Igniting the Spark

No Reading Logs?  No problem.  You can ignite a reading spark in your students that will keep them reading, reading, reading!

Here's how to do it.  These are in no particular order.  Note: This is a LONG blog post.  Sorry!

Books that fit your readers -
As a 2nd grade teacher, I know that my library needs to include a wide range of levels, topics, diversity and formats. 

Levels: I need engaging books in various levels, since within any given 2nd grade classroom, I'll have a handful of emergent readers, plus those that are reading longer, more complex books.  It's a wide range. 

Topics: 2nd graders love animals, humor, graphic novels, nature, insects, mysteries...the list goes on.  These are go-to topics that 2nd graders generally love, but it also depends on each individual class of readers!  Find out the interests of your class, and gather books that interest them! 

Diversity: Kids need to see themselves in the books they read.  I've been making a effort to gather books that represent the diversity inside and outside of my classroom.  There is an amazing campaign called "We Need Diverse Books" which is a grassroots organization that has a mission to get publishers to publish more books with diverse characters. There are book lists available, check out their website.

Formats: I've been impressed with the shorter, illustration-filled early chapter books that are available for young readers.  Some examples include: Captain Awesome, Critter Club, Heidi Heckelbeck, Roscoe Riley Rules, Scholastic's "Branches" series, just to name a few. These books are engaging, with shorter chapters and have illustrations scattered throughout the chapters. Graphic Novels are another format that are very popular and in my eyes, a bridge into reading for many kids, my daughter in particular! Some are not 2nd grade appropriate, so watch the content!  National Geographic Kids (magazines and books) are so well done, filled with engaging content (diagrams, photographs, etc) and kids devour them.

Book Choice -
This seems obvious, why wouldn't we let our kids choose their own books?  However there are many ways that we as teachers hinder this process, many times in the name of  "They're not ready for that book" or "It's too easy, he should be reading a higher level."  Other ways we hinder choice is when we say students MUST read within a certain range, for example tied to Accelerated Reader, or Guided Reading Levels.  I'm guilty of this.  I have a portion of my classroom library leveled by GR, with color dots attached to the books that represent different levels.  Although I do see the benefit of directing kids to a "just right match" which does include readability (I don't mean Lexile or AR readability, but instead text size, volume, content, etc). I don't like the stigma it can attach (kids figure out the levels, even with our most covert attempts to keep the leveling system not apparent) and I don't like how kids can be boxed into a level (in my case, a color dot) and not venture into other types of books.  Plus, the leveling is not an exact science, if a kid is interested in a book in another level (above or below) is it really a bad thing? 

Most teachers I know have some sort of "Book Shopping" system set up, where kids have individual book boxes/totes where they keep a variety of self-selected books for the week.  I do think it's important for kids to choose and be exposed to a variety of books, but as 2nd grader readers, if they keep coming back to a particular series, topic or format, let's not squash their spirit by saying NO.  They are new to the world of reading, and remember, we're trying to IGNITE the spark.  We don't want to extinguish it when they're just getting started.  Don't worry, they won't be reading Rainbow Fairies for the rest of their lives. ;)  For now, I'm not dismantling the section in my library that is leveled, but I'm definitely not as hardcore about the levels, and if a kid wants to read a book in a color bin that might stretch his/her muscles, go for it.

Take-home books and home connections -
If we want to promote kids reading EVERYWHERE, kids need to have access to books at home.  When I taught first grade, we had a nightly book baggy with a reading log, and kids took home 1-2 books per night and recorded the titles and parents initialed the reading log.  At the time I was assigning it, I didn't realize how cumbersome and difficult this task was for kids and families.  When my own daughter brought it home, I finally realized it wasn't creating a lifelong reader.  It was creating a grumpy reader who saw reading as a chore.  I'm not sure if it was the reading log part, or the fact that it was assigned homework (she chose the books) but it didn't sit well.  I'm not the only parent who feels this way.  I've talked to many more who say reading log homework is a chore.  I DO believe that kids should be able to take home books from our classroom libraries.  Some teachers have a check-out system, which I understand since books are expensive and we don't want our books walking out of our libraries forever.  But honestly, if I lose a few a year, it's still worth it.  I don't have a check-out system, and I'm not planning on starting one.  I don't let them take home my coveted hardcover picture books, but any paperback is fair game. :)

I believe it's super important to have strong school-home connections, especially with regards to literacy.  Send home family read-aloud recommendations, tips for talking about books, and your general philosophy about literacy.  I find that the more I communicate my beliefs about literacy learning and the purpose behind certain practices, the better support I have from my families.  This creates happy readers. :)

Inviting, organized classroom library -
During our school's "Meet the Teacher" day in August, never fail, my classroom library is the area in the classroom (also the Science Center!) that gets the most ooh's and ahh's.  Inevitably I'll find kids cozied up with a book in a chair or on a pillow, not wanting to leave. :)  It's been a work in progress over many years, since I'm always rearranging by adding more shelves, pillows, rugs, chairs and of course, more books.  An inviting classroom library says "Hey kids!  Come visit me!  An amazing world awaits!"  Inviting means comfortable (pillows, rugs, cozy chairs) but it also means organized and aesthetically pleasing.  Bins of books organized by topics, formats, authors makes for easy book shopping, and book returning.  Clearly labeled bins is a must.  Some topics in my classroom:  Ocean Life, Cities, Insects & Bugs, Animal Characters, Mysteries, Mo Willems, Graphic Novels, Humor, Fall, Friendship, School (and many, many more!)

It's important to rotate some of the topics in and out.  More about this below (see Book Talks)

Read Aloud -
Read Aloud is a non-negotiable.  No matter how jam-packed our schedule can be with specialists, recesses, lunch, curriculum and classroom life, it's a must to find time to read aloud.  I have an on-going novel/chapter book read aloud that I read from every day.  This read aloud time is not tied to curriculum or assessment, etc.  It has many purposes, one being a chance to introduce amazing, rich literature and language to kids.  I carefully pick my read alouds.  I read a range of authors, genres, first in a series (to draw them into a series to read later on their own) and also newer titles plus older classics. 

Read Aloud definitely helps to ignite the spark for reading.  I love when kids will check out the book I'm reading at the library, and then follow along with me. :)   I have many go-to's that I read every year without fail, but I'm also adding new titles when I get a great recommendation, or read about one on one of my favorite blogs.  I still haven't decided on my read aloud for the start of this school year. 

Of course, I also sneak in other read alouds (picture books, non-fiction, poems) whenever I can during the day.  This might be during snack, or at the very end of the day.  Read Aloud is my absolute favorite, and I'm so lucky that I get to do it every single day!  There's nothing in the world like looking up from the book you are reading and seeing 22 gaping mouths and saucer eyes, hanging on your every word.  It's magical. :)

Independent Reading Time -
Kids need TIME to read their self-selected books!  I'm hearing too often about reading curriculum (whole class, small group) instruction, from anthologies and little leveled readers, getting in the way of precious reading time.  If the only "reading time" kids are doing is reading from an anthology, we are doing a disservice to children.  We are turning off our readers.  When is the last time you heard of a child getting hooked on reading from an outstanding anthology selection?  We know choice and time spent reading (volume) are huge factors when creating lifelong readers. 

Carving out independent reading time in your day is a must.  Just like you've carved out time for independent writing during Writing Workshop (kids need time to write!) it's the same thing with reading.  During this time, it's important to sit down with your readers and confer.  Many of my beginning of the year conferences are all about book choice, and getting to know my readers.

Books at their fingertips -
This is a simple tip.  Keep books at the fingertips of your kids.  This means book boxes on their desks, or a few books on or near their desks.  This simple management tip promotes TIME spent reading.  We know volume of reading is a huge predictor of reading success, so why not make it easy for kids to pick up a book?  I do have to say that it can be distracting for some children (hard to keep their hands out of their book boxes!) but in the grand scheme of things, there could be worse problems!

Book Commercials -
In her book Reading in the Wild, Donalyn Miller speaks of the Book Commercials she facilitated in her 6th grade classroom.  These student-led commercials are a brilliant way to get kids talking about books, recommending them to each other, and sparking interest in a wide variety of books in your classroom!  I started this two years ago, and it was a HIT!  There is a sign-up sheet for kids who are interested in doing a commercial, and when we have a quick 3 minutes or so (it doesn't happen every day) the kid stands up at the front of the room, puts the book under the document camera and does a quick spiel about the book (no spoilers allowed!) summarizing the plot and characters, etc. then recommends it to his/her classmates.  It's one of the best things I've added to my classroom in recent years!  These books fly off the shelves.

New Book Simmering and Reveals -
I buy a lot of books.  And I order through Scholastic.  I know, I have a bit of a problem. :)  When I have a new book (or box of books) I "reveal" it to my class.  Sometimes I put the box on the document camera table and just let it sit there, simmering.  Shortly after, a chatter starts..."Look!  There's a box!  What books are in there??"  After the box simmers for awhile, I'll slowly reveal a couple of the titles, and book talk them, or do a quick picture walk and read the back blurb.  It creates such excitement!  Then I fan out the books under the document camera and pick names sticks to see WHO will be the first reader of these books.   Other times, I'll have a single new book, and I'll put in on the ledge of the white board or on a display stand, and let it simmer and create a buzz.  I'll get tons of requests "When are we going to read the book _______?"  Eventually I cave, and I read it! :)

Book Talks -
Don't you love to be recommended books by friends or coworkers?  Kids love it too.  Book Talks are a way for you to create a buzz about books in your classroom.  Sometimes I'll do a traditional "Book Talk" where I'll give a brief synopsis of a book, and recommend it to certain types of readers. For example, if you loved ___________, then you'll love this book.

Other times I will read the first chapter of a book, to hook 'em. :)  I mentioned above that it's important to rotate bins of books in and out of your library.  I don't have space to include every book I own in my classroom library, nor would I want to, so I hold out different topics and store them in my cupboards.  Every so often (maybe every 6-8 weeks) I will add a new topic bin of books.  However, I don't just add it to the library without mentioning it.  During our class morning meeting, I will introduce the new bin of books, and I'll do a quick run through of the titles.  This gets the kids excited about the new additions to the library, and sure enough, those books end up in book boxes throughout the following weeks.

It's also a good idea to pull a topic bin that maybe hasn't been getting a lot of love, and run through those titles with your kids.  Book Talk a few of them, and just refresh their memories about some of the titles.  Sure enough, those forgotten books will be hot ticket items.

Book Trailers and Author Websites
I love showing book trailers for books we're about to read, especially my novel/chapter book read alouds.  Of course they're not available for every book I read, but I'm surprised how many of them are out there!  We also visit author websites together as a class, to gain insights on a particular author's life, writing process, inspirations, etc.  Sometimes we'll find out when his/her latest book is coming out which is always so exciting to find out!


Goodreads.com
We keep track of the books we read aloud as a class on Goodreads  After we finish a read aloud, I have the kids rate it in their own Reading Response Journals and then we vote as a class on how many stars our class gives a certain book and we enter our rating on the goodreads website.  I think it's important for kids to see that readers can belong to communities of readers, and we can share our thinking about books with each other!  We haven't added a review yet to goodreads, but I plan to embark on that this coming school year.

March Book Madness
This is probably one of the best community building experiences I've ever had in all my teaching.  Each year, two 5th grade teachers from Ohio host a virtual tournament of books called March Book Madness.  There are three different brackets (Picture Book, Middle Grade and Young Adult) and my class has participated in the Picture Book tournament.  16 books are listed, and once the list comes out, it's time to read, read, read!  I find the books at our local and school libraries, and surprisingly, I buy a few too. 😉  Brackets are posted on the website that show which books are being put against each other.  We vote on each of the brackets and submit our vote on the website.  The books continue to battle, and eventually there is a winner! We also held our own tournament in the classroom on a bulletin board and this year I convinced my second grade team to participate, and our bulletin board in our pod area created such a buzz throughout the school. I can't tell you how much excitement it brought, not only in my classroom, but school-wide this year!  Our plan is to have our whole school participate in MBM 2018!

MBM2017: This is my bulletin board before our final rounds.  Gaston was the national winner (on the website) but our class voted on The Night Gardener. Both amazing books!

MBM2016:  Our class voted on Finding Winnie as the winner!  It was also the national winner!

There you have it.  How to ignite a spark for reading, without reading logs!  Ha!  Happy reading, friends!

Reading Logs: Part 3

Here I am again, still thinking about Reading Logs.  How long has it been now? ;)  I teach at a school where our school homework policy includes a varying amount of nightly reading, based on grade levels.  The time spent reading increases slightly each year.  However, a reading log is not required (or at least it's not explicitly stated that it's required!)  I know that Reading Logs are not authentic.  As a reader, I don't sit down and log minutes every time I read.  No one does.  Reading Logs are implemented by teachers mainly out of accountability, to ensure that kids are reading at home.   But we all know that often times kids will scribble out a book title or two on the log, in the car on the way to school, and parents will blindly sign it.  What are reading logs doing for these kids?  Nothing.  It's a hoop that we make kids and parents jump through.  What is it that we want for our kids as a result of reading logs?  Why do we THINK they are needed?

We want kids to be readers.  Readers that read everywhere, not just at school.  We want kids to be engaged with their reading.  And we want to check in with them as readers, guiding them as they navigate through their reading.  How can we ignite a reading spark that ensures that kids will pick up a book/magazine/blog ANYWHERE, without having to fill out a silly reading log to ensure that they're doing so? 

Just because they fill it out on a reading log doesn't mean they're engaged.  Believe me, I'm guilty of signing the log as my daughter is hastily filling it out, writing down a title she may or may not have actually read.  Did the reading log help to determine if she's engaged with her reading?  Nope.

I'm ditching reading logs in my 2nd grade classroom.  There.  I said it.  Wow.  It's so freeing!  Now (next blog post) I'll go into how I'm going to ignite a reading spark in my second graders, that will carry over into their reading lives outside of school. :)

Daffodils - A Child's Garden of Poetry

Daffodils - A Child's Garden of Poetry: Poem by William Wordsworth. Read by Dave Matthews.

Dave Matthews recites this poem!!!  I absolutely love this.  Daffodils....I'm obsessed with you. :)

Reading Logs: Part 2

I wish I had a simple answer, that I just nixed reading logs and that is that.  It wasn't that simple for me.  My second graders DO have a Reading Log where they record the title of book they read that day/night.  There is also a place for them to Reflect on their reading from the week.  My reasoning for keeping the log is that I still want to ensure they are adding to their reading volume for the day, by reading at home.  They return the log to me on Fridays, and I respond to their reflections.  It's not a back and forth, daily reading log, which became such a burden in years past for me as a teacher, and last year as a parent.  No one in my house was thrilled with reading log "homework" last year. Addison's teacher this year  (a colleague and friend of mine!) is using the same reading log that I came up with, and so far, I have a daughter who WANTS to read each night, and it doesn't feel like a huge chore.  Whew!  Maybe it's the spin we put on it?  Maybe it's because it's not turned in daily, the nightly pressure isn't there?   But we're still encouraging "home reading?" I don't know what it is, but I'm hoping this low-pressure system (ha! sounds like a weather front!) continues to grow my little readers.

Side note:  I want to be clear that growing readers is not just about reading logs, there are gobs of other pieces in place that go into cheering our little readers along.  For example, TONS of read aloud, choice over what to read, a tricked-out classroom library that is inviting and stocked with engaging, books.  Maybe I should write a post on ways to engage our tiny readers?  :)

Reading Logs: Part One - Time to Revise

Nightly reading logs.  Those buggers have been on my mind for months now.  Do they encourage and instill life long reading habits, or do they turn off kids from reading for pleasure since it's usually "assigned homework" and not self-instigated reading?  I witnessed the negative effects of reading logs first hand this past school year with my first grade daughter, Addison.  And to add fuel to the fire, I was the teacher who assigned the nightly reading!  This added an entirely different dimension to the situation, to say the least.  Yes, it was an interesting year being my daughter's first grade teacher!  I'm moving to second grade this coming school year, and NO, she won't be looping with me. :)

The reading bug hasn't bitten Addison yet.  I'm still waiting to find her curled up with a book in a corner of our house, or under her bed.  She LOVES books, and absolutely loves to be read to, but she's not reading for pleasure on her own.....yet.  As the school year progressed, I noticed that reading was becoming a chore for her.  It was as if I was forcing her to finish the broccoli on her plate.  This was NOT the effect I was going for as her teacher and most importantly, avid reader MOM!  How many other families were experiencing this with their new readers? 

 

Apparently other educators are having the same misgivings about reading logs, check out this blog post by Matt Renwick, a principal/blogger in Wisconsin.

  

The hard part about this dilemma is we know so much about the importance of reading volume, and how closely reading volume is tied with so many aspects of success later in life.  How can we encourage kids to read for pleasure outside of school?  The amount of reading (and kinds of reading) that happens in many classrooms is not enough.  Especially with current curriculum demands that many schools and districts are entrenched in, which focuses on whole group and small group instruction, with little time for independent, self-selected reading.  In this Common Core crazed world, we need to create classroom communities where reading for the pure joy of reading is the norm, and it oozes out the doors of our classrooms, down the street and into the homes of our students.  Donalyn Miller (The Book Whisperer) has some cool suggestions in her book Reading in the Wild, which I'm engrossed in currently.  Long story short:  I plan to revise my reading log practices.  What will this look like?  I'll let you know when I figure it out. But it won't involve forcing broccoli on anyone.

Green Grass and Dandelions

April is Poetry month.  Here is a poem that makes me happy. :)  Spring is here!

 

Dreaming

If you could build an elementary school, without constraints or demands from the powers that be, what would it look like?  What would be the foundation?  Lately I've been thinking of my "dream school" and what it would consist of. 

Let's dream a bit.....

Image Credit: Peter Reynolds

1. Kid-Centered   - You're probably thinking duh, but I honestly think that often times we forget that we are educating little people, ages 5-11.  They are not adults and often times the decisions made don't have what is best for kids (age appropriateness, developmental appropriateness) in mind.  My dream school would always think about what is best for KIDS, remembering that they are little humans.
2. Multi-Age - I had the opportunity to teach a K-1 multi-age for 2 years.  Oh my goodness, so cool.  The benefits of "kids learning from kids" is incredible.  The "youngers" rise to the occasion and push themselves (in a healthy way of course) to learn, and the "olders" become leaders and role models, while of course learning and growing at the same time! 
3. Inquiry-Based - What does this truly mean?  We hear inquiry-based often, and sometimes it's tossed around when describing curricula by publishers, but what would this look like in a school, where the entire foundation is built upon inquiry?  To me, it means that the wonderings/curiosities/interests of each child are valued, and used as a tool to learn and grow.  Time is set aside to investigate and explore these wonderings.  It can be set up in various ways, but the overarching idea is that kids drive their own learning.  They are highly motivated and engaged as a result of choice.
4. The Arts - This dream school will include opportunities for children to express themselves artistically in a multitude of ways.  The arts will be woven into the curriculum, not as an after thought, but as in integral piece.
5. Natural World - Kids need to see, touch, smell, hear (and even taste!) the incredible natural world that surrounds them.  They need to dig in dirt, splash in water and get DIRTY!  Not all children are able to do this at home.  Today, kids are in front of screens, and not spending time outside like previous generations.  A dream school would bring the natural world to children, in AND outside the classroom.  Exploration areas would be set up in classrooms for kids to explore and get their hands on nature, but field trips and excursions would be built-in to the school year to explore the natural world as well.  This dream school would also include a child-created and maintained garden, greenhouse and composting. :)
6. Play - Kids need time to be kids!  Even 11 year olds want to build, construct, create, dramatize, etc.  My dream school will include time for this, with thoughtful, intentional "invitations" to play set-up.  For example, a block area with natural or recycled items to incorporate in their creations.  (tubing, wires, paper towel tubes, etc)  A drawing/watercolor center, with a piece of fruit sliced in half to invite kids to draw/paint a still life. :) 
7. Family Partnerships - I love the idea of utilizing and learning from the "talents of all" in the community.  We often don't know the amazing treasures that are right under our noses!  I had a parent not long ago that was an opera singer!  How cool is that?  Inviting parents and family members into the school to share their talents and knowledge is such a powerful thing.

Now, of course a literacy rich environment is a given, where reading, writing, speaking, listening and above all THINKING in authentic ways is a cornerstone.  And don't forget math....a well-balanced approach that helps kids develop conceptual understanding, in real-life ENGAGING ways.

Ok, I'm sure I'm forgetting something huge, but this is a working document! :)  And dreams can be revised, right?

J is for Jake

There is nothing sweeter than a first grader with no front teeth.  I melt each time I see one of their toothless smiles.  It's a sign of pure innocence.  I wish we could freeze this smile for longer than it actually lasts, before those "grown up teeth" make their way in.
Addison is wiggling away at her front teeth, and they will surely fall out in the coming months. :)

Why am I writing a blog post about missing teeth?

It's because I'm saddened by how our children are being hurried along.  It's been bothering me ever since I returned from Reggio Emilia last fall.  Why are we trying to grow them up so fast?  There's plenty of time to be old and do the things that old people do.

Like writing your letters "walking forward."  Yes, we all learn to write our letters correctly at some point in time, usually by the end of 2nd grade, things are looking pretty legible.  That's the point, right?  Legibility.  Kids in K, 1st, 2nd grades notoriously flip their letters and numbers backwards.  Especially b's and d's, 6 and 9, etc.  No matter how many times a teacher might remind children who flip their letters to make them "walk forward," they will still flip them.  When you point it out, they notice, but when they are in the midst of writing, they'll still flip.  There is some sort of switch that goes off in their brains, and suddenly everything walks forward.  It's like magic.  It's not because I've told them to flip their letters.  It's because they were ready to do it, on their own time line.

So this brings me to sweet Jake.  Jake is a first grader in my class this year.  He's an August birthday boy, and as precious as they come.  Full of energy, loves life, and cutest smile you've ever seen.  Jake writes his name (often) with a flipped J.  I could hover over him, reminding him each time he writes his name that his J needs to be walking forward.  I could send home handwriting practice, and stress that his J needs to be flipped.  Or.....I could  just let him be.  In the grand scheme of things, is this something to stress him out about?  Nope.

I take that back, there is something cuter than a first grader with no front teeth.  A first grader with no teeth and a backwards J.

He'll fix it eventually.  But for now, I'm going to let him be 6.

A Place For Wonder

My first grade teammate turned me onto a book by Georgia Heard that I didn't know about called A Place for Wonder.  Thanks, Karen! :)  Oh my. I've only read the first two chapters, and of course I'm already completely inspired and want to transform my room into a Reggio wonderland.  As if being in Reggio Emilia wasn't enough! 

This book and the dreams of my trip to Reggio Emilia couldn't come at a better time.  The pressures being put on teachers to assess our sweet babies is starting to spiral out of control.  If I followed the district curriculum as is, without making teacher judgment calls, I could feasibly test my first graders on SOMETHING every day of the week.  There are weekly tests for our new literacy adoption (which I don't give) plus daily "checks" for our math program (which I don't give) so technically a teacher could test her kids multiple times per day.  Um, no thank you. 6 and 7 year olds should NOT be filling in bubbles.  I saw this great sign on Facebook recently: I couldn't have said it better myself!

 

 

Stay tuned for more thoughts about A Place For Wonder, my new obsession.  I'm hosting a book club in my district on this book later this fall.  More to come...for now, we're heading outside to blow some bubbles. ;)



Holding True

A recent post by Renee Dinnerstein has made me reflect on the behavior management system I've had in place for the past 3 years.  When my teaching partner and I first instigated this system, (found on the many teacher blogs) it sounded like a wonderful way to praise kids for positive behavior, instead of always focusing on the negative. 

Imagine clothespins on either side of the Ready to Learn section.  This chart hangs publicly on a cupboard door in my classroom.

Each child has a clothespin with his/her class number written on it, and they all start off on "Ready to Learn" each day.  They can move up and down the chart depending on their positive (or negative) behaviors.  If they reach the top of the chart in one day, they receive the infamous "jewel" to add to their clip.  However, in reality, I wasn't consistent with "moving kids up" and it turned into more of a burden for me.  I have my days of forgetfulness, too much on my plate, mommy-brain, which I'm not especially proud of!  Aside from not being consistent, the bigger question is What message am I sending to my students?  Are kids' positive behavior choices a result of them trying to move up for the "jewel" or were they truly making positive choices because it's the right thing to do?  Some kids are oblivious to it, and they are who they are.  They are going to help a friend in need, regardless if there is a behavior chart in place.  Others were motivated by the chart, being sure to tell me about their heroic actions at recess, or how they shared a marker with a friend.  The question is:  Would these kids do the same thing without the chart? 

The answer is YES.  A chart is not needed to create a caring classroom community.  I plan to ditch this system and go back to what I know best.  It starts with class conversations about what it means to be friendly, caring, empathetic, cooperative, responsible, curious, etc.  It also means ME being a good listener and actively listening to the millions of stories and experiences of my students, albeit sometimes they can be never ending!  I'm not saying there will not be consequences for not-so-good choices, such as taking a breather during an activity, etc. but having a publicly displayed chart that points out who is behaving in a certain way, this is a practice that will disappear in my room this fall.

My teammates and I have started a "Virtue of the Month" character project that is also a wonderful way to highlight the beauty of human nature in meaningful ways.  We read books that have the virtue tucked into the meaning/lesson of the book, and fantastic conversations are sparked as a result.

I've learned that I need to trust my instincts, and not get caught up in the latest trends.  I knew deep down that something was off with the system but I didn't put the breaks on.  It sometimes takes someone to gently spell it out, (Thanks, Renee!) to remind you of what you already hold to be true.  I'm anticipating some nauseating feelings are ahead of me with the Common Core State Standards and trends that go along with the CCSS,  but I'm ready with my sword, shield and a bottle of Tums. :)
 

Why Choice Time?

My colleague, Renee Dinnerstein, recently wrote about the ways that the Common Core are being interpreted in Kindergarten classrooms.  Bottom line:  Don't mess with Choice Time.  When teachers start putting stipulations on how to make choices, what to imagine, what to think....it takes away the spirit of wonder and inquiry in children.

http://investigatingchoicetime.com/?p=614

Believe it or not, choice time in first grade is pretty unheard of.  My first grade classroom (along with a couple of my teammates) is not the norm.  I'm working on spreading the "choice time word."

I'm wondering...

Long time, no posts!  I've been immersed in life with my own budding bambini, and my 19 other precious souls in my care.  Spring is in the air, and I'm ready for some sunshine filled days!  We're expecting a stretch of beautiful weather here in Seattle for the next few days....woo hoo!
I'm facilitating a book study/Reggio Emilia workshop, starting this Thursday at a local elementary, and I'm pumped for it!  We'll be studying Matt Glover's book Projecting Possibilities for Writers: The How, What and Why of Designing Units of Study, K-5.  We'll also look closely at the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education, hopefully allowing teachers to see the connections between the workshop approach to teaching reading and writing, and Reggio.  I'm hoping to light an "inquiry fire" in the participants!

On another note, our local literacy council (IRA) hosted Stephanie Harvey for a Saturday workshop last weekend, and what an inspiration she was!  The entire first half of her talk was a call for bringing back WONDER and CURIOSITY to education.  She even showed photos of kids at "Reggio Inspired" schools....so affirming! 
More later on wonder and curiosity... ;)

Voices

Goosebumps.  I have them because of this speech.  Please read it, you will be inspired.  I agree with Diane Ravitch, where is the media attention for this superintendent, when people like Michelle Rhee get tons of air time?   We need more people like John Kuhn advocating for educators and kids.  His voice represents what so many of us believe and don't have the courage or the eloquence to say.  Thank you, Superintendent John Kuhn!

The Imagination Tree

Oh my goodness, I'm in love with this blog: The Imagination Tree  If you are looking for ways to invite your children to discover and play in oh-so-many ways, this woman (her name is Anna, ironic, huh?) has a knack for putting together the most incredible play settings.  My favorite idea (so far!) is her "Small World Play Scenes."  Check out this pirate scene!   Or another one of my favorites, the Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Play Dough.  Are you kidding me?  I'm giddy right now!  Let the play dough making begin!  One is NEVER too old for play dough. :)

Reggio Inspired in 1st

As a first grade teacher, my mind has been spinning, wondering "How can I bring some Reggio elements into my classroom?"  Especially with the mandates and fast-paced atmosphere that many of us are experiencing.  I need to bring some natural wonder back into the classroom!  They're 6 years old, for heaven's sake!  Of course,  I can bring materials in, (and prune some current ones) but bringing in Reggio is much more than "stuff."  It's how you put that stuff to use.  It's about taking a step back and trusting my first graders.  We've been so hung up on learning targets, teaching points and demonstrating EVERYTHING, that we've lost sight of letting kids do what they do best, discover!  I've been making a conscience effort to be even MORE intentional with my questioning and how I present new concepts and ideas.

I've been reading a lot of Katie Ray lately, and her book Study Driven screams Reggio to me! (Matt Glover, an author/consultant and colleague of Katie's, organized my trip to Italy)  Katie makes the case for a true "Study" in the writing workshop, where children are immersed in the kind of writing we're inviting them to do, digging deep into the craft, and structure of a particular form of writing.  The teacher learns alongside the children, doesn't have all of the answers, and allows the children to make the discoveries.  Of course, the teacher has an idea of where she wants to take them, and there is structure to it, but this inquiry focus is a different pathway from what many of us are comfortable with.  This is opposed to the pre-planned Units of Study where every single mini-lesson is already outlined and sometimes scripted.  I must admit, I'm a planner and I like to know what it is I'm teaching and when.  This inquiry stance has turned my thinking upside down!  Seeing it in Italy in a early childhood environment, has made me step back and reflect on how I have been handing curriculum to my children on a shiny platter.  My first graders are still learning and loving school, however, could it be more meaningful for them if I stop being so explicit?  There is definitely a time and place for being explicit, however are we being TOO explicit and not letting our children discover some things for themselves?  Instead, I must be ultra-uber intentional, in how I invite the children to learn.  It's all about setting up "Invitations" to learn.

I'll go deeper into "Invitations" in another post.  Meanwhile, here are some pictures of my latest attempts to improve my choice time areas in the classroom.... a light table and new blocks!  Space is still an issue....ugh. 

Reinvent

After returning from Reggio, I was barraged by colleagues, friends and family, dying to know all about my experience and what my impressions were.  Honestly, I had a hard time coming up with just the right words to describe what I experienced.  I not only saw environments that changed my vision for what is possible, I felt transformed, myself, as a teacher and a parent.   I was filled with energy to march home and exude Reggio from my fingertips.  Where would I begin?  I walked into my first grade classroom Monday morning and wilted.  I stared at my plan book and curriculum map and felt deflated. I then proceeded to open an email from a parent asking for more homework for his six year old daughter.  He writes:  "Is reading all you want her to do?  Don't you have packets of homework to send home?"    How can I infuse pieces of this beautiful philosophy that values and trusts children, into a system that is hurrying children along at lightning speed?  And then one rainy Seattle morning, as I'm reaching into my cupboard for a coffee mug, the mug I was about to grab spoke to me.

Reinvent.  Reinvent Reggio in my own soil.  That's it.  It's impossible to replicate all aspects of what is present in Reggio Schools, but we can surely bring pieces into our settings that make sense.  I responded to the father that asked for more homework, and here is what I wrote.
"No, reading is not the only homework.  Open your backyard door and let her run!  Tell stories, explore, build, sing, and invite her to be a kid.  This is more valuable than any homework packet I could ever provide."

Lost in translation...

I've been putting off this post because I don't know where to start.  I went to Reggio thinking I had a general idea of what I was going to see and experience, and I came away utterly dumbfounded.  How is it that we as a nation have not looked to our colleagues in Italy and learned a thing or two about how to implement such authentic, child-centered environments for our children?  I'm shocked that there are not more "Reggio Inspired" schools in our country.  I guess that is another post in itself. 

I think I'm going to slowly post my impressions, as they become clear in my mind.  Here are a couple that I've been chewing on lately.

• The educators in Reggio Emilia have a completely different philosophy about the purpose of education.  First and foremost, they believe education is the right of all children from birth.  They believe that education is the responsibility of the community in order to promote the potentials of all children...it's the "It Takes a Village" idea. They stressed that their job is to help "form the human" by constructing conditions that allow children to grow and develop into thoughtful, productive, citizens.  They have a word for this in Italian, which I can't remember exactly, I think it's "formazione."  They said that there isn't a true translation for it in English. It made me think about the state of our education system and how everything is about "Getting Ready" for the next level.  Kindergarten Readiness. Getting ready for the "next grade level"  Getting ready for middle school/high school.  And now the infamous "College and Career Ready."  I wonder if the Italians have a translation for this perseveration on "readiness."  I seriously doubt it.
• The Image of the Child is something that stood out to me.  Again, it's the idea that children have infinite potentials for learning.  When we stand back, and let children "be," they can astound us.  They have a natural affinity for exploration, discovery, and figuring things out.  How is the Image of the Child different in US school settings?  I've been thinking about this, and it seems that it comes down to trust.  The educators in Reggio have a level of trust in children (it's actually recipricol) that allows the children to take their learning to extraordinary levels.  The adults stand back (although they are very intentional, and I'll touch on that later) and allow children to author their own learning.  They don't have all the answers, they're not standing and spewing directives, teaching points, facts, etc.  They ask legitimate questions and they guide. They have patience.  There is no rush.  Remember, they're not trying to propel children to the next benchmark, Fountas/Pinnell level or grade level for that matter.  Instead, they trust in the innate capabilities of children to learn and construct knowledge.  I know I'm getting very deep here!  However, there is nothing shallow about Reggio Emilia! :) 

More later...my brain hurts.

Under the influence....

of Reggio! I'm back, and forever changed. I know it sounds cliche and overly dramatic, but there is no other way to describe. I'm still trying to process the experience. For now, here are a couple of nibbles.  And yes, cheese was involved every step of the way.

 

 

Caine's Arcade

Watch this and be ready to say HOLY FIRECRACKERS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U&feature=relmfu

At first sight, I was utterly dumbfounded at the brilliance of Caine's Arcade.  What an incredible story this is!  Caine is one genius of a kid!  Questions that came to my mind while watching:  How is it that this filmmaker was his first customer??  Who are the folks that walked by and didn't want to humor him and play?  Can my kids create something like this?  What can we as educators learn from Caine?    Then when I started to process it more, I came to the realization that ALL children are capable of what Caine created, that is, if we help to create structures and opportunities for kids to create!  What are those structures and how can we bring them to our classrooms PRONTO? 

What are your thoughts?

Blocks Beyond Kindergarten

Where do I even begin when it comes to the value of block building in early childhood development?  Building with blocks allows children to "learn by doing" which is a central idea expressed by educational philosopher, John Dewey.  Children who build with blocks learn about science, math, social/emotional development, and the list goes on.  The value of blocks can be seen beyond the early childhood years as well.  My first exposure to the idea of blocks being present in classrooms "beyond kindergarten" was at Teachers College, Columbia University.  A doctoral student in my department was investigating the benefit of children in upper-elementary classrooms having access to building blocks.  This was a new idea for me.  I couldn't imagine 4th graders playing with blocks in the classroom.  But when you think about it, a 4th grader is still in the "concrete-operational" stage of development according to Piaget, learning by actively engaging (manipulating testing, investigating) with their world.  Blocks are the perfect medium!
Along the same lines are other constructing materials such as Legos.  My neighbor boy (4th grader) creates unbelievable Lego ships/planes/vehicles and the thought process that goes into building these is most definitely building his spatial skills!

I've beefed up the block area in my classroom, by adding cars/trucks/people/animals.... although it's still a work in progress.  I need more blocks!  I'm hoping to apply for a grant to bring blocks to other classrooms in our school, beyond Kindergarten.  Convincing others that blocks beyond kindergarten is a good idea might be another job in itself! 
Stay tuned for more about blocks....