Category Archives: Reflections

I’ve never met a stranger.  In my younger years, I was the student that got moved multiple times, because I’d talk to WHOMEVER was beside me.  As I’ve grown older – that has never changed.  As many times as I’ve arrived at a new place and said, “I’m just going to sit here and listen….” it never works.  If I feel strongly about something – you’re going to hear about it.

Maybe that’s why in my 17 years of teaching, I’ve always been able to “find my tribe” – educators who have the same mindset as I do.  Educators who are passionate about teaching and learning and kids and having fun.  Because that’s the best part about teaching, IMO, the fun we have on an HOURLY basis.

I mean, who else is going to believe the crazy things that happen?  Who else is going to be the shoulder you cry on?  Who else is going to give you that amazing idea that you’ll use in your classroom tomorrow?

Closing ourselves off in our classrooms closes us off to learning new and creative strategies.  It hinders us from learning and growing; it starves relationships.

Now, because of the internet and being a connected educator means that your tribe can be next door or across the country!  How amazing is it that I’ve found so many another people who love teaching and children and learning as much as I do?  It still blows my mind when I send out a tweet – AND GET AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE!  And I can’t help but think – if there is someone is every part of the world that loves teaching and children and learning as much as we do where I am; there’s NO WAY we can’t change the world!

Don’t you agree?

Until the next time,

Tonight’s #flipclass #flashblog focuses on reflecting on successes and failures for the year.  What will you change for next year? What worked this year, & what didn’t? How can you turn failure into learning?

With this being my first FULL year of #flipclass I’ve definitely experienced many successes and failures.  I feel a lot more confident with how I’ve decided to flip my class and really how to begin!  When I started flipping at the end of last year, it went so well!  By the time I got to that point, my students knew how crazy I was and I could trust them to work well in groups without my supervision.  It’s amazing how much sixth graders grow and mature in just a short few months.

When I started this school year, I wanted to start the way I ended last year and my kiddos just weren’t ready.  They were still learning me and I them – so I didn’t have a good handle on who would work well together.  I floundered…..my SS partner (who was also flipping) talked a lot about how to adjust to something that worked for our kids.  I was SO frustrated those first few weeks!  But I learned…..I modified…and I adjusted.

My biggest change for this year will be to start the way I adjusted to…..lol!  Also, I plan to put more thought into what projects the students will do throughout the year.  I’m really proud of the way that I decided to flip writing.  Writing is now ongoing instead of 3 weeks a quarter.  We have a reading and writing focus every week and video days are mostly on Mondays and Wednesdays. Writing Lessons include:  Perfect Planning, Developing Well Structured Paragraphs, Enhancing Content, and Putting on the Polish.  We just use a different prompt and type every month.  So every month, students have a finished writing piece.

I also want to incorporate more novels in my classroom. The students enjoyed the 4th quarter the most, because they loved our novel studies.  We read The Giver and they did a FABULOUS job!  They were so involved in the novel – they shared their love for it with everyone.

In failure, it forces me to be creative and think outside the box.  For struggling readers, English can be torture.  I want students to enjoy coming to my classroom even though it will be tough!  I’ll continue to revamp and adjust, because there’s always room to grow.  My kids deserve it!

Until the next time,

Metacognition refers to awareness of one’s own knowledge—what one does and doesn’t know—and one’s ability to understand, control, and manipulate one’s cognitive processes (Meichenbaum, 1985).

Metacognition….I NEVER use that word with my kids.  But that doesn’t mean that the process is not encouraged.  In my classroom we talk about strengths and weaknesses, how I expect them to be responsible for their own learning, how I expect for them to be independent and critical readers and thinkers.

During class discussions students are encouraged to expound on their thinking.  When they turn and talk, you can hear words like “I think……because…..”. I think that is SO powerful!

We reflect often….what’s working….what’s not working.  What will help them become better….stronger.

But for me, they greatest joy is when we are able to have thoughtful  discussions about the text.  In the beginning – I pushed them.  And we fought….LITERALLY. Now, they push each other.  They discuss, debate, and develop their skills.  It hasn’t been an easy road, but it was well worth it.

I couldn’t be more prouder.

Until the next time,

“The struggle is real.”  Lately that is the phrase that consumes me.  My principal is leaving.  Arguably the best principal I’ve ever met is leaving. Dealing with standardized testing and unmotivated kids.  My principal is leaving.  The overshadowing fear that next year I might just have to pack my things and move into a school that was designed 100 years ago for elementary kids.  Did I mention my principal is leaving?  I am definitely in a perpetual state of struggle.  And although I have faith that these things will work out – it still keeps me in a “tizzy” as my goddaughter says.  But, if we didn’t have to difficult with the difficulties in life, those “storm” – how would we appreciate it when the rainbow shows it’s beautiful self.  I know that this will pass and I’m thankful for the lesson I will learn as I’m going through it.

Today’s #flipclass #flashblog focuses on struggles in the classroom. So, I will pull my self out of this den of despair and share my thoughts on why, despite the fact that we despite it/them, struggles are a necessary part of life and therefore a necessary and integral part of my classroom.

I believe that children crave structure and discipline.  Despite their attempts the thwart and get over – they want to be in a safe and structured environment.  And despite their incessant whining – they appreciate being challenged.  The transition from elementary school to middle school is difficult.  No lie. But our kids grow up so much in these short few months.  I am so proud of so many of them.  They begin to take responsibility and ownership of their actions and their work.

On many of the creation projects they have, I don’t give a lot of direction.  I tell them to “figure it out” or say, “That’s a great question for Google!”  They do and they amaze, not only me, but themselves.

Sometimes I wonder how “the powers that be” decide upon what is appropriate grade level text.  Much of the text in our lit book is waaaaaay to hard for many of my students.  But they need the challenge, so I provide optional an audio version for them to use.

So they whine and complain….I laugh and ignore…..and support!  And when they succeed at something they thought they would NEVER be able to do – the grin on their faces makes my heart sing.  Because that’s what I live for…..their smiles.

Until the next time,

Today’s #flipclass #flashblog post:

What is your strangest/most-off-the-wall lesson ever? Where did the idea come from? How did it work?

I live off the cuff.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am THE procrastinator.  Which is probably why I created today’s video at 2 AM this morning.

I do my best thinking in the shower….or right before the kids are gonna walk through the door; so I have a difficult time coming up with an answer.  I’ll talk about my most recent activity – Visual Vocabulary Videos.

We read The Gift of the Magi every year, because I love it so; but I know that the vocabulary is really difficult for them.  This year, I planned a week long unit using some of Erin’s (I’m Lovin’ Lit) materials.

I decided that I wanted to vocab activity to be more in depth, so I decided that students would create Visual Videos. HUGE hit!  I did a little research and found out that New York Times does a yearly competition and I let students use that as a resource.  Find them here.

Students had to act out the words and they LOVED it.  I showcased my favorite last week (Idiocy – you can find it here), so tonight I’ll share another groups.

I thought they did a pretty doggone good job for two day’s worth of work!

Until the next time,