Designing a Girl & Boy Friendly Classroom

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

'Tis the season to get back into the classroom. 

I have been searching the internet for ideas for my first grade classroom. 

There is a lot of really CUTE stuff out there.

Although these cutsie displays are appealing to me,

I wonder how appealing they are to others,

particularly the boys.

When I googled "boy friendly first grade classrooms,"

I found this article by Kathy Stevens from the Gurian Institute. 

It talks about how to create "boy friendly", "girl friendly" and "coed classrooms".

I am still pondering

how to treat the blank canvas of my classroom. 

I will post pictures of what I come up with. 

In the meantime,

How do you create girl and boy friendly classroom environment? 

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Freedom & Responsibility

Earlier this year

we were asked to explain how we would

increase student engagement 

in our classrooms.

I wrote that I would invite learners to showcase their learning

through a variety of methods

in order to engage multiple literacies.

And I, along with my grade team,

 have done just that. 

We have seen amazing results.

Students have been truly engaged in authentic learning

and proud of their work.

Yesterday one of my students asked me why I had been giving them so much freedom in their learning.

I immediately posed the question to the class.

They listed a number of reasons. 

One student suggested that I could give them freedom

because I know they will be responsible.

He was right. 

I must admit that once in a while I wonder

if they will really be responsible

with their time.

Today was one such time.  We explored quadrilaterals for the first time today.

We struggled with the definitions and criteria for shapes such as trapezoids, parallelograms and rhombuses.

I did not offer any easy answers or quick fixes. 

I facilitated an introductory discussion and introduced the challenge to incorporate at least one of each of these shapes in the landscaping around their dream room.

A few students searched for clarification in a math textbook by using the index.

Other students consulted an online maths dictionary on the smartboard.

As the students began to focus on their task, I wondered, "are they really getting it?"

Later I was working with a student who sometimes struggles understanding

math concepts. 

After we had finished working through some calculations from the last

math task, he eagerly moved on to planning his yard's landscaping.

I continued working with other individuals as he sketched his plans for dog pools and ice rinks.

When I checked in with him later I was so pleased to see that he had incorporated all the shapes.

He was able to identify each shape and he was happy to do so. 

I wonder

if I had not given him the freedom to explore

and express the quadrilateral concept

in his own way

if

his learning

would have been as powerful.

Giving him freedom

may have been the most

responsible choice I made as his teacher today.

What do you think? 

How do you balance freedom and responsibility in your learning community?

 

Being Proactive

I was looking for a way for students to become aware of their feelings

so that I could empower them with some tools to improve their mental state.

Each day we rate ourselves on two 1 - 10 scales

where one is the worst imaginable and ten is the best imaginable. 

We rate our feelings and how ready to learn we are.

Each day we pick one scale to share. 
For instance, on this day we shared our ready to learn number using the frame:

Today I feel ____ ready to learn because _______. 

Each student writes their frame on a sticky note and we post them on the whiteboard. 

We have used many formats such as vertical spectrum, horizontal spectrum or bull's eye.
This day we used a bar graph format.

One at at time, students report out their frame to the class.

(Apologies for poor photo quality, but it protects the students' privacy.)

Students graph both numbers daily on a double line graph.

In order to make the connection that we have power to influence our own state of mind, we brainstormed criteria of ways to improve or "bump up" our ready to learn number. 

Here is what we came up with:

* think something happy

* relax

* think positive/ think about the good things that are likely to happen today

* have a healthy breakfast/ include protein if possible

* have a good sleep

*clear your mind

* find a positive way to express your emotions (ex. Dear Mrs. Emms Journal)

*Be responsible for your feelings

Our school practices the 7 Habits of Being Green 

(based on Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Kids).

We read the Being Proactive story. 

Although the students have heard these stories each year, we discussed how they are now able to make more sophisticated connections to their own lives. 

At the end of our activity, each student reflected in their own journal using the following frame:

I will do the following things to improve my ready to learn number:

1. I will ______ because _________.

2. I will _______ because _________.

3. I will _______ because __________.

I'm looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labour :)

Thanks a Million for the Link Carmen

I just received this fabulous link to a set of math games based on the millionaire game show.  I'm going to use it.  I thought I would pass it along just in case it might be of use to you as well. 

What I Think is the Biggest Obstacle to Overcome in Collaboration

Teaching is a creative process. 

I might even consider it an art form. 

As teachers, if we are putting the best of ourselves into our planning, sharing our ideas might leave us feeling vulnerable. 

Who likes feeling vulnerable?

Who likes feeling vulnerable among the amazing colleagues that you are working with?
The ones that you look up to? 
The ones that amaze you with their ideas?

  My friend and colleague Kim Wedman posted this video on her blog. 

So, let's take a leap of faith and share our ideas. 
I bet yours will amaze me... and some of mine might just amaze you.
Turns out, we are better together :)

Synergy

Image courtesy of tungphoto/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Synergy may be defined as two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable.
The term synergy comes from the Greek word synergia συνεργία from synergos, συνεργός, meaning "working together".^[1]



Today I enjoyed a privilege that is not afforded to every educator; I was able to collaboratively plan a number of units with some very dedicated and proficient grade level colleagues.  OK, I admit that at 6:30 this morning I was not that excited to get out of bed, BUT it was TOTALLY worth it :).   I believe that our five minds working together produced a product that is more than five times more powerful that what any of us could have created individually.  That's synergy! 

Our school and district are very supportive of collaborative practice, but still there are obstacles to overcome.  You might be interested to read what Dr. Lawrence Leonard & Dr. Pauline Leonard write about it in The Continuing Trouble With Collaboration: Teachers Talk.

Have you experienced synergy by engaging in collaboration?  How do you overcome hindrances to make collaborative practice a reality? 

Searching for Paragon

According to dictionary.com a paragon is an outstanding example.  

I am searching for paragon in educational practice

because those entrusted to my care deserve nothing less.

Teaching gEmms is a place to showcase what is inspiring me as an educator.  

I hope that something here inspires you.  

Please feel welcome to share the gems in your practice too.