Picture Prompt "Scoot" in Writing Workshop

I have a fun writing workshop lesson to share today!  We just wrapped up a never-ending persuasive/argument writing unit in my classroom, and since then, I've noticed my kids have been a little stuck when it comes to writing.  They are burned out and out of ideas!  To help them get their writing spark back, I've been doing some fun "Ideas" mini-lessons.  These are always my favorite kind--the ones that get the kids super excited about writing and that may lead to a published piece...or maybe not.  Last week I pulled out my file folder of writing pictures.  I gathered a bunch of magazine pictures last summer and laminated them.  Early on in the year, I modeled how to write from a picture, and it was a hit.  But they've been in the cabinet since September, so it was time to dust them off!

This time, though, we used them to play "Scoot."  You know, when you have the kids scoot from desk to desk and complete a short task at each one?  This time, I put a picture on each desk and had the kids scoot from desk to desk, completing a quick write at each one based on the picture.  (Word to the wise: If you do decide to use Scoot in your classroom, make sure you practice the scoot rotation at least 3 times before actually starting!!  Will save you a ton of headache...)  Anyways, once we'd practiced the rotation, I set a timer on the screen for a minute and we got started!

My kids completed 4 or 5 quick writes before we ran out of time.  They had a blast, and the next day, I had them choose one of the stories they'd started to continue writing about.  If my goal was to reignite our writing enthusiasm, I'd say this activity was a success!

What I'm Reading Wednesday Linky

Another week has passed, and I still haven't finished a book...  *hangs head in shame*  But it's WIRW, so I figured I'd post anyways in case anyone else has been reading something worth sharing!

Unfortunately, this week I've been reading way too much of this:

Must be report card time...

And not enough of this:

(Side note: I don't know why this book is taking me so long.  

I like it, but I just am not flying through it the way other people have said they did!)

Oh, and The Olympics have definitely been a little distracting too!!  I seriously will watch any Olympic event.  Even Biathlon, which is definitely the most bizarre sport ever.

I do have a new book to share--my students and I just started our newest read aloud, Double Dog Dare, and I can already tell it's going to be a winner.  Even just from reading the prologue, we were all completely hooked!  Looking forward to continuing it with my kids!

Source: goodreads.com

 Hopefully I'll finally be back with a book review next week!

What have you been reading this week?

Training Tuesday: Keeping Myself Accountable

Last Tuesday I shared that I am back on a legit training plan as of the start of February.  Between Christmas, a few colds, and the polar vortex, I really struggled to keep consistent with work it's in December and January. 

Capturing the sense of impending doom that comes before the frozen long run...

 But no more!  Last week I said screw it to excuses and got those workouts done!  Here are a few of the things I've been doing to hold myself accountable...

1.  Schedule It

I am so hooked on Google Calendar.  I swear, when I started using it back in the day, it changed my life.  Every weekend, I take a look at my training plan and my schedule in Google Calendar for the week and figure out where everything will fit in.  I typically stick to the same days for each workout each week, but if week's are busy or schedules are weird, I'm flexible.  Mapping out the week in advance is a huuuge help.

2. Keep Track

I love my training log, but lately I've been loving another simple way of keeping track of my workouts.  I have a note in my phone that I save as a "screen widget," and I check off each workout as I complete it.  Quick, easy, and helps me stay accountable.

3. Pack a Bag

...Preferably the night before, since God knows I don't need one more thing to get done in the morning!

4. Have a Buddy

This has been a huge thing keeping me running outside this winter.  Meeting friends for weekend runs makes it so much tougher to bail.  

5. Focus on the Goal

Whatever the reason you workout, keep it in the forefront of your mind to keep you going.  For me, it's all about my race goals.  It's easier to get myself into a freezing pool when I remember that I want to be able to swim  through the lakes in my tris without freaking out!

6. Straight Up Bribery
I totally bribed myself with watching Switched at Birth on Neflix and the promise of post-run Jimmy Johns to get myself through 7 treadmill miles on Sunday.  It sucked, but it was worth it. And it got me through the workout!

 

These tricks have definitely helped me get on track this past week--here's hoping I can keep this motivation up until Spring!  (Which at this rate may never come...seriously, the windchill was -23 this morning when I woke up...)

How have you been staying motivated this winter?

Throwback Thursday: Some Old Favorites

Last week one of my blog posts was featured in The Daily Cafe's tip of the week email!  I was pretty excited about it--The Sisters are basically celebrities IMHO, since reading the Daily 5 book my first year on the job transformed so much of my teaching.  The post was an oldie from 2011, and going back to reread it got me thinking about some of my other old favorite posts.  I decided to do a Throwback Thursday post to share some old favorites...

The post featured on The Daily Cafe--12 Tips for Surviving Your First Year Teaching...in which, during my second year on the job, I reflect all I learned since my first days in the classroom.  (I continue to work on these 12 things every day!)

My very first classroom...

Being My Best Self...in which, after feeling bogged down at school and just plain negative, I pledge to bring a positive attitude to school and "be my best self" every day.

All I'm Asking for is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T...in which I share how I feel when I hear politicians and public teacher-bashing.  Oh and there's an awesome John Stewart clip in it. :)

Running: A Give and Take Relationship...in which I share all of things that I give up for running, but all of the many more important and wonderful things it has given me in return.

I Believe in Picture Books: Differences & Being Yourself...in which I share some of my favorite picture books.

10 Steps for an Organized Classroom...in which I geek out over storage bins and my label maker.

Link back to some of your favorite throwback posts in the comments!

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Our Current Read Aloud

I could profess my love for read aloud all day long...and fact, I basically did in this post from last year.  It has always been my favorite part of the school day, and I whole heartedly believe in its importance in helping kids establish a love of reading.  Sharing wonderful books together as a classroom community--what could be better?  I swear, I would spend an hour on read aloud if I could every day!  I am loving my class's current read aloud, and although we are not QUITE finished (sooo this post is kind of cheating...), we will most likely finish this week.  I'm excited to share it with you! (Check out a list of some of my favorite read alouds for intermediate grades here.)

A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
4/5 stars

If you haven't read anything by Wendy Mass yet, definitely add her to her list.  Her stories are captivating, and her characters are vivid.  Mango Shaped Space is a fascinating book--it's about a girl named Mia who has a condition called synesthesia.  Letters, words, numbers, and even sounds have color for her.  For example, when her cat purrs, Mia describes the orange spirals she sees in the air around him.  Crazy as it sounds, this is actually a real condition!  My students were fascinated by it, and I was too!  The book is the story of how Mia convinces her family that her "colors" are real, how she learns to deal with and truly accept her synesthesia as part of who she is, and how she navigates the crazy maze of middle school along the way.  There are some great themes in here about differences and acceptance and even loss and blame.  We had some terrific discussions while reading, and the kids ate this one up.  They have been begging my not to stop reading every day, especially as we come close to the end of the book!  One quick warning--there are a couple parts that mention some innocent kissing.  Totally no big deal, but my 3rd and 4th graders were VERY grossed out, so I had to do some censoring. ;)

What have been your favorite read alouds this year?  So far, I've only finished Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Superfudge with my class.  Our schedule is making read aloud reeeally tricky to squeeze in.  I try to do it every day, but some days are only 5 minutes, so we haven't finished as many books as I'd like.  I'm torn between Out of My Mind and Double Dog Dare for my next one!

What have you been reading this week?

Training Tuesday: Back at It :)

This time last year I was in the last few weeks of training for the Disney Princess half marathon and hating my life for it.  I was stuck running circles around my neighborhood or on the treadmill because there was too much ice and snow on the trails.  Terrible!  I'm thanking my lucky stars that this year I don't have a winter race on the schedule.  It's nice being able to be a little more flexible with my training!  This week though I'm starting an organized training plan to get myself back on track.  Here's a sneak peek...

2014 goals along the top to remind me what I'm working for!

I am planning on running the Chi Town Half Marathon on April 6th, mostly because I need some running motivation...and partly because you get a half zip long sleeve race shirt...I'm a sucker for a good medal and a good shirt.  Unfortunately for me, this means my short and leisurely Saturday morning runs need to be beefed up a little bit!  Eep.  Never easy in the cold...especially in this Polar Vortex of a winter!

Thanks Kiley for the inspiration for rigging up my Kindle for some cycle reading!
Yup, that's a headband strapping my Kindle to my bike!

I'm also focusing on getting my body ready for tri training!  The Pleasant Prairie Olympic Tri in June will be my big race of 2014, and this runner needs to get swim and bike ready like whoa.  Tri Training officially starts for me in mid-March, but until then I'm trying to build stamina on my bike (indoors...obv.) and in the pool.

Here's what a week looks like for me right now...or at least my goal week! ;)  We all know that not all weeks go *quite* as planned, but hey, I'm trying!

• Monday: Long swim
• Tuesday: Medium bike + short run
• Wednesday: Short swim + hot yoga
• Thursday: Medium run
• Friday: Rest :)
• Saturday: Long Run
• Sunday: Long Bike 

Hopefully not making the mistake of waiting until spring to get in the saddle and the pool like I did last year will make these tris go much more smoothly!

What are you training for right now?

What races are you most looking forward to this year?  I definitely have triathlons on the brain right now, but I'm still trying to pick out a marathon for fall.  I was planning on running Chicago again, but now that it's switched to the lottery system, I'm keeping my options open. :)  Any fall marathon suggestions?

Tips for Writing Constructive Report Card Comments

I have a feeling that the next several weeks are going FLY by between the state standardized tests looming on the horizon, Presidents Day, not to mention the school closings we've had for cold days...  I'm going to blink and suddenly report cards will be right around the corner!  I don't know about you, but I've always felt like the comments I write on my report cards are so much more important than the grades themselves.  I mean come on, it's third and fourth grade.  So much of my teaching and assessment comes from things that never get graded, like guided reading anecdotal notes and observations during math guided groups.  I feel like what I write about my students in the comments section gives parents far more valuable information about students' progress and goals.  Here are some rules of thumb I use when writing my comments:

• Write comments up in a table in Word before copying and pasting into report cards.  I typically make a table with three columns, one for each trimester, so I can compare the comments side-by-side throughout the year.  Not only does this help me focus on students' progress rather than where they are at that particular moment, but it helps make sure I don't repeat myself too much--come on, we've all been there. :)  Plus, it makes it way easier to spell check and proofread!

In the past, I did one big comment for each student covering everything.  Now, we're required to do a separate comment for each subject area.  A little more complicated, but it works.

• Sandwich any negative comments between two positive ones, even if the first is something as simple as, "I have enjoyed working with ____ this trimester!"  Also, any time I am discussing a negative or challenging behavior, I make sure to introduce it with a comment like, "As we have discussed," or "As I shared with you at conferences..."  This reminds paretns that you have spoken with them about this particular concern already, and that this is not a surprise.  (Of course, this only works if you HAVE discussed the concern with paretns already--sooo be sure to do that!  There should be no surprises on the report card.)

• Speaking of no surprises, if a student is not doing so well grade wise, save yourself a lot of headache by calling or emailing parents in advance.  It's always so much easier to have those conversations in person or on the phone--report card grades leave so much room for interpretation without a personal explanation.  Better head that off in advance.

• Give concrete information in comments.  For example, in reading, when a child is below grade level I might say, "___ is currently reading at a level M.  Grade level for this point in third grade is levels N/O.  ___ is able to answer questions from within the text and make simple inferences while reading.  We are working on reading with expression, using context clues to determine the meaning of tricky words, and making thoughtful inferences about the text."  Similarly, in math I may say something like,
  "This trimester _____ has demonstrated a good understanding of multiplication and division.  ___ is working on applying these skills to solve word problems and problems with multiple steps.  

• Focus on the positive.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you need to write a comment about a negative behavior a student is working on, it's all in the wording!  For example, I might write something on a report card like, "____ does her best work when she focuses on instruction and follows directions the first time."  Much more constructive than, "___ needs to follow directions and listen to the teacher," right?  Another example would be, "___ is most successful when he comes to school prepared with his homework and materials."  

Sorry for the lack of pictures in this one!  Not much of a picture-worthy post.  Oh well :)

Conducting Student Led Conferences

A few weeks ago we had our second round of conferences for the school year.  I've blogged before about how I prepare for and conduct my parent conferences, but at my school our spring conferences are a little different.  They are student-led and conducted in more of an open house style.  Here's how they work:

Scheduling

For my traditional conferences, I schedule each family for a 15 minute time slot.  For student-led conferences I schedule two families to a 30 minute time slot.  I let families know that these times are more flexible, and don't kick them out right at 30 minutes, although most families stay for about 20.  At any given moment, there are as many as four families in the classroom at a time.  It actually makes scheduling WAY easier than traditional conferences.  (In past years, if I had a student who I know had a particularly tricky conversation ahead of him or her--behavior issues, etc, I'd be sure to schedule him or her for a time without other families and shut the door for that conference.)

Preparing the Kids
In order for student led conferences to be successful, it is so important that the kids are prepared.  I'm talking seriously well-rehearsed.  I start by having them fill out the same Conference Report I do for all conferences, as well as updating their MAP goal setting sheets.  (Both are explained in more detail in this post.)

In addition, I have the kids organize several items to put in a construction paper portfolio.  Here's what we included this year:

I give the kids a copy of this checklist, and we put them in the front of each folder.  Then comes the fun part--rehearsal!  I choose a student to help me model a conference for the class.  The two of us sit together with the rest of the class gathered around.  Then, I pretend I'm the student and the student is my parent.  :)  The kids love this, obv.  I model using the checklist to help me explain each piece in my folder.  Then, I have the student model with me pretending to be the parent.  Once we have explicitly demonstrated what to do, I have the kids find a partner or two partners to practice a conference with.  I have the kids practice twice at MINIMUM, meanwhile circulating and make sure the kids know everything from what to say to how to page through their folders without getting papers EVERYWHERE.  (You know the disorganized darlings I'm talking about!  God love em!)

Setup

Before leaving school on Conferences Day, I have the kids clean extensively.  Then, they put their folders out on their desks, including their writing notebooks and a book they are currently reading.  Last, we set up a "science station" with materials from recent science labs.  This is a favorite part for kids--getting to demonstrate our experiments and show off their science knowledge for their families!

Conference Day

Conference day is actually relaxing and wonderful in comparison to the nonstop go go go of traditional conferences.  I greet families when they come in, let them know that their child is in charge of leading the conference, and invite them to sit down and get started.  I typically let the kids facilitate the beginning of the conference on their own before popping over to add my 2 cents and answer any questions.  For some students and families, a quick check in is all that is needed, where with other families I will sit with them for longer periods of time to discuss their child's progress.  It's great to have this flexibility. 

After the kids finish the checklists in their folders, I invite them to take time to show parents anything around the room they wish to share, and to take their time before heading out.  The kids love this chance to play tour guide and show off.  :)

Thoughts on Student Led Conferences

I had a lot of anxiety about running conferences like this my first year teaching, but after getting the hang of them, I love them.  We only do conferences like this in winter--fall conferences are a traditional format where I meet with each family one at a time for 15 minutes.  By winter, I think the students are ready for this.  Even the little ones!  Our 1/2 teachers successfully run student led conferences too.  Even though this is a long day, I always find it rewarding and fun.  It's great to check in with families and share student growth and goals, but it's also amazing to see the kids take OWNERSHIP over their progress and share it with their parents!  So exciting to see my little babies feel proud and confident in front of their families.

Do you do Student Led Conferences?  Any tips?

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Alien Invasions + Big Brother is Watching

Being sick last week got in the way of my WIRW posting, but I did get a lot of reading done!  I have two great books to share with you today!

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancy
Rating: 4/5 stars

Sci Fi is not usually my favorite genre, but this book had so many good ratings that I decided to give it a try.  In The Fifth Wave, teenager Cassie tells about what happens to her and her family when an alien spacecraft descends from space and hovers over Earth.  First, all power on Earth is killed.  Second, a horrific plague kills the majority of the population.  Then, the children are all rounded up and taken away, including Cassie's little brother.  Cassie vows she will get her brother back and finds herself in a fight for both her brother and her life.

I have to say, I had a hard time getting into this one.  I don't love anything with aliens (which makes it strange that I read this in the first place), and I had a hard time connecting with Cassie as a character--she is pretty intense, and her biting sarcastic tone was a bit abrasive.  The first half of the book dragged for me...but I am SO GLAD I stuck with it!  Somewhere around the halfway point, I really got into it.  The book jumps between characters, and I loved trying to connect the dots and figure out the truth about what was happening with the aliens who'd yet to show their faces on Earth.  I could barely put it down--as slow as the first half was for me, the second half was that fast!  I definitely recommend it, even if aliens aren't normally your thing.  Trust me, they aren't mine!!

The Circle by David Eggers
Rating: 4/5 stars

I was intrigued by this book since I first heard about it awhile back.  Set in the not too far off future, protagonist Mae is offered a dream job working in Customer Experience at the technology company that has come to dominate the modern world, The Circle.  The Circle has taken over Google, Facebook, Paypal...basically everything on the internet and then some.  Mae feels like she has hit the jackpot...until things start to get weird.  The more you read, the more you realize how creepy the extreme surveillance at The Circle is, and how any sort of privacy has disappeared.

I flew through this book, getting more and more creeped out by the lack of privacy and the insane new "initiatives" introduced by The Circle.  One of the criticisms of The Circle is that it's one big soap-box-cautionary tale.  It's a little over the top at times, but I still thought the message was an important one.  It would make a good book club book--there are so many questions raised by this book, especially regarding the line between good technology and too much technology.  Very interesting read!

What have you been reading this week?

My Lazy Snow Day by the Hours

Another "Cold Day" here in Chiberia!  Brr.  Yesterday was a LAZY day for me!  I could get used to these three-day work weeks...After tackling laundry, groceries, errands, and grading Saturday and Sunday, yesterday was a gift of a restful day!  Nature must have known I'm still getting over being sick and could use another day in leggings and bulky sweaters under blankets... :)  I decided to document the day in pictures by the hour.  This was so fun to do one day over the summer!

7am: Wake up after crashing at my parents' house last night.  (I was over there to watch the Grammys + Downton Abbey and decided it was too cold out to go home.  Plus, their guest room has a king sized bed.  WIN.)  Remember that I don't have school.  Smile and go back to sleep...

King sized bed = amazing.

 9am: Finally leave my warm and comfortable bed.  Head downstairs to raid my parents' kitchen.  Settle on PB & banana oatmeal which I devour while watching last week's Modern Family in front of the tv.  

10am: Bundle up and brave the cold to drive home to my apartment.  Shower and make coffee.  Catch up on email.

11am: Settle in with the Bon Iver Pandora station and my lesson plans.  Anyone else hate writing Guided Reading plans?  I love teaching Guided Reading, but planning for all of my groups every weekend is the bane of my existence.  Plan for two of my groups.

12pm: Get the call that school is cancelled again Tuesday!  Celebrate by pressing pause on my guided reading plans and gathering the fixings for my favorite lentil soup.  Cook a big pot--much better than lesson planning!

Finish up the soup and make lunch.  Trader Joe's Pizza Veggie Burger on a WW English muffin + celery with greek yogurt and kale dip.  YUM!

1pm: Curl up under a blanket and get some blog posts written for the week.

Watch Switched at Birth in the background.  I am so hooked on this show--it's totally my new guilty pleasure.  It's pretty awful, but one of the main characters is Deaf, and there is tons of signing on the show.  I'm telling myself it's fine that I'm watching it because I'm practicing my signing.  Totally makes it ok, right? :)

2pm:  Search for and book a flight to Austin, TX for a spontaneous weekend getaway next month!

My best friend has been in grad school in Texas working on his pHd for the last 5 years...and I have yet to visit him!  When we talked on the phone Sunday and I complained about the frigid cold here, he said I should come down for a weekend.  Later that day when I was procrastinating my grading, I started casually browsing flights.  Then I kind of just decided, why not?  I haven't taken any personal days yet this year, and it would be so nice to go somewhere warm and see my friend.  So today I went for it!

So excited to go for a run together in the Texas sun!

Oh, and I wish I could say I didn't watch even more Switched at Birth, but I totally did...I can't help myself. :)

3pm: Read and try to warm up under a blanket

Oh, and discover this amazing gem thanks to one of the interpreters at school!  Frozen + ASL...dreamy.

4pm: Read some more and enjoy a snack

Take a PARCC sample test...and become terrified about the fact that this will be our new standardized test next year.  I struggled with a couple of the 3rd-5th questions!!!

5pm: Errands and my 3-month follow-up appointment with my Lasik doctor...good news, eyes are 20/15 combined!!  Bionic vision HOLLA!

Okay, okay, this is a recycled photo...but I felt creepy taking a pic in the waiting room.  #badblogger

6pm: My first day back to working out since being sick with a boring hour-long ride on the bike trainer...obv watching Switched at Birth in the background...(addictive personality much???)

7pm: Bike trainer continued...this is getting really boring!

Bike selfies to pass the time...bike trainer minute = longest minute ever.

Dinner = lentil soup + red wine

8pm + 9pm: Catch up on a little more email, finish another blog post, treat myself to another 1/2 glass of wine (come on, double snow days deserve a celebration, am I right?) with a little tv in the background.

10pm: Book + early bed.  :)

And that's it!  Laziest day ever, right?  Love it.  Unfortunately today will not be as lazy.  I'm tutoring/babysitting this morning followed by a workout and finishing up my school work.  Gotta say, it was nice to have 4 days to complete the grading and planning I needed for the week instead of 2!

Stay warm, guys!