Can't Sing the Same Old Song!

I am anxious to begin my literacy workstations. I like to make the distinction between workstations and centers from the very first day of school, but it usually takes me about a week or two before I actually start them. This year, with the dawning of the Common Core into my classroom, it has taken me a little longer to get into all of my usual routines and grooves. Starting my literacy workstations is one of my last missing pieces.

For me literacy workstations are a key component of diversifying, individualizing, and providing some quality time with my students. After about two days in a classroom you can quickly begin to see how different your students' abilities are. Rather than shake my head  in despair I begin a plan of action that includes workstations for at least 20 minutes everyday. Students can not sing the same song all the time and therefore literacy workstations are what it takes for them to strike the right note.

I love Debbie Diller's Literacy Work Stations book. I used that as a basis and starting point, but also use materials provided by my reading series and other tips, tricks, and technologies I have gathered along the way. When this new school year started, a second grade teacher who gained one of my first grade students came to me and looked in wonder at how I was able to manage a successful and consistent RTI program for that particular student. I told her having Work Stations was key because it set aside the time needed to focus on that student.

I have also found that Literacy Work Stations also provide high achieving students the chance to march to their own beat by giving them individual tasks that often they like to complete individually. It is also a great way to use any volunteers, assistant teachers, or paraprofessionals that you have at your school. If you set up your workstation rotations just right you can really maximize the learning across the board for a broad range of students. Something you can't do if you are trying to make everyone learn the same lyrics to the same song in just the same way. Someone may always be off key a little bit, but by using workstations from the very beginning with planning and purpose you can help blend a sweeter harmony for all.

A Little Rhythm and Movement Goes a Long Way

I am in my second week of school with my first graders and have found myself using movement and music even more than before. I have always used rhyme and chants as a way to transition my students, catch their attention, or help them remember something. However, I have found that this year the use of music has captivated my students. As part of my back to school information, I send home a driver profile (I have a race car theme classroom). From that I am able to gleam information about my students from their parents and many parents mentioned that their children love music and/or dance. I started using songs to skip count and have found the students really have enjoyed this more than in years past. I also gave some of my students a "beat" to help them remember their lunch numbers or bus numbers (these are first graders) and as we head to the cafeteria and the buses I hear them repeating their special chants and it has worked. I know that there is a big portion of the students population and population in general that are visual learners, but this year I have found that my students really do move to a beat and by tuning into my auditory learners I am finding myself using new skills and resources and am keeping my students focused, on track, and engaged during the learning process.

Common to the Core....Not hardly!

This year we have begun the transition to Common Core standards and I must admit the task at first seemed daunting and I had no idea where to begin. However, I believe in taking things one step at a time and not overwhelming myself. If you appear stressed, your students will feel that. The challenge was that we had become so accustomed to using our standard textbooks to teach, that we couldn't wrap our heads around anything else. To us, Common Core was not music to our ears, but a note gone flat!

However, the first unit in reading for first graders is "The Wizard of Oz" and I couldn't imagine what to do with this text. Of course I was familiar with it, and I love the adaption by Quincy Jones "The Whiz," I just didn't see how to use the prewritten unit in my classroom. Well my worries were for naught. After looking through the unit and planning day by day, I have enjoyed reading the illustrated text with my students and we have done wonderful things. In fact, our discussions and activities surrounding this text are more advanced then I would have ever had in previous years this soon. After only six days of school we have done character webs, talked about synonyms, illustrated settings, discussed the problems, characters, and plot details. Now, I am not saying it has been easy. The fact that the new standards are our "new standard" has meant more planning and has taken away the ease of just pulling out my folder from last year. However, I must admit I am enjoying where this journey is taking me.

Do not be alarmed also, along with this story study, we are still going to include the phonics foundational skills, grammar practice, and routine writing activities. However, I can see how taking a text apart and really delving right into from the start is giving my students more of stronger starting point in understanding text, then what we were doing in the basal in years past.

Are you a teacher who has started Common Core standards this year? Please share what you are doing and how it is going!

Finding Your Beat!

The new school year is underway and as a teacher you have two choices to either let the actions in your classroom take control of you or you can take control of it. I have decided this year as I do ever year the later. The rhythm of your classroom is going to get you, you just have to decide to be proactive so that when it happens you are prepared. What does this mean? It means having varied, extensive, and detailed lesson plans...as well as your personal bag of tricks that you can pull from at a moments notice. This is especially true the first few days of school. As you get to know your students and they get to know you, you have to keep the flow and pace of the classroom together so that you project the image of a teacher in the know, not a teacher who knows not. It is always my goal to have my students leave believing they have struck gold by being in my class. This isn't easy to do, but if you are successful at it you can have a great year. If you can hook your students from the beginning, the rest of the year can flow by in an easy rhythm.

The Rhythm is Going to Get You!

This is a new school year for me and I must say, I am trying really hard to get my rhythm back. It is so funny how teachers can be as excited as the students. We get our new supplies, new clothes, and even have special outfits that we want to wear to put our best feet forward on the first day. As this year begins I have made it my mission to find the beat within my heart and to listen clearly to hear the beat of each student's heart in my classroom. I want to make sure I am truly touching their lives, teaching them well, and showing them love. The melody may change from day to day, but I promise to dance through any pleasures and hopefully minimal growing pains that may happen this year.  Here's hoping you find your perfect personal rhythm!