Quote from my Second Language Acquisition class:
"There are a lot of language we don't teach in schools, like, basically all of them."
This was during a discussion of Ebonics and school, responding to another person's comment about the need to teach Ebonics if society is going to acknowledge and value its existence. But it would be nearly impossible to be able to teach every language that walked through school doors.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
addendum: kevin henkes
I was going to take out Julius: The Baby of the World from the library today. But, I was already taking out too many books and walking home, so I decided to sketch my own rendition of the scene I mentioned.
I know I don't do Henkes justice, but you get the gist:
(Lilly, the one behind the tree, isn't supposed to be quite so big. Hey, I said I wanted to be a teacher, not an artist!)
I know I don't do Henkes justice, but you get the gist:
(Lilly, the one behind the tree, isn't supposed to be quite so big. Hey, I said I wanted to be a teacher, not an artist!)
squeaky wheel
I am quite privileged to be living with a person who is not only extremely thoughtful but is also an educator. So you can imagine what a lot of our conversations revolve around (aside from whether or not we should go eat pho. The answer is always yes.).
One great thing that I get from talking about my day or about teaching in general has been the mirror that M will hold up in front of me to help me gain clarity on a particular issue.
Most recently, I've been noticing how negative I'd become. I'd been stressing out over the kids in my class who are disruptive and require a lot of my energy. How do I engage them? What am I doing wrong? How do I convince them that what we're doing is something they'll gain satisfaction from and ultimately enjoy doing?
Not easy questions. And while I'm not saying that these aren't important questions to ask, I found them to be all-consuming. I came home frustrated and disappointed in myself. Nothing kills your mood than having spent the whole day shushing kids and putting on a stern, serious face. Not very satisfying.
So this past week I'd decided to harness my energy elsewhere. Why let the squeaky wheelers get my attention? For each kid who is acting up, there are five who are engaged, are being respectful, and do have fun.
My switch in humor became abundantly clear one day when I was waiting for students to line up to go to lunch. A number of kids were horsing around, talking, and not paying attention to what I was saying. I decided to use a line one of my lead teachers often uses: I am feeling disrespected. Upon saying this, one student exclaimed, You're respected, Miss Vi!
Oh man! The moment this student said that, I realized my big mistake: By concentrating so much on the bad, I was missing the good.
Also, I felt icky after making that statement that centered around me. I don't want them to do things to please me. I want them to understand how their behavior affects the class and that yes, it is disrespectful to disregard what I am saying, but not as a teacher but as an individual.
In my hand little notebook that I try to carry around with me, I've been writing the positive things that go on around me...and there are plenty of them.
Some examples:
- Seeing new and unexpected friendships begin to bud.
- Student M and N are playing on the playground. M does a split and touches her head to the ground. M asks N if she can touch the ground with her head. N says yes, picks up woodchips in her hand and dumps them on her head.
- D, who began the year hating the concept of school, walking away from one activity saying, "I love reading."
- K skipping around the blacktop chanting, "I'm a beautiful pony"
- Banana tag! I love this game. Everyone is it and you chase anyone down. If both people tag each other at the same time, you roshambo (rock paper scissors). The loser sits down and can't get up until the person who got them gets tagged. Kids love it too.
- Doing yoga in a reading group. One book described how animals influence yoga poses. Nothing's cuter than five 1st graders lying on the ground doing the fish pose.
List goes on and on...which is why I wanted to become a teacher! I just needed the reminder.
One great thing that I get from talking about my day or about teaching in general has been the mirror that M will hold up in front of me to help me gain clarity on a particular issue.
Most recently, I've been noticing how negative I'd become. I'd been stressing out over the kids in my class who are disruptive and require a lot of my energy. How do I engage them? What am I doing wrong? How do I convince them that what we're doing is something they'll gain satisfaction from and ultimately enjoy doing?
Not easy questions. And while I'm not saying that these aren't important questions to ask, I found them to be all-consuming. I came home frustrated and disappointed in myself. Nothing kills your mood than having spent the whole day shushing kids and putting on a stern, serious face. Not very satisfying.
So this past week I'd decided to harness my energy elsewhere. Why let the squeaky wheelers get my attention? For each kid who is acting up, there are five who are engaged, are being respectful, and do have fun.
My switch in humor became abundantly clear one day when I was waiting for students to line up to go to lunch. A number of kids were horsing around, talking, and not paying attention to what I was saying. I decided to use a line one of my lead teachers often uses: I am feeling disrespected. Upon saying this, one student exclaimed, You're respected, Miss Vi!
Oh man! The moment this student said that, I realized my big mistake: By concentrating so much on the bad, I was missing the good.
Also, I felt icky after making that statement that centered around me. I don't want them to do things to please me. I want them to understand how their behavior affects the class and that yes, it is disrespectful to disregard what I am saying, but not as a teacher but as an individual.
In my hand little notebook that I try to carry around with me, I've been writing the positive things that go on around me...and there are plenty of them.
Some examples:
- Seeing new and unexpected friendships begin to bud.
- Student M and N are playing on the playground. M does a split and touches her head to the ground. M asks N if she can touch the ground with her head. N says yes, picks up woodchips in her hand and dumps them on her head.
- D, who began the year hating the concept of school, walking away from one activity saying, "I love reading."
- K skipping around the blacktop chanting, "I'm a beautiful pony"
- Banana tag! I love this game. Everyone is it and you chase anyone down. If both people tag each other at the same time, you roshambo (rock paper scissors). The loser sits down and can't get up until the person who got them gets tagged. Kids love it too.
- Doing yoga in a reading group. One book described how animals influence yoga poses. Nothing's cuter than five 1st graders lying on the ground doing the fish pose.
List goes on and on...which is why I wanted to become a teacher! I just needed the reminder.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
kevin henke
This author is brilliant. Kevin Henke has a series of books that have the same mouse characters (I'm not exactly sure why mice are so endearing, but hey...it works). Some of his stories feature the heroine, Lilly, who is badass. She is a really strong girl mouse that is unique, creative, fun, a bit cocky, and stubborn.
His stories have a lot to do with kid angst. It also have a very Simpsons feel to it - it's a children's book that appeals to adults too. The adults in the stories are edgy and sarcastic. Very witty.
The one that was the most laugh-out-loud for me was Julius: The Baby of the World. In one scene of the book, Lilly expresses her dislike for her new baby brother by hiding behind trees and warning pregnant strangers against the "lumps" in their bellies. You just need to check it out. Brilliant.
p.s. Turns out he also wrote Kitten's First Full Moon. Even more brilliant!
His stories have a lot to do with kid angst. It also have a very Simpsons feel to it - it's a children's book that appeals to adults too. The adults in the stories are edgy and sarcastic. Very witty.
The one that was the most laugh-out-loud for me was Julius: The Baby of the World. In one scene of the book, Lilly expresses her dislike for her new baby brother by hiding behind trees and warning pregnant strangers against the "lumps" in their bellies. You just need to check it out. Brilliant.
"Julius is the baby of the world," chimed Lilly's parents.
"Digusting," said Lilly.
"Digusting," said Lilly.
p.s. Turns out he also wrote Kitten's First Full Moon. Even more brilliant!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
literature for emergent readers. eek!
We have started to meet with students in reading groups. B stays inside the classroom and keeps an eye on the activities in the room. R and I split the class and take reading groups in groups of 4 or 5. It's been awesome getting this responsibility, but there has been little time available to get direction on what to do.
Unfortunately, the books we have available are these pretty boring readers (I like fish. I like fox. I like dog. How about you?). It's partly a result of not having more interesting resources available. So since I've been given almost-free reign, I'm been racking my brain for interesting texts that are interesting and appropriately leveled.
It's not easy!
I went to the library yesterday and felt like my butt was on fire and I was looking for a bucket of water hidden on the shelves to put it out. But nowhere on the crammed shelves of my local library could I find something to squelch the flames.
Tomorrow I think I'm going to bring I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean (courtesy of Bottom Shelf Books and Hand Full of Heart Stones), but no doubt the kids will know it already. I bet I can still stretch it maybe 2 days....but then what?!
It's not that there's a shortage of good books, but it's a tricky balance between getting books that have interesting plots and aren't totally frustrating for kids who are barely sounding out words.
Help! I need my Fairy Godmother to bibbady bobbidy boo me some good literature! Dr. Seuss where are you?!
Unfortunately, the books we have available are these pretty boring readers (I like fish. I like fox. I like dog. How about you?). It's partly a result of not having more interesting resources available. So since I've been given almost-free reign, I'm been racking my brain for interesting texts that are interesting and appropriately leveled.
It's not easy!
I went to the library yesterday and felt like my butt was on fire and I was looking for a bucket of water hidden on the shelves to put it out. But nowhere on the crammed shelves of my local library could I find something to squelch the flames.
Tomorrow I think I'm going to bring I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean (courtesy of Bottom Shelf Books and Hand Full of Heart Stones), but no doubt the kids will know it already. I bet I can still stretch it maybe 2 days....but then what?!
It's not that there's a shortage of good books, but it's a tricky balance between getting books that have interesting plots and aren't totally frustrating for kids who are barely sounding out words.
Help! I need my Fairy Godmother to bibbady bobbidy boo me some good literature! Dr. Seuss where are you?!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
ways you can read, the musical
Every Friday the whole school meets on the yard for assembly. There are weekly traditions (a welcome song, birthday wishes, announcements) including a performance put on by a different class each week. Today was the first grade class's turn to perform.
Assembly somewhat fell into my lap...it was clear that me taking over the planning was something welcomed by my head teachers. So I ran with it.
Theme: Different ways a person can read.
In our class, we stress the idea that you don't have to be reading Harry Potter to be considered a reader. So why not really drive that message home.
The gist: I split the class into groups that represented different types of reading: Words, Pictures, Faces, Music, Stars, Braille (the list went on an on...it was hard limiting them). And each had a different visual representation. The one that went over the best, I think, was when the four students got on stage with four pieces of construction paper and, when put together, formed a picture of a fish. Ta da!
I had trouble sleeping the last two days because, why lie, I was nervous. Though I knew it wasn't a big deal in the long run, the fact that this was the first thing I would really call my own made the event seem more monumental than it needed to be.
AMAZING! The class rocked that assembly and really wowed the audience. Hearing the audience "ah ha!" during the fish puzzle really made it clear to me that we had the audience eating out of their little 6-year old palms.
Afterwards, parents came up gushing about their superstar baby actors (as they should have) and congratulating us on a job well done. But what really meant a lot to me was hearing the response from the teachers.
While I don't know him very well, there is a teacher in the middle school who left me speechless. He is a no-nonsense type of guy whose opinion I've come to value. He doesn't just hand out compliments like Halloween candy. So it was my time to gush when he came up to me and said (paraphrasing), "That was possibly the best assembly I've seen. Not only was the content meaningful, the presentation was just as thoughtful. This type of presentation is something I might have expected from the 4th or 5th graders."
These students are sharp and wonderful and have proven they can live up to high expectations.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND
Assembly somewhat fell into my lap...it was clear that me taking over the planning was something welcomed by my head teachers. So I ran with it.
Theme: Different ways a person can read.
In our class, we stress the idea that you don't have to be reading Harry Potter to be considered a reader. So why not really drive that message home.
The gist: I split the class into groups that represented different types of reading: Words, Pictures, Faces, Music, Stars, Braille (the list went on an on...it was hard limiting them). And each had a different visual representation. The one that went over the best, I think, was when the four students got on stage with four pieces of construction paper and, when put together, formed a picture of a fish. Ta da!
I had trouble sleeping the last two days because, why lie, I was nervous. Though I knew it wasn't a big deal in the long run, the fact that this was the first thing I would really call my own made the event seem more monumental than it needed to be.
AMAZING! The class rocked that assembly and really wowed the audience. Hearing the audience "ah ha!" during the fish puzzle really made it clear to me that we had the audience eating out of their little 6-year old palms.
Afterwards, parents came up gushing about their superstar baby actors (as they should have) and congratulating us on a job well done. But what really meant a lot to me was hearing the response from the teachers.
While I don't know him very well, there is a teacher in the middle school who left me speechless. He is a no-nonsense type of guy whose opinion I've come to value. He doesn't just hand out compliments like Halloween candy. So it was my time to gush when he came up to me and said (paraphrasing), "That was possibly the best assembly I've seen. Not only was the content meaningful, the presentation was just as thoughtful. This type of presentation is something I might have expected from the 4th or 5th graders."
These students are sharp and wonderful and have proven they can live up to high expectations.
Yippee!
HAVE A GREAT WEEKENDWednesday, November 7, 2007
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