When's the Last Time You Did the Hokey Pokey?

Because I did it today.  In a classroom full of joy and excitement, surrounded by kids beaming from ear-to-ear.

I was rushing (but not running!) down the hallways, on a mission (as usual), feeling stressed (also as usual)... And I heard it.  Joy.  What does joy sound like to you?  To me, it's simple - children laughing.  And today the sound of children laughing pulled me right out of my one-track, stressed, testing-focused mind and into a classroom where joy rippled through the air.  Without hesitation, I dropped what was in my hands and immediately joined in on the dancing and singing.

And oh how I needed that break from the rapid pace of my morning.  It was like drinking a Red Bull, giving me just what I needed to power through the rest of my day.

Kids -- They do it to me every time.  Make me take a step back and gain a new perspective.

JOY.

You put your right hand in, you put your right hand out...

 Don't Forget!
-October 27th:  1st Quarter Testing - Math (with a Calculator)
-October 28th:  CogAt/ITBS Proctor Training 8:00am
                             1st Quarter Testing - Math (without a Calculator)
-October 29th:  Teacher Work Day
                             CogAt/ITBS Administrator Training 9:00am
                             CogAt/ITBS Proctor Training 10:00am
-November 1st-5th:  CogAt Testing
-November 15th-17th:  ITBS Testing

It's Not How You Planned It... But What Are the Possibilities?

I have to give credit for the quote above to our guidance counselor, Anne Collins.  She emailed it to me over the weekend to post in the hallways of Moore (alongside our other positive quotes), and it has been on my mind since I opened the email...

Hi, my name is Jessie Peele, and I am a planner.  A planner of EVERYTHING.  I live by a checklist and become overjoyed at checking off the little square boxes down the side of my To-Do list.  You name it, I plan it.  Upon becoming a teacher and now a Curriculum Coordinator, I have quickly learned that while you may plan every detail, things don't always go according to that plan.  And as the quote above suggests, rather than wallowing in the disappointment and stress of things going a little off track, why not look for possibilities?

As I reflect on my past five years of teaching, I realize some of the best teaching moments came when I wasn't necessarily doing something written word-for-word in my plan book.  It goes back to being PRESENT and living in the moment.  Now, I'm not suggesting plans aren't important in the world of education... But what's equally important is knowing when you need to veer off of the plan.

Life has a funny way of working out.  Sometimes things go just as we'd hoped, imagined, dreamed of, planned for... Sometimes they don't.  And a lot of times, in retrospect, we understand why the plan didn't carry out the way we'd envisioned.  By being PRESENT, we can continuously be aware of the possibilities surrounding us, making the most out of each and every moment - planned or not.

 Don't Forget!
-October 19th:  6:00-6:30 Parents Supporting Learning in the Upper Grades
-October 26th:  1st Quarter Testing - Reading
-October 27th:  Fluency Training at Staff Meeting
-October 27th:  1st Quarter Testing - Math (with a Calculator)
-October 28th:  1st Quarter Testing - Math (without a Calculator)
-November 3rd-5th:  CogAt Testing
-November 15th-17th:  ITBS Testing

Ferris Wheels, Funnel Cakes, French Fries... FAIR!

I LOVE FALL.  I love college football, the cool air, and the changing leaves that crunch underneath your feet.  But what I love MOST about Fall is the FAIR!  You can see signs of the fair in children's eyes before the last bolt goes into the ferris wheels.  There's just a feeling in the air that the fair is in town.

I've been pondering why kids love the fair so very, very much.  I wonder if maybe it has something to do with how it appeals to all five of their senses?  Their sense of touch (as they win that furry stuffed animal!); smell (you can smell the food a mile away!); hearing (the roller coaster zooming past, the carnival music!); seeing (there's so much to look at!); taste (where do I even begin?!).  Children love the fair because it clutches their attention from all angles.

While our classrooms will probably never quite measure up to the fair, imagine how much kids would enjoy learning if teachers sought to stimulate children from all angles using all five of our senses?  Our school's theme revolves around Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory and all teachers strive to differentiate instruction to reach all eight "smarts."  However, sometimes we get so overwhelmed with To-Do's, assessments, and paperwork, we lose sight of teaching to all learning styles.

So let's use this time of year to remind ourselves how important it is to create classrooms that are inviting for all learners, whether Music/Self/People/Nature/Logic/Word/Art/Body Smart!  Create environments that stimulate a child's sense of tasting, touching, smelling, hearing, feeling, and seeing.  Make children want to "Step right up!" and try out a new math technique or art technique or read a new book.  Make learning fun by finding your inner-child and realizing that in order for students to be engaged, they must be interested.  It's up to you to make it interesting.  No juggling, stilts, or cotton candy required.

For research purposes, I'll be headed to the fair this week. :)

 Don't Forget!
-October 7th:  PTA Bingo Night
-October 8th:  4th Grade On-Demand Writing Scores due in Moodle
-October 19th:  Gateway Meeting
-October 26th:  1st Quarter Testing - Reading
-October 27th:  1st Quarter Testing - Math (with a Calculator)
-October 28th:  1st Quarter Testing - Math (without a Calculator)