Teaching Log #2: More Goals and Organizing Books

Stopped by the school today to organize lots of books I've been keeping in storage. I was anxious about going in, but once I was there I had a good time. I didn't really have to talk to anyone.

As I predicted, I found myself getting sucked in to being there. I had the foresight to set an alarm on my cell. phone to go off after I'd been there an hour in order to go pick up ND. By the time it went off, I wanted to stay and finish what I had started, but chose to honor my commitment to go pick up ND. As a result, we were able to go for a nice walk in the woods.

I'm trying to focus on feelings of self-confidence and in clarifying what I want to do and why with my teaching. I think that will be good protection for when I see good things other teachers are doing and I start to feel insecure.

As for other goals... I forgot to add in Teaching Log #1: My Core Beliefs:

6. Utilize rubrics as a way to hold children responsible for their own learning.
7. Utilize more choice in their independent learning.

One of the things that most teachers do in the school is called something called a "Do Now." Usually at the beginning of class, it is an activity that they should work on right away without any direct guidance beyond the basic instructions. In the limited time we have in a half-day-for-secular studies program, I'm not sure if I can pull this off, but I'd like to actually combine it with a center model, but very simply.

I'd like it if each month, the children get a blank calendar with birthdays etc.

Each week they'd be responsible for 2-3 Do Nows. (Depending on the week.) One would be a math activity, one would be writing, and the third might vary from reading time to cursive, phonics study or some other possibilities.

The math would mostly be these workbook pages called "Math Boxes" which review old ideas. We rarely have time for these in class. Later I'd like to incorporate games more, but one step at a time.

The writing would be kind of like a writer's workshop, but simpler. I've been wanting to do more science or nature study. So I think we would have 3 writing invitation options and we'd vary the type throughout the year.

Here's an example of what I mean... we simply don't have time to do an in-depth study of weather, but are expected to pay attention to the weather during "calendar time" (a beginning of class math time which I still just don't think we have time for). So for a few weeks we might focus on rain.

One invitation would be something like "Write a poem about the rain," or something similar with other options available.

A second would be "Write five questions you have about rain." Then there would be books available to browse to answer questions.

A third would be to sit and closely observe the rain and to write up observations. If there is no rain that day, right about how the grass responds to not having rain. When last was there rain? etc.

This is a vastly shrunken and modifed idea from the journals written about in Moon Journals, a book I never got around to reading in grad. school that I am now looking through.

My goals (must always remember my goals) are to make journaling a richer experience than just practicing writing skills, to cause children to observe more, and to to study science and/or nature more than we are currently able.