The Power of the Read-a-Loud

I love reading to kids! To this day I continue to read to my own children. I alternate every night, one night reading to my 14 yr old, the next night to my 12 yr old. The books we read are ones that I pick out, books that I feel can open up conversations that need to be discussed during these tough teenage years. After a chapter has been read, we lay in the dark, side by side, and have wonderful conversations. Whether it is the book or that we are whispering in a dark we have always had these amazing conversations that I don't think we would have had otherwise. Every time it starts with talking about the character it always moves to a personal level. This is something that I will treasure forever!

I feel you can open up and have the same conversations with your students. This past week, I subbed for a class of kindys that were.. well.... very busy! When I found myself constantly talking over them and that the noise level only increased I brought out a book. Pure magic happened! It got very quiet and they all sat attentively, listening. I continued the rest of the day trying to incorporate a read-a-loud into their daily activities. When we colored the things that begin with the letter "C", I read as they colored. The book was Stone Soup and we talked briefly afterwards about sharing (something very important at this age).

The next day, I subbed for a 4th grade class. They were preparing to do a writing assignment based on their favorite things. Part of the brainstorming was for the class to make a heartmap. This meant they needed to write all of their favorite things along the outside of a heart that they drew on a piece of construction paper. They then had to choose from this list, their very favorite things and draw these in the heart. The main purpose of this assignment was so that the teacher could ask them to write about anything that meant something to them and they could look at this heart map throughout the year and get ideas.

So, as they started the assignment, the noise level increased. I went to the bookshelf and picked up a  chapter book, The Hidden, and began to read aloud. Silence and Bliss! Every student got quiet, listened to me read and continued with their work. Every now and then a student would ask me a question and we would talk about what was happening in the book and that we have a lot to be thankful for. Although we did not finish the book, I told them I would let their teacher finish reading it to them. If she wasn't able to, I would be back in two weeks time and we would finish it then.

My point, of course, is that no matter what the age or the grade, a read-a-loud is extremely powerful. Choose your book wisely. I like to choose something that kids can relate to during the age they are currently at, it truly is amazing the conversations that come about when you do this.

The Perfect Teacher?

Yes, she does exist and today I was her! This was a day I have been waiting years for! You see, Ms. H (not her real name or initial) was my daughters teacher and I fell in love with her the day I met her at the schools open house. For both of my children, there have only been two teachers in their lives that I was truly amazed at... their kindergarten teacher and Ms. H. Both of these teachers were the ones that inspired me to get a teaching degree, because there needs to be more teachers like them and I was determined to become that teacher! Today, I was able to!

When I walked in the room and began to read the lesson plans I was shocked at how much teaching I would be doing! I have gotten so used to the "easy" day of showing movies, do independent reading, give a test, etc.. But today and into next week, since I am subbing for her then too, I was starting new math units, digging into science kits to get them started, starting a new read-a-loud that I got to choose, and even doing all the correcting on the assignments! Granted, the fact that my daughter had her as a teacher made me know the curriculum and her style, but I was actually teaching!!

But, how was classroom management going to be? I quizzed my daughter the night before, asking her what Ms. H does to get the class' attention. "Nothing," she replied.
Nothing? How could that be?
"She would just start talking," added my daughter.
"She doesn't give a hand signal, or clap in a rhythm, or say FREEZE or 1-2-3 EYES ON ME?" I asked.
My daughter just shrugged. "Nope. Just say CLASS and continue talking in a normal voice"

So, when the class entered and they put coats and backpacks away, I stood there watching them, trying to get a sense of who was who and when the second bell rang, they all immediately went to their seats and looked at me.. quietly!! I introduced myself, we went through our morning routine and as they were working in teams, I casually said, "Class" and the magic happened.... they all stopped and looked at me!

What is it about a teacher that she has no classroom management "word"? Or what is her classroom management that she has such an incredible bunch of students? I can tell you in one word: RESPECT. She gives each and every student respect and they give it right back!

How does she do this? Well, she listens to everyone. She encourages them to raise their hands and give an answer at which she never tells a student they are wrong, only asks them to think deeper. She feels that anything a student has to say is important and she has times throughout the day when they can share something that is on their mind. She also believes in positive discipline. If a student is acting up, she never says, "Spencer. Please stop" drawing all the attention from the class on Spencer. Instead, she will say, "Thank-you Cecilia for waiting so patiently for my next instruction."

But she also is FUN! How?
1- when we were sharing the students journal writing on the best thing that happened this week in school, I got to give out Juicy Fruit gum if they used at least three "juicy" details! The gum could only be chewed during the writing block or placed in their backpack to bring home.
2- each student has a folder with "challenging extra credit work". Do at least three pages by Friday and you get a lollypop from the jar.
3- did a good deed for a fellow student. You'll be greeted with a cup of cocoa at your desk in the morning.
4- turned in your weekly homework pack a day or more before it was due and got it all right? Ms. H stands on your desk in her high heels and does a tap dance for you.
5- kept the entire room clean all day so that when it is time to pack up and go home we have extra time? Then students get to sit on the desks and play "Quiet Ball", where they throw a beach ball to one another in a game of catch. If you don't catch it, then both you and the player who threw it have to get off the table.
6- want to discuss the read-a-loud we just read? Throw a beach ball around and when you catch it you have to answer the question that is in front of you. Such as, "What is the title and the author?" "What was your favorite part of the book", "What is the setting?", "Who are the main characters"

I could go on and on. But, basically this teacher makes learning fun! She reminds me of a Ms. Frizzle, where you never know what exciting adventure you'll go on that day! Yet, it's the students who amaze me. She has never had a discipline issue and I do believe that this is because she respects these 9 year olds. She teaches to them, not at them and the students want to learn, because it is fun to write essays and  do math problems and discuss current events because you never know what adventure it'll take you on!

The Roving Sub

How many of you have had this assignment before? I accepted it with excitement, thinking how great it would be to get a taste of so many grade levels/teacher styles all in one day. But, boy oh boy, was it busy!

You see a roving sub goes from classroom to classroom taking over the class when the main teacher attends grade level meetings. I roved for kindergarten and a 1/2 split. My favorite grades to teach! But, I quickly realized that when my first assignment was over I needed to quickly run to the next classroom so that teacher could leave. I would glance at the teacher, mumble that I was here, and frantically look for lesson plans as the students all began to berate me with questions as to who I was and where was their beloved teacher going?

It all worked out fine. I did great (I hope). I would say the only bad thing was that as a sub I usually have all day to learn the students names, something I am usually very good at. But today, with the fast pace, I didn't know any of the names when they called out to me, "Goodbye Mrs. White!" when I saw them in the hallway leaving for the day.

Oh well.... tomorrow is another day....

Are Halloween Parties Becoming Obsolete?

There seems to be a lot of factors that go into the decision of whether to have a Halloween party in the classroom. Most of it depends on the school district and the principal and it's not an easy decision for them to make.

As a kindergartener, my oldest daughter had Halloween parties in her classroom. She was able to dress up in costume and makeup. I, being the room mom, would decorate the classroom with ghosts, streamers, and make gravestones by placing brown paper bags onto the backs of the students chairs. We played games like "pin the wart on the witch" and ate severed fingers and drank vampire blood. It was great fun. However, when my younger daughter hit the elementary years, the rules were changed to no costumes, no ghosts or witches, the food had to be pre-wrapped from the store and the games needed to be academic.

Today, I subbed in a kindergarten classroom that had a pumpkin party. Other teachers were calling it a fall party or a harvest party and I couldn't help but wish for the old days of dressing up and filling the classroom with an imaginary world. This led me to think how I could incorporate both types of parties once I have my own classroom so that everyone could feel included.

You see the main problem with Halloween parties is that now that our society embraces so many different cultures, we need to be respectful of these cultures. There is also the religious factor. Not all religions celebrate a "Day of the Dead" or an "All-Saints Day". There are many religions that don't celebrate anything that may have the word "holiday", "party", or "celebration" in it. So, what happens if a teacher does do a Halloween party is that the student from that religion or culture is not able to attend school... and I definitely don't want that. I want all my students, no matter what their beliefs, to be able to attend school and know that I have created a safe environment for them.

So, that is why today we had a Pumpkin Party. We "estimated" how many seeds were in a pumpkin and the students grabbed a handful of gooeyness from inside and counted what they pulled out, we decorated pumpkin shaped cookies, we colored pumpkin sheets, we weighed pumpkins and sang "5 Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Fence" Everyone was happy and everyone attended school, life was good to a 5 year old.

Although I miss the traditional Halloween Parties I used to do as a room mom, I do understand why we can no longer have them.

Lesson Plan: Show this Movie...

Last Friday I received a call from the secretary of the school I sub at on a regular basis wanting me to sub for the music teacher. I explained to the secretary that I know nothing about music! I don't know instruments, I can't read notes, I can't even carry a tune. But, she assured me that I would probably just show a movie. I don't normally like these type of assignments where I feel I am babysitting instead of teaching but since it was conference week I hadn't worked all week, I was happy to get out of the house for the day.

The movie was actually a puppet show about Peer Gynt, a Norwegian boy who runs away from home and travels the world only to return home in the end because he realizes his mother isn't as bad as he thought. I watched this movie wondering what it had to do with music. It had music in it and if I was a music teacher I would be able to explain to the students what instruments were they were hearing, but I had no idea what they were hearing. When the movie ended I realized that I still had 15 minutes with them. I have nothing in my sub bag that had to do with music. So, I was left with discussing why the music we heard in the movie is important. We talked about how music helps to change the scene, how when the Peer's boat was being flipped by waves the music was louder and that maybe cymbals were used, that when Peer was in Persia we maybe heard flutes when we watched the princess sleeping putting us in a calm mood, and that when he went to Africa we maybe heard drums when the Masked Pygmies danced making us want to dance too.

Although I wasn't completely sure that these were the instruments that were used, I was able to point out how music is a big part of a movie in how it effects the way we view it. I was happy I made it through the day and felt like I had taught a little bit.

A Little Motivation

In the district where I live and where my own children go to school, it is conference week. This year my oldest daughter has entered mid-high, so she doesn't have any conferences. The teachers contact you if they are concerned about your kid. I've never worried about my older daughter, she has always been a straight "A" student who takes honors classes and her conferences in the early years were always very positive. I actually felt like I didn't need to go because the teacher would look at my husband and I and just comment that she is "doing great", "a true leader to her peers", "a pleasure to have in class", "keep doing at home what you are doing", etc... They really had nothing to say.

My younger daughter was always been different. She is a very bright child, but she is someone that never applies herself to the the fullest of her capabilities. I would read a paper that was about to be turned in and comment, "Great idea, but you could add some more detail." I would say this paper is worth a 3 (out of 4). She would smile and be content with that. She had no problem being "at grade level" no matter how hard my husband and I pushed her. She just didn't care about grades.... until she entered middle school this year.

During conference week at the middle school, teachers only want to book an appointment with you if your child needs a little help. While my older daughter never had a conference appointment in middle school, I was prepared to attend one for my younger daughter. There was always something that needed to be worked on during her elementary years. Mostly because teachers knew that she was capable of so much more. But this year, no one wanted an appointment because my younger daughter is pulling straight "A's"

Where did this motivation come from? Why all of a sudden does she care about academics? Believe me when I say she is still a child who will admit that she goes to school strictly for the social life. When I sat down with her last night and we pulled up her grades on-line I told her how proud I was and asked what was motivating her this year. I expected her to answer that it was a certain teacher or maybe that she was just older now and knew she needed to work harder, so I was surprised when she answered, "Because I started with an "A"

When you enter middle school in our district, all of your grades are available for the parents and the student to see on-line. You see missed assignments, grades on all assignments, tests, comments from teachers, etc... But, what my daughter was mentioning was the fact that on day one of the school year, when she went on-line, her grades were all at "A's".

She realized that it would be easier for her to work hard to keep the "A" then it would be for her to work toward the "A". That was all she needed, to actually see those "A's" and like the feeling she was receiving from it.

This made me realize that when I have my own classroom, I plan to tell my students on the first day that they are all starting the year with an "A" and lets work together to keep it!  I know that when every student walks into the room on that first day of school, they are already starting with an "A", but they don't know this. It's important to tell them this because you never know who you may be motivating with that type of logic. My daughter is proof of this.

To All the New Teachers

I read many blogs every day. Mostly blogs that teachers write and substitute teachers write. I store away new ideas that I like, everything from bulletin board ideas, to great read-a-louds, to basically just knowing how to survive.

John Spencer who has a website and a blog recently posted this. Although I may not be a teacher with a regular classroom, I still needed to read his letter. It made me feel better...

Click here if you are a new teacher.

A New, and Active, Experience

Yesterday I was called in to sub for a PE class. Of course my first thought was, Yippee! I get to wear sweats, sneakers, hair in a pony tail and minimal makeup! But then I realized that since this was a late night call that maybe the teacher was calling in sick and I wouldn't have any plans as to what I was to do with these students. I quickly researched on-line PE activities and printed out a bunch of ideas, which I placed in my sub bag. I also brought a whistle (amazing the power you feel just by wearing a whistle). However, when I got to the school, the teacher had left me some great plans on what to do with each grade and.... he told me what his quiet signal was to get students to stop!

I quickly set up the gym for the first class, a group of fifth graders. When they walked in I prepared myself for the whispers of, "yippee! It's a sub" but was surprised at how many groans there were instead. As the day went on I realized how much love a PE teacher receives from their students. Of course they do, because a PE teacher, at least in the elementary years, is all about fun and games! Anyway, all went well with the first class, we had fun, they stopped and listened when I gave out the quiet signal, we talked in the end about how much more fun a game is when everyone follows the rules, etc...

But, it was the afternoon classes that brought a little more excitement to my day. By the time the second graders came in, I was exhausted! I had been working out with each class up to this point, running, doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, playing the games, etc and I was realizing that my 44 year old body needed a rest too! But, now all my little ones were arriving for afternoon classes and they are the ones you need to work out with because they need more instruction. So, I bucked up and moved, although a bit slower.

The afternoon classes also brought some trips to the nurse. In the second grade class, it was right after lunch so one boy promptly threw up after jogging his first lap (it was obviously mac-n-cheese day), so the janitor was called in, the boy sent to the nurse, and we resumed play. The next class were first graders and one girl had a terrible headache. I sent her to the nurse and she quickly returned with a note from the nurse that said the girl thought her head was hurting because I had the music on too loud. I forgot that these kids aren't as deaf as I am, so I turned down the music. The last class was kindys and two little boys rammed right into each other during our exciting game of "Fire in the Forest" Both were in tears and one had a bloody nose. There is nothing more exciting to kindys than seeing lots of blood coming out of someones nose!

By the end of the day, I couldn't move! So, my advice is if you ever sub for a PE teacher don't feel you have to play with them the entire time! Working out from 9-3 is hard work and it's OK to instruct from the sidelines once you get them started. I think it's important for them to see you setting the example, but you don't need to do it the entire period. Oh, and I never did have to use that whistle! Mostly because I had the music going and when I stopped the music, they knew to look at me and freeze. Using music is much better than blowing a whistle or trying to yell over the commotion in a gym.

One Month Down

I realized yesterday as I was enjoying my planning time, that I have been subbing for a month now. All those fears in the beginning seem to have disappeared. I've become much more comfortable walking into a classroom and knowing how to set myself up for the day.

I've learned that the first thing I do, after turning on the lights, is to turn on all the computers. I then look for the teacher's lesson plans, which I only read up to the lunch or specialist time. I feel I get overwhelmed if I read everything immediately, breaking it up helps. Plus, when I have my planning time, we all know that subs aren't really needing that time to plan future lessons. I use the time to read about the next lessons that are coming up in the afternnon, grab a quick snack, use the restroom, and check to see if I've been requested for another job somewhere.

If a teacher hasn't given me an idea of their classroom management, I reach into my sub bag and grab a giant sticker or a small sticky dinosaur toy that I purchase in bulk from Oriental Trading, and place it on the front board. I tell the students that this will be given to the "Star _____" (place the school mascot in the box. Star Bulldog, Star Hawk, etc..) and proceed to explain my expectations for the day. Throughout the day I remind them of this star award and it always gets them back on track.

I also take pictures of things I like in the classroom, how things are set up, an attractive bulletin board, etc.. and I print it out at home and place in a book of ideas I want to use once I have my own classroom.

But what hit me the most yesterday when I realized I was one month in, is that I have regular work within the two districts but only in 4-5 schools. This is a great thing! I've come to know the students names, I know the teachers style, and the teacher isn't having to leave me as detailed plans or leave her books out because I know what to do and where to find it. I also keep all past plans that the teacher has left me in a binder that I carry everyday. I can refer to things I may have forgotten or even my notes that I have written about a certain lesson or a certain student.

Yep, one month down, eight more to go and I am feeling confident.

The First Job is the Virginal Job

This is what I say to myself when I leave the school parking lot after subbing in a particular class for the first time. It's always emotional for me... I leave reflecting on whether I was a babysitter or if I actually taught something.

I like to think that these emotions are quite normal. When I walk into the classroom, the first thing I always look for in the teacher's plans, is the management piece. I need to know what signal is used to get the students attention, if there is a system for misbehavior, good behavior, etc.. If I know what the teacher does, then I can do that too and then be able to teach. If I don't know any of this, then I have to fumble through what works or doesn't work and then I end up feeling like I was more of a babysitter because I spent so much time dealing with classroom management. Last week was like that...

They were first graders. They weren't terrible, just loud. They interrupted, they talked when I talked, they argued amongst each other, etc... I truly felt that I was struggling just to get through the day and felt that if I just knew the teachers system, things would have gone much better. Toward the end of the day, I had to open my "sub bag"

I quickly looked through it at all the things (bribes) I had. Books they could look at once done with an assignment, candy (many subs do this, I prefer not to), games, stickers, etc..  I decided on the stickers. They were 6 year olds! As I walked through the room I would stop and give an animal or dinosaur sticker to those that were quietly working. Soon, everyone was quiet!! I then announced that I had a very special sticker that would be given out to the one student I chose at the end of the day who was quiet, raised their hand, had a clean desk, etc...  I then placed this giant sticker up on the board so they had a visual reminder. At the end of the day, I chose the ONE student and everyone was OK with that.

So, as I drove home I thought... Ok, I babysat in the beginning but once we established classroom management rules and expectations I was actually able to teach! The next time I sub in that class, I won't have to figure it all out, I'll know what to do and who they are and they in turn will know who I am and what my expectations are.

Note to all you teachers: PLEASE include your classroom management piece in your lesson plans. We can't teach unless we know what the expectations are for your students because as a sub, I want to teach, not babysit.