Speaking Up With A Classroom Point of View

I've been speaking up with a classroom point of view.

The reading and research I'm doing points to new areas of consideration and thought with regard to teaching young children well.

I don't expect my viewpoint to represent all view points, and I know I don't see school life from all perspectives, but I do believe that classroom teachers have an important perspective with respect to children's success in school.

I also believe that schools and learning are evolving--evolving in more responsive, student-friendly ways, and I want my students to be part of that evolution.

I welcome debate and discussion.  I look forward to timely rationale and research related to decisions made with respect to our work, and I am happy that many are giving us voice and listening to our thoughts.

It's a changing time in education, and we can profit from thoughtful, researched voice, process and action from all perspectives including students, families, educators, administrators, scholars and community members when it comes to teaching children well.

Curriculum Development and Change

When it comes to change, there's a lot to consider particularly when you're talking about change that affects many people such as educators, families and students in a school community.

How does your school community effect change in positive, enriching ways? Has your curriculum process changed since the onset of technology and the ready access to information?

Since I'm usually creating change based on new information and research, I face this situation, and  have some thoughts about it.

I believe systems should adopt protocols and process related to curriculum, rather than static curriculum pieces. Protocols and process can be based on the following questions and actions.

Questions

• What are the system's goals with regard to student learning?
• What learning goals are currently being met?
• How can we provide support to finesse, enrich and share those practices?
• What learning goals are not being met, and what steps need to be taken to meet these goals?

Actions

• Identify umbrella topics, standards and practices to lead student learning.
• Create, order and organize materials and materials' processes to support that learning.
• Provide time for all teachers who facilitate the learning to review, revise, learn and discuss essential information related to each unit.  Also provide educators with time and resources to develop their professional repertoire related to the following topics:
• content knowledge
• differentiated instruction
• project base learning
• specific strategies related to essential skill development
• integration of technology and other apt tools
• cognition
• best practices
• collaboration and student response

Time, process and clear intent will facilitate optimal teaching and learning.  It's essential to create a structure that educators can use as they embark on collaborative, targeted, responsive educational endeavor.  I believe this is a valuable first step to curriculum evolution.  Do you agree?  

The Shared Experience of a Book

Our school system has adopted the practice of interactive read aloud.

During interactive read aloud, a teacher and students share a book through shared reading, discussion, focus lessons, think alouds and other activities that help students deepen their ability to comprehend, read and think about text.

So far this year, we've tracked our interactive read aloud work with Google sites, ePortfolios, paper/pencil booklets, and online/offline charts.  This time we're using a blog to inform and track our work and discussion.

Right now, my class is reading Out of the Deep.  It's a National Park mystery that fits well with our current United States Regions and Endangered Species units. It is also a good fit for current events since many dolphins and some whales have recently beached at nearby Cape Cod and South Shore beaches which has presented a mystery similar to Out of the Deep in our region.

Throughout our reading, we'll focus on the following aspects of reading.

• Review of the comprehension strategies: visualization, making connections, asking questions, and making inferences.
• Review of story elements.
• Learning how to read and think about the mystery genre.
• Facts and information related to U.S. regions and endangered species.

As we work on this unit, I'll consult the reading coach and students as we face the following challenges:

• Supporting readers who need teacher help for the at-home portion of the reading.
• Completing the more rigorous aspects of our study in ways that are enjoyable and manageable, not too challenging or dull.
• Helping students out with blog access and response.

If you take a look at the blog, you'll notice that there's a range of responses, and many students are still satisfied to copy a friend's comment as their own. I'll work to extend their thinking.  Some are also working to keep up with the at-home reading and response.  

All in all, this interactive read aloud is off to a good start.  

Do you utilize interactive read aloud as part of your classroom program?  If so, how do you track and share student work?  Do you embed technology into your work?  If so, how do you do this?  What suggestions do you have to offer me as we continue this study?  Thanks for your ideas.

School Culture?

What is important when it comes to school culture?

That's a big question--a question with multiple answers.

I have been teaching for a long time.  I've observed great teaching and extraordinary efforts. I am humbled by the talents and strengths that the students, parents, community members, administrators and educators in my system exemplify each and every day, and I continue to strive to include those strengths in my work as I facilitate learning events for and with students.

As I think about a strong school culture, I identify the following attributes:

• Students First: A culture that strives to respond to student needs in responsive, caring and creative ways.
• Learning Community: Learning is the goal and mission.
• Respect: Students, educators and administrators treat each other with care and respect.
• Recognizes and Employs Talents: A culture that doesn't expect all people to be all things, but instead looks for, notices and employs the strengths community members bring to the school.
• Inspired: An environment and program that inspire a love of learning and engagement.
• Communication Systems: Efficient, regular communication systems that keep the community informed, and leave real time for meaningful, targeted debates, discussions and voice.
• Streamlined: A school that does a lot, but not too much.  Prioritization and focus.
• Healthy: An environment that embraces healthy food, schedules and activity.
• Celebrations/Traditions: A system that regularly celebrates learning and engages in valued traditions.

I wonder what my colleagues would list as they think about an ideal school culture?  What would you include?  What have I missed or forgotten?

I am also wondering how I can alter my work each day to better reflect the values I list above.  School culture matters, and school culture also leaves a lasting mark on the families, students, administrators and educators who experience that culture each day.

Details Matter

Recent data points prompted me to rework the classroom schedule for better effect.  I am building in more time to shore up essential skills in meaningful ways.

Today as we began the schedule, I realized with greater awareness that details matter.

It matters that students have the chance to practice essential skills in meaningful ways every day.

It matters that teachers target their focus and coaching when working with individuals, small groups and the whole class.

It matters that we leave room for student questions and ideas.

It matters that we share rationale and expectations with students.

And, it matters that we coach with encouragement and positivity, not letting the goal get in the way of a positive working relationship with the students we teach.

In the weeks to come, I'll pay more attention to the details as I try to teach and coach my students for best effect.  What details lead your daily work?  What aspects of teaching and coaching are essential to the work you do to support children well?  I look forward to your ideas and links.