This is a little treasure I found this year on some shelf in the library. It was calling my name! And you will love it too.
It is called "The Black Book of Colors". It is a story with completely black pages (white text). Each page has a Braille translation and a picture drawn in blank raised ink.
What I love most is that is requires students to visualize on their own. They must paint the picture in their mind because there is no color in the book because the written description.
It is an absolute MUST-have!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
What Moms Can't Do
Some of my kids were reading a book called "What Moms Can't Do" in a guided reading group yesterday. To connect to prior knowledge, I asked the kids prior to reading what types of things they thought moms couldn't do.
One of my kiddos says "When moms are pregnant, they can't repent." I asked him what he meant and he said, "Well, they just can't... I think."
It took a lot for me to hold back my giggles. But, I thought it was kind of funny. I wonder what idea actually made him think that.
One of my kiddos says "When moms are pregnant, they can't repent." I asked him what he meant and he said, "Well, they just can't... I think."
It took a lot for me to hold back my giggles. But, I thought it was kind of funny. I wonder what idea actually made him think that.
I needed new ideas... so...
I googled "homework choices for 2nd graders".... and I was APPALLED (very disappointed) at the results. EVERY single site I visited documented, mostly in great detail, teachers' homework policy. This feeds my desire to want a school of my own someday.
The amount of "kill and drill" homework activities is outrageous. I actually read this:
ast year I had the exact same homework and I doubt that it ever took longer than 20 minutes.
"I use math-drills.com for math worksheets." YUCK! Drills?? What does research say about drills... Automaticity or memorization. I know you can find research that pretty much proves any point, but I have a really hard time with kill and drill activities... the transfer is just not there.
"I use specific spelling exercises that are brain-based and research-based. They take NO writing and probably take about a minute per night." WHAT??? This is one of the big problems I see with spelling! When students have a list of 10-15 words to memorize the spelling, it rarely transfers quickly into writing. And not writing the words? What is the point of that? Isn't the point of spelling to get kids to spell words correctly in their writing? In the real world, I rarely have to spell a word aloud.
It leads me back to the question: "What is the point of homework?"
In my opinion, there are several reasons for homework:
1. Reinforce what is learned in class
2. Connect school and home
3. To give children an opportunity to take learning by the horns and apply the learning process to something in which they are interested.
I think that standardize testing has killed this natural love of learning. Many teachers are teaching to the test. Choice and student responsibility for learning are not present. Teachers are teaching the same way they have taught for 20, 30, 40, even 50 years.
I believe that the whole purpose of education is to create a life-long learner, someone who wants to learn any chance he/she gets. The classroom should be full of choices, encouraging students to love learning and to seek opportunities to learn everyday.
The other day, a couple of my students were outside during recess. The previous night, snow had fallen creating a mini-winter wonderland outside. They also noticed (as most boys do) that there was a puddle of water. They decided to take the snow and throw it into the water and watch it. What many teachers might do is tell them to stay away from the water and stop throwing snow, but I seized this moment as a teaching opportunity. They hollered at me, "Ms. Berg, come over here... the snow is disappearing in the water! It's magic." I came over and asked them why they thought the snow was disappearing. We talked about what snow is, which lead to a discussion on melted snow... and where the puddle of water came from the in the first place. First hand science experiment... Real world learning...Student-centered... and student-created understanding.
This is all because I allow choice in my classroom. My kids have two choices everyday. They have the choice to learn, 0r not to learn. I hope they always choice the first choice, but sometimes they don't. They are invited to learn everyday... and THEY are responsible for their learning. I am responsible for giving them opportunities to learn.
But, what motivates the kids in my class is that choice is such a huge factor. Most lessons and activities are done at their own pace and adjusted to their needs, desires, and to their choosing. They choose what books they read, they choose what math activities to do based on what they think they need practice with, they choose what they do for homework, they choose what they write about. My kids LOVE almost everything we do because they know what they need to learn... and they DO something about it.
The amount of "kill and drill" homework activities is outrageous. I actually read this:
ast year I had the exact same homework and I doubt that it ever took longer than 20 minutes.
"I use math-drills.com for math worksheets." YUCK! Drills?? What does research say about drills... Automaticity or memorization. I know you can find research that pretty much proves any point, but I have a really hard time with kill and drill activities... the transfer is just not there.
"I use specific spelling exercises that are brain-based and research-based. They take NO writing and probably take about a minute per night." WHAT??? This is one of the big problems I see with spelling! When students have a list of 10-15 words to memorize the spelling, it rarely transfers quickly into writing. And not writing the words? What is the point of that? Isn't the point of spelling to get kids to spell words correctly in their writing? In the real world, I rarely have to spell a word aloud.
It leads me back to the question: "What is the point of homework?"
In my opinion, there are several reasons for homework:
1. Reinforce what is learned in class
2. Connect school and home
3. To give children an opportunity to take learning by the horns and apply the learning process to something in which they are interested.
I think that standardize testing has killed this natural love of learning. Many teachers are teaching to the test. Choice and student responsibility for learning are not present. Teachers are teaching the same way they have taught for 20, 30, 40, even 50 years.
I believe that the whole purpose of education is to create a life-long learner, someone who wants to learn any chance he/she gets. The classroom should be full of choices, encouraging students to love learning and to seek opportunities to learn everyday.
The other day, a couple of my students were outside during recess. The previous night, snow had fallen creating a mini-winter wonderland outside. They also noticed (as most boys do) that there was a puddle of water. They decided to take the snow and throw it into the water and watch it. What many teachers might do is tell them to stay away from the water and stop throwing snow, but I seized this moment as a teaching opportunity. They hollered at me, "Ms. Berg, come over here... the snow is disappearing in the water! It's magic." I came over and asked them why they thought the snow was disappearing. We talked about what snow is, which lead to a discussion on melted snow... and where the puddle of water came from the in the first place. First hand science experiment... Real world learning...Student-centered... and student-created understanding.
This is all because I allow choice in my classroom. My kids have two choices everyday. They have the choice to learn, 0r not to learn. I hope they always choice the first choice, but sometimes they don't. They are invited to learn everyday... and THEY are responsible for their learning. I am responsible for giving them opportunities to learn.
But, what motivates the kids in my class is that choice is such a huge factor. Most lessons and activities are done at their own pace and adjusted to their needs, desires, and to their choosing. They choose what books they read, they choose what math activities to do based on what they think they need practice with, they choose what they do for homework, they choose what they write about. My kids LOVE almost everything we do because they know what they need to learn... and they DO something about it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)