The first week is done and I am exhausted. However, I
thought joining Ruth Ayres for her weekly celebration (HERE) would help me reflect as
the year begins.
It never fails. Even in my 20th year of teaching,
I plan far too much for the first week. Over planning is good, to some degree,
but it also makes me feel that I didn’t accomplish what I wanted at the start.
So, time for some reflection to realize what we did actually accomplish in the
first three days together.
1. Relationships
I make relationships my focus at the start of the year. I
begin with my students, sending them a letter in the mail to welcome them to
class. I expand to their parents, emailing the parents in all three classes and
asking them to write me about their child so I will know more as we begin our
year together. I also have the kids fill out a reflection survey for me that
shares their likes, dislikes, and feelings about school. I worked hard all week
to get to know the 68 students I will be teaching this year. I’d say I’m
getting there, but still have work to do.
2. Reading and Writing
We began the year on the first day with homework. I think
that some of them might have thought I was crazy, yet there it was. I explained
that I want them to read and write daily, all year long. Usually I require 20
minutes a night for reading, 10 minutes a night for writing. This summer I
decided to change that. Looking at my own reading and writing, I realized that
I never read only for 20 minutes or write for 10. Some days I’m busy, and
don’t get to either very much. Some days I read and write for hours. It
depended on my schedule and my mood. So I asked them to make goals. I explained
that 20 and 10 is a good goal, but might not be feasible every day. So maybe if
one day would be super busy, read more the night before and after. So far it
seems to have translated to them reading and writing more than my normal
groups. We will see how that continues.
3. Art
Two years ago I had my homeroom students create their
self-portraits with paint and we hung them around the perimeter of the
classroom. I loved it. I stole the idea from Ann Marie Corgill’s brilliant
book, Of Primary Importance: What’s
Essential In Teaching Young Writers. Last year we didn’t make portraits. I
was overwhelmed with my new schedule and couldn’t figure out how I would
possibly have time to get out the paint with my homeroom kids. This year I was
determined to hang up self-portraits once again. The problem was that I didn’t
realize paint went bad. Opening up the paint from two years ago, I was met with
globs of jelly. I briefly considered just buying more paint this weekend and
then dismissed that notion and decided to have them create their portraits with
markers and colored pencils. What followed was an hour of a quiet hum of
conversation while we all colored and talked. My friend, Mindy, who teaches
special ed in our building was up to check on some students and she joined us.
At one point I looked at her and said that I wished every day could end with
coloring, that I felt so relaxed and at peace. She agreed. It was amazing.
4. When it Clicks
I always get to know the kids better in my homeroom class.
They are with me more of the day than the other two classes. I knew we had
clicked at the end of the day on Friday. Kids were sprawled across the room,
reading and writing with their friends.
A few were sending their first tweets from our classroom Twitter
account, and shouting with joy when an author or classroom Tweeted them back. I
was at the front of the room, helping a few students who had come in from other
classrooms to find books to read for the weekend. One of my homeroom kids, Zoe,
came up, quietly asking if I would want to read what she wrote. It was the
start of a story. I read it and was immediately taken with her lead. I asked if
I could share it with the class. She agreed. I called out, getting the
attention of the group, and read Zoe’s lead. I told them that it captivated me
and wondered if anyone else felt the same. Several nodded. I asked why and they
shared out the reasons.
As I sat back and watched, I saw kids talking about Zoe’s writing, and then their own. Several commented on what they liked about each other’s writing. Payton showed me the cover of the story she is creating. I told her I loved it. She said she had shared it on our Twitter account to get feedback from other writers. I was impressed.
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| Payton's cover. If you'd like to give her feedback, head over to Twitter and reply at @SagesHoots. Thanks! |
We might not have gotten to everything on my plans for these three days, but we
are building our community. Kids have made me laugh out loud this week from
their comments and actions. I’ve also cried over students this week, wishing
life didn’t have to be so hard when you are only ten. We are talking books,
sharing writing, and beginning to connect to the outside world. All in all, a
successful week indeed.
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| My homeroom and I, day one. It is going to be a great year! |
