Every once in a while, I transform my classroom. Classroom transformations have become big in the teacher instagram world. Look up #rockyourschool or #classroomtrasnformation and you'll find endless ideas for classroom transformations.
I do them once in a while because they cost a lot of money that I simply don't have to spend. This specific transformation came from a Donors Choose project that I got funded in the beginning of the school year. As a pull-out teacher, it is important that my space and time with students is meaningful. Classroom transformations can easily become instagram photoshoots and nothing more. This is how I made sure my classroom transformation was meaningful and increased engagement. I chose a camping theme because it lended itself well to literature circles and book groups. Sitting around the campfire and talking sounds a lot less painful than discussing books using text evidence, but that's precisely what my students did! Materials: -Sets of books for book clubs -Camping decor -A fake fire -Log cushions -Plants! -A comfy rug -Lanterns & flashlights -Checkered tablecloth After I gathered all the materials, I rearranged my classroom so it was conducive to sitting on the floor in a circle. My room is very small and snuggly fits eight students. Even though we were all squished on the carpet squares, my students were so excited to be there. A simple change in atmosphere can go a long way. I started with a book tasting. Where my students "tasted" all of their book options. I made this area look like a picnic bench and covered the table in a red checkered tablecloth. The students then chose their top two books and I arranged them in groups. Students, in groups, had to complete a book club contract. This puts the responsibility of learning in their hands. They were surprisingly excited to create their own contracts. Throughout the process, they kept each other accountable by referring to this contract. After the groups were established, they had to assign their own homework and number of pages. Each week, they would come to class prepared and ready to discuss around the campfire. In groups they completed a variety of activities. Two of my favorites were "Light the Way" and "Cook it Up". "Light the Way" involved students determining key words in their text. They used flashlights the to search for important words. Then they had to use context clues and their dictionary skills to define these words. The words became an anchor for them throughout the book club. They could always refer to their key words in discussions and other activities. "Cook it Up" required students to create their own literal and inferential comprehension questions. Students are rarely asked to create their own comprehension questions. This took explicit teaching. Once they got, they loved searching for questions to ask based on the text! You can find all of these resources in my Teachers Pay Teachers account.
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This fall, I had the opportunity to facilitate an after-school enrichment class for students from low-income neighborhoods in my district. This program was funded by a grant and allowed students a positive place to work and learn after school. My after-school program focused on philanthropy and developing real-world skills. In partnership with She's the First, a non-profit organization that fights for girls' education, I developed a six week unit. Each week, we virtually traveled to a different country to learn about their culture. The countries we visited were all countries that She's the First partners with. The students were able to make connects about privilege in seeing pictures of where and how girls went to school. After learning key vocabulary such as feminism, discrimination, privilege, educational inequalities, my students, both boys and girls, started to become invested in the work of She's the First. The next steps of my after-school class were to start organizing a fundraiser. This is where I turned the steering wheel over to the students. They had to brainstorm ideas that were plausible, pick one, organize it, and implement it on their own. After some discussion, they decided they wanted to hold a bake sale. All proceeds would go to She's the First. They called the principal for permission, organized donations, and determined prices. They made flyers, advertised to their peers, and taught lessons in each class about the work of She's the First. On the sixth week, all of their hard work came together. They made over $100 at their bake sale and donated it all to She's the First. The excitement and engagement of these students over those six weeks proved to me how important student-driven learning is. It showed me that students, any age, can empathize with other humans beings. Philanthropy is now a skill and concept to that is familiar to them. Hopefully this sparks a life-long desire to help others and continually recognize their own privileges. As an undergrad, I landed a work labor job in the basement of the admission building at University of Connecticut. Oh great, the one building with no windows on campus, I remember thinking. Five years later, I owe many of my career moves and decisions to that windowless basement in Storrs, Connecticut. It was there that I met and worked for Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli and the amazing staff at the National Research Center for Gifted Education. It was there that I learned about gifted pedagogy by listening to two professors walk by my desk. It was there that I got to read and reread books, journal articles, and other publications on the inner workings of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model.
The Schoolwide Enrichment Model or SEM for short (not to be mistaken with STEM) is a model of talent development created by Dr. Renzulli and Dr. Sally Reis in 1977. Dr. Renzulli and Dr. Reis, the power couple of gifted education, quickly became Joe and Sally to me. Both we so caring and kind, so warm and open-hearted, so willing to help me in any way they could. Imagine this, two world renowned researchers, willing to help and care for their undergrad student worker with no background in gifted education. That tells you a lot. Back to SEM, it is the model most widely used by school systems across the country. Joe and Sally travel all over the world now to talk about the in's and out's of SEM. Up until a few months ago, I'd feel truly unqualified to write my own perspective on SEM. In my new position as gifted and talented teacher for two elementary schools, I work to implement all aspects of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. Having more direct experience with the model, I feel compelled to share my perspective. SEM takes theory and puts it into practice. It is comprised of multiple moving parts. The Total Talent Portfolio This idea refers to looking at students through the lens of a total talent portfolio. Students are more than a test scores. This method of identification allows a team or committee of people such as teachers, specialists, administrator to examine gifted potential in each student. A portfolio might consist of standardized test scores, benchmark assessments, nonverbal screeners, work samples. observations and more. Curriculum Modification Techniques In this model of giftedness, students may need their learning to be personalized. Curriculum compacting is a method to modify curriculum. Teaches may find that students pass the certain areas on a pre-test. Using this data, teachers can advance students in the curriculum. They will not provide more work in one area, but instead push the students forward in a standard they have not learned yet. Teachers can also use menus or choice boards to allow students with high abilities the independence to choose their learning. Enrichment Learning and Teaching Enrichment opportunities can be provided schoolwide, in the general education classroom, or as an elective or pull-out class. Students engage in three types of learning, type I, type II, and type III. Type I is when students explore an interest of theirs. Type II leads them to critically think about that topic and work as a group. Type III learning allows the students to connect their learning to a real world service or product. Having seen this model in many different steps of implementation, the results are overwhelmingly positive. This is a brief introduction to the in's and out's of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. More to come! Fore more information and research on the topic, go to the following website. https://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichment-model/ I am constantly working on incorporating social justice into lessons and units. Naturally, these ideas fit well with the humanities like reading and social studies. However, I struggle to provide this type of context in math class. I am constantly thinking - can I teach students to be global citizens in math lessons? Besides the obvious - teaching kids kindness and empathy while building a positive classroom community, how can you incorporate global issues into math class? So after scouring the internet to find elementary appropriate math problems with a social justice or global issues content theme and finding nothing, I decided to turn to my students. I posed this question to my third grade enrichment group. These students are above level in math to begin with and eager to put of their mathematical thinking caps. I asked them, "What global issues can human beings solve with math? In small groups, they discussed their ideas and without too much prompting from me, they were able to create the posters pictured below. Now I have mathematicians thinking about global issues in my classroom. I hope to create more lessons with this in mind, but for now this was a great start! Anyone have any ideas to share? How do you encourage global thinking in math class? As a first year teacher, I came to the classroom with almost no books. The summer before I started teaching I scoured used book sales, thrift stores, and my parent's basement. Still, I struggle to fulfill my eager readers with new and interesting books, but I have figured out some tips and tricks along the way. Here are a couple ways I have been slowly building my classroom library without breaking the bank. Savers, Goodwill, Salvation Army The books at thrift stores may not be new, but they never cost more than $4. Sometimes they can even cost as low as $0.50! I got the entire Hunger Games Trilogy from Goodwill. Scholastic Book Club As a specialist, I don't get to receive book orders like a classroom teacher does. This was disheartening at first, but I learned that I could still order books to accumulate points on my own. I look at the Warehouse Sales for cheap finds and slowly gain points over time. The points then translate into free books! Also, if your school hosts a Scholastic Book Fair, ask them to post your wishlist. Then when parents bring their kids to the fair, they can see what books you need for your library. Library Book Sales Look in the surrounding towns for library books sales. They always have great deals on gently used books. Plus, if you want until the last day, they usually have a bag sale where you can fill a bag for $5 or less! Donations Sometimes talking to friends and family about your book needs sparks a memory of that forgotten box of picture books. Most of the time you don't even have to ask and friends and family will willingly give you books for your classroom. I have also used DonorsChoose to raise money to books. You simply have to write an explanation of why you need the books and friends, family, and anonymous donors can fund your project. I recently received over $200 worth of books this way! Book Stores Beware of the full price book stores! I fall victim to them all the time. I LOVE book stores. Sometimes you have to treat yourself to a brand new, full price book, but don't do it too often or you will really go broke! This list is not the end all be all of book buying. Let me know if you have any more ideas for building a classroom library! Every Women's History Month, I look for new narratives on female empowerment. I'm excited to share these titles with you this year. What picture books are your favorite for discussing women's history?
Towards the beginning of the school year, I teach a unit on Number the Stars. I found this book is appropriate for fourth or fifth graders. The commentary about the Holocaust is not graphic or violent. The story is about friendship and family and overcoming obstacle. I like to supplement a novel study with picture books, so students can access the content through visuals. Here are five picture books (fiction and non-fiction) that I found useful when teaching about the Holocaust. Do you have any recommendations? What books do you use to talk about the Holocaust?
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Ms. StargardterI am a gifted and talented teacher. Listen to my thoughts on social justice, global citizenship, gifted education, and diverse books. I'd love to hear yours as well! Archives
December 2018
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