End of the year!

We did it! 

For PLC this week, we discussed how PLC could have been better and what things we did well this year. We all agreed that we could have been more dedicated to fulfilling our challenges each week. We did a good job satisfying our norms and filling our roles. We started and ended on time and respected one another's opinions. We agreed that it was nice to have all elementary teachers, with three of us being lower elementary. This helped our discussion because our classroom situations are similar. We enjoyed reading the book this year because it was beneficial and practical for the ages of our students. It's been a fun year! 

Note: Joyce Graves was absent on our last meeting. 

DPDP Reflections

Setting Goals- A Year in Review

This week we each shared our DPDP goals and our thoughts as we reflect on our year. Kaila shared that her DPDP was about integrating technology in the classroom and having students make their learning practical to their own lives. Angela shared that her DPDP was focused on assessment and how to effectively use her new system of grading. Joyce's DPDP was focused on classroom management in regards to using time effectively and getting routines down in the classroom. Bekah's DPDP was focused on self-assessment of students and monitoring of student progress.

We all shared how we worked on these specific goals. We all agreed that we could have done more to effectively meet our goal. However, we all did work on our chosen area and improved, if even in small ways in our teaching. 

Just like the picture above, setting goals can be something that becomes immersed in the middle of all the other things we have to do. However, we have to remember that as teachers, we are "works in progress". Not one of us could say that we completely met our goal with perfection; however, what counts is that we put in an effort to improve as a professional teacher. We agreed that even if we had met our goals completely, next year would be an entirely new year with new students and a new set of challenges. The great (and some may say worst :)) thing about teachers is that nothing is ever the same. We are consistently forced to grow and try new methods that work with our students. It is truly a lifetime profession! 

Practical Points of Teaching

Practical Points of Teaching

This week we wrapped up our reading and discussed what stood out to us from the book. Here are some takeaways from our discussion:

*Students should know what they are learning and why they learn in school. I shared how in my classroom, a student asked, "Why do we need monkey moolah (aka my classroom reward for good behavior)?". This spurred on an entire discussion on why we learn, why we go to school, and why God made us to learn. It was beneficial for the students to understand the meaning behind education, instead of doing tasks just for the sake of it.

*Remember that students have different perspectives and their perspectives are enhanced through an active role in learning. Allow the student to want to learn! Ask open-ended questions to get them thinking critically about a topic. Encourage good conversation skills in the classroom.

*Help students process information by telling students what they are going to learn about in each lesson. Try not to tack on other ideas when you are trying to focus on one main skill. Make your classroom a safe place so that students who are struggling will feel free to ask questions.

*Get out and do things! Whether that means taking a field trip or doing an activity outside. Change it up so that students get excited about what they are going to learn. 

*Study each child on a case to case basis. Jot down what works for them and what does not work for them. How do they respond to emotions? What's going on at home? What works best in their learning? What makes them joyful? Be intentional about getting to know each student on an individual basis. 

*At the end of the day, it is about loving your students. No matter how hard you try, there will still be days where you make mistakes or a student does not grasp a concept. Remember that teaching is about doing your very best! Your students will most likely not remember how you taught, but rather they will how you loved and supported them. 

Emotions + Experience = Genuine Learning

Emotions + Experience = 

                                      Genuine Learning

This week we discussed the roles of imitation and emotions in our classroom. We all agreed that young children watch everything and they often notice things even when we don't realize it. As a teacher, it is sometimes hard to discern whether a student is exhibiting intentional behaviour or if the student is imitating something he or she has seen from another person. One thought-provoking question I got from the reading was: "Do you love learning and do you let your students know that in everything you do?" The students see everything we do, which is not always what we want them to see. We agreed that as teachers we are very important role models for our children.

One practical takeaway from the reading was that our students will only thrive in the classroom if the classroom is a trusted and safe environment for them to learn. The students must know that we love them. If we are always criticizing or point out the wrong, then they won't be motivated to keep learning. However, if we show them love and encourage them when they are excelling, this can make a huge impact on their view of learning. 

We also discussed how emotions are very much linked to our brain and how they work. We agreed that we would love to know more about how our students' emotions work. Emotions in the classroom often can be triggered by something small and we do not get to see the whole picture behind the emotions. Each child is different and handles situations in various ways. Some children may not let an argument bother them; however, it may cause another child to break down in tears. The book said that you should use emotion to foster students' learning. We would like to see how this practically works in the classroom without being a distraction. Our students' emotions can often be overwhelming and cause students to be unable to focus on their learning in the classroom. 

From the book, here are some practical ways we can improve our teaching:

- Do projects with our children instead of simply instructing them what to do.

- Take students' emotions into consideration and learn how to implement them in the classroom learning.

- Create a nurturing and encouraging environment in your classroom where students can thrive and most importantly, feel loved.

- Link lessons to practical ideas in the world around them. 

Brain Building Blocks

Brain Building Blocks

This week we discussed the brain and how we as humans learn. We learned that beginning at the age of 18 months, we learn up to 10 new words per day! At the end of high school, most students have learned at least 5,000 new words in a year! How does our brain pick up on words? We discovered that the key to knowing and remembering a word and its meaning is DOING. Herbert Spencer said that, "The great aim of education is not knowledge but action." 

We discussed how every school system runs differently and values different parts of education. In Singapore schools, the students are taught at a young age to memorize everything, whether it is the format of a question or the answer itself. Therefore, these students rank very high academically. However, there is little to no creativity found in their education. At ICS, we emphasize the ESO's because they help the students know what is truly important in education. We discussed how AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE is vital, especially in the early grades because it triggers students' memories.

We discussed how each child is different and ready to grasp concepts at different times. For example, one student may take longer than another to learn to read and recognize basic sight words. However, if we push students when they are not ready, there are major setbacks that can be caused. This can also frustrate the child and take his or her joy out of learning. Also, there is often a difference between what a child knows and can express.

This week, we challenged each other to try and learn new words in context. We also agreed that we should design more of our lessons around student interests, when possible. 

Building a Strong Foundation

Building a Strong Foundation
February 24, 2015 - Angela's PLC

"What do children need to help them remember?"

This was a question asked during our discussion and I found it to be vital to our role as 

teachers. There are various answers to this question. Yet, there is not just one simple

answer. Memorization is very dependent on each child and the ways they learn best. As 

teachers, it is our job to build a strong foundation of learning so that our students may have 

a successful future. 

Overall, most students pull information out of their prior knowledge. Their minds make 

connections between subjects, ideas, and concepts. School and parents both play a vital

role in building a child's foundation for learning. Students who do not have support either at 

or at home will most likely struggle to remember ideas and make those necessary 

connections.

One way we can help students understand their learning is by going over tests with the 

students. Instead of simply grading a student's work and moving on, the teacher should

walk through the test results with the students and show them where they may be 

struggling or excelling. Encouraging students to understand the "why" behind an 

incorrect/correct answer is vital for their intellectual reasoning. We also discussed how 

repeating orally and using flashcards is a great way to help students memorize information.

Students are certainly sponges when it comes to learning! It is our job to make sure that 

we are giving them the pieces with which to build a permanent foundation.

The Power of Role-playing

The Power of Role-playing

February 10, 2015 

Angela's PLC

This week, we discussed how children often learn best and remember activities through "doing". Having students talk about an idea and then act it out is a great way to increase their memory! As teachers, we realized that role-playing needs to have some scaffolding, especially in whole group activities. Letting children use their imaginations is something we often stifle in the classroom because of the many standards and the subject matter we have to cover in our teaching. However, the book showed how role-playing triggers students' memories and is engaging for our students. We should model what effective role-playing looks like so that our students will know how to engage in the activity. 

Another thing we need to remember is that practice truly makes perfect. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Students in lower elementary tend to forget things easily. If we come up with actions, songs, or visuals, this will have a more lasting effect on their memory. 

We also discussed what we think our students go home and tell their parents about school. Taking time to process and reflect with the students on what they have learned will help the information stick in their minds as well.