Friday Reflections

Writing  – It’s always in the back of my mind because writing is important for our jobs and important for our kids when they hit the job world.  Writing workshop offers a great deal of promise to help engage kids in writing. I know some of you have adapted much of the writing workshop model into your curriculum.  However, I think it’s hard to tame the “writing tiger” – such things as formulate a writing philosophy, identify the necessary components that encourage writers and to provide guidance and instruction along the way.  Pretty big categories, right?  So, when Maddie and Rosemary informed me that T.J. one of their second graders liked to write I decided to interview him –  check out the interview here .  T.J. shares some great writing “stuff” – He started writing in kindergarten – stories! He has some favorite authors and books – and likes the shocking endings on some of the books.  So rewriting a different shocking ending is a writing groove for him. He likes

The Irving family participated in a great Veteran’s Day assembly this week, and from my vantage point – some important points to unpack. Irving has talent - Sam – you are one of the big time organizers!  Your planning behind the scenes and throughout – invitation templates, reach out to teacher to encourage participation, agenda planning, sharp patriotic program, visual displays, outreach to community veterans, and execution to set the table for the entire school to gather and celebrate our veterans.   Thank you – thank you – thank you for all the time and attention to detail. You have talent! Mike – you have the ability to zero in on an event and breathe energy into it through music.  You selected the right music that set the tone for celebrating our veterans. Hearing our students sing such patriotic songs left all of us feeling more patriotic.  Your music  - and your ability to showcase our students’ musical abilities raised the assembly experience to a true cele

First Graders!  I love their big smiles and their excitement.  I find myself stopping at the first grade door to simply gaze and absorb.  First grade is the year of a huge leap.  Kids come into first grade recognizing a certain number of sight words, and they leave first grade as actual readers. Phenomenal growth really. But let’s face it, these 6’ers have boundless energy and can be impulsive and impatient and on and on.  First grade teachers need to recognize their six year olds’ strengths and weaknesses and work with both.  Kelley and Kim have so many best practices in place when it comes to teaching this all important grade.  I have attached two video clips of Kim and Kelley.  This first video  is setting expectations and giving instruction to their class on what is expected of them during  independent reading work time. Kelley has finished her reading lessons and is reminding  the “carpet” group what is expected of them when they return to their desks.  She uses the “sh” signal an