Teaching With Intention - Chapter 5

With each chapter that I read of this book, I come to the same conclusion - Debbie Miller is phenomenal. What I amazed the most by is the succinct language she uses with her students. She so clearly explains the purpose of things to her students - the what and why. This is my big take away from this chapter. I need to train myself to tell my students the what's and whys of each lesson. I would be modeling how to articulate thinking to others. I also need to begin using the word scheme

I am also going to be making myself a laminated file folder come August. I absolutely must have one to ad to my repertoire of anchor charts. I like to mix it up throughout the year so that students don't become bored. I use Venn Diagrams, Tony Stead's RAN chart (similar to KWL - but I like it better), Can/Have/Are charts, Story  Element Charts, and Alpha Boxes.

I earned my Masters in Literacy in 2013. I learned so much. The professor of my Multicultural class, a wonderful lady named Barb Mallinger, taught us a new way to do Venn Diagrams which helps both ELL and struggling students organize their thinking. Instead of circles, which inevitably are too small in the middle, she recommends using squares so that the middle can be of equal size to the outer sections. She also suggested that when first doing this, provide students with some beginning topics to think about. This made such a difference for my Kinders who struggled with language. It really helped their thinking hone in to particular parts of the story.

The bat above me is an example of Tony Stead's RAN chart or Reading Analysis of Nonfiction. It is similar to a KQL, but I find it more user friendly for Kinders. The first section is "What We Think We Know." My students either draw or write what they think they know - in this case - about bats. The second column is "Yes, I Was Right!" This is my favorite part. After doing the first column, I read nonfiction books about the topic. The students then have to look and listen for their thought to be proven true through either the illustrations or the text. This part really keeps the kids in tune. If their thought is proven true, they get to come up and move their post-it over to the second column. The third column is "New Things We Learned." After reading Chapter 5, I want to bring in some of Debbie's concepts. Next time I do this chart, I want to put the new learning on another color post-it so that we can connect our thinking. So excited to try this! The last section is for questions we have as we learn about that topic. If a student has a thought that is never proven true, their post-it stays in the 

first column. As we read we discuss why that thinking was not accurate. And because I teach Kinder, I sometimes allow that student to revise their thinking on a new post-it - but the first post-it still stays in the first column.

The graphics and headings of this Can/Have/Are chart are from Deanna Jump's Spider Unit. I again want to bring in Debbie Miller's concept of connecting our thinking so will again use a new color post-it the next time I do this. 

I LOVE reading several versions of traditional folktales to compare and contrast story elements. One of my favorite to do this with is the Three Little Pigs. There are so many fun versions out there that have some unique twists, characters, or settings. I chose not to do problem and solution in this particular chart as that was not my focus.

Alpha Boxes are another thing I learned about in my Masters program. I thought they may be too hard for Kinders, but actually do great when used with the whole group. I always tell my students that we will NOT have something in every box and that is okay. As you read non-fiction texts about a topic, in this case owls, you add the students' thin kings to the letter that it corresponds with. I like to draw a quick picture next to as well just to make the learning more visual. You can also use different colors each day as a way for students to see the volume of what they have learned. 

In my Chapter 4 post I talked about wanting to write down the question prompts that Debbie Miller uses. I am also going to jot down some notes for myself to use as I model making my thinking visible and phrases which will help students connect their thinking and create mental files of all their learning.

Be sure to check out the posts for this Chapters Hostess and the post from the coordinator The Kindergarten Smorgasboard. 

Teaching With Intention - Chapter 1

I am so excited to join Kindergarten Smorgasboard's book study of Teaching With Intention by Debbie Miller. Debbie Miller is AMAZING. A few years back, I had the opportunity to attend one of her day-long conferences. I learned so much and she was even gracious enough to autograph my book. Can you say starstruck?!!!

My ideal classroom is one where the students walk in on meet-and-greet day and turn to their parents to say what a cool room it is with a huge smile on their faces. It's bright, colorful, and sends a "You will have fun here" message to the students right from the get-go.  Rainbows make me happy so my room has bold primary colors. This past year I did what I called a primary pirate theme. 

My ideal classroom has lots of student work all around it. I don't worry about the things I hang looking perfect; I want them to look like true made-by-a-five-year-old work. It is kindergarten after all. During the first week of school each student made a self-portrait pirate for our doorway to build ownership of this space and place. 

In my ideal classroom, testing is minimal. The teacher learns what she needs to know about her students from watching them and conversing with them. Also, in my ideal classroom, student anxiety is non-existent. Students are confident in who they are because they know that the teacher believes in them and will support them no matter what.

My ideal classroom has the students names in several places around the room so that they know they are an important part of my Mighty Fine Crew. My classroom is not a quiet place. Students are involved in learning discussions and social conversations constantly. So many students are coming to school these day with language delays. They need many opportunities to practice speaking and to gain vocabulary. 

In my ideal classroom we have FUN with learning everyday. My students do 3 literacy centers every day as well as 1 math center. The centers are hands-on and engaging. I use lots of manipulatives. My centers are also differentiated for multiple learning levels. Sometimes one literacy or math center will have a more social focus. Students need the opportunities to interact, to problem solve, and to use their imaginations (or in other words - a chance to play). The ideal classroom still has a dramatic play center, a block center, and other centers like this that help them learn the life skills of negotiation, self-regulation, and turn-taking. Here are a few pictures of my centers in action.

Students and teacher are moving and grooving. In my ideal classroom, we move a lot. From the floor, to the tables, from one center to the next, from quiet to active. 

Students and teacher are talking with each other frequently. In my ideal classroom one of our favorite things to discuss is books. This past year we read 368 books (next year my goal is 500.) We keep a book tally for each month. And as we read we discuss - what did we like, why things happen, how a characters feels - we talk about it all. 

In my ideal classroom, students do many things independently and the teacher facilitates as needed. I establish a strong routine in the beginning of the school year that cultures independence. As the school year progresses, students do more and more on their own.  

This is an easy question to answer. ORGANIZATION!! I am often overwhelmed and consumed by papers. One corner of my room is my teacher hidey hole. It's small and compact but the amount off papers in it pack a powerful punch to my neatness. I also need to pare down the amount of things I have. I have a super small room with minimal storage. I am working on that as we speak.  I feel if I could get organized it would give me more time to zero in on my students' skills and develop lessons to better meet their individual needs.

I also struggle with finding BALANCE between work and home. It always seems like if I do well with one, the other suffers. I am the working mom of three teens. We are knee deep in college searches for the second, paying college bills for the eldest, and helping the youngest survive his freshman year of high school. There are days I am literally overwhelmed. 

My classroom is student-centered and student-focused. It's a happy place where a lot of fun and a lot of learning take place. My students make a lot of progress and gain many skills without even realizing it. In my classroom there is mutual respect between all parties. I pride myself on learning as much as I can about my students: the names of their brothers/sisters, names of their pets, their favorite color, song, food. For nine months of each year my classroom is not a place with a teacher and students, it is a place with a very large family that learns, laughs, and lives together. 

Want to know more? Click on one of Chapter 1's hostesses links below or The Kindergarten Smorgasboard to learn more about this book study. 

Thank you Jessica for the question headers!

Be sure to check back in next week to read about Chapter 2.