Guest Post @ E, Myself, and I: Surviving First-Trimester Pregnancy in the Classroom

Lots of news today-- let's start with the fact that I have a guest post up on E, Myself, and I today, as part of her new Working Moms series: "Surviving First Trimester Pregnancy in the Classroom."  I'm no expert, but go take a look!  It's what worked for me . . . 

That leads me to the real, super-exciting news-- I have a Little One on the way!  Baby Patrick is expected to arrive somewhere around June 13.  I am all kinds of thrilled and let me just tell you that this is a long-awaited and much-anticipated Little Bean.  

But, on top of all that excitement, I'm also sick.  And tired.  And a bit overwhelmed with all there is to do.  Don't pretend y'all haven't noticed me slacking off on the blog front.  So, while it pains me to say it, I'm going to take a break from M*Print.  I don't know when I'll return, but right now my focus is pretty simple: baby, family, sleep, food.  And of course, my passion for my students is right behind all of that.  It doesn't leave much room for extras, and sadly, this blog is an extra.  I'll be back someday-- maybe when Little One becomes a little less Little.  I'll be reading and keeping up with my new-found blog friends in the meantime.  Until then, all my love!  

Fostering Critical Thinking with Fishbowl Discussions

In my experience, teenagers tend to struggle with writing for two major reasons: 

1) They're not used to thinking critically.
2) They don't know how to put their thoughts into words.

I have no qualms about saying that I wholeheartedly blame our testing culture.  We're teaching the youth of our nation to think in terms of A, B, C, or D-- not to analyze, rationalize, criticize, or evaluate.  However, lest this blog turn into one giant anti-testing rantfest, I'd prefer to focus on what I can do with what I have.  What I have is a room full of kids who need to learn to think critically so that they can not only write well, but also be productive in the real world.  What I can do is model critical thinking for them and let them practice in a safe environment.

I've heard of fishbowl discussions for years, but this year is the first time I've tried them.  Wow!  I'm holding at least one a week in most of my classes, and they're changing the way my classroom works.  The concept is simple:

1. Choose 3-4 students to be "fish"-- to sit in the front of the room and serve as the leaders of the discussion.

2. Ask discussion questions, one at a time, of the fish.  Allow them to hash out their responses as a panel, and then open the discussion to the rest of the class.

My kids are so responsive to this format!  Our discussions are lively and so insightful.  It's amazing what kids can come up with when we let them think.  I have to say, at first they all seemed to feel a need to address me for their responses, rather than the class.  To get them discussing together, I moved to the back of the room, spoke only when necessary, and occasionally redirected kids who were turning around to face me.  I'm also more than happy to spend some time on a (related) tangent, because I want to allow discussions to flow freely and kids to express their thoughts fully before we rest a topic.

I chose my first "fish" based on their outgoing personalities.  To get the figurative ball rolling, I wanted kids who would have no problem expressing themselves.  After the initial discussion, though, I usually choose kids who were notably quiet during the last discussion.  This way, I make sure that they're accountable for participation.  (I also take a participation grade.)

Fishbowl discussions are revolutionizing my kids' writing, because they're eliminating the problems I listed first-- they are forced to think critically, and talking through their thoughts helps them to formulate the words they need to write.

What tricks do you use to get kids discussing?

redditgifts for the Teachers 2013

Having been back into the school year for three weeks now, I feel like I'm finally hitting my stride again.  That means new blog posts coming up!

Right now, though, I just had to send out a huge thank-you to redditgifts, who created a gift exchange called redditgifts for Teachers 2013 just for people to send teachers free stuff!  I mean, wow.  DonorsChoose, and now this one, too?!  There are so many good people in the world, y'all.  

I heard about the exchange and sent in a request for a gift.  It asked me to fill in some details about my classroom, like what grade level and subject(s) I teach, what we needed/wanted most, and our school colors.  A week or so later, I got an email saying that my "Santa" had shipped a package for me!

When the boxes arrived, I ripped into them immediately and found the most-used resources my classroom needs: a huge 6-pack of tissues, and a big bottle of hand sanitizer.  No flu in my room this year!  

I had really never heard of reddit before, and I'm not sure if this is an annual event or a one-time deal, but how awesome was that?  Someone, out of the kindness of his/her giant heart, just decided to mail my kids a gift.  

Happy Friday!  It doesn't get much better than free classroom supplies, in my book.

Quick and Easy Seating Charts

     Well, I've made it through the first "week" of school.  And even though that week was actually only three days with students, I am exhausted.  
     One thing that makes my first few weeks manageable is a seating chart.  For the freshmen, few of whom I already know, I seat my students in alphabetical order by first name.  This helps me learn names more quickly-- I know if a student is on the right side of the room, his/her name must start with a letter early in the alphabet.  That helps trigger my memory and I learn more quickly.  Unfortunately, those alphabetical seating charts don't always put kids in the seats that actually work best for them.
     After I've had time to learn names, I am ready to re-do seating charts.  If you can manage a room full of hormonal half-adults without assigned seats, more power to you!  But I have got to assign seats.  It makes all our lives a bit easier.  

5 Steps to a Seating Chart that Suits Everyone

1. Make notes as to where you'd like certain students to be.  Note behavior issues, students who work well (or don't) together, and IEPs that require preferential seating.

2. Ask the kids.  I know this goes against everything an old-school teacher might suggest, but really- I have each student answer three questions:
      - Where would you prefer to sit and why?
      - With whom do you work well?
      - With whom do you not work well?
Honestly, this requires a good rapport with students.  I wait until I know them well enough to either trust them or not.  If you give kids a little freedom to make these choices, they appreciate it and most times will not abuse the privilege.  Important: I make it clear to kids that I will not necessarily put them where they request, but that I will try.

3. Go to HappyClassApp.  This site allows you to set up a classroom and arrange your seats as they are in your room.  Then, the fun part.  HappyClassApp allows you to set rules for each student- Alison prefers to sit up front, Will prefers the back, Brandi and Trent work well together, but Evan and Morgan do not, etc. 

You can even "pin" students to specific seats if you need them in a certain spot.  Once you've set rules (based on your preferences combined with the kids' preferences), you click the "Optimize" button.  The app automatically rearranges students to make the best fit for everyone.  If a student is unhappy, their name will display a frowning face.  Click the "optimize" button again, and the app will try again until everyone is happy (including you!).

Because of those "so-so" happy kids,
I'd probably optimize this one again
until I got a better result.

4. Number your classroom seats.  I use colorful masking tape, and starting on one side, assign each seat a number.  (Tip: It's also helpful to put a strip of tape along the wall to remind kids where their rows should be and which seats belong in each row.  It makes straightening the room a snap.)

5. Print out the HappyClassApp seating chart, and number each seat on the chart.  Post it in your classroom, and tell students to find their spot.  No one wanders around trying to figure out which seat is theirs on the diagram, because they just go to their number.  Easy peasy!

How NOT To Lose Your Mind at Open House

Open House night can be a back-to-school nightmare.  I teach primarily freshmen, who are in the weird spot between childhood and young adult.  What that means is that, unlike my colleagues who teach upperclassmen, I see lots of parents at open house.  (Score me!)  Unfortunately, I'm terrible at learning new names.  And of course, I have about 100-120 kids per year . . . times 1-4 parents each . . . = a lot of new names.  In addition to the pressure that comes from remembering everyone who comes through, I'm also trying to:

1. handle registration paperwork (lunch forms, medical permission, demographic information, locker fees, etc.) for my 16 advisory students- and

- welcome new students warmly- and

- tell all the people what materials they need for each of my classes- and

- point parents in the direction of Remind101, as well as my classroom Facebook and Pinterest pages- and

- answer parent questions and connect with them.

At least we know Ryan Gosling appreciates us, right y'all?  : )

Needless to say, it can get overwhelming.  When there are 10 people in my room during a 10-minute period, all needing/doing different things, it's nearly impossible to connect with each one of them.  Here's how I structure Open House night to fix help that situation.

1. Set up individual folders for homeroom students.  Inside, I put all the paperwork I need filled out.  I also include a handy checklist, telling them what forms must be returned, what forms are optional, and what is just there for their information.

2. Add a special welcome.  This year, I made little treat bags for each of my advisory students(our version of homeroom).  Roll your eyes if you must, but I like my cheesy-ness.  Cheesyness?  Cheesiness?  Hmmm.

3. Set up multiple materials lists.  Many parents are just there to quickly find out what school supplies they'll need.  They've got places to be, so I'm happy to be accommodating.  I post a list of class materials outside my room, and this one on the board.  I even added a stack of scrap paper and pens so they can write it down.

4. Make it easy for parents to get your contact information. I'm using QR codes posted strategically on my door and around my room.  When scanned with a smartphone, they'll lead parents to a page detailing my school email address, links to my Facebook and Pinterest pages, and my planning time.  Another great (and lower-tech) way to easily pass on contact info: VistaPrint regularly offers deals on business cards-- even as low as free!

5. Add a place for parents to sign in.  I do this because it allows me to have a record of all the parents I spoke with when my memory fails me.  I use this sheet, which I found on Pinterest a few years ago.  It allows parents to leave me with their email or cell number, so that I know how they'd prefer to be contacted.  I can then send out a quick email thanking them for coming-- great way to establish a rapport with parents. 

6. Now that everyone has a place to go when they arrive, I can relax and work the room, answering questions and doin' my thang.  

Open House is tomorrow for me-- what fantastic things are you doing to welcome your kids back?

Classroom Tour 2013

My classroom is officially ready for kids-- which is good, because they'll be there, ready or not, on Wednesday!  Take a peek:

I'm ready for my close-up . . . 

Entryway

teacher resources shelving

entryway shelving

FREE adorable supply labels 
courtesy of Shari Abbey on TeachersPayTeachers

classroom library

Front Wall

front whiteboard/SmartBoard area

paperwork/forms for students

homework board

daily schedule
1- How sweet is my Día de los Muertos calacas?
2- Check out ol' Willy Shakes watching from the closet door- he's my homeboy!

My Desk Area

my desk and student-conference chair

I was told to put a lamp in my room for years-- never listened.  I finally did a week or so ago, and I'm in love!  It's so cozy.

Resources I need constantly- lesson plans, reference books, commonly-used teacher guides and games.  To the right is my "snack stash" and to the left is the organizer where I store ready-to-go copies and papers that need returning.

The kids love this big calendar on my desk- they're always quick to remind me when a new month rolls around!

The Far Side

File cabinets (with top drawer reserved for students to turn things in) and student-needs center.

My little-used podium- I bought this beautiful weaving in Costa Rica.

This table will soon hold novel sets and/or mail crates; right now, it's full of school supplies I scavenged during locker clean-out in May (for parents who need a little help with school shopping).

I know two things that could make my room even nicer:

1- kids!

2- an apple-cinnamon candle (but, Mr. Principal and Mr. Fire Marshal, I learned my lesson.  Promise.)

Are you posting a classroom tour on your blog?  Please share in the comments!

Keep Calm and . . . Go Back to Class?

My sweet, beautiful, oh-so-crafty Momma made me some gorgeous custom hall passes when I started teaching.  Since then, my name changed-- and the hall passes went to the bathroom 586,241,198.2 times.  They were pretty gross, so I threw them out and started over.  I am nowhere near as talented as Mom, but I wanted to make my own this time, and I wanted them to be super fun.  So I made a little trip to Michaels (armed with my school ID for that awesome teacher discount) and got started-- here's how I did it:


1. I bought a 2-pack of "craft wood" pieces, some Mod Podge, and a pretty piece of polka-dotted scrapbook paper.

2. I created my "Keep Calm and Go Back To Class" design using My Memories Suite, a software program designed for digital scrapbooking.  (I use it more frequently these days for making fun classroom posters and blog images.)  In hindsight, I could have just as easily done my design on Microsoft Word, because it's so simple.

3. After checking my measurements on the wood blocks, I printed my design (2 on a page) onto the scrapbook paper in the right dimensions and trimmed off the excess.

4. I applied a thin coat of Mod Podge to one side of each piece of wood, and stuck the papers on.  When I had them where I wanted them, I applied another coat of Mod Podge (fairly thick this time) over the paper.

5. I let the Mod Podge completely dry, then applied another coat.  (Repeat this step 2-3 times.)

6. To keep the hall passes from feeling sticky, I sprayed each one with a generous coat of clear varnish twice, letting it dry completely between coats.

Now I've got two adorable hall passes-- and I love the trendy reminder to hurry back to class!   

Click below to grab the materials I used.

Ten Technology Tips Every Teacher Should Know

School's in for the autumn!  Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, huh?!

Even though we've all been working diligently for some time, my county has our first official pre-school work day tomorrow.  This morning was our annual technology conference, and I thought I'd share my presentation-

When I was asked to present, I knew I wanted to do something really useful.  We've all been to PD sessions in which we sat for an hour (or more!) and learned nothing.  So I came up with this-- ten technology tidbits I use frequently and couldn't live without.  Check it out!

10 technology tips presentation from Megan Patrick

A revision: I realize you can't access the two video clips in the presentation, so here they are:
DonorsChoose
Remind101