Today, as I was browsing Twitter, @donalynbooks posed a question that made me reflect on my practices as a principal. She asked: What are principals doing to get students excited about reading?
In my post titled, Kicking Off the Year Promoting Reading, I outlined 5 steps I was taking to set the stage for a culture of reading at my school. Today, I'd like to highlight one of the things that is happening as a result of some of the steps I have taken to become a major promoter of reading at my school.
Student Book Recommendations
As students became excited about my morning book reviews and recommendations as part of my 180 #bookaday challenge, I started having students come to me in passing and telling me about a book they were reading and that I "just had to read it" too. I started having teachers have their classes share a book with me that they were really excited about as I went in to do walk-throughs, observations, or visits. I thought, I'm onto something here. So, I decided to have students begin making formal recommendations to me. I gave teachers master copies of book recommendation forms and purchased a "magic book" for the students to drop the recommendations into. (One of those decorative boxes that look like a book that you can find in any home decorating store.) Then, I shared my "magic book" on the announcements and told the students they could choose to recommend books they were reading to me and I would select one student each week to join me on the morning announcements. Another bonus here--they have to write and explain why the book is worthy of their recommendation! I have posted all of the recommendations on the doors to my office. I am beginning to run out of space and plan to begin covering a bulletin board outside my office too. The students are so excited to hear their name called as a presenter and their eyes light up when they see that I have their recommendation hanging in my office.
We are becoming a school community that talks about books, recommends books to others, and views reading as an exciting component of our culture. Through my daily reading challenge, I am reading some great books and feel better equipped to match readers with books. I am trying to lead by example and show my students the joy of reading, and I am reaping the rewards of hearing the excitement in their voices or seeing it in their writing when they are recommending books to me. Just by reading and having a dialogue about books, we are well on our way to becoming a school where readers flourish.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday, September 16, 2012
A Need for Early Childhood Education
One of the first things I read this morning stirred up my passion for early childhood education. In an article titled, Our Children, Our City: In Indiana, we fail our children in thinking early learning is optional, not essential, Scott Ellison and Robert King once again highlight the need for our state to get on board with funding Pre-K programs.
With Indiana's K-3 Reading Initiative to have all 3rd grade students pass a state reading assessment that will determine their readiness to move on to grade 4, you would think that there would be more urgency to help our students come to elementary school better prepared. Have we become so focused on college and career readiness that we are failing to recognize one of the most important times in our students' lives--what happens between birth and age 5?
If you step into any kindergarten classroom, you will quickly recognize that there is a vast range of abilities and school readiness among students. Some will know their alphabet, be able to count, have had experiences with books, and will be able to write their name. Others will not be able to recognize a single letter of the alphabet, have had little to no experiences with books, and may have never picked up a pencil or crayon.
This is my thirteenth year in education, and I can honestly tell you that school-readiness is one of the single-most important factors in determining a child's early and continued success in school. Yet in Indiana children aren't even required by law to attend school until they are age 7, nor are they required to attend kindergarten. These state statutes continue to blow my mind. In the article, Ellis and King contrast the extreme gap in beliefs between an optional early childhood education in Indiana and South Korea's mandate that children begin preschool at age 3. Why does Indiana continue to believe that early learning experiences--including kindergarten-- are optional?
Most legislators will tell you that the answer is simple: money. This may be true, but it is hard to believe that there isn't something more that could be done. After all, the state cut education funding by $300 million dollars a couple of years ago, causing many teachers to lose their jobs and quality educational programs to be cut. Recently, the government announced that they found out that this money was really there--it was an accounting error. (Insert your own comment here.) With that said, other states have been creative and have earmarked funding sources such as their state lottery revenue to help with educational needs--something that Indiana touted when first bringing the state lottery to Hoosiers in 1988. Amazingly, 2012 was the first year that Indiana was able to up the ante on full day kindergarten funding--a one year grant that assisted school corporations enough to be able to offer full day kindergarten free of charge for our patrons--still not fully funding it as touted in the media. In the past, we have charged parents tuition to have their child in a full day program to help offset the funding deficit. Even with the funding increase, we still had to advertise the free full day kindergarten as optional. Fortunately, all of my kindergarten students are full day this year-- something that has been a long time coming! I am looking forward to seeing the payoff for them as they progress through elementary school.
Funding Pre-K will not alleviate all of the gaps in readiness and achievement, but it sure would be a great place to start. If we could get all students at age 3 or 4 into a structured educational environment that allowed them to play, explore, learn, and have rich experiences with literacy and numeracy, I believe we would see an increase in not only the test scores our students are measured with, but in the output of educationally well-rounded and successful "college and career ready" citizens. Shouldn't that be our goal?
Let's continue funding for full day kindergarten, require students to start school by age 5, and find a way to make Pre-K happen, Indiana! Our children are our most valuable resources, and our future depends on it!
With Indiana's K-3 Reading Initiative to have all 3rd grade students pass a state reading assessment that will determine their readiness to move on to grade 4, you would think that there would be more urgency to help our students come to elementary school better prepared. Have we become so focused on college and career readiness that we are failing to recognize one of the most important times in our students' lives--what happens between birth and age 5?
If you step into any kindergarten classroom, you will quickly recognize that there is a vast range of abilities and school readiness among students. Some will know their alphabet, be able to count, have had experiences with books, and will be able to write their name. Others will not be able to recognize a single letter of the alphabet, have had little to no experiences with books, and may have never picked up a pencil or crayon.
This is my thirteenth year in education, and I can honestly tell you that school-readiness is one of the single-most important factors in determining a child's early and continued success in school. Yet in Indiana children aren't even required by law to attend school until they are age 7, nor are they required to attend kindergarten. These state statutes continue to blow my mind. In the article, Ellis and King contrast the extreme gap in beliefs between an optional early childhood education in Indiana and South Korea's mandate that children begin preschool at age 3. Why does Indiana continue to believe that early learning experiences--including kindergarten-- are optional?
Most legislators will tell you that the answer is simple: money. This may be true, but it is hard to believe that there isn't something more that could be done. After all, the state cut education funding by $300 million dollars a couple of years ago, causing many teachers to lose their jobs and quality educational programs to be cut. Recently, the government announced that they found out that this money was really there--it was an accounting error. (Insert your own comment here.) With that said, other states have been creative and have earmarked funding sources such as their state lottery revenue to help with educational needs--something that Indiana touted when first bringing the state lottery to Hoosiers in 1988. Amazingly, 2012 was the first year that Indiana was able to up the ante on full day kindergarten funding--a one year grant that assisted school corporations enough to be able to offer full day kindergarten free of charge for our patrons--still not fully funding it as touted in the media. In the past, we have charged parents tuition to have their child in a full day program to help offset the funding deficit. Even with the funding increase, we still had to advertise the free full day kindergarten as optional. Fortunately, all of my kindergarten students are full day this year-- something that has been a long time coming! I am looking forward to seeing the payoff for them as they progress through elementary school.
Funding Pre-K will not alleviate all of the gaps in readiness and achievement, but it sure would be a great place to start. If we could get all students at age 3 or 4 into a structured educational environment that allowed them to play, explore, learn, and have rich experiences with literacy and numeracy, I believe we would see an increase in not only the test scores our students are measured with, but in the output of educationally well-rounded and successful "college and career ready" citizens. Shouldn't that be our goal?
Let's continue funding for full day kindergarten, require students to start school by age 5, and find a way to make Pre-K happen, Indiana! Our children are our most valuable resources, and our future depends on it!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
A Sense of Belonging
Building a strong sense of community in the classroom is extremely important. This year, as the staff begins making improvements in the area of writer's workshop, we are also emphasizing the importance of building a sense of belonging for our students. If we want our students to feel comfortable speaking and writing about personal experiences, they need a safe and accepting environment in which to do so. One way we are promoting community-building in our classrooms is through "morning meeting" or "community circle."
Fortunately, we have a resident expert in this practice. Our 4/5 High Ability teacher worked with the instructional coach to videotape her morning meeting and gave a highly informational presentation to the staff on what a morning meeting in her classroom consists of. More importantly, she outlined all of the benefits of the morning meeting. The most beneficial element, in my opinion, is the sense of belonging that students get from this daily interaction with their peers. They learn that they are part of a classroom "family" and that they take care of each other, have fun together, and learn together.
Teachers have a lot on their plates right now and may not feel that they have time in their daily schedules to devote to a 15- 20 minute meeting with their class. However, if they take just 15-20 minutes of their day to focus on creating a positive learning community within their classrooms, they may spend less time dealing with behavior issues and may see an increase teamwork, effort, pride, and perseverance.
As I walked through the building last week and witnessed several classrooms having their meetings, it was clear that many of the teachers are seeing the benefits of this daily ritual. I am anxious to see the positive impact on not only their classroom community but on the culture of the entire school. We must continue to create the time to build a positive learning community and help all of our students feel a sense of belonging. It is up to us to help our students find their voice, their role, and their significance in their school community. It is time very well spent!
Fortunately, we have a resident expert in this practice. Our 4/5 High Ability teacher worked with the instructional coach to videotape her morning meeting and gave a highly informational presentation to the staff on what a morning meeting in her classroom consists of. More importantly, she outlined all of the benefits of the morning meeting. The most beneficial element, in my opinion, is the sense of belonging that students get from this daily interaction with their peers. They learn that they are part of a classroom "family" and that they take care of each other, have fun together, and learn together.
Teachers have a lot on their plates right now and may not feel that they have time in their daily schedules to devote to a 15- 20 minute meeting with their class. However, if they take just 15-20 minutes of their day to focus on creating a positive learning community within their classrooms, they may spend less time dealing with behavior issues and may see an increase teamwork, effort, pride, and perseverance.
As I walked through the building last week and witnessed several classrooms having their meetings, it was clear that many of the teachers are seeing the benefits of this daily ritual. I am anxious to see the positive impact on not only their classroom community but on the culture of the entire school. We must continue to create the time to build a positive learning community and help all of our students feel a sense of belonging. It is up to us to help our students find their voice, their role, and their significance in their school community. It is time very well spent!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Choose Kind
We live in a world of put downs, reality shows that encourage name calling and fist fights, gossip magazines and television programs that highlight celebrities making poor choices. News reports highlight crime and wrongdoing. Negative headlines are the norm. Even most comedy programming is based upon making fun of others. Our kids are inundated on a daily basis with images of disrespect, violence, and generally uncouth behavior. So how are our youth supposed to view their world? How are they to determine how to treat others?
Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all made a conscious effort to "choose kind?" As I reread RJ Palacio's Wonder this weekend, I hoped that Palacio's story would have a meaningful and positive impact on the students in our fifth grade classrooms. All of my fifth grade teachers chose to begin the year with one of my all-time favorite books as their first read aloud.
Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all made a conscious effort to "choose kind?" As I reread RJ Palacio's Wonder this weekend, I hoped that Palacio's story would have a meaningful and positive impact on the students in our fifth grade classrooms. All of my fifth grade teachers chose to begin the year with one of my all-time favorite books as their first read aloud.
In Wonder, Auggie Pullman's unique differences are a daily battle for him. He experiences the stares, the name-calling, and the lack of tolerance first-hand. This book is a portrayal of how cruel society can be when someone is viewed as "different." It is my hope that this book can help our students learn that those who can look beyond appearances and choose to treat others with kindness will help make the world a better place.
Each day in our building, we say our school pledge that includes "Today I will do the right thing and treat people right." It is our hope that we can help our students internalize those beliefs and practice them daily. I am proud of my fifth grade teachers for choosing such an inspiring story to start the year with. As our fifth graders become familiar with the wonder of Wonder, I hope that they can begin to see the world from Auggie's perspective and make a conscious effort to "Choose Kind."
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Kicking Off the Year Promoting Reading
This summer, as I was contemplating the goals I would set for myself for the new school year, one idea kept rising to the top. I set my sights on becoming the lead reader and number one promoter of reading at my school. Why? I want my students and staff to love books and reading just as much as I do. I want all of my students to be successful readers and lifelong learners. If I am not the lead reader in the building and setting an example for others, how can I expect my staff and my students to be avid readers?
Here are 5 things I have done to kick off the school year promoting reading at Mayflower Mill.
1. Summer Reading
This summer I decided that I was going to buckle down and do a lot of reading in preparation for the school year. I had set a goal for myself to read at least 20 professional, children's, and young adult books. I surpassed that goal, also reading some best selling "grown up" novels. I made reading a priority in my summer plans and was excited to share my summer reading picks with others. When I returned to school in mid-July, I began creating a collage on the door to my office to advertise the books I read this summer. It's been a hit with both students and staff, and I have great recommendations to pass along.
2. 180 #bookaday Challenge
To get students excited about books and reading, I announced that I would be doing a 180 #bookaday challenge. I will read one picture book a day for each day we are in school. Each morning on our daily announcements, I give a brief review of the book I read the day before. I include the title and author of the book and end my review with some type of hook that I hope will make everyone else want to read the book too. I created a bulletin board in my office for a monthly display of the books I am reading for my #bookaday challenge. I am also strategically placing myself in prime locations to read the books so that students see me reading. One day I sat near the entrance to the lunchroom as my second graders were entering. They got really excited, and I heard many whispers of, "Look! Ms. Higgins is reading another book!"
3. Staff Book Study: The Book Whisperer
One of the books that inspired me to be a bigger promoter of reading was The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks). I was so inspired, in fact, that I purchased this book for all of my teachers. We will be reading it and discussing it during our morning professional development time. I am hoping that many of them will feel just as inspired as I did after reading it.
Currently Reading: About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers by Katie Wood Ray
4. Currently Reading: Promoting Books Via Email
I saw this idea on Twitter. I added a line at the end of my email signature that identifies what I'm currently reading. I update my signature each time I begin a new professional book. This is a great way to advertise to everyone I communicate with that reading is important to me.
Mayflower Mill is a Daily 5/CAFE school. Therefore, we begin each year with building our students' reading stamina. "Read to Self" is the first component of Daily 5 that we teach to all students. This is done by the teachers working with the students to identify what it should look like, feel like, and sound like during a time they are reading to themselves. Then, teachers allow students to read independently and train them to increase their stamina so that they can build up the amount of time they can stay on task with their reading. One way we promote increasing stamina is by having a Reading Stamina Challenge. I have the teachers chart their students' daily stamina time and then collect the average number of minutes each class was able to read independently for the week. I then announce their average reading stamina times on the morning announcements and congratulate them on their efforts. This challenge is a fun way to get the students excited about being independent readers.
So, there you have it! 5 ways that I am building excitement for reading this year. There are many more plans in the works, so I will provide updates as the school year progresses.
Here are 5 things I have done to kick off the school year promoting reading at Mayflower Mill.
This summer I decided that I was going to buckle down and do a lot of reading in preparation for the school year. I had set a goal for myself to read at least 20 professional, children's, and young adult books. I surpassed that goal, also reading some best selling "grown up" novels. I made reading a priority in my summer plans and was excited to share my summer reading picks with others. When I returned to school in mid-July, I began creating a collage on the door to my office to advertise the books I read this summer. It's been a hit with both students and staff, and I have great recommendations to pass along.
To get students excited about books and reading, I announced that I would be doing a 180 #bookaday challenge. I will read one picture book a day for each day we are in school. Each morning on our daily announcements, I give a brief review of the book I read the day before. I include the title and author of the book and end my review with some type of hook that I hope will make everyone else want to read the book too. I created a bulletin board in my office for a monthly display of the books I am reading for my #bookaday challenge. I am also strategically placing myself in prime locations to read the books so that students see me reading. One day I sat near the entrance to the lunchroom as my second graders were entering. They got really excited, and I heard many whispers of, "Look! Ms. Higgins is reading another book!"
3. Staff Book Study: The Book Whisperer
One of the books that inspired me to be a bigger promoter of reading was The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks). I was so inspired, in fact, that I purchased this book for all of my teachers. We will be reading it and discussing it during our morning professional development time. I am hoping that many of them will feel just as inspired as I did after reading it.
Currently Reading: About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers by Katie Wood Ray
4. Currently Reading: Promoting Books Via Email
I saw this idea on Twitter. I added a line at the end of my email signature that identifies what I'm currently reading. I update my signature each time I begin a new professional book. This is a great way to advertise to everyone I communicate with that reading is important to me.
got stamina?
5. Stamina ChallengeMayflower Mill is a Daily 5/CAFE school. Therefore, we begin each year with building our students' reading stamina. "Read to Self" is the first component of Daily 5 that we teach to all students. This is done by the teachers working with the students to identify what it should look like, feel like, and sound like during a time they are reading to themselves. Then, teachers allow students to read independently and train them to increase their stamina so that they can build up the amount of time they can stay on task with their reading. One way we promote increasing stamina is by having a Reading Stamina Challenge. I have the teachers chart their students' daily stamina time and then collect the average number of minutes each class was able to read independently for the week. I then announce their average reading stamina times on the morning announcements and congratulate them on their efforts. This challenge is a fun way to get the students excited about being independent readers.
So, there you have it! 5 ways that I am building excitement for reading this year. There are many more plans in the works, so I will provide updates as the school year progresses.
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