What a week!

After a two week break, it was back to school for me on Monday...well, actually Tuesday (I had a doctor's appointment on Monday). I'm amazed at how my teaching counterparts seem so on the ball and on task in the other part of the world. They're working, creating resources, attending conferences during their summer break. Perhaps, the only productive work I managed to do was my Whole Brain Teaching posters. (Sigh!)

I even brought my iPad to work with the intention of recording myself teach my kids the Whole Brain Teaching rules so that I could upload the video on the blog. I taught the rules (the kids and I were so proud of ourselves) but the iPad stayed in the bag. (Sigh!)

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I'm one of those that gets really excited about professional learning and then sort of fizzle out after that. (Sigh! There MUST be teachers like me out there!) So I thought the smartest thing would be to buy an ebook on the iPad...which I did. Way more cost effective. This is what I invested in.

The book's quite insightful and hopefully after the coming week, I'll have more to say about it and how I've used it in my conferences, Guided Reading and LLI.

Then I was going to work on this awesome package on teaching Procedural Texts which is the text type we are working on now. But I lost my creative streak and only managed an anchor chart on a visual procedural text. We made three of them but here's a look at the one we made on chocolate chip cookies.

 

A mind map by a student

Those chocolate chip cookies need a bit of work...I started getting a bit stressed out for the lack of creativity I possessed when my team partner and I had to deliver a spelling lesson. We had lots of resources on our table - Words Their Way, Soundwaves, Diane Snowball. It took us awhile to get ourselves sorted. But eventually, we seemed to be onto something. We looked at the "i" sound and our students drew a mind map before sorting the words into different groups.



Sorting out the words



And then as quickly as the holidays ended, the first week was over. Phew!

July Currently

Hey there, it's been awhile.  It's always great to link up with Farley from Oh Boy! Fourth Grade for the Currently Party.

As I write this, lunch is prepared (Mashed Chickpea Salad) and I am watching DC Cupcakes as I type this. I love anything to do with baking. If I wasn't teaching, I'd have my own bakery selling vegan goodies. 

It's the Winter break in Australia now. A week has gone by and I'm thinking "Where did the week go?!" It just zoomed past. I still have a week to go so that's good. I have been trying to get some work done, but found myself staring at the planners for next term and having a mental block. (Don't you hate it when that happens?) I did get some Whole Brain Teaching posters done which I'm quite proud of and will probably write about in a later post. 

I do wish this break would go on forever. I like catching up on reading blogs, magazines, books...recipes. I love the holidays. I somehow have a confidence boost over the holidays every time. It's like I can conquer the world. I do need to work on building my confidence. I'm always doubting myself and capabilities. When I began the blog a year ago, I thought I would have these amazing ideas I could blog about. Well the blog was there, the amazing ideas just weren't flowing, well at least I thought the ideas weren't amazing enough as compared to the amazing blogs that were out there by teachers. So what began as this awesome idea, just sort of died. 

Then I find out my mum was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and was told she didn't have a long time to live. My mum's a survivor though. We've had our ups and downs since then but she's pulling through and I'm pulling through. I've started to focus on eating healthy and exercising. 

The thing is my life is too short to be worried about if I'm as good as everyone else. So I'm giving this blog idea another shot. I revamped the look (the old look was awesome) but I needed something to bring me out of the closet. So in walked Megan from A Bird in Hand Designs, who helped me create a new look. I'll get there. I know I will. That's my July Currently. Peace. Out. 

Interactive Notebooks

My love affair with Interactive Notebooks happened by accident. Although I don't remember the specifics of it, I know I was looking for a Maths resource on Teachers Pay Teachers when I chanced upon Blair Turner's TPT store.

Interactive Notebooks are a big part of my daily routine now and although it's almost the end of the school year in Australia, I'm already thinking about how I can better implement it in my classroom next year. I even came up with my own interactive resource for Rounding Numbers during the break. I'm still learning but I'm quite proud of myself.

So anyhow, I was really excited when I found out Jennifer from 4mula Fun was hosting a webinar about Interactive Notebooks. Of course, with the time difference and all, it meant that I wasn't able to watch it live. (I'm at work at the time...)but thankfully, the clip was uploaded with handouts.

So what I've learnt thus far:

PLAN

It's really important to plan. Because I did not start Interactive Notebooks at the beginning of the year, it lacks a certain 'flow'. So, I get how important planning would be for next year as I embark further into my journey of using Interactive Notebooks.

ROUTINES

Fortunately, establishing routines haven't been as difficult for me. I haven't established everything that was recommended but I have implemented one strategy - placing baskets on the tables of each group for them to put the bits and scraps after they are done, which has worked so well. I don't have an assigned student to hand out the baskets, for some reason it seems to miraculously appear on the tables. Most of my students are on auto-pilot mode (this year). What's worked for me is giving my students a time limit for what to either cut, paste, write etc. The students decide how much time they would need, I ask several students how much time they think they would need to complete a certain part of an activity and we then decide how much time they would get, (usually between 2 to 5 minutes). I use a stopwatch to tell them how much time they have left. The students who complete the assigned task before the time is up, usually either check or colour in what they've done. This has worked really well for me and my students, so they are constantly engaged and no time is wasted. (But I hear so much about how colouring is done outside of classroom time, so I'm wondering if I'm really using that time well.)



MATERIALS

Materials aren't really a problem because the students' book packs come with glue sticks and scissors and exercise books.  (Haven't tried liquid glue yet.) I guess one disadvantage would be the printing and copying that I usually have to do. Staff in my school get about $100 printing and copying credit every term  and that doesn't last very long, so in desperate situations, I use the printer at home to print the necessary sheets for my students.





OUTPUT

Hmmm...this video has caused me to reflect on my student's Interactive Notebooks. There's lots of input but they don't do a lot of output in their books. I use other forms of assessment - exit slips or tests to assess their understanding but I haven't given my students the opportunity to reflect or show what they've learnt in their books and that is something I would need to put more thought into.

My key takeaway from this webinar was in regards to modelling the use of Interactive Notebooks...something I haven't done enough of, actually I have done it at all (although my students do refer to previous activities they've done on their own) and also, having my own Interactive Notebook. That's where the planning bit comes in.

So there, my first Professional Development post. My mind's already buzzing with ideas and thoughts. If you are reading this, please do leave a comment of how you use Interactive Notebooks in your classroom. It would be of so much help.

Learning Intentions & Success Criteria...and 6 weeks to go

Perhaps, it's a little too late for this but Learning Intentions & Success Criteria are the new buzz words in my school. Not that it wasn't there before. Teachers have different approaches to when it comes to conveying Learning Intentions to students.

I remember my first year teaching in Australia, I was introduced to the WALT, WILF and TIB. It was the first time I had heard of it and I had been teaching for about 9 years! I loved the WALT, WILF and TIB and when I found these signs by the delightful Mrs Pancake, I made sure I used it in the classroom.

Aren't they cute? Last year, I came across this post on Jen's blog, Runde's Room. (Runde's Room was one of the first blogs that I chanced upon whilst surfing and I have to say she is such an inspiration. I'm just in awe of her...but I digress) Anyway, I really liked the idea of displaying Learning Goals and I really LOVED how she had created posters for all of the learning goals based on the curriculum. So before the 2014 school year began in Australia, I set about creating a set of posters based on the Australian Curriculum.

I got as far as doing the Numeracy, Science and History posters for Year 3 and 4. The intention was to create more as the curriculum year progressed. I was also meant to set up a display board...and I tried...and then I got side-tracked and I never got to creating the board...until about 2 weeks ago with about 8 weeks of school left. (Yes, I know but better late than never, right?)

In a Thursday afternoon PD, my principal was talking about Learning Intentions and Success Criteria and set us a task to try it out in our own classrooms. We had been using I CAN statements in the classroom, but I probably didn't really talk a lot about success criteria with my students. With the help of my Canadian sub-teacher/friend, I finally set up a Learning Intentions board. I used half of my whiteboard and this is what it looks like.

The board is titled OUR LEARNING GOALS & SUCCESS CRITERIA

This is still a 'prototype'. I only have space for Numeracy, Reading & Writing.
I would have to think about smaller signage I think.

The students and I developed the success criteria and I quite liked the idea of how I didn't
have to come up with the success criteria. By asking the students, what they think they would need to show to achieve success, it got them thinking as well and that way they are taking responsibility for their learning.

I'm quite happy with my first attempt at this board. I'm not sure if I would create more posters to display the learning goals, it just seems a lot easier at the moment to write up the goals and criteria but I might change my mind for next year.

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions as to how I can make this better? I would like feedback, especially if you have something similar in your classroom.

5 weeks to go, I'm in the process of testing and doing reports at the moment. Not long to go now.

November Currently...

This really wasn't how I envisioned myself as a blogger. I began this blog for all the right reasons and at this point in time I have stopped blogging for all the wrong reasons. It's been a rough couple of weeks for me. A family member is seriously ill and I've had to struggle with some inner demons. I'm trying to overcome it and perhaps this November Currently link up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade will help me feel better.

 

 

Listening - English soccer, Australian soccer, Indian soccer...You name it. SJ, my husband, probably watches it. He coaches the Under 10s team at a local club and if I do say anything...which I usually don't because I'm working when he watches soccer, he says he's learning. Fair enough. He doesn't hog the TV or anything like that. The moment, I'm off the computer we do watch something together so that's alright.

Loving - No school yesterday. A Curriculum Day, which meant it was a student-free day and that's always good. I don't mind Curriculum Days...especially if I've learnt something that I can bring back to the classroom.

Thinking - Six weeks...that's all I've got. 36 days and I'm done with the school year. I am going to miss this group of students. They are good kids. Probably the best cohort of kids I've had in the years that I've been in my present school. I'm a bit anxious about next year. Who I'll be teaching with? What grade level? I like...let me correct that...love my teaching partner and we would love to work together again next year but I've never had the same teaching partner twice thus far...so it's to be seen.

Wanting - Since I've been on the iHerb website, I've been really wanting a bag of Djorn Mustard chips and I CAN'T find any in the supermarkets here. I've had a chip craving for the longest of times and I have yet to indulge myself...very, soon.

Needing - Alright, this is the bit that's gotten me down. I received a summons on TPT for a product that I thought covered all the copyright. It was a series of posters that I had made for the 7 Habits of Happy Kids and when I got the warning and my strike, I felt I should have just been sent to prison. It wasn't intentional, in fact I had no idea I was violating copyright. There were so many other resources bearing the same name. It was bad enough that I had begun to doubt myself as a teacher. I mean, I think I'm a really good classroom teacher but then reading all these blogs, I just began to feel I wasn't as good as I thought I was. I didn't know what to blog about, I wasn't creating any resources and then I received the strike and that's when I had some serious doubts. I take great pride in what I do. This just threw me off. I decided then I didn't want to be reading any blogs because I didn't want to be influenced by what was out there. But then there was no inspiration and all the updates of all the wonderful resources that were being created only made me feel like a LOSER! Then I found out a close family member had cancer, it was all I could take.

Reading - I'm in the midst of reading Whole Brain Teaching and also doing an Indigenous module. I'm learning more about the Aboriginal and Maori culture to help me teach Inquiry this term, seeing that I'm not Australian...well not at the moment anyway. But I am hoping to use Whole Brain Teaching in my classroom next year so when I'm done with my module, I will be hopping back to the book.

Please do leave a comment. It would really help me to know, someone's actually reading this.

The Science Lab

I sit here comfortably seated on my armchair as I type this, looking forward to the two weeks break ahead of me. It's been quite a hectic week. We had a Science fair on Tuesday and an Athletics Gala on Thursday.

I knew right away when I found out we were indeed going ahead with the Science fair that I didn't want my students to be showcasing what I term as the "over-experimented experiments". I did not want to see another volcano or a mentos and coke experiment.

When we began our Science unit, we watched lots of Steve Spangler clips and my teaching partner, Felicity and I, knew we wanted to conduct Science experiments using common household items, that were simple and fun.

We began our Science Inquiry unit, looking at different scientists and their contributions. This resource by Christine Statzel was so useful. I love craft activities and Christine's resource had the scientists and the craft/literacy activities to go with each scientist. Below are some of the activities that I used in my classroom.

All About Einstein

Mona Lisa as drawn by my Picassos

As mentioned before, I knew I would scream if my students did another Mentos and Coke experiment, so we thought along the lines of creating a similar "wow" factor when one watches Steve Spangler on Ellen. Well, at least we tried to...

These were some of the experiments that we tried out in the classroom and then decided to showcase it at our Science Fair.

This is one of my favourite experiments - "Leakproof Bag". Students had to use a sharpened pencil to poke through the zip-lock bag and the faces on the Prep kids were just priceless when they saw the pencil go through the other end without any leaks. Of course, we still needed to be prepared for the occasional mishap.

 

We had the students write about the experiments that we had done in the classroom in their Inquiry books and displayed those books during the Science Fair.

 

 

 

"Who done it?" - Having a closer look at the patterns on fingerprints

YM and CE showcasing their lung capacity in Soda Can Jump

 

 It was an exciting day for the students and as exhausted as I was by the end of it all, when KP, a student of mine told me "This was such a fun day!", it made it all worth while. The kids had fun, the parents got to do the experiments and we all learnt something at the end of the day. But for now...I'll go back to putting my legs up and just enjoying the 14 days of bliss that I have ahead of me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



  



And So...

There has been this immense pressure lately with this blog. It's a pressure that I have placed upon myself. See, this blog came about because I felt I had something to offer. I felt that if I had a blog like everyone else, I would be this teacher that had all these awesome ideas, could make all these awesome resources and be able to do all these awesome things in my classroom that I could share with the rest of this world.

Except...the more blogs I read, the more I felt like I wasn't so awesome. I'm beginning to think I don't have it in me to keep this going. I keep thinking I'm not like these great teachers out there who are really making a difference but ... wait a minute...isn't that my tagline? Making a difference one class at a time. Oh boy...I might have to change that.

I've decided on one thing. Perhaps, I should let this blog be about me as a teacher. Not me in competition with the rest of the teacher bloggers and perhaps, if it was just me blogging about my experiences with my students and what I was doing to change their lives, to inspire them to go forth and achieve their dreams...perhaps, just perhaps...I might actually feel I wasn't so bad after all. (I'm assuming that's what all the other teacher bloggers are doing anyway...) So I'm going to give this another go. And if by chance, you are reading this...please come back. I will have something to offer soon. A comment or two, is always great as well.