Never Linear

Lesson planning is something that I struggle with. The unit plan and attached lessons, that our cohort needed to complete, was a difficult assignment for me. I couldn't picture where my 23 kiddos were at that very moment, and whether they would be ready for the lessons I was writing. After all, a lesson really isn't any good if it doesn't meet the needs of your kids, right?

That feeling has been combined with my observations on student writing. Seeing their writing folders at conferences, I observed how disjointed the work seemed to be. There were countless sheets of paper tossed haphazardly into a folder, most not connected to one another. Was that the way writing was supposed to work? How would Routman look at the writing?

Finally I am starting to put it together in the midst of my still lingering discomfort around "knowing." I really want to bring in my laptop to record digital stories with the kids. I want to have a purpose for writing, and less of the scattered pieces of paper. I've also thought about using Audacity to create podcasts and audio books that could be compiled onto a cd for all of the kids. My MT has a cassette player/recorder, which I think could be good for testing out. But I'd like them to be able to take it home as testament to their work- "look, I made this! I'm on CD!" I also want to start writer's notebooks, and move away from the loose leaf paper, as I feel like it can be a way to show growth over time (almost like a flip book). Why am I at this point? Well....

"... what good teachers do, evaluate, rethink as they go. Teaching is a
draft-in-process: never linear, always changing." Routman p.149

Field Trip to Carkeek Park

I went back to see the kiddos at my main placement today as they were going to Carkeek Park to observe spawning salmon. I created a 22 person human magnet, as I was mobbed by 1st and 2nd graders excited to have me back ("are you back for good now?"). Even the kids in the cooperating teacher's class remember my name. It was a great feeling, and got me really excited about returning in January. Plus, the field trip was fun (although the naturalists need to work on scaling their language down a little for the kiddos)...

The reality of the classroom dynamics set in soon after. They're still a chatty bunch, after all they are still 1st/2nd graders. There are still the same behavior challenges. I've got a cadre of 3 boys that glam together like they have one of those invisible fences is set around them. I had all 3 on the field trip, and thought I was their personal chaperone. There are still some of the instructional challenges too, with the blank look of "what is this paper in front of me for?" and low phonemic awareness.

But gosh am I excited!

Integration and the Big Picture

My master teacher asked me what I wanted to teach when I return to the 1st and 2nd graders. I couldn't help but reply with an "I don't know," and a meek shrug. Why would I be getting ready to something? It's still November (right?) and we haven't even had turkey!?!

This afternoon brought me to a new point though. I think it was looking at the unit webs that everything clicked into place for me, and the wheels began to turn. After my body calmed down, and my brain spun into another gear, I started to visualize the points of integration. I was finally able to see the destination, the big city that I was heading towards. That isn't to say that I didn't have integration planned into my unit on Ants. I just started to see the school day more holistically. I want to have students taking books (Frog and Toad for example) and turning them into plays for the class. I want to have students writing and illustrating new endings to books, or adding onto stories, or creating original works to be performed! Ideally I want to bring them all (including those not mentioned) together under one overarching problem or issue, so that all of the learning connects. I want...

While I have been lax in my creation of the mythical and everpresent binder, I need to find the proper medium to craft my designs for the classroom (or one that I want in the future). As Lamont says, I need an index card to write down my crazy ideas, even if I never use them...

Math Instruction A Go-Go!

Tomorrow is my first foray into math instruction at my dyad placement. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous. I am taking over a small group of 3 that is following the first grade Everyday Math curriculum. Well, they aren't quite following the curriculum the way everyone else is.

You see that is where my problem is. Since the curriculum spirals quickly, the group has been slowed down to focus more intensely on specific skills. They have been going through their Student Workbook, and teaching from there essentially. Since we haven't gotten to the fundamentals behind math instruction I have found myself a bit nervous and anxious. Will I do it right? Will I be going too quick? Too slow? How can I bring in more manipulatives? How do you meet the needs of all 3 of them as their needs, and their quirks are so disparate.?.

We'll see at 10:45 tomorrow.