tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50489718547385092992024-03-12T19:10:12.057-07:00Thoughts on Teaching and LearningGrowing Passionate LearnersChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-41669642045375997662014-07-22T17:57:00.001-07:002014-07-22T17:59:37.089-07:00Classroom Libraries are an Ongoing Adventure Story Trying to decide what genre books fall into is not easy. There are mysteries set in the Depression or pre-WWII England; Mystery and Suspense or Historical Fiction? If a narrative story is loosely based on a real event from an earlier time, does it belong in Realistic Fiction or Historical Fiction? And what about Dan Gutman books that are about sports but have spaceships in them? Or Jack Gantos' Joey Pigza series which is actually based on his own life?<br />
This is my fourth year teaching and my third year working on my classroom library. I am proud of the number of volumes I have acquired, the range in reading level within most genres, and the visibility of where to shelve the books upon return. Last year I leveled the majority of my titles, no small feat since I have well over 500 titles. I placed a large number of titles in book boxes according to level, sorted my non-fiction by subject matter, and left a good number of titles to be found by author's last name, like they are in the public library. This year as I have been sorting, taping, and discarding, I have noted a great many things about myself as a reader. For instance, I have a lot more Fantasy titles than anything else, followed by Historical Fiction most of which have a female lead character or narrator, and a great number of Classic titles, in part because it is the one genre I actually assign a focused book report on (theme). I now know that I need to get more titles that focus around Sports and a larger variety of Animal Stories.<br />
I have also decided to sort the majority of my books by genre rather than reading level and only have buckets of certain authors with no part of my library according to author's last name. I know it is somewhat ridiculous to spend two summers in a row setting up different systems, but I DO have my reasons. Last year I gave multiple mini lessons on how to choose a just right fit book; open to any page and read for a few minutes- can you follow the action? are you interested in reading on? do the words make sense?, the five finger rule, read the blurb on the back of the book. I definitely got more good fit books in the hands of my students, especially my reluctant readers, than I would have before hand. But I had some readers, particularly a number of boys, who would stay close to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books or Graphic Novels.<br />
What I found was even though I had been successful in finding a book that interested them, and they read it and enjoyed it, they wouldn't seek out another book on their own or even with prodding. They did not like the "label" of a reading level box, yet they didn't want to start a book and have to admit it was too difficult for them, so they stuck with what they knew until the next time I put a title in their hands. I try to get the kids reading independently and this system didn't support that as well as I had hoped.<br />
My hope for this year is these same kinds of readers will find their genre box more readily since it doesn't advertise what letter level they are reading at. The books are still leveled, I placed a sticker on the cover, but it is far less visible than the colored tape which identifies the genre. First and foremost I want students to think about what it is they like in a book before they go to the shelves and then use what they have been taught to pick a good fit title. That way, they'll be able to find books in the public library long after they have left my classroom. Fingers crossed. I would really rather NOT spend next summer redoing my library again. ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-75348632084352869562014-07-16T07:49:00.001-07:002014-07-16T07:49:32.571-07:00Summer Resolution- Check; Setting a School Year ResolutionNow that I am back from New York, I am going into the classroom every other day to poke things into place, level and label the library, and just generally think through my plan for the year. This will be my fourth year teaching in the same 5th grade classroom, with the same wonderful teacher partner, and a whole new slew of kids. I have received test scores and class lists, so I am beginning to imagine the initial table groups and pairings for workshops. I went to Ikea today and picked up new book boxes (best price ever!) and just printed labels. It is so fun to sit in my big recliner, listening to my own children play video games, my hubby cooking, and get things ready while I sit here reading and writing, and sip some wine before dinner. I am one lucky lady and I know it.<br />
<br />
My summer resolution was to make time for reading and I have; go to New York and train at TCRWP and I DID(!); reconfigure my library (AGAIN!) and I am; get up to date on all my medical exams- all clear; spend time with my boys, not near enough, but more than during the year; enjoy time with my husband and have some talks about finances, the future, and make each other laugh- we have and continue to; get regular exercise and lose weight- well, I have done the exercise and watched my meal size, but the weight loss is slow going- so be it, I feel better and I know I am stronger; all in all I am pretty well on track.<br />
<br />
My school year resolution is to be patient and trust while I: grow my hair out- that will take eight months at least; lose 10 lb.- just keep on doing what I am already doing, exercising and eating less; and become a more effective teacher, growing kids into passionate readers and capable writers, by getting them reading and writing early, often, and with a whole lot of encouragement, praise, and a few pointers. I am excited to test my resolve to keep mini lessons short and have both Reading and Writing Workshops four days a week, without letting scheduling, testing, or even field trips get in our way. I hope I am can be as successful with my school year resolution as I have with my summer.<br />
<br />
But now, I can feel the pace changing; I can feel the vacuum of "the school year" pulling at me. I think my success this summer lies in the "keep it simple" mentality and the Nike mantra of "Just Do It"; my 2014-2015 goal depends on maintaining that consciousness and pace for 180 days, one day at a time.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-82371628618911201052014-07-13T08:30:00.000-07:002014-07-13T15:23:31.438-07:00Reading like a WriterThe first week in New York was the Writing Workshop intensive and the second week was the Reading. I have become very aware of my own "bad" habits surrounding both. One of my most profound take aways from the Writing Workshop was the need to stay in your own skin when you are writing as narrator. The example that Lucy used was when she was washing the dishes at the sink, with her hands deep in the sudsy water, and the phone rang and her sister answered. When she first wrote about this experience she said, "It was my mom on the phone and she had been to the doctor."<br />
If her hands were in the sink, how did she know that? When she stayed in character all she could see and hear were her sister picking up the phone and half of the conversation- "hi, mom. What? What did he say?"<br />
By staying in character the story is real. You are storytelling not summarizing. Such a powerful lesson and it has made my revision process much more meaningful and productive.<br />
<br />
Reading though has been REALLY eye opening. I have always been an avid reader. I love language and appreciate great imagery. I came back from the Intensive with plans to start a book blog for my classroom. What I am finding is ,I tend to race through books wanting to know what is going to happen, rather than lingering and appreciating the language. I think that is fine, but it makes me aware that a number of books warrant a reread. I notice and appreciate craft as I am reading, but I am a plot junkie first and foremost.<br />
<br />ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-76880189680178174452014-07-11T07:53:00.002-07:002014-07-11T07:53:56.593-07:00We are not the enemyI happened to go to Office Depot today to recycle some ink cartridges and pick up some labels for leveling my library. When I got towards the back I saw that they had Composition Notebooks on sale for $1- college ruled!- but there were no more on the shelf. When I asked the sales person if there were any in back, she went to check and brought out a "case" of 12 notebooks. When I told her that I was looking for 64, she told me there was a limit; teachers could not buy more than a certain amount. I told her I hadn't seen any limit on the sale sign, so we went back together to check it out. No Limit. So she went into the back and got me what she said was her last case; bringing me up to a grand total of 24, hardly enough for my 2 classes of 32 students. I bought them anyway. As she assured me that I could check back later, that they would have more at that price, I wondered why there would ever be a limit set on teachers. A sale is a sale; isn't it? Do they think that teachers are trying to take advantage of the price point or something? Why should it be cheaper for my student to buy a notebook than for me to buy one for all my students?<br />
<br />
What does our city/state/country have against teachers?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-10333647417151862082014-07-02T04:32:00.003-07:002014-07-02T04:32:59.459-07:00Summer Intensives Coming To An EndEvery night I have the best of intentions of recapping all that I learned and posting here for others to read, but after dinner and homework, I brush my teeth and fall fast asleep. This morning I swore I would make up for crawling into bed early with my current read, <u>Mark of the Dragonfly, </u>but here I am after breakfast with only a few minutes until the muggy trek to TC><br />
<br />
The truth is, I am so incredibly grateful that I got into the TCRWP summer intensive, and on top of that to have been able to attend the conference in June/July, so that I have the rest of the summer to digest what I have learned, finish reading all the materials, and make plans for what and how I will incorporate more of the workshop best practices into my classroom.<br />
<br />
for anyone who wants to make heads or tails of my notes, here is a link to my evernote in class notes<br />
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s418/sh/ccdf3de2-0b56-4298-8fbd-c3a7138bcf9f/30e1545281945c8b2eabccbc097357c4<br />
<br />
I have a lot of photos of charts and links to videos, but that will have to wait. I have left myself two days to be in New York after the Workshop ends. I had originally planned to do some sightseeing, but I think a walk to Strawberry Fields, to "Imagine" my classroom next year is all I really care about doing. I will just have to come back another time for the tourist trip.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-82798969594257276192014-06-26T04:31:00.000-07:002014-06-26T04:31:12.083-07:00Wow it is already Day 4!I had to wake up especially early this morning in order to make my blog entry. After the full day session, rereading notes, and doing homework, I have no more strength to comb through the entirety of what I learned and identify the most important or significant gem; there are so many. So this morning with my STRONG cup of coffee I can say that understand so much better what I have been doing well, or at least been on the right track with, in my teaching and where I need to be more intentional, but mostly, where I need to pick up the pace.<br />
<br />
Lucy tells many stories of what it was like growing up with eight brothers and sisters and how there was no dilly-dallying in that house. If her mom wanted to get everybody to church on time, she had to set the pace. In my classroom I have 33 children at any given time, and I have got to set a much tighter pace if we are ever gonna "get to the church on time".<br />
<br />
IN our whole group session yesterday we moved into essay boot-camp; jump starting with opinion, transitioning into persuasive, and diving right into literary essay. Unbelievable. Lucy emphasized a certain structure in essay for fifth graders, acknowledging that some very smart people who she highly respected didn't agree with her. She explained that her experience as a parent of children who went through middle school, high school, and beyond affects her decision; she knows the kind of writing that students will be asked to do in the upper grades and feels it is important to prepare them. As a parent of three boys, two in college and one in high school, I agree and know that is why I have done the same in my classroom since I became a classroom teacher three years ago. Lucy is confident that it is this emphasis on structure which has allowed the NY School District to embrace so much about Writers Workshop in that supports students success on high stakes testing.<br />
<br />
Our home work for my small group session with other fifth grade teachers, led by Garrit, had required that I prepare a mini lesson on one aspect of writing narrative and be ready to pair up with a classmate to teach it. I found that creating stories to model the strategy was the most challenging part of planning the lesson. Lucy and Garrit had both made it clear that it was FINE to use the stories in the Units of Study to start with, but it is hard to tell someone else's story as my own, so I knew my lesson would feel better if I thought of a personal example. I am glad I did. I felt good about the way the lesson went; I known there will be times when I will need to rely on the script to improvise from, but I also know that over the years I will be developing my own stories.<br />
<br />
I had my second workshop with Meghan Hargrave yesterday and was once again impressed by her style. I can only imagine how much her fourth grade students must idolize her. The previous day's workshop focused on Materials, Routines and Accountability. Meghan is incredibly organized and high energy, reminding me once again of the need to run a VERY tight ship with the kids. She shared her Powerpoint, but so far the file has been too big for me to upload- I will continue to try and incorporate a link here. Yesterday's session was instruction on how to run strategy based small groups. I volunteered to be one of her guinea students for demonstration and I am so glad I did; I had a real sense once again of the need to assess what the kids need, get them writing, and sending them back out to do their independent work.<br />
<br />
Off I go to Day 4. I remember at the end of Day 1 being afraid that I would be so overwhelmed with information by Day 3 that I wouldn't be able to take anymore, but this moring I find myself afraid for how fast the Workshop has moved and want more, More, MORE. I am SO glad and grateful that I am able to stay for next week's Reading Workshop Training. The two are stronger together- the sum being an exponent of the parts.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-48687898925237167472014-06-24T04:17:00.003-07:002014-06-24T04:17:30.198-07:00Day One and we are off!Day One TCRWP<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Seeing Lucy Calkins for the first time in the doorway was definitely a "Rock Star" moment. Being jet-lagged and overwhelmed by the number of teachers who already had their canvas bags in hand did not take away from the moment. After wending my way to the beautiful Riverside Church, sitting in pews that have witnessed many historic events, listening to her keynote speech I was even more impressed by the depth of this woman's knowledge and the generosity with which she shares it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My first session was Whole Group 3-5 and also led by Lucy- YAHOO- how did I get so lucky? We wrote, learned and laughed for nearly two hours. I won't try to summarize all that I heard and learned here, but I will link my notes after I have transcribed them. One image that stands out was her description of something that Katherine Patterson refers to as "pearling"> "cupping your hands around a moment and building a story around it" or "growing meaning around the grit", that it is this building significance from moments, lives, and texts that makes a writer. Lucy impressed upon us the importance of getting kids to write a volume of work, to have them writing fast and furious in order to for them to learn how to write with fluency, to write with an oral quality. Not only do I feel confident that I will leave this week a better teacher, I am sure of becoming a better writer. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One key take-away for me yesterday was the importance of "staying inside a point of view" when writing narrative. Lucy told two versions of the same story of a young boy riding his bike down a huge hill, hitting a gravel patch and crashing: in the first telling the writer stayed inside the point of view and the other, after crashing the writer describes what other people, not the injured boy, are seeing. It was the first time I had so clearly understood why some student's story felt like they went off the road. As I continued to write for "homework", I was very conscious of each time I slipped out of my own point of view, and as a result the piece is more powerful and more personal. Thank you Lucy!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
SO much more to share about the day- the small group session with Gerrit Jones-Rooy and the closing workshop, "Eight Books that can become CO-Teachers..." with Grace Chough, but it is Day Two and there is more to come.<br /></div>
ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-80201749790346109132014-06-21T11:22:00.002-07:002014-06-22T07:28:12.992-07:00TCRWP Summer Intensive Here I Come.I leave for New York tomorrow. I have been excited for months, looking forward to the learning and the change of scene. Now I am nervous. I don't know why. I am not afraid to fly, I love being in school, and I love New York. Whatever is causing this feeling of anxiety in my chest and stomach has to do with my expectations of myself in a learning environment; I hate being the least informed and I dread being a know it all. Somehow these are the only two ways I see myself.<br />
<br />
In writing the proposal for the <a href="http://www.fundforteachers.org/apply/guidelines/california/san-francisco/index.php" target="_blank">Fund For Teachers grant</a> through the SF Ed Fund that would allow us this two week summer intensive at the <a href="http://readingandwritingproject.com/" target="_blank">Teacher's College Reading and Writing Program</a>, <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3uve-OscQICTVErfqn2Lv00C0i671xv48rGeLz82Pbo_SLX8kK-QNKvTyyTXnUlQk-plUMZY3X43fdncNPB42Qgm2nei6VIBPt6YYVMFw0XdJuaUd0FvUz9rEFvxnQRFTWV7avC6N_M/s1600/teacherscollege.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3uve-OscQICTVErfqn2Lv00C0i671xv48rGeLz82Pbo_SLX8kK-QNKvTyyTXnUlQk-plUMZY3X43fdncNPB42Qgm2nei6VIBPt6YYVMFw0XdJuaUd0FvUz9rEFvxnQRFTWV7avC6N_M/s1600/teacherscollege.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
we were asked to explain why we wanted to go, why we were good candidates, and what we would bring back to our classrooms and school site. I both love and hate the exercise of articulating my thoughts and hopes about myself as a teacher and the importance of reading and writing well. I reread my reflections and thought they sounded trite and too universal. But I was sincere and earnest in trying to put into words what I hope to bring to the students I have the opportunity to teach.<br />
<br />
SO, enough of the angst. We got the grant and tomorrow I leave for a two week adventure of learning at the source of much of what I have been reading and trying to absorb for the last three years. Wow!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbYkRQhJzvwYoCbD4OLg8efljK0SowHSQxcaI9oni02PiWVHlwyfJLS9EZUn4jHG2b9dUxEh-UIJPlyH2RlWvPaRwMZkFujwEE9_YfuEqeNuk4BjRkBmarBO7MioYG6WIYOEhorRBwZE/s1600/newyork-hostel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbYkRQhJzvwYoCbD4OLg8efljK0SowHSQxcaI9oni02PiWVHlwyfJLS9EZUn4jHG2b9dUxEh-UIJPlyH2RlWvPaRwMZkFujwEE9_YfuEqeNuk4BjRkBmarBO7MioYG6WIYOEhorRBwZE/s1600/newyork-hostel.jpg" height="140" width="200" /></a>Once we began the application process it became clear that if we were awarded the grant, we had better secure some affordable accommodations before everything was booked. Since the grant would only allow each of us $3300.00 for tuition, room, board and our flight, and I wanted to use SOME of that money for books while I was there, I knew we had to find VERY inexpensive housing. Fortunately, the<a href="http://www.hiusa.org/new-york/new-york/new-york-city" target="_blank"> New York Hostel</a>, which is a one mile walk down Amsterdam Ave. from Columbia Teacher College, still had rooms for the full two weeks, and at $60 a night I wasn't going to find a cheaper bed at a place where I <i>wanted</i> to sleep. So I secured my lodging, taking my chances on losing a $50 deposit if worse came to worse. I was not as willing to book airfare in advance with tickets being non-refundable and non-transferable, so I waited to hear and watched airfares skyrocket as summer approached.<br />
<br />
The day I got the good news about the grant, I booked my flight. Nonstop would have been wonderful, but the flights left too early in the morning or flew through the night, neither of which appealed to me for the higher cost. <a href="https://www.virginamerica.com/" target="_blank">Virgin</a> had the best fares, and the times weren't horrible even with a brief layover in LA; so I will get in late (10 pm), but I will have a few more dollars in my book allowance. According to the hostel's website there is an on demand shuttle with an 800 number that I call, and it will pick me up at JFK and take me to the door of the hostel. I will write in a couple of days to report how that goes.<br />
<br />
TCRWP has been communicative, sending us emails about what to expect and what to bring. Now, if I can just wake up in time with the time difference, but that is another angst and I don't want to feed it.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-65802615334615250672011-09-04T22:58:00.000-07:002011-09-04T22:58:38.903-07:00now that i am actually teaching i have less time for thinking about it!The year is off and running. As I prep for next week, and make note that we are already on the 4th week of school, I have to look at my map out of the year to see if I am anywhere near target. I know where I need to get the students by the end of the year, and I had a terrific plan all paced out to get us there, and now I see how the scheduling of "enrichment" classes, holidays, field trips, and kids at different levels of comprehension and ability wrecks havoc with the best laid plan. I teach Language Arts and Social Studies core curriculum to fifth graders, trying to prepare them for the rigors of middle school by the time they walk through our portals at the end of the year. Some kids are already there, ready for the challenge academically and socially mature enough to stay focused on their studies while navigating the hormonal landmine that is middle school. Heck a couple of these girls seem ready for high school. But just as there are 10 kids already there, 10 kids working to get there, and 3-4 that will not be ready no matter how I map out the year, that leaves 10 for whom it could go either way. Maybe with the right services and support the majority of these kids will be ready and do fine, but without the services, and counseling, and one on one work they desperately need, they will get discouraged and angry and bitter, and they will stop trying. That scares me and wakes me up at night. What can I do to keep more of those students from following that tide out to sea? I know, rather poetic , but true.<br />
Teaching the material, finding a captivating and engaging way to teach the material, and an effective way to evaluate whether the message has been received is only part of the task at hand. I used to think that was the job, and challenging enough in its own right. But the meetings with Special Ed, the hopes and demands of parents, and the realities of a ridiculously tight schedule all while trying to navigate 33 students from one class and 33 from another through 2 subjects seems a tad Sysifusian. I think whoever decided to split the core curriculum between two teachers was a genius, I cannot imagine that science or social studies would ever get their due if it was up to one classroom teacher to plann out the week and meet the math and language arts standards. The beautiful think is we can meet our language arts standards through writing about our social studies curriculum...to be continued. <br />
<br />
<br />
ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-37352012372876408302011-08-10T19:23:00.000-07:002011-08-10T19:23:18.531-07:00professional development day 1I am feeling a little overwhelmed; the teaching seems easy compared to the scheduling! School politics is visible , but as the new kid on the block I am trying to just focus on what it means for me and my students. As I map out the year I realize how ambitious it is. I still think my flow makes sense, but I am less convinced that the progression can be determined by the calendar. I am trying to think of it only as my goal post and the field is wide pen right now...as we get into the year the offense will be coming on strong.<br />
<br />
Football analogies aside. I LOVE the 5th grade curriculum for social studies and language arts- they are dovetailed really nicely. If I can graduate these kids able to read non-fiction, write a multiple paragraph essay with a bibliography, and knowing a little bit about life in the US before Columbus, the explorers and westward expansion, the American Revolution and how a bill becomes law, and, oh yeah, the states and capitals- it will be a three pointer!ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-11216573550325535162011-08-08T20:13:00.000-07:002011-08-08T20:13:38.566-07:00setting up a new classroomOMG I have been in almost every day for weeks and I am finally feeling like my classroom is set up. I can't imagine how teachers do it with two or three days notice. There is so much to pour through and weed out. I know some people wouldn't put in the hours off the clock, but it is a quality of life issue for me. It would be similar to not cleaning up a mess in my home because it wasn't my mess...well, I still have to live with it.<br />
<br />
ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-35082035207273995192011-07-21T08:11:00.000-07:002011-07-21T08:11:47.257-07:00classroom is in order- now to plan out the pace and opening weeksAfter a week and a half of painting, alphabetizing, and removing extra furniture, the classroom is looking ready for the welcoming touches. I found a closet full of borders, posters, and resource materials and placed what was most relevant to the initial curriculum and basic grammar review- the eight parts of speech and the many regions of Indian tribes of North America. Had a clever aha moment as I was posting the boards on the different tribes to place them according to their location...ie. the Southwest, the Far West, The Plains, The Far North, the Eastern Woodlands. If it helps <u><b>me</b></u> remember it will probably help the kids, right?!.I also put up some book covers of some of the classics by the library to inspire reading of books above and beyond Goosebumps and Captain Underpants. I found a beautiful hardback edition of <u>The Secret Garden</u> at the used book store for a couple of bucks; I think of it as the jewel in the haystack that is our classroom library. Hopefully someone will discover it and have the sheer pleasure of holding it as she/he reads it.<br />
I am researching on line, reading textbooks, and gathering supporting materials from Creative Teaching and various Scholastic booklets. There are no shortage of activities to help the kids get the concepts- it is the mapping out of the introduction/review of the concepts that I am working on. Where to start? I want to see how well the kids write at the start, but realize there will be a huge gap between the highest and most basic of readers and writers. I am trying to accommodate the lessons and activities to engage everyone- a tall order to be sure.<br />
I know that the first week will be a combination of team building activities, review, clarification of rules, responsibilities and expectations. I also know that it is best to over plan and to schedule every minute of the day - especially for the first few days . Seating arrangements, establishing hand raising protocol, how kids can communicate need to use the restroom or sharpen a pencil without interrupting the rest of the class- those are the kinds of details that I am trying to work out mentally in advance- sometimes in the middle of the night :)ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-30629671649455704342011-07-14T19:53:00.000-07:002011-07-14T19:53:02.079-07:00Cleaning the classroomWell, it looks by all accounts that I will teaching this fall. I have not signed any paperwork or been given any guarantees, and I am fully prepared to find out something has made it impossible for me to be the honest to goodness teacher, but in the meantime I had to dig in. I have spent the last four days cleaning: removing staples from the wall, pulling down old signs, scrubbing desks, vacuuming air vents, painting over scuff marks and coffee spills, and wiping weeks and weeks of DLR transparencies clean and hanging them to dry (thanks Carol!). So, I feel that I am starting in a clean, new space- or I have just given some random senior teacher who will be bumping me the greatest gift in the world! Today, after moving the desks for the third time, I settled down to sorting through the library and figuring out how best to organize the books, screening and sifting out inappropriate titles and dog-eaten copies along the way.I, once again, am struck by how much ground there is to cover in a single school year. I know a lot of these kids, having subbed in their class on a number of occasions, but that is quite different from knowing their reading level and their comprehension level to know what will be a realistic starting point for everyone . <br />
I started digging through all the files I found in the classroom and was pleased to find a number of compelling activities and summary sheets for all aspects of writing and reading. Tomorrow I will go through the social studies files and see what is there. I have set up the two working computers and the one shared printer and find myself feeling discouraged about how much I had hoped to integrate technology into the curriculum. The class will also have access to a portable computer lab, but I am not sure about the hours of availability and need to feel sure that it is equally accessible to both morning students and afternoon students. <br />
I am glad I have been given this time to get ready for my first full time class, even if I end up getting switched at the last minute. It has given me an appreciation for how much time is needed to do a thorough job to prepare for the first few weeks of school and the year in general. I understand that many people would not be willing to put in this amount of time or do the grunt work that I am doing because we are not paid for it- that is the beauty of being older, having a number of careers under my belt, and perhaps, being a parent- you do it because you feel better for having done it- they couldn't pay you enough anyway, so do it for me, do it for the kids, do it because it just really needs to get done.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-15171817568946564072011-07-05T19:53:00.000-07:002011-07-05T19:53:29.237-07:00Planning out a school yearthe first couple of weeks are not about teaching curriculum, but establishing the environment and clarifying the procedures for the kids. There are approximately 36 instructional weeks in a school year after winter break, spring break, and various three day weekends. The first two weeks are about establishing routines and introducing materials, not to mention learning names. The last week is for closing up shop and cleaning the classroom.;that leaves 33 instructional weeks to introduce, reinforce, assess, and have a certain modicum of fun with the curriculum. Can I do it?ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-9529174494445617372011-06-25T13:58:00.000-07:002011-06-25T13:58:06.919-07:00sIck in bed, but getting ready for fallI have been SOOO sick with the bug that has been playing tag in our family, running its two week course with just a little overlap from one victim to the next. For the first two days I could just lay in bed, and groan, and have weird dreams, but by day three I felt well enough to resume the homeschool routine that I have been insisting on this summer with my youngest son. We do about a half hour each of social studies, math, spelling and speech, and then he reads a chapter or two in a novel related to the period in history he will be studying in the fall. This week, since I am still sitting in bed and he is raring to go and gone after the lessons, I find myself preparing for teaching in the fall.<br />
I sometimes refer to the fourth and fifth grade core curriculum standards and look for interesting and engaging sites that support the social studies curriculum. There are plenty. And then last night when I was watching Charlie Rose, from my Robitussin stupor, he had on the editor of TIME magazine; the whole issue is devoted to the Constitution! Oh Joy Oh Rapture. An intelligent timely discussion about what was written, how was it intended to be used, how should it be used today, is it still relevant and necessary? I got so excited I ordered a copy of the constitution to frame and put in my nonexistent classroom.<br />
This is what excites me about teaching, social studies in particular, but everything really; it is that moment when what you are teaching/learning becomes relevant to now, to each child, to their understanding of the larger world they live in, so they can explore what they think about it, how they feel about it, and whether they think or feel strongly enough to actually prompt them to take some action, whether it is to write an essay/letter to express their opinion or join a local group that is doing work on an issue. Anyway, I got on an extended stream of consciousness research web search and found some amazing sites.<br />
<br />
http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights created Speak Truth To Power Lesson Plans and compiled educational resources, based on a book that Kerry Kennedy wrote of the same name. There was a play written and performed in NY that I am trying to get a copy of. The book is a collection of biographies of a number of human rights defenders :<br />
<ul><li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/john-lewis/">John Lewis</a> [NEW]</li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/abubacar-sultan/">Abubacar Sultan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/elie-wiesel/">Elie Wiesel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/marina-pisklakova/">Marina Pisklakova</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/dalai-lama/">Dalai Lama</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/juliana-dogbadzi/">Juliana Dogbadzi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/harry-wu/">Harry Wu</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/vaclav-havel/">Vaclav Havel</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/van-jones/">Van Jones</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/anonymous/">Anonymous</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/loune-viaud/">Loune Viaud</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/muhammad-yunus/">Muhammad Yunus</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/desmond-tutu/">Desmond Tutu</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/kek-galabru/">Kek Galabru</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/lucas-benitez/">Lucas Benitez</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/ka-hsaw-wa/">Ka Hsaw Wa</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/wangari-maathai/">Wangari Maathai</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.nysut.org/sttp/defenders/kailash-satyarthi/">Kailash Satyarthi</a></li>
</ul>Oh, to be able to inspire young people to be politically aware and advocates of justice.<br />
<br />
Which led to my next tangent-the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I had known, maybe, thought that somewhere, maybe, there were guidelines that laid out what the UN would stand up against/for. It struck me that I might be able to find this on line (have I mentioned how much I LOVE the web!) and lo and behold. http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/<br />
<br />
and then I found myself wondering if there were any sites for kids who wanted to get politically active and found<br />
http://www.dosomething.org/<br />
I am not crazy about the site layout and have not had a chance to explore all the links, but what I love so far is that you can plug in your zipcode and find grassroots local efforts in your area that kids can get involved in. I started running out of steam after this, but I have a plan to compile a list of 10-15 local efforts that a fourth or fifth grade class could adopt and make a commitment to help...starting with their "own backyard" of course.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-6941967671370345092011-06-16T10:19:00.000-07:002011-06-16T10:19:42.701-07:00Teaching in the Age of TechnologyWe are so lucky to have a seemingly endless source of information and inspiration only a finger tip or two away! Everyday I find new mentors on the web, people who have been teaching for years and have sifted through their experiences, and then share what they have learned. I just discovered a site <br />
http://www.socialstudiescentral.com/?q=content/best-practices<br />
written by a guy who taught history at the middle school level for a number of years, then taught at a small liberal arts college for a few more and is now working for the state of Kansas doing staff development and training...and even though I am not a full time employee of SFUSD, and despite the fact that I don't live in (and am not sure I have ever been to) Kansas I can access this man's wealth of experience.<br />
<br />
There are websites to create your own timelines-<br />
http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/timeline/<br />
It could be helpful for a student to create their own so you can see what they thought was important and you can see<br />
<ol><li> what interests them </li>
<li>what they need to know, but didn't embrace </li>
<li>what you need to go back and review.</li>
</ol>I have been previewing 7th grade history with my youngest son this summer and it has been helpful to build a timeline for every couple of chapters we cover and then to go back and see how the timelines intersect and cross over...what was happening in Europe and the Byzantine Empire at the same time as the Islamic Expansion and how they intersect. This has allowed him to see the relationship between the two histories which are covered very separately in textbooks.<br />
<ul><li>There are videos and computer generated images to make history come alive for kids today. </li>
<li>There are websites like nutshell math to help explain something a number of different ways so each child can learn the concept at their own pace and in their own academic language. </li>
<li>NY Times has an online Learning Network that suggests lesson plans based on today's paper and features a student opinion section that students can write to and have their work published. How awesome is that!</li>
</ul>ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-52116812727504403792011-06-07T10:03:00.000-07:002011-06-07T10:03:18.070-07:00preparing for 4th and 5th grade curriculumI had reason to hope that I might be teaching this fall, not sure what will happen at this point, but figured I would keep preparing as if I was. I decided to focus on 4th/5th grade Language Arts and Social Studies because I see that as where the greatest potential for cross curriculum instruction lays. I have come across a ton of information about the American Revolution, and our founding fathers, but I wasn't finding the same multiple media sources of information on the Native Americans and the many tribes of North America. I searched out a movie called 500 Nations, hosted by Kevin Costner, and got a copy from the SFPL (OMG I LOVE THE LIBRARY!). It is Wonderful!. The music is a little dramatic, but that seems to always be the case in these kinds of presentations. I love that the featured selection tool allows me to focus on one tribe, or tribes from one part of the country. There are actors reading original texts, as well as computer generated images of what the ruins looked like in their majesty. One thing that Costner says in the intro gave me pause. When you think about how much time our kids spend learning about Greek, Roman, and European culture and then you realize how rich and advanced the Indian cultures were here it is shocking and disheartening that we don't spend equal amounts of time learning our own country's remarkable history. The shame of destroying the Indian culture should not keep us from now acknowledging, celebrating, and honoring the depth and breadth of the Native American civilization.<br />
<br />
One of the greatest benefits of becoming a teacher is that the more I continue to learn, the more I can bring to my work and to the kids.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-39846895789508536242011-06-04T19:16:00.000-07:002011-06-04T19:16:22.105-07:00Summer HomeschoolingI have been planning out the schedule for getting Jimmy ready for seventh grade in the fall; three b's and two c's do not cut it in my mind. Seventh grade curriculum is actually great- medieval period. Interesting though, it is not just knights and crusades, but medieval Africa, China, and Japan, as well as early cultures from the Americas- Mayan, Aztec. Should be interesting. I have a copy of a seventh grade California social studies text, the core standards in social studies and language arts, and some ideas about topics for persuasive and comparative essays. What I am trying to put together now are some good reads and maybe a movie or two to make it a little more Jimmy friendly. I found a book entitled <u>The Samurai's Tale </u>that looks good- he started it and seems interested. The other title I had recommended was <u>Catherine, Called Birdy</u>.It appears to be a diary format which would make for an easy read- though I am not sure that a young girl's diary will be compelling for Jimmy. I will have to read a little of it and see. I was thinking of the movie "Shogun", though it is long, maybe we could watch it as a family and break it up over a couple of nights.<br />
<br />
What I have been realizing as I have been pulling our schedule together is: 1) how important it is to know what the curriculum/standards for the grade level are, 2) how great it has been to have a few weeks to think beyond the text book for other mediums and formats to help make the material more compelling and accessible (The Magna Carta is at the Legion of Honor for another week- I am hoping to have Jimmy at least go and see it with me), and 3) how if you were allowed to teach the same grade for a few years you could really make it come alive for the kids, by incorporating art projects, field trips, guest speakers, drama/theater- layer upon layer. <br />
<br />
Math is not my forte, but I sense at this point what he needs more than anything is drill and kill on multiplication and division of decimals.<br />
<br />
How am I going to do this if I find out one week before school starts what grade I am teaching?!ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-40329126663529922332011-05-23T18:45:00.000-07:002011-05-23T18:45:46.037-07:00teacher as parentI don't feel right about my son, Jimmy , passing onto 7th grade without expressing my frustration with the experience he had in 6th grade. While he loved his math and science teacher, and his grades were not terrible, I found the communication lacking, and my ability to help him on his homework or prepare for tests less than satisfactory. I went to a parent teacher conference at the beginning of the year with both of his teachers, and found the result unsatisfying, and not really worth the time spent. My primary frustration was with his Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. I can tell that she loves her subject, and has spent a number of years developing her curriculum, but with that in mind, I cannot understand why she doesn't have a syllabus. So many of her larger projects are/were assigned with short notice and no written explanation for a parent to guide or support their student. <br />
I reached out to this teacher on a number of occasions and offered to help correct papers, or post grades, or anything to bring her up to date so I could get a handle on Jimmy's grades and determine whether he was keeping up with assignments. As it turned out Jimmy was behind on assignments and his teacher only accepted late work on certain things. In Jimmy's defense, I found that he had been told of large projects very late, or been given an assignment verbally as he was leaving class. This was confirmed by a number of parents of students and former students of this teacher. And this is why I am writing. It sounds as if this has been going on for some time. My son has survived the experience, barely, and I do not believe my talking to the teacher directly about any of these complaints would be any more effective than it has been in the past...so I just wanted to go on record. <br />
I haven't even started with my frustrations about his PE teacher. I am dreading 7th grade for Jiimy. My older son Max was lucky enough to have a great, young enthused young woman as his language arts and social studies teacher; the flip side of that was the nightmare of having a staunch, hard line, non-accommodating or differentiating math teacher. I am afraid Jimmy will fail in this man's math class, but know he would thrive with the partner LA and Social studies teacher- these are my choices?! <br />
As a parent, who happens to be a credentialed teacher, I am more than willing to have a second text at home for my son to work from and to insure he is keeping up with his readings. But I need be informed what text, AND WHAT EDITION, they are using in class so I can get the correct text. Please insist that teachers post their assignments on school loop- and if there is a long term project to attach, the instructions. These kids are LEARNING how to get organized, but they are not there yet. As a committed, though over extended working parent of three children, I need all the help I can get from the teachers in order to help my son be a prepared student in their class- this is a partnership, not a blame game.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-47939543525760114322011-05-15T09:39:00.000-07:002011-05-15T09:39:45.078-07:00waiting...I spent most of yesterday organizing my classroom materials- organizers, books, supplies, lesson plans, and standards summaries by grade level. I want to start. I am learning A TON working as a sub. I have seen the benefits of adding theater as means of learning about history, the power of a great read aloud book to quiet even the rowdiest of kids, the critical importance of being completely prepared, the results of daily routine so the kids practically don't need me there as a sub, and I want to try it out; I want my own classroom so I can start working on the process of becoming a better teacher...even before I am a teacher. I know it is going to be hard and an emotional roller coaster, and that part scares me a little, but I am excited about the learning curve and seeing the results in the kids understanding and enthusiasm. I LOVE watching the lightbulbs go on!ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-81086550227240972632011-05-09T19:42:00.000-07:002011-05-09T19:42:33.385-07:00Fairness and What's RightThere are always a few loose canons. A boy who can't sit still, a girl who shouts out whatever she is thinking, another who wants to play to the crowd and get entertainer of the year. But what about the 60% of the class that is interested and trying to understand and would like to learn, but is too shy, embarrassed, or not willing to stand up for their educational rights. I don't want to spend more time focused on the few kids who create discord and disruption; I want to teach the kids who want to learn and watch the light bulbs go off over their heads when it starts to click. How to structure a classroom so that the kids that WANT to learn can get what they need, and the kids who need to learn how to function in society can get that, and the kid who functions way above class level can make it clear enough that I can provide them with some specialized, stimulating, independent work- all without sucking the joy out of me and making me a crab apple.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-79720299656415517402011-05-06T18:46:00.000-07:002011-05-06T18:46:03.505-07:00friday ...oy, i made it...kindaMy tummy hurts. I feel as if I am the picture you see in the dictionary if you turn to the page "stress". My brain is a twisted knot and I have to remind myself to breathe.<br />
<br />
Five days subbing in a K/1 split, volunteering a little, and then my son's 12th birthday. On one bookend of the week his real birthday with family presents and home made cake and on the other bookend, his party with 5 buddies for a sleepover. Fortunately my husband understood my overload and agreed to take them to the movie so I didn't have to sit through the action-packed gore and sweat.<br />
<br />
I recognize that this was a particularly hard class to sub in, but the fact remains that it was not even a full class (only 15 students), and I am pretty competent, patient, and a multitasking kind of person...what is the district and the world thinking! First graders and Kindergartners are not developmentally or academically on the same plain.<br />
<br />
To expect Kindergartners to do independent academics is ridiculous- centers maybe, but even then only with a lot of individual explanation of the activity. And in some wacky, administrative standards- based universe, they think introducing 1st graders to fractions at the end of the year is a good use of time. It is impossible not to question the rationality of these people. Many of my <i><b>first graders</b></i> could <i>not even trace the pattern blocks </i>to determine what fraction of the shape they took up.<br />
<br />
A friend who is involved with training and preparing new teachers says that in her program they discourage people from subbing, because it turns so many folks off from the profession. I can truly understand why that is true. You have all the challenges of the classroom teacher, enough time to reflect on what you would change on a given day, and maybe another day to try to restructure an effective lesson, but not time enough to see what works with each student day after day- all the work and little of the reward. And you still kinda fall in love with a few of the kids taboot.<br />
<br />
I am told that it is easier when you get your own classroom, but I am not sure I can entirely believe that. I can see that there is more ability to control the environment, build rapport, and communicate with families about how best to support a child at home or after school. But some of the problems I faced would not have been vastly different if it had been my classroom and I had developed the routines with the kids.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day I tried to evaluate how much time I spent <b><i>teaching </i></b>and it made me sad to think it was probably less than two hours out of a six hour day. Between attendance, calendar time (in the younger grades), English Language Development time (which is critical), and SSR (sustained silent reading which is also critical), lunch, recess, and bathroom breaks you are left with only a couple of solid blocks of time. A mini lesson in math or language arts might take 15 minutes each, and then modeling an activity to reinforce that lesson, and then setting up the groups and getting folks started...and then having 15 people at once say "I need help Ms. Leishman", "I don't know how to start Ms. Leishman", and you realize maybe, <u><b>maybe</b></u>, four people know what you expect, have some grasp of how to do it, and are capable, willing, and engaged enough to begin the activity on their own, unaided. <br />
<br />
I do not remember school the way I experience it from the other end now. I would never have socialized nonstop in class, or gotten out of my seat without asking, or ignored the teacher when they were talking to me- I may have been a bit of a goody two shoes, but I don't think even the kids who got in trouble were as clueless and checked out or disrespectful as the kids I am seeing now...WHY IS THAT?ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-8204481008657062842011-05-03T19:45:00.000-07:002011-05-03T19:45:24.387-07:00Long PauseIt has been a long time between entries. I have had so many different experiences and classroom experiences between then and now. Tonight I am a bit exhausted and emotionally overwhelmed. I am "guest teaching" in a K/1 split with 16 students. 2 of these students receive services and my inexperienced guess is that 2 more need them. Then you layer the age difference, developmental difference, and academic challenges on top and my overriding feeling of where do I go, how do I improve what happened today (and yesterday). How can I teach kids who need a nap after lunch, are 5-6 years old and aren' t going to bed until 10 or 11 at night for an early start school.<br />
The fact that I am a sub, with a limited knowledge of the kids routines, doesn't really help any of us. I remind the children about 4 times a day that I am not their teacher, and though she left me notes, and we will DO all the things she left me notes about - it might sound different or they might have a new partner or any of the other myriad deviations to the way it has been since the beginning of this semester.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-87321325607564567202011-04-20T20:13:00.000-07:002011-04-20T20:13:26.552-07:00one good lesson makes for a great dayIn the middle of a four day sub job with no lesson plans- unexpected absence and illness- during CST testing I decided to take a little control and do a lesson based on where the kids were in their anthology and Language Arts when I stepped in. We had read a story called Thunder Cakes in their anthology (great story by Patricia Pollacco who I love) on Monday and not done much to follow up on it. When I looked through the Houghton Mifflin teacher's guide and the practice book it emphasized the words with an -ed and an -ing ending. Short mini lesson in their book about the rules surrounding this. I had the kids do a second reading working in pairs and try and find as many -ed and ing- word endings as they could in the text. One partner was the secretary and the other student spelled the word from the text to the person writing. OMG- we worked steady for about 30-40 minutes before we were done and had a list of 53 ed words and 7 ing words from the text itself. All the rules were represented by the text and there were some beautiful new vocabulary words like glistening and cooing. I LOVE seeing students engaged and having fun and learning without trying. I felt so successful and when we did the compiled list on the board and talked about the different rules the kid's volunteered their own examples of the rules. I cannot describe how quickly and seamlessly it all flowed. I assigned a practice book page that would have taken me twice as long to explain as do following this "exercise" and they blasted through- no explanation necessary because they had already done it in a REAL text. so gratifying.<br />
<br />
Now the rest of the day was a little more challenging, but I try and remind myself this is my first year, not my classroom, and I HAD SUCCESS0 keep the focus on that. How did I get it? BY being prepared and setting a clear objective.ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5048971854738509299.post-63849452575832369662011-04-12T18:49:00.000-07:002011-04-12T18:49:02.810-07:00and then today....I was on a panel at SF State today. My student adviser, Dr. Isabel Quita, asked me if I would be available to answer questions from 2nd semester students in the credential program about what it was like after you got your credential, began subbing, and how hard is it to get a job,,,etc etc etc. There were two other people on the panel- a teacher from Berkeley, a black male (always grateful to see a man of color as an educator!) who it turns out I knew from my previous incarnation as a chef, and a woman who had been a principal for 10 years in the district and returned to the classroom, to her love, in a Spanish immersion 3rd grade.<br />
<br />
I was blown away by her, after so many years of teaching and being at the helm, she was still reinventing her classroom, and learning, and reaching out. SO INSPIRING! I hope that I can do that...keep it alive, no matter how long, or how many hats I wear. I, once again, felt so fortunate to have the luxury to be subbing and volunteering and making contact with educators all over the city, learning from their experience and seeing what is REALLY out there, in the trenches, happening in the classroom every day.<br />
<br />
I will never be able to be an immersion teacher, I think I can say that with some knowledge that my ability with Spanish or French will never land me a job in a bilingual environment, and I do think the environment of an immersion classroom will always be different in part because the children and the families CHOOSE to be there- so there is a fair level of commitment going in/ but, that said, kids are kids and a teacher with commitment, dedication, and systems that work is still an invaluable resource. SO ..I will be volunteering in that classroom as soon as I can find a day to go over and make it happen. What a gift!ChrisLeishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13815222483604008147noreply@blogger.com1