Harmonicas for Positive Management

 I previously shared that I would like to reflect each week about a failure (because we learn and grow through them).  This week is no different!

 Our first PD day this year started with a PAX training, which is a "preventive intervention used by teachers and schools to teach self-regulation, self-management, and self-control in young people (paxohio.org).  I was hooked immediately because the ideas supported many of the things we have learned in our trauma based training, the reading I've done, and the conversations we've had as a building.  But there were also enough ideas and things for me to tweak in my own behavior to keep me interested throughout the training.

Our Language Matters

I previously shared that I would like to reflect each week about a failure (because we learn and grow through them).  This week is no different!

My teammate and I co-teach a reading strategy lesson each year (one of my favorites!)  When I walked in one afternoon this week, there was some chaos in a typically very, very calm room. My teammate was going to prepare the class for some calming activities to get them back on track.  She said in a low voice, "when I turn off this one light we are going to say nothing."  She turned off one light.

A very literal student responded by saying, "Nothing!"  And then so did many other children.

We smiled at each other and said, "Yep, that is what I said to do."

It was a failed moment.  The language was just not quite right.  And it was little reminder to us that our language choices matter. 

Em

Brain Research and Vocabulary

 Last week I shared that I would like to reflect each week about a failure (because we learn and grow through them).  Well...this week was filled with Aimsweb testing.  My teammate and I are in charge of completing all these benchmark assessments for our school.  If you have never given this assessment, let me share that it did not allow for much growth, on my part.  I ask the same 27 questions to every student.

But if we look...we can always find somewhere to grow.

This week I started to read "How the Brain Learns to Read" by David Sousa.

I just finished chapter 1...so I am not far along.  One section discussed the parts of the brain that process verbal and image based words.  As teachers, we know that it is important to be as concrete as possible.  So we use many methods to help our students understand vocabulary words: images, stories, context, motions, songs, etc.  David Sousa explains that different parts of our brain process verbal based information from image based information.

For example if I am talking to my students about a serpent.  I may explain that it is a large snake.  Students can visualize this and part of the brain lights up.  But if I have a discussion about the word grace.  Students will not a visual for this word because it is more abstract and verbal based; therefore, a completely different part of the brain lights up.

Students understand words better when they have a mental image of the word.  This is why, as teachers, we do anything we can to help them remember these words and their meanings.  Although, I teach in small groups all day and do not have a set list of vocabulary words, students are learning new concepts all the time through the texts we read.  I have always used a variety of methods to teach new words; however, when I read this information about the brain, it really helped me to have a deeper understanding of WHY I do it.  And WHY I need to do more of it.

So this year...as I am planning out my books for the week or day.  I want to ensure I am not glossing over words that could use more of a visual.  I want to ensure that even some "simple" sight words can have a picture attached, if it is going to help support a student's understanding.

 I can always work to do a little more.  A little better.

Fruitful Failure Friday

It is a fresh year and I need a fresh start to this wonderful little blog that has connected me to so many.  I have failed to maintain it over the past year.  I have failed to share my thoughts, my learnings, and connections.

So that leads me to this idea..."Fruitful Failure Friday."  First of all...alliteration, people!  I love it. 

I have taught my own children and my students that we don't grow and learn without failure.  If my Gertie knew how to long divide already, then she wouldn't need to be in fourth grade.  If my nephew had been born knowing how to swim, then he wouldn't have to take swim lessons.  If I knew everything about teaching, then I wouldn't need to read and grow each year.

But I do not know everything about teaching or every student that I will encounter; therefore, I must fail, at times.  I must try out new ideas to determine if they work or not.  This is life.  Trial and error. Growth and change.  Reflection.

From our failures can come fruitful lessons.

My hope is to share these failures and reflections with you each week.  By writing and sharing, I grow and maybe you will have ideas to share with me, as well.

So here is to a fresh start for a fresh year.