The hour of Code came and went back in December and where were we? We were home on our first snow break. Not wanting to pass the opportunity to expose the students to coding, we came back the second week of January, (not the first because we were home in our second snow break) and let the kids experiment with coding. We started out with Crunchzilla.com. The students learned about javascript and making rectangles and about the functions rect, fill, and line. One of our students was able to recreate the American Flag just by coding. From there we went to code.org. The students worked on the javascript program developed by the Kahn Academy. It helped them become more familiar with what was going on with the numbers inside the parenthesis and have a better understanding of the canvas. Many of them were able to make some cool designs based on using the various shapes and functions. The javascript program also reiterated the x an y axis. This just fit in perfectly with what was going on with graphing in their classrooms. From there we let them experiment with lightbot on the code.org site as well as the angry birds on code.org. All of this has led some of them to exploring on their on. Many of them have learned a lot and have been able to better understand the Scratch coding that MIT developed and a few of them have delved into the language of python.
Coding is really not something I am going to sit down and work on every night. It was a little bit of struggle for me personally. I have to admit I had a real good team mate in facilitating this plan. Our technology master for our campus, who by his own admission struggles with teaching the kids, would come in and teach me just enough that I could share. He would also hang around for class time to be able to ask those questions I just couldn't. From there, the kids let us know just how much they wanted to learn. Their questions led us on a journey. Whatever they wanted to know, we helped them explore. Coding gave the kids the responsibility of being in charge of their own learning-their own problem solving. From this experience we developed a culture of collaboration. Watching the kids work together to solve problems was one of the greatest benefits.
Monday, March 3, 2014
School Culture vs School Climate
Though many see school
climate and school culture has one in the same it appears that one is actually
strengthened by the other.
The school climate is the attitude of the
organization. It is the collective mood
or morale of the school -both its staff and students. School climate is based on the feeling that
goes on within the school. A basic
principle of school culture is “a happy teacher is considered a better teacher
and this attitude influences the quality of instruction.” (Gruenert, Steve: Principal, 2008) School climate is the feeling that is present
by the staff and the students. How do
you create a school climate free of tension?
How do you create a school where all are happy to be there?
Any individual can be happy if everything is
going just as they have planned. A happy
teacher can be one that is happy because everything is going right for
them. But is this kind of happy teacher
going to really have an impact on the culture of the school? Are they going to be able to influence the
overall culture of the school based on their own happiness in their own
personal lives? Are they going to have a positive impact on
student learning? A happy teacher that has an impact on the
culture of the school is going to be one that is happy because of what is going
on in the business of school. That what
is going on in the school is the school culture.
The culture is the
personality of the organization. Culture
is the vision, values, and the commitment that each individual has for the
school. It is the seriousness of the
business of what is going on day to day.
Through collaboration, commitment, and working together a school
establishes a positive self image. The
culture is what has been built over time through the feelings, thoughts, and
actions of the staff. The school culture
is the expectations that are present within the school. By having high expectations for both the
staff and the students and meeting those expectations, the culture of the
school has an impact on the climate of the school. A positive school climate can be created with
the building blocks of the culture.
Let’s look at the
school climate as the roof of the building.
The school climate is what is covering everything underneath it. The pillars under that roof, holding it up, determine
the climate. The pillars are the
culture. Those pillars can work together
and brace one another to hold the roof (school) or they can stand alone. Collaboration, shared vision, shared values,
commitment to performance, effective leadership and high expectations work
together to strengthen the school. When
teachers and staff share in the achievements of the school and are recognized
for their efforts, a positive school climate evolves. The roof that covers is held strong. When each individual pillar is not braced and
is standing all alone, the roof is not as strong and soon the pillars began to
break and fall. Standing alone without
any support or recognition, teachers began to fall as well.
School climate is the
feeling one gets when they walk into the school. It is the moral of the staff. It is the song of the students. It is important that in a school that each
person is valued. They are recognized
and encouraged. It is important that the
school climate is not an individualized process but is a group working together
to hold one another. The school climate
is determined by the culture of the school.
The school culture strengthens the climate.
Gruenert, Steve
(2008) School Climate, School Culture:
They are not the Same: Principal (March/April 2008) pgs 56-59. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Look Jane Look. See Spot. See Spot Run. I do, Dick. I see Spot Run.
These are the words I learned to read by. I followed Dick and Jane all over their little community. I read as they chased Spot all around the town and threw a ball for Spot to chase. When I looked at Spot run, I was soon able to read the words book, took, shook, and many others that ended -ook. Dick soon taught me to read stick, pick, and lick. If I could see, I could soon see a tree, or see a bee, or hurt my knee. If Dick threw the ball, it taught me the words wall, hall, fall, and tall. When it was time for Spot to run, I could have fun in the sun.
I learned to be intrigued by the words that flew off the page - The words that I could make sense of-the words that made me into a reader. I watched as Sally joined Dick and Jane on their adventures. I longed for a dog like Spot. I wanted to throw a ball for Spot to chase. I wanted to go with Dick and Jane as they called for one another to come. Come see. Come see Spot run. I wanted to ride in the family's blue car to the farm to pick apples. I wanted to go on all of the adventures that Dick and Jane were going on in their car.
Yes, I realize the books were not "politically correct." I went to school with African American children. I do not remember any of them ever standing up and saying "I will not read anymore about only Caucasian people." I think they were excited as I was just to be reading. It seemed that all of us were learning to read. There were no children left behind.
I wasn't bored with the words I was reading either. I was excited that I could read. I was excited that one word could lead to another word. I wasn't bored even though new research says I was. I was learning to read. (That's the thing about research. The researchers can make it say what they want it to.)
Now we are trying to implement Common Core. Part of the foundation of that is that students aren't reading complex text. "The text students have been reading over the last 50 years have trended down in difficulty. In other words there's been a dumbing down of the material..." (1) I realize Dick and Jane may not be considered to be complex text, but they did give me a foundation to read. This is the text I learned to read with 50 years ago. Not wanting to brag, but I feel like I am a pretty good reader. I feel like I have always been a good reader. I got my start with Dick and Jane. Learning to read with Dick and Jane now leaves me with an "I wonder." I wonder if kids were taught with that old boring stuff like Dick and Jane, the kind of reading I cut my teeth on, would they be able to read more complex text?
Common Core tells us we need to change the way we are teaching kids to read. "What we will see as we move into the Common Core State Standards is that we can no longer merely fix the problem by throwing a new reading strategy at it. We must now change the way we teach." (1) Maybe we need to change back to the way we taught 50 years ago. The way so many of us learned to read.
Tonight I sat and visited with three other ladies. Three ladies who are well educated and have my utmost respect. Three ladies who also learned to read with Dick and Jane. As we sat having our professional conversations, I began to think what the four of us have accomplished. We had to be excellent readers to do the things we have been able to do. I have to wonder if Dick and Jane are really that bad of people? Is Spot chasing a ball really that bad of a thing? Maybe if we went and saw what Dick and Jane saw, we wouldn't have this problem of students not being able to read the difficult text. Maybe students today need to Come see. Come see how to learn to read.
In the end what matters is that we get a good start and we learn to love the words and love the fact we can read the words. When we are able to make kids fall in love with that, we will have hooked them on reading and they too will become readers who can read the text that is set before them. Maybe we need to set before them a little Dick and Jane and let kids fall in love with success in reading simple words leading them to love reading overall.
(1)http://www.definingthecore.com/training/introCommonCore/html/1_6.html
These are the words I learned to read by. I followed Dick and Jane all over their little community. I read as they chased Spot all around the town and threw a ball for Spot to chase. When I looked at Spot run, I was soon able to read the words book, took, shook, and many others that ended -ook. Dick soon taught me to read stick, pick, and lick. If I could see, I could soon see a tree, or see a bee, or hurt my knee. If Dick threw the ball, it taught me the words wall, hall, fall, and tall. When it was time for Spot to run, I could have fun in the sun.
I learned to be intrigued by the words that flew off the page - The words that I could make sense of-the words that made me into a reader. I watched as Sally joined Dick and Jane on their adventures. I longed for a dog like Spot. I wanted to throw a ball for Spot to chase. I wanted to go with Dick and Jane as they called for one another to come. Come see. Come see Spot run. I wanted to ride in the family's blue car to the farm to pick apples. I wanted to go on all of the adventures that Dick and Jane were going on in their car.
Yes, I realize the books were not "politically correct." I went to school with African American children. I do not remember any of them ever standing up and saying "I will not read anymore about only Caucasian people." I think they were excited as I was just to be reading. It seemed that all of us were learning to read. There were no children left behind.
I wasn't bored with the words I was reading either. I was excited that I could read. I was excited that one word could lead to another word. I wasn't bored even though new research says I was. I was learning to read. (That's the thing about research. The researchers can make it say what they want it to.)
Now we are trying to implement Common Core. Part of the foundation of that is that students aren't reading complex text. "The text students have been reading over the last 50 years have trended down in difficulty. In other words there's been a dumbing down of the material..." (1) I realize Dick and Jane may not be considered to be complex text, but they did give me a foundation to read. This is the text I learned to read with 50 years ago. Not wanting to brag, but I feel like I am a pretty good reader. I feel like I have always been a good reader. I got my start with Dick and Jane. Learning to read with Dick and Jane now leaves me with an "I wonder." I wonder if kids were taught with that old boring stuff like Dick and Jane, the kind of reading I cut my teeth on, would they be able to read more complex text?
Common Core tells us we need to change the way we are teaching kids to read. "What we will see as we move into the Common Core State Standards is that we can no longer merely fix the problem by throwing a new reading strategy at it. We must now change the way we teach." (1) Maybe we need to change back to the way we taught 50 years ago. The way so many of us learned to read.
Tonight I sat and visited with three other ladies. Three ladies who are well educated and have my utmost respect. Three ladies who also learned to read with Dick and Jane. As we sat having our professional conversations, I began to think what the four of us have accomplished. We had to be excellent readers to do the things we have been able to do. I have to wonder if Dick and Jane are really that bad of people? Is Spot chasing a ball really that bad of a thing? Maybe if we went and saw what Dick and Jane saw, we wouldn't have this problem of students not being able to read the difficult text. Maybe students today need to Come see. Come see how to learn to read.
In the end what matters is that we get a good start and we learn to love the words and love the fact we can read the words. When we are able to make kids fall in love with that, we will have hooked them on reading and they too will become readers who can read the text that is set before them. Maybe we need to set before them a little Dick and Jane and let kids fall in love with success in reading simple words leading them to love reading overall.
(1)http://www.definingthecore.com/training/introCommonCore/html/1_6.html
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Athletic Dreamer
It's the weekend, right? Not for my mind. I think about school with every stroke of the mop, broom, or dust rag, and right now, I'm thinking about my athletic students who have goals to someday be in the NFL or NBA- goals that include a college scholarship, but not as a scholar but as an athlete.
These students concern me. Yes, they are amazing to watch in any capacity but, as good of students as they are, I'm afraid we are losing them to their dreams. Dreams of someone saying "come play for me."
I think dreams are a great thing. We would be no where without our dreams, but I wonder with these dreams, do they understand the importance of their education. The importance of the education they receive now in fifth and sixth grade. How that education is important to their future. How they need to learn what we are teaching now to make the next grade level go smoother. How becoming a great student and an individual of good character is important to college recruiters.
Sure, scholarships are 6 to 7 years away, but if you let your education slip away now, what coach is going to want that athlete? Aren't college coaches looking for students who can make the grades as well as an athlete? Isn't a college coach looking at the character of these individuals and if they have learned how to behave as well as how to treat others.
I would love to hear a college coach direct a mini press conference to these kids. These kids with these dreams of playing ball. I'd love to hear them say "work hard both on the field and off the field, on the court and off the court. Keep your record clean and make friends and not enemies. Apply yourself as a student and as the army says, 'Be all you can be.' Then, maybe I will come knocking on your door to be part of my team." Wouldn't that be nice to hear from these individuals who these young kids look up to? These individuals-who they someday hope-Come knocking on their door.
These students concern me. Yes, they are amazing to watch in any capacity but, as good of students as they are, I'm afraid we are losing them to their dreams. Dreams of someone saying "come play for me."
I think dreams are a great thing. We would be no where without our dreams, but I wonder with these dreams, do they understand the importance of their education. The importance of the education they receive now in fifth and sixth grade. How that education is important to their future. How they need to learn what we are teaching now to make the next grade level go smoother. How becoming a great student and an individual of good character is important to college recruiters.
Sure, scholarships are 6 to 7 years away, but if you let your education slip away now, what coach is going to want that athlete? Aren't college coaches looking for students who can make the grades as well as an athlete? Isn't a college coach looking at the character of these individuals and if they have learned how to behave as well as how to treat others.
I would love to hear a college coach direct a mini press conference to these kids. These kids with these dreams of playing ball. I'd love to hear them say "work hard both on the field and off the field, on the court and off the court. Keep your record clean and make friends and not enemies. Apply yourself as a student and as the army says, 'Be all you can be.' Then, maybe I will come knocking on your door to be part of my team." Wouldn't that be nice to hear from these individuals who these young kids look up to? These individuals-who they someday hope-Come knocking on their door.
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