Homework Turn In

I think one important way for students to demonstrate responsibility is to turn in work on time. However, how to collect the homework in the best way is a struggle for me.

Every year I try to figure out the best way to for students to turn in homework. I tried one basket to put everything in, but that was too unorganized. I've tried baskets for each subject, but there is always someone who puts the homework in the wrong basket. I tried a pocket chart that ha 24 spaces for file folders, but the students would just shove the papers in and it ended up a mess. So I tried to come up with a new way.

In the last few years I have assigned each student a number so when they turn in their work I can just go through the numbers to see who hasn't turned in their work. In theory that should make it easy. Well, it is easier, but it still isn't easy.

Then I saw something on Pinterest that I thought would be a good idea, at least the start to a good idea. A teacher took binder dividers that have pockets in them and attached them to the wall. She numbered them and assigned students a number. It would be quick to see if a student hadn't turned work in. You would still need to gather it all out of the pockets, and I do not have wall space to hang up all those dividers. So I decided to tweak it.

I bought the binder dividers and found a binder that I wasn't using. That in itself is pretty amazing because I love binders. I have to get numbers, calendar numbers should work, and tape them to the front of the binder dividers. I will also put their names on the tabs, and those can be changed out each year. I put a nice cover on the binder that says "Reading" since that is what my kids turn in for homework. If I taught other subjects then I would make similar binders for those subjects.

When I need to check to see if there is any missing work I can just flip through and if the pocket in the divider is empty then I know it hasn't been turned in. I can look on the tab an see whose divider it is. The best part, at least I think it is, I can just grab the binder and I have all their homework in one place. I can take it home (I hate taking home work to grade but it happens) or to my desk or wherever to correct their work.

I hope this idea works out as well as I think it will.

Bad Responsibility Dreams

Last night I had one of those dreams. Teachers know the ones "the school nightmare". They usually start a little before school begins, but this summer I have had them a lot already. I actually had one the day after school got out and that's never happened before.

Usually the dream involves a strangely shaped classroom that is the size of a college classroom.You know the one that is an auditorium. Since the room is strangely shaped you can't see all the kids and they can't possibly see you, and it seems hear you either. My students of 5th graders are usually full of boys, nothing wrong with boys, but their the sizes of NFL linebackers. There are girls too, but they tend to be loud and reminded me of a certain girl I had the um, privilege of teaching twice. Those of you who know me probably have figured out which one already, but if your not sure her first name started with a "S".

Well last night's dream was a little different. The room was small but very narrow, with posts everywhere. The room was packed with kids, but they were not linebacker size. No these 5th graders were the size of 2nd  graders, which means you can pack a few more of them in their. My new principal was there to observe what a responsibility classroom looked like, on the very first day!

Needless to say, those little people were a mess! They talked non-stop and I had to keep stopping to tell them to be quiet. I was trying to convey the idea of what a responsibility classroom would look like, but all I wanted to do was shout "SHUT UP!"

So I woke up and like all the other bad school dreams realized that it was just a dream. The positive take away was that I did wake up and think of some ideas of how to approach the first day of school with my kiddos. :)

Reasons to Start Getting Excited!

 I have to admit I was worried. We got a new principal and decisions about what grade we were teaching wasn't decided until this week. Well, he might have decided before this week, but we didn't find out until we went in for a meeting with him. Some teachers are meeting with him today so, in theory, we all should know by the end of today. A few teachers are away and did theirs through email, so I don't know if they know or not.

I am still teaching 5th, yea!!! Our team shrunk from five teachers to four. We haven't been just four teacher since the first year our school opened. Each year our grade level changed in number and teachers, but three of us have been there since the beginning. Once we knew for sure it was us the text messaging started.

We team teach so we started texting ideas of how to do it. I think we've come up with a good plan, now to run it by the new principal. So far, he has been very receptive to our ideas so hopefully he'll like it. Not that we have a final plan yet, but we are putting the ideas together.

Now that I know what grade I'm teaching, once again yippee, and my team is roughing out a plan I feel like I can get working. Honestly, I was a bit stuck. I wanted to move forward and plan,which I did a lot of in June, but once July rolled around I started to wonder. I wondered if it was worth doing all the planning and then find out  that I was moving grades. Also, since I wasn't sure if he would let us continue team teaching, he isn't really a fan, I started getting math and science ideas since I haven't taught those. Now, I am excited to get started working on the upcoming year. Ideas are just rolling around in my head.

Of course, it's still July and I consider it the one and only really month of vacation, so I'm trying to restrain myself until August. Not sure if it'll work or not. :)

Teaching Children

Sorry if this posts seems to wander. One thought leads me to another, but I'll try to cut it off. :)

A few years ago I made a statement to my class that I don't work for their parents. It was a moment of frustration, but it is true. I have always believed, and will state if it comes up, that I don't work for the state; I don't work for the district; I don't work for the school; and I don't work for the parents. I work for the children!

Yes, I have responsibilities and accountability to the state, district, school, and parents, but if I teach from that mind set then I miss out on the real reason for teaching. It is all about the children. Otherwise, why should I bother!

With that in mind I teach the children, not the standards. They have to take tests at the end of the year that show that they learned something, that they've shown growth. I can decide to teach my students to pass the test, which honestly is less important now, because of the emphasis on growth. The test can become the biggest focus of our year together, but I can't do that. I can't twist children into knots over a test that measures more their testing stamina than their actual knowledge of the subject matter.

Do we talk about the test? Yes, but not much. What do we talk about? We talk about goals and successes and how-we-got-theres. We talk about what interests us and how to interact with each other. We talk about our families, our pets, and our hobbies. We laugh and help each other and we become more responsible. I say we because each year I certainly want to grow and become more personally responsible as well. That shouldn't stop just because I am grown. Will that change because of new tests, based on national standards? Ummm...no!

Interestingly I was doing some pinning on Pinterest and came across some interesting information. It seems that they are coming under scrutiny. There are states that held out and never adopted the standards and there is a growing number of states that may be pulling out of them. There are bills before some state legislatures to do just that. A few weeks ago I even received a survey from a group in my state about my thoughts on Common Core and the idea of slowing them down or stopping them. I kind of wished I know then what I know now before filling out the survey. Oh, well.

Yes, there are plenty of things that I like about the Common Core, but there is also some things that I don't. I do not the idea that I am focusing on preparing my students for the future as the main goal. These standards are based on being college and career ready. The truth is not all students want to go to college. They don't usually say that in school. They usually will give you the name of a college and a job that they want to do, but sometimes that is just because everyone else is. If a girl in my room dreams of being a domestic goddess I want to encourage that in her. If a boy or girl wants to be a farmer or rancher they can go to college for that but don't need to. Should I push them to go to college rather than choose the school of experience option?

I believe that if I encourage my students to be responsible in the here and now then they will continue to be responsible in the future. Being consistently responsible for what they say and do and their work should lead them to make being responsible a habit. Once it becomes a habit than it should stick. If responsibility is taught and expected when they are young then it will continue in them as they grow. Standards and educational approaches will change. Teachers from one year to the next and one class to the next will vary. Circumstances and experiences will change throughout their lives. If students are responsible then they can adjust to the changes because it will be about them, not about their circumstances. With that in mind, I worry less about their futures, and more about how to help them learn to be responsible.

So I teach the children, and I teach them how to be responsible.

Like I said this post did ramble from one idea to another, but in my mind they go together. :)