Practice makes perfect

I have been teaching literacy in different capacities for the last 18 1/2 years.  I taught fourth grade,
first grade, Reading Recovery, and now 5th grade.  I know what early literacy learning looks like, what middle level literacy looks like, and how to help struggling readers.  At each level, I've always been asked the same question..."How can I help [insert child's name] become a better reader?"  I've been asked by parents of ALL grades (especially once someone finds out what I do for a living).  My answer is always the same...THEY MUST READ!!!!!  

Many students who do not like to read dislike it because:

1. "It is too hard".  Somehow they missed out on strategies that they needed to know at an early age.  These can be taught at any age, but once a student leaves 2nd grade, the whole dynamic of literacy learning changes.  It makes it so much more difficult for a student to catch up unless he sees a specific literacy interventionist.  I'll talk more about this in a later blog.
2. "It is boring"or "I don't like reading".  I hear this one ALL the time.  We live in a "microwave" world.  Everyone wants everything yesterday.  We have no patience as a society.  So naturally, this would be evident in our children.  Kids want everything to entertain them.  Well, that is not how real life is.  Everything isn't fun and games.  Sometimes, you have to read stuff that is BORING!  Trust me, I did not find the Scarlett Letter to be a thrilling page turner as a 16 year old high school junior.  Nor did I find Don Quixote to be my favorite in my college literature class.  However, they were assignments.  If I wanted to pass (and I did) I had to read and comprehend the stories.  I tell the kids all the time, "I don't like paying my electric bill, but I do like turning on my lights."  Sometimes, you just have to do things you don't want to do.  That's life.
3. "I read too slow." or "It makes me sleepy."  Do you know how many times my husband and daughter have used that excuse?  If I had a nickel...   One reads slowly or gets sleepy because one lacks stamina.  I am a very fast reader and I can read hundreds of pages AND STAY AWAKE!  Know why?  Because I practice!

That brings me to the solution to all these EXCUSES.  You must practice.  Let me say that again (and louder) YOU MUST PRACTICE!!!!!!!  Okay, no more yelling.  If someone wants to become a great ball player or musician, he must practice.  The same with reading.  There is no magic formula, no quick fix to make it easier.  To become a better reader, to build that stamina, a person must read-whether he likes it or not!

When I was a younger teacher, I had the silly notion that I could make every kid LOVE to read.  I know now that that is just not going to happen.  I still believe that I can make every student appreciate literature and language.   I still believe that I can help students become proficient readers who can function as literate adults. (If I didn't still believe these things, I think it would be time for an occupation change!)  I know that some people do not find reading to be a worthwhile hobby, but I would be stunned to hear a person say that reading is not a key to success.  One must be able to read and read well.  So, even though I still try to make students love to read, it is not my primary focus.  My main goal is to make them into literate people.  Every activity that I do is designed to make them better readers.  

I want to address the AR goals for a minute.  I may sound a little preachy in the next couple of paragraphs, but I feel that this needs to be addressed.  At the beginning of each quarter, students take a test online that assesses their reading range and grade level equivalent.  This information is shared with the student during a private conference.  We look at growth or regression and discuss it.  Then based on their current reading range, the student sets an AR goal for himself.  The goals range from 10 points to 30 points based on what the student feels he can accomplish.  I do guide the students to make an attainable goal.  Students should be able to reach their goal with approximately 4-5 books in a nine weeks.  This, of course, is based on the length and difficulty of the the book.  

Now, I provide approximately 10 minutes daily in my class to read.  I know that the other teachers on the team provide time in their classes periodically, as well.  Students are supposed to bring a book to every class every day.  Students are also allowed to stay in at recess or take a book to the courtyard or the ICU classroom voluntarily.  We give as much time to independent reading as we can.  However, we do have content to teach, so I can not give 85 minutes a day to silent, independent reading.  That is why the ONLY homework your child has in my class is to read EVERY NIGHT for a minimum of 20 minutes. Now, I can control what happens in my classroom.  I can run reports and see that your child is behind in his reading and I can send them to ICU in an attempt to catch up.  What I can not do, what I WILL not do, is check up on whether or not they are being responsible for this at home.  Honestly, parents, that is your job.  I'm not trying to meddle or tell you how to parent your children, but if you don't set a time or some sort of accountability for your child's reading homework, he is not going to do it.  Unless you have a book worm, your 5th graders is going to find something else to do instead of read.  

I remind students about their goals.  I check up on their progress periodically.  I'm going to do even more check-ups in this new semester.  I will be holding your kids' feet to the fire on their reading practice.  There is absolutely no reason for a child to not meet his AR goal.  I have TOO MANY who are not meeting their goals.  This is because they are not reading.  I do not require reading logs, but the AR goal is their accountability piece.  I can tell from looking at the reports whether or not a child is practicing his reading.   

 I have two children. Neither of them will sit down and read their assignments UNLESS I tell them to do it.  My son would just rather play video games and let his grades be "good enough". So, now he isn't allowed to play video games during the regular semester.  He knows that if his grades fall despite the lack of gaming, then the phone and car are next.  My daughter gives me every excuse you can think of to avoid reading.  She doesn't like it. In her words, "I hate it!"  My response, "I don't care.  You have to do it because it is an assignment."  She knows that if her grades fall because she doesn't complete assignments, then basketball will no longer be part of her distraction.  You see, I found my kids' "currency".  It doesn't matter if I agree with the assignment.  It doesn't matter if I like their teachers.  What matters is that they understand that their job is to complete school work to the best of their ability or there will be unpleasant consequences at home.  

We will be setting new goals when we return.  Your child will be required to write his goal in his agenda and have you sign it.  I will be keeping a "Status of the Class" to determine who is reading what and how long it is taking them to read each book.  I have now installed a password on to AR, so that students must have me enter it before they quiz.  This is to help prevent students from taking quizzes over books they haven't read. Once again, I will be requiring students who fall behind in their reading to attend ICU to catch up.  That is what ICU is for...a second chance to avoid failure.  With that said, any student who owes any teacher work or assignments will not be allowed to attend the Citizenship party at the end of the quarter.  Being a good citizen includes following rules and procedures, but it  requires one to complete assignments to the best of one's abilities, as well.   

I hope I can count on your support.  I do have your child's best interest at heart.  I am doing everything I can to make your child a proficient and literate person who can be successful in his future.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.  Until then-

Happy reading-

Livin' on a Prayer

"WOOOOAH,  we're half way there.
 OOHH, Livin' on a prayer
Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear
OOHH Livin' on Prayer"










 I can't help but think of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" whenever I hear that something is halfway over.  Can you believe we are almost finished with the first semester already? It has really flown by.   I guess time flies when you're having fun.  We have certainly been busy!

I apologize for not keeping this blog updated more often.  I have been meeting myself coming and going this year.  It seems like I am NEVER caught up!!!  I'm definitely livin' on a prayer!

I wanted to take a minute and reflect on the first semester.  We accomplished a lot in just 4 months.  We read challenging texts and learned how to analyze them for their character traits.  We persuaded the world not to eat turkey at Thanksgiving. We have engineered and presented a toy, along with many other smaller things.  From August 15 until now, I have seen the students grow tremendously both as maturing young people and as students.  It is always amazing to think about where we started and how far we have come.

The second semester won't be any easier.  We are about to embark on the most difficult nine weeks yet.  In January, we will read Tuck Everlasting and another book club novel.  The culminating project for this nine weeks is...The DOUBLE ENTRY JOURNAL (duh,duh, duh).  If you have had a child in my class before (or if you have friends who have had a child in my class before) you have probably heard horror stories about this project.  I won't lie...it is challenging.  However, just as I do with everything, I walk the students through my expectations step by step and I give plenty of examples of those expectations.  This project is a lot of work and often students don't want to put in the work required.  Anyway...enough about that for now.  You will get more information when we return from the break.

It's almost Christmas!  YAY!  Despite having to scrape the kids off the ceiling almost every day, this is my favorite time of the year.  Basketball is in full swing, Christmas trees are up, stations are playing Christmas music, and the Hallmark channel plays Christmas movies ALL THE TIME!!!! (My husband just LOVES that!)  I hope you all have a chance to rest and relax over the break.  I wish you all a very happy holiday and Merry Christmas.

Oh, yeah...and remind your kiddos to read a little over the break so that they can get a head start on that 3rd nine weeks AR goal!


Until then...Happy reading-

Life is an Echo

"Life is an echo.  What you send out, comes back.  What you sow, you reap.  What you give, you get."  

The author of that quote is unknown, but it is such a true statement.  I tell the students all the time that they will get out of my class what they put in.  Yes, I have very high expectations...but you see, the thing about expectations is...kids will rise to whatever bar you set.  I have been in education for 18 (working on 19) years.  I have always pushed my students to give the maximum they could give.  Of course, kids being kids, they don't always give it to me.  Literacy is HARD!  Many kids don't like reading for numerous reasons and even more dislike writing...for exponentially more reasons.  I get it.  It takes effort and stamina to read, think about what you read, analyze things like author's purpose, point of view, character traits, story elements, and theme...I mean...whew...I get tired thinking about it.  It is also difficult to learn to compose a piece of writing that conveys a specific message, revise it, read or listen to feedback from the teacher or peers, edit and finalize it.  It is a tough subject to tackle.

It isn't easy for me to plan either.  I have to know where my kids are coming from.  I have to learn 80+ students' backgrounds, interests, and skill level.  I have spent countless hours planning units around books and subjects that are of interest to most 10-11 year olds.  However, this post is not about me.  It is about the kiddos.  

We are about to enter into our first project of the year.  It is a lap book that asks students to analyze specific portions of the text.  Basically, I am asking them to break down the story and tell me how each part relates to the others as a whole.  Gone are the days of reading a text, answering a few basic questions and moving on to the next story.  Poke and puke worksheets are a thing of the past (if you are not familiar with that term--the teacher pokes the knowledge into the kids' heads and they puke it back out on a paper--yeah, its gross, but it is how it used to be done).  This project is going to require the students to [insert drum roll] THINK and WRITE about their THINKING!  

Students who give half-hearted effort and who do not listen to my feedback, will not score high on the assignment.  I am very detailed when I go over my requirements.  I will send the scoring guide and project requirements home for you to look at, however, it MAY NOT be completed at home.  This is an assessment of understanding.  This project will be completed 100% in class.

We will finish Holes and Walk Two Moons next week.  Students ARE required to take the AR test and that is recorded as 100 points.  The project itself will be worth 200 points.  It will not appear on this first nine weeks grading period.  It will be the first grade of 2nd quarter.  

I want you to be aware of  the upcoming assignment.  I will be sending a letter home soon about homework-there has been a change in that as well.  I think it will be a much more productive assignment than the first idea.

Please understand that everything I do, I do to help and grow your child's literacy knowledge.  I would never ask of your child anything that I would not ask of my own.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Until then-

Happy reading-

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to school!   I am so excited about all the things that I am privileged to teach and learn along-side your child!  I am positive that this will be a SPECTACULAR year!!!!!

The first thing I want to discuss with you on this blog is our classroom.  I do not have a traditional classroom setting.  My classroom is designed with a flexible seating arrangement.  Below is a picture of an almost finished classroom, but overall, this is the design of the room.

For years I have taught literacy and as I watched my students read and discuss in traditional desks, I would think to myself, "Man, I used to hate sitting at my desk to read."  This is true.  When I read, I like to lie down on the couch or curl up in my big comfy chair.  I DO NOT sit in the hard chairs around my dining room table. I always thought it would be cool to have a classroom set up like a living space.   However, these were just "dreams" until one day I stumbled across an article titled  Why the 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks.  You can read the article yourself by clicking the title.  In this article, Kayla Delzner discusses how she redesigned her classroom after having an epiphany in Starbucks one day.  Suddenly I knew that my idea wasn't totally crazy...at least ONE other teacher in the world had thought of it.  I began to put together ideas for making it work.  Then a classmate from high school posted a picture of her classroom on Facebook.  Guess how it was designed?  That's right!  She had a flexible seating arrangement, too.  At that moment I knew that it must be destiny and if I didn't change my classroom, the cosmos might implode! Okay, okay...that's a little dramatic, but you get the idea that this was very important to me.  I emailed Mr. Pennington a copy of the article, the Facebook post from my friend's page, and said, "Unless you have an objection, I'm going to do this."  His response..."Go for it."  So I did.  My students left a traditional classroom on Friday afternoon, and when they returned on Monday, it was a COMPLETE re-design.  When I blogged about this last year to inform my parents, some were very generous and donated money to purchase lamps, rugs, and pillows.  They were as excited as the students.  It was a blessing to both the students and myself because all I had to start with were some crate stools and one lonely love seat.  Now, I have several seating options that students can enjoy (I could use a couple more gaming chairs because I only have one and it is a VERY popular spot.  So if you have one you want to dispose of, I'll gladly take it off your hands).

Now that I have given you a little background, I want to explain how this arrangement works.  In the beginning, no one sits on anything except the carpet.  Day one is spent explaining, discussing, and co-creating norms for a productive class.  The next [however many] days are spent with each student trying out each space so that they can familiarize themselves with the type of seating that works best for them.  Students must take into account that the work space must be one that provides them with the BEST place to work.  Students also know that at any time, I reserve the right to move them from where they are to a more appropriate space if they can not get their work completed.  Your child will receive a contract that he/she will sign stating that he/she understands the requirements for flexible seating.  I included a picture of the contract below.  I will file the contracts and in the event that I need to remind someone of their responsibilities, I will show them the contract (promise) that they signed.

All whole group instruction is done on the carpet.  Students will sit upfront and center to listen to lessons so that I can insure that all students are attending to my instruction.  Once students are allowed to work independently, they then move and find an appropriate spot for working.  During this independent time, I may be working with students individually or in small groups.  We only have 85 minutes within our class period, so I try to utilize every second and avoid as much wasted time as I can.

If you have any questions or concerns about this classroom arrangement, please let me know.  I am more than happy to conference with you.

Happy reading-

Back to the grindstone...classroom setup Day 1

This week we finally got the email stating that we could come get our keys and get back into our rooms.  Since I needed to get out of the house for a little while, my daughter and I went up to do a little furniture arranging.  Here is what it looked like when I opened the door.  That is my daughter peeking between the furniture.

We spent about 2 1/2 hours moving and arranging.  We didn't get it all done, but I think we made a lot of headway.  I'm really excited about beginning the year with flexible seating.  Now just waiting to get my list of students.  Stay tuned for more classroom set up pix.  

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

The end is near

I can not believe that another year is almost over.  It has flown by!  As always it is a bittersweet moment.  I have grown so attached to these kiddos.  I know I will miss them next year.  I know that my curriculum has been rigorous and challenging, but the students are much better for it.  They have worked hard and I am impressed with how far they have come in just a short time.

This said, I don't want them to lose momentum over the summer.  I have devised a list of recommended books to keep them busy this summer.  I just want them to keep up their reading so they don't regress over the summer.  If they read a little each day, their skill level shouldn't drop or regress...hopefully it will improve.  If you go to my Goodreads page, you will see a list of recommended books for summer reading.  Some are series, so if I recommend one, I recommend the entire series.  You can shortcut to my shelf by clicking the "Goodreads" button below.  You may need a Goodreads account and send a friend request in order to see my shelf.  (I will accept the students' and parents' requests to view my Goodreads page).

"


Students can also follow me on Instagram. I post a lot of poolside reading in the summer.  My toes get a lot of screen time.
You will see my Instagram slideshow in the sidebar.  I hope your children have enjoyed 5th grade as much as I have enjoyed having them in my class.  Thank you for your trust and support this year.  It truly means the world to me.  I know these kiddos have bright futures ahead.  Until next year...

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

March Madness!!!

I love to learn.  I love to follow other teachers on Instagram, Facebook, and read their blogs.  There are so many great things going on around the country.  Teachers are notorious for borrowing and sharing ideas.  That is why we post what we are doing online.  If it is a success in our classroom and someone else wants to try it, we are happy to share.

This is exactly what happened when I read a blog post from The Brown Bag Teacher.  She used a basketball theme to promote reading in her class.  (If your kids haven't told you, I'm a basketball fan.  It is one of the few sports I can watch and understand what is going on...LOL)  I loved her idea of "Book Madness."  I immediately texted my partner in crime (Mrs. L) and sent her the link.  We thought that maybe...just maybe...it would encourage kids to get excited about reading.  We got together and looked at the most popular books among our classes.  We then chose the top 16 books and passed the list out to the kids.  The rules are simple...if you have read the books, you can vote to choose the best book of the year.  Most students have read MOST of the books.  For those who haven't read a particular title, we gave them 2 1/2 to 3 weeks to read them.

I was so excited to see kids scouring my classroom library for some of the titles.  When they couldn't find it in my room, they wanted to ask Mrs. Berry to help them in the school library.

My plan was working!!




 I hope that when we return on Monday, I can send out TONS of links for the first round of voting.  It will be interesting to see which book comes out as the 2016 Book of the Year.  Here are a few pics of our bracket.  I'll keep the blog updated as the voting progresses.

Now on to Genius Hour.  

Our first Genius Hour project is TENTATIVELY due on April 6.  That date is subject to change depending on the needs of the kids.  Because of our Double Entry Journals, Genius Hour had to be put on hold for a couple of weeks.  I do plan to give the kids a couple of days when we return from Spring Break to make up for those lost Wednesdays.  I am excited to see what the kids have come up with in their research and what products the have created.  I can't wait to post pictures and share them on this blog!

Parent/Teacher conferences will be Tuesday and Thursday (March 29 & 31).  Just FYI for those of you who want to come out and touch base with us about your child.  I hope you had a restful spring break.  I know I did (it just went toooooooo fast!).

 We are definitely on the down hill slide now!  ONLY ONE NINE WEEKS LEFT!!!!!    Whew!  These will be a lot going on in the next few weeks with projects, field trips, kickball tournaments, award assemblies, etc.  Please check the blog each week so that I can keep you up to date on what is happening in 5th!  Until then....
Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

Spring is Nature's way of saying, "LET'S PARTY!!"

I saw this quote and it made me smile.  Not just because Spring Break is here, but because Robin Williams coined this phrase.  He always had a unique way of looking at the world.  Spring is kind of like nature's party.  All the flowers bloom, things get green, it warms up...fun times! I love to sit on my patio, read books and just soak up the sunshine.

We  completed our double entry journals this week.  This was a much less stressful process this year for me.  I did a quick review lesson and example before each question.  Hopefully that will be evident when I grade the assignments. But just FYI:  I  WILL NOT be grading them over spring break.  The third nine weeks grades were due on March 16th, which means that the journal assignment will have to go on the 4th nine weeks.  I will grade them when we return from break.  You can expect to see grades sometime at the beginning of April.

I look forward to seeing you all at Parent/Teacher Conferences on March 29th and 31st.  I hope everyone has a safe and restful Spring Break.  Until then....

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

I'm Certifiable (I hope)

As many of you already know, I am in the process of renewing my National Board Certificate.  It is a very daunting task.  It requires me to look back at 10 years of teaching and write about any professional development that has made a significant impact on my practice.  I have to show video taped evidence of how I have grown as a professional.  I have spent the last several weeks writing my professional growth experiences.  This is approximately 12 pages of me telling what I have been doing to become a better teacher over the last 10 years since my initial National Board Certification. Beginning later this week and next week, I will be video taping parts of my instruction.  If your child has not turned in a permission slip to video, please do so as soon as possible.  I do not want to accidentally video someone I do not have permission to video.

This process is long and tedious, but I can honestly say that it has made me a better teacher.  The best part of National Boards is the focus on student achievement.  Everything I have learned over the last 10 years has been geared toward how I can help my students learn as much as they possibly can.  It taught me to cut out all the activities that don't have a true purpose.  It is all about the students!  

My portfolio is due by 11:00 pm on May 18.  I will be working very hard and drinking lots of coffee over the next few weeks to get things complete.  I don't like putting things off to the last minute.  You never know when something can go wrong!  Soooo, like I tell the kiddos, I've got to work on a little bit at a time so that I'm not kicking myself and needing blood pressure meds in May!  If you have any questions about what is happening, please feel free to contact me.  Until then...

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

No Children Were Hurt In The Teaching Of This Lesson...

Okay...so I admit I was a little on edge this week.  I don't really have a good reason other than things just really got on my nerves!  If your child came home this week and said I was in a bad mood, then they were speaking truth.  It seemed like EVERYTHING just rubbed me the wrong way from extra talking in class to a fire drill.  Emails (that were just daily housekeeping stuff) led to exasperated sighs and eye rolls.  The same for the standard daily, "Mrs. Tipton, I can't find my book (or pencil, or RRJ...)."  The point of this blog post is not a confession.  It is to explain that I understand when we all have a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day.  

Kids sometimes come to school, and just like everyone else, can't get "life" off their minds.  They just can not focus on the character analysis of Angus Tuck or what significant event led Stanley to run away.  They are pre-occupied with other things.  It is important for me to be sensitive to these things.  I know when their pets died, when home life is bothering them, about the bully on the bus,  and when they are worried about a sick relative.  You know...LIFE.  

This week the stress of life got me.  I am tired.  Honestly -okay, now we are getting into confession- doing these small groups and work stations ALONG WITH my usual whole group lessons is wearing me out!  However, looking at what I have learned about the kids from these small groups, it is worth it.  These small groups allow me to see just exactly who understand the concept and to what extent they understand.  This allows me to tailor lessons specific to the needs of the group.  This is my job and I love it.    I just feel that my tank is on empty right now.  I need a little boost.  And I'm not sure there is enough coffee to make it happen!  Maybe we will get ONE MORE SNOW DAY and I can rest! If we don't get any more snow, well then, I'll just have to make the most of my weekends. (Thankfully basketball season is over and we DON'T play baseball or softball!)  Until next week...

Happy reading, 

Mrs. Tipton

I'm not telling you its going to be easy...

We will soon embark on the dreaded "Double Entry Journal".  In the past, this has been the most challenging task my students have encountered.  This is not because the task itself is that difficult, it is because the assignment takes stamina and independent thought! [GASP!]  I have devoted 2 weeks of my class time to this project.  I will make sure that students understand what is being asked of them.  What I will not do, and what frustrates the students the most, is that I will not tell them what to write.  I will not spoon feed the information to them.  I will clarify the questions.  That is ALL.  What the kiddos fail to understand about this project is that it is an assessment.  I am looking to see if THEY can find the information and articulate THEIR thinking to me.  As I tell them, "I already know the answers."  This activity is so much better than a "test" as a measure of their understanding.  I can truly see the depth of their comprehension by reading their responses to the questions.  When it is time to work on this project, I will post the questions, format, scoring guide, and an example to this blog.  This will allow you to see what my expectations are for the "Journal".  This project will be worth 200 points.  The score on this will make or break their grade in literacy.  I want you as parents to understand that these questions and skills have been reviewed and discussed in class.  This has been done in both whole group and small group sessions.  Although I will be here to help them understand and guide them through the journal, it is an INDEPENDENT project.  It will show me who truly understand the lessons that we have gone over for the entire nine weeks.  Like I said, it won't be easy...but it is do-able.  I have high expectations and I know that the kiddos ARE capable of doing a good job!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

Twilight Zone

It happens every year.  I don't know why I am always surprised.  I think I hold out hope that maybe this year...this year will be the year that my students don't go brain dead during the 3rd quarter of the year.  Well, I'm glad I didn't hold my breath...this year's crew is no different.

I have harped on work ethic all year.  I want my students to understand that they have to work in order to get the things they want, including grades.  Since returning from break, many students are neglecting their work.  I have taken many recesses lately because work is not being completed.  This is helping some.  Since returning from break, we have been spending the first 30 minutes of class in work stations.  Students work in 5 stations over 3 days.  One of the days is spent in small group sessions with me.  The kiddos have to learn how to use the time allotted wisely in order to complete the work that is assigned.
Another issue we have been having is coming prepared for class.  Since the beginning of the year, I have had a large black board with all of the necessary supplies posted.  This is on my door where students can see it PRIOR to entering the classroom.  This allows them to check and make sure they have everything that they need for class and if they forgot something, they still have time to go to their locker without penalty.  I don't understand.  I don't get why so many are coming to class and telling me that Tuck Everlasting is still in their locker.  IT'S ON THE BOARD!!!  We only read it or discuss it everyday!!!!!!!  Students are leaving pencils, papers, books, clothes...you name it, they are leaving it lying around wherever it falls.  This drives me NUTS!  My own children are the same way.  I know it is because they are 10 and 11 years old, but Good Golly Miss Molly it gets old.  Yes, it is a lot, but that is why I have a list.  And the list only changes once in a 9 weeks...it has been the exact same list since beginning Tuck Everlasting and book clubs.  So when your child tells you that he/she is not going to the behavior party because they had too many marks, my guess would be that they came to class unprepared too many times.


Okay...rant over. I know I addressed it last week on my "lit" page.  Sorry.   Now on to Genius Hour.  Genius Hour is an idea that stems from something designed at Google.  At Google, employees are give 20% of their time to work on passion projects.  The only restriction is that these projects must be related to Google and have potential to become a new product for the marketplace.  Genius Hour takes this philosophy and applies it to student learning.  Students will be allowed to have 1 hour a week to work on a project they are passionate about.  This time will be on Wednesdays.  Wednesdays are our library days, so any research that needs to be done can be completed while either in class or during library time.  Here are the requirements:

• Students must research. If it can be found in one Google hit, then it is not a deep enough question for Genius Hour.  
• Students must create something.  This can be anything from a PowerPoint to a model to a demonstration.

My hope from this idea is to let students use all the skills that they have learned about research, reading and writing and use them to learn more about something that is important to them.  Last Wednesday, students brainstormed ideas.  This week, we will work on our research proposals.  The kids seemed to be very excited, so I hope this becomes a springboard for motivated learning.  I have included the video that I will be showing students on Wednesday.  This will hopefully help you see how students can share their projects.  I also included a pep talk that we watched at the beginning of our Genius Hour last week.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Until then-

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton 

Inspiration station

I love to be on Instagram, Pinterest and read various blogs.  I am BIG on following other teachers.  I love to see what is going on in classrooms around the country.  This gives me inspiration.  It allows me to collaborate with teachers all over the nation to provide a better class for your children.  Many times my ideas are not really original to me.  I find them by reading a blog, seeing a Pinterest board, or viewing an Instagram post.  I may tweak them to fit my room if it is something I want to try - such as, the flexible seating idea-but the original idea belonged to someone else.  These teachers are such wonderful professionals for sharing their visions and concepts.  One teacher in particular that is just an inspiration is Mr. Ron Clark.

For those of you who don't know, Ron Clark is a good ole southern boy who decided he needed to teach school in Harlem, NY.  It is a long story, but basically, Mr. Clark worked and inspired children in one of the poorest socio-economic areas in the country to become TOP NOTCH students.  Mr. Clark then went on to open his own school in Atlanta, GA.  It is is private school that only allows students with the most NEED of his particular skills.  I am DYING to go observe in his school.

One of the things his school is known for is the 100% student engagement rate.  Yes, you heard me correctly...he gets 100% of his students to pay attention and stay on task!  WHAT!!???  HOW!!??  I want to know the secret.  I have watched countless videos of Mr. Clark's classrooms (not just his teaching-but also teachers in his employ). I was even lucky enough one year to hear him speak in person!! I have begged Mr. Pennington to let me fly to Atlanta and tour his facility and observe a day or two of learning.  Maybe if I nag enough, he'll let me go-hehe.  It fits my PGP (professional growth plan -for those of you who are non-educators).  I have been working toward increased student engagement for the last couple of years.  School should not be boring.  It should be where students go to soak up knowledge. Okay, yeah everything can't be fun and games, but for the most part, school should be, well...cool.

I implemented the flexible seating arrangement to increase engagement.  It is a great success when doing partner work, but a bit of a challenge (time management wise) during work stations.  We held a class meeting....well, not really a meeting - more of a lecture...on the importance of responsibility.  For the flexible seating to work, then students HAVE to be responsible.

Work stations were also a throw-back to my early childhood days...short work stations kept my first graders from losing their ability to attend to tasks.  I decided this might work with 5th graders.   The only real problem is that they like to work in certain stations more than others and were under the impression they could just do whatever they wanted.  We cleared that misconception, as well.

I want students to enjoy coming to class.  I want them to leave with a wealth of knowledge that they wouldn't otherwise have.  I want to encourage them that even if literacy is difficult, its not impossible.  It just takes hard work.

 I want to leave you this week with a video of Ron Clark. Its a little long, but I think it is worth it.  I absolutely LOVE his philosophy and he is one of the reason I teach the way I teach and have such high expectations for ALL my students.  Someday, I hope I get the chance to become "slide certified".  You'll have to watch the video to find out what that means.

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's off to work we go!

Last week I wrote about our new arrangement in class.  I am diligently watching the students to determine if my theory regarding student engagement holds true.  I hope so.  We have a much happier environment with flexible seating.  We have had many visitors stop by our room and observe. I have been so pleased that the kiddos have been actively working and behaving appropriately each time a visitor has popped in.

This nine weeks, as most of you know, we are working in small groups and in independent work stations.  These work stations require just that...WORK.  Students are expected to complete assignments independently.  All assignments are activities that do not require teacher instruction (they are review or repetitive).  Students will be held accountable for the work they do in these work stations.  One of the things that is an adjustment is independent time management.  Students are learning how to manage the time that they have in class to complete tasks.  Some are realizing that wasting time will result in homework.  I am proud of the students who have chosen to take their work home without prompting.  This shows great responsibility on their part.  

I am proud of how far these students have come in terms of work ethic, behavior and attitude.   I feel confident that this group of students is going to be successful.  I look forward to seeing how they work on our double-entry journal at the end of the nine weeks.  This is always the most challenging of our projects.  I am hopeful that the changes and the small group instruction will help them to meet the challenge.  

Again, I really appreciate all the support you give to me and my class.  

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

I'm flexible, man!

Last week, I blogged about flexible seating.  I stated that it "WAS HAPPENING!"  I was blessed with a donation from a parent to purchase a few things.  That purchase gave me the boost I needed to take the plunge.  We are now a flexible seating class.  Students can choose to sit at desks, on rugs, on the couch...well, you get the picture.  Today was the first day of full implementation.  I thought it went well.  The kiddos understand that their behavior will determine whether or not I can continue this arrangement.  They are aware that they must complete their assignments and contribute to discussions in order for us to continue to be "flexible".    I am placing a few pictures of OUR class on the website (faces are blurred) so that you can see just how well it worked today.  This first set of pictures shows the room before the kids entered this morning.

Here is how our day went:

Panoramic view of the classroom

workstation time

workstations

I truly believe that it was a good day.  The students were engaged and seemed excited about the new arrangement.  I am going to continue to monitor how the students interact.  Thank you for your support.  I really appreciate how much you trust me with your children!

Think, pair, share activity

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton