Get Your Teach On – Dallas Day 2 Review

Day 2 was all about Writing, More Games, Technology, Back to School, and Top Tips.  It was just as jam packed with new information as Day 1; I believe I enjoyed it even more, excited to try new ideas, excited to get back to school.  This is something because I love summer time with family and friends.  To be honest, something most teachers understand, school breaks and summer are practically the only time I get to visit with friends.  Luckily I have some golden ones.

However, back to GYTO.  I will give a general review because it would be unfair to give away someone else’s material.  This is to spark interest or remind myself of specific action points.

Writing is an area in which I feel confident.  Yet I feel I will be a stronger teacher this year due to the ideas presented by Hope King.  She has a way of breaking information down for students that stays relevant, yet gives easy clarity for the students.  I kept thinking, “Ooh, I like that one.  Let me add it on my “Try It Out” list.  The index is long enough that I’ve decided to use a Table of Contents this year for Professional Development ideas.  It’s not even August.  I’m even going to follow the suggestion to move out of my comfort zone by trying a couple of content songs taught by the King team, one being about the writing process.  Poor children :).  For writing, Hope uses a hamburger paragraph with on point explanations that are fun for the students.  There were also new ways to learn grammar.

For technology, I plan to look further into tes teach, formerly blendspace,  to congregate links for students and parents under concept categories.  It was a little awkward to be presented with blendspace, then find out the name/format of the website were all changed 10 months before the conference.  There were 4 ideas in this session that look interesting.  Some I already use, but again, the session was worth my time.  For a two day conference, there were no sessions where I didn’t come away with several new ideas.   For games, again, I received new ideas.  One used the human hippos you may have seen on Pinterest, but in an educational fashion.

Amy Lemons presented more math games and fresh back to school ideas.  For math, I really like using the Origo Fundamentals books so this part of the day was probably the least exciting, but only because I feel I have a really strong set of games.  I already own the orange and purple books, and I will buy the green book this year, dependent upon the job I receive.  However, there were still games I can use.  For Back to School, I was excited to see something beyond the same quilt, t-shirt, or books for the beginning of the year.  The games were highly engaging.

Lastly, were the Top 10 Tips for Teachers.  Think of this as the motivational session.  I left feeling as if I had a new perspective on Engagement, new strategies, and new lesson ideas.  Five out of five stars for a comprehensive professional development – definitely worth the money.  Check them out to see if they are presenting on your grade level in an area near you (two at my table were from out of state) Get Your Teach On.  I receive nothing for my review; I’m just a teacher who loves to teach and share.

 

Get Your Teach On – Day 1 Review and Reflection

Wow – I have met the energizer bunny in human form.  Hope King brings a dynamic presentation about bringing engagement into the classroom, as well as close reading, which is one of the main reasons I chose this workshop.  In addition to Hope, Wade King, her husband, and Amy Lemons of Step into Second Grade.  I don’t want to share too much – you can find the daily breakdown on the website Get Your Teach On as I linked earlier.  However, I have to tell any readers that may wander upon this blog that it was worth it.  I came away with several ideas, and fresh enthusiasm.  After giving our heart and efforts throughout a school year, isn’t this what we are often looking for beyond rest and relaxation?  (On this note, kayaking is in my near future, “Oh yeah!”)

There was so much information that I believe participants can come away with many varieties of strategies that differ from one another.  My takeaways?  To try to insert something different (or novel) every day and to add a smile.  I thought about this.  My students (actually I often call them my children – borrowed, but teachers understand what I mean) know I care about them and try to bring their interests into the room, but during today’s presentation I had to ask myself how often I am not smiling.  I like people.  I enjoy life.  Yet, I don’t think I’m walking through the day with a smile persistently on my face.  When I see someone in the hallway?  Yep.  When I greet or say good-bye?  Yep.  Well, that’s a small portion.  What about during lessons?  Certainly, when I share a great book or a new math game, but the students are seeing my face ALL day long.  I think that’s worthy of upping the smile quota so I’ll add it to my yearly goal.  By the way, the close reading presentation was exactly what I needed.  I can’t wait to implement what I’ve learned.

In addition to these ideas, we learned many new math games.  I look forward to incorporating these.  I’ve been researching more on Guided Math trying to decide if I would like to try rotations.  Right now, we have a number talk or CGI word problem, mini teach, whole class practice, partner or individual practice, then games to reinforce/review concepts.  During this time, I work in small group on concepts missed or number sense.  I’ve asked mentors to observe my lessons with good reviews, but I still have this feeling that I can improve it.

It was a fabulous day, which is ending in solitude in a hotel room.  Happy lady.  Review  for day 2 coming soon!

Interactive Charts

Going through all of my anchor charts, posters, and large items from my old drawers, I’ve needed to reflect on what has worked well and what needs tweaking.  Much of what I own, I’ve decided to take a photograph, then recreate it once I need it in my new classroom.  However, some are gems that will move with me.  One of my favorites is an interactive Story Map, which I downloaded FOR FREE from Create Teach Share.  Pinterest and Teacherspayteachers are brilliant sites, which take up too much of my time.  Because we have many ESL (English as a Second Language) speakers, I added visuals to my poster.  This chart was used throughout the year as students and I discussed story elements.  It was also used if a student needed some movement towards the end of independent reading or as a lesson extension for an early finisher.  I have to confess to being a post-it snob; I only like the bright colored ones because the adhesive is so much better.  The pale yellow post-its always fall off; I save these for students to record their thinking when reading or for bookmarks.  As for the charts, I have a book called Smarter Charts K-2 by Marjorie Martinelli that I hope to browse through this summer while the teenagers sleep in the mornings.  I included a picture of my Summarize Interactive Chart that I recreated from a pin I found – another favorite.

 

 

The Close and Start of a Chapter

Yesterday I packed up my many belongings from my old classroom in preparation for a new chapter.  (My husband’s witty comment, “Get a job, you have too much for our house.” – all essential items of course).   It was definitely bittersweet.  Before working at this school, I volunteered in classrooms for many years: working with small groups to help those in need of more review or giving a lesson to provide the teacher with work time.  However, the level of professionalism, compassion, and dedication within this community was inspirational.   At the district level, we were encouraged to meet the individual needs of the whole child.  I liked feeling my support system was in sync with my own views on education.  At work, I appreciated an enjoyable atmosphere that felt like home away from home.  After all, we often spend enough time in our classrooms that we can sympathize with the young boy in Miss Malarkey Doesn’t Lives in Room 10.  Who else buys extra Community Coffee for the months September and May?

Beyond the experience I gained, it is the traits and philosophy mentioned that I wish to carry with me.  I was blessed with strong mentors and new friends, often friends who weren’t even on my grade level or vertical team.  It was a positive, friendly atmosphere.  Do I feel some anxiety about beginning in a fresh environment?  Absolutely, but I enjoy change.  I’ll miss my older kiddos dropping into the classroom for a quick hello before starting their school day or stopping to share a new success.    I’ll miss afternoon get-togethers, especially at Jack Allen’s.  Yet I’ll add more adventures, more tools, more relationships, more memories.  Instead of cheers, I’ll leave with a different toast because I am moving to an area with a strong German heritage:

Genieβe das Leben ständig!  Du bist länger tot als lebendig!

“Constantly enjoy life!  You are dead longer than you are alive!”

I like it; it’s quirky and funny with a good message.