Taming My Flock of Firsties

This...

Morning Meeting is an integral part of our day. Do you have a morning meeting?

Math notebooks! I just love them! Do you use them?

This! 🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽

People Magazine Names All Teachers “People of the Year” and Heck Yes, We Deserve it! It's been a year.

Productive struggle is such a difficult thing to let your students do. How long do you let them struggle? When do you engage and help them out with a modification? Do you tell them the answer?
What do you think?

We had a lockdown on Monday. It ended up being a glitch in a software update to the system. It doesn't matter. It was real for 15 minutes. It was terrifying. I know it's not the same as what countless others have encountered and we are safe, but for 15 minutes I was not safe. On Friday we were on high-alert as every other school in the nation/
It's been a week.

This article speaks volumes to me. I know it doesn't seem connected to my post, but it totally is.

Toxic Positivity: The Harsh Reality – Mental Health Association in Delaware During the pandemic, the media has seemingly bombarded us with the compulsory need to be positive. While positivity can certainly help individuals cope with uncertainties and fears, there is a point where positivity extends into the territory known as toxic positivity. What was once helpful is now d...

Want to know more about Lesson Study?
Let me know. :)

We did it! We presented our Lesson Study at the World Association of Lesson Study!!! Woo Hoo!!!

My student comes up to me after recess:
Student: Beth Ann
Me: 😳
Student: 😳
Me: 😅
Student: 🥴

It's official! We are on the schedule!
My team of educators is presenting at WALS!!!
We recorded an introduction video and just did our recording on Friday of our Research Lesson.
WALS is World Association of Lesson Study.
We will be presenting to people all over the world!





World Association of Lesson Studies

What is Lesson Study?
I have been working on Lesson Study for several years. Each cycle that I have done it, I have learned more about my teaching and my students' learning than I have in any learning format.
Check it out!

What is Lesson Study? - Teacher Development Trust Lesson Study is a Japanese model of teacher-led research in which a triad of teachers work together to target an identified area for development in their students’ learning. Using existing evidence, participants collaboratively research, plan, teach and observe a series of lessons, using ongoing d...

Lesson Study.
What is it?
What do you know about it?

Last night’s Open House. Students were sharing Boardwork from our Science Unit from Smithsonian and

He’s not wrong! 🤪😜

Out of the mouths of babes...
Student in hallway: Oh, it's PJ day today?
Me: No. (smiles with mask on)
Student in hallway: Why are you wearing PJs then?
Me: I'm not wearing PJs.
Student in hallway: Oh. Well, it looks like you're wearing PJs.
Me: Thank you?

I guess I won't be wearing that outfit again.

What do you think?

Why phonics instruction is not enough for English learners While other students already know the words they are sounding out, English learners may be learning to sound out words they don’t understand.

How many can you relate to? I got 10. 😢

19 Reasons Why the Teacher Cried Today We have a lot of good reasons.

I had an amazing day on Friday with my students! 😍
I went back to the basics. I told them I was sorry that I threw them right into reading independently without talking about expectations and building stamina. How did I forget to do this?
I was so proud of myself at the end of the day...
and then I forgot that I never even taught the lesson for Reading Workshop that day.😆

I love everything about this. I will be starting this tomorrow.

First day of school today.
No kiddos until next Tuesday.
Wish me luck (mostly for not falling asleep) 😳

I teach for the look.

👍 If you love this "look," too!

Absolutely!

Please!

This.

Diversity Rainbow posters - Classroom Decor🌈💟
Order now👉https://www.teeready.com/stores/intc

From the mouths of babes...
Student 1: Would you rather be young or old?
Old means like 35. 😳😳😳
Student 2: That’s not that old. 😍😍😍

Student 2 is now my new favorite!

When I hear “these teachers” as the preface to any statement, I immediately tense up. I thought about my colleagues and friends and wanted to finish the “these teachers”‘statement in a better way. These teachers love what they do. These teachers, for a calendar year now, have had to change course according to decisions they do not make. These teachers teach in ways that seem impossible. These teachers plan for hours. These teachers provide instruction for students 3-6 feet away from them and through a 14 inch screen. These teachers wear masks and have perfected their “teacher voices” so that everyone can hear them. These teachers differentiate the lessons so despite the pandemic, their students can learn. These teachers identify students who are experiencing issues and make sure those students have access to the services they need. These teachers have worked- and have worked hard. These teachers have found ways to run programs and clubs so their students don’t miss opportunities. These teachers have gotten sick. These teachers have been exposed to a virus. These teachers have experienced loss. These teachers have taken the blame for learning deficits. These teachers hear their community say that they don’t want to work. These teachers, some may forget, are human beings. These teachers want very much for school and life to look like it did in February of last year, but it doesn’t. These teachers need support and to not be criticized. These teachers will continue to support each other and to adapt. These teachers are tired. And as we move into year two of this pandemic, these teachers will still be teaching. (copied from a teacher friend)

Keep this going my teacher friends!!!! 💗👏🏼📚🍎

It's Time to Talk About Dr. Seuss In light of a new study revealing stereotyped characters across Dr. Seuss’s children’s books, published just before Read Across America Day, how can educators engage older students in a critical discussion of this canonical author?