Before you write this please take the time to read through all of the blogs written by you and your classmates. This is an opportunity to think about how your thinking has changed in terms of teaching and how your thinking impacts what you do in the classroom. What do you think that you didn't think before? What are you more aware of in your teaching when working with struggling students All of your students? How does content play into this thinking?
These are just a few questions to get you started in your reflection. You do not need to answer every question. You just need to reflect on your practices and define them in writing. We will also be reading these at our last class. Remember, the sky is the limit. You can write this ANY way that makes sense to you!! (poetry, songs, drama, letters etc.) Let me know if you have any questions!
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ReplyDeleteFinal Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed the collegiality of our group. The humor, the insight, and the wisdom shared have been a breath of fresh air during this complicated and hectic year. Tomasen's comments and assignments helped us to focus
on child development and not simply reading development.
We took this class to learn ways to create classrooms of readers and writers, not simply clasrooms of test takers. This class provided balance. We constantly hear about balanced reading programs, it is easy to forget sometimes that all areas of the child's life should be in balance.
Our text cautioned us to carefully weigh the words we use and how we say them. This was a challenging year in terms of behavior and student mental health. Choice Words could not have been more timely.
I thank Tomasen for her positive energy and support for our group. Thank you for honoring our students by asking about them. I thank Ted, Kate, Fran, Heather, Jen, Sarah, Kathy, and Jodie for being the dedicated and wonderful colleagues they are.
Ted checking in: I find myself pondering as I talk to my students on many occassions. I catch myself regretting some of my word choices at times. Sometimes I reflect with my students about my words and why I am being explicit. I can see the wheels turning in some of their faces. Some have that I get it look, while others have that I wish he would stop talking glare.
ReplyDeleteI am at a crossroads in my thinking about reading. Much of what I have read about good reading instruction on the surface seems simple to do, but somehow it scares the heck out of me. How do I trust that simple, practical, converstation and instruction will give my future students what they need to become life long learners and readers? When will I commit to taking that leap of faith?
The culture of test taking is overwhelming. My students are being tested non stop at this point. Their energy and dispositions are on the edge of a breaking point. Is this testing in the best interest of the students? Or would this time be better spent sitting on blankets outside writing poetry or reading about how they can make the world a better place?
It seems that there are a few common threads that many of us having been thinking about for the last few months. First, many of us feel our students are over tested, overwhelmed and not being taught in a way that best meets their needs. Not only are the kids over tested, I think we are too! It has been a long year of feeling stressed and thinking about test scores in a way we never have before, the pressure to be successful is almost unbearable and in the words of my dear friend "I feel like a failure". We all work ridiculously hard and the appreciation for that is limited because the test results don't match our effort. At what point, will enough be enough?
ReplyDeleteThe second thread I found to run throughout the blog was around the idea of meeting student needs appropriately. All to often, we are doing things not because they are in the best interest of the children, but because we think we are supposed to be doing it. Our students deserve more from us than simply teaching what we're told to. They deserve to learn from us in ways that will forever enrich their lives. They deserve to have memorable experiences that they will carry with them into adulthood.
*How did you figure that out?
ReplyDelete*What if?
*That's a very interesting way of looking it. I hadn't thought about it htat way. I'll have to think about it some more.
These questions and statements are ones that changed how I talk with students about their ideas. It is very hard to find the time in such a driven schedule to allow students to reflect and discuss issues without being stressed about what is being sacrificed in the mad race to cover everything.
I have enjoyed this opportunity to reflect on/discuss ideas about teaching. I feel more confident about trying what we really need to do to honor students and their learning. It has been a pleasure working iwth a group of dedicated and thoughtful colleagues.
Learning through Teaching: Reflecting on our year together…
ReplyDeleteThese are a few of my favorite LTT moments:
The Bio Book bags: It was fun to learn about everyone’s early literacy history. Finding out that Noreen had in her possession a favorite book that I, too, received when I was five, Katie and the Sad Noise...it brought back memories. I read the print off that book. I demanded to be dressed like the protagonist in the story (tam hat and go-go boots) and even cut my hair in a bob. It goes to show how early literacy influences you… thus, I no longer get too judgmental when my 50 year old friends go gaga over The Twilight saga. I truly get that reading should be fun and engaging, and I try to instill that in my kids. Young children need to see reading as a fun pastime, not a laborious “do your school work” drill. The book, Readicide, makes a strong point. (This is a hard concession for me: I love so many authors in “the canon”.) This is perhaps my most crucial learning moment, where I really changed my thinking.
Rediscovering Georgia Heard: I really enjoyed having Tomasen come into my room and introduce to exciting activities created by poet and educational author, Georgia Heard: the House of Poetry and Writing from the Heart… My kids love writing poetry now and I am getting better and better imagery and deeper thoughts from my students each time we write together. The Hilltop memories made me weep… Who would not agree that writing poetry is truly an activity that naturally differentiates…
To call a child a poet: I really loved Peter Johnson’s Choice Words, and I will always try to talk to my young students like every word I say, (what is said, how it is said,) matters… It was nice to read a book where the author truly respects our profession… and thinks of teachers as powerful game changers…
Finally, I want to agree with Noreen: collaborating with such amazing, thoughtful peers was a joy. A heartfelt thank you to all. We are in this together and I could not ask for better peers to take this journey with, for better or worse… And thank you again, Tomasen for leading our group, sharing your wealth of knowledge, and being patient with a group of teachers, who sometimes feel that the weight of Hilltop World is a bit of a burden… With deepest appreciation and warmest thoughts -- Kate B.
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ReplyDeleteThank you Tomasen for a wonderful class. Thank you to all of my colleagues who joined the class! I agree with Noreen and Kate whole-heartedly. We are a dedicated staff and it's fabulous to be able to connect (even if it's only once a month) and laugh, collaborate and enjoy each other's company.
ReplyDelete"Choice Words" has been a great read. It's great for me professionally and personally. It's so important to weigh each word that is said. It's important to me to have a respectful tone in my classroom. Monday compliments have been implemented into my classroom because of this class. Let's take a step back and enjoy each other and forget about all of the deadlines and GLE's that we need to cover. My kids love it and this is what they will remember next year. We want so much for our children to be kind. We need to SHOW them how to do this. I picked Connor up from school about one month ago and I was told by a new teacher that he was so kind. This warmed my heart. It's more important to me than how he is doing academically. I always tell him that the most important thing is to be kind and everything will be fine.
I really enjoyed the bio bags. I'd like to think that I might be brave enough to try this next year with my students. I definitely want to show them mine. I think that it's important that children see us as readers too!
I tried writing with my students a few times this year. I loved their reactions. They were so curious to see what I was writing. I'd like to do more of this next year as well. I feel that you become more connected with your students when you are doing the assignments that are being asked of them. I remember as a soccer player being asked to run hills at practice on an 85 degree day to build "stamina". I had so much more respect for my coach when he joined us for a few of them rather than just watch us miserably pant as he blew his whistle. I need to remember this when asking a child to do an assignment that s/he may find absolutely daunting.
I enjoyed having you in my classroom Tomasen. The children loved "50 Below Zero" and learning about onomatopaeia. They often point it out as they are reading now. You are very inspirational. Thank you for all that you did for us as professionals and as life long learners.
End of Year Reflection
ReplyDeleteAs a Title I Tutor/ Reading Recovery Intern (this year),I have been determined to provide explicit literacy instruction to my students. It has become my mission to seek out professional development books that relate to a particular need that I feel my students have. Last year, I read a lot about phonics and phonemic awareness. This year, I read about Reading Recovery, differentiated instruction in small groups, reading comprehension strategies, and I am just now rereading about Reader’s Workshop. This may sound confusing, but many of these authors refer to each other by name, or they piggyback off of each other’s ideas. I feel like I have a solid foundation of literacy knowledge that will get stronger and stronger as I continue to learn.
What surprised me was my thinking while reading Choice Words. As a teacher, I have always known that the words I used while instructing were important. I also knew that it was important to be able to teach children conflict resolution when they had conflicts with peers. What I didn’t think about, was how my choice of words relates to absolutely every aspect of the classroom. I never realized there were so many ways to tell children to get back on task without actually sounding like a dictator. I have always valued the personalities, opinions, and interests of children, but I feel like I now have more tools to show how much I respect them.
I have a feeling I will read parts of this book over and over. I enjoyed reading about “being a noticing person,” teaching children to wonder, and asking about problems that students encountered during the daily reading. What really stood out to me today was chapter 7. I was really thinking about democracy and how the teachers mentioned seemed to focus on the social aspect of learning. I have always known that children need to learn to work with others, but this book encouraged me to think about how I can teach children to really value the perspectives of others. It’s not just about getting through a project with a product that was created with some input from team member. But, children need to understand that other peoples’ differences can really benefit our learning. They can change our way of thinking and add to our current schema.
I feel grateful to have taken this class. I appreciate the opportunity to learn from my colleagues. Even though we see each other most days, we rarely get the opportunity to share in such deep conversations. Thank you Tomasen!
And Kathy Said...
ReplyDeleteOnce again I am bringing up the rear here.
It was a pleasure to read everyone else’s final reflections. I am lucky to work with such thoughtful, caring, and dedicated teachers.
It’s been quite a year for me. Never before in my life have I had to (or allowed myself to) rely on other people as much as I have this year and the support and encouragement I have received is more than I could ever have imagined. Some events in life can spur you to think about what is truly important and I’ve had a chance to question and adjust or cement certain beliefs and to set some priorities.
This class (and the people in it) have influenced my thinking (and, hopefully my behavior) in several ways:
1. I need to LISTEN. I have things to offer and so does everyone else, whether it be colleagues, administrators, coaches, parents, or students.
2. I need to FOCUS and SLOW DOWN. In my professional life and in my daily lessons with students, I sometimes want to accomplish so much that I tend to go in too many directions and end up feeling rushed, overwhelmed, and not terribly successful.
3. I need to THINK BEFORE I SPEAK. Thoughtful word choice can make all the difference.
4. I need to try to BE MORE POSITIVE. We’re in for a big change next year – new surroundings, new co-workers and administrators, and many as yet unanswered questions. That’s quite scary – but it’s also quite exciting to be starting something from the very beginning. I’m excited to expand my family with people from different backgrounds and who have different viewpoints. I’ve been lucky in my new position this year to have been able to meet many new people across the district. Yes, there are personality conflicts and disagreements about philosophies and approaches to teaching, but I haven’t met a single person who, on some level at least, is not focused on students.
Thank you, Tomasen. I hope I have a chance to work with you again sometime.
Kathy Biron-Brooks