February Break Field Trips

Hello Readers!

            This week I want to share my adventures of February Break! As this was my first February Break as a teacher, I can honestly say that the week off is much neededJ The amount of grading had piled up in addition to unit planning that just never seemed to fit into scheduled prep time. It feels amazing to be all caught up and even ahead in some areas! With report cards coming at the end of the month, I am so thankful for this week of productivity.

            Although much of my break was spent grading and planning, I did venture out on some fieldtrips to explore the New England area. The first place I visited was the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. There were nine exhibits including video interviews and historical artifacts documenting the influx of immigration to the Rhode Island area during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. I found it interesting to learn about the Industrial Revolution in New England as I walked through the replicated textile mill. It was shocking to learn about the harsh working conditions and low paygrade of the hardworking European and Canadian immigrants. I was especially surprised to learn of the French influence that permeated the Woonsocket area during this time. Local parochial schools taught in English for half of the day and taught the other half of the day in French. Newspapers and advertisements were printed in French catering to the growing population of immigrants from Quebec. The museum gave me a new appreciation for the small town history that surrounds me.

            The second place I visited was Simpson Spring in Easton, Massachusetts. This is the oldest bottling plant in the United States dating back to the 1878. Today, the plant still collects natural spring water from the aquafer, bottles, and sells it for consumption. They also offer a variety of hand-crafted sodas made from the pure spring water and natural flavoring. The tour featured the opportunity to see the spring, the bottling machinery, the on-site laboratory used in the 19^th and 20^th centuries to concoct new flavors of soda, and a plethora of memorabilia such as the first Simpson Spring vending machine. It was fascinating to go behind the scenes of a working factory that produces pure spring water.

            I am fortunate to have access to historical sites, so close to home. These day trips remind me that there is always more to learn about the surrounding communities. Maybe over April vacation I can explore a few more locationsJ

Until Next Time,

~A

P.S. To find out more about these locations, please visit

http://www.rihs.org/museums/museum-of-work-and-culture/

https://www.simpsonspring.com/

Sunday Shout Out

Hello Readers!

            I hope that you have been enjoying reading about my adventures in grade five! I just wanted to point you in the direction of two other amazing teacher created blogs. Feel free to click the links below and explore their work. I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

Until Next Time,

~A

https://foreverafirstgrader.blogspot.com

whatstephanieisreading.blogspot.com

Stress of Standardized Testing

Hello Readers!

            This week I want to talk about statewide standardized testing. On Friday, I had a professional development day which included an information session on the upcoming test. My state recently made the decision to customize their own standardized test instead of moving forward with the national PARCC test. This school year will be the first time students take the new test.

            As a first year teacher, this will be first time experiencing state testing from the “other side.” I know what it is like to be the one taking the test, but now I am the proctor. It is completely nerve racking to have a brand new test that no one has seen before and to be in my position of first time proctor. I want so badly for my students to perform well on the test because the test results are a reflection on the teacher. However, my challenge is guessing the standards that will make up the majority of the test. How do I know that I am doing enough to prepare my students for success? Will I have taught them everything they need to know to score proficiently?

            There is a mental clock that is counting down the days until testing. My students will be taking their English Language Arts exams during the second and fourth weeks of April. This means that after February vacation, I will have roughly five weeks to get my students prepared. Testing definitely sneaks up on you ;)    As I write lesson plans for the week after break, my focus is on test preparation. I don’t want to teach to the test (nor can I since no one knows for sure what the test will look like), but I want to review and emphasize the necessary skills my students will need.

            I am grateful that I have a supportive grade level team of colleagues who are helping me to stay calm. My principal is also giving me priceless advice and reminding me that the test results are only a snapshot. They show only a glimpse of a teacher’s success. My focus should not be on the end result, but instead should be on the student growth from September to April. It’s conversations like this that change my mindset from anxious worrywart to confident educator.

Until Next Time,

~A

Alternative Seating in the Classroom

Hello Readers!

This week I want to talk about alternative seating in the classroom. I recently received four yoga balls to test out in my classroom. For now, they are placed at each of the desktop computers in the back of the room. From the moment these new “seats” arrived, my students all wanted to bounce on them right away.

            Research has shown that sitting on a yoga ball increases concentration while allowing students to get all of their wiggles out. Students benefit from the strengthening of their core as well as from proper posture. One of the classrooms in my school has gone completely chair-free offering yoga balls or short stools as seating options. The teacher has created an environment where desks and chairs no longer get in the way of open communication and collaboration between students. Many of her students who struggle with attention deficit or hyperactivity disorders have benefitted from being able to constantly move on a yoga ball while completing their assignments. Seeing the success of my colleague and her students made me want to give it a try in my classroom.

            Several of my students have a constant case of the wiggles and need to get up out of their seats to move regularly. When the option for yoga balls presented itself, I was willing to try them out. So far, the balls have been in my classroom for three weeks. My students absolutely love sitting on them! Many students are drawn to the yoga balls during silent reading time and of course computer work. At times, the students will forget that these “seats” are learning tools not toys. Frequent reminders to sit properly, not bounce them like a basketball, and not to roll them all over the room are necessary. I hope that after a few more weeks, the novelty of the yoga balls will have worn off and the students won’t need the reminders anymore. It is my hope that with continued success, I will add more yoga balls to my collection.

Until Next Time,

~A

Addressing Challenging Behaviors in the Classroom

Hello Readers!

            This week I want to talk about one of the most challenging parts of being a teacher…addressing student behaviors. Although it’s not an easy topic to speak about, I believe it is a necessary topic. In my first year of teaching, I have come to the realization that out of all the things I learned during my undergraduate education, my student teacher experience, and my long-term substitute positions, the one area I was not completely prepared for was how to handle behavioral issues. For the most part, in each of these situations, I was never charged with the responsibility of discipline. There was always someone else who dealt with the “messy stuff.” However, now with my own classroom, it is completely up to me to determine rewards and consequences. It definitely is a learning process for me as I try and try again to find strategies that work with this particular class.

            Without a doubt, the twenty-two students in my homeroom certainly keep me on my toes at all times. Just when I think I have figured everything out, some new issue occurs and I am back to square one. Some of the techniques I have implemented include: a ticket reward system, a visual cue for classroom noise level, having the students fill out a think sheet self-analyzing their inappropriate behavior, sending students out into the hallway or to the office, one-on-one discussions about making smart decisions, and having the district student support specialist teach my class about problem solving. Each time, I had hope that this new method would encourage my students to make wise decisions regarding their behavior. In the end, some techniques were more effective than other. For example, one of the most successful methods was having the loss of a privilege. Depending on the student it may be loss of recess, exclusion from a special class activity, or not being able to read in the literacy corner for a day. The ability to differentiate when using this method is part of what makes it so successful.

Overall, I must say the learning curve is steep when it comes to new teachers having to learn how to monitor and manage behaviors. There is nothing easy about the process, but I do hope that with experience things will become a bit easier.

Until Next Time,

~A