What DIDN'T You Just Say?

As a Kindergarten/First grade teacher there are a lot of things that I have to teach my students. I have to teach (and assess!)them everything that is in the Common Core Standards. But that only covers math and language arts. We have state standards for Science, Social studies and the like. We also have GLO's (General Learner Outcomes) which are the things we teach our students in order to make them better, more effective students and learners. And then you've got all that extra stuff you have to teach 'em so can test them on it just so you can turn in data. I guess so everyone else knows you are doing your job. But there is one other thing that I teach my students. It doesn't have a standard. It isn't on a report card. It doesn't receive a grade. And yet I believe it is the most timortant thing they need to know... On top of all of this I teach my students how to be a better PERSON. Weaved throughout the academic jungle of the day I attempt to teach my class manners and how to be an overall better liked person. The first and foremost way I do this is simply encouraging them to say "please" and "thank you". When kids ask, "Can I do this?" or "Can I have that?" I usually follow up with,"What do you say?" Today however was different. I had a lot of kids asking me if they could have or do something, and none of them were saying please. So, I decided, that if they weren't going to say please then I wasn't going to say anything at all :) Instead I just looked at them with a blank stare. Sometimes, most of the time actually, the long, silent pause got u comfortable. I think a lot of them thought that I was just thinking of what my reply to them was going to be. Eventually, when they didn't pick up on the hint I would lean forward a bit, give a little a smile, and raise my eyebrows as if to say,"and...?" Finally, they would get the hint and say, "Ms. Jennings, may I PLEASE _____________". And once again, the world is a better place :)

Too Many Questions...

It's that time of year again... that time at the end of school year when teachers and students start practicing for "Songfest". Every year the second graders practice on the basketball court below my classroom, and in order to get their stereo system working will ask to plug an extension cord in my room, which they then thread out the window and down towards the blacktop.

Well, today...just like on most days... kids were outside our classroom practicing for songfest. I usually just tune it out and get on with whatever stuff we are doing in class, so I really didn't take much notice to it. One of my students, on the other hand, did. We were in the middle of transitioning, trying to get cleaned up and ready for our next task. All of a sudden one of my boys says to me in a very quizzical sounding voice, "Ms. Jennings! How is there music outside!?! The cord isn't even plugged in???" At this point in the day there wasn't even 30 minutes left of school, and frankly didn't really care how they had their music playing and I didn't really have the energy to think up an explanation.
"I don't know," I replied
But he couldn't let it go. He was persistant. "But, Ms. Jennings, how are they doing that? How can they have music if the cord isn't plugged in?"
After an entire day and almost an entire week of endless student questions I just didn't have it in me to give him an answer. So I said, "How do you think they are doing it?" I honestly could not think of any justifiable answer to give him, and I figured I would see what he would say. And then he said the most obvious thing...
It was like a lightbulb went on and he said, "They plugged it into another classroom."

Of course, why didn't I think of that...

Sharing With Words

This week we started something new in our class called "Sharing with Words". It was inspired by my friend Kristi who is a first grade teacher. Each morning the kids have an opportunity to share a story from their life to the rest of the class. We do it pretty much first thing in the morning. This way kids have a chance to share all the things they want to say to me, and it is done right before writing time so it gets them brainstorming ideas on what they can write about. As the kids share their ideas I jot down their different ideas on the board so that kids can later go back to the list if they can't think of what to write about. (This idea is also wonderfully inspired by my friend Krist!)

Today during "Sharing with Words" the kids started out sharing about the kinds of things they always share about: going to the beach, going to the pool, going to the movies. I started to write our list: beach, pool, movies... Then one of my girls began to share about how she went to the new McDonalds. As she was talking I began to write the word McDonalds on the board. While writing I could hear her talking. "I went to McDonalds and I got an ice cream. I got a strawberry Monday and they also have a chocolate Monday," she said. As I finished writing the word "McDonalds" on the board I began to process what she was saying... and it didn't make sense. Strawberry Monday??? I turned back to the class, looked at this little girl and said, "I think you mean strawberry sundae."

In her defense though, yesterday was Monday :)