Author: mrsolson (Page 1 of 4)

Last semester, I had the opportunity to learn about the importance of morning meetings and how to effectively run one. I found the concept of morning meetings to be incredibly valuable, as they provide a structured time for students to connect with one another and feel heard right from the start of the day. These meetings not only help build relationships within the class but also create a sense of community and belonging.

I have now had the pleasure of seeing a meeting in action in Mrs. D’s grade 6 class. Before I can explain what I observed in her classroom, I would like to give you a description of what a morning meeting looks like.

There are four components to a morning meeting.

Sharing

Teachers encourage student engagement by posing thought-provoking questions spanning a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from current events to fantastical realms, igniting curiosity and imagination within the classroom. Examples of these questions are “If you were a superhero, what would your name be? What powers would you have?”, “How do you help others?”, and “Of all the things you are learning, what do you think will be the most useful when you are an adult?”. For more examples please visit https://learngrowblossom.co/105-morning-meeting-sharing-ideas/

Group Activity

All individuals take part in a brief and dynamic activity aimed at strengthening group unity while allowing students to sharpen both their social and academic skills. These activities may include reciting poetry, dancing, singing, or engaging in interactive games. For more activities please visit https://elementaryedu.com/2021/12/morning-meeting-activities.html

 

Morning Message

Students engage with a brief message composed by their teacher, designed to guide their focus towards the day’s academic tasks and activities. The teacher tailors the message to facilitate student understanding and preparation for the day’s learning objectives. For ideas on how to compose a morning message please visit https://elementaryedu.com/2021/12/morning-message-ideas.html

 

For more information on morning meetings and why they are so important in a classroom watch the short video below. 

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During the grade 6 morning meeting, student’s were posed the question “If your favourite colour had a smell, what would it smell like?”. Students had a lot of fun answering this question, but were forewarned not to make their smell gross, or she would end the sharing. I was able to participate in this sharing and my answer was hot pink and it reminded me of Hubba Bubba gum 🙂

One thing I observed in this class during their morning meeting was that it was an “Everything you may, nothing you must” type of activity, and students had the freedom to pass if they did not want to participate. It was intriguing to see students who passed often, but when something they enjoyed was introduced, they were eager to join in. This fostered a positive and supportive classroom environment, where students felt comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and experiences. 

Moving forward, I’m excited to implement morning meetings in my own classroom as a way to prioritize student voice and cultivate a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Please enjoy below a kindergarten morning meeting I co-created with a classmate in my management class last semester.

Morning Meeting: Kindergarten

Created by Kelly and Lauren

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Check in: Sign in question will be on the board, as students are filing in they will sign their name in one of four quadrants answering which season they like the best. Each quadrant will have the word as well as a season image to help them figure it out. Normal classroom we would have a few students arriving at a time and would be able to help them. 

Greeting: T-Rex Handshake

Try to find one friend you haven’t greeted in morning meeting yet this week

• Students will walk around with short “t-rex” hands and greet other students. 
• Greet 3-5 friends, handshake/wave, go up to friends and say and try to shake their hand  “Good morning Ms Kelly!” they will respond “Good Morning Ms Lauren!” 

Sharing: What do you like about the season you chose?

Quickly go over what full body listening looks like by asking students for examples.

• We will go through the quadrants and ask each student what is one thing they like about the season they chose (or one thing they like doing in that season).
• Could follow attendance sheet order or backwards so we don’t do all the same seasons at once 

Group Activity: A Fall Wind Blows

 Teacher will say “A fall wind blows for everyone who” and then follow it up with a trait, meaning something specific, and if it relates to a student, they jump up and wiggle.  Example “ A fall wind blows for everyone that is wearing black,” 

• Possible statements: wearing a certain colour, laces on their shoes, hair colour, who chose a specific season, who has a birthday in certain month, who likes to eat fruit, who has a dog (depends on your students and the level they are at)
• Our statements will then turn into ideas the students gave on why they like each season.

News and Announcements: 

When reading the classroom announcements the teacher will be using their finger pointing out each word as it is being read. 

• Dear friends, today’s special helper is Jennie. Today is a hot lunch day. What are the expectations at lunch time for a hot lunch day? This weekend, see if you notice any fall changes happening outside! Happy fall, Mrs Olson and Miss Kelly. 
• First we would read through the whole note then discuss. Special helper Jennie gets a special chair for that day; what happens at hot lunch; we’ve been talking about seasons specifically fall, what does it look like; have a good weekend!
• Possible extension, we would have students volunteer to pick out and circle the letter we are learning that week from the message

From here we would transition into math with fall themed manipulatives – leaves, pinecones, pine needles etc. 

Sending students back in groups helps prevent miss behaviors like pushing and shoving.

I found it difficult to answer this question at first because I don’t remember a book that ‘changed my life.’ However, it made me think of the books that played a significant role in shaping my love for reading, particularly those read to me by my Nana. She lived with us from the time I was born, helping my mom raise me and my siblings after my father’s brain injury. When I was six, we moved from Calgary to B.C., but I can vividly recall the cherished moments of reading stories with her at night before bed. One story that stands out in my memory is ‘Come Over to My House’ by Theo. LeSieg, Dr. Seuss, First Printing. I would eagerly ask my Nana to read it to me, and those moments hold a special place in my heart.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1403439400/come-over-to-my-house-by-theo-lesieg-dr

This book features children from different ethnic backgrounds inviting each other to their homes. It celebrates diversity and inclusion.

I said earlier my Nana changed reading for me because she also worked with me on the program Hooked on Phonics. I am not sure if the program was bought for me or my siblings, but I know my Nana and I would do this together all the time.

Please enjoy this nostalgic video from the 90’s briefly explaining the program.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1282765001914828

https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/ybv441/hooked_on_phonics_worked_for_me_1991/

Hooked on Phonics still runs today, but they have changed their ways from cassette tapes 😉

Hooked on Phonics | Learn to Read

Before we begin, please go and grab a piece of paper and a pencil. I am about to assess you on spelling. Sorry, but you have no time to prepare, and you can only take the test this way. Oh yeah, did I forget to tell you this is a test? You also only have the length of the video to complete your test; no additional time. When you are ready, please begin the video below. Good luck!

So how did you do? Did you get 20/20?

How did you feel when writing that test? Stress, anxiety, panic, excitement? Personally, I freeze up when I spell and have never been very good at it. Thank goodness for spell check! A few weeks ago, I was in a classroom learning about the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI), where I discovered spelling rules I had never heard of before. When I was growing up, I learned to memorize my spelling words and did boring worksheets to help me remember them. I don’t recall learning that when a single-syllable word ends with the /k/ sound directly after a short vowel, it’s typically spelled with “ck,” as seen in “duck” and “trick.” However, when the /k/ sound follows a consonant or a long vowel sound, it’s typically spelled with just “k,” as exemplified by words like “task,” “cake,” “soak,” and “hawk.” Did you know that?

In today’s education environment, teachers are increasingly moving beyond conventional tests to evaluate students. Instead, they are exploring various strategies to assess each student in multiple ways, enabling them to demonstrate their learning in styles that match their individual preferences. While recognizing that not every assessment method may suit every student, present-day classrooms are embracing the understanding that the range of assessment approaches available ensures that every student has ample opportunities to showcase their learning.

For my future practicum, I am creating a novel study for my grade 5/6 class. For one of my assessment pieces, I will be marking students on their ability to write a proper paragraph using a rubric. In the novel I will be reading “Mr. Terupt Falls Again,” a sequel book by Rob Buyea, characters explain what they did over the summer break. For my assignment, students will be creating their own summer holiday and describing it to me in one paragraph. Below is the rubric I created to assess their paragraph when they have finished their final copy.

The rubric was created using https://app.magicschool.ai/tools. Which I spoke about a few posts ago 🙂

The Student Reporting Policy in British Columbia outlines guidelines and expectations regarding the assessment and reporting of student progress. This policy emphasizes the importance of clear and transparent communication between teachers, students, and parents regarding student achievement and learning outcomes. It promotes ongoing assessment practices that focus on student growth and development rather than just final grades. Additionally, the policy encourages the use of a variety of assessment methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of each student’s strengths, areas for improvement, and individual learning needs. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of providing timely and constructive feedback to students to support their continuous learning journey. Overall, the Student Reporting Policy in BC aims to foster a collaborative and supportive environment that prioritizes student success and well-being. For a full detailed outline of the policy visit the link below.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/k-12-student-reporting-policy-communicating-student-learning-guidelines.pdf

Emerging –> Developing–> Proficient–> Extending

Proficiency scale pictures found on pages 28-29 of the K-12 Reporting policy website provided above.

The proficiency scale offers several advantages over traditional letter grades for reporting. Firstly, the proficiency scale provides a more detailed assessment of student progress by identifying specific levels of achievement (Emerging, Developing, Proficient) rather than general letter grades (A, B, C). This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of student strengths and areas for improvement. Additionally, the proficiency scale aligns more closely with the principles of formative assessment, focusing on ongoing learning and growth rather than simply assigning a static grade. By emphasizing progress over time, the proficiency scale encourages a growth mindset and fosters a culture of continuous improvement in both students and educators. For more details on the benefits of the proficiency scale please visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/unpacking-the-proficency-scale-support-for-educators.pdf

Parents today are receiving more detailed information three times a year to track their child’s progress throughout the school year. Below is a fictitious report card comment that my classmates Claire, Karis, and I created. Notice how the comment addresses Gunther’s strengths and areas for improvement specifically.

“This term in ELA the students participated in a novel study based on the book Wonder by Raquel Jaramillo. Our class took part in sharing circles with discussions on current events. We finished the term blogging about adventure stories, and our Carnaval de Quebec school celebration! “Gunther has continued to work hard in ELA this term and is developing in this area. He clearly responded to comprehension questions and tasks in a timely manner. He was able to make several direct, concrete and obvious personal connections to text. I encourage Gunther to push to make deeper, less obvious connections and predictions. When blogging, Gunther offers ideas that are related to the topic to encourage further discussion. Though he can introduce topics, he tends to lose focus and needs some redirection to get back on task. I suggest Gunther proofreads his blog posts before posting as he often has grammatical errors. I look forward to seeing Gunther’s improvements through next term.”

The B.C curriculum and how we assess students has made a drastic change over the last several years and I am excited to be apart of the new journey in educating our future society.

For three weeks, I had the pleasure of observing students in a grade 5 class. Mrs. A’s class begins their day with 20 minutes of physical education (P.E), shared with another class. These students move their bodies and get their brains fired up before heading to class. Last year in my P.E class, I had the pleasure of reading an amazing book called ‘Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain’ by John J. Ratey, MD. According to the book, ‘German researchers found that people learn vocabulary words 20 percent faster following exercise than they did before exercise’ (pg. 45). Allowing these students to run wild before learning begins helps them learn better when language arts class starts.

After returning to class students began to learn about commercials and how they themselves were going to create a commercials in groups with their classmates. To begin this unit, Mrs. A showed her different commercials and explained how commercials use four strategies to hook their audiences.

The first style is called Bandwagon. In this type of commercial, the audience believes they should buy the product because ‘everyone else is doing it.’

The second style is known as Celebrity Spokesperson. As the title implies, these commercials feature someone famous to endorse their product.

The third style, Humor, sets out to make the audience laugh but often provides very little information about the product being shown.

The last style reaches the audience’s heart and makes them feel certain emotions for what is being shown. This style of commercial is titled Emotional Appeals.

Mrs. A handed out large green worksheets for the students to use while watching videos of these different styles of commercials.

I cannot find the exact video that she used in her classroom, but here a few to watch to understand what the students saw.

After watching these commercials, students were than tasked to create their own commercial using one of the styles they had just learned about. The next few classes students worked in groups to create their commercials. Again, they were tasked with large green worksheet to help them create their commercials.

Unfortunately, my time in that classroom ended before I could see the final product, but I could tell they were going to be amazing because the students were having so much fun creating them. The students learned how to question what they heard and read to become educated and engaged citizens, a Big Idea under the B.C Curriculum. They also had the chance to develop skills through practice, effort, and action, which is another Big Idea under Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies in the B.C Curriculum. These students were learning but having so much fun, rather than completing boring worksheets and tests.”

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/

I loved this idea and if I ever work in a class that is grade appropriate, I would love to use this idea!

For today’s post, I’ll guide you through a morning in a grade 1 class, observing them engage in the UFLI program. The teacher was involved in the pilot program when School District 5 introduced UFLI. It was truly enjoyable watching her interact with her students and witnessing how the program operates.

UFLI Foundations

The teacher kicks off her lesson on the carpet with students mimicking sounds and actions related to blended letters. The class explored two different “th” sounds, distinguishing between voiced and unvoiced sounds, as in “that” and “with.” They also practiced the “ch” sound, saying “chicken with a chill, ch, ch, ch,” while tapping their fingers on their arms. This part of her routine isn’t from UFLI but comes from Sound Connections, another literacy program. What I’ve come to discover is that sometimes it’s important to take a little from here and there and blend it together to create a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) environment that works for everyone.

https://heidisongs.com/

Next, the students head back to the carpet and practice reading a short story together. They take turns reading sentences, and then they read the whole thing as a group. After finishing this, the teacher selects three “Rocking Readers” – students who put in extra effort during this part of the lesson. Each chosen student gets to pick a pencil from a drawer filled with cool pencils.

Every Friday, the teacher conducts a UFLI check-in. As shown below, this is what a typical check-in looks like. It helps the teacher assess where each student is, identifying areas they may need extra work or where students may be excelling.

In class last week we discussed Rudine Sims Bishop’s theory on mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.

Bishop discusses how the idea of books as mirrors suggests that when readers engage with a story they can see aspects of their own lives reflected in the story. It implies a personal connection where readers can identify with characters, situations, or emotions within the book that resonate with their own experiences.

Where as the idea of books as windows suggests that stories provide readers with the opportunity to learn about lives and stories that can be different than our own. Like looking through a window, readers can peer into diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences broadening their understanding of the world. Books as windows encourage readers to explore human diversity, fostering empathy and a deeper appreciation for the multiplicity of narratives that exist beyond one’s personal scope.

Finally, the idea of books as sliding glass doors suggests that when readers immerse themselves in a story, they feel apart of the world created by the author. It goes beyond observing the story, it’s an experience where readers can step into the narrative, and become part of the fictional realm. This immersive quality of literature allows readers to empathize with characters, feel the emotions within the story, and experience a sense of connection to the fictional universe. experience.

Inforamtion above found at https://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/mirrors-windows-and-sliding-glass-doors-a-metaphor-for-reading-and-life/

It is important to remember library collections, whether it’s a whole school or classroom library, they reflect the world outside of our small community.

Starting in kindergarten, one of the Big Ideas for literacy revolves around “Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families”. Even in grade nine the Big Idea states “Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the world”. It is so important for teacher to bring in books from all over so students can experience different diversities, cultures, race, and so much more.

Below are some books that welcome diversity into the classroom and allow the children to use as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.

Baby’s First Book of Banned Book is a very interesting book. Stories that I read as a kid are now banned. Even a story I read for university is banned. I wish I could find where I could buy this book because it’s so strange to me why some of the books are banned.

I really like the Little Dreamers book. My friend bought it for my daughter and I’ve read it to her so many times. I feel it is such a woman empowering book.

It is important as teachers that we consider what books we bring into our classrooms and make sure they are appropriate and relevant to your students and the topics you are teaching.