We Saw Endeavour

I was so excited when I heard the space shuttle Endeavour was coming to L.A. We are directly in the landing path to LAX so I was confident we would get to see it. My kids were taking a test and I was following posts on twitter trying to keep track of it. My kids finished their test 2 minutes after I saw that Endeavour was over Santa Monica so we ran out and got a quick glimpse of it. I knew it would still come back to land so we stayed out an extra 10 minutes over lunch and boy did we get a great show. Endeavour and 2 fighter jets accompanying flew directly over us. My kids were all screaming, waving and clapping. Numerous kids screamed "We just watched history." They sure know how to make this history teacher's heart happy.

We are so excited to take the kids to the Science Center for a field trip later this year. They will get to see it up close after getting to see its last flight.

Homework Tonight is to Study

Those words to my kids mean "Night without homework." After struggling to get my kids to study last year I realized this year....they actually have no idea how to study. We have a major district test coming up in a week and we just happened to have an extra day to review. I took the day to teach them study techniques and then let them practice. One major problem of this generation (or this generation in LAUSD) is they can't create anything. They are experts on taking in information and then spitting it back out but for them to creatively think up a concept on their own is like pulling teeth.

So after 45 minutes of teaching them techniques  (flashcards, foldables, re-writing notes, listening to notes, reading their notes, drawing pictures)...then 20 minutes of me refusing to tell them what to put on their flashcards etc. here is what they came up with...

Wish I could show you her sweet face but she decided the method she liked best was to re-write her notes.

Others chose to make flashcards and got really creative with them! This student did the word on the front and then drew a picture as a "hint" she had a separate color coded flashcard with the important information

 One of my most challenging students was totally silent and caused no behavior disruptions. When I finally went to check in on him I was so excited to see waht he came up with all on his own (I know it was all on his own because he is too disruptive to sit with anyone else so he is completely alone at his desk)!

It may not seem like much but it was a huge improvement!

Another student combined flashcards, re-writing notes and pictures

 Another decided to make his into a comic

And yet another made a foldable with the 6 major components of civilizations and specifics about Mesopotamia on the back of the flap

Easily the hardest part of my job is teaching my students to think for themselves. It's awkward and uncomfortable for them and slow and frustrating for me. But in week 7 or 40, I'm proud of their work and can't wait to see what they can create at the end of the year.

The Calm Before The Storm

Every Monday and Thursday I get to enjoy the sacred silence of my classroom during my prep period. I live for this time, it's a great time of reflection, prayer and reaming for the future of the kids who will fill those seats.  I'm enjoying this year so much more than last year. It's amazing to be able to focus on the kids, what they need and how to best grow their hearts and minds. So thankful these quiet times are filled with planning and not worrying this year!

Back By Popular Demand

I started this last year to remember all of my first year. My goal was to record all the triumphs, struggles, the little details etc. Now I would do anything to forget that year...so I'm trying again. I don't think anyone other than Kat or my parents actually read this but I figure eventually I will want this written down.

So for starters...the entire nation is about to revamp their method or assessing students/teachers. With the new Common Core beginning in 2014, my charter is well under way in preparing for it. It basically will require a lot more written work in all classes. To get our students ready early we are implementing a full scale, highly interactive and specific reading program. Basically, it will involve students reading, discussing and writing about their reading for about an hour every day.

I'm really passionate about getting this up and running. Probably the most discouraging and frustrating fact I've ever learned is that California (maybe all states) take the reading scores of their 3rd grade students. Based off of that number they build the states prison cells. For years there has been a direct correlation between the score of a 9 year old kid and the likelihood of them going to jail. Evidence shows that students who fall behind by 3rd grade rarely make up that deficit. After administering a diagnostic to all my students I have 2 (of 95) on grade level. I have most reading on a 2-3 grade reading level and I have 3 reading BELOW a PRE-K! Some where along the way my kids have been failed...It's a huge task but I'm excited to help these 95 kids break that statistic!  

It takes a lot of planning on my part and a lot of books...check out my genre library

I just taught genre so this is fun to see them talking about their favorite genre and then being able to identify what books are part of that genre.

Here is the rest of my library. I'm so thankful I found I could work at Scholastic Book sales and make $20 in book credits every hour. 2 summers ago I spent weeks working in their warehouse so I could build this...some of the best hours I've ever spent.