My Experiences In Teaching Current Social Issues: Refugees

On November 15, I had planned to begin a week teaching my students about refugees. We are an Expeditionary Learning School, and we were using our Social Studies learning about culture and civil rights as a jump off into a partnership with the Global Village School in our neighborhood. A school for girls. Refugee girls.

The lessons were written, the resources were made (I had to create everything since 2nd grade resources on refugees are slim at best). The read alouds were ready to go.

       

And then, on November 13, Paris happened. And I was nervous. Teaching about refugees? Right now? Really? I had already been nervous about the subject. My Facebook feed had been blowing up with dissenting opinions on the United States' acceptance of refugees for months. And then tragedy struck our world again. And "refugee" became a bad word. As if it wasn't before.

But I forged ahead. And thank goodness! We had a wonderful experience learning about how civil rights issues are still issues for many, many people in our world. My students learned about people who could be so much like them, but have such a different life experience. We took action together to inform others about these issues, and then raise money to help our new friends from the Global Village school with a culminating Walk A Thon. It was all amazing!

An infographic created by a group of 3 Second Graders.

Reflections from Day 1 and Day 10 of our study.

Students collaborating on the creation of an infographic using PPt.

Students reflecting on their interviews with Refugee Girls.

Our map showing the paths of the refugees we met and read about.

Our Walk A Thon to raise funds for the school.

And the parents and community were so accepting. And I was grateful for that. And I learned that I can keep teaching about the hard issues. I can keep teaching compassion. I can keep teaching these precious lives I am entrusted with to be compassionate and brave and to make change.

A flyer we created as a class to pass out during our Walk A Thon to raise money for the school.

Misconceptions

"You can't take a bigger number away from a small number. "

"Everything in the world is made of matter."

"A circle has one side."

"When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking." 

Do you ever try to make a BIG statement -usually in an effort to teach hard and fast rules or facts and think to yourself "Did I really mean that?" Maybe you haven't, but I maintain that you should. No matter how confident of a teacher you are.

I think that, especially in the primary grades, we teach more misconceptions than we realize. This is understandable! I get it! I know why it happens. (That's not to say I think it should happen.) We want to help our students make sense of the world, but we realize that the world is really tricky to make sense of.  Because of this, we try to make these big statements, often losing some of the nuance of what we are teaching. We sometimes think that specificity is confusing.

In addition, as primary teachers, it is truly difficult to be experts on all of the theoretical subtleties of each subject we teach. Do you continue to reflect and study some of the facts, ideas, and principles you teach every year? We teachers must continue to question what we think we know and seek answers and understanding.

It's in fact NOT true that you can't take a big number away from a small one. And it's ok to tell kids that. Let me suggest that you add the words "in 2nd grade" or "for now". I have found that students find this more exciting than confusing!

Your students might even call you out on the second statement. Is EVERYTHING really made of matter? What about light? Sound? Those kids, they will get you every time! 

And the circle thing. I mean, talk about blowing adults' minds. And from what I can tell, it is up for debate. 

The last one, though, probably has you thinking about the way you already address these "exceptions" to the rules. And there are always exceptions, right? 

As an aside, it is not just teachers who have this problem with teaching and believing misconceptions. So don't feel bad! I was discussing this issue recently with a group of adults. My example of teaching students through misconceptions was that Earth's seasons are caused by the Earth's elliptical path around the sun. I mentioned this briefly as an "untruth" and was immediately shot down. I should have pulled out my teacher voice! And maybe Google!

Be specific. Be accurate. And above all, be reflective. 

Reflections of 2015 Linky Party and Countdown

Today I am linking up with for a 2015 Reflection. Let’s do a little countdown, shall we? Here is my Top 10 for 2015!

10. TPT

In February, I decided to start trying to sell some of the things I have been creating these past eight years as a 2^nd grade teacher on a pretty cool website called Teachers Pay Teachers. Do you know it? Jk. My coworkers have been nagging me to do this for ages, but I knew it would be a lot of work. I wanted to do it right. I had to check into the legalities of my creations, clip art use, etc. If you’re reading this, you probably know the drill. So I finally took the plunge and got creating! I am pleased with how it is going so far, but hope to add more and really make a name for myself in the TPT world.

        

9. Starting The Blog

At the same time I began TPT, I knew that having a blog was going to help me sell products. Furthermore, it was going to help me share ideas. I think that in my own classroom, my best work does not happen in a way that I am able to market through a product, so having a blog is a great way for me to reach out and share! My then boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiance helped me create a logo. Soon after beginning the blog, I knew I was going to need some design help, so I found and hired Alexis at Laugh Eat Learn to do the work for me. Check her out!

8. Engagement

In March, I got engaged to the love of my life! Read about it in this post.

7. TPT Seller Challenge

In June, I took the TPT Seller Challenge. Or, I started to take the Challenge. I think I participated in 3 out of 4 weeks. It was a good experience because it got me reflecting on my work so far and helped me hone some skills. Read about what I learned and did through this challenge here and here.

6.  Baby Cora

I got a new niece! This was basically the highlight of my summer. She is super sweet, and loves to smile and squeal. I’m glad that I have both a nephew and niece to spoil and I’m so thankful to live a little bit closer to my sister now than I did in the past.

5. The First Day

Yes, the first day of school was a momentous and important occasion in 2015. It was my first new school since my first year of teaching. In the week leading up to it, I felt like seven years of first days did not adequately prepare me for the first day of year eight. I was so nervous! But it went beautifully. And it was only the first of many beautiful days.

4. Moving Again

In September, we bought and moved into a dream condo in a great location in Atlanta. We love working together to make this place a true home. Most recently, we finally got a sofa!

3. A New Place

I could dwell on the past and get all sappy, but I already did that here. As 2015 comes to a close, I could not be more thankful to have found a teaching position in a wonderful new school. The Lord certainly answers prayers. Finding a new school to work in is about so much more than location. It’s about finding your place. A place among a community, coworkers, and children. We all have a place, don’t we? And right now, mine is really lovely.

2. Getting Married

In October, the best day of the year happened. Our wedding day. Check out this post for some more pictures and details.

1. Jamaica

Our honeymoon was a huge highlight of our year together. We waited about a month after our wedding to go to Jamaica (had to take advantage of Thanksgiving  break) and it was so amazing. Ah, I can close my eyes and almost feel the warm tropical breeze right now…oh wait, that’s just December in Georgia!

Including Kids' Voices In The Class Newsletter

Today I want to share with you an extremely simple idea that has been a big hit with my parents! I send home a monthly newsletter on the first Wednesday of the month. In it, I include important dates, an overview of upcoming learning topics, a note from me, and most importantly: News From the Kids!

Take a look at one of my newsletters below. By far, the favorite part is the "From The Kids..." portion. I hope to update (read: improve) the layout and design of my newsletter next year, but this section is definitely staying!

As a Morning Meeting activity or time filler, I might have kids write their news to submit for publication. If we are running short on time, I may just sit with my computer at Morning Meeting and type up what they say! I am the editor, and since we don't have room for news from everyone, I just pick as many as I can possibly fit in the space! It's fun to reflect on the month behind us and see what really gets the kids excited to reminisce over.

Not only is this a great way to build our classroom community and encourage personal pride, but it also gets students to force their parents to read our newsletter! They are always so proud when their news "makes it" into the newsletter, and they want to make sure everyone reads it. Consider it one of my SNEAKY TEACHER TRICKS!

Do you have any fun newsletter ideas?

My Tips for Teaching & Fitbitting

Take a look at the above picture. Which Fitbit log do you think is from Sunday? And which from Monday? If you're a teacher, you likely have a pretty good guess, and you would probably be right. Yep, the 14,000 step day was just a normal Monday!

A common fitness fact is that we should all try to get in 10,000 steps a day. As teachers, many of us likely come very close to that. But, what if you are not as active during the day as you thought? Enter the pedometer. If you do not already have a pedometer, or my new love, a Fitbit (or other fitness tracker), you should seriously consider getting one! They are a great way to keep track of your movement and keep yourself accountable and active!

That 14,000 step day, though? That didn't just happen. I had to put some effort and thought into eking every bit of activity that I could out of my day. Full disclosure-this was also a dance day for me. And although ballet doesn't register to be a very intense activity on my Fitbit, it does add some steps that I would not have otherwise had if I had been hanging out on my couch for the evening!

Now for the good part. Here are some tips from me about how to get more active during your teaching day:

Stephanie's Tips for Teaching & Fitbitting

• Take the long way. Consider starting your day with not only a cup of coffee, but also by parking at the back of the parking lot, taking the stairs, or taking the long way around to your classroom.
• Pace, pace, pace! You can pace and move at many opportunities in your day. For example, while your students are completing any kind of work, while you are making copies, or while you are monitoring the swings or the basketball court.
• Walk your room. Get up at least once while you're teaching a reading or math group to check on your other kids and get your limbs moving. Try weaving in and out of desk groups while monitoring a test or quiz. How can you create longer walking paths by zig zagging or doubling back? 
• Break up your jobs. I used to make a list during my planning of all of the things I could get done in one trip from my classroom to picking up my kids at Specials. Hey, my classroom is just sooooo far away from everything! So, if I gave myself 10 minutes, I could make copies, check out library books, and check my mailbox all on my way to get my kids from the Gym or Art Room. Now, if I have the time, instead of adding to a list, I just go ahead and complete that task!
• Make a trip instead of a phone call. This only applies to mornings and afternoons, but can add some much needed steps to your day.
• Use recess time wisely. At the beginning of recess, take a lap around the perimeter of your space. As a bonus, this also helps make sure there is an adult is keeping a watchful eye and lookout on areas of the playground we don't usually go. In addition, you just may have some of your kiddos join in with you! I love the conversations I get to have with my little ones who join me on my walk.
• Do GoNoodle with your kids! If you are not already using this website with your students, you are doing a great disservice to all of you. Seriously. Try it out. Zumba and Run With Me will give you the most steps for your time AND they are fun! 
• Watch your posture. Use the time when you are walking your kids down the hallway to assess and correct your posture. Keep your chin parallel to the ground, check your shoulder and back alignment, and use your stomach muscles to engage your core when you are walk. Then, breathe deeply and relax.
• Unwind. Didn't get in all your steps? Well, what a perfect opportunity to take a walk outside. Enjoy the beautiful weather, spend time with yourself, or invite a loved one along. Think of it as an opportunity to clear your head and prepare yourself for the days to come.

Well, those are my tips for getting as many steps as you can out of your teaching day! What about you? What do you do to increase your amount of steps during the day?

The Sunday Blues: Passion and Renewal

Tonight, as I was driving back to Athens from Atlanta, I was listening to This American Life on NPR. The topic this week was "Amateur Hour". It was all about people, passion, and just making it work with your work. There were so many things that I heard during this short amount of time that I would love to talk about, but I'll spare you that. My sister can attest that after many Sunday night listens, I immediately text her as many cool things as I can remember when I get home. She might get jealous if I share everything here before I share with her!

Tonight, though, I am reflecting on a Ted Talk that they shared by Mike Rowe, the producer and host of the show Dirty Jobs titled, Are People With 'Dirty Jobs' The Most Successful? (This link takes you to the shortened radio version) At first, he sounds very cynical about following your passion, in fact saying "follow your passion was the worst advice I ever got." But, he really redeemed himself for me when he said, "You don't follow your passion. You bring it with you."

Bringing passion to work, or even a new week in general, is a tough thing to think about on a Sunday night. I sometimes start getting The Sunday Blues on Saturday! But tonight, as I got my home and bags organized for tomorrow, planned for lunches, and sat down to check last minute emails, I also sat down to my Lenten study from SheReadsTruth. The Sunday post is about Scripture memorization. Psalm 51:10 says, Create in a me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  This was just what I needed to read.

Passion...
Renewal... 

I need these things. In all facets of my life. So these are the words I will pray over my week. I'm not sure that I can kick my Blues to the curb, but I know that, with God's help, I can bring passion to and seek renewal in the week ahead. And that's a start! 

The Leprechaun Is NOT Visiting My Classroom. Here's What We'll Do Instead.

Today, as my school let out early for a Snow Day, I reminisced about growing up outside of Savannah, Georgia. We never got out for snow, but we did get out for a hurricane once or twice. And, you may or may not believe this (depending on your St. Patty's parade and celebration knowledge), but by the time I was in Middle School, we also got a day off of school for St. Patrick's Day! This has nothing to do with any sort of seriousness about the holiday and everything to do with the fact that, inevitably, no one showed up for school because they headed downtown to the big parade instead.

Unless you were in my family. If the doors were open, my sister and I were at school. Even if there was a hurricane a comin' and you and maybe three other people got sent home on a bus a few hours later. 

Now, since I teach in a different part of the state, St. Patty's is just a regular old school day. But I can't help making a big deal about it. I know it is still the end of February, but I should remind you that St. Patrick's Day is just a few weeks away! I have Spring Break between now and then, too, so I have to be on my planning "game" to get all of our activities in.

Do you have a very naughty leprechaun that visits your room, makes a mess, and leaves behind some gold coin candy? I don't. Despite my love for celebrating St. Patrick's Day, I just cannot bring myself to willingly make a mess in my beautifully organized room and cause general chaos. I just can't. Besides, my newest student wrote me a love note recently where he stated he loves me in spite of the fact that I'm picky and strict. Actually, I think he said he loves me because I'm picky and strict. So that is working for me right now. And furthermore, I can use those gold coins as leverage for getting my kids to do what I want for reinforcing my kids for their great efforts and accomplishments.

But I do love fun and silliness, I PROMISE! So I've created a few products to help celebrate St. Patrick's Day in an Instructional way. Today and tomorrow (wait, I think the tomorrow part was supposed to be a secret for now), TPT is throwing a big sale, and this includes my store! So check out these products and consider adding them to your cart today. If you visit my store, you will also see one March item for FREE! It is appropriate for 2-4 grade.

 March Friends Writing

My students will be creating these stories next week so we can post them in the hall during St. Patty's Week! Some of them spied my sample today, and got very excited to have some fun with this project.

ELA & Math Centers

I'll be using these in my ELT centers for March! I think they are cute and will give the kids good practice on some review standards so that I can give my attention to my intervention groups during that time. I've differentiated these for 1 & 2 grades.

I hope you find a great TPT deal today! Happy Snow Day! Have fun teaching!

Teacher Ballerina

My third year of teaching was a tough year. By the time May arrived, I was simply exhausted both professionally and personally. So, one of my teaching buddies, Lisa, suggested I take the summer and become "someone else". She told me to be a runner, a dancer, a reader, a sunbather...anything to refresh and get my mind off of teaching. She told me not to open my laptop and not to do any work until preplanning. Did I think she was crazy? Sure. Did I know she was right? Definitely. Yes, teaching was my calling and an important part of who I was, but I needed a complete break to recharge.

So I signed up for ballet classes. I took some ballet growing up. I could remember feet positions, how to plie, how to point my foot, and that I shouldn't hang upside down on the barre. But that was about it. So, I threw myself into a few hours of beginning ballet work a week and I loved it. I haven't stopped since then. Now, for the last four years, on every Monday and Thursday night, I put on some tights, pin my hair into a bun, and head downtown to my dance studio. 

On Mondays, I often pack some papers to grade during a break in classes!

The truth is, I love being a ballerina, even if it's only for four hours a week. For me, ballet is just the right mental and physical challenge. I can work hard to improve, without the pressure of becoming a professional. I get to be an artist. I even study the art on my own time so that I can learn and be better. It's so exhilarating to be the student rather than the teacher. And for a few blissful hours a week, my usually racing mind is completely consumed by my body: the motions, the steps, and the art. 

Since you've become a teacher, have you been able to be a student? 

Although I know that most teachers do not have the precious hours in their week to become a student of something, I urge you to consider it. It's easier for me because I don't have a husband and children to care for yet, but even in the midst of working a part time job on top of teaching last year, this was one part of my life that I just knew I could not give up. 

So how has being a student in the studio impacted me as a teacher in the classroom?

• I've reminded myself of what it feels like to be a struggling student. I have never been very gifted in athletics, so ballet is something I have to work extremely hard at. It's given me more compassion with kids who feel frustrated that they can't get something "right". 
• I've reminded myself of what it feels like to have triumphs. This reminds me to make sure my students are triumphing in the classroom.
• I've learned more about giving effective feedback and I've learned about how it feels to receive feedback. 
• I am able to share an important part of my story, that has nothing to do with our classroom, with my students. Ballet gives me a starting point for simple relationship building moments. "You tripped and fell and now you feel embarrassed? Would you believe that I fell in ballet class last night? I feel ya, man! You alright?" "I know you don't want to do that again, but it's going to make you stronger and better. My ballet teacher often makes me repeat things over and over until I get it right. And it feels SO GOOD when I do!" (Now, I don't talk about ballet every day, but you can see how easy it is to connect with students through your own student experiences.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading my post. I'd love to hear if you have a similar experience!