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appreciations

I just started following an old friend's blog. She reminded me of "The Glad Game" (its from an old show). Essentially, the Glad Game is a game you play where you think of all the things that make you glad big and small. In my class each day I try to do what I call popcorn appreciations. Students call out things they appreciated about their day.

I love hearing the little things kids appreciate and it makes me reflect on how important the small things really are. Last week one of my boys said he appreciated another student for letting him look at a bug that he caught during recess. When appreciated, he blushed with happiness. Its written all over the child's face.

That night I went home and told my husband a few things that I appreciated about him. He made coffee for us every morning, he never complains about changing poopy diapers, and he always calls me on his way home from work to see if I need anything. He looked like the bug boy in my class... blushing happiness in a small smile. My favorite!

So you might be wondering...

This week is STAR testing. How are my students doing?

We start the morning off with a cardio workout; it's very intensive! We dance as wildly as we can to the Black Eyed Peas and then we take two laps around the field. Someone may ask... oh no, doesn't that get them all riled up before they need to focus on their test?

Well, what have you heard all your life...? If you're stressed or nervous, sit still in a chair? If you're stressed, eat some chocolate cake? If you're stressed, take a test? Nooooo..... you're supposed to exercise! Read Brain Rules by John Medina.

So, I'm walking around the room proctoring the exam. I'm no Agatha Trunchbull (the evil headmistress from Matilda by Roald Dahl). I don't pace the rows and tap a ruler on my hand. But I do observe and I am curious about the questions my students are required to answer.

Legally I cannot disclose any of the questions I observed on their test, but I'll give you a close example:

Read the following directions on how to install a hard-drive to your computer:
blah, blah, blah, blah

As the nine-year old's eyes glaze over.

Here's what I love... because I teach critical thinking skills all year, my students were really pondering... "Why in the world am I being tested on this?"

But the beauty is, they were marking the correct answers, because they know how to persevere and those critical thinking skills really helped.

So how are my students doing?

I don't think they know the importance of the STAR test. And why should they? They're just happy to dance every morning. Happy to get gum while they work, and happy we have longer snack recess.  They don't need to be burdened with the undo stresses us adults endure. That's exactly what we should be protecting them from. Just let them dance!

Funny mistakes

So I tried to think of a fun way to review for the STAR test which is happening this week. I told the students that we were having an "All- STAR Quiz Show". Each student created a character and wrote a short background story of their character. The students then dressed up as their character for the quiz show. I dressed up as the host, we had game-show music, and I held a fake microphone as I interviewed each contestant about who they were. It was hilarious as students attempted to act their part.

The mistake I made:
Well, I told all of the students about this last week. I clearly wrote it in a note home and told each student to bring a costume to school, but not to wear the costume first thing in the morning.

Let's just say, that on day one of the STAR test, pencils sharpened, desks in rows, one of my students arrived in a massive carnival hat. Can we say distracting? We all had a good laugh and the hat was put away... at leat no one showed up in a grass skirt or a mask of face paint.

oops:)

When's the last time we just sat down and thought about it?

I don't claim to be an intellect and I rarely describe myself as smart. However, I often tell others that I'm successful and knowledgeable because I am self-reflective both in my personal and professional life. I definitely get this skill from my parents. Visiting their house is like entering a think tank for morality. If someone in the family is making a decision or working through a moral dilemma we will discuss the topic until we have the right answer for sometimes three whole days. I always head home when I need to re-adjust my moral compass or make an important life decision.

My worry is that our obsession with meeting standards in the classroom takes critical thinking out of the learning environment. If teachers are attempting to meet deadlines for benchmark assessments they don't have time to allow students to simply think!

In my classroom, each day for math I often start with a problem on the board. For example, 8 + 4. This is not a third grade standard, in fact it's a fairly obvious and easy problem for 99% of my students. However, we take five minutes of "think time". Students give me a thumbs up when they know the answer and then another finger raises if they can figure out a different way to answer the same problem. Here are some of their answers:

Student A: "Well I just know it".
Me: "Good for you, I bet that made it quick and easy for you to solve".
Student B: "Well, I know that 8 + 2 = 10 and so with 2 more that makes 12".
Me: "Wow, you used your 10 fact as a base. Great let's call that the Jacob method". (I like to name methods after the student that describes it).
Student C: "I play the solitaire game pyramid that you taught us and so I know that 8 + 5 = 13 so 1 less must be 12"!
Me: "Did anyone else do it this way? Great!"
Student D: "Well I thought of a dozen eggs. There's six on one side of the box, so now you have 2 + 4 more eggs and thats a full carton".
Me: "Very creative, great ideas here!"

In these 5-10 minutes all students are engaged and eager to hear new ways to solve the problems that originally seem so simple. My favorite part is that they were thinking critically!! I see them do this with the math problems in their grade level text books. I see them discuss how they solve problems with their peers. They are often eager to share new methods they've discovered on their own.

We need to slow down as educators and make our content more meaningful and allow students the time to simply... think!

floor monitor

My students are generally too old to be coaxed into helping me pick up the floor every day. I try to make it sound fun... "but you're the human vacuum, yay!" But they see right through me.

Today a student hung around with me after school. She always wants to help me. She has "special needs". She doesn't understand social cues too well and we have to teach her what is "appropriate". No kisses at school, no head banging, no high pitch screaming, etc.

But this young lady also has special abilities. Like the ability to make you crack up laughing or light your heart with her daily little gifts.

Today was a gift. I was on all fours, crawling under desks and picking up bits of eraser, paper clips, forgotten notes, and pen caps. She got down next to me and said, "wanna race?"

We started jamming around the floor picking up pieces as fast as we could, just the two of us. She was laughing so hard I think she snorted. And when she left, she said "I love you" and finally, the floor was clean.

Abuse

I really think so...

"Good morning children!"
"Today we are having an assembly with all of the 3rd through 5th graders to appreciate students who scored proficient or advanced on their benchmark assessments".

"Will these students please stand up".

"Let's give the standing students a huge round of applause for their excellent scores".

And as for those of you still sitting... I write you this:

Don't let your spirit for joy

your dreams

your light dim

I wish I could save you

from those that don't think of you

I would have loved you

and your 'basicness'

I bet you're good at soccer

I know you make mom laugh

I'm guessing your a creative kid

just waiting for someone to let you stand.