and kind of blurted out opinions all at once.  I know this cohort wouldn't intentionally attack one of our members for their opinion, so on behalf of many of us, I apologize if it came off that way)  for saying that perhaps we shouldn't examine every little detail as being potentially racist or harmful-- and in a way I agree, because it all depends on context.  If eating rice and beans is used in a perpetuation of a Mexican stereotype, than by all means that book should be taken out of the classroom library.  But, if the book is showing a fiesta where the characters are eating rice and beans, it's a totally benign use of "rice and beans."     

Other directions for session 2:
Mason (K-2), Ivey (3-5), Albright (6-8) (Choose one). We will meet in small groups to discuss the articles. To be prepared for this discussion you will need to:
Identify and summarize the main points of the article
Identify a specific quote, topic, or issue for discussion with your group
Raise a question or concern about the article (if you have one)

I read the Mason article, and I don't really have a question or concern-- I thought the article was great.  I particularly found the guidelines for how to read different genres aloud very helpful since I hadn't really thought of the fact that yes, you do need to set-up and ask different questions based on the type of book you are reading aloud!

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Washington State Council for the Social Studies 2009 Fall Convention!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the WSCSS Fall Conference at Edmonds Woodway High School (which, by the way, was a very beautiful and expensive-looking new high school).  The conference opened with your choice of multiple sessions with three sessions to choose from.  The first session I chose was the OSPI's session where they discussed the EALRs and the expectations from the OSPI on reporting mandatory CBA scores in 5th, 8th and 11th or 12th grades.  It was interesting, and the speaker was very on point, clear and organized-- but it was a wee bit on the dull side.  I guess that's what you can expect from a government organization:  Dryness.

After that session, I had some time to check out some of the vendors that visited the conference and I received so much swag!!  I am not one to turn down anything free that may benefit myself or my future classroom, so I ate it up!  It wasn't just brochures about programs, it was really cool stuff:  A gorgeous poster of the Alaskan Yukon Expo (which I happen to be very interested in) and several lesson plans with primary docs from the MOHAI table and a full color book of the artifacts within the Washington State History Museum (worth $15 dollars!); a copy of Presidential Trivia, by Richard Lederer (worth $9.99); lesson plans on how to help kids of any age become service learners and develop character; a copy of Columbia Magazine (a gorgeous and lush full-color quarterly from the Washington State Historical Society); from the Seattle Times table, I picked up the inauguration paper of President Obama (yay!); from PBS Teachers I picked up a poster of Obama and discounts on documentaries, DVDs and some other neat stuff;  a copy of Social Education Magazine; and other wonderful brochures, discounts and other swag to help me get some real ideas for integrating social studies into my classroom.  SO NEAT!! 

My second session was absolutely phenomenal!  Our session leader, Mary Anne Christy from Historian in Residence, modeled the Concept Formation lesson plan with the CBA "You Decide" in mind.  We discussed Common Good and Rights as our concepts, and it was really fun and interesting talking about the issues at hand and discovering how you can help kids form their ideas of concepts without actually SAYING the words "common good" or "right."  Very cool, and I am energized to begin planning a lesson using this method!  I love observing teachers who model and make me think, "Man, I wish I had them for a teacher when I was little!"


My last session was with TCI's Christy Sanders, who took us through one of the six ideas TCI has on how to get kids of multiple intelligences involved and engaged in social studies.   She also happened to use the first grade curriculum (my main placement grade!), and we all got a free copy of the student texts!  As she modeled a lesson on "Who Helps Us at School?," we learned some very neat techniques such as "magic paper" and stepping INTO an image to help kids learn and apply knowledge.  We listened to audio, looked at books and there was an assessment piece to show what we learned that used art AND words to show what we knew.  And then...there was a raffle to win the entire 1st grade curriculum set from TCI....AND I WON IT!!!!  WOO!  WOO!  This is what I won (a $225 dollar value!):






So yes, Saturday was a very eventful day at the WSCSS Conference...and that night I went to the Husky game and our comeback win was beyond words.

It was a good day :)

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Stodgy Adults are Simply No Fun at All!

"A MESSAGE To Children Who Have Read This Book.
When you grow up and have children of your own, do please remember something important: A stodgy parent is no fun at all!

What a child wants -and DESERVES- is a parent who is SPARKY!"
~Roald Dahl, from Danny, Champion of the World, 1975

When Nancy asked us to think about what book we remembered being most powerful in our childhood, I thought it would be nearly impossible to choose one.  But as book titles and emotions raced through my head during the one minute given to think about this, Roald Dahl came up over and over again.  Matilda, The Twits, The Witches... all of his books are fabulous for young readers because they speak to the wildly imaginative side, and also the side of a child that yearns to be treated like an adult and really heard by adults (after-all, just imagine what would have happened to the inventive and curious Boy and the gluttonous Bruno had the Boy's grandmother not listened to him seriously!  I shudder to think!).

But even with all of Roald's titles, Danny was the book that kept coming to mind again and again.  It's a tale of a little boy who lives with his widowed father and the grand adventure they have one dark night.  It's exciting, mysterious, suspenseful and, oh! how I wanted to live in a gypsy caravan like Danny did!  I also remember how Danny's father treated him like a friend and confidant when Danny finds out his father's secret.  How amazing that an adult treated him like someone capable of holding such an important secret!  I on't say the secret because young or old, you should definitely go read this book. 

I did go out the next day to Barnes and Noble and I bought a copy for my future classroom.  I am trying to little-by-little gather materials for the class I WILL be hired for come next summer (I hope-I hope-I hope), and I realized that this book needs to be on my shelf.  It also led me to several websites about Roald Dahl with primary documents, lesson plans, ideas and other activities which I will certainly be looking into!

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Q&A Time in Third Grade!

What a day- it was our second day at Dyad, and KD and I are having such a wonderful time!  The kiddos are absolutely AMAZING.  So precious, and so independent!  Both KD and I are coming from first grade placements to this third/fourth split (the third graders are general ed., and the fourth graders are sp. ed students).

Mr. M is just wonderful.  He loves those kids, he is kind and gentle, very smart and treats the children like little adults, which I really appreciate.  He's extremely fair and runs a fairly democratic classroom- the class "rules" aren't referred to as rules, they are "agreements" to which the kids sign a contract agreeing to them in the beginning of the year.  His classroom management style is quite different from my MT's style, but I see the benefits of both for each grade- I think I am just so used to being a constant hand-holder that it is very strange to get used to the awesome independence of these third graders.

We've done so much, most of which is recorded in my written journal that I keep during the school day as we go along, but I had to share what happened today:  Mr. M asked KD and I up to the front of the class for "Introductions,"  and the kids were invited to ask us any question they would like.  Oh, my goodness!  It was HILARIOUS!  KD and I spent half the time blushing, I swear- but we answered the questions honestly, and it was too funny.  Examples of questions:

• "What's your favorite color?"
• "What's your favorite animal?"
• "Where did you go to school?"
• "Why do you want to teach?"  (this one was one of my favorite because I just answered, "Kids like you make me want to teach!")

And then...

• "Do you have boyfriends?" 
• "Have you been proposed to?"
  
• "Have you kissed a boy?"
• "Do you want babies?"
• "How old are you?"
• "What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?"

Oh, my LORD- it was so funny!  You can tell that the idea of boys liking girls and vice-versa is really starting to develop in their minds because once the relationship questions started, the ball kept rolling and rolling, until it culminated with the "have you kissed a boy before?"  I just about died from the cuteness and hilarity of 22 nine year-olds asking KD and I if we'd ever been proposed to!

After the kids were done asking questions, it was time to hit the road.  Now, KD and I both had hugs from a little girl the first day we were there (10/06)...but today- oh, today we had at least 8 hugs from 8 different kids- even some of the little boys!  I know they say DO NOT HUG THE KIDS, but the kids initiated it, and I'm sorry- it warms my heart and I give them a side-squeeze back.

I can't emphasize enough how wonderful it feels to be a part of this very special community that Mr. M and the kids have built together.

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A Happy Feeling...

I went in to WM today for picture day- all interns can have their photo in the yearbook- so I went in, and it was so good to see the kids. Oh, how I miss them and it's only been two days! A few of them gave me hugs, and two of them, the most surprising ones (A and J) were so sweet. J came up to me and says, "Hey where did you go?" I replied with a smile, "is that how you say hi to me, mister?" He smiled back and said, "Hi, Ms. M----" and then ran back to his place in line.

Then A, the same little man who has been challenging me this September on everything I ask him to do (or not do) asked if I was staying all day. I told him that no, I would be there just for pictures and lunch and be gone when he came back from recess. He took that in, said "oh," and went on his way. Well, it turned out that my MT needed some help finishing up emergent literacy assessments, so I ended up staying to help out.

Recess let out, and the class came back to the room. Mister A saw me and he said, "I thought you said you were going to be gone when I got back?" I told him, "Ms. McN needs help, so I stayed! I'll be here until you go to PE." This HUGE smile breaks out on his face and he goes, "yessssssss!" It absolutely made my heart swell so big-- ah, it made my day! Just completely made my day.

What a blessing to see that the kids that were the most difficult to deal with on a daily basis and really required some emotional labor on my end some days, have really come to trust me and care about me. It really validated the notion that if you teach with love, support, fairness and genuine respect for the kids even on the most challenging of days, they will put their faith in you to guide them and show you that they want to be the very best they can be.

I love those kids.

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