Primary Perspective

Breaking Down the Walls~ VoiceThread

2012-02-24T23:16:00.042-05:00

Each year The Dublin City Schools hosts the Dublin Literacy Conference. It's always a fantastic conference, I feel so fortunate to live so close to such a great resource! This year, @ohionicole of Book Nook and I had the privilege of presenting at the conference. We shared the impact of digitally publishing student work to provide authentic audiences, invite conversations, and to build a communities of readers and writers. The presentation is linked here.

Haven't Been to the Dublin Litereacy Conference?

If you haven't attended the Dublin Literacy conference you really should mark you calendar for next year! I sat in a general session with Donalyn Miller, teacher, author of the Book Whisperer tweeter,(@donalynbooks) and blogger, listening to Sharon Draper, @s7d7 read her book Out Of My Mind. I also met a few of my tweeps who traveled in for the conference, @missbamberger who blogs at MissBamberger, @cyarzy who blogs at MissYarzabeck (you can finder the #dublit12 twitter chat here) and @Komos72 who blogs at Our Camp Read-A-Lot! These are just a few of the GREAT minds sharing their time, perspectives and experiences. It will take me a while to reflect on this amazing experience but, it's Sunday afternoon, and I can't wait to get to go to school tomorrow and share my new learning with my kids! This alone speaks to the power of the conference!

A Redirection in Teaching ~Thanksgiving, Then and Now

2011-11-27T13:52:00.000-05:00

Like many of you I grew up having a Thanksgiving Feast in my classroom and in my first several years of teaching I hosted a Thanksgiving feast for my students. We made placemats, costumes and invited other staff members to join us. It was a fun day and LOTS of work for the parent’s volunteers and me. The planning, preparation and hosting consumed at least a week of precious teaching time. I was pretty sure my volunteers were doing most of the work while the kids and I colored, cut, pasted and ate. I began to wonder what the kids were really learning about Thanksgiving.

Learning Targets
Looking at the Model Curriculum: PK-12 I found the following statements to guide the focus of instruction regarding Thanksgiving.
1. Time can be divided into categories (e.g., months of the year, past, present and future).

2. Photographs, letters, artifacts and books can be used to learn about the past.

3. The way basic human needs are met has changed over time.

Directing the Focus of Instruction~

Starting with the Kids

We began our study by reading When I Was Five by Arthur Howard to enable the kids to connect to the concept of past and present through their own experiences. After reading the kids orally shared personal stories about their past contrasted with how this same thing looks or is done now, in the present. After orally sharing their stories with their peers they wrote their stories and posted them in the hall to share with our building.

Extending the Concept of Past and Present
To help the kids envision this concept from another perspective we read, Before I Was Your Mother by Kathryn Lasky, we wondered what our own moms, dads, or even grandparents might have been like as first graders or before they were our parents. Later I shared my favorite book, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton and a photograph of me as a first grader. As I read the Little House to my class many noticed the difference in illustrations in this books as compared to many of the books currently in our classroom. With this background knowledge as a springboard we created a list of our wonderings about our parents and grandparents. From here a VoiceThread (VT) was created and shared with our families over the Thanksgiving break. By sharing the VT over the Thanksgiving break, when families would gather, we were enabling more grandparents to participate and share stories by commenting or adding slides to show artifacts or photographs.

The Next Step
As we return from Thanksgiving Break stories of the past will be shared through our VT, oral story telling, and the artifacts and the photographs we will bring into our classroom. The kids will have a working knowledge of life in the past and present through their perspective and the perspectives of their families. With this knew knowledge we will be ready to explore the ways basic are met now and the way they were met then. Using books like Samuel Eaton's Day by Kate Waters we will look at the ways people dressed, lived and found food. While are basic needs have not changed the ways in which we meet these needs have changed.

With this redirection in focus I see my kids wondering about the past, inferring changes and reasons for change. Now, the kids are doing the work, the kids are doing the learning!

Kids Speak! 2011~ Authentic Voices of Children Around the World!

2011-11-13T00:13:00.000-05:00

Kids Speak 2011 was launched with the wonders of my first grade students. The first graders began to wonder about the ways people around the world meet their needs. They also wondered how their daily lives may be similar or different from others in our world. The wonders of the kids were posted around our world map, recorded into VoiceThread and then shared with teachers around the world! (Italy, Romania, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Guatemala, United States and Canada!)

The first grader's are excited! Kids Speak has been live for only 3 days and comments have been posted from Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Bucharest Romania and…more comments are coming!

Check back often to hear the newest additions to Kids Speak as our Global Classrooms begin to answer questions, post their own wonders and add new slides!

If your class would like to be a part of Kids Speak contact @frazierde on Twitter or visit our Global Classroom Wiki to register!
You may also be interested in browsing the Global Classroom Project Blog for other Global Classroom projects going on now. Projects are available for classrooms of all ages!

Authentic Voices of Children World Wide- Kids Speak ~2011-2012

2011-10-30T21:44:00.002-04:00

We are ready to get Kids Speak up and running! Last year’s Global Classroom VoiceThread provided amazing opportunities for kids around the world! Kids listened to the voices and thoughts of kids, just like them, in all parts of the world! They asked each other questions and shared their interest!
The kids were amazed with the simplest things, things we don’t even think about. Accents, what animals you see in your neighborhood, games you play at recess and where you food shop just to name a few!

We hope to have KidsSpeak up late this week or early next week!

In keeping with the authenticity of Kids Speak~

We are planning to start off by asking the kids~ "What do you WONDER about the way people live in different parts of the world?"

We will post these wonders around the world map hanging in our classroom.

Then, the kids will work together to create a VT introducing themselves, our classroom & our building to our new Global Classroom!

From there, kids from all over the world (maybe even your kids) will ask each other questions in an authentic way by adding slides to the VoiceThread and commenting back and forth to one another!

Please let us know if your class would like to be a part of this years Kids Speak. If so please provide us with your email in the comments below so we may add you to our VoiceThread account. (If you prefer to keep your email private please tell us in your comment.) You will need to sign up for a VT Educator account. (A free account should be fine)

We are excited to get Kids Speak running!

Remember this is an authentic project created by the kids and 100% kid inspired, the beauty of Kids Speak!

Kids Speak is a K-3 project, but if you are interested in connecting your class globally we hope you'll visit the Global Classroom Project 2011-2012 to see the WORLD of possibilites in Global Connections!

VoiceThread~Step Five Creating and Sharing!

2011-10-22T12:31:00.000-04:00

Well, we all signed in, students and parents, without tears! As a matter of fact one little guy was so excited he went home and figured out the next step before his mom even knew he was on VoiceThread! "Gavin" created his own VT telling us all about Hero Factory. This is a big plus for me, I am in an all girl house and have absolutely zero schema for Hero Factory. My new knowledge is sure to help me on recess duty!

Parent Technology Night!
As I mentioned in the last post I am moving more slowly and intentionally this year to help the parents find their place in VoiceThread. One step I took toward this goal was to host a "Parent Technology Night" with two of my teaching partners, @MrsCarolynCarr and @CathyMere of Reflect & Refine. We invited parents into our classrooms to experience the technology their kids are using. Parents were given lap tops and login information, VoiceThreads were viewed, i dentities for parents were created and comments were made! While most worked on laptops a few worked from their smart phones!

To prepare for Technology Night I created a simple VoiceThread containing a picture of our class. Student's logged in and left comments for their parents to hear during their visit that evening. This allowed kids to learn the login process, practice making comments under their own identity and build excitement in anticipation of there parents coming to school to learn VoiceThread!

Creating a VoiceThread-

This is where the fun begins and if you are at this step relax...you've made it through the challeng of choosing an account type and creating a class.
To create a VoiceThread, login in and follow the steps below!
Click create

Step 1. Upload/Edit-

Upload photo, document or take a picture or video on your web cam to be uploaded. Each Voicethread can contain 50 slides on a free account, 500 for a paid account! If you want to delete an uploaded slide simply click the yellow trashcan on the uploaded media under steps 1,2,3 on the left of your screen.
Playback Options are located at the bottom of your screen. You will want to click here to choose comment moderation as well as who will be allowed to comment and view this VT.
Playback options are also at the bottom of this page. As a rule I teach my class to check 1 and 4 only. This provides the most security to the VT once it is shared.

Step 2. Comment

Voicethread offers 5 ways to comment; video, voice, type, phone or upload your own media.

Our favorite is voice and typing. Video is not allowed I am also teaching internet safety by not matching names and photos. All video comments will show student name as the avatar is moused over.
Another favorite in our room is the pen. Once you have selected a voice or typed comment you will see a circle of colors to the right of the comment button. By clicking on one of these colors commenters will be able to mark on the slide, drawing attention to particular parts of the slide as they comment.
Click save when your comment is finished.

Step 3. Share

You have a few options here too, share with a group and/or email a direct link to parents.
To email a direct link click the share button. On the top of the page you will be given the option to copy the link and allow comments, viewing and moderation.
Congratulations you are ready to go!

If you have crawled into my VT web I hope you will share your success with me @frazierde! This is the final post in the series Thinking of Using VoiceThread in Your Classroom? Follow us as we begin a new VoiceThread Adventure! As the year progressing and VT are created and new discoveries are created I am sure to share a few!

I am a (Late) Versatile Blogger

2011-10-16T15:23:00.002-04:00

Finally, the Sunday I have been waiting for, my family is busy with their own agendas, the house is pretty much in order and my favorite over sized leather chair is EMPTY , my laptop is fully charged and calling my name! Time to catch up on my blog reading and a LONG OVERDUE post!

The Versatile Blogger!

I was surprised to see Franki and MaryLee had bestowed upon me the honor of being a Versatile Blogger! Now to pay my respect to these wonderful ladies I have a few request to fulfill.
#1 Thank the person (people) who nominated you and provide a link
back to their blog.
#2 Share 7 things about me

#3 Pass this award along to 15 other blogs that you have discovered.

Here are 7 Things about me:

1. Just ten years ago I didn't even know how to turn on a computer, just one year ago I didn't exactly know what a blog was and I certainly didn't have a clue about Twitter!
2. This is my 20th year in education, I started my teaching career as a Special Education teacher and after 11 years moved to Kindergarten where I taught for 3 years. I then taught second grade for one year and now I am honored to spend my days learning along side first graders who love learning as much as I do !
3. I am lucky enough to have the BEST professional development right inside my laptop and across the hall!
4. The first pd I attended on VoiceThread was out of protest, "What can I do on VoiceThread that I can't do easier and quicker with pencils and paper?" VoiceThread opened my eyes, extended my classroom and expanded the possibilities for my kids!
5. VoiceThread has changed my teaching! My blog has been featured by VoiceThread and VoiceThread honored my school with a complimentary account to thank me for my work with VoiceThread.
6. My humble blog post "Wanted a Global Classroom" has resulted in GlobalClassroom 2012 and changed my life.
7. I knew at age seven I wanted to be a teacher and can't imagine doing anything else!

Here are 15 blogs I follow~

Ann Marie Corgill-

http://amliteracylearninglog.blogspot.com/

Kassia Omohundro Wedekind

http://mathexchanges.wordpress.com/

Book Savors-

http://booksavors.wordpress.com/

Karen Stadler

http://karenstadler.wordpress.com/

Celia

http://ccoffa.edublogs.org/

Michael Graffin

http://mgraffin.edublogs.org/

Jill FIsch

http://myprimarypassion.blogspot.com

http://thereadingtub.blogspot.com

Kathy Cassidy

http://primarypreoccupation.wordpress.com

Esme Raji Codell

http://planetesme.blogspot.com/

Edna Sackson

http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com

Lesyle

http://cioccas.blogspot.com/

http://www.happybirthdayauthor.com/

Elizabeth G

http://primarywordbyword.blogspot.com/

Jen

http://www.teachmentortexts.com/

Thanks again Mary Lee and Franki and my apologies for my last post!

VoiceThread~Step Four, Student Log-in with Password!

2011-10-16T04:54:00.001-04:00

We are well on our way to using VoiceThread (VT) as easily as pencil and paper in our room! Kids view VoiceThreads regularly, parents, siblings and students comment from home and two students have asked to put their work on VT to share with parents. I think we are ready for the big step…student log in with password! Up until this point we have been able to work under one free account. The next step does require a paid account. The paid account provides each student with his or her own login and password. Students will be able to login from home, create new VT's and share with your group, and you will be able to moderate comments if you choose.

I have set up a few things to support kids, parents and myself before we learn to login as individual users.

First, I posted a chart in our room where I can display student avatars and web addresses. (Thank you @MrsCarolynCarr for the cute and purposeful idea)
Create a password resource you and the kids can refer to quickly when login information is needed.
Keep usernames and passwords uniform. This will help you keep track of sign in information. I use the students' first and last name as their login (this is not visible publicly). I use student initials (repeated, dkfdkf to make the 6 character requirement) for passwords. I also use the same student passwords for all accounts kids will be logging into.
I highly recommend logging in to each account as a student prior to asking kids to login. This helps you find any typo's in the logins and make the necessary changes.
For younger kids I recommend adding student avatars at this time, older kids can do this as they login.
Create a group for your class, add your class to the group and Share a VT with the group. (This will give kids VT's to browse and comment on once they are logged on.)
Help kids and parents login from home, I created mailing labels to place in our family folders. These labels have student user name, password, a QR code to VT, web address and a picture of our school avatar.

Now add kids!

Gather an extra set of hands if you can. I asked a parent volunteer to come in on this afternoon. Having extra hands is nice but not necessary. Often a few "techexperts" will pop up in your group and they are always happy to help their friends.
If it's possible, I recommend a computer for each student.
I find it helpful to project my computer up on the screen as I explain our task for the day.
Now, it's time for the kids to open their laptops and login!

All logged on!

Students (you know your kids best) can add avatars as they login. Remember avatars will need to be JPG files to upload in VT.
Allow kids to browse and comment on VT's you have shared with their group.

I also plan to hold a Parent Tech Night next week to support parents in using VT from home.

Parents will login, comment, and create in VT's
Learn tech safety and etiquette

The next step will be for the kids to create VoiceThreads!

VoiceThread~Step three, commenting

2011-10-09T11:00:00.000-04:00

This year I introduced VoiceThread earlier, but I am moving forward slowly and purposefully. VoiceThread was new to all of us last year and with the excitement, I jumped in with both feet! Things went well, VoiceThread was a hit for the kids, parents and me, but I knew parents were a bit unclear as to their role in VoiceThread (VT) and only a few kids left comments spontaneously, most commented only when prompted.

After reflecting on last year, I decided to move more purposefully this year. I want to excite the parents as well as the kids about the benefits of VT. To help the parents see the benefits and find their place in VT, I introduced VT to them by emailing a direct a link, prior to the start of school, to a VT titled "Meet Mrs. Frazier." In this VT I introduced myself, my family, our latest vacation and of course our new classroom! Parents and kids loved the virtual meeting and we were well on our way to experiencing the many benefits of VT! Since this VT I have continued to use VT's to help parents by creating weekly newsletters in VT and by uploading our curriculum night presentation into VT. Parents are beginning to leave comments, share with other family members, and a few have even created their OWN avatars for commenting!

Step Three~ Making Comments~

The next step was to introduce commenting to the class. To make commenting purposeful and motivating for all the kids I choose to create a VT that would include everyone. So during math workshop I took photos of each group and their work. In the VT kids were encouraged to explain their thinking. This gave each student an opportunity to be featured in the VT and friends to see various strategies and ways to use math tools.

I also took this time to talk about tech safety and etiquette in making comments.
We discussed ~

Connecting comments to the topic
Refer to other comments when possible
Avoid the use of names when there are photos of friends in the VT ( we don't connect photo and name)
Speak clear and loud
Never share your exact location
Plan your words before you press "comment"

Introducing comments this year was a whole class experience. With the benefit of the Smart Board we were able to all come together, view the VoiceThread and plan the comments together. Once the plan was made a student was invited to the screen to push "comment" and record the comment. With all students watching we saw and HEARD the importance of being quiet when comments are being recorded. I didn't need to teach this to anyone, we heard it as comments were played back! Kids were also quickly aware of the volume necessary to make a quality comment that can be understood and heard by the viewer. Needless to say we quickly learned how to "trash" or delete a comment and record again.

As we worked kids began to ask about the "flower" button at the bottom of the screen. I encouraged them to push the button to see what it would do, and… the pen was discovered! On the Smart Board, once the pen is selected you can actually write on the VT as you comment! This allowed the kids to draw the viewers attention to the part of the slide they were talking about.

I emailed a direct link of the VT to our families and our principal. The kids were excited to view this VT at home with their families! I keep this VT open each day during math workshop giving the kids the opportunity to view for ideas or to leave comments. A few have asked "Can we add to it if I have a new math learning?" Which I said, "What a great idea!"

In my effort to move slowly this year (and because we created this VT as a class in the classroom) everyone commented under my password, but using their own avatars. This allowed us to move more smoothly, no need to log out after each comment and sign in as a new user. To do this I created multiple identities using their avatars. This is an easy fast way to work in VT. I would not recommend this if students were working outside of the classroom as you would have to share your password with them.

Our next step~ Log into YOUR VoiceThread account, view and make a comment! Hope to post this one later this week...

VoiceThread~Step Two

2011-09-24T10:03:00.000-04:00

This second post has taken me a bit of time to write, the demands of the beginning of the year are always more than I anticipate! I was surprised to have so many tweet that they are following these steps and anticapating more...the pressure! (I love it, it motivates me) Big CONGRATS to @cathymere, @debrarosenquist and @ohionicole for getting their own VoiceThread accounts up and running!

Step Two~ Choose and Create a VoiceThread Account

   You have two options here. You can create a free educator account or a paid educator account. The question I am most often asked is "Do I need the paid account?" The answer is usally "It depends on how you want to use VT in your classroom." The differences between the accounts are laid out nicely on the VT products tab. To think about the types of accounts in terms of the classroom, I think the biggest consideration is would you like your students to create and/or comment outside of the classroom? If students will only comment and create from school, under your supervision then the free account will meet your needs just fine. If you would like your students to create and/or comment outside of the classroom then you may feel more comfortable with the paid account.
   The paid account will allow you to assign each student a password which will add accountability and authenticity to student work. In addition the paid account allows you to moderate comments. Comment moderation is a BIG PLUS! Comment moderation allows educators to use VT for assessements (pre, post and ongoing), family information (newsletters, curriculum information), and as interactive work just to name a few.

Interactive Math Work (page created in Pixie saved as.jpg)

  Pre-Assessment (through moderation comments were closed to other students and accessible only to the creator)

Once you have decided which account best suits your needs you are ready to set up your account. Visit VoiceThread to register. Once you have completed the registration you will be loged in to VT. From there you can begin to add your identities (free account) or add users (paid account).

To add users click on your email address in the top right corner and go to Account Manger choose add users and you are ready to add your class. You can add the whole class at once! If you are using the free account you adding indentities will allow you to add you entire class under your log in information but using their own avatar.

This part of setting up VoiceThread is often the most intimidating but don't let your fears stop you! The support section on VoiceThread is very helpful! In the next step will be creating a VoiceThread!

If you have questions please leave a comment or you can find me at @frazierde on Twitter.

A Global Learning Community is Born

2011-09-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

As we look forward to the official launch of the Global Classroom Project (2011-12) in a few weeks time, we thought we’d celebrate the creation of our project blog with a post about our origins and; vision for Global Classroom.

Our Beginnings

The Global Classroom was born in the minds of Deb Frazier’s (@frazierde) young students:

Our first grade class [in Ohio, USA] was thinking about the ways people around the world meet their needs. We began to do some research, diving into books about various cultures.

While sharing new learning about India, Puja, whose family is from India, commented “My dad says that’s not really true.” From there we knew we needed more than books. We needed to talk with people in other cultures to really discover the many ways in which they meet their needs.

And thus, the Global Classroom came to be … Deb published a blog post on Primary Perspective, and shared it on Twitter … bringing together 6 teachers from 5 countries, and leading the creation of an amazing global project.

“Through Twitter, we worked collaboratively to connect our classrooms using one single VoiceThread. To date, this VoiceThread has had over 1,000 views and nearly 200 comments from kids all around the world! Not too bad for a project which was developed and ran for only four weeks due to the end of the American school year!

The power the kids felt in being free to question their learning gave them ownership and motivation. The questions and the voices of children gave Global Classroom authenticity. VoiceThread and the Global Classroom Wiki made a powerful impact on kids around the globe!”

A New Direction

After the completion of our 2011 project wiki, organised by Michael Graffin (@mgraffin) from Perth, Western Australia; thoughts turned to the future … Where would we go next? Would we find any other teachers interested in joining? What projects might we run? We created a Google Doc, and shared the link on Twitter … and were quickly overwhelmed with the response.

We have since welcomed no less than 53 Kindergarten - Grade 12 teachers from 18 countries (across 6 continents) into the #globalclassroom community; and now find ourselves on the cusp of the biggest project of our careers.

Our Vision for 2011-12

We envisage the “Global Classroom Project” as an online learning community; providing the collaborative spaces, resources, and global network to enable teachers and students to share, learn and collaborate on a global stage.

As revealed in our Manifesto, we believe the Global Classroom Project has incredible potential to promote cross-cultural understanding, develop teachers’ expertise with technology and global projects, and enable our students to communicate and connect on the world stage.

We represent a broad, global group of educators - working together in primary (elementary) and secondary teams. Some are keen to share and build their global project ideas, while many are looking forward to participating in their very first global project / cultural exchange.

There truly is something for everyone … http://globalclassroom2011-12.wikispaces.com

Welcome to a world of GLOBAL opportunities! This is going to be an amazing year!

Deb Frazier (Project Creator) and Michael Graffin (Project Coordinator)

Thinking of Using VoiceThread in Your Classroom? Follow us as we begin a new VoiceThread Adventure!

2011-09-09T05:35:00.002-04:00

If you have visited this blog before it's no a secret that I love VoiceThread! I have even brought a few other educators into my VoiceThread web, and I am still working a few…VoiceThread has been an amazing tool in our classroom; extending classroom walls, time and learning!

If you are thinking about using VT in your classroom you might find this post (and few yet to come helpful). I plan to blog the steps our first grade class takes as we set up VT. I will share the process from creating student avatars to students independently creating and commenting on VT's from home! VT is so easy to use my first graders helped me present at The Ohio Innovative Learning Conference this summer!

Step One~Create Student Avatars
To teach the importance of computer safety we do not link picture with name. So we create avatars to be used for our identities. We use Pixie to create the self-portrais you see below, the kids love creating on Pixie and the beauty of authentic work is it always looks PERFECT!! Some kids changed their Avatars to photos of favorite things. This was exciting because they did themselves from home! Love that!

Our next step will be to set up the account and import avatars!

If you are climbing into the VT web and have questions feel free to leave questions in the comment section or tweet me @frazierde I am happy to help!

Building a Workshop for Readers~ The Importance of Humble Beginnings

2011-09-06T17:27:00.000-04:00

Awakening readers is an amazing experience but it doesn't come without time, careful planning, and reflection. As I set out to establish this year's reader's workshop I reflect on my professional learning through my PLN, my professional reading and past experiences. I think about what I want for my kids as readers and about myself as a reader and about those readers who devour books.

I ask myself~

How do I guide first graders to discover the importance of book choice?
How do I help young readers realize what it feels like to curl up in a book?
How do I encourage natural conversations about books?
How will I support these young readers as they learn to create new thinking along the way?

The Work of a Reader~
I want my kids to be authentic readers, readers who choose their reading, readers who share thinking with others, readers who read for a purpose. To reach these goals we need to teach the reader the art of choice in book selection. We need to teach them what it feels like to curl up in a book, to talk about books because this is the work of a reader. I believe these are the keys in motivating and creating life long readers. As teachers we need to know the process, trust the process and recognize the steps along the way. We need this working knowledge so we can gently nudge the reader to take the next step. Allowing kids to do the work of a reader takes time, patience and careful planning. Building a workshop that allows kids to do the work of real reader is an art; it can't be pushed nor forced.

A Workshop for Readers~

A workshop allows time to hear stories read aloud, to enjoy the language and feel of books.
A workshop encourages talk about books and sharing thinking with others.
Readers have choice in a workshop, choice in books, reading space, conversation, sharing and response.
Reader's workshop encourages the authentic work of readers.

Building a Workshop for Reader's ~

Building the workshop begins on the first day of school. Familiar books are placed on the tables at easy reach for the kids, new and familiar books are displayed around the room and there is an abundance of time for kids to interact with books. I also begin sharing my life as a reader by sharing the books I have read recently. I talk about my friends in my books, I share my love of the smell of books, who doesn't love to smell a new book!? I read, read and read aloud to the class! I allow the readers to roam the room and choose books to read during the workshop. As they read I sit along side them and celebrate our humble beginnings, because I know this is an important step. This is the first day of many to come where we embrace the work of readers and celebrate its many gifts.

Our First Read Alouds~

The books I choose to read as we build our workshop are chosen carefully and are usually books about books, along with a few tried and true favorites! The first book I like to share is Reading Makes Me Feel Good by Todd Parr @toddparr. This is a great book to get us thinking about how reading makes us feel. We share Wild About Books by Judy Sierra to celebrate the value of books and the places people like to read. Charlie Cook's Favorite Book by Julia Donaldson amazes kids as they learn WE are reading Charlie Cook's favorite book! Wolf by Becky Bloom helps us to begin to think about what it means to curl up in a book. Visit our class Shelfari page to see the books we have shared so far this year.

Workshop Responsibilities~

Readers also need to understand what is expected in the workshop. Early mini lessons are dedicated to discussing responsibilities in the workshop. (Thank you Cathy!) We create a T- chart clearly listing "Your Job" and "My Job." We take time to talk about our responsibilities as a reader and the teacher's responsibilities as the teacher. Each day we add a job to the chart and then "practice" the job in the workshop. This practice time includes the teacher! The teacher needs to observe the class, make note of kids reading habits and the challenges that will need to be taught in the next mini lesson and the celebrations to be shared in the reflection circle. Once the the kids are engaged in reading I begin to sit along side readers and talk books and reading. During our closing circle books are shared and we take time to reflect on our jobs.

Book Care~

Book care is also taught in the early days of the workshop. Kids are shown how to pull books form baskets and how to return them. We can't assume kids know how to turn pages carefully, place all the spines to the same side or replace a jacket that has slipped off. These are all book handling skills we have to practice. We also discuss the importance of caring for our books properly and what to do when a book does become ripped. This year we place our ripped books in the tub labeled "broken books."

Creating the Library~
I have found creating the library together and asking kids to name and label tubs gives the readers a sense of ownership which helps in book care. I start by placing familiar books of similar books in book tubs. Then, I ask a few kids to read from the tub during workshop and talk about the similarities in the books and decide a name for the tub. During our share time the readers share their conversations and the new label with the class. As the workshop continues I ask the kids to suggest books or book topics they would like to see added to our library. The readers understand this is their library they have choice and responsibility in the care of their library.

Right Down to Share Circle~

Sharing is also a skill that needs explicit teaching. Kids learn to form a circle that includes everyone; to lay books in from of them to signal they would like to share. When asked if they would like to share they respond politely "Yes please," share the book title and their reason for sharing. We learn the importance of speaking loud enough to be heard as well as the importance of listening to others. Establishing an authentic workshop takes time, patience and careful planning. Kids are authentic in their reading and so much is to be gained when we encourage real reading!

The Literacy Connection, Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller- Extending Thinking, Time and the Classroom

2011-08-10T05:45:00.028-04:00

I am so excited to share this post, you can also find it published in the Literacy Connection Newsletter! I was honored when the Literacy Connection asked to publish my work. This blog was born out of my work with the Literary Connection and the reading of Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller (my guru) so it seems only fitting that I share the article with you here in my blog!

Changes in Professional Learning

As a part of our work with the Literacy Connection we were ask to reflect on our reading of Debbie Miller's book, Teaching with Intention in a journal or blog. I decided to create a professional blog to share my reflections and how they impacted my teaching practices. Blogging has opened my professional world. It has given me the opportunity to reflect in a way that connects with other educators all over the world. I have found colleagues locally and globally who enrich my teaching. This platform for reflection makes my thinking permanent and visible. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Literacy Connection workshop in which we read and discussed Debbie Miller’s book “Reading With Intention.” Through this wonderful experience, I have grown as a learner, a teacher, and as part of a much larger world of professionals than I ever imagined. This opportunity has enlightened, refined, and expanded my teaching practice. The professional learning opportunities through the Literacy Connection have led me to take my learning, as well as the learning of my students, beyond the classroom.

In addition to writing I also became a more consistent reader of blogs. This has proven to be a practice that influences and motivates not only my learning, but also the learning of my students. Reading the thoughts of other educators offers reflection and refinement to my teaching. I feel empowered by the professional development that comes from sharing and reflecting with others.

Impact on Students’ Learning

The positive impact of expanding my professional learning was so powerful I wanted to provide this experience for my students. I wanted my students to feel that they were being heard and I wanted them to have more time to listen to the thoughts of others. When you work with a classroom of first graders, there never seems to be enough time to hear the thoughts of all the students. I also wanted to provide the opportunity to connect with other learners who share their interest and ideas. I wanted our classroom environment to extend beyond our physical boundaries and limits of time. I wanted to create limitless time. I believe learning is more powerful when it’s authentic and extends beyond the classroom.

To expand the students’ learning beyond the classroom I chose to use VoiceThread (VT). VT is an interactive web 2.0 tool that allows the creator to share a document, video, or photo along with written or audio comments. Viewers of the VT can also add audio or written comments around the shared document. This sharing and viewing creates an interactive conversation between the creator and viewers.
I introduced my class to VT by asking them to simply share a comment on our weekly book winner. Navigating VT seemed to come quickly and naturally to the kids. I was pleased to see they enjoyed listening to the comments of their peers as much as they enjoyed sharing their own comments. Listening and commenting on the VT allowed the students to share and hear the thoughts of others,enriching their thinking and learning. It wasn’t long until students began asking if they could create their own VT’s!

Learning how to create a VT came as easily to the kids as commenting and, of course it wasn’t long until creating became even more popular than commenting. The beginning VT’s were created by the students as a way to share their thinking or ask questions about books they were reading.

Listening to the VT conversations gave me, as well as the parents, valuable information about the students’ learning that might have otherwise been missed in the typical day. For the kids, knowing VT was available to them any time during the day, as well as from home, gave them more opportunities to share and be heard. VT offers parents the opportunity to view and comment from any computer! Parents can see the learning and hear the thinking of all the students involved in the VT conversation. As parents listen to VT they are able to hear the language used in book conversations in the classroom. This helps parents to have a better understanding of how to talk with their students about reading.

Sharing Student Thinking

VT continued to grow in our classroom as kids began to use VT to recommend books to the class. Some books were from our room and some came from home! As kids brought in books from home our library began to grow and I was able to see their reading lives outside of the classroom. Viewing student thinking on VT also provided valuable information on the students’ transfer of reading strategies beyond the classroom, the types of books that were popular among the class, and the habits they have as a reader.

In addition to sharing books, kids began to share their charts about reading. As other kids viewed Cynthia’s thinking on VT, more began to share in the same way. Cynthia’s sharing, while it didn’t get any comments, did inspire other readers. VT has been an amazing tool for making thinking visible and permanent for all to hear and see.

Connecting with Classrooms

Seeing the amazing opportunities of VT, we began to expand our book conversations beyond our classroom. We made connections with teachers in our building, our community, as well as nationally. We created the first VT to connect with other classrooms after reading Mandy Robek’s blog, Enjoy and Embrace Learning. In her blog Mandy shared New Red Bike by James Ransome. After reading this book with my class and they immediately asked if they could create a VT to tell Mrs.Robek how much they enjoyed the book. The class also asked to share the VT with Miss Jill’s crew in Colorado, who we also met through the blogging community and VT.

Our next shared VT was Poetry Tag. Which was inspired by Franki Sibberson and Mary Lee Hahn’s blog, “A Year of Reading” Poetry Tag connected our classroom with six different classrooms! Our class began the tag game by choosing a favorite poem and then tagging the next class. This class was then “IT”. Then as a class they would choose a poem that connected to the previous poem, post the poem on VT by adding a picture of the poem with an audio recording of the reading of the poem. The class would then “tag” next teacher. The kids were excited to share poetry with others and to hear the poems shared by other classrooms. Connecting so many classrooms sent a powerful message to all the readers: we are readers; we connect and build our thinking by sharing.

In reading “Teaching With Intention”, I found Debbie’s words comforting. Her words gave me the confidence I needed to step out and challenge myself as a professional and as a learner. With the support of my colleagues and The Literacy Connection I find myself expanding the learning community of my kids, their families and myself. I am encouraged by all this year has brought to my classroom and already excited to see what next year’s opportunities will bring!

PB 10 for 10 Oh, for the Love of Books!

2011-08-08T04:59:00.011-04:00

I want to thank Cathy of Reflect and Refine and Mandy of Enjoy and Embrace Learning for creating and hosting this WONDERFUL event! Last year I read through all the PB 10 for 10 post feverishly and spent $$$ on great books! During the year my class and I enjoyed all the new books and found a few new favorites along the way, some of which you may see here in my first PB10 for 10 post!

Ok, I am not stranded on a desert island, ~~unfortunately~~ fortunately. But I do have the pleasure of spending six hours a day five days a week with first graders. So having a collection of picture books that excites and motivates readers is a necessity! Narrowing down my stack of 28 books (just a few that grabbed my attention on our Shelfari shelf) has been a challenge! After much thought and agonizing I finally arrived at 10! Ten books that grabbed not only me, but the kids too! These are the books that the kids couldn't get enough of, the ones whose language appeared in our writing and daily conversations, the books that made a difference in the lives of the readers in our room!

As soon as I heard about picture book 10 for 10 I knew Pssst! It's Me…the Bogeyman by Barbara Park would be in my list! I was introduced to this book by my good friend Molly when we were teaching kindergarten. Yes, kindergarten! The kids loved it and begged for more! I continue to read this book each year many, many, many times over! The kids love the onomatopoeias and rhythm of the language. "Want to know to a scary word? I'll give you five of them! Go…Get…Ready...For…Bed!" If you're worried this maybe too much for your kids, don't worry the ending is one loved by all siblings!

Cupcake by Charise Mericle Harper made the PB 10 for 10 for the positive message of being yourself and making the best of what you have. No one is the same and isn't that a great thing! This book was always in the hands of the reader's in our room, a true favorite of the first graders! I think young readers easily relate to poor vanilla cupcake and his feelings of inadequacy next to other fancy cupcakes. When vanilla cupcake meets his new friend, Candle his days begin to brighten! The last page leaves all the readers rolling on the floor! Listen to our VoiceThread to see why!

Have I Got a Book For You! by Melanie Watt was an instant hit in our room! Mr. Al Foxword is a persistent salesman working feverishly to sell the reader the very book you are reading. When the readers realize you are reading the book Mr. Foxword wants you buy the laughter begins (and you we as educators know they are inferring)! On the final page Mr. Foxword makes one last attempt to sell you this great book. This last ditch effort leaves some confused and others busting a gut full of giggles!

Shoe-La-La! by Karen Beaumont made the PB 10 for 10 for the great book conversations and the writing it inspired. Shoe-La-La was introduced to our class by a student. She checked the book out from the library and as she began to read and talk about the book friends were asking to read it next! She soon had her own reservation system all worked out. As the book grew in popularity we began to see many writing pieces inspired by Shoe -La-La! I was not quite sure why this book was so popular until one student created a VoiceThread. She asked her friends to share why they liked the book. That's when the conversation about a single word began... underwear. Any book mentioning underwear is a hit in an early childhood classroom! This book was not a read aloud in my room last year it became popular from the authentic conversations of readers, the best recommendation possible!

Grumpy Cat by Britta Teckentrup made the list because it was magic for a young boy in our room. Sam came to open house proclaiming he did not know how to read and didn't need to learn really because he didn't like it either! I of course I was set right there that we would find the reader in him. He was a tough sell, he listened to books and pretended to read during the workshops and took home books every night. He continued this was until one day in December, he came to me and said, "Mrs. Frazier do you know why I take this book home every night? " I had notice he had taken home Grumpy Cat for 1 week straight! "I take it home because I love this book and I can read it all!" Sam was beaming, I was beaming and I gave Sam the book! I knew Sam was reader; he just needed the right book! I hope Sam is continuing to build his library with books he enjoys!

I Stink by Kate and Jim McMullan has been a favorite book in our room for years! Kids love the colorful illustrations, the personification and the onomatopoeias throughout the book. The idea of a trash truck having feelings is just too funny for young readers and wait till you see what the trash truck has for breakfast! I have used this book for crafting lessons, the opportunities in this book are priceless!

The Great Fuzz Frenzy by Janet Stevens has been instrumental in our classroom in helping to establish community. The Great Fuzz Frenzy is about a group of prairie dogs that are amazed by green fuzz that suddenly and mysteriously appears in their home. The dogs fight over the fuzz creating a FRENZY! After much fighting an unexpected leader steps up and helps the prairie dogs work together for the better of the community. The kids LOVE this book and easily connect classroom events to the events of the story.

Birdie's Big Girl Shoes was a new find this year and what a great find it was! Birdie admires her mommy and wants more than anything to wear mommy's high heals. Birdie soon finds wearing mommies heals makes many fun things less fun! Birdie then finds that her barefoot are the just right shoes for her! I use this book to help parents and students understand the difference between easy, just right and challenging. Kids would often comment work was like Birdie's high heals and they needed more barefoot! How cute is that!?

A Small Brown Dog with a Wet Pink Nose by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and Linzie Hunter Was another new book for me this year and one I fell in love with instantly! Amelia want a small brown dog with a wet pink nose more than anything! She pretends to have a dog until one day her imaginary dog is "lost" what happens next warms every heart in the room! The illustrations of the imaginary dog are priceless, less really is more!

Life-Size Zoo: From Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, An Actual Size Animal Encyclopedia by Kristin Earhart, Toyofumi Fukuda and Teruyuki Komiya was a gift to our class last year form a student. I was so excited to see the popularity of this book in our classroom! Not only did the kids love the non-fiction genre but they found the size of the photographs fun and easy to share with a reading buddy. Each page shares an animal profile and fun facts! The fun facts really capture the reader's attention. This book became so popular we had to create a book reserve system!

Innovative Learning Environments~VoiceThread in the Classroom

2011-07-31T23:00:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I will be leading a session at the Ohio Innovative Learning Environments Conference with the tech support of Cathy and two first grade "techexperts." I am excited about this session because I actually get to talk about VoiceThread. I can't wait to show other educators how VoiceThread can provide authentic opportunities to share and learn with a global audience.
Below is the slide show that we will be using to present a variety of ways VoiceThread can be implemented in the classroom (all VoiceThread photos are live links). The slide show includes a link to help you get started too! Below the slideshow I have provided a link to a Google doc and other links that provide even MORE ideas for using VoiceThread in your classroom.
The final slide asks you to share your ideas for using VoiceThread in your classroom. Please take a minute to comment and tell us your ideas! It would be a great resource we can all refer back to anytime!
My class and I became HUGE fans of VoiceThread this year! I hope we can show other educators how easily VoiceThread can expand your audience in authentic ways!

VoiceThread in the Classroom Innovative Learning Environments

http://bit.ly/q7OIAO (more ideas for VoiceThread in the classroom)

http://bit.ly/iPc1iL (VoiceThread to build a community of reader's)

http://bit.ly/racYJQ VoiceThread connecting classrooms Colorado to Ohio)

http://bit.ly/jFTtDI (Wanted a Global Classroom!)

http://bit.ly/mVnNgg (VoiceThread allows you to peak in the classroom when you are out)

http://bit.ly/pNrknx (slow beginnings, weekly book share)

Conferring The Keystone of Reader's Workshop by Patrick Allen reflection III

2011-07-21T10:37:00.021-04:00

This is the final post in our #CyberPD book chat, Conferring the Keystone of Reader's Workshop by Patrick Allen. The post and conversations have been a great experience. If you have missed our previous chats you are in luck!
You can follow our #CyberPD on Twitter
Cathy of Reflect and Refine Part I:What Brings About a Good Conference Anyway?
Jill Fisch of My Primary Passion Part II:What Are the Essential Components of Conferring?
Laura Komos of Our Camp Read-A-Lot Part III:What Emerges from Our Reading Conferences?
This book chat has been such a great way to connect and learn. In fact, it has been so much fun that I am typing this while on my beach vacation! Ok, I did wait until the sun was down for the night, I do have priorities! All day I have been dying to dive in and read all the wonderful post on part III, but I am waiting, I have to write first.

I don't do "activities." My goal is to be authentic not cute.

This quote plays over and over in my head. Cute projects in the hall and in the backpacks grab attention. But if you talk to the creator of these projects will she be able to tell you what she learned, why she learned it and how this learning will help her in other parts of her learning?
I want my reader's to be authentic…

Have authentic reading experiences
Understand book selection and practice choosing books
Develop fluency and expression
Talk about their thinking
Have authentic reading responses
Practice using strategies
Find enjoyment in reading and engage in reading as a choice
Share books with others
Build a rich vocabulary
Understand how strategies support reading
Understand the difference between reading a book and understanding a book

If I want my students to become life long reader's I need to allow them time to just be readers. To take time to browse, choose, read, share, think and talk about books! This is what readers do! This is what we are doing here in our book chat, this is where we learn and grow. I am not taking time out of my vacation to create a diorama of the book because that's what reader's do. I am taking time to think about my reading, share my thoughts with others because it deepens my understanding. I want my reader's to enjoy their reading and learning so much they step off the beach to talk about a book.

It's not just the final understanding, but the process of seeking what understanding is throughout the process that's important. (pg. 173)

This quote spoke to me old and clear! I have always been a process person. I find the greatest value is in the process. Why would conferring with readers be any different? The act of conferring is where we gain the information we need to nudge the reader forward and assess their learning. Patrick makes it clear that the value of conferring is in the conference not after. Often when I confer with reader's I am tempted to fill the quite spaces with my thinking, as a way to spur some thought in the reader. Patrick suggests we allow the reader to take the lead and do most of the talking. Patrick explains we need to just listen, allow the reader think time, time for the readers to just be readers. (pg127) We need to observe the process of the reader and use this information to build further lessons, note misunderstandings, the reader's thinking and set goals for the work we will do between conferences. Reflecting on my conferring practices I have planned a few changes to improve my conferring process and the reader's think time:

Planned ignoring- give the student my undivided attention
Set goals for the work WE will do between conferences
Focus on the learner
Let the reader lead
Encourage the reader to take the learning deeper
Confer with all readers

In an earlier post I wrote my tentative belief statements. Tentative in that I wanted more time to read, think, observe, and confer with colleagues before making them My Belief Statements. After reading Patrick's thoughts on conferring I looked back at my tentative belief statements and found each one in line with the thoughts and ideas Patrick writes about in Conferring The Keystone of Reader's Workshop. I am getting closer to removing the word tentative and changing it to My Belief Statements as I work to build better conferring practices in my workshops.

I have to be flexible; I never know what a learner might say I have to be prepared to listen. I have to be open to each reader's thoughts and actions, and I have to think about how to respond wisely. (pg. 176)

Conferring The Keystone of Reader's Workshop~ Part II

2011-07-12T05:30:00.001-04:00

First Things First~
I want to thank Cathy of Reflect and Refine, Jill of Primary Passion and Laura Komos of Our Our Camp Read A Lot for hosting #cyberPD. Connecting with all of you, hearing the thoughts of others and learning together is an amazing experience. I was not able post in the first part of this journey, but I have enjoyed reading all of your posts, comments and a few Tweets along the way!

I have been reading Patrick Allen's book, Conferring The Keystone of Reader's Workshop as part of #cyberPD. This post is in response to my reading of Part II of the book. If you would like to visit the blog posts of Part I of Conferring Keystone of Reader's Workshop visit the blog jog by @cathymere, It's a quick way to catch it all!

Conferring Versus Collecting
Reading Patrick's many tools and systems for collecting ~~conference~~ conferring notes made me laugh. I too have been through a plethora of systems. Each tool promising to the ONE and each falling to the back of some mysterious stack. My current tool for collecting anecdotal notes is a simple spiral notebook. The notebook is divided into 2 sections, a student section and a teacher section. In the teacher section I jot down events of the day, things to do, planning reminders, schedule notes, websites to visit, etc. The second section is my conferring notebook. Each child has two pages tab with their name. Each page is labeled with parent contact information and divided into three sections; reader's workshop, writer's workshop and notes. The note section is where I record anything about the child I want to remember, more social observations. I have used this system now for about seven years; this is THE ONE, for me, right?

My ~~Perfect~~ System for Recording Anecdotal Notes

The system is working well; I couldn't teach without it. But the contents of the notebook seem to be lacking something…
I have filled the pages with comments, observations, reading and writing behaviors and notes on independence and consistency. I find my notes very helpful in completing progress reports, conferring with parents, and recalling the events of a conference. They are easy to carry and have ample space for recording. But something is missing. I do not find the notes as helpful as I would like in building links between conferences and planning instruction. Am I collecting "stuff" or recording information that will help me plan and guide instruction?
As I read Patrick Allen's RIP model I saw what was missing in my notebook, the P: Plan, Progress, Purpose. My conferring notes are lacking the piece that will give the reader focus between conferences, the goal for further work. The RIP model made it evident that the tool for conferring isn't the important piece. The important piece is the stuff we put in the "chosen tool" the data we collect for planning and instruction.

The Important ~~Stuff~~ Conferring Notes to Support Instruction
We want the "stuff" to show where the child is, what strategies they're demonstrating, the language they're using and their thoughts on their work. We want the "stuff" to reflect not only the student's insights and application of skills, but we also want to include what we notice about how the student is applying strategies and new teaching, we want to help the child be cognizant of their processes and learning. Finally, and most importantly we want to note the plan, what the reader will work on between now and the next conference. This is the piece that is missing for me, this is the piece that will guide the reader and instruction. This is the piece that will change my "stuff" to conferring notes that support instruction.
So my goal between now and my next conference~
Add a section in my notebook to record the goal in a way that is easily seen when we next confer. I would also like the student to add the goal to their reader's notebook for reference and guidance in their reading.

Breakfast, Bloggers & Books!

2011-06-27T04:30:00.002-04:00

This summer I was invited to join local bloggers for breakfast and book shopping. I was honored to join in the company of great thinkers like Cathy of Reflect and Refine, Franki of A Year of Reading, Mary Lee of A Year of Reading, Bill of Literate Lives, Karen of Literate Lives, Mandy of Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Katie of Creative Literacy, Tony of Atychiphobia, Stella of My World - Mi Mundo, Kristine of Best Book I Have Not Read, and Maria of Teaching in the 21st Century. It was the perfect way to begin my summer! Thank you for welcoming me and sharing your time and talents. I still can't believe I am a part of this community, it is a true honor!
Book shopping at Cover to Cover is always a special occasion for me, but with this crew it was a true adventure! Watching all the great books everyone picked and listening to everyone share their favorites made EVERY book irresistible! My only wish was that my book budget could have been limitless! I managed to narrow my choices to only a select few...

I can't wait to share them with you and my class! (This years and next years! Thanks to VoiceThread!)

The first book I chose to share with my class was I Spy with My Little Eye by Edward Gibbs. This year my class fell in love with eye spy books and Steven Jenkins books so when Mandy recommended this one it was a must have! This book has a cut out so only the eye of the animal is shown along with a clue about the animal. As the reader turns the page the animal is revealed, full color across two pages! My kids will love guessing the animal with only a peek of the eye and a small clue, they will celebrate in confirming their predictions!

PLN's and The Amazing Transformation

2011-06-17T18:23:00.004-04:00

I have an amazing teaching partner who pushes my thinking! I have observed her teach, listened to her thoughts and watched her develop her professional learning network (PLN) through blogs, Twitter and Nings. Seeing the growth the PLN offered Cathy, her colleagues the kids of her classroom, I decided to explore this fascinating world of professional learning networks. I began by following Cathy's blog, Reflect and Refine. Reading Cathy's blog gave me the wonderful opportunity to hear the thoughts behind her instructional decisions, her perspectives on teaching and learning, and build my thinking.

Reading Cathy's blog also provided me with a network of bloggers to follow which has been a great opportunity, jump-starting my PLN. After spending some time reading Cathy's blogs and the blogs of other educators I decided to take the plunge and begin my own blog, Primary Perspective. Blogging has given me the opportunity to reflect on my professional learning and my teaching, this has transformed me into the teacher I am today. As a member of this blogging community I began to develop a group of bloggers I could rely on to push my thinking and ease my fears! Thank you to Mandy Robek at Enjoy and Embrace, Julie Johnson at Raising Readers and Writers, Cathy at Reflect and Refine for all of your encouraging words.

As my comfort level began to increase I took the next step and began to explore twitter. I started slow, following people, reading tweets, following links on twitter and finally… I ventured to comment on a tweet by @jillfisch. Jill had tweeted a link to a VoiceThread her class had created. Because our class also used VoiceThread I saw this as the perfect opportunity to expand our learning beyond our classroom walls.

@jillfischJill FischMy 1st graders are climbing the walls- literally. Here is a Voice Thread (without voices) of their climbing experienceshttp://bit.ly/hCKA2s

This step was a defining moment for my personal and professional learning, I was hooked! I saw the power and possibility of my PLN! My class loved chatting with Miss Jill's crew. The kids were eager to revisit the VT, hoping for new comments, the kids felt empowered! From here I began to build my PLN by exploring more blogs and twitter connections, looking for ways to expand the learning beyond the walls of our classroom.

Our next opportunity came from my connection with Mandy Robek at Enjoy and Embrace Learning. On her blog, Mandy shares great picture books, many of which I would quickly read to my class. Having experienced the benefits of the classroom connections with Miss Jill's crew, I shared Mrs. Robek's blog, on our latest read aloud I Must Have Bobo. The kids were amazed to see the same book we just enjoyed. It wasn't long until the request was made and the VoiceThread was created AND shared with Mrs. Robek and her friends! Now, not only were Mrs. Robek and I connected, but also our classes were sharing in the connection, extending the learning for both of our classrooms once again!

I have always said the third time is a charm and that certainly proves to be true here! Our third opportunity expanded our learning globally! The Global Classroom 2011 would not have been possible without the support and dedication of my PLN. The Global Classroom began with an idea, "Wouldn't it be really cool if our class, right here in Ohio could connect and chat with classrooms all over the world!" So I asked my PLN (via twitter) to help spread the idea and request for classrooms to join (to read more about the Global Classroom and the classrooms involved visit The Global Classroom Wiki~ organized by Michael Graffin).
Connecting with educators and classrooms all over the world has been an amazing experience. The kids were engaged and excited through the entire experience. From posing questions, listening to comments, asking new questions, and waiting for new replies we were expanding our learning and OUR PLN globally!
It was at this point that I realized not only did I have a PLN, but my kids also had a PLN!

Our final project of the year, Poetry Tag was also made possible by the support of our PLN. The idea of Poetry Tag was sparked by Franki Sibberson's and Mary Lee Hahn's blog, A Year of Reading. After reading the post I tweeted my PLN and asked if they'd like to join our Poetry Tag. Our PLN accepted the invitation and we were sharing poems, exchanging comments and connecting classrooms from Colorado to Maine!
Our PLN made it possible for us to expand our learning and our classroom beyond the walls. Expanding our learning was possible, it was amazing and we are forever more transformed! Much thanks to our PLN and Cathy for giving me the gentle touch to start it all.

This week my PLN took a new turn, Cathy and I led a session, What's All the Tweeting About? the design of this session was to help others see the power of Twitter in building a PLN. While I am still a novice I was surprised at the growth I have experienced in such a short time! You can see the presentation at Reflect and Refine.
Our (my class' and mine) PLN made it possible for us to expand our learning and our classroom beyond the walls. Expanding our learning was possible, it was amazing and we are forever more transformed! Much thanks to our PLN and Cathy for giving me the gentle touch to start it all.
I hope this is just the start…

Wanted! A Global Classroom~

2011-05-05T10:52:00.004-04:00

WANTED!

A global classroom~

Our goal~
Nurture and reinforce an attitude of respect for cultures around the world.
Enable the kids to see the similarities and celebrate the differences of many cultures.

We will...
Explore how people around the world live?

We want to know…

How do they go to school?
What kind of houses do they have?
What do they eat?
What sports do they play?
What kind of clothes do they wear?
What celebrations do they have?
What is a day like for kids around the world?

Would your class like to be a part of our global classroom?
Lets connect!
VoiceThread, Skype, or ...
the possibilities are gLobaL!

Comment below and lets connect!

Click here for details!
Click here to see and HEAR where we've been! You can still add join!

VoiceThread Expands our Community~Ohio to Colorado!

2011-04-22T00:48:00.000-04:00

Today we connected with new friends in Colorado through VoiceThread! Jill Fisch, a first grade teacher in Colorado and twitter friend of mine, posted this tweet~

jillfisch Jill Fisch

My 1st graders are climbing the walls- literally. Here is a Voice Thread (without voices) of their climbing experienceshttp://bit.ly/hCKA2s

This post really intrigued me, I had to see more! After browsing their VoiceThread I knew my first graders would be excited to see these first graders "climbing the walls-literally." So, I asked Mrs.Fisch if our class could comment on their climbing Voicethread. She of course, welcomed the idea! (Thanks Mrs. Fisch)

So, today we began our journey by looking at a map to locate Colorado. The kids were so excited to comment to first graders "All the way in Colorado!" The excitement only grew as they viewed the VoiceThread. Mrs. Fisch's class was LITERALLY climbing the walls in first grade!

The comments of the class were authentic and full of awe! Rock climbing in Ohio is only at Dicks! (right?) But, In Colorado it's right in their gym!

Please take some time to listen to a few of the comments from both Mrs. Fisch's class and ours. Mrs. Fisch's class comments can be heard by clicking on her photo. Click here to see Mrs.Fisch's blog about our special day "together."

Our student teacher Miss Ross noted the culture difference evident between ~~flat~~ Ohio and Colorado as she listened to the amazement in the voices of the kids! This just might be the "hook" we need as begin our look at cultures!

Gifts from Debbie Miller!

2011-04-18T23:17:00.000-04:00

This year my birthday was extra special!

I had the opportunity to spend my birthday watching a master teacher in action. As a culmination to our study with The Literacy Connection, Debbie visited Wickliffe Progressive School. Debbie's words were soothing and inspiring. She has a way of making kids and teachers feel like they can do anything!

It was a gift to watch Debbie work with kids and listen to her thoughts. She left me with many "gifts."

· I used to think... and now I am thinking.
· You think one thing, you get new information and your thinking changes and grows bigger.
· The best thinking leaks on through.
· Teaching grows stronger when we share.
· Keep things predictable so the unpredictable can happen.
· If it's perfect we aren’t pushing ourselves or the kids.
· We want kids to respond in real time. Active readers think while they read. They don't wait until the end to respond.
· It's not about telling, it’s about discovery.
· Value where your kids are now. This value brings joy to your teaching.
· Guide readers vs. guided reading

Watching Debbie work with kids and listening to her reflections on teaching was a gift to my kids and me. I hope to continue to reflect on her words and ideas as I work with my class and mentor my student teacher.

The community of learners in the room also inspired me. Debbie provided many chances for us to talk about our thinking and process our new learning. Listening to the thoughts of other teachers made the conversations that much richer. To read more about Debbie's work visit Enjoy and Embrace Learning, Literate Lives and A Year of Reading. You can also read tweets from the day #litconn11.

I would like to thank the Literacy Connection for providing this wonderful experience!

The Literacy Connection is a wonderful community of life long learners!

Creating a Community of Reader's~ In and Outside of the Classroom

2011-03-28T18:16:00.000-04:00

I read a post by Jen at Teach Mentor Text that posed the question "What do you do to promote reading in your classroom?" I could not resist this question, teaching young readers to love reading is one of my favorite things and with all the great authors and picture books, it isn't hard!

We Learn to Love Reading Through~ Read alouds and learning how to think about books
One sure fire way to bring together a group of first graders is to open a book! This is a favorite time in our room. We gather together on the carpet with our friends and create memories. As I read they all sit and listen and think. They think about connections to their lives or others stories, their visual images, the feelings of the characters, what might happen next or why something already happened. They jot down questions or sketch in their thinking logs and make inferences, all the while, searching for the authors message.

We Learn to Love Reading Thorough~ An abundance of great books

We have an amazing public library in our area, which makes it easy to locate and check out new books! (Maybe too easy, I currently have a 2 full library cards and even a few books on my daughter's card.) In addition to our wonderful library system I am a good customer at Amazon and Cover to Cover (my favorite local book store). Following blogs like Mandy's at Enjoy and Embrace Learning helps me find great books to share with our class.

We Learn to Love Reading Thorough~ Choice
Readers have choice in the books they read, in and outside of our classroom. During reader's workshop readers roam our room looking for books that interest them. Maybe it's a favorite topic, a book recommended by a friend, or the newest book to hit our room. No matter the book, the choice is the readers. Readers also have choice in their reading at home. Each day readers choose a book from our classroom to take home. Yes, my personal books and books I have checked out from the library are all available to be taken home by the kids. Reading choice and learning how to choose books is necessary in creating life long readers. For more information on reading choice see Cathy's post Home Reading; it's a Reader's Choice at Reflect and Refine. If we want children to value reading we need to honor all the reading they do, we need to value their choices as readers. This can be a challenge some days, last week Joel brought in a joke book that looked like an iphone. I wasn't sure about this particular choice but, after reading Sharon's post, All About Comprehension I decided to watch Joel and his book choice. Joel quickly recommended his book in our class VoiceThread ( seen below). He instantly had a waiting list to borrow this new book! This isn't the kind of reading Joel does all the time but it is part of his reading life, his choice.

We Learn to Love Reading Thorough~ Peer book recommendations
I recently wrote a post about book recommendations in our classroom. Book recommendations are quiet popular and another great way to encourage young readers. Kids bring books from home; choose a favorite from the room, or even a book from the library to recommend to their friends! It's interesting to see the books that are shared and the books that kids just can't get enough of! You can count on at least one book recommendation a day in our room! Once a book is shared kids read the book and comment on the book through VoiceThread, KidBlog or in our daily share circle.
The gift of VoiceThread and KidBlog is that it allows the readers to listen and comment form home and school. Conversations extend beyond our classroom, sometimes siblings and family members even participate!

We Learn to Love Reading Thorough~ Sharing our reading choices with families, friends and the world
As we share books each day the kids post the books on Shelfari. Shelfari allows us to share what we have been reading in our classroom. Families can use this resource when choosing library books or books as gifts. The kids love adding books to out shelf!

We Learn To Love Reading Through~ Weekly Book Winners!
Each week the books we share are collected in our treasure chest. Once the chest is full we vote for our favorite book. Once a book winner is selected the winner is uploaded into our Weekly Book Winner on VoiceThread. VoiceThread allows the readers to share his/her thinking about the book. This also extends our classroom by including our building media specialist, Jill. Jill listens to our comments on the weekly book winner and then shares her thoughts as well! The kid's love hearing Jill's comments and Jill gets a feel for the books we like and sometimes she recommendations books to our class!

Promoting reading is about choice, showing your love of reading and teaching kids how to open the gift of a book!

Thank you Jen for asking, "What do you do to promote reading in your room?" and inspiring this post! Thanks to all the great teachers who have shared so many great ideas that have inspired my teaching!

Reading Like Readers~ Naturally

2011-03-09T22:38:00.002-05:00

When Cathy of Reflect and Refine asked me to share a blog post on VoiceThread as a part of the conversation ~ Love of Reading vs. Homework at A Year of Reading, which is hosting the event for Share a Story-Shape a Future, I had to accept the challenge, I am new to the world of blogging and could not resist the opportunity.

A New Tool for Learning and Sharing ~

This has been a fun and exciting year of learning for my class and me, WE discovered VoiceThread (VT)! VT is an interactive tool that allows you to share books, documents or videos. As a viewer of VT you have the ability to comment by voice, type or video. As comments are shared they appear around the sides of the VT, viewers can even draw as they comment!

It didn't take my class (or me) long to find ~~a few~~ MANY authentic uses for this new tool. Soon after I introduced VT the kids (and sometimes their family members) were creating and commenting from home! This outside participation linked to our learning community is what really made VT a success in our class.

As first graders we are learning to choose, think and talk about books as a part of our daily life. We don't view reading as homework or something we do at school, we see reading as something we do for fun to share with others!

VoiceThread Helps Us Share Our Thinking ~

Alaina created the VT above during reader's workshop as a book recommendation to her peers. As you listen to the comments you will hear some comments were made in the classroom, some were made from home and some were from the sibling of a peer!

This is a great example of how the kids are extending their reading beyond the classroom! While some comments are made in the classroom and some outside of the classroom all comments keep a common thread of conversation, reading, thinking and sharing!

Reading Like Readers

Kids always have choice in the books they choose and how they share their thinking and reading, VT helps us get our thinking out and extends the conversation and learning beyond the classroom.

Kids have choice in the books they read, share and the discussions they participate in on VT. Each day kids choose books from home, the classroom, the library, and even from the conversations in VT’s. Just as kids choose their reading for the day they also choose what to share on VT. Kids share naturally and freely. In the authenticity of our VT conversations kids comment and create throughout the day, evening and even on weekends. They share when something they read strikes, like readers do. What's important here is CHOICE and extension beyond the classroom. For more on choice in reading visit Reflect and Refine Building a Learning Community. This choice and extension is what builds our love of reading.

I love that the kids are choosing, thinking and talking about reading as a part of their life. This seems the most authentic way to develop life long readers.

Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller-8th reflection~ The Thoughtful Use of Time

2011-03-02T23:38:00.000-05:00

I am currently working with a group of educators in Central Ohio and the Literacy Connection. Our focus this year is Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller. This post is in response to chapter eight, The Thoughtful Use of Time.

This chapter (as Debbie's words often do) gives me room to breathe! I began the chapter with fear and skepticism. Yes, for the FIRST TIME I had doubt in Debbie's precious words! For those of you who know me you are SHOCKED to read this, no doubt!

Debbie talks about "creating the luscious feeling of endless time." This sounds like an impossible dream.

Debbie soon defines endless time as determining what we need to teach and taking the time to teach it well and having a predictable structure in our day. Predictable structures in our day allow our kids to know what to expect next us to focus on teaching and less on directions and management.

Debbie knows kids and she knows teaching. "The luscious feeling of endless time" now seems possible!

We should all consider these words when designing classroom structures and lessons for our kids~

"But when getting done takes precedence over doing, when finishing becomes more important than figuring out, we've lost sight of why we've become teachers in the first place; we've lost sight of what we know to be true. In our rush to try to fit everything in, we've forgotten that children learn by doing. And doing takes time. "

Debbie goes on to explain how this predictable structure enables the teacher to focus on the student, the learning and not the clock. This chapter will allow all teachers room to breathe and our kid's room to grow by giving us all permission to think about the kids and the learning!

Teaching with Intention, reflection chapter 7

2011-02-28T21:37:00.001-05:00

Debbie's belief statement on assessment~

I believe formative, ongoing assessments enlightens and informs my day-to-day work with children.

In this chapter Debbie differentiates summative and formative assessments. She shares this from Stephanie Harvey.

Stephanie Harvey likens summative assessment to an autopsy-examiners try to determine why a patient died, what the contributing factors might have been, and implications (perhaps) for future patients. But it's too bad, so sad for this particular patient.

I had to chuckle as I read this, while summative assessments do have a purpose to serve, they do not inform instruction nor planning for the kids who take them. Summative assessment does seem a little too late, doesn't it?

Debbie helps us understand the value of formative assessments in the classroom as a tool for instruction and planning. They inform the teaching before it is too late. Formative assessments allow the teacher to see the processes and understandings of the students as they are learning.

Debbie offers these forms of formative assessment:

Conferring
Listening in
Observing
Examining
Charting student thinking
Reflecting, sharing, and teaching

Debbie's thinking is a pleasure to read, it is so grounded in what's best for kids. She has a clear understanding of kids and the work they do. She sees the value in observing kids at work and using this information to continue their development as a learner.

Assessment in my room~

In an earlier post I developed my tentative belief statements. My tenative belief statement on assessment~

Ongoing assessment informs good teaching.

Conferring
I have utilized student conferences as an assessment tool for a few years now but, it struck me when Debbie said this in reference to conferring~

"...we learn valuable information about how individual children are processing what we have taught them."

I realized observing the work of my students is something I need to work on. I often use conference time as an opportunity to re-teach the lesson. I need to take more time to sit and watch my kids work and ask myself, What do they understand for the lesson? What are they using, and using well? Where do they need to go next? How can I get them there?

Listening in
Capturing the language of the kids in my notebook or on a chart have become a way of teaching for me, I am not really sure I know how to teach without a chart, and I am sure I can't create a chart without the langauge of the kids! Capturing the magic of their words allow me to see their thinking and informs my instruction. Anecdotal notes help me to remember specific events in our room and allow me make purposeful connections throughout our instruction.

Reflecting, sharing, and teaching
Just like in listening in while kids work we need to listen when our kids reflect and share on their learning. Capturing their thoughts in our notes is so powerful. The share circle is one of the most powerful features of the workshop. Share and reflection allow me to hear and see where the kids are in their understandings. Kids can learn from each other as they share and question their own understandings. This is a time for the kids to reflect on their learning. As kids share I find valuable information for the next lessons and students find new ways process their learning.

VoiceThread Is Always There!

2011-02-26T13:51:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I had to miss school due to a nasty stomach bug. I was very sad to miss as it was a big day for first grade and I the plans I left for my poor sub were less than adequate. (Typed them up at four AM while feeling very sick).

Today I finally found the strength to grab my laptop, mainly to follow the tweets of the Dub Lit conference on twitter (which I had also had to miss, darn bug). As I began to browse twitter I clicked over to my email, I was so please to see an email from VoiceThread notifying me that nine of my kids had created VoiceThreads while I was out! I also found a video of the first grade animal parade from my teaching partner,Carolyn. It was so nice to have a peak into the day!

I quickly clicked over to VoiceThread and to see and hear what my kids had been doing while I was out! I was so happy to peek into my class and their thinking! I was even more excited to see they were independent in creating VoiceThreads AND even more excited to see that my kids were reading and thinking! Could it be they have developed life long skills?

I also took a minute to share the animal parade video with the my class and their families via VoiceThread, I can't wait to hear the kids tell me all about their special day!

Lesson design~ What do you believe?

2011-02-21T16:43:00.002-05:00

Design: Creating Lessons Based on Principles and Practices You Believe In.

In this chapter Debbie explains her lesson design as it reflects her belief statement-

"I believe the gradual release of responsibility model, integrated into a workshop format, best guides children toward understanding and independence. (Pearson and Gallagher 1983)"

Debbie provides us not only with the thinking behind her lesson design (teacher modeling, guided practice within the lesson, guided practice beyond the lesson, independent practice and application) but also the advatanges the design provides to the learner (making the thought process visible).

As I read this chapter I reflected on my lesson design and my tenative belief statements. I, like Debbie believe in a gradual release of responsibility. It's a beleif I developed early in my career as special education teacher and was reinforced as I moved into regualr education. This is a popular format and for good reason.

This belief statement speaks to my lesson design and is one I strive to place in all parts of my day.

A framework, which incorporates a gradual release of responsibility, is the most effective teaching model.
In my classroom reading, writing, math and content (when possible) are all taught in a workshop format which incorporates a gradual release of responsibility to the kids. Each workshop begins with a focus lesson. This lesson begins by activating prior knowlwdge (schema) and making connections. New content is introduced (modeled, demonstrated or guided) all the while continuing to make connections as we go.

As I guide the kids through this new learning I listen carfully to their thinking and the language they use. I use their words to create our anchor charts. These charts serve as a tool for the kids throughout the year and make our thinking public.
The lesson continues as the kids are released into the workshop but, not before taking a few minutes to allow the kids to envision their learning during the workshop. This envisioning allows the kids to verbalize the learning and set goals. I also believe I am sending the message- the new learning is important and will help you to deepen your understandings.

Envisioning also serves as an assessment tool for me. I use the information to guide my conferring and small group work during the workshop. The workshop provides time for the kids to work independently, in partners, or small groups and time for me to conference with the kids, work with small groups, and observe the overall learning of the class. All the while I am making instructional decisions for tomorrows learning.

Our workshop concludes each day with a share time. We gather on the carpet and talk about new discoveries, questions, ideas and our experiences during the workshop. Share time is my favorite part of the workshop. During our share kids are listening to their peers process their learning in their language. While some listen others respond and connect their ideas, the conversation flows openly! This is a time when the kids understandings become visible to me! These new understandings asses todays learning and guide the work for tomorrow.

In talking about the teachers Debbie observed she says~

"These teachers trusted themselves and they trusted children-there was shared responsibilty for teaching and learning."

As I reflected on these words it became clear to me, this is the gift of the share time. The workshop can appear "messy." But when you sit and listen to the kids share their new understandings and see their processes at work, the power of gradual release in a workshop format becomes evident.

For me it all comes down to your knowledge of the kids, the curriculum and trust. You have to trust your teaching, your observations, and your kids!

Things to think about:
Are the experiences we provide for the kids authenic?
Is the purpose of the lesson clear to the kids?
Are the materials appropriate to the learning?
Are we meeting the needs of the variety of learners in our room?

Book Recommendations on VoiceThread

2011-02-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

A wonderful trend has begun in our classroom, book recommendations! This trend is organic and continues to grow. It all started one day when a student brought in a book that she wanted to share with the class. As we gathered for our morning meeting she shared her favorite parts and then asked where she could put the book for her friends to read. The kids quickly found the perfect shelf and labeled it "books we share with the class."

The kids were excited to borrow the book. Soon they began to talk about the book and "reserve" the book with a first grade honor system~ so cute! Of course it wasn't long until more recommendations were made and more books were being "reserved."

The power of the organic book recommendation soon grew to VoiceThread. Here kids share their favorite parts and sometimes even tell us where we can get the book for ourselves! The fun doesn't stop there, VoiceThread allows other readers to share their comments on the book. VoiceThread has been a great addition to our book recommendations.

Friends continue to share in our morning meeting as well as on VoiceThread. Once a book is shared in the meeting kids often request it be added to VoiceThread, this allows us to remember all the books shared, the thoughts of the reader who recommended the book and enables all readers to comment. In a classroom of 20 this is a great way to hear every one’s thoughts!
Most book recommendations come from books read outside of our classroom. I love having a peek into the independent reading and thinking of my kids. Not only can I assess their reading habits but it helps me to gain an understanding of other books they like to read.

We hope you will listen to our book recommendation above and maybe even leave a comment!

Making Comprehension Visible

2011-02-18T09:55:00.001-05:00

Debbie provides explicit lesson details for making comprehension visible; she explains that it is not her intention that teachers follow her plans explicitly. "The point is to know who you are and what you're about when you're teaching based on your beliefs, your students, and the environment you are creating."

Just as Debbie is explicit in her language for her students she provides explicit language for teachers. Debbie suggests when looking at your lessons you ask yourself the following:

How does the lesson support where you are now as a class?
How will lesson support new learning? Is the lesson engaging? Is it visible? Does the lesson provide choices? Are the kids interested in the content? Will the lesson lead to independence?
Will students have time to practice new learning, receive feedback? How will you support the kids? How will you assess the kids?
Where will this lesson take the learning?

Debbie's words give me room to breathe and the confidence to think about my kids, what works in our room and what works for me, the teacher.

More Fun With VoiceThread!

2011-02-09T22:10:00.000-05:00

Oh, the possibilities of VoiceThread!

It seems each day I hear a child in our classroom say, "Oh, I am going to put this on VoiceThread!" or tell a friend "You should share that on VoiceThread!" I have to admit I am VERY pleased with their enthusiasm and comfort in using VoiceThread. We have found many uses for VoiceThread and I say “we” because many of the ideas have come from the kids! It hasn't always been this way. It took time to show the kids the possibilities and give them the opportunity to explore.

We first began using VoiceThread to share comments on our weekly book winner. Each week (as the schedule allows) we vote on our favorite read-aloud. We lay out all the books we have read and each child votes on his or her favorite. After the winning book is determined, the kids create a VoiceThread of the winning book, in which they comment on what they liked about the book, connections they made, or questions they may have. We then invite our class, the media specialist, other first grade teachers, even our principal to comment on the winning book.

Creating VoiceThreads of the favorite read-alouds have allowed everyone in our class the opportunity to share what they have enjoyed in the story. Not only can everyone comment, but the kids can hear the ideas of their peers, other teachers, our media specialist and the principal! Hearing the thoughts of others allows the kids to think about the story in different ways and move them to a deeper understanding. This helps me to select books I am confident my class will enjoy. In addition, it serves as an ongoing assessment of the strategies the kids are using in understanding their reading. Our media specialist has also developed a feel for the books we enjoy as a class and even recommended a few books along the way!
We love it when someone outside our room shares their comments! I have opened the VoiceThread here so you can comment on our favorites and maybe even find a new favorite book of your own!

Careful, Your Kids Are Learning!

2011-02-07T08:45:00.004-05:00

I am currently working with a group of educators in central Ohio and the Literacy Connection. Our focus this year is Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller. This post is in response to chapter 4, Creating Classroom Cultures That
Support and Promote Student Thinking'
How we conduct ourselves in the classroom is important Debbie says, "Our kids are watching us all the time." It is obvious in any classroom children develop their views on thinking and learning by watching us. They watch how we display our thinking, show curiosity, listen and learn from others, and reflect and question our new learning.
I like to think I am a reflective teacher and that I display my thinking openly to my class. I carry a notebook to record comments and interesting things in our day, all our charts are created together as a class and display the language of the kids, I strive capture moments on my digital camera or flip video. Because I value these moments, I take time in the evening to read the comments and use this information for planning. I talk openly with my kids about my thinking, I share my processes for seeking new information and I question new learning on an ongoing basis. I believe I am sending the message I value learning and your thinking, learning is never done and learning is more valuable when shared.

Because I believe I am reflective and open in my thinking I was surprised last week when one of my students asked me "Mrs. Frazier do ever even write?" I really had to stop and think, do I write? I write here in my blog, I write lesson plans, I write reflections on our day, I write to parents, and I write curriculum. But I really had to ask myself do I write? Is what I write valuable to the kids in my class? How can I display this writing to my kids? As I read this chapter Nicholas’ question kept creeping into my mind. I realized how important it is to share not only my thinking but also my life as writer and a reader. To share this with Nicholas and my class I need to be more present in my life as a writer and reader.
Debbie also talks about being present in the moment. This is often a challenge in a first grade classroom, with so many agendas. I often feel rushed; there just isn't enough time in our day. In chapter 1 Debbie described the classroom she was visiting as, "No one is looking at the clock: there's not a hint of rush.” Doesn't that sound so refreshing? "Not a hint of rush." We know if we are feeling the challenge of time our kids are feeling it too.
This chapter, and Nicholas, have left me wondering, how can I display my reading and writing to my class and how can I create a classroom where "there's simply the luscious feeling of endless time"?

How do you display your writing and reading life to your class? How do you manage the many agendas of a classroom so all feel the luxury of endless time? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Teaching With Intention by Debbie Miller-3rd Reflection~ Environment, Environment, Environment

2011-01-30T22:54:00.000-05:00

I was struck by the chapter's opening quote "I believe that classroom environments are the most effective when they are literate and purposeful, organized and accessible, and, most of all, authentic."

This is a philosophy I adopted early in my career; it just seems natural to follow the kids and to work with them to create an environment that reflects the thinking in the classroom. I have found time and time again when I ask my kids what's working, what's not, they know! Not only do they know but also they have ideas, good ideas, and most often better than mine. When the kids have a voice in creating the environment they feel a sense of pride and ownership. This empowers them to feel safe and respected. Debbie recommends starting by cleaning out the things you don't need. This can be a challenge for teachers! My brother-in-law once told me "Clean with a cold heart, our spaces are not big enough for all our memories. Some memories have to live in our hearts!" This is good advice and helps me keep my spaces cleared for what I do need.

Debbie clearly explains the importance for our classroom environments reflecting our belief statements.

"Katy was unable to put into place what she believes is best for kids because the environment will not allow it. The environment has hijacked everything she holds dear."

I believe Debbie is telling us to take charge of our spaces, keep only what you need, follow what you believe is best for kids. If you are feeling unorganized and overwhelmed then your kids most likely feel this too.

"If things are going awry for the teachers, things are probably not going well for the kids either."

I decided to take a step back and take a look at my classroom and my tentative belief statements. Is my classroom environment aligned with my beliefs?

Teachers have a powerful influence on how children feel about learning, their peers and school.

After everyone is settled in we begin our day sitting together in a circle, greeting our friends with kind words, a pat on the back and eye contact. This time is sacred in our room, everyone is present, everyone is greeted and everyone is listening! This is a time for us to show our respect for others, their thoughts, feelings, and learning. Following our greeting, kids share new learning from last night and new ideas or concerns. We listen, we discuss, and we celebrate.

Children perform best when they have a sense of ownership.

During our morning meeting and throughout the day the kids share their thinking and ideas for our classroom and our learning. When there are concerns or problems we work collaboratively to solve them. Recently students had a concern about the group table being too close to the computers, as friends worked at computers during groups time. This made it very difficult for the kids to focus. It was suggested that we move the group table to another location. I made this change that weekend. When the kids came in Monday I expected them to be excited and all abuzz about the change. I was surprised to hear only a few kids comment and most just settle in as if nothing had changed. I soon realized the kids trusted that I would follow their suggestion and expected to see the change. This tells me they know their opinions are valued and heard, which makes me feel good!

Classrooms are most effective when they reflect the thinking of the children, are organized, positive and responsive to the student’s needs.

Our classroom walls are filled with charts that share our journey in learning. I can't even imagine teaching without creating a chart! I record the thinking of the kids in their language, making it easier for the kids to refer to and use as a resource. All charts are organic, some charts are written with a shared pen, some with my pen but all charts are written with shared thoughts, nothing is premade!

A framework, which incorporates a gradual release of responsibility, is the most effective teaching model.

All parts of our day are organized in a workshop framework. This framework naturally incorporates a gradual release of responsibility. We begin our workshop with a focus lesson. During this focus lesson we gather together on the carpet and share a read aloud connected to our lesson. Following the read aloud I demonstrate the strategy or skill or we work together to practice our new learning. Kids are then released into the workshop where they practice the new learning with the support of a peer or independently. To accommodate a workshop we need ample space for large group work, areas for partner work and small group work, and quite areas for independent work.

Learning is more powerful when it is authentic and extends outside of the classroom.

We value technology in our classroom; we are using Shelfari, VoiceThread and KidBlog to share our learning. The computers are on and open all day to encourage use. In addition we have bookmarked all the favorite sites, (and just in case the web addresses are recorded on sentence strips and hanging above our word wall).

Our 4 computers are located on top of the bookshelf in the back of the room. This arrangement allows the kids to stand comfortably in front of the computers to work and frees our classroom from the big bulky tables. As you enter our room you see the computer inviting you in!

This is where we are today but we are never finished, everyday opens new opportunities. Debbie finishes this chapter with this quote~

"Classroom environments are organic-they grow as we do. The best of them reflect the hearts and souls of those who inhabit them. They're never really finished. They're never really "done." How could they be, when everyday students and teachers learn something new."

The Wonders Of VoiceThread!

2011-01-27T21:05:00.000-05:00

This year I have become a big fan of VoiceThread! I first learned about VoiceThread during a summer in-service in my district. I sat, I listened, I played and I created a project to get my credit. I have to admit I really did not see how I would use this tool in my classroom. I was sure I could do everything VoiceThread could do, only faster with pencil and paper. With the encouragement of my friend and teaching partner Cathy, I brought VoiceThread into my classroom. Well, I am happy to say, it instantly became obvious I had under estimated the value of this tool!

My most recent use of VoiceThread came in the form of a pre-assessment. I currently have a wonderful student teacher, Colleen, who would be planning and teaching our upcoming unit on heroes. Because Colleen is only in our classroom 2 days a week, we needed a way to pre-assess and share the information prior to her planning. So we turned to VoiceThread! VoiceThread has a comment moderation feature which allowed us to hear the comments of the students prior to the students hearing the comments of their peers, a big plus for pre-assessment! In addition, VoiceThread allowed the students to comment orally. This option encouraged the students to share more information than they might have shared in written form.

Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller-2nd reflection~ Belief Statements

2011-01-17T17:36:00.003-05:00

This is my second reflection in a series of reflections on Teaching with Intentions by Debbie Miller.

In chapter 2, Debbie explains her process in developing a set of belief statements to guide her teaching. As I read this I thought about the various building and districts committees where I have worked to develop belief statements but never have I actually thought about what my belief statements might be. I was relieved when Debbie stated, “I thought this was something someone else did for me.” I was reassured by this sentence. I have been teaching for nineteen years and have certainly developed many ideas about best practice but never had it occurred to me to write my own belief statements. I, like Debbie, thought this was done for me.Debbie explains the process she took establishing her belief statements. Debbie explains, "We are the ones with the unique and wonderful positions to know where our kids have been, where they are now, and where it makes the most sense to take them next." Debbie spent almost a year reading books, articles, research, and talking openly about her teaching in establishing her belief statements. Like Mandy at Enjoy and Embrace Learning, I found comfort in knowing this isn’t something we can do in quickly.

Here I found the confidence to think about what my belief statements ~~would~~ might be, I need more time to read, reflect and collaborate. Debbie clearly explains the power of belief statements in the classroom. “When teachers know where they are going they make explicit, intentional teaching decisions.” How can I continue teaching without my own belief statements knowing I have time, the resources and the knowledge to develop my own?

I think my belief statements might include:

Teachers have a powerful influence on how children feel about learning, their peers and school.
Children perform best when they have a sense of ownership.
Children need choice in their learning and time to practice new learning.
Teachers work best with the support and encouragement of colleagues.
Classrooms are most effective when they reflect the thinking of the children, are organized, positive and responsive to the student’s needs.
A framework, which incorporates a gradual release of responsibility, is the most effective teaching model.
Ongoing assessment informs good teaching.
Learning is more powerful when it is authentic and extends outside of the classroom.

Collaborating with fellow educators like Cathy at Reflect and Refine, (who I want to thank for encouraging me to challenge myself everyday!) Mandy at Enjoy and Embrace Learning and Julie at Raising Readers and Writers and following great blogs like Am Literacy Log and Creative Literacy, (and so many more I am just beginning to discover!) in addition to my work with the Literacy Connection and joining the blogging community are just my beginning steps in establishing my own belief statements. I hope to continue to read, reflect and collaborate this year as I develop my own belief statements.

Brontorina by James Howe/VoiceThread

2011-01-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

Today as I was walking my class to special our media center specialist, Jill was waving her arms wildly to grab my attention. I am always excited to talk to Jill. She shares new books and old favorites that are always perfect for my class. Today she shared Brontorina by James Howe.

...And it all began with a dream!
Brontorina the dinosaur dreamed of being a dancer, a ballet dancer. When she went to visit Madame Lucille's dance academy she was confronted with many challenges! Despite the many challenges the boys and girls of the dance academy begged Madame Lucille to allow Brontorina to dance! The pleas of the children of the dance academy will warm any teachers heart!
The main character being a dinosaur not only makes the story what it is but, it captures the boys, who may have been unsure of the ballet dream. By the end of the story the oh's and aw's were unanimous!
This book is great for for any classroom and demonstrates community building and caring.

Listen here to what our class had to say about Brontorina.

The Ideal Classroom-Reflection 1-Teaching with Intention Debbie Miller

2011-01-04T23:32:00.001-05:00

Debbie Miller begins her book Teaching with Intention with a challenge. She challenges the reader to envision the ideal classroom, to think big and consider the look,the feel,the smells, and the people of this ideal classroom. What are the students and teachers of this ideal classroom doing? Debbie Miller then asks the reader to look into their own classroom. Does the classroom reflect your beliefs?

I decided to take a minute and jot down what I envision in my perfect classroom~

My ideal classroom is visually colorful, full of great books and the learning we do is everywhere! When others walk into our room they know what we are learning because they see it hanging on the walls, in our book baskets, and on the web!

The tools are accessible and organized by the students for their use.

The room feels warm and inviting, as all the people in this class are respectful of each other, the tools, and the learning itself.

The classroom has a comfortable buzz. (The buzz of engaged students talking about their work). The students are engaged and working all around the room creating, thinking and learning. The kids are applying the learning from mini lessons in new and creative ways.

Students are flexible with their media and take the learning beyond our classroom.

The teacher? She is somewhere in the mix of the kids. She is jotting notes about what the kids are doing and making instructional decisions.The teacher is asking questions that drive and extend the thinking of the students.

Some elements of the classroom are within the teachers control as they design the environment and the instructional framework. But all teachers meet challenges that seem to be beyond their control. But, the great teachers create classrooms that appear to have endless blocks of time for learning, free of interruptions and pullouts. Where kids spontaneously talk about their learning, with the buzz of conversation low enough for everyone to work comfortably. These teachers find time to reflect on their teaching, the data and apply all to tomorrow's lesson. In my ideal classroom I will be that teacher!

You may also want to visit Enjoy and Embrace http://enjoyembracelearning.blogspot.com/2010/12/teaching-with-intention-reflection-2.htm l.
for more reflections on Teaching with Intention.

Ready? Set? Go!

2010-12-03T18:12:00.000-05:00

I am hesitantly typing this as I am not sure who might read this blog or if I am ready to be a member of the blogging community! I enjoy reading blogs and LOVE to talk about teaching but, I haven't been brave enough to step into the world of bloggers! With the encouragement of my friend and teaching partner Cathy, I am taking this GIANT ~~brave~~ step.
My favorite pastime is reflecting on my teaching, listen to others think about their teaching, and discussing best practice with anyone willing to listen and talk! I may be wearing out a few colleagues, so a blog seems like the perfect fit!
I am excited about the possibilities blogging offers. I plan to begin my "blogging journey" by sharing my reflections as I read Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller with my Literacy Connection friends. So, here we go!