I used this great web-based resource with my class of second graders to share their science research. They can’t quite type up a full paper, but they can talk, and they can type a few lines. The site has a place to draw, or scan and upload pictures. Some kids uploaded pictures they drew in KidPix. One student wanted to add a picture of herself at the end. She figured out that Photobooth will take her picture right on the computer. Then together we figured out how to drag it to the desktop and she uploaded it into her book. She then shared this knowledge and soon every student had a photo in their book. Our students are so motivated by technology. It’s very engaging to them and with just a little assistance it’s very natural.
A Witness to the Birth of Reading
Even though I have been teaching for many years, I have never witnessed a reader sounding out his or her first words, until now. My daughter will be 5 next month and has been pre-reading for quite a while now. We sing and make up rhymes and play alphabet games, but we haven’t tried to formally teach her to read. But now she is ready to take her first reading steps on her own. She is beginning to sound out words. It is so amazing. It is better than her fist steps. It is better than her first words. There is something so spectacular and absolutely fabulous about watching her sound out her first words. I am also amazed that anyone can ever learn English because how do you tell an emergent reader how to sound out to and so and why they are different and why neither one fits the rules of phonics? We just do it. Reading is such an amazing thing.
Filed under Uncategorized
A Purpose
A goal- each and every thing we do in my class will have a thoughtful purpose.
It sounds easy, but it’s not always. Sometimes time gets away from you, energetic kids get the best of you, whiners zap your energy, but it’s a goal I am always thinking about and working on: A purpose.
So, now, I’ll kick it up a notch, what is my purpose? What is your purpose? Are you there yet?
Filed under Odds and Ends
The Power of a Book
I spent a lot of time so far this week on very specific, direct conferences about what kids are reading in my class. I recently gave them reading inventories and I wanted to make sure what they were self-selecting matched what I found. The kids loved the conferences, they couldn’t wait to be next in line. Ten minutes of undivided teacher attention? Yes! We talked about what books they like right now, what was interesting, what wasn’t working, what needed updating. I made lists and talked to them about ideas I had. We sat with the library catalog open and looked up sports, fantasy, aliens, realistic fiction, biographies (yes, biographies!) to find some possibilities. I went to the library on my planning time and pulled 40 or so books and put them on the kids’ desks so they would find them after PE. They were thrilled! It was so exciting to see them diving into the stories they knew I hand selected just for them. The kids were so excited they wanted to take the books to the Spelling Bee so they could keep reading. We needed this mid-winter boost. And that was just half the class, I get to do it again tomorrow! Yay, go books!
Standardizing Education
I have a favorite pre-school teacher’s blog I follow. I love his energy, philosophy, spirit and the learning he proudly does with his students. He had a great post this week that compared the standardizing of education to ordering food at a fast food restaurant. To paraphrase, he sees the public as expecting us to serve up an exact education to every single student in the country, the way a fast food restaurant does to food. We should be paid minimum wage to do it, too. We probably could teach the exact same thing every day to every kid across the US, but what on earth would that give us? The thought is horrifying. It doesn’t take into account any student’s individual needs. Ever. Is this what we truly, truly want for our children? Sure, other countries might have higher math and science scores, but guess where the best new products are developed? What country is known for creativity and innovation? Music? Dance? Plus, guess which country educates every single child regardless of income, race, ability and language? Our space program has been successful not because we have better scientists and mathematicians, but because we have people with a vision to make it happen, with the problem solving skills and creativity to turn an idea into reality. Isn’t that what we really want?
Filed under Odds and Ends
