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Thursday, June 21, 2012

~Chapter 2~

1 .What goals do you have for your classroom as you work to implement the principles and foundations of the Daily 5 discussed in chapter 2? What support do you need to do this?
Stay out of the way Ms. Gebhart. I have a goal. To treat my 3rd graders like 3rd graders, not kindergartners. I will need support with this I hope to find someone somewhere that can describe to me the difference in these students!!

2. What stands out as the most significant aspects of this chapter?
The foundational principles are so important, as their name suggests they are the foundation for which the rest of the program will rely, especially stamina!

3. How do the foundational principles of the Daily 5 structure (trust, choice, community, sense of urgency, and stamina), align with your beliefs that support your teaching strategies and the decisions that you make about student learning?
Independence! I think I will love the Independence of a third grade student. I sure have enjoyed the Independence of kindergartners about the last nine weeks of school. I am not sure how much Independence I must teach as my experiences are limited to 5/6 year olds. It is always my goal to teach my students self regulation! Choice in centers based on D5 descriptions is still somewhat managed. After all the name itself, daily 5, means we will want the students to work on these important skills daily so while we may let them travel through the activities set before and have a finite set of choices set before them in centers. These choices are still managed, maybe just not micromanaged.

I try to think of my own children in third grade. My children are 18 and 14! Tatum's third grade experience was quite miserable. She spent the whole year not getting called on because, as her teacher said, "her answers are always wrong, so I don't call on her anymore." I don't want to do that to any child..... William had third grade in public school and he had been tested and found to be gifted and his level of intelligence was starting to be respected and that is what stands out to me the most about that year, as the previous year was tears everyday and a teacher that told me (and him in so many ways) that something was wrong with him... So even though I will value Independence of my students from my teacher perspective I know for a fact, in third grade (and any grade), trust will be a big issue for my students and parents so I will also hold it in the highest regard! I hope to instill a reciprocated trust I will give parents and teachers reasons to trust me, so that the students will reciprocate that trust in their behaviors in my classroom.

A sense of community is so important to me as a teacher. I believe our own American culture this attribute is becoming less and less valued, although it is something I value to my core. I remember last school year. My inner city kindergartners couldn't grasp why saying "sorry" was not enough after an incident of purpose or accident. I worked and worked, and yes worked......until it started to click. In the last weeks of school two students, a boy and a girl, had a accidental collision on the playground while running around the big toy. They both fall down. The boy is crying and the girl is getting up unscathed. Next she holds out her hand to this boy and helps him up, she then puts her arm around his shoulder and says "are you ok" he shakes his head yes, "is there anything I can do for you" and he shakes his head yes and says "be more careful." I was fighting back tears. At the beginning of school that accident would have been an all out brawl!  I am curious to see what level of guidance my suburban third graders will need. Will they need the intense effort in guidance I concentrated so heavily on in inner city kindergarten? Only time will tell I guess.

In kindergarten I had a morning board that reviewed important skills in reading and important skills for Dibles testing. I just came right out and told my students we are working on these skills because 1. learning to read is the most important thing you can do for yourself as it is needed in nearly every aspect in life....and 2. These skills match the Dibles test skills. It is important to work on the speed of these skills because your test scores are looked at by people you and I have never even met, they make decisions about you based on these scores. We are going to show them the best in you.... so they will see what I see everyday, remarkable, smart, and capable students! This kind of talk did not scare them, but it did build that sense of urgency needed to help move the students forward. Third grade, I am wavering on the test talk. Do I want them to be scared they will be retained if they don't pass the tests. The new reading law makes that a reality in Oklahoma now. What I think I really need is a talk with the principal and a partner or two. Do these children know this is their reality, are we as adults going to tell them it is so, I do not want to scare them like the book says. Looks like a delicate balancing act...

I expect stamina will be easier to build in third graders right from the start. I love working on this skill as I get to keep my eyes on each student during their independent work unlike when I am actually sitting with my rotation group at guided reading. This time really tells me where a student is emotionally. Those students with high self confidence often find themselves on task right away, not second guessing themselves.  Great way to get to know your students!
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******Also I knocked out my Debbie Diller book "Places" today and these questions are from her book. I want to keep these questions in mind as I read D5 with my new 3rd grade glasses on! I may make me a chart to fill in while I finish the D5 book. Those of you in the group that are also changing grade levels might also like to read the book and/or consider these questions:

In regards to setting up your classroom....
What do I want to be sure to include everyday in my teaching?
What spaces will I need to have in my classroom to make this happen?
Where will this instruction take place?
What materials will we need?
Where will I keep them so I (and students) can work more efficiently and effectively?
How can I promote student independence?



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