Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship. Show all posts

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Responsibility, What's Your Policy?

I was watching the Cavs play, on their way to their eighth win in a row, when a Liberty Mutual commercial came on.  Normally, I would start flipping channels, but this ad caught my eye.  In fact, I rewound and watched it twice more. 

Then I started thinking about students in Reading Workshop.  If a day was filmed, what would it look like?  How often does someone do something that might be worth including in this ad built on people helping people?

Previously this year we talked about Sportsmanship in the Classroom. Students had many great ideas about how this looked and how it made the class, and the school a better place.  Do you see it in action?  Could this video include clips from us?



What about it students? Have you seen someone that you think should be included? What did they do that modeled responsibility towards others?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

A Smile Spreader

Each morning Madison walks into the room, passing out smiles and hellos to everyone in her path.  She greets each student like a long lost friend, and lets them know she is glad to see them.  There are no rainy days in her world, and she wants every person she sees to join her in the sunshine.

This upbeat attitude has infected the whole class.  You cannot be around her without giving some of the smile back.  The next thing you know, even if  you are real careful, and try to prevent it, you give a smile to someone else, and on and on.  It's almost ridiculous how this epidemic spreads each morning.  

I started thinking about this as I was reading the We Teach, We Learn blog and found this link to research at Harvard and the University of California at San Diego by Dr. Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler.  They found that "happiness spreads through social networks like an emotional contagion."  

I don't need research to prove it to me.  I have to watch or I get caught up in it every morning. If this kid doesn't get to seventh grade before long, I may end up smiling all the time.  Naahhhh, probably not.

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/joellecleveland/2581227771/sizes/s/

Friday, November 13, 2009

Does Sportsmanship Fit in the Classroom?

Sportsmanship, kindness, fairness--this video demonstrates all of the characteristics that we hope to teach, to model, and to see as teachers.




What would you do in a similar situation? What kind of opportunities are there in the classroom to show the same traits as the Central Washington players?

Thank you to Mrs. Stevenson for the heads up about this video.

Larger Than Life Poem


After I read Larger-Than-Life LARA written by Dandi Daley Mackall, aloud to the class, Katie had an excellent idea in her post Lara at Laurelville.  She wondered what kind of poems Lara might assign to our students.

As I thought about her post, and looked back over some of Lara's poems, I thought this was too great of an opportunity to ignore.

Here are a couple of examples of Lara's poems:


Sara Rivers with the silvery voice,
Reach for the stars! It's still your choice.
You can do it, though it's scary.
Fear is so unnecessary.


Joey Gilbert, I'm not mad.
I just think you're very sad.
Maybe you still miss your dad?
Miss the love you never had?
Joey it will be okay,
If you try out for the play.
I could help you learn your part.
The backstage crew could use your art.
Don't pretend that you don't care.
You can do what you can dare.


Mrs. Smith, it's all okay.
Please don't worry for this play.
Things can always work out best,
Sometimes life is just a test.
I can understand--you bet!
Besides, I'll like to work on set.

So students, the assignment is to write a "Larger Than Life" poem.  Please be sure a lesson, or bit of kindly advise is given, and include interesting details.

Need some help with rhyming, check out Rhyme Zone.
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Monday, March 23, 2009

What Can Be Fixed

I heard the comment the other day, "if it can't be fixed in five minutes, with what's on hand, then don't mention it." I started thinking about students in Reading Workshop and how this might apply to them, and their education.

Seventy-three missed homework assignments this year really doesn't matter as much as having the right attitude and learning today. There is no way to fix all of the hours that a student didn't read at home. There is no way to change an F from the first semester. Although sometimes people expect it, teachers are not magicians.

But, just maybe with a little work, and a discussion of today's assignment, a student can figure out that character development is how a character changes from the beginning to the end of a story. There is no way to "fix" a parent that won't follow through with checking the assignment book each night, but a student can spend some free time making up missed work. It's impossible to immediately make a student read at grade level. However, with a little effort, we could fix mistakes written in response to a passage.

Things I can fix:
1. The climate of today's class
2. A student not understanding the task at hand
3. Mistakes on an assignment
4. Today's lesson and how it's being taught

Things I can't fix include:
1. Last week, last semester, and last year
2. Parents' problems
3. Intercom interruptions
4. The war in Iraq
5. The economy
6. Peas for lunch
7. Floods, blizzards, thunderstorms, and hail
8. Dog bites, cat scratches, and bee stings
9. Broken hearts and she doesn't like me anymore
10. Missed shots, interceptions, and strike outs
11. Broken arms
12. Cavaties
13. Bad hair and bad breath
14. And on, and on, and on . . .

Looking at these lists, I realized I better get busy for the next five minutes and focus on what I can control. What about you, students? What can you fix?
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Friday, November 7, 2008

I Miss Are Blonde Times

My daughter, Heather got this message from a friend she hadn't seen in a while. She was glad to hear from her, and is going to make plans to see her soon. Heather, and her friend are both brunettes, but capable of blonde moments.
However, as told by Heather:
I might miss our blonde times, but I sure don't miss are blonde times together.
Now hair color has absolutely no bearing on the ability to write a sensible message, and the girl that wrote this is not a blonde, but she sure made her point. Hopefully they can get together soon and there fun times will continue! :)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Inclusion That Works

I like Dylan, Mr. McGuire.  I like him and he likes me.  He's my friend, Mr. McGuire.
Laurelville has inclusion of handicapped students.  In other words, students with disabilities on an IEP (Individualized Educational Program) are mainstreamed into the regular classroom to the greatest extent possible.  I am a strong advocate of inclusion, both for the benefits of student on IEP's, and those in the regular classroom.
This year, there are two students included, with significant special needs.  They join us in homeroom, special classes like art, music, and P.E., and for part of Reading Workshop.  At the end of the first nine weeks, these students have made tremendous progress.  Part of this is due to a teacher's aide, C. Conrad that is motivated to help them to the greatest extent possible.
The real success story here though, is my homeroom.  I have never seen a group of students act so kindly towards classmates in need.  And all of the credit is theirs.  I have never had to tell them to be nice, or to be helpful.  They have just consistently made decisions that demonstrate caring and helpfulness.  I can't even describe how proud I am to be part of their success.
Standing out as a leader is Dylan.  He has a buddy at his side nonstop.  In class, when we come to the circle, at lunch, in the hallway, it doesn't matter.  And, he offers his friendship, keeps him out of trouble, gets him where he needs to go, tries to keep him quiet when he should be, and does it all in the kindest manner possible.  And his only reward, at least 3 or 4 times a day we hear:
I like Dylan Mr. McGuire, and he likes me.  I'm his friend, and he my friend, Mr. McGuire.  He's my buddy, Mr. McGuire.  I like Dylan, and he likes me.
I like Dylan, too!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Keitha Lane, Super Hero

Keitha LaneI saw my hero yesterday. She came over from her new job as the Jr. High principal to see the Halloween parade. I had been thinking about her lately as I read aloud to my classes, A Boy in the Girls' Bathroom written by Louis Sachar. This is the story of Bradley Chalkers, a student who makes a disaster out of everything. He meets Carla, the school counselor and with her support, turns his life around. I feel like Keitha Lane was the Carla of Laurelville and for me as a teacher.

It seems funny to think of this short little woman as a super hero, but her impact on the teachers and students at Laurelville during her eight years as principal was amazing. Now, in all honesty, I had never met a boss that I liked too much, before she took on our school. And our start together was rockier than the Rocky Mountains. However, she pushed, pulled, prodded, encouraged and demanded, all while being a friend, and supporting me in my growth as a teacher.

During her time as principal, whenever I had an idea that I wanted to try in the classroom, she would say, "give it a try and we will see how it works." She found funding to go from four computers in my language arts class to twenty-four. She purchased an LCD projector and Doc camera, to use to show students' work. When I first found out about Study Island, the on-line learning program, she said, "let's give it a try." Now it is used throughout the district. It didn't seem to matter what the situation was, she was always about finding new ways to help the students.

As I look back on our time together, I could never thank her enough for the impact she had on my life. And, as I look at my students each day when we come to the circle to talk at the start of each class, my hope is that in some way, I can make a student feel the way she made me feel. I guess, as far as I am concerned, she is the superest of the super heroes.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Do You Say Hello?

Grouchy SmurfEmily and Heather, two of my daughters and Jason were talking and as I listened in on their conversation , I heard:

H:  David saw you Thursday at the cafeteria.
E:  He is so nice.
H:  He said he didn't come over and sit beside you because you looked so grouchy.  He thought you were in a bad mood.
E.  I wasn't in a bad mood.
H.  He said he really likes you, but you never speak to him.
E.  I always say hi if he says hi to me.
H.  Do you ever say hi to him first?
E.  Well, no, but I like him and always talk to him when he says hi.

At this point, I couldn't stand it any more and had to butt in.  I asked Em how come she never tries to be a friend to him.  She said, "I really like him a lot.  I just don't usually talk to people first."

How many people limit their friendships?  Emily had no idea that David felt this way.  She was shocked when she found out.  I'll bet she speaks to him the next time she sees him.

As I start to think back on my morning, I wonder, did I miss out on a chance for friendship?  Who did I not speak to?  Who is wondering why I didn't speak?  Are you missing out on a chance to make a friend?  Or to make someone's day?