Collaboration

I will be doing Guided Math in my mathematics class this year. As I learn more about how it works, I will write about it. Essentially, it allows me to work in small groups with students while other students reinforce their skills in groups.

I think an essential part of getting Guided Math to work is getting students to rely on each other for support. Gone are the days when the teacher is the final answer in the classroom. I really don't want my students to wait for me to answer their questions before they begin anything. They need to learn to work together.

This is a short animated video that tells the story of collaboration and what can be done if two people put their heads together and share their strengths with each other. I plan to share it with my students as we begin practicing procedures for small group work.

Technology Integration

Another video to watch. I watched this for an assignment of one of my grad school classes, but it is something I am really trying to do this year as a teacher. I am lucky that my new classroom is the "Tech Grant" room so I have more technology in my classroom than I ever had. I want to use  I want the students to use that technology frequently.



I think a lot of lessons teachers plan don't necessarily need technology. The objectives can still be reached and some students will still learn without using technology.

HOWEVER, technology integration allows students to become more engaged and take more ownership of their work and learning.

Here are a few key points I liked from the video:

• Technology helps teachers meet students where they are.
• Kids respond better when they can share their stuff. It shouldn't just go sit in a pile somewhere to be graded.
• Students can learn at their own pace and the teacher can formatively assess better. 
• Its not about the tool, it is about the learning, the process, and the engagement. 

I am doing a research project this year on using technology in my classsroom to increase student attitudes towards math. I can't wait to see the results. 

If you are a technology guru or know a fabulous teacher-tech blog I should follow, leave a comment!

First Day 2014-2015

I hate taking selfies. But the only other person at home was my 10 month old daughter and I really wanted to change into my pajamas. (So I wasn't waiting for my husband to come home.) (Also, I know the closet is a mess. I've accepted it.)

I survived the first day of 6th grade. After teaching 5th grade for 4 years, I was a little nervous about these grown-up 6th graders. Guess what? They still mostly look like 5th graders. So they weren't too scary. 

The first half of the day was awesome. I was all ready to say it was the best first day of school ever! But I didn't want to jinx my afternoon classes. And while it mostly went smoothly, there is a class where I will need to be on top of things at all times. Overall, I still think it might have been my best first day of school every!

Years ago on my first day of 6th grade, I was a crying mess. I had just moved to a new school, I didn't know anyone, and I cried from the time I got home until I went to bed. And then I had to go back for day 2! For most of 6th grade, I dreaded going to school. I loved learning, but I didn't feel like I belonged. 

I really hope that no student left my classroom feeling like that. I learned most of their names the first day and really tried hard to pronounce them correctly. It is important to me that no child gets overlooks, because I often was. 

Tomorrow is a new day! 

Day Before School

My annual tradition as I start my fifth year of teaching is to watch this video:


This year I am adding this to the tradition:



Good Luck to everyone who is starting school tomorrow!

New Classroom

This is my new classroom! It has 7 large windows! An entire wall of windows. My last classroom had one window that was 3x3. I am sure that I might get distracted by them sometime this school year. Especially if it is raining. Also, supposedly a guy will break dance around the school during the day.

My school is one of the oldest in my district. It is now an intermediate, but it used to be the high school and then a junior high. It is huge and has a lot of history. I love it already.

I just got into my classroom on Thursday because the outside walls of the school were being redone, so these would be my before pictures. Hopefully I can get all my stuff put up and ready for Meet the Teacher on Thursday!

I love the windows!

All the cabinets are already full! I don't know where my stuff is going to go yet. 

More Windows!

Not many bulletin boards to decorate! That's a plus for me!

Changes!

This year I will be at a new school, in a a new district, teaching a new grade! I will be teaching 6th grade math this year and I am excited for it. I have really missed teaching math the last two years.

However, I know that I will miss teaching science. I would really love a position teaching math and science! But this is not the year.

I was going to write a blog post saying goodbye for the next 10 months. I am really not sure if I can keep up with the blog in addition to a new teaching position and my last year of grad school. However, I really want to try. I want to share my ideas and hear ideas from other teachers.

So this is my new new start. If I don't post for another 10 months, you can guess why. However, I will definitely be back by after that!

And here is the other thing that takes up most of my time. However, she's cute...