Monday was a sad day for Room 13...we did not come close to meeting our 80% goal on our math and reading assessments last Friday. College Bound Students of 2021 are quite upset and very determined to ace poetry this week.
They don't know this at the moment, but our current OVERALL class mastery for the year so far in reading is at 77%. Our big goal is 80% average class mastery.
Work Hard, Go Far, Woot, Woot!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
At least I taught that well...?
Ms. V: "You all are driving me bananas"
K.H.: "Ms. V, that's an idiom!!!" (with a big, proud smile)
I couldn't really stay mad after that.
K.H.: "Ms. V, that's an idiom!!!" (with a big, proud smile)
I couldn't really stay mad after that.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
It's a love/hate thing
Yesterday, J.M. told me he hated me and that he wished he had never been moved into my class.
Today, J.M. was my best friend and worked really hard in class. He received a 100% on his math assessment and tore it up in reading comprehension.
I'm hoping for many more days like today for J.M.
Today, J.M. was my best friend and worked really hard in class. He received a 100% on his math assessment and tore it up in reading comprehension.
I'm hoping for many more days like today for J.M.
Friday, October 17, 2008
BIG Day
Achievements to Report:
- J.R. increased her reading score by 36 words this week
- J.M. increased his reading score by 13 words this week
- S.M. increased her reading score by 9 words this week. She then ran across the grass over to room 8 yelling, "Ms. Vagan (aka Ms. Fagan)! Ms. Vagan! 9 words better on the 4th grade reading!!!! 9 words!"
Some of my kids rocked 4-digit by 2-digit multiplication! We were only supposed to get to 3-digit by 2-digit, but a few of them really studied at home and wanted a challenge.
Good way to end the week.
- J.R. increased her reading score by 36 words this week
- J.M. increased his reading score by 13 words this week
- S.M. increased her reading score by 9 words this week. She then ran across the grass over to room 8 yelling, "Ms. Vagan (aka Ms. Fagan)! Ms. Vagan! 9 words better on the 4th grade reading!!!! 9 words!"
Some of my kids rocked 4-digit by 2-digit multiplication! We were only supposed to get to 3-digit by 2-digit, but a few of them really studied at home and wanted a challenge.
Good way to end the week.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
4th Graders are Awkward
I have decided that 4th grade is one crazy year these days. Hormones are kicking in at that age now. Kids are maturing but are still incredibly immature. They are seriously little walking paradoxes.
4th Graders:
- fart during read alouds
- start complaining about school work
- shout out Ms. V for creating all of the activities for centers
- play a tag-like game on the playground that involves stealing other people's shoes
- cry looking at pictures and reading poetry from Angel Island
- ask why baby penguins come out of their father's butts
- ask if they can write letters to a fellow teacher in Houston who was affected by Hurricane Ike
- hang on you and give you a million hugs a day
- start trying to slip words like "crap" and "damn" into conversation (though,let's be honest, I have a few who slip really choice words)
I could go on for days. It really makes me wonder what I was like as a 4th grader.
4th Graders:
- fart during read alouds
- start complaining about school work
- shout out Ms. V for creating all of the activities for centers
- play a tag-like game on the playground that involves stealing other people's shoes
- cry looking at pictures and reading poetry from Angel Island
- ask why baby penguins come out of their father's butts
- ask if they can write letters to a fellow teacher in Houston who was affected by Hurricane Ike
- hang on you and give you a million hugs a day
- start trying to slip words like "crap" and "damn" into conversation (though,let's be honest, I have a few who slip really choice words)
I could go on for days. It really makes me wonder what I was like as a 4th grader.
Slipping through the cracks part 2
It seems as though one of my students will be moving down to 3rd grade. They are 8 years old in the 4th grade and do not know the alphabet. How this wonderful child ended up in a 4th grade class is astonishing.
The very interesting thing is is that they had a very good teacher last year who fought hard as his advocate and yet he was still passed on and is still not getting the services he needs.
It's a shame.
The very interesting thing is is that they had a very good teacher last year who fought hard as his advocate and yet he was still passed on and is still not getting the services he needs.
It's a shame.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Disincentives and Special Ed
Today I finally learned just how some of my students have slipped through the cracks without substantial intervention or a referral to special education...paperwork and bureaucratic hoops.
The checklist to even have a student looked at for services is a mile long and the packet teachers have to fill out is ridiculous.
With the secretarial type paperwork, student worksheets, lesson planning, grading, and a million other things...the current system appears to act as a disincentive for many teachers.
The checklist to even have a student looked at for services is a mile long and the packet teachers have to fill out is ridiculous.
With the secretarial type paperwork, student worksheets, lesson planning, grading, and a million other things...the current system appears to act as a disincentive for many teachers.
Random: I don't deal with white people
A classic event that I can't allow myself to forget:
2nd week of school...
Upper grades playground...
I see a 6th grade student wearing a huge lip ring and ask her to take it out and put it somewhere safe. She says to me, "don't talk to me." I tell her that I am just trying to keep her from getting a referral and that I am a teacher and she needs to show some respect. This is where the kicker came..."Psh, I don't deal with white people."
We had a lovely walk together straight to the office and I had one serious story to add to my book as a new teacher.
Teach For America has a few sessions during our summer training that discusses issues and situations similar to the one above. My instructor said to us a few times, "you'll just never know how you're going to react or how something like that might make you feel until it happens." She was definitely right. I wasn't really upset or anything, but it definitely left me a bit shocked and perplexed.
2nd week of school...
Upper grades playground...
I see a 6th grade student wearing a huge lip ring and ask her to take it out and put it somewhere safe. She says to me, "don't talk to me." I tell her that I am just trying to keep her from getting a referral and that I am a teacher and she needs to show some respect. This is where the kicker came..."Psh, I don't deal with white people."
We had a lovely walk together straight to the office and I had one serious story to add to my book as a new teacher.
Teach For America has a few sessions during our summer training that discusses issues and situations similar to the one above. My instructor said to us a few times, "you'll just never know how you're going to react or how something like that might make you feel until it happens." She was definitely right. I wasn't really upset or anything, but it definitely left me a bit shocked and perplexed.
W-O-R-K
Today was S.M.'s first day of both reading and writing in Ms. Fagan's room. When she came back, she was really excited and her pride in herself definitely carried over into math.
At the end of the day, S.M. decided to give her shout out to Ms. Fagan for teaching her how to read. A few of my students asked her to show us what she had learned. She stood at the front of the class and immediately clammed up. My class cheered her on and M.P. shouted out, "Come on! We're family here!." With that, S.M. showed us how to segment and blend the word "work."
It was a wonderful to see a student getting exactly what she needed and to know that my class supports her 100%.
At the end of the day, S.M. decided to give her shout out to Ms. Fagan for teaching her how to read. A few of my students asked her to show us what she had learned. She stood at the front of the class and immediately clammed up. My class cheered her on and M.P. shouted out, "Come on! We're family here!." With that, S.M. showed us how to segment and blend the word "work."
It was a wonderful to see a student getting exactly what she needed and to know that my class supports her 100%.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Quotes
"Ms. V, why do baby penguins come out of the dad penguin's butts?"
- J.L. while learning about invertebrates and vertebrates
- J.L. while learning about invertebrates and vertebrates
REAL books
Many people these days talk about school curriculum and how it "ties teacher's hands." I have to say, I don't really mind the reading curriculum and think that it breaks down reading skills quite well. I have been pretty faithful to my reading curriculum and have simply just had to add my own flair to it.
The one thing reading curriculum simply can't provide is that love of reading a book that I developed in elementary school. I reflected on that a bit and decided that it was time to introduce REAL books (you know ones that are longer than a few pages and have storylines that suck you in) to the Class of 2021.
I went to the library and found that there are shelves and shelves of untouched, wonderful class sets of books.
I chose three books -- one for each of my leveled groups -- and marched back to class with them. My students were SO excited by the new books that were "just for them." I can't wait to let them dive into these literary delights. There is nothing like curling up with a book under your desk or in the bean bag chair...I hope they learn to love it as much as I do.
Our first books:
The Twits
Pigs Might Fly
Farewell to Manzanar
The one thing reading curriculum simply can't provide is that love of reading a book that I developed in elementary school. I reflected on that a bit and decided that it was time to introduce REAL books (you know ones that are longer than a few pages and have storylines that suck you in) to the Class of 2021.
I went to the library and found that there are shelves and shelves of untouched, wonderful class sets of books.
I chose three books -- one for each of my leveled groups -- and marched back to class with them. My students were SO excited by the new books that were "just for them." I can't wait to let them dive into these literary delights. There is nothing like curling up with a book under your desk or in the bean bag chair...I hope they learn to love it as much as I do.
Our first books:
The Twits
Pigs Might Fly
Farewell to Manzanar
S.M. Heads to 2nd Grade
S.M. came to school 4 weeks into the quarter. S.M. was quick to tell me how "stupid" she is because she can't read. After asking about her past a bit, I figured out that she had missed rather large portions of the 2nd and 3rd grades.
My response to her "stupid" comments: "Would you call a 2 year old stupid because they can't tie their shoes? No, they just haven't had the chance to learn yet."
After having 5 weeks to work with SM myself and assess exactly where she is, I decided to introduce her to Ms. Kate Fagan today...a phenomenal 2nd grade TFA teacher at my school.
Upon meeting the blonde, cheery, 23 year old Ms. Fagan, SM jumped back and looked terrified. I was used to this reaction from SM when it came to strangers, but it was a sad shock for Ms. F. Some kids don't get to grow thinking that adults aren't going to hurt them.
After the shaky intro, SM finally accepted that Ms. Fagan had a pretty sweet gig going on in her room and definitely had something to offer SM in the reading department. SM now goes to 2nd grade in Room 8 for reading and writing every day.
Someone might think it degrading for a 4th grader to go into a 2nd grade class...SM finds it simply exciting that she might just learn how to read.
My response to her "stupid" comments: "Would you call a 2 year old stupid because they can't tie their shoes? No, they just haven't had the chance to learn yet."
After having 5 weeks to work with SM myself and assess exactly where she is, I decided to introduce her to Ms. Kate Fagan today...a phenomenal 2nd grade TFA teacher at my school.
Upon meeting the blonde, cheery, 23 year old Ms. Fagan, SM jumped back and looked terrified. I was used to this reaction from SM when it came to strangers, but it was a sad shock for Ms. F. Some kids don't get to grow thinking that adults aren't going to hurt them.
After the shaky intro, SM finally accepted that Ms. Fagan had a pretty sweet gig going on in her room and definitely had something to offer SM in the reading department. SM now goes to 2nd grade in Room 8 for reading and writing every day.
Someone might think it degrading for a 4th grader to go into a 2nd grade class...SM finds it simply exciting that she might just learn how to read.
Goals
After an entire quarter, I finally managed to get my Big Goals up on the wall with tracking charts and everything.
As a Teach For America teacher, these Big Goals are a big deal. What is a big goal you might ask? These are the goals I want my class to be meeting in order to show me that they have mastered the state standards I have been teaching. 80% on each standard is the typical ambitious goal that TFA recommends.
Our Goals:
1. We will score an average of 80% on all of our reading assessments.
2. We will score an average of 80% on all of our math assessments.
3. We will read 118 words per minute.
Individually, we set different goals for different students depending on where they are academically. The 80% average as a class allows everyone to work to help raise the class average even if they are not reaching the 80% individually. This is very important in a class that has some students on the 4th grade level and others on the pre-K level.
As a Teach For America teacher, these Big Goals are a big deal. What is a big goal you might ask? These are the goals I want my class to be meeting in order to show me that they have mastered the state standards I have been teaching. 80% on each standard is the typical ambitious goal that TFA recommends.
Our Goals:
1. We will score an average of 80% on all of our reading assessments.
2. We will score an average of 80% on all of our math assessments.
3. We will read 118 words per minute.
Individually, we set different goals for different students depending on where they are academically. The 80% average as a class allows everyone to work to help raise the class average even if they are not reaching the 80% individually. This is very important in a class that has some students on the 4th grade level and others on the pre-K level.
Introduction to the Class of 2021
This blog will track the trials, successes, challenges, memorable quotes, and funny stories of my class of 20 amazing 4th grade students.
The Class of 2021 resides in Room 13 of a low-performing, low SES elementary school in South Phoenix.
I am creating this blog mostly for the selfish reason of not wanting to forget the amazing things that happen in Room 13. To respect my scholars, I won't be using any of their actual names in the blog.
Before I introduce anything else, I must teach you the class song. My students clap and chant the following at the start and end of every school day (and if I forget or try to skip it I face fierce opposition):
Room 13's the class that has the kids who want to learn to build a better tomorrow!
Give me a beat!
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
The more you learn,
The more you know.
Knowledge is power,
Power is freedom
And I want it!
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
Work hard, go far WOOT!WOOT!
As I am starting this blog one quarter into the year, some random stories that I think of from time to time will be thrown in out of order. These posts will be titled, "Random" -- go figure!
The Class of 2021 resides in Room 13 of a low-performing, low SES elementary school in South Phoenix.
I am creating this blog mostly for the selfish reason of not wanting to forget the amazing things that happen in Room 13. To respect my scholars, I won't be using any of their actual names in the blog.
Before I introduce anything else, I must teach you the class song. My students clap and chant the following at the start and end of every school day (and if I forget or try to skip it I face fierce opposition):
Room 13's the class that has the kids who want to learn to build a better tomorrow!
Give me a beat!
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
The more you learn,
The more you know.
Knowledge is power,
Power is freedom
And I want it!
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
You gotta learn, baby, learn.
Work hard, go far WOOT!WOOT!
As I am starting this blog one quarter into the year, some random stories that I think of from time to time will be thrown in out of order. These posts will be titled, "Random" -- go figure!
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