It is finally starting to not feel like we are in that start of the school year mode. We sure do have a long ways to go, but entering the next next phase of the school year has been a lot of fun.
Here are five things that I loved about last week.
1. Home and Back
Many of my students have never taken the book they are reading home to read it at night. I think that they have often seen reading at home as a totally different animal than reading at school. When I’ve asked them what they thought about reading the same book at home as they read in class, they look at me like I’m crazy. Reading the same book at school and at home is not something I would ever require, but I do think that it is an important reading habit that I hope many of my students develop.
2. Choose Kind
Yesterday I went in and worked on a little painting.
Part of being a Leader in Me school, each classroom shares their mission statement outside their classroom. Our mission in third grade is pretty simple: “choose kind” and “be brave”. I’m not thinking that people that walk by our classroom will have any question about the mission of my class.
I’ll be working on the art for “be brave” soon:)
3. Telling Time
When I gave my 23 students a quick assessment on telling time, I was shocked to see that most of my students had no clue how to tell time. The next day at school I noticed all sorts of ways they were able to know what time it is without using our analog clock: looking on my classroom phone, checking an iPad, asking a friend, looking on the classroom desktop computers. Although I would much rather see my students just use the clock on the wall, it was fun to see how they have learned to cope without being able to tell time. I learned a lot about my learners.
Update: most of my students can now tell time:)
4. Saturday School
Yesterday, was one of the most beautiful fall days that I have ever experienced. Going to school to finish painting took a lot of willpower. I felt a little guilty making my kids go to school on such a lovely day, but when I asked them if they wanted to ride their bikes around the track at school they got super excited.
In order to get to the track they may or may not have had to ride their bikes through the school.
5. Homecoming
Friday was homecoming. Being able to wear my old high school football jersey to school was so much fun.
9 thoughts on “5 Things I Loved About Last Week 10/13/2013”
No. 1 is interesting – I had the same issue with my 4th graders last year. They were used to “book boxes,” and I think they just considered that a school thing. The book boxes only had their guided reading books with leveled stickers on them. I had to really talk up the fact that they could take their books home and read them there, too (and that they were free to choose any level and good luck figuring out what level my books were in my system of library organization – ha)!
I saw the first photo on Twitter and absolutely love the wall painting (and the book). Makes me wish that all corporations and businesses and such had messages like this decorating their walls and halls also 🙂 As for getting to ride a bike through the school, that is AWESOME. You’re a cool dad.
No. 1 threw me for a loop and it is not something I would have thought about having to introduce. But as you explained it I see that it is something would need to be modeled and shown for it to become more of a norm. At my school students have always taken the books they are reading during reading workshop home, whether it was the leveled books from the book room, searching the guided reading level on the library computer (Not AR levels-we’re not an AR school), or the one they were conferring with their teacher. I am not sure if it is because the book they choose to read during class is usually one of the ones they select from the media center so they are anxious to read it anytime they get. I wonder if there is a connection.
I have been curious about schools with out school librarians. Is there a library space in the school? If so who mans the space and the student book check out.
I agree number one is an interesting idea. I am going to ask my students this week if they take their books back and forth. Will let you know. At out teacher librarian meeting Friday we talked about having students come to the library for class and just read. They get so excited. I loved your kick 4.
How cool it must be to have a dad as a teacher—I mean, how many kids can say they’ve ridden their bikes in a school hallway! lol
You already know your promotion of reading is a wonderful thing, so that can ALmost go unsaid 😉 The fact that kids couldn’t tell time by 3rd grade was ridiculous, but the fact that you have taught them, and so quickly, is GREAT! 🙂
Btw, didn’t know you had artistic talent. GREAT job on the wall, and the message, of course is great, too, as is “Be Brave.” Will you be using Deborah Freedman’s art? I hope so!
sharpread 
No. 1 is interesting – I had the same issue with my 4th graders last year. They were used to “book boxes,” and I think they just considered that a school thing. The book boxes only had their guided reading books with leveled stickers on them. I had to really talk up the fact that they could take their books home and read them there, too (and that they were free to choose any level and good luck figuring out what level my books were in my system of library organization – ha)!
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I saw the first photo on Twitter and absolutely love the wall painting (and the book). Makes me wish that all corporations and businesses and such had messages like this decorating their walls and halls also 🙂 As for getting to ride a bike through the school, that is AWESOME. You’re a cool dad.
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No. 1 threw me for a loop and it is not something I would have thought about having to introduce. But as you explained it I see that it is something would need to be modeled and shown for it to become more of a norm. At my school students have always taken the books they are reading during reading workshop home, whether it was the leveled books from the book room, searching the guided reading level on the library computer (Not AR levels-we’re not an AR school), or the one they were conferring with their teacher. I am not sure if it is because the book they choose to read during class is usually one of the ones they select from the media center so they are anxious to read it anytime they get. I wonder if there is a connection.
I have been curious about schools with out school librarians. Is there a library space in the school? If so who mans the space and the student book check out.
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We have a library aide that runs the library.
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I’m sorry I missed riding bikes through the halls with them! I LOVE the mural, the mission, and the lesson of “Choose Kind”!
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I agree number one is an interesting idea. I am going to ask my students this week if they take their books back and forth. Will let you know. At out teacher librarian meeting Friday we talked about having students come to the library for class and just read. They get so excited. I loved your kick 4.
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Love seeing that smile…and that kid in the background! 🙂
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Love your message of “choose kind”! And how fun to possibly have ridden a bike in the school hallway 🙂
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How cool it must be to have a dad as a teacher—I mean, how many kids can say they’ve ridden their bikes in a school hallway! lol
You already know your promotion of reading is a wonderful thing, so that can ALmost go unsaid 😉 The fact that kids couldn’t tell time by 3rd grade was ridiculous, but the fact that you have taught them, and so quickly, is GREAT! 🙂
Btw, didn’t know you had artistic talent. GREAT job on the wall, and the message, of course is great, too, as is “Be Brave.” Will you be using Deborah Freedman’s art? I hope so!
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