100 Minutes Book Study: Chapter 2

Well I'm still running behind...but I'm getting closer to being caught up.

Chapter 2: The Building Blocks.

Interesting name for the chapter but it totally makes sense. You need all of the blocks to build a house, without all the pieces your house will have holes. I think the same could be said for reading and writing, if students aren't taught "all the pieces" then they are going to have holes in their foundation. The same can be said for an literacy block. If you want students to be independent you need to build a strong foundation. You need to start small and teach them what the expectations are.

The Building Blocks 
I think in the past, whole class instruction has been given a bad name. This is understandable. How can you reach all 20 odd students with the same lesson? I sometimes look around at my students during a lesson and wish that there was a a way to engage each of my students in the lesson. There are always one or two whom I know have no clue about what is being presented. 

Small-Group Instruction is always the goal. We all know that this is prime learning time. Guided reading and conferencing are so important for students to progress in the literacy.

Independent Activities: students need to be able to work independently for Small-Group instruction to be successful. 

All of this needs to be built up slowly. Lisa suggests beginning with: 

• Reading Time (Lesson)
• Independent Reading 
• Writing Time (Lesson)
• Independent Writing

This is actually very similar to how I set up my literacy block. We have Reader's Workshop for approx. 45 minutes and then Writer's Workshop for an addition 45 minutes. I really like this set up. I find it gives me time to work with groups and conference with individual students. I find that my students have to be very accountable for their own actions. It took us a while to build up to that sense of independence.

I have the beginning stages set up in my classroom, so it seems logical that I can take the next steps and implement AWARD Time (reading and writing independent time)

So I'm still wondering how effective the writing lesson will be  if there isn't any follow through?

Is there choice in the different AWARD time activities?

If technology is to be integrated, why is there a separate "Tech Time."

I'm sure these answers will become more apparent as I read. I'm really interested to try out this model in my classroom. I'm not sure if the last few weeks of school is the ideal time to try something new. I'll let you know if I end up taking the leap before the 27th of June.

100 Minutes: Chapter 1

 I am involved with two book studies this summer. However, it's not quite summer break for me yet. We go until the 27th of June!!!! I'm so jealous of those teachers that had their last day of school on Friday. The first book study is hosted by Amanda from The Primary Gal. We are reading "Guided Math" by Lanney Simmons. This book study is hosted by Beth from Thinking of Teaching. We are reading "100 Minutes: Making Every Minute Count in the Literacy Block." by Lisa Donohue. I am about three chapters behind so over the next couple of days I plan to push myself to get caught up. Ahhhhhhh! I never get behind. 

I chose to participate in this book study because I'm always looking at ways to improve my literacy block. I have experimented with the Daily Five and somethings worked really well; other things not so much. So this book kind of excited me. I'm hoping it will give me a little bit of a spin on the Daily Five so it will work in my classroom. 

I like how Lisa has three main components: explicit teaching, guided learning and independent work. I have found over the last couple of years that I have moved away from whole group instruction, yet both of the book studies that I am in are suggesting that whole group instruction is key.

I really liked how Lisa believes that students need choice in their learning. This is key in my philosophy of education. I participated in a series of workshops based on play based learning and inquiry in the primary grades. We observed that students were more interested and engaged in writing when they had an opportunity to choose their activities.

I also believe that technology shouldn't be taught separately. I am the computer contact for our school and I'm always looking for ways to integrate technology, especially iPads into my classroom.

Although, I'm just getting started on this book I do have some questions. 

• Lisa believes that choice is important. However, her framework is set up so that the students complete two activities. If the students want to move on to the next activity, do they have to wait until the half way point?
• Are there a variety of activities for students to choose from, for example, in independent reading?
• How do you monitor students during the independent work period?
• Does Lisa allow students time to share what they were working on? My students love to share and it has been an amazing spring board for other students.

I'm wondering about the design of the program. The writing lesson is taught at the end of the literacy block. So I'm concerned that students might not remember the lesson if there isn't any consolidation until the next day.

If you are reading along in the book study feel free to add your thoughts to the link up or comment below. 

June Currently

1 am super excited to be linking up with Farley from "Oh Boy Fourth Grade"

I'm finally starting to feel like I'm getting this blogging things figured out. I have been following Farley for a while now and I love to check out who has linked up. This is my first time linking up. So here we go!

Listening: I'm currently listening to two of my three cats purring in my ear. While listening to the birds chirp happily since my husband just filled the feeder. I'm enjoying a couple of quiet minutes before heading to day care to pick up my girls. Does anyone else do this? I used to feel bad, that I left them at day care a little longer. But I've realized that if I give myself a little down time before picking them up, I have a lot more energy and patience for them.
Loving: I'm loving the heat. I live in Southwestern Ontario and we are finally getting a bit of a heat wave. It's about 30 degrees Celsius right now. After a winter of minus 40 degree days, I'm ready for some heat and some sun. 
Thinking: I should really be working on report cards. We are still in school until the 27th of June. But those pesky report cards are due fairly soon. I should work on them but I'd rather not. Oh the joy of being a procrastinator. :)
Wanting: I am wanting summer vacation to come soon! We've had a long school year. My school was under construction last summer and was suppose to be done by September but of course it wasn't. We didn't have a gym until  February and it was a loooooong winter.
Needing: I'm needing to take some time for myself. We have been so busy lately with dance, tennis, soccer, violin, birthday parties and dance recitals that I feel like I never stop. I'm looking forward to dance being done so that at least one night won't be so busy.
Summer Bucket List:  1. I am looking forward to spending sometime at the cottage. My girls and I usually go up for a couple of weeks while the poor hubby works (he joins us on the weekend). It's great to have family to help with the girls, especially their favourite Aunt Kitty (my sister Caileigh). 2. Poor little Anna has been trying to ride her bike without training wheels, but we never seem to have the time. My goal is to have riding by the end of the summer. Anyone have any tricks or tips? 3. We love the beach! I can't wait to spend sometime there!
Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Bloggin' ~ Monday Meet Up

I am linking up with the Teaching Tribune for their Monday Meet Up! 

I thought this was a brilliant idea. This is how it works... I get to introduce you to one of my blogging friends.  I had the pleasure to review one of her products a couple of months back in the "Trade and Grade" hosted by Amanda from The Primary Gal. So when she asked me to be her partner I was beyond excited!

My partner is Kim from Splish, Splash, Ms. Landers Class. I love her products, and even better my students love her products. She is such a sweet person and she is super easy to work with. So without further ado, let me introduce you to 

Kim Landers.

Thanks for stopping by! Click HERE to head back over to The Teaching Tribune and meet up with some more amazing teacher bloggers.

Diggin' Into Next Year ~ Organization

I am so excited to be linking up with over 50 bloggers and Laura from Where the Magic Happens to bring you the Diggin' Into Next Year Blog Hop all summer long! Each week we will bring you a post about a different topic. Check out what topics are coming up in June!

So here we go! This week's blog post is all about ORGANIZATION! GAH! I probably won't win any awards for my organization skills. I'm more a "piler than a filer". I am not one of those teachers that has a clean desk. I am way to embarrassed to show you what my desk looks like at this point in the year. However, there are some things that I am great at organizing!

Filing

I know I just said that I wasn't much of a filer, but I actually do have a system for filing when I end up doing it. One of my brilliant teaching partners showed me her strategy. Instead of organizing by subject. I put all of my files in alphabetical order. I then have cardboard dividers that stick up that tell me which letters are in each area.    

Not overly pretty, but actually very effective.

Toys

Last summer I decided that I needed to do something to organize my toys, so I took pictures of them and  created labels. I put the labels on the bins as well as on the shelf where they belong.

I also love these shelves. They take up a lot of room. But I love how I can push them together so all of the toys are out of sight.

Books

Last year, I decided that I need to do something about the organization of my class library. I can't even remember how it used to be organized, all I know is that my students never put the books back in the correct place.

So I spent a week putting stickers on all of my books, and more clearly labelled all of the bins. It makes it so much easier for the students and me to keep our classroom library organized.

Desk Bins

This is by far my favourite organizational tool, and it's not even for me! Each students as a long white bin in their desk. These bins make it super easy for students to find what they are looking for. We also almost never lose pencils, or glue sticks.

 Then the bins slide easily into the students' desks.

So, my biggest change for next year is to organize my desk! Enough of the piling, I need to be a filer! Wishful thinking? We'll see! Or maybe it's time to say goodbye to the desk since I never actually sit at my desk. However if I get rid of my desk, where will I pile my stuff? hmmm.... Something to think about. 

Don't forget to stop by my friends' pages. You can access the link up through Where the Magic Happens.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have found some great ideas while making your way through the hop!

3-2-1 Sale

I have linked up with Stephanie from Mrs. D's Corner to bring you the 3-2-1 sale to celebrate the kick of our GUIDED MATH Book Study. If you haven't check it out yet CLICK HERE. This sale will run for one day only! May 31st and end when I wake up in the morning on the August 1st.

I have picked some of my favourite math resources and knocked the price way down! Don't forget to follow my store while you are there!

Probability: Activities and Games ($6)

Live Laugh Bark for Math Centers ($8)

Adding Doubles Fun ($6) 

Problem Solving Posters ($4)

Pirate Calendar Kit ($5)

Polar Bump ($2)

Space Bump ($3)

Time Memory ($2)

Name the 3D Figure Board Game ($3)

Thanks for stopping by! Click HERE to see who else linked up! Enjoy the sale!

Guided Math Book Study: Chapter 1

I have been experimenting with guided math in my grade 1 class for the last couple of years, but it has never worked the way I envisioned it. I've always felt like I was missing something, so when Amanda from "The Primary Gal" suggested a book study and the book was called "Guided Math", I knew I was on board!

So here we go Chapter 1! Even just reading the first chapter has my brain buzzing with ideas. 

Since I started teaching grade 1, I have become a firm believer in the power of play. They are still little, they need time to play! I attended a workshop put on by my school board last year, and the big idea that I got out of it was "work is play" for students. When they are working they are playing and vice versa. Which makes total sense to me. 

So where am I going with this? My math program is based on three main things that I feel I do well:

The first is games. Play? Games? Makes sense, right. Math games are amazing tools for students to build confidence. When I first found TPT about three years ago, I came across a game called BUMP! If you haven't played it, you have to try it! My students loved it and had my students building math fluency with adding numbers to 12. It then got me thinking about what other areas in math could I incorporate the ideas of games and I came up with all sorts of ideas. Check out my math games. What I love about using games in my classroom is that my students are engaged, they are learning and most of all it makes math fun.

The second thing I do well is integrate a variety of centres in my program, This allows my students to be hands on. I find that I have moved away from a lot of "paper and pencil" or "kill and drill" type activities (Not that I don't think there is a place for those type of activities). I try to create centres that give my students an opportunity to explore with manipulatives, to integrate technology and have topics that interest them.

The third thing, I have really worked on this year is open ended problem solving. I participated in a series of  Collaborative Inquiry for Learning in Mathematics workshops this year that really open my eyes to something.  I have to say it was the most nerve racking experience of my life (But I'll leave that for another blog post some day). What I got out of the workshops was the importance of using open ended problems to help differentiate for students; how to use a parallel problem without making it seem like the easy question and the hard question, and finally that we shouldn't be teaching students steps to solve the problem but giving them strategies. This gave me the idea for my animal themed problem solving posters! I love, love, love, these posters!

What am I excited about?

• I love the idea of building a math community. How easy would it be to have a "Math Warm Up" each morning? I want to integrate more math into my calendar routine...it's getting kind of dry by the end of the year.
• I also love the idea of using math read alouds to build engagement, set up problems and give the students authentic situations to use math
• I love the idea of a "Math Huddle". It's very similar to the "reflect and connect" that we do as part of the three part lesson
• What I really want is to provide more opportunities to conference

Thanks for stopping by! I hope that you stay with us on our book study! There will be some great prizes as part of the weekly giveaway and maybe even some freebies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up