Gotta Know When To Fold 'em

I had a completely different plan for my blog this week.  Originally this was supposed to be a blog on a vocabulary review game that I play in all of my classes. It involves paper plates, teams, and an expectation of 100% participation.

I planned on taking pictures of my students holding up plates, spelling vocabulary words, and talking about how this is one of my favorite review games.

Then 6th grade happened, as it often does.

We had done our first two rounds of the game, which in this case was a review of rules.  The first word they had to spell out was "Wonder" (the title of the book we are reading as a class.  The second word was October.

I was excited because I was things were going perfectly.  My co-teacher was also excited because she is the Language Arts lead and loved that the students were doing this in a science class.

I gave the students the definition of the next key word: The preserved remains of an ancient organism. The groups got the word (fossil), but there was some dissent in one of the groups (I want to hold the L, no you hold the S, I want to hold the L.)

Then two other students started arguing because "you are always trying to boss me around."

Suddenly I had a flash to my first few years of teaching. I saw myself as a teacher that "had to get through the lesson."  The one that would have thought "oh my goodness, my lesson is bombing, I have no control over the class, but I have to finish because my lesson plan says so."  Then would have finished the lesson despite children crying and yelling.

However, years of experience have taught me what really matters - the community.  I stopped the lesson, and had the class return to their chairs. 

We then reviewed our agreements, specifically ones on accountable talk.  It was a very powerful discussion with students realizing and admitting they lost the purpose of the lesson and the game.  They also noticed they lost the values of the community.

We teach our students so much during the course of a year.  Each lesson builds upon the previous - and this includes lessons in culture, community, and expectations.  Letting little things go leads to bigger things later.  I'm glad I have enough confidence to know when to stop the lesson and review cultural expectations.

I'm also glad to have enough experience to know that sometimes six grade just happens... there isn't much I could do to prevent that - but know that when it does, we process, apologize, and move on to more greatness.

Side note, the kids that snapped at each other talked it out and were besties again by lunch... because sometimes 6th grade just happens :)

The Great Big Bag of Feelings.

I love the beginning of a new school year - new faces, new challenges, and a chance to start fresh.

One of my favorite beginning of year activities allows students to express how they feel about math using objects. It gives me a chance to get to know their feelings towards math, and also gives some insight into their ability to create figurative language.  I also get a chance to share a bit about myself.

Here is how I introduce this activity.

I have the class in a circle and explain that my daughter used to play with lots of different items. I then pull out this ratty lunchbag.  It is, I explain, her lunchbox from when she started pre-school when she turned three.  In this bag I have some items she also used to play with when she was about three years old.  I shake the bag and ask, "What are some things you think might be in here?"

legit - it is her lunch bag from preschool!

I get guesses from dolls and ponies to legos to crayons... It's a nice variety.  I then dump the contents in the center of the circle.

Students always are amazed at the variety of things in the bag. They also then ask about how old she is now, if I have other children, and suddenly we are connecting on a personal level.  They bring up connections with the objects (I had a Mr. Potato Head! Does that Silly Putty thing really have putty in it? (it does) awww, that's a cute Littlest Pet Shop!)

The great bag of everything

After I give them time to observe, I bring it back to math.  I tell them people have lots of different feelings about math.  Some people love math and some don't enjoy it.  All of those feelings are ok - you don't have to love math, and in fact it could be your least favorite thing.

I then ask them to look at the objects and find one that you think of when you think of math - how you feel about math, what you think of math, what math means to you...

Students get some think time, get a thumbs up ready, and choose a student to start.  That student then picks the direction the circle will travel.  I explain that everyone will share, but I also give students the opportunity to pass if they aren't ready on their turn.  When a student goes, they take the object from the center, return to their chair and explain why they chose it.  Here are some quotes from my 6th grade class this week:

• "For me math is like a weight - when I get a math problem it feels like a weight is being put on me." 

• "Math is like the Rubic's cube piece.  I always get jumbled up and think there is no way to solve the problem."

• "Math is like the multi-colored pen.  There are lots of ways to solve it like there are lots of colors."

• "For me it is like the battery because I need lots of energy and when I get something right it recharges me, but if I get it wrong I feel like a dead battery."

I have found the key to this lesson, like so many others, is not in the activity itself but the culture setting and story telling before hand.  This is a great 2nd day of school activity after students have gotten to know each other and me a bit.  Just as important is the lead up.  Building that curiosity about the bag, having students talk about the objects, and making those personal connections makes it easier for them to share later in the activity. It isn't enough just to get the students in a circle and dump a bag in front of them - they need the whole experience!

I've also accepted this challenge put forth by @Aaron_Hogan.  So far I've learned I have students that

• Play soccer, swim, and dive.
• Make their own mermaid tails that are usable in the water.
• Enjoy farming and made a model tractor using donuts.
• Do not like candy or cake! 
• Have 11 pets including 3 dogs and 3 cats.

Go learn something amazing about your students!

#amle = Amazing Mentors and Learning Experience!

So today was the day - Friday, 4:15 pm - presenting at a national conference.  Nerves and excitement abound, I went to the keynote speaker (amazing talk about drama vs. bullying) and my other sessions.

In the blink of an eye, it is 3:30.  I got to my session on time and set up all my materials.  Then of course, the waiting... for... participants.  I was so glad to see my new friend Jackie (@jbhanlon) as one of the first to show up!  Jackie had given an amazingly informative and vibrant speed session entitled Literacy Gone Wild the previous day.  She showed up to my session full of energy and one piece of advice... the ABSOLUTE NUMBER ONE secret to giving an amazing presentation:

I just laughed as saw her and raised her my bid:

(never leave home without it)

My session began and I introduced myself to the participants.  I don't know if other presenters get this way, but once I got into the actual presentation I was instantly back in 'teacher mode.'  I was presenting on protocols and activities that I had done many times in class.  I was able to answer questions and help educators figure out ways to modify the protocol for their specific situation.   I was teaching educators and I loved it.  

I got to do the same 20 minute presentation three times.  I presented four different student engagement protocols to about a dozen and a half different educators, and all of them loved the activities I taught.  I got so much amazingly positive feedback - how simple and effective they are, how little time they take to prep, how fun they are, how this should have been a 75 minute session, how easily they transfer to any subject.  How I should turn these ideas into a book.

I love my background in education.  I value all of the different experiences I have had.  I have taught  3rd - 9th grades, all major core subjects plus PE, advisory, and health.  I have been in public, charter, and private schools,  and taught in three different states.  I have worked in the Montessori and Expeditionary Learning educational models.  I have training in games and facilitation.  I have a melting pot of ideas and I hope to continue to get these strategies out to anyone who wants them.

I ended last night in my first "official" twitter chat.  This came out of a fantastic session about building a professional network given by Todd (@blocht574).  I got to meet and interact with such a diverse group of educators - teachers of all subjects and experience levels,  published authors, principals, AMLE admins, and even a magician!  What I valued most about this session was that everyone's opinion was valued and nobody was 'the odd duck out.'  Even though many of these people had been chatting for months (or longer) on #mschat, I wasn't treated as a stranger.  

I love being in a community of educators and how willing we all are to share ideas to move education forward.  I'm looking forward to implementing so many of the 15-pages-of-notes I jotted down over the past few days.  

I LITERALLY came to this conference personally knowing nobody.  I leave with over two dozen contacts and so many personal connections.  Thanks to everyone that helped improve my teaching!  Talk to you online and see you all in Columbus next year!