Maker Movement

A recent article by Suzie Boss detailed California's "Maker Movement." She describes this program as " the process of applying core concepts to real-world challenges, they develop a designer's eye and heart for problem solving. They build confidence as they progress from novices to skilled carpenters, welders, and designers of beautiful, lasting things that enhance their community," (Boss, 2014).  At first I was thinking this is a great novel idea, more schools should do this. However, I was talking with my husband and he asked where does the funding come from to support the program, the article didn't really say, but I'm sure from local businesses and fundraising.  Our discussion went on to discuss our own public school building trades program through our RESA. They build Habitat for Humanity houses and work with local builders on their new constructions.  They have also helped with the city on building projects.  Not all students are serious about the program and due to having so many in the program at once the instructor can not see to all students at once, thus the downfall, but those that really care and want to learn, are and they are learning valuable life skills.  Many schools do employ this Maker Movement, at one time we also had auto class that would work on the schools vehicles, welding but with today's technology it is hard for the schools to keep the machines up to date.  All in all it's a valuable program that needs to be incorporated in more communities. 

Boss, S. (2014, November 13). Make the Most of the Maker Movement. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/make-most-maker-movement-suzie-boss

Learning Life Skills Shouldn't Stop In Preschool

"Listening. Sharing. Following directions. Making friends. Managing big emotions. Planning for the future," (Kamenetz, 2014).  These key skills should not be ending with a preschool graduation.  These lifelong skills need to be taught throughout all of a student's educational career.  Learning how to be good citizens can be a precursor to success in later years.  There are programs currently being implemented in all levels, such as, "Tools for Getting Along in Elementary School...and Brainology in Middle School,...as well as Responsive Classroom which changes how teachers and administrators do discipline" according to Kamenetz. What we need to remember is that throughout all of education we need to build problem solving skills with each other and not create abstract problems, but everyday perplexes and have students work together to solve with common sense.   

Kamenezt, A. (2014, November 29). What Every School Can Learn From Preschools. Retrieved November 30, 2014, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/25/366561443/what-every-school-can-learn-from-preschools?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=education

Digital Storytelling trouble

I confess I am having an extremely hard time with the Digital storytelling assignment.  Maybe because I don't have a classroom, so I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate DS into a professional development session or into assessments and data.  I am waiting for inspiration to strike but my time is ticking by quickly.  Anyone else in the same boat?  Any suggestions?  What would you want to see as elementary school PD?

"It's Okay to Write Terrible Stories..."

"Listen. Some stories are terrible, They are, I'm sorry  to tell you , unrevisable.  You put the word "squishy" in your pocket and chuck the rest.  That's what the draft gave you: one word." (Falatko, 2014).  I think that is what students need to hear when they are writing, that it is ok that some of your writing is terrible, sometimes it works for you and other times you just have to let the piece go.  I found that in the article Falatko exposes us to her various writing failures and "stepping stones," and advice not to give up to have fun with your writing because you never know where that failure or stepping stone might lead you.  I think we get so caught up in teaching the format and the grammar of writing we forget it's ok just to write and what you write doesn't have to be good, as long as you can take something away from that story, maybe it will lead you to a masterpiece. maybe not!




Falatko, J. (2014, November 18). It's Okay to Write Terrible Stories. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/its-okay-to-write-terrible-stories-by-julie-falatko/

Working With Young Children, Dead-End Job?

What is it worth to have high quality childcare?  According to Anya Kamenetz, not much depending on location, “the economy values them between $8.63 and $20.99 per hour, “(2014). So why the difference between Kindergarten teachers and Preschool/Childcare wages?  Isn't the work just as important, are the childcare workers and Preschool teachers not having just as great as impact as the K teacher, if not more?  After all these workers are the first contact either in a school setting or with outside adults that children have in their developing life.  So why the low wage…”better paid teachers and caregivers have lower turnover, can afford more training, and , not incidentally, are less stressed and preoccupied,” (2014).  It’s highly unlikely that things will change anytime soon, however I have noticed more funding for preschool, we now have full time preschool teachers, that because of our contract make close to what I make (which isn't much), but I've been there 6 years and through a pay freeze and 2 pay cuts.  I think there needs to be more value put into caring for our children of all ages not just the preschool and toddlers.

Kamenetz, A. (2014, November 20). Why Working With Young Children Is (Still) A Dead-End Job. Retrieved November 21, 2014. http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/20364563452/why-working-with-young-children-is-still-a-dead-end-job?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=education

Asking the Right Questions With RtI

When implementing RtI or Response to Intervention, is your school asking the right questions?  According to “Want the Right Kind of Thinking About RtI? Ask the Right Questions,” instead of “how do we raise our test scores?” you should be asking “how do we successfully use this time to support student learning?” It is imperative that RtI is done with a systematic approach, it is continuous and ongoing for the students, and you are meeting their needs and focus on what is causing the deficiencies.   The most important idea to keep in mind is that students are achieving no matter their position in the tiers and learning and teaching are being differentiated for individuals.

Buffum, A., & Mattos, M. (2014, November 19). All Things PLC. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.allthingsplc.info/blog/view/278/want-the-right-kind-of-thinking-about-rti-ask-the-right-questions

Winter Book Recommendations

As the weather turns nasty here in Michigan and we spend more time inside, why not grab a good book to past the winter blahs away?  Elena Aguilar has 5 books to share.  She recommends “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” by Marie Kondo.  Are you ready to purge and organize, this book may be right for you.  Next is “My Brilliant Friend,” by Elena Ferrante.  This is part of a trilogy about two women and their lasting friendship.  Number three is “The Coo’s Illustrated Meat Book,” by the editors at Cook’s Illustrated.  If you love cooking and want to know more about the how’s and whys of pans, knives and food, you might want to check this book out.    Fourth is “The Teacher Wars: A History of America’s Most Embattled Profession,” By Dana Goldstein. This book contains over 175 year of American Teaching history.  Truly a fascinating read!  Lastly, Aguilar suggests “Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom and Wonder,” By Arianna Huffington.  Trying to learn how to balance family, life and career without cutting yourself short, sounds like you may want to check this book out.  I don’t really have a lists that I want to read over winter break. I am sure I will be reading many children’s Christmas books to my little ones and then I’ll try to fit in the “Book Whisperer” or/and “Reading in the Wild” both by Donalyn Miller, who I have the privilege of hearing and seeing speak at Central Michigan University in January.  What will you be reading during your winter break or just the winter months?



Aguilar, E. (20014, November 21). 5 Eclectic Book Recommendations for Winter Break. Retrieved November 21, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org//blog/eclectic-book-recommendations-winter-break-elena-aguilar

Gratitude in the Classroom

Have you given gratitude today?  According to Owen Griffith the daily journaling of gratitude can increase your classroom culture and classroom performance.  Just have the students write 5 gratitudes a day can lead to "1000 or more in a year!" (Griffith, "Gratitude: A Powerful Tool for Your Classroom", 2014).  He suggests that you write for a few weeks your own gratitudes before sharing and having students write, also you can provide a template for a few weeks until the students become comfortable.  Such as, I am thankful for...Thank you for...etc.  The more you write you will want the students to be come descriptive and give specific examples of their gratitude.  Griffith suggests being specific and encourage to find gratitude in homework and chores.  The more you give gratitude the more reflexive it will become. According to research by, Dr. Robert Emmons and Dr. Jeffrey Froh, 

Keeping a gratitude journal on a daily basis helps students achieve the following:

• Higher grades
• Higher goals
• More satisfaction with relationships, life, and school
• Less materialism
• More willingness to give back.

(Griffith, "Gratitude: A Powerful Tool For Your Classroom," 2014)

Put positivity out receive positivity.  After reading this article I realized I have been lax in promoting our good news in our building.  In previous years to boost moral I have hung large posters in the lounge for the staff to give verbal "pats on the backs" and positivity posters where we write something positive that has happened in our classroom.  With the new administration I wanted to give her a chance to do her own thing, but listening to the staff I think they would welcome some warm fuzzies and I might just entitle one Gratitudes!!

http://www.edutopia.org//blog/gratitude-powerful-tool-for-classroom-owen-griffith

Griffith, O. (2014, November 17). Gratitude: A Powerful Tool for Your Classroom. Retrieved November 17, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org//blog/gratitude-powerful-tool-for-classroom-owen-griffith

Catching my breath

So this week has been very busy...parent teacher conferences, preparing to present at our professional development day on Friday, RtI meetings/data meetings oh and I celebrated my birthday in the mix there actually during PTC!  So I have been a little behind on my blog posting.  Rest assured I will be posting tomorrow. Thanks for your consideration that life happens!-Janelle

Secret Lives of Teachers

Elissa Nadworny's Title "The Secret Lives of Teachers: Up, Up and Away!" caught my attention right away.  I mean, teachers with secret lives? I've got to know more.  In the NPR article she features Joshua Weinstein whose secret passion is flying, so much of a passion he works at the near by air field part time to earn flying money, by day he teaches Social Studies. "Passion for anything is important, he says, and I want my students to know that," (Nadworny 2014).
I have to agree and I think we get so bogged down with the day to days and the ever changing, ever addition to our careers that we forget about our passions, our secret lives.  Teaching was once a passion for me, a rush and now with the changing scope of my position I don't often experience that rush and passion is waning,but I will try hard to get it back or develop my own secret life. :)



Nadworny, E. (2014, November 6). The Secret Lives Of Teachers: Up, Up And Away! Retrieved November 7, 2014, from http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/11/06/361744278/the-secret-lives-of-teachers-up-up-and-away?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=education

PBL & Common Core Changing the World...

Project Based Learning and Common Core


Practice, Passion, Connections, and Challenges are the key components for students to take common core instruction to the next level.  According to Amy Colony, author of "How to Change the World: Service PBL in the Common Core Literacy Classroom," students need the opportunity to experience real life situations to be able to apply it to their writing and fulfill the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for reading and writing.  "Service learning empowers and inspires students to take their place in their communities, making both stronger," (Colony, 2014).  What a better way to have student excited about writing?  Have them apply something they've done, something they are passionate about, and something they can take ownership over by it being a part of their community.  Creating a PBL not only applies to writing but all subjects can have a part of the project. Evoking math calculations for funding and materials, art for design, reading and writing for permissions, proposals and history of what would be the best project. Students are creative and eager to contribute to their community, why not give them a chance while apply the CCSS?




Colony, A. (2014, November 6). How to Change the World: Service PBL in the Common Core Literacy Classroom. Retrieved November 7, 2014.

Figuring things out...

So I'm starting to figure things out on this blog.  I've been able to add pages and display content on the pages with assignments previously posted on the home page.  Still not having very good luck with flikr image links but I'll keep trying.

Feelings Linked to Knowing Facts

To Teach Facts, Start with Feelings

Hunter Maats and Katie O’Brien

When you remember or think about your favorite book or movie, what sticks in your mind that helps you to remember?  A feeling, an emotion, a connection you felt to that piece of art? The way our brains keep and store information has a great deal to do with emotions.  “Logic and emotion are tied together to bring meaning to a set of ideas,” (Maats and O’Brien 2014).

According to Maats and O’Brien they suggest starting from the present and working your way backward when teaching about facts in history, ELA, etc.  Tap into the student’s emotion to help them make connections; “by making simple connections, you’re starting your students from a place of understanding, appreciation, and curiosity,’’ (Maats and O’Brien 20104).

It’s always important to remember when you’re teaching: what do my students’ know, what is their background knowledge on this topic, and how can I get them to understand and think outside the box!

Maats, H., & O'Brien, K. (n.d.). To Teach Facts, Start with Feelings. Retrieved October 31, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teach-facts-start-with-feelings-hunter-maats-katie-obrien

EDU 653 Power Point Assignment

EDU 653 PPT Assignment
Since I don't have a classroom of my own.  I lead many professional development meetings and through various RtI and Grade level meetings these past 2 weeks, I've noticed a need for review of RtI.  We've been implementing RtI for the last 4.5 years and there is still confusion over the process and what RtI really is, hence the power point.  We have a professional development day coming in a few weeks and we are adding a new referral process, so possibly if my principal allows me I would like to present this power point in order to clarify misconceptions, introduce to new staff and hopefully reignite our interventions.