Getting ready for the new year!

During the summer I generally spend my time doing two things-1.) laying by the pool, reading a good book OR 2.) browsing Pinterest for new classroom inspirations.  My non-teacher friends often comment,  "It must be nice!" when they see my pool/book photos on Instagram.
Well, it is!    I can't help it...a literacy teacher should stay literate, shouldn't she?  Anyway, I digress.

 Today I wanted to try a few new things on the blog.  For example, I will be trying out a "Calendar of events" page in an attempt to keep you up-to-date as parents on our classroom happenings.  I will not have a weekly newsletter that goes out via email, so it will be of utmost importance that your child fill out his/her agenda properly.  You will also want to check this blog on a weekly basis for classroom updates, as well as signing up for my Remind number.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT REMIND:
For those of you who might not be familiar with Remind, it is a one-way communication tool that allows me to send you text message updates on school events. Each of your child's teachers has at least one Remind account number.  You must sign up for each teacher's individual account to get those messages.  ALL students should sign up for my literacy number (see photos below), Mrs. Kinley's Science number, and Mr. Ashley's Math number.  For students in MY homeroom, you will also want to sign up for my Homeroom/Soc. St. number.  These Remind messages have been the BEST tool for keeping you up-to-date on tests, projects and other happenings.  We STRONGLY suggest that you enroll.  Your child may also enroll with their device.

This one is for homeroom kids only!

All Literacy Students need this one!!

As always, you can contact me by email christy.tipton@viloniaschools.org or call the school and leave a message.  It is much easier for me to communicate by email since I can quickly scan my emails during the day to see if you have any questions or concerns.  Phone calls must wait until my planning time or after school.

For ALL of my Literacy students, the "This Week in Lit" page will be highlighting classroom projects, activities, etc. I will try to update it as things are changed or added to our routine.  For those who are in my homeroom, the "Homeroom/Social Studies" tab will keep you up-to-date on that class. My homepage is my place to practice what I preach to my students.  I use the homepage to just write my thoughts on teaching, children, philosophy (educational philosophy-I'm not crazy enough to touch politics or religion on this blog!), and all around random ideas.  Its just my way of expressing myself through writing.

I hope that you find this blog useful to you as the year progresses.  I am SOOOO excited to meet your kids and get to know each of them.  Until then...

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

Perserverance

Over the past couple of weeks we have been reading articles and watching videos about perseverance. I think it is especially important this time of year to persevere since we are all ready for summer break! :)

Students have been reading these informational articles and identifying the text structures that are used.  We have been discussing why certain text structures are used in certain articles. (What is the author trying to accomplish?)

We will finish up our study of these text structures this week.  We will test over the structures.  Students will have access to their notes to help them identify the correct structure.  After that, we will move on to our final project of the year.  DON'T HATE ME YET!!!!  This project will be done COMPLETELY at school.  If your child uses his/her time wisely, then there should be absolutely no reason for them to have to complete this at home.  I will be devoting ENTIRE class periods to the completion of this project.  I will be available to answer questions. What I mean by questions is that I will clarify instructions.  Students will be expected to use their notes and apply their knowledge of text structures to complete this project.  I will not be enabling helplessness.  Perseverance will be expected.  They CAN do it!
 

Happy reading-

Mrs. Tipton

Testing Miss Malarky

Testing Miss Malarkey is a hilarious book by Judy Finchler.  The book chronicles the days just before the nefarious I.P.T.U. test given in the narrator's local elementary school.  The child recounts the strange behaviors that occur among the teachers and administration.  It is a really light-hearted look at the stress standardized testing puts on both teachers and students.

I just wanted to express how proud I am of our kids.  They worked so hard during the testing days.  I know they were tired...I sure was!  I am so glad the first part of that is over.  We still have our Science Benchmark and End of Year  PARCC, but those are very short days.

Don't forget that our school day will be extended beginning April 15.  On April 15, the tardy bell will ring at 7:45 and we will dismiss at 3:30.

This week we are beginning a new unit.  We are reading Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak: The Geek Heroes who put the Personal in Computers.  We will be focused on reading non-fiction this nine weeks.  We are going to read many texts that show people who have had to persevere to succeed.  We will also be looking at the structure in which these articles and texts are written.  We will focus on the following structures:  description, problem/solution, cause & effect, sequence & order, and compare/contrast.  Students will determine the characteristics of each of these structures and also learn to write them.

The independent project will be a classroom activity this nine weeks.  Students will be given several days in May to complete the assignment in class before the due date.

I know everyone is super-duper busy with after school activities, and with warmer weather, everyone wants to play outside as much as possible.  With that said, please help me encourage students to read a little everyday.  This time of the year is tough, so we are going to have to persevere to do well all the way to the end.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.  christy.tipton@viloniaschools.org

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

Here we go again...

It is the beginning of our last nine weeks together.  Although I always look forward to summer time, I admit I am just a little sad that I only have 9 weeks left with these kiddos.

It is going to be a crazy few weeks.  This week, we will begin our new unit on reading non-fiction texts.  Then we have Spring Break! As soon as we come back, we take our PARCC exam.

**Can I take a moment here to discuss this:  PARCC is an assessment.  It is not the Common Core Standards.  The standards associated with Common Core are GOOD STANDARDS.  They are rigorous and focus on teaching authentic strategies students need for success.  PARCC is just a test.  Whether you think it is a good test or not, please understand that it was an assessment designed to test students knowledge of Common Core standards.  I would be happy to show any interested parent the current standards and discuss what is expected of our children...just let me know.

Okay...enough of that.  Back to our new unit...

Students will learn the types of writing that is expected and used with non-fiction texts.  We will be writing A LOT!!!!  I have told the children to make sure they have plenty of notebook paper for this nine weeks because we are going to use it! Students will be writing everything from arguements to brochures.  I am hoping during this writing time, that we can hone those grammar and spelling skills as well.  

You can expect another independent assignment.  I have not decided if it will be something to take home or something we work on in class.  It is still a little early for that.  Don't worry, your child will have plenty of time to complete the assignment.

As always, if you have questions, feel free to contact me.

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

When is SPRING?

I feel a little like the wolf in this picture.  All of our "snow" days are causing serious issues in my lesson planning!

I am grateful, however, that we were able to finish reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe before all of our winter weather began.  I am fortunately just in a review phase of our nine weeks.

Students are writing, writing, writing.  Reading and writing stamina are going to be important over the next few weeks.  There will be a lot of independent work in class with selective guidance from me for the rest of the quarter.  The students are acting very dependent, and they need to use the strategies and resources they have been given to solve problems and complete assignments.  We have worked on this all year, but lately we all seem to be reverting back to old behaviors.  I do not want my students to freak out on the PARCC exam.  I feel confident that I have prepared them for this test.  We are analyzing vocabulary that we might encounter and working through any "kinks" that might appear.

I am not a "teach to the test" kind of teacher.  I teach my curriculum.  I do admit I have high expectations, but my students always seem to rise to the challenge.  I believe that my students have all the knowledge that they need to be successful students in the future.  They have been given some tough assignments, been asked to re-do assignments, and pushed to give 110%.  I believe they are better for it.  I hope they understand that I want only the best for all of them.  If I didn't care so much, I wouldn't push them so hard.  I certainly wouldn't assign all these essays and projects-they only have to do one; I have to grade 90!

Thank you for all the support you have given me this year.  We are 3/4 of the way through 5th grade.  Can you believe it?  We still have a lot of work to do, but we can all see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

Effort = Results

Learning is not a spectator sport. ~ Anonymous

We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, therefore is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle



I tell the students often that effort = results...that the work you put in will determine the outcome.  I have spent the year walking students through every activity and procedure.  I have never assigned anything that I have not modeled MULTIPLE times, given many examples, and answered all questions.

You will notice that the final exam for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has a multiple choice portion worth 100 points and an essay portion worth 50 points.  The students were allowed to use the book on all portions of the test.  The multiple choice averages were nothing to write home about, but the essays...well, I really have no words.

That being said, we WILL redo the essay portion of the test.  I am going to spend this week and next re-teaching point of view and how to write essays.  After the re-teach, they will re-write to the same essay question for the remaining portion of their final grade.

 We are going to spend the remainder of the nine weeks reviewing all skills that we have "learned".  In case I suddenly become very unpopular in the eyes of your child, I want you to know what is happening in the classroom.  Mediocrity will NOT be accepted.  I will require them to go back and redo until they get these skills right.  They CAN do this!

I know that the kids are just being kids.  If I was a 5th grader, I wouldn't want to have to think so hard either.  However, it is the world we live in and these are the skills that are necessary for success.  Please understand that I am only trying to provide your child with the skills and strategies necessary for future success.

Let me know if you have any concerns or questions. christy.tipton@viloniaschools.org

Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton

ATTENTION, PLEASE!!!!

Please notice the new tab for word study.  I have added this week's review already.  Also, I will be adding some student work to the "Student work" tab soon!  Stay tuned!!!
Happy reading-
Mrs. Tipton