tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37451283369447277942024-02-07T20:49:40.618-06:00eduflectionsJulie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-62674421374911049342019-10-12T13:13:00.003-05:002019-10-12T13:21:57.180-05:00Trauma and Our Students: Reflections from #ILA19As teachers, we spend our days focused on our students. And as much we think we SEE them, we all know that we are only seeing the version of themselves that they feel comfortable enough to share with us.<br />
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I'm currently at the International Literacy Association Conference in New Orleans. While sitting in the highly engaging and thought-provoking Opening Session, this statement resonated with me: a study showing the impact that trauma has upon a person, many of our students have higher levels that they deal with on a daily basis than those who are on active duty in the military. There are two differences between these two entities: a soldier's time to serve ends and a soldier chose to be in that situation. Our students do not have that power.<br />
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Trauma is something that I got a peek into on July 7, 2018...less than 60 seconds after posting my last blog post...when I received a phone call telling me that my husband had been in an accident and was airlifted to the trauma unit. No other information was given. NONE. The "twitter" version of the story was that a tractor-trailer truck came over on top of him as he was traveling to work. The car caught on fire, he was cut out of the car and placed in a medevac helicopter. When I reached the trauma unit of the hospital where he was, I was escorted back to him. I had no idea what I would find. When they took me to his bedside, I told them that I was with the wrong patient because that person was unrecognizable...a person I've known since middle school. It was him. That vision still haunts my dreams.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcGFTxyfLevfb8a9RDp1lB8Gjlns3IBAdL7X-bn-_HzJ3LyyW4OYfN9SJCkI6whhkEpMzAvSREzT3RUmTMrYmX0ItdLmnH5y40YX5xjfS6bLFjN0YDdcsnqJ-9gzrUjjoN64Mtsf6rgk/s1600/Trauma.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcGFTxyfLevfb8a9RDp1lB8Gjlns3IBAdL7X-bn-_HzJ3LyyW4OYfN9SJCkI6whhkEpMzAvSREzT3RUmTMrYmX0ItdLmnH5y40YX5xjfS6bLFjN0YDdcsnqJ-9gzrUjjoN64Mtsf6rgk/s320/Trauma.png" width="320" /></a>The journey we've been on the last 16 months has been filled with unexpected twists and turns. The word "normal" simply doesn't exist. Trying to find a pattern for life and ALL the therapy and doctor appointment lent itself to mental fatigue, emotional unrest, and physical exhaustion...and yes, I continued to teach as much as I could last school year. To say that I struggled and that I needed a LOT of grace from others is an understatement. And I am an educated adult who spends her days communicating and working with others.<br />
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As I reflected on that idea above through my own lens, I couldn't help but think about my students who face trauma on a daily basis. How can we teach them, if they don't have teachers who understand them and know that we are only seeing a very small piece of their lives? When one is dealing with trauma, things like whether or not homework is completed or supplies are in class become minuscule. Most of our learners are not equipped with the social-emotional skills to communicate what they're dealing with. (It's difficult for adults to do this.) We need to KNOW our students, truly know them as people, so that we can support them and give them the tools they need to cope and take the next step forward in life. They may need quiet time alone. They may need to rage to let it all out. They may need time to cry. As teachers, we have to feel comfortable and open with this part of their lives and provide them with the time, tools, support or care that they need. After all, it's our obligation to teach the whole child.<br />
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Here are a couple of resources if you'd like to do some additional reading on students and trauma:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="https://traumaawareschools.org/impact">How does trauma affect children?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/this-is-a-students-brain-on-trauma/">This is a student's brain on trauma</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/02/26/student-trauma-is-widespread-schools-dont-have-to-go-alone.html">Student trauma is widespread. Schools don't have to go it alone.</a></li>
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Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-88445930775995863112018-06-07T08:30:00.000-05:002018-06-07T08:30:12.659-05:007 Ways to Get to Know Your Students<div>
As teachers, we know the importance of building relationships with our students. How can we teach them unless we know them? They have to trust us, and it's impossible to trust someone who doesn't know who we truly are.<br />
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As I make plans for this upcoming school year, where we will be blending together four different, diverse schools, I know that building meaningful relationships with my students will be a key to making this a smooth transition. Over the years, I've honed my practices to things where I felt everyone could be successful and no one would be embarrassed. While this includes our ELLs and ExEd students, it's also important to remember that for some of our students, time away from school is a nightmare. Writing prompts asking them to share about their summer break shines a spotlight on the fact that they may have spent the time living horrors they don't want their peers to know about. <br />
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With that in mind, here are my top 7 ways I use to get to know my students.</div>
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<ol>
<li><b>Student Survey & Parent Survey</b>: On the first day of school, I present my students with the opportunity to answer a few basic questions about themselves. It's similar to an interest inventory, but I also include things like their learning preference and favorite school memory to provide me a peek into their perceptions and expectations for learning. Also, I send home a "Welcome to Sixth Grade Letter" inviting parents to take a Parent Survey. Who knows the students better than their parents who have been with them for the duration of their lives? Both of these are simple Google Forms that do not take much time for them to complete. Typically, I get almost 100% of my students to complete their form, and I usually get about two-thirds from the parents. This provides me with valuable insight to begin shaping my instructional strategies from day one.</li>
<li><b>Self-sculptures & Name Game</b>: On the second day of school, students find Play-Doh waiting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To watch visit http://bit.ly/NameGame17</td></tr>
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for them at their seats. They are challenged to create a sculpture that represents who they are within seven minutes (I've found that five is too short, and ten is too long). Then we take turns sharing our sculpture and naming each of the people who went before them sharing what they sculpted and how it represents that person. I make sure that I also sculpt something because I want them to know that we are all a part of this learning community together. I share with my students that learning names is VERY challenging for me, but that I am going to challenge myself to know all 100 of my students' names by the end of the day. I strategical position students for when they take their turn based on the information I collected from the surveys from day one. I take a turn periodically throughout the activity so that students get to hear the names and information repeatedly. It's funny, students periodically bring up the different things they learned about each other throughout the school year. (<a href="https://twitter.com/ezigbo_/status/895804637592383489">Check out this video </a>where my turn was captured on Twitter by one of our district admins last year.)</li>
<li><b>True Colors Test</b>: Five years ago, our sixth-grade team went through an intensive journey of self-understanding and characteristics of how to communicate effectively with one another. We took several researched-based personality assessments. Through those conversations, we came to the conclusion that our students needed to be empowered with this knowledge about themselves, their peers, and their teachers. About a week into school, all sixth-grade students take the True Colors personality test. Once they have the results, we discuss learning and interpersonal communication strategies they can use to advocate for themselves as well as effectively communicate and collaborate with one another. This year, the entire school participated, and students received rubber wristbands to identify their True Color. As their teacher, it gave me pertinent information on how best to reach each student and the types of challenges where they would thrive.</li>
<li><b>Passion Blog Post</b>: Our first assignment is for students to write about one of their passions. They are challenged with choosing something that most people may not know about them. It can be a hobby, a favorite, or something they collect. As we move through the writing process, I meet with each student one-on-one. This gives me the opportunity to have an individual conversation with each student on a topic that they chose and that they love. Not only do I get to know some academic strengths and weakness as well as one of their personal interests, I have the opportunity to work at strengthening our relationship and building trust.</li>
<li><b>Tagxedo Dots</b>: Every year, my students participate in International Dot Day, a day devoted to focusing on how students can make a mark on the world based on Peter H. Reynolds' book <i>The Dot</i> (see <a href="https://www.literacyworldwide.org/blog/literacy-daily/2014/03/26/through-the-pages-digital-journeys-connections-and-communities-">this</a>). One of the activities in which each of my students engages is to create a word cloud comprised of 40+ words that describe her/him. I encourage them to dig deeply into their unique qualities. They print these out in the shape of a dot using Tagxedo and we hang these up around the room for the entire year. It's a piece of them that always stays in our learning environment. Because students have been with me for about a month, they feel more comfortable opening up and sharing pieces of who they are through these dot word clouds, which provides me a different look into the unique individuals they each are.</li>
<li><b>Teacher Feedback</b>: If you want to know how well you are reaching students, why not ask them? Four times a year, I ask my students to write me a letter, blog post, or email telling me what I've done as their teacher to help them find success. I also ask them to share some strategies, tools or activities I could implement to further support them as a learner. I encourage honesty; I let them know that I need their honesty to become the best teacher for each individual. Yes, sometimes you need a thick skin. Yes, sometimes you need a tissue because you laugh so hard you cry. Ultimately, I've found these messages from my learners to be the biggest catalyst for my professional growth.</li>
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<li><b>Outside Events</b>: Our learners need to know that we care about them as individuals. This stretches beyond the classroom walls and dedicated school hours. They need to see us at their community theatre and dance productions. They want us to cheer them on at athletic events and competitions. For many of our learners, we may be the only person in their lives who truly care about what happens to them. And while it's not possible to attend everything, our learners need to see that our concern for them is truly genuine and not limited to a few moments during one part of their lifelong journey.</li>
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What have you found is an effective way to get to know your students? Do you have a favorite activity or strategy that you use? I'd love to grow my "Get to Know You" repertoire. Be sure to leave a comment below or hit me on Twitter (@JulieDRamsay) or on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-D-Ramsay/105078552912211">Facebook page</a>.</div>
Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-56668122126200625122018-06-04T10:26:00.000-05:002018-06-04T10:26:32.949-05:00Using a House System to Build CommunityTeaching in middle school can be tricky. Students still want to get prizes, stickers, and wear silly costumes, but they also want to be treated as a grown-up. They become hyper-aware of their peer's opinions; the interactions between classes can often resemble a Greek tragedy (at least in their estimation). So as their teachers, what can we do to provide each student with an advocate since the middle-level learner will rarely ask for help?<br />
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This is the question that the faculty and staff at Rock Quarry Middle School began asking over three years ago. We had tried out different advisory models and had mediocre success. Several of us had done some reading and attended some professional development sessions on building community, and we discovered the potential of creating a house system...yes, like the one in Harry Potter series. Being a HUGE HP fan (Go, Gryffindor!), this really appealed to me as we dug into the nitty-gritty of what this would look like for our learners. A House System would give every single student a group where they belonged and an advocate that would see them in a small "family group" every week. Furthermore, it would allow us to put emphasis on the areas where we needed to grow (PBIS, character education, service learning, growth mindset, etc.) while still putting students in the driver's seat.<br />
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After many planning sessions, for this to become successful, we knew that we had to go BIG to get buy-in from the faculty and students. We created a list of roles that each teacher could fill in his/her house and each teacher could apply for those roles. The teachers and faculty were sorted first with a big surprise during class with balloons in their new house colors to announce their house. This also built anticipation for the students who would be sorted a few days later.<br />
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Our mascot is a Jaguar. When it came time to choose names for our houses, I found a listing of the different subspecies of Jaguars. Our administrator, Lynda Ingram, coined the phrase: <i>Virtus in Unum Pulsatio</i> (Strength in One Pulse). While students, faculty, and staff would all be a part of one of our eight houses, we wanted the focus to be that we are all part of one community.<br />
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So what do we do for our sorting ceremony? While having a sorting hat would have been fun, we are not Hogwarts. We are the House of Jags. We make it a BIG production. We have an enormous sorting basket that glows. I composed a sorting poem that Mrs. Ingram reads, and we have sounds of jungle music playing to set the stage. The first year, all of the students were sorted. Now, each new set of 6th graders are sorted about a month into the school year.<br />
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Students earn house points for anything from random acts of kindness, good citizenship, reaching academic goals, or classroom successes. They can also earn house points for participating in school clubs or events like Scholars Bowl, Battle of the Books, Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, Robotics Club, Canstruction, All-State Band/Strings/Choir, or one of our many athletic teams. We want to put an emphasis on being an active part of the community and representing RQMS outside of the school walls. So, students can earn house points for things like being in a community theatre production, a community athletic team, or Girl or Boy Scouts. And because we work hard to develop empathy in our middle school students, they also earn house points for participating in any service-related activities.<br />
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We meet weekly in family meetings to engage in activities and lessons that empower students to build a relationship with their housemates and their house leader (who becomes their advocate) while also developing characteristics and tools to become a stronger version of themselves. Whole houses typically meet quarterly and YES...we do have House Games where houses can earn additional house points while going head-to-head in games (sometimes they are minute-to-win-it games; sometimes they are games like Ultimate Frisbee, Ga-Ga Ball, or Kickball). At our annual Awards Day, the House Cup is awarded and my students go into that program anxiously awaiting that final announcement. (Go, <span class="" style="color: #674ea7;">Veracrucis</span>!)<br />
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A House System. Does it work? Absolutely. Students' school spirit and morale are high. The number of behavior reports has dropped significantly. Bullying reports have drastically declined. Our middle school students are more active in the community. However, like any new practice, each journey requires ongoing reflection and adaptation to meet the needs of our students. But, when you walk down the halls and you see housemates throw up their house hand signal or do their secret handshake, you know that you've hit upon something that's truly worth the journey.Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-61440060427783715922018-05-31T06:00:00.000-05:002018-05-31T06:00:00.885-05:00Our Top 10 Book Series for Middle SchoolIt's very common for other teachers or parents to ask for reading recommendations for their middle school student(s). While I could give them a list that could keep most readers busy for months on end, I wondered what my readers would recommend...so I asked them. Last week, I posted<a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2018/05/these-are-few-of-our-favorite-reads.html"> A Few of Our Favorite Reads</a>, but I discovered that books that are in a series are very high on their list. As a reader this makes sense. When we connect with characters, we want to continue on their journey to see how things end up in the end. We feel like they've become a part of our lives.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One thing for us to remember is no one book is a perfect fit for every student. We must know our students to know what may fit for them. <span style="background-color: white;">Some common denominators when recommending books is finding those that are both addictive (moves at a pace that will keep the attention of the middle school reader) and appropriate (in content and readiness).</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">So here is my students' list (in no particular order) of their top ten book series for middle grades readers: </span></span><br />
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<ol>
<li>Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling</li>
<li>Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney</li>
<li>The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket</li>
<li>The Babysitter's Club (graphic novel series) by Ann M. Martin (author) and Raina Telgemeier (illustrator)<span class="author notFaded" data-width="" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: "Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></li>
<li>The Blackthorn Key series by Kevin Sands</li>
<li>Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell</li>
<li>A Tale Dark and Grimm (Grimm Series) by Adam Gidwitz</li>
<li>The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer</li>
<li>Legend series by Marie Lu</li>
<li>The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins</li>
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Would this have been the exact list that I would have put together? Probably not. There would have been a couple on this list that may have been different. But in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter. We want our students to have choice and a voice in their reading selections. Reading selection is a very personal decision. As their teachers, we need to provide them with plenty of options (and guidance) in selecting their next great read. This list definitely showed me some places where I need to build my classroom library.<br />
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What are your middle grades students reading now? What's the book (or series) that you cannot keep on your shelves?<br />
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<i>If you are looking for a way to give students voice and choice in their reading and sharing, check out this post: <a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2018/05/flipping-for-book-chats-with-flipgrid.html">Flipping for Book Chats with Flipgrid</a>.</i>Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-17360320505975024482018-05-29T14:38:00.001-05:002018-05-30T09:40:44.259-05:00Flipping for Book Chats with FlipgridHere are few things we know about middle school students and reading:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Students want choice and voice.</li>
<li>A recommendation from a peer typically outweighs one from a teacher.</li>
<li>Interest can trump ability.</li>
<li>Readers need direction when finding the right read for themselves.</li>
<li>Learners become stronger readers by spending time reading.</li>
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So as teachers how do we provide them with all of those opportunities while not losing the focus of supporting students on proving mastery of reading standards and skills? Over the last several years, we have incorporated several different practices in order to find the perfect blending of best literacy practices and student choice (which one could argue is a best practice).<br />
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On the first day of school, students decorate an index card with words and images that represent them as an individual. I collect these to use as equity cards with our Free Reading Fri-Yay celebration each week. We choose seven to eight different cards each week; those students lead a quick one- to two-minute book chat selling their book to their classmates and making recommendations. Their classmates can add new titles to the "Must Read List" that is in their ELA composition notebook. As their teacher, it gives me insight into reading preferences, learning styles, challenges, and interests which I can document on the back of the card to help drive my instruction and support my unique readers.<br />
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While this process was working to a degree, I noticed that students were struggling with book chats. They would either get caught up in the speaking portion of the chat and forget the important aspects of the book they were promoting or they would get caught up in the details of the book and they would forget about the speaking skills we had been developing. Also, I noticed that my readers were also forgetting to write down their next great read on their list and would often abandon selecting a book at all.<br />
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As I was searching for a way to meet all these challenges, I came across Flipgrid. With Flipgrid, I could create a grid with a separate topic for each class. Every two weeks, instead of speaking their book chats live in front of the class, they would record it as a video on Flipgrid. We created a list of expectations:<br />
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<ul>
<li>each chat could be up to 90 seconds long</li>
<li>chat books that we had not read in class or that had not been chatted numerous times</li>
<li>include a summary that convinces others to read that book</li>
<li>avoid big spoilers</li>
<li>recommend who would enjoy that book</li>
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What is great about Flipgrid is that students can access it on any device from a desktop to a smartphone. They can record their video as many times as they would like. Because they were limited to 90 seconds, my learners knew they had to write out their book chat and practice it in order to get all the important details within the short time limit.<br />
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I set the topics to need my approval before they went live to our grid. What I saw from my students was amazing. The quality of their speaking and the books that they chose to share drastically inclined. Their personalities blossomed. Although these book chats were only due every other week, I began having students post multiple chats a week to share with their peers. (Of course, it didn't hurt that they were seeing how many views and likes they were accumulating.) And while giving students a voice helped every student grow, I noticed the biggest difference with my ELL, ExEd students, and struggling readers. They were engaged in book chats at a new level; they had the time to think, practice, and share their reading with their peers because it removed some of the obstacles that they face in the classroom.<br />
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Student-voice is a powerful thing...and with Flipgrid, I was able to deepen their voice as readers and give them an authentic audience to share their reading. If you haven't ever used Flipgrid, check it out. Your students will thank you for it!Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-50353903062141606072018-05-24T19:04:00.000-05:002018-05-24T19:04:22.480-05:00These are a Few of Our Favorite Reads<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ys0qtJmA-zYSoik-WhUaiAjAyhY7vVnrUFj_9CKkrpSygdtwjefJp5Uy0MXfvFxSU_puVydmd3InCrgFCfLQcuJS6WX-LQIVbvd1xdRrK8lUCELSP5SLh4L_LOSZ_sQ007bnCKj31vU/s1600/Design.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ys0qtJmA-zYSoik-WhUaiAjAyhY7vVnrUFj_9CKkrpSygdtwjefJp5Uy0MXfvFxSU_puVydmd3InCrgFCfLQcuJS6WX-LQIVbvd1xdRrK8lUCELSP5SLh4L_LOSZ_sQ007bnCKj31vU/s320/Design.png" width="320" /></a>It's very common for another teacher to ask for my recommendations of books to put in front of their readers. And while I could talk about literature for my middle-level readers for H O U R S, I decided it was time for me to ask my students for their recommendations to see how closely their favs matched my perception of their recommended reading. I had students nominate and vote on their favorite book this year. Some of them were expected, others were a surprise.<br />
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One thing to remember is that as the teacher, it is our responsibility to know our students and what they are ready to tackle. Some common denominators when recommending books is finding those that are both addictive (moves at a pace that will keep the attention of the reader) and appropriate (in content and readiness). We need to try to remember that not every book is the perfect fit for every child at every point in their lives.<br />
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Below you will find their top ten recommended books (a following post will list their top ten book series).<br />
<ol>
<li><i>Ghost</i> by Jason Reynolds</li>
<li><i>Smile</i> and <i>Sisters</i> by Raina Telgemeier</li>
<li><i>Schooled</i> by Gordon Korman</li>
<li><i>Wonder</i> by R. J. Palacio</li>
<li><i>Out of My Mind </i>by Sharon Draper</li>
<li><i>Restart</i> by Gordon Korman</li>
<li><i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> by Madeliene L'Engle</li>
<li><i>Hatchet</i> by Gary Paulsen</li>
<li><i>Invisible Emmie</i> by Terri Libenson </li>
<li><i>Posted </i>by John David Anderson</li>
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Now I realize that should I have asked this question last week or next week, this list might look very different, but it really gave me some insight into what my readers were loving at that time and areas that I need to build up in our classroom library.<br />
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So I'm interested. Are your students reading some of these same titles? What are some of their favorites?</div>
Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-85014050636223886712018-05-22T20:04:00.003-05:002018-05-22T20:04:56.877-05:00Turning Field Trips into Learning Experiences for ALL Students (those going and those staying at school)I love experiential learning. It's amazing to see students experience new things, make new connections, and learn about the world beyond our classroom walls all by taking a visit to another place. For many of us, field trips bring to mind happy memories of riding on a bus, talking with friends, eating special sack lunches and seeing new things.<br />
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However, as educators, we need to stop and think about the students who are NOT attending the field trip. By and large, these students are not attending field trips because of a decision made for them by their parent or guardian. They dread the impending trip expecting to be left with the infamous "sub work" for those school days. Don't these students deserve to have these rich learning experiences too?<br />
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As their teachers, what can we do to connect the learning taking place away from the campus and make it meaningful for ALL of the students?<br />
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This year, our sixth-grade team decided to re-evaluate our practices involving field trips for all of our students, those attending our three-day trip to New Orleans and those who would be remaining at school for those three days. Before the trip transpired, students were placed in four-five member teams. Each team would be comprised of students who were going and those who were staying at what we dubbed "Camp Awesome." Learners were given a list of learning expectations for both groups of students. They were each tasked with the responsibility to document their learning in four different areas (these areas came from the learning standards that would be mastered on the field trip). Student teams knew that once the field trip and Camp Awesome were concluded, they would be responsible for creating a collaborative project that demonstrated their combined learning from different experiences.<br />
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As one of the Camp Awesome teachers, we looked closely at the standards that students would be mastering on the field trip and then designed interactive, hands-on activities for each of those days at school. We intentionally chose different types of activities so that the members of the team could share different experiences with one another.<br />
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The students on the field trip would be experiencing the history and culture of New Orleans through tours, a jazz riverboat ride, and a Creole cooking class where they made jambalaya and bread pudding. At Camp Awesome, students completed a Canvas module filled with interactive sites that walked them through the history of New Orleans and Mobile, mardi gras traditions, and the evolution of the music in that region. Additionally, they experienced the music, created masks for their own krewe, and made (and tasted) Po' Boys, pecan pralines, and beignets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYt5PRnNY43CsuVTtjlyLZwsT3bPO7cHhtRS_W8KNUpObBSqDEZSA311D9CK-f0M76PfJE4dEQqeyPkVPFdpeCgnEigUJ4jrA8JYgXjPrMYjKWVbUDEy2W0i-1U2YBs4zarzgBIhbPXg4/s1600/Turning+Field+Trips+into+Learning+Experiences+for+ALL+Students.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYt5PRnNY43CsuVTtjlyLZwsT3bPO7cHhtRS_W8KNUpObBSqDEZSA311D9CK-f0M76PfJE4dEQqeyPkVPFdpeCgnEigUJ4jrA8JYgXjPrMYjKWVbUDEy2W0i-1U2YBs4zarzgBIhbPXg4/s400/Turning+Field+Trips+into+Learning+Experiences+for+ALL+Students.jpg" width="282" /></a>The field trip students were also traveling to the World War 2 Museum. So, at Camp Awesome, students participated in a WebQuest to learn about the Navajo Code Talkers and the British Code Breakers led by Alan Turing. Then they had the opportunity to use some of their knowledge to navigate through a series of puzzles and problems in an adapted Breakout Edu game called Decoding the War. If they successfully completed the breakout, cracked the enigma code and stopped Hitler, they had their own VE celebration complete with confetti poppers.<br />
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While on the trip, students experienced a touch lab at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, visited the Aquarium of the Americas, the Audobon Zoo, the Insectarium, and went on a swamp tour. At Camp Awesome, students got to examine specimens collected by one of our science teachers. We also arranged for the biology department from the University of Alabama to come out to do a hands-on presentation bringing a collection of live reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids for the students.<br />
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At school, we were also able to squeeze in a webinar with <span style="font-family: "Chelsea Market"; white-space: pre-wrap;">National Hurricane Scientists and NOAA personnel and some other fun, content-specific learning experiences. (We were hoping to take the students on a Google Expedition of the beach and Normandy and Pearl Harbor, but we ran out of time.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Chelsea Market"; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout those three days, the students at Camp Awesome were, well, awesome. They brought devices to take photos of their learning. They created a Google document that they could share with their other teammates in order to take collaborative notes. Every single day, students thanked us for planning such an amazing day. If their parents came to check them out, they begged to be brought back to school if there was still classtime left. And as a side note, can you guess how many behavior challenges we had? If you guessed zero, you would be correct.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Chelsea Market"; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the conclusion of the New Orleans field trip and Camp Awesome, the teams were given time to work together in science and social studies to complete their collaborative learning project to demonstrate their mastery of standards. On the due date, the teams were each assigned to a teacher to present their project (that meant each teacher saw and assessed 6-8 presentations). Some projects were elaborate pop-up scrapbooks, others were published books, while others were different types of digital presentations. When asked, the students could explain their learning, sometimes reminding a student of something they had taught them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Chelsea Market;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Due to the overwhelming success of this endeavor, my mind is whirring in other ways we can connect similar yet different learning experiences to enhance and empower ALL students in meaningful and authentic ways. The days of leaving work packets or showing endless movies to watch should be over. Let's take the time to deeply look into how we can make the most of every minute we have with our learners, whether they are in our classrooms or on a field trip. Because that is what each and every one of them deserves.</span></span>Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-66663656114543852122018-04-03T13:29:00.000-05:002018-04-03T13:29:47.654-05:00Recharging Throughout the School YearBy a show of hands, how many of you are tired...maybe even exhausted? That's a very common sentiment among those in the teaching profession. We strive to know each of our students and their families. We are constantly growing our practice. We collect and evaluate data and make constant adjustments to our lessons. We work to build a strong home and community relationships to strengthen the world in which our students are living. This doesn't even account for lesson planning, grading, horizontal or vertical team/department planning, ongoing parent communications, district-wide PD, IEPs, RtI meetings, 504s, parent-teacher conferences, data meetings, faculty meetings, PTA meetings, board meetings, and the miscellaneous paperwork that accompanies much of this. Anyone else exhausted just from reading this? (By the way, this doesn't even include all of our family, church, or community commitments.)<br />
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As classroom teachers, we are on the frontline empowering our students to become equipped to take on the world outside our classroom walls. We are helping them reach their goals and discover new avenues of learning for future goals. Most of the teachers I know LOVE their chosen profession. However, what happens when we get so run-down that we become sick or we fall into a negative frame of mind? Can we be the one that our learners (or our family) need?<br />
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How many times have we heard friends or family tell us to reduce stress? As one who is often burning my candle at both ends, I am very guilty of running myself into the ground. So about a year and a half ago, I began researching simple ways that we can take time to recharge because I needed to find some concrete ways to do that myself. Here are some of the things that I've found particularly useful.<br />
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<b>Get outside</b>. There are copious amounts of research that point to the health benefits of being outside, whether it's taking a stroll, walking your canine companion, enjoying a meal in the outdoors, or taking on a more strenuous outdoor adventure. Fresh air, the sounds of nature, the scents of flowers blooming. Being outdoors can really positively impact your frame of mind. About a year and a half ago, we started finding great places to go and hike. Occasionally, we would paddle on one of the rivers or lakes in our area. When we began, I found two apps to be very useful as a jumping off point, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-outbound/id1019328159?mt=8">Outbound</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alltrails-hike-bike-run/id405075943?mt=8">AllTrails</a> (both also have a web presence with an online community). I've really found that by taking some time outside really helps me find some mental and physical balance after a challenging day or week. (If you follow me on Instagram, this one isn't a surprise.)<br />
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<b>Disconnect from social media. </b>Noise. It's everywhere, especially when you are part of the connected digital age in which we live. Yes, I've written about and spoken about the power of being connected to grow as a community of educators. Some of the most significant professional learning that I've had has come from my reading, connecting and sharing with other educators through social media. However, have you ever stopped and taken a look at the amount of time that we spend diving into our feeds? When we sit down for a minute, we immediately open an app and start filling our minds with the noise of constant conversations. Our brains need to take a break. We need time to think, process, and reflect. I found myself struggling to go to sleep at night. The to-do lists and noise from the day would come rushing in. I found that by putting down social media at a designated time in the evening and on the weekend, my sleep quality and my mental well-being has improved.<br />
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<b>Say "No."</b> Many of us find this one difficult. There are so many worthwhile endeavors out there. Yet, we are living with a finite amount of time each day. When we say "yes" to one thing, we are also saying "no" to something else. This is where we need to take time and reflect on our priorities and goals. If they aren't written down somewhere, before saying "yes" again, take a minute to write them down. While that new opportunity may be important, does it align with our professional goals for this school year? Will it take away time from other places where you have already make commitments? Could it take precious time away from those that you love and care about? While this new opportunity may be a "no" for yourself, you could turn it into a "yes" by paying it forward to provide an opportunity for a young teacher to become involved and begin developing leadership skills.<br />
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<b>Be creative</b>. As educators, we know the benefit of providing students the opportunity to be creative. So why is it that we don't do this for ourselves? I know, we are busy, but we are worth the time. Set aside a few minutes each day or a larger block of time once or twice a week to pursue something that is creative. When I started doing this, I found myself working on creating things for my students and while it was useful, it wasn't really the point. We each need to pursue something that helps us develop individually. We don't have to be great at it, but we do need to enjoy it. About a year ago, I began playing with journaling and sketch-noting. I'm not particularly good at it (yet), but I've enjoyed practicing different styles of hand-lettering, borders, and doodling. It's a place for me to focus on verses or quotes that are meaningful to me, a way to set goals, and a way to document the fun things going on in my life. While journaling might not interest you, find something that you can pursue that lets the creative juices flow.<br />
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<b>Create an oasis</b>. While we hear this a lot on design shows, there is a thought that appeals to many of us. We want an escape, a mini-vacay, to connect with others face-to-face or with ourselves in the hurry-scurry lives we live. This doesn't have to be as big as room makeover. An oasis can be your favorite comfy chair where you can curl up and read, a front porch where you can listen to the sounds around you and write or sketch, an outdoor eating area where you can enjoy a meal with someone else, or a kitschy backyard oasis complete with an inflatable pool and plastic flamingos. I read one time that we should live a life where we don't feel the need to escape it by going somewhere else. We took that to heart and looked at the things that we enjoy when going on vacation and created little getaway nooks so we could enjoy dining alfresco or soaking up some vitamin D while reading a great book from the comfort of our own home.<br />
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While this isn't an extensive list, these are the specific ways that I have found to recharge my battery throughout a busy school year. Very little money was spent on any of the things mentioned above because it's more about shifting a mindset. Of course, I'm sure eating healthy food and exercising regularly wouldn't hurt either. I'd love to hear how you find ways to recharge.Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-68686262324221326062018-02-26T10:22:00.000-06:002018-02-26T10:22:36.541-06:00Maintaining Our Focus: Why are we teaching?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
While I know that educators go into our noble profession for many different reasons, in all the educators that I've had the privilege of meeting over the years, I think it all boils down to this one basic idea: </div>
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<i><b>Educators are in the business of changing children's lives.</b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB2xC3Adu9dwZ8Arpm0psVPYz48Hu_YJpMrEcsYXazaZlLLANeoAa3-izzNUVL-hrApuMzmnUBik5pRTWOTj_vQPMjy0rm23TeAF1kDuvTyZeq8F3N_1z2J9EyyginI1hnQzXJw6XLek/s1600/changing+children%2527s+lives.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKB2xC3Adu9dwZ8Arpm0psVPYz48Hu_YJpMrEcsYXazaZlLLANeoAa3-izzNUVL-hrApuMzmnUBik5pRTWOTj_vQPMjy0rm23TeAF1kDuvTyZeq8F3N_1z2J9EyyginI1hnQzXJw6XLek/s320/changing+children%2527s+lives.png" width="320" /></a>That may look differently from classroom to classroom, school to school, or country to country. But, it's important that we always remember that every choice we make, we are the ones ultimately responsible for positively impacting their learning each and every day. If our choices aren't focused on that one goal, we really need to stop and ask ourselves (and those around us) why? Why are we devoting valuable hours to a new initiative or program if it isn't empowering our learners? Why are we placing more value on one practice or one piece of data than on the real needs of our unique learners?</div>
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So as we begin a new week, let's all remember why we are in classrooms every day...our students. They deserve the best that we can give them, every single day.<br />
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Wishing you a great student-centered week!Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-10276082056560013502018-02-03T11:02:00.000-06:002018-02-03T11:02:33.216-06:00Hosting your Own "Bring a Legislator to School Day"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0ejQTRTlBBh8pofg7aqaCwjJBrEXlaNrX_M_u8v33-pW_c40dpeEd32LZB6Dc4UXin1bUcAAsC9FBDBs03X2tDu8m1odJ0yIkb0Pvl1a38gytrfPWTyoJOMD1xBcgAbgUCpnK4YeacA/s1600/Rock+Quary+Middle+School1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0ejQTRTlBBh8pofg7aqaCwjJBrEXlaNrX_M_u8v33-pW_c40dpeEd32LZB6Dc4UXin1bUcAAsC9FBDBs03X2tDu8m1odJ0yIkb0Pvl1a38gytrfPWTyoJOMD1xBcgAbgUCpnK4YeacA/s320/Rock+Quary+Middle+School1.png" width="320" /></a>As educators, most of us pursued a career in education because we love our students, we love learning and sharing knowledge, we love seeing our learners' growth and empowering them with the skills necessary to make a difference in the world. In my experience, most educators love the world of teaching and leave politics to others. While politics and policy writing is a totally different world, it is one that can greatly impact the work that we do with students. It is crucial that we, as the educational experts, reach out to policymakers to build long-term relationships built on respect and educate them on the reality of today's classrooms and schools.<br />
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In previous posts, I've recommended inviting elected officials and community leaders to participate in school events or as volunteer readers. However, have you ever thought about hosting an entire day where these officials could actually participate in a typical school day to gain firsthand experience of the life of a student in today's schools? This year, my colleague, Laren Hammonds (@_clayr_), and I did just that. Honestly, it wasn't that much work (even with both of us being full-time classroom teachers), but it had a huge impact on both our students and all of our invited guests.<br />
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Here are some of the most asked questions about setting up a day like this:<br />
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<li><b>When do you host "Bring a Legislator to School Day?"</b> Timing is crucial. If you want legislators to attend, you need to know when they are in session as they won't be available during this time period. When do they hold committee meetings; this impacts the availability of school board members, city council and chamber of commerce. While there is a national "Bring a Legislator to School Day," the timing didn't align with our needs. We knew there were a couple of key players we wanted to attend. We confirmed a day with them and then set that as our date.</li>
<li><b>Who do you invite? How do you invite them? </b>Invite anyone who writes, frames, or makes decisions regarding education. We decided to cast a wide net. We sent out emails customized for each group: local school board members, state board members, district-level administrators, city council members, our mayor, and all state legislators in our region (and a little beyond).</li>
<li><b>How do you know who is coming?</b> We created a Google Form and requested that each individual respond there. It was very quick and simple: name, email address, and time slot (we included two-hour time slots and they could click on as many as they wanted). For planning purposes, we found it very helpful to <i>include a deadline for their response</i> so that we could plan the schedule of that day.</li>
<li><b>How do you advertise your day?</b> We contacted our district's public relations department who reached out to local media. In addition, we sent out a similar invitation to well-known education writers and bloggers in our state. For some elected officials, this can make the difference in them attending or not. Our tech coach took the time to find the Twitter and Instagram accounts for each of guests and the counselor posted photos on our school's social media accounts throughout the day.</li>
<li><b>What was going on at school during "Bring a Legislator to School Day?"</b> For us, it was important that our guests saw a real school day. We stressed that we were not putting on a dog and pony show. That will not help them reframe their ideas about education. Laren and I believe that by participating alongside students, our elected officials gain a new perspective of what education is like today....not when they were students. On our "Bring a Legislator to School Day," they participated in Socratic circles, dissected frogs, solved complex math problems, composed solid argument based on credible evidence, designed and tested roller coasters, and debated the credibility of urban legends (plus much more). </li>
<li><b>How were the students involved? </b>We both really wanted as much of this day to be student owned and student-run. Our student council with students who have served in a variety of leadership roles, met together to discuss the day and the expectations we all wanted from the day. They volunteered to fulfill different roles. Some served in our hospitality suite while others greeted our elected officials when they arrived and took them to visit classrooms. These students also took candid photos to be posted via social media. When a guest arrived in a classroom, a student in that classroom, greeted him/her, gave an explanation of what was taking place and encouraged them to actively participate in the learning. Also, I had my students write letters to each of our elected officials, thanking them for visiting our school and participating in learning with them. They also shared some of their ideas on ways they could help them make changes in our communities and continue to support their education. (Personally, this part had an incredible impact on my students. Our conversations about advocacy and their experience in having their eleven-year-old voices heard were so powerful. Talk about authentic learning!)</li>
<li><b>How did you get faculty "buy-in?"</b>We started by getting support from our building administrator. She gave us the opportunity to speak briefly at our faculty meeting about "Bring a Legislator to School Day." We gave teachers the opportunity to volunteer to have visitors join their class on that day. We had more teachers volunteer than we could actually use. I attribute that to the fact that it was completely voluntary. They knew it was important to open their classroom door to guests, but they were just going to have a "regular" school day with a couple of extra participants.</li>
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This day was overwhelmingly successful. Our guests thanked us and continue to have conversations with us about teaching, learning, and growing accomplished teaching in our area and beyond. Although I had spoken with many of these elected officials many times before this day, we saw that there is a big difference between hearing about it from a teacher and actually living it alongside students. Will we host another "Bring a Legislator to School Day?" Without a doubt! Are you interested in hosting one yourself? Let us know! We are happy to answer questions and share our resources with you!<br />
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Here is a piece written about our "Bring a Legislator to School Day:"</span></i><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><a href="http://www.larryeducation.com/a-surprise-at-rock-quarry-middle-school/">A Surprise at Rock Quarry Middle School</a></i></span></li>
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<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Here are a few other pieces that I've written on the importance of using our voice:</span></i><br />
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i style="color: #787878; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2018/01/your-words-and-silence-speak-volumes.html"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Your Words and Your Silence Speak Volumes</span></a></i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><i style="color: #787878; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2015/07/superheroes-dont-exist-but-you-do.html" style="color: #787878; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Superheroes Don't Exist, But You Do</span></a></i></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2015/03/its-our-table.html" style="color: #787878; text-decoration-line: none;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">It's OUR Table</span></i></a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2014/04/lead-with-learning.html" style="color: #787878; text-decoration-line: none;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Lead with the Learning</span></i></a></li>
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Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-22131433076921498882018-01-31T04:30:00.000-06:002018-01-31T04:30:30.933-06:00How will you Be the One?This last weekend, I had the enormous pleasure of participating in the Alabama NBCT Network Conference; the theme was <i><b>Be the One</b></i>. I listened to brilliant people share their thoughts, formally and informally, on ways we, as accomplished teachers, could <b>be the one</b>...the one for our profession, our colleagues, our communities, but most importantly, how we can <b>be the one </b>for our students. In an effort to capture many of these simple ideas and pass them along to others, here are some ways we can each <b>Be the One</b>.<br />
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<li>Tell a colleague that you see the hardwork and dedication they put into their students each day. Teachers typically are not looking for praise, but some acknowledgement for their work really goes a long way, especially when they face challenges.</li>
<li>Get to know your students. Really know them by learning their strengths, challenges, background, learning preferences, hopes, fears, and dreams. Look for the untapped potential. See all the opportunities where you can empower each of your unique learners. </li>
<li>Continue to sharpen your teaching practice so you can provide students with the level of support and challenge that each one needs. This can be done formally and informally through conferences, Twitter chats, book studies, webinars, or workshops. Living in the digital age, there are more opportunities than ever to connect and learn from others. Learning is often more fun when done with others. Grab a colleague and ask them to join you. That gives you a sounding board as you work to make big ideas work for our specific students.</li>
<li>Share your professional learning with others. Did you read a great article? Watch a compelling video? See an inspirational speaker? Share that with others, face-to-face or on social media. Have you had an epiphany with a change you've made in your teaching practice? Write a blog post for an educational organization (they are always looking for great "in the trenches" content). Go to your school or district administrator and volunteer to share what you've discovered that works well for your students. Submit a proposal to formally present at a local, state or international conference. This is an opportunity to pay the professional learning forward for all those people who have shared their learning with you. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<li>Connect with your elected officials. This can be done informally by tweeting, posting or emailing a picture or story of something great going on in your classroom or school. Invite them to be guest readers or an extra set of hands during a hands-on learning activity. When you have Family Literacy/Math Night, student concerts, parent workshops, or special tournaments send them an invitation. Hand write them a note sharing your appreciation for the support that have shown. You can even formally host a <i>Bring a Legislator to School Day</i> and have elected officials spend the day (or a couple of hours) working along side students and forming a firsthand view of what learning looks like in today's classrooms.</li>
<li>Look at what areas you are passionate about: literacy, math development, teacher retention, STEAM, educational technology. Seek out opportunities where you can join committees and drive decisions that impact the lives of our students.</li>
<li>Join professional organizations. Through these orgainizations you connect with other similarly-minded individuals who can push your thinking. In turn, you can provide your unique insight as you work to grow our profession and positively impact student learning.</li>
<li>Volunteer to coach new teachers in your school or district. Offer your classroom to preservice teachers. The reality of a classroom can be overwhelming to preservice or early career teachers. This is a powerful way to provide them support, guidance and encouragement as these are the ones who will be taking the reigns of our profession in a few years. </li>
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These are the ideas I walked away with this past weekend. What are some other ways that we can <b>be the one</b>?Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-49909072587638822192018-01-28T10:57:00.002-06:002018-01-28T11:55:00.166-06:00Your Words and Silence Speak VolumesYesterday, I spent the day at a brilliant conference, the Alabama NBCT Network Conference, where we explored ways to "be the one." While I learned much and connected with so many phenomenal educators, there is one thought that continues to resonate in my head. It was spoken by one of the opening ignite speakers, Tammy Dunn (@tammydunn01). She said that <b><i>not only are we responsible for our words but also our silence</i></b>. Reflecting on this idea, it occurred to me that while I have been a long time advocate for teacher-voice and student-voice and the power of one to make a difference in the world, I had never contemplated the times when I remained silent.<br />
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Sometimes remaining silent needs to be intentional. All you have to do is spend a little time online to see that staying out of conversations is what is best for ourselves, our colleagues, and our profession. If a situation is one where there is only griping without a mindset to find a solution, sharpen our teaching practice, or improve our communities, it is best to not be pulled into the mire. There are other arenas where our voices will have an impact without being drawn into rants with those who have closed-minds and no desire to divert from their current mindset. Experience has taught me that there are always going to be individuals who are going to try to pick a fight with anyone over anything.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixwlT7ItPolYidyaHSidizAe1XOZG5DHD5mlAEyWk2lPyt_TENEfBV81vthQdsXm8L5WPQXnxg5FbuHiDkN-4ncm5CzgV1eygs2BlggDawFZQVPeFqteXEil8EPhtmW5pGiiMS_HsMcg/s1600/Words+and+silence.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixwlT7ItPolYidyaHSidizAe1XOZG5DHD5mlAEyWk2lPyt_TENEfBV81vthQdsXm8L5WPQXnxg5FbuHiDkN-4ncm5CzgV1eygs2BlggDawFZQVPeFqteXEil8EPhtmW5pGiiMS_HsMcg/s320/Words+and+silence.png" width="320" /></a>However, the silence that caused me to pause is the one where we choose not to speak up when it is imperative that we do. As educators, we know our students, their families and the communities in which we teach. We are passionate about our content and know the strategies to provide each of our students with the best possible learning experiences. I truly believe that a majority of teachers pursue this career because they want to do what's best for students and positively impact their future. <i>(See NBPTS <a href="http://www.nbpts.org/standards-five-core-propositions/">What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do</a>)</i><br />
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As accomplished teachers, we know what works and doesn't work for our learners, our colleagues, our schools, and our districts, yet when we are at the grocery store, airport, or ballpark and we hear people maligning education, often we remain silent. We receive policy or practice change, and even though we know it is not what is best for students, we hold our tongues. We see non-educators telling negative stories about schools, but we don't take the time to share one of the many success stories we witness unfolding every single day in our own classrooms or schools.<br />
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It is scary when we are in a situation and we find ourselves at the crossroads between being the voice for our students or remaining silent. Reaching out to those writing policy and making decisions for our students can be intimidating. However, if we want our students to believe that they each have the power to make the world better place for someone, shouldn't we each be doing the same? If we want to empower our students, we must break the silence and lead the way to a brighter future. Our learners deserve it!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here are a few other pieces that I've written on the importance of using our voice:</span></i><br />
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<li><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2015/07/superheroes-dont-exist-but-you-do.html"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Superheroes Don't Exist, But You Do</span></i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2015/03/its-our-table.html"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's OUR Table</span></i></a></li>
<li><a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2014/04/lead-with-learning.html"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lead with the Learning</span></i></a></li>
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Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-74129344329485717202017-07-17T11:43:00.002-05:002018-01-28T11:41:48.390-06:00An Open Letter to ILA Dear ILA,<br />
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I have been participating and attending the International Literacy Association (ILA) conference since 2013. In that time, I have seen tremendous change. Beyond the name and branding change, I have been very impressed with how ILA has reached out to educators who are in classrooms and schools to determine the future trajectory of this international organization. As a participant, seeing how teachers’ voices have driven change has been remarkable and filled me with hope for the future.<br />
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In a time when more and more teachers are pursuing free avenues of professional growth, ILA has embraced the changing needs of teachers by providing opportunities such as Twitter chats and Edcamp Literacy where participants can drive their own learning. By pairing participant-driven learning with formal sessions, as well as exciting interactive Putting Books to Work workshops and current event panels that do not require special ticketing, ILA provides teachers with the best possible blending of professional learning.<br />
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In my experience, this year’s program is the strongest one to date. From EdcampLiteracy to the highly engaging and relevant general sessions speakers, to the panels filled with passionate educators and authors, to the formal sessions, I have walked away with tools, strategies, ideas, and a renewed passion for teaching from every single opportunity, something that I can’t say of many professional learning events.<br />
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As a veteran educator, it brings me hope for the future of literacy education to see an emphasis on sound and current educational trends while remaining grounded in best practices in literacy education. With a focus on recognizing phenomenal young educators in The 30 Under 30, it demonstrates that ILA has their eyes on the future by recognizing the work of young educators.<br />
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So as I head home, I feel incredibly grateful to ILA for providing all of these opportunities to me and all the other participants. My head is full of ideas, my heart is full of love for teaching, my bag is full of great new books, and my pocket is full of new connections….and I was able to add an ILA17 button to my collection.<br />
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With my new wand in hand, I want to extend a sincere thank you. When teachers, authors, and professional organizations work together hand-in-hand, I believe anything is possible. And isn’t that what all of our students deserve?<br />
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With love,<br />
Julie D. Ramsay, NBCT<br />
<br />Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-33360476837834006262017-07-05T07:51:00.000-05:002017-07-05T07:51:53.351-05:00Growing Beyond Our Own Comfort Zone:Doing What's Best for StudentsWhile facilitating a workshop on how makerspaces provide students an authentic way to employ literacy standards, I provided mini makerspace kits my students assembled for the participants to use. As I traveled around the groups of teachers working on making and creating (some for the first time), I noticed there was a teacher sitting with her arms crossed. The others at her table were encouraging her to engage in the challenges; she created reasons why she couldn't participate. Upon engaging her in conversation, she stated that she never liked these types of challenges. With further prompting, she explained that she knew these type of problem-solving, critical thinking challenges were good for students, but that she never enjoyed these type of activities even as a child, and it was unlikely she would ever do them for her students.<br />
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This spurred some reflection. I could identify with her to a point. As a learner and as a teacher, it was difficult for me to leave the pattern that I had found comfortable....a list with rules and specific guidelines. I like knowing where things belong and what expectations are for any project in which I participate. Neat stacks, labels, detailed calendars, and to-do lists, those feel comfortable to me. However, as educators, we know this is not the end-all-be-all of what our students need.<br />
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Our job as educators is to prepare our students for the world they live in now AND the world of the future. Our students need to be able to attack problems to find solutions. They must be able to fail, evaluate different options, design a new path, and move towards their goals. Perseverance, grit, growth mindset, and the ability to look at things creatively is what is going to make them successful. All of the linear "book learning" alone will not make them successful. They have to be able to leverage that learning and apply creative problem solving, collaboration and communication to solve real problems, big or small. It takes BOTH. Leaving one or the other out hinders our students from our ultimate goal of preparing them for the world beyond the classroom walls.<br />
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Change is scary. Historically, new ideas draw fear. But with fear, we have the ability to grow both as teachers and as individuals and provide out students the best learning opportunities possible. And isn't that why we're in the classroom in the first place?<br />
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<br />Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-79047735998781414992017-06-28T15:41:00.000-05:002017-06-28T15:41:08.708-05:00Making Plans: Celebrating International Dot Day<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For many teachers, we are in the midst of the good old summertime. And while many of us are catching up on much-needed sun, fun, and quality time with family and friends, this is also a time to reflect. We spend time reading professional books, reconnecting with members of our PLN, attending professional development events, and searching for new ways to reach our incoming students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each year, I ask my students to provide me with honest feedback on what they enjoy most about our classroom and explain to me why that learning opportunity ranks high with them. Each year, many of my students name one or more of the different "special days" that we have. These are days where we take a break from our usual routine and focus on specific topic or idea. </span><br />
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Sfq5LfNwHAg52bT19-vB5vjHsK8S3rKUTsbcYvEzf8NI9_zjOeCAMsY5WNoxUR95eYbFY92FdylSoyKx2wH-Hi-xzeT_C6zXzbaai6E1Sw0tNwMjA3bf6rePvKiWns6ZRzUzL3vTWw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Sfq5LfNwHAg52bT19-vB5vjHsK8S3rKUTsbcYvEzf8NI9_zjOeCAMsY5WNoxUR95eYbFY92FdylSoyKx2wH-Hi-xzeT_C6zXzbaai6E1Sw0tNwMjA3bf6rePvKiWns6ZRzUzL3vTWw" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of their favorite days is International Dot Day. <a href="http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #009cb6; outline: none;">International Dot Day</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;"> is a day centered on Peter H. Reynolds’ book, <i>The Dot</i>. The official day is September 15th. Based on the book, the entire day is spent focusing on the importance of creativity, imagination, and individual talents and how each individual can harness their own uniqueness to make a mark on the world.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #4e4b48;" /></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-278a026e-f068-5f9e-e54f-2f3d56b889db"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For many students, they don't see themselves as leaders or world-changers. By reading and discussing this book, students take the time to reflect on their own unique personal strengths within the context of how they can use those talents to make a positive mark on the world. Learners</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;"> connect with their global peers through Twitter (and Instagram) using the hashtag #DotDay and #MakeYourMark and having conversations on how they can make their mark. We also take the time to blog about our plans for the future through this lens and students comment upon one another's posts turning their writing into a conversation tied to specific ideas and plans.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6T5QRoWYwwTWmRkp9to_cd5dESm0Rtv0gqvXmyjZeIrtb-eKHpqQ50vxbf3pofugMGI-LmkxYUSYakPjQyaM5o8c2TUq5piJ5zU4_TJWh_1sI8E88WY6wGBl-7imKbW9XlVy3xWGSw" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6T5QRoWYwwTWmRkp9to_cd5dESm0Rtv0gqvXmyjZeIrtb-eKHpqQ50vxbf3pofugMGI-LmkxYUSYakPjQyaM5o8c2TUq5piJ5zU4_TJWh_1sI8E88WY6wGBl-7imKbW9XlVy3xWGSw" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;">In addition to reading, discussing and tweeting, posting, learners also create personalized dot-shaped word clouds using 30 words that describe who they are as a person. We also used recycled lids from jars and students paint their own dot that represents who they are as a person. We turn these into magnets that they hang inside their lockers reminding them of why being unique empowers them to make a difference in the world.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;">By participating in Dot Day, learners not only discuss the overarching theme of <i>The Dot</i> but also internalize the text by making applications to their own lives, something we often do not provide for our students in our regular classroom time. They love this time and often refer to the lessons they've learned on Dot Day throughout the school year. (They also enjoy the dot-themed snacks we enjoy.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;">This is a one-day event that could very easily become an overarching theme for a week or month-long study. As a teacher, you can connect with other teachers through Twitter (#DotDay), </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/InternationalDotDay" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #009cb6; outline: none;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;">, and Pinterest to share ideas for implementing it into your schedule. This network of very creative and imaginative teachers is more than willing to give you all </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the ideas you need to bring this international book discussion to your students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4e4b48;">So while you are making plans for next year, I encourage you to take some time to look into International Dot Day. It's a day of deep-thinking and reflection for our students that help them to realize that being different is good and that by embracing their own gifts they can make the world, even the world of one person, a better place.</span></span>Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-44562188558141075692017-01-11T05:00:00.000-06:002017-01-11T05:00:21.276-06:00Are Master Teachers Also Master Storytellers?I love stories. Reading them, listening to them, watching them. Through stories, we can live many lifetimes. Travel to exotic places. Have amazing, death-defying adventures. Save the world. Experience life from a different perspective. As humans, we enjoy connecting with others. Through compelling stories, we get that opportunity, whether the characters are fact or fiction. Great stories touch our hearts and propel us forward as new, different individuals. When we read, hear, or view great stories, we want to know what happens to these characters. Will they survive? Will they be happy? We become invested in them.<br />
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As I reflect upon this, I can't help but think back to some of the most compelling stories that have stuck with me over the years. I remember having some fantastic teachers who wove the most intriguing stories that drew their audience (their students) into the world they were sharing with us, whether it was fact or fiction. What they said mattered to us as students because we became invested.<br />
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When I entered the classroom, without recognizing it (at first), I began emulating these fantastic teachers by weaving stories for my own students. It wasn't until I was observed by another teacher who pointed out that the students were hanging on my every word; they were engaging and interacting just when the story called for it. It was a history class and I was telling "The True History Story" about a historical event....one that history books dared to leave out. That's when I realized that storytelling is a crucial skill for teachers to employ with their students.<br />
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We want our students to connect with our content. We want it to matter to them. By creating stories that set the stage for a lesson or frame a new concept, we are opening up a new world for them. When it's done well, learners connect and ask questions. They develop empathy for others. Students see the relevance of why they are learning what we are asking them to learn. Students become invested.<br />
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So when you enter the classroom and it's time to teach a new concept, introduce a new style of writing, dive into a new author, or explore a new principle, ask yourself, "How can I weave this into a story that will hook my students and make the learning meaningful?" It can be as simple as changing the lighting or arrangement of the classroom. Sometimes you take on a different persona or change your voice. Stories have power, a power to elevate our students and propel them forward to do great things. What story will you tell?Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-9192945454966526982017-01-09T05:00:00.000-06:002017-01-09T05:25:02.106-06:00Data: Hero or Villain?If you're in education long enough, you will see trends come and go. Terminology changes. Instructional focus swings back and forth on a pendulum. As educators, it is very easy to get caught up in the pressure of jumping on the newest bandwagon. However, we must always keep our eyes on doing what is best for our students. We need to question each new strategy, tool, or practice that comes our way to see if it's a fit for our unique learners.<br />
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One word which I've heard come and go is "data." Because much of my career "data" has also come with a punitive connotation, it isn't my favorite word. It frequently is used in conjunction with standardized test scores...as in these test scores must go up or else. I can read and disaggregate data with the best of them, but it wasn't until I realized what a disservice I was doing to my students by focusing solely on standardized test data that I began to dig deeper into the crucial role of data, valid data, that I began to reframe my ideas.<br />
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The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is based on Five Common Core Propositions. Proposition Number Three states:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #45818e; font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Teachers Are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning</b></i></span></span></div>
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Managing data is clearly an expectation for all educators, but how do we weave this into our daily practice without losing sight of what each of our students needs?<br />
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As I see it, teachers fall into one of three categories. Teachers may be <i>data-driven </i>with a singular focus on hard numbers. Often times these educators put on blinders and only look at their students through the lens of raising test scores. I've been in schools where we were all mandated to justify our instructional choices based on how it would raise those numbers. One day a week, every week, we were required to spend the day doing test prep. What I've observed is that in these situations, students and teachers get burned out. The love of learning and teaching dwindles for everyone. Often we resort to bribes to try to get teachers and students to care about those numbers without seeing the long-term damage it's reeking on our profession and our students as life-long learners, creative problem solvers, and empathetic human beings. The danger of being data-driven is that all of our focus becomes about numbers for one small aspect of learning and growing and we lose sight of what our students need. It tends to eliminate creative ventures, inquiry, exploration, self-expression, and student-voice.<br />
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When looking at data, there is another category of teacher. This is one who is living in <i>data-denial</i>. We all know these teachers. We may have been these teachers at some point. Ones who have complete disregard for data, formal or informal. Diagnostic, formative, summative or standardized. These are the teachers who are going to teach the way they want to teach regardless of what students need...because they really don't know what their students need. The danger here is that students easily fall between the cracks. Students go unchallenged and begin to fall behind in their growth. Individual interests aren't nurtured. Potential and hidden talents remained untapped.<br />
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Finally, there are teachers who are <i>data-informed</i>. These are the teachers who gather data from a wide range of sources. Data-informed teachers listen. They observe. They analyze...every student, every day. Data-informed teachers look at formal and informal data also taking into account students' interest and learning preferences. They create learning activities that foster student-voice, creativity, innovation, and individuality. These teachers understand that every student is in a different place on the learning continuum and by using a wide-range of data, from multiple sources, he/she is working as a partner with each learner to help him/her reach personal goals. In this type of classroom, the focus is on the student; the learning is diverse. Is there data? Absolutely. It's gathered every day to shape and inform the instruction for each student.<br />
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Data. It's easy to fall victim to the pressure and band-wagon of focusing solely on numbers from one source. We can easily become buried in all of those numbers. So much so, that we are tempted to completely disregard any data at all. Either way, if we do that, we have to take our eyes off of our learners and what they need. We aren't doing what's best for them. Students aren't going to remember some test that they took. They will remember how they felt when they were in your class. They will remember the things they created, their triumphs, the connections they made and how they used what they learned to make the world a better place.<br />
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Data: Hero or Villian? The answer ultimately is up to you.Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-67813779866829648862016-12-21T05:00:00.000-06:002016-12-21T05:00:01.510-06:00Using Tech to Meet Learning Challenges: DyslexiaWe all have students who present specific learning challenges. As teachers, we look for ways to remove the challenges impeding their learning...or at least find strategies that we can teach them to become successful on the learning continuum. In the last several years, I have had several students who have arrived with a diagnosis of Dyslexia. The thing about a diagnosis is there is a danger that we make assumptions that every child with the same diagnosis is the same...they need the same types of supports. This is simply not true. Each student is special and unique. They are much more than their diagnosis. They have interests, fears, strengths, and challenges like all of their peers. As teachers, we must look at each student as a unique case and compile a cadre of tools, strategies, and practices that will not only help meet the unique needs of each learner but also empower them beyond our classroom walls.<div>
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I wanted to take a few minutes to share some of the tools that I have found that work really well with students who may be faced with the challenge of Dyslexia. Some of these work very well to support the learning of struggling readers or those with limited language proficiency. The key is for us to find the tool that will best need the unique learning needs of each one of our learners.</div>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzVhnSyRJUF9UTbKmTz7qd70ZzEBvf0LrcR2QvDIpgieEgqGKiQzSgE8WMn2YUnc5MWzpWiAuOR9UMUsslLmXr48KEHkovqZNuubELY_0VasodDX50kvE5ypyTIWsaNPrwtuL_CSOlS0/s1600/%2540JulieDRamsay.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzVhnSyRJUF9UTbKmTz7qd70ZzEBvf0LrcR2QvDIpgieEgqGKiQzSgE8WMn2YUnc5MWzpWiAuOR9UMUsslLmXr48KEHkovqZNuubELY_0VasodDX50kvE5ypyTIWsaNPrwtuL_CSOlS0/s200/%2540JulieDRamsay.png" width="200" /></a>
<li><b>Audio books</b>: I know that this may seem like a given to many, but I know personally, I overlooked this option for many years. Yes, we want our students to be able to read, analyze, and enjoy reading. However, when we want our students to apply content area standards like comparing and contrasting texts, identifying a theme, or supporting an argument with textual evidence, an inability to physically read the text, impedes a student mastering those standards. One thing that I discovered in my research is that the processing that takes place when one's eyeballs read a text and the processing that take place when one hears a text is very similar. With this tool, all students will have the opportunity to discuss and analyze a text with peers. (Digital audio books can generally be checked out from school or public libraries.) </li>
<li><b>Voice Typing</b>: For students with Dyslexia, writing is a major challenge. One simple tool that we've discovered is "voice typing" in Google Drive. This allows a student to speak their writing into a document. They do have to tell it when to punctuate and when to go to a new paragraph. I've had students who it would normally take 30-45 minutes to type a couple of sentences, who could compose and entire narrative within 20 minutes using "voice typing." For the first time, I was able to see their creativity and ability to compose in different genres because "voice typing" removed an obstacle to their learning.</li>
<li><b>Dyslexie font</b>: Did you know that there is a special font that makes it easier for students with Dyslexia to read? It's called <a href="https://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/dyslexia-font/">Dyslexie</a>. With this font, students have an easier time reading things that are written. When creating printed material for students, my interns and I have started using this font for all of the students. For someone without Dyslexia, it simply looks like any other font. It's just simpler and easier to read.</li>
<li><b>Google Chrome Extensions</b>: There are several extensions that students can add to their Chromebook Google accounts. <i>Speak It</i> will read selected texts out loud. The <i>Open Dyslexic</i> extension overrides all fonts on web pages with the OpenDyslexic font, and formats pages to be more easily readable. It works at preventing the "funny things" that happen to letters for those with Dyslexia. Sometimes, we need our student to read a text in order to build background knowledge. With <i>TLDR</i> (too long didn't read) by tldrstuff.com, learners can get a summary of a web page without leaving the actual site. We've had various levels of success with each of these. It all comes down to the individual student. My middle schoolers are very conscious of being different. These extensions allow them to continue doing the same thing on the same sites as their peers but provide them the support that they need. </li>
<li><b>Video diaries, building, making</b>: When it comes to assessing a student's level of mastery, there may be challenges for students with reading obstacles. However, their obstacles should not impede our ability to assess their level of mastery of content standards. All of my learners have the freedom to choose how they demonstrate mastery of standards. Often students with Dyslexia are very intelligent and creative and they have struggled to keep their heads above water at school. Many of them are exhausted by school. By providing them the opportunity to build, make, or create they are able to excel in spite of their specific challenges. </li>
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When we can empower our students with tools, practices, or strategies, we see their passions and hear their voices...and so do their peers. They become an integral part of the learning environment. </div>
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<i>I'd love to hear some of the tools and strategies that you've found successful with your students. Please share them in a comment below.</i></div>
Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-9121262012890986022016-12-19T05:00:00.000-06:002016-12-19T05:00:03.837-06:00Managing the Mess of a Makerspace<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84kBIEr7M7GJWtjSFAA7UqApbobC4jIwOGr79I4BuY_Q8djkEjVUX8EEWUJGQKPMNRhtEqb7BR8_ZjzqU4E75xJJoNW_gTmJNyjUyVuwHoQ_Ld_K861cAulZqATevoMyhwxD_pMAul5Q/s1600/Classroom+collage.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84kBIEr7M7GJWtjSFAA7UqApbobC4jIwOGr79I4BuY_Q8djkEjVUX8EEWUJGQKPMNRhtEqb7BR8_ZjzqU4E75xJJoNW_gTmJNyjUyVuwHoQ_Ld_K861cAulZqATevoMyhwxD_pMAul5Q/s320/Classroom+collage.png" width="320" /></a>In previous posts, <a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2016/12/lets-make-mess.html">Let's Make a Mess</a> and <a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2016/12/makerspaces-in-content-area-classroom.html">Makerspaces in a Content Area Classroom</a>, I outlined how we transformed our 6th grade ELA classroom into a makerspace. One thing that Caylyn Harden (my intern at the time) and I discussed early in the planning stages is how we could manage all the mess within our learning environment. <br />
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With our middle school schedule, we taught multiple classes of ELA. Furthermore, our classroom was originally designed as a resource classroom for a class of no more than 8 students. The physical space of our classroom is small...postage stamp small. Our largest class was 32. I already had dove into research on learning spaces and determined that each student didn't require formal seating...which is a good thing as there wasn't enough room for desks, tables, and chairs for 32 students. In our classroom, we have flexible seating, including several nontraditional seating options like camp chairs, ottomans, stools, floor pillows, a futon, small armchairs and carpet remnants. (we also have many different lighting options.) The students flourish within this space, but we knew that adding all other plus 80+ different project at various stages of completion was a challenge that we needed to meet BEFORE we began. Many would have looked at our small and cozy space and said that adding a makerspace to it was impossible. We didn't want our space limitation to hinder our students' ability to engage in making, so we put our heads together to find some solutions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnrXdZlnZxCAHE8PSoeWDujMhCdQkSozcb5nYl7XAtstxPvY-ncIF0A0t7HlTp2fdwd7UHrWAdWUYE72iGq8F45ZJEcSPr_A4l6K7L7pQWcTYbxN1QUwD_b6VPeLy-DXexSikcOyCkQ8/s1600/It+always+seems+until+it%2527s+done..png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCnrXdZlnZxCAHE8PSoeWDujMhCdQkSozcb5nYl7XAtstxPvY-ncIF0A0t7HlTp2fdwd7UHrWAdWUYE72iGq8F45ZJEcSPr_A4l6K7L7pQWcTYbxN1QUwD_b6VPeLy-DXexSikcOyCkQ8/s320/It+always+seems+until+it%2527s+done..png" width="320" /></a>Since our floor space was at a premium, we cleaned out a section of cabinets and drawers to house the items that were donated for the students to use to make and create. I know ideally, the students could see all the materials, but this was the only space we had. There wasn't much usable storage space in our room. Then, Caylyn acquired a large storage bin with a lid for each class. These were the largest that they make. We had zip-lock bags for each student to store their work in each day (gallon to 2.5-gallon bags depending on what size they needed). Those bags would go into their class' tub and be closed up, preventing other students from accidentally damaging their work or pieces of their work from getting lost. Then, thanks to the generosity of a fellow teacher who has a large lab classroom, the tubs were stored in her room. If a student had something that needed to dry, he/she would leave it on our small counter space.<br />
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Regarding time management, after taking the last 10 minutes of class to clean up their work for the first couple of days, the students got much faster at storing their work away....and help those who needed additional hands to clean up their "making-in-progress."<br />
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Was this an ideal situation? No, it wasn't. However, with these we simple practices, students were able to excel with a makerspace in our ELA classroom. The learning wasn't impeded by our lack of space. Did our Makery look like other makerspaces? It did not, but isn't that what's wonderful about teaching and learning? It can be adapted to fit the needs of our learners in our learning spaces....and our makerspace did just that.<br />
<br />Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-58846178785490575382016-12-14T05:00:00.000-06:002016-12-14T05:00:11.880-06:00So You've Had a Bad DayWe've all had them...seriously. Those days that never seem to end. Nothing seems to go right. Your to-do list continues to grow. All around you, you see others whose lives seem picture-perfect both in the classroom and personally. Yet, you are struggling to make it through a single lesson....and those lessons are far from the vision that you had for them. You have students who need help academically, socially and in their personal lives and you feel like you are failing them every single day. You begin to wonder, "What am I doing wrong? What am I missing that everyone else seems to have figured out?" You may even be in a place where you are questioning your ability to continue in this position. What do you do when you have THOSE days?<br />
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In the interest of being transparent, I must admit that I have been having a series of THOSE days recently. And as I sit here writing, I have been trying to reflect on my choices and how I can change my mindset to best provide my students what they desperately need.<br />
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One thing that we all need reminding of is that we cannot compare ourselves to the highlight reels that other educators post. We are living the good, bad and ugly. We see it all. Typically, excitement leads us all to share our successes with others. We've built relationships. We want to pay forward to those who have helped us out by sharing successes. Although these posts come from a wonderful place, as the audience, we need to remember that for every success there is a cache of failures. As educators, we are lifelong learners who have learned that failures can be a very positive way of growing. Unfortunately, we don't always share THOSE experiences which leave the appearance that everything is smooth sailing. I guarantee that every single educator that you admire, no matter who they are, is having that same feeling of inadequacy from time to time. That feeling is typical for educators because we all feel the weight of responsibility that we are carrying with us every day. Our students need us...<br />
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For many of our students, we are the light in their days. We are a break from their reality beyond the classroom walls. We are the safe place that inspires, encourages, nurtures and guides them into being the best part of themselves. We are equipping them for their future; the future they imagine for themselves. That is indeed a grave responsibility. However, as I look back on some of my most significant successes with students, many of them have been born out of a failure, where something unintended happened. When we have a lesson that is less than stellar or the new strategy that we were hoping would support a student in a particular area of need, we all (and I'm speaking to myself here) need to remember that our students are going to learn from our example and how we handle things when the train comes off the rail. We need to remember that we are teaching humans, not content. Our actions speak much louder than just our words.<br />
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And with that idea in mind, we need to remain focused on our mission. It is easy to become derailed. We all have things that impede our time or ability to effectively teach our learners. We have pressure to give standardized assessments and collect data. Lots and lots of data. We have book studies, action research, new school procedures and committees that need our participation. There are parent conferences, IEP meetings, eligibility meetings, 504 meetings, RtI meetings, department meetings, faculty meetings and grade level meetings. We serve lunch duty, bus duty, and hall duty. We coach, mentor, sponsor, and lead professional development. Many of these come with their set of time, responsibilities and work. As educators, we have so many (worthwhile) things pulling at our precious time; it's easy to lose our focus. When we become overwhelmed, it is crucial that we remember WHY we do this: our students need us. They need us every day. We need to make them our number one priority.<br />
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It's okay to have a bad day. We all have them. Sometimes we have a bunch of them in a row. But as the lead learner in our classrooms, it's how we handle them that can make a world of difference in the lives of our students.Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-32376035440784608252016-12-12T05:00:00.000-06:002016-12-12T05:00:11.090-06:00Makerspaces in a Content Area ClassroomIn my last post, <a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2016/12/lets-make-mess.html">Let's Make a Mess</a>, I shared how we began the process of turning our 6th grade<span style="font-family: inherit;"> ELA classroom into a makerspace that we dubbed the Makery. <span style="background-color: white;">As an ELA teacher, my administrators expect to see ELA instruction and learning taking place every minute of every day. The question that I get most frequently from other content area teachers is how one can blend best teaching practices, subject area content and a makerspace into finite teaching time. To be completely transparent, that was why it took me two years to take this step. I researched, went to formal and informal presentations, participated in digital conversations, and spoke with many educators. What I typically got was a list of tools and gadgets to stock without any connection to the learning. Yes, it promotes creativity, design, perseverance, communication, problem solving and critical thinking. However, I still needed to be able to justify my instructional choices as an ELA teacher...and I needed to be able to produce sound evidence as to why this was a worthwhile use of our ELA class time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Here are some of the best practices that simultaneously occurred while students were using our Makery. I hope this answers some of the questions that you may be having as you look at bringing a makerspace into your classroom.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Content Standards</b>: When Caylyn Harden and I stopped and looked at our state's College and Career Ready Standards, we identified <i>twelve</i> <i>standards</i> that directly correlated to our makerspace-informational writing project. There were six additional standards that could also be tied into this project. Looking at where our students were on the learning continuum and what they had mastered previously, we narrowed our focus down to four standards.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">As is our usual practice, Caylyn guided the students into breaking down the standards into measurable components that allowed students the freedom to be creative and pursue their passions. These<i> rubrics </i>gave students a destination for showing mastery in each of these four content area standards.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntF8ayO61brgKFt2asWNAkOWI2KtZSmGGYt38fbiMip3Jw7KH8X580jD0nrPYA_0290UyioMDaAG6IT6-qT8sBoT7AcQoBkpaefWapAhaM_7lkGs0skKTQiShKwh4uw4fl3EXACanMr8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-12-04+at+11.45.59+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntF8ayO61brgKFt2asWNAkOWI2KtZSmGGYt38fbiMip3Jw7KH8X580jD0nrPYA_0290UyioMDaAG6IT6-qT8sBoT7AcQoBkpaefWapAhaM_7lkGs0skKTQiShKwh4uw4fl3EXACanMr8/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-12-04+at+11.45.59+AM.png" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Reading Literature</b>: Knowing our students, we knew that there needed to be a (slightly) different mindset. Although our classroom was already designed to promote a growth mindset where we try new things, fail, learn from those failures, and move forward with new ideas and experience, many learners were still struggling with perseverance. Many were afraid to try new things for fear of failure. We knew that we wanted to change that. Before beginning our foray into our makerspace, we read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mistakes-That-Worked-Familiar-Inventions/dp/0385320434">Mistakes that Worked</a> by Charlotte Foltz Jones so students could see how many of the things we use, eat, wear or play with were mistakes that the inventor turned into something other than its original intention. Then each day, we would start our class with a read loud of a picture book that demonstrated through characters' actions important life lessons on perseverance, problem solving, failure, courage, individuality, collaboration and creativity. These opened the door to many insightful conversations about the work in which students were involved with our Makery. Furthermore, it provided students the opportunity to look inward, make evaluations and set goals in order to find success.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Reading Informational Text</b>: Because students were going to be writing in a new genre, informational how-to, they needed <i>mentor texts</i>. The students were guided through a Blendspace of a wide variety of mentor texts to analyze in order to identify the nuances in this type of writing. Through this lesson, students who needed support in reading informational text, received <i>small group instruction</i> as many student would be reading information text in their process of making, documenting, writing and publishing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQuVMj0OLs1jZWdQ2bj0Al7dO1xOM94Vk9LZqJd13LzOw_UJBMGiAGK8rRzMxghGfAuf7Citq93io08NcsRR_0qTWAxP5RXs-JwDfU2pLJz0NL5vVcAqHEmjVZiYSN5X1PMNlgAZfnxM/s1600/Creativity.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQuVMj0OLs1jZWdQ2bj0Al7dO1xOM94Vk9LZqJd13LzOw_UJBMGiAGK8rRzMxghGfAuf7Citq93io08NcsRR_0qTWAxP5RXs-JwDfU2pLJz0NL5vVcAqHEmjVZiYSN5X1PMNlgAZfnxM/s320/Creativity.png" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Writing Workshop</b>: Although each learner would be making something different, they were all documenting their progress in order to publish a how-to guide for a group of 3rd grade students. Having an <i>authentic audience </i>for their writing, encouraged the students to stay focused throughout the designing and making as well as the writing and publishing. All the writing, editing and revising took place in Google Drive. Caylyn and I (as well as their peers) left students feedback every 2-3 days. Students met with one of us for <i>one-on-one writing conferences</i>. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Additionally</span><span style="background-color: white;">, students were included in </span><i>small group lessons</i><span style="background-color: white;"> when a weakness was identified in their writing. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">During the 2.5 week project, their 3rd grade buddies came for a visit to see what we were creating. Their questions gave our students an authentic reason to look at the impact that audience has upon what and how one writes. </span><span style="background-color: white;">We observed a sharp increase in the quality of students' writing.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">So while all the wonderful mess was happening in our classroom, there was an enormous amount of authentically applied content area learning taking place as well. Students were being given the tools necessary to propel their learning forward while being engaged in learning that each individual designed. They became (more) brave, creative, courageous and confident when speaking about their learning...and isn't that something that our world really needs?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-6016353561014396842016-12-07T05:00:00.000-06:002016-12-07T05:13:05.909-06:00Growing Great TeachersMany of us are fortunate to get to host preservice teachers in our classrooms. In the last couple of years, many of them expressed to me a fear of entering the classroom because they know that the statistics show that many of them will not last for 5 years. Let's be honest. Teaching is hard. Very hard. It requires us to analyze and diagnose 30+ students simultaneously every hour every day. I'd like to see a doctor even attempt that.<br />
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Teaching is both a science and an art. It requires grit and passion....and a lot of flexibility. So it makes me wonder, for those of us who have been in the classroom and weathered the storms, how do we persevere? What have we figured out as professionals that we can pass on to the next generation of teachers so that they can not only take root, but flourish as an educator?<br />
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<b>Develop a PLN</b>. Unfortunately, teaching can be isolating. In many schools, teachers go to their perspective classrooms and shut the door. Some of our preservice teachers, will be in those schools where they are all alone with no one to throw them a life preserver when they are sinking. Many of us have been in that situation. However, knowing that you have a mentor, coach, or listening ear can make a world of difference.<br />
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I often get the question from interns, "how do you know so much?" I can attribute a large measure of what I know to the brilliant educators that I have connected with on social media. Although many of our interns use social media, they are unaware of how to connect with likeminded educators who can provide them with support, resources, answers, and encouragement. We need to take the time to help them learn how to build their PLN through tools such as Twitter or Facebook. They need to see how we build powerful relationships with educators who we can learn from and who we can share our experiences with. These carefully curated relationships don't just happen. They take time and guidance. By taking preservice teachers under our wing, we can guide them to a path where they will not be isolated in their classrooms.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKElMKJCypw8IJiwAnXkqG8GTpPYiuhNZ9GXxnd0wRRyM63QyQUauPkELgsISur8qqTuEfKSpyCH_84UcSpMD_PbPJyJ0BV9sSgObxaUHsdzOveeBhuN9UI6lSiAXpjhA3rx8cT5js5ZY/s1600/Growing+Great+Teachers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKElMKJCypw8IJiwAnXkqG8GTpPYiuhNZ9GXxnd0wRRyM63QyQUauPkELgsISur8qqTuEfKSpyCH_84UcSpMD_PbPJyJ0BV9sSgObxaUHsdzOveeBhuN9UI6lSiAXpjhA3rx8cT5js5ZY/s320/Growing+Great+Teachers.png" width="320" /></a><b>Give them a vision of professionalism</b>. So many preservice teachers have a limited view of what it means to be a professional educator. They lack a vision of where one can go as a professional. By giving them the opportunity to attend conferences, Edcamps, Twitter chats, workshops, and other professional events, interns begin to see that teachers are always learning, growing and sharing.<br />
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Many of them enter classrooms not knowing about the educational organizations that they can join or certifications that they can earn that will sharpen their teaching practice and propel them into powerful teacher leaders. Preservice teachers often do not have a vision of where they are headed as a professional in the next five years. We need to be that person who taps them on the shoulder and encourages them to become active in professional organizations to grow their practice. After they've been in the classroom for three years, as veteran teachers, we need to encourage them to pursue National Board Certification so that we can start growing great teachers early in their career. Imagine where early career teachers would be if they began their journey toward accomplished teaching early in their career.<br />
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<b>Involve them early</b>. Many of us have discovered worthwhile professional endeavors by accident. These are activities that not only keep us informed but also help us to develop relationships with policy makers. One thing that we can easily do is invite preservice/early career teachers to join us in educational functions beyond our schools. Invite them to join you when you go speak with your legislators. Encourage them to attend the town hall meetings or district forums where there are conversations about practices that can impact the teaching and learning in the classroom. When there is a meet and greet for an organization, encourage preservice teachers to join you and actively participate in the conversations. Our profession needs teachers who are articulate and can advocate for our students. This provides preservice/early career teachers the experience to be comfortable in these situations because students need the next generation of teachers to step into these roles. Furthermore, these experiences help them see the impact of what they are doing inside the classroom upon the community outside their classroom walls.<br />
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We want to elevate our profession. We want to attract and keep the brightest minds. That cannot happen if we keep losing our teachers. Let's reach out, be a beacon of light and start growing great teachers even before they enter our profession.Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-61923577538668984792016-12-03T07:35:00.000-06:002016-12-03T07:35:00.968-06:00Let's Make a Mess<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Learning is messy. Very messy....at least when it's done right. As classroom teachers we are faced with the immense challenge of diagnosing each of our students: What are their strengths? What are their goals? Where to they need to grow? How can I help them get there? What ignites a passion within each one?</div>
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We work at it daily knowing that simply teaching content area standards is not enough. Our students must have ownership over their learning, see a relevance to what they are doing and employ strategies that work for them. Our learners crave the opportunity to apply what they are doing in a way that makes sense to them. They want to be creative, they want to communicate, they want timely feedback, they want the challenge of critically analyzing and problem solving.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou-9YQmIbQz7XXkb-fXQYQM99vjhPj99tLi0I4u4WK2oPASI-Bau9OeXlRE-3uqzvdYKw7bwGT6PgTv1gzGnFmg430dU_SHbNr7owJ62K_h-IS3KJKT4eWN4lMRt0wtsVZELVOREsH0w/s1600/Creativity+is+inventing%252C+experimenting%252C+growing%252C+taking+risks%252C+breaking+rules%252C+making+mistakes+and+having+fun..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgou-9YQmIbQz7XXkb-fXQYQM99vjhPj99tLi0I4u4WK2oPASI-Bau9OeXlRE-3uqzvdYKw7bwGT6PgTv1gzGnFmg430dU_SHbNr7owJ62K_h-IS3KJKT4eWN4lMRt0wtsVZELVOREsH0w/s320/Creativity+is+inventing%252C+experimenting%252C+growing%252C+taking+risks%252C+breaking+rules%252C+making+mistakes+and+having+fun..jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>As teachers, how can we provide meaningful experiences for students that are personalized? I wrestle with this question daily. In my ongoing quest to find answers, I began digging into research on the Maker Movement. I wanted to provide my students with the opportunity to prove mastery of content standards, while giving them the freedom to explore, design, create and make. The challenge was that it was my responsibility to facilitate the mastery of ELA standards with my 6th grade students. As an ELA teacher, my administrators expect to see ELA instruction and learning taking place every minute of every day. How could these two things live in harmony? The answer to that question came from a student...one who I had not yet connected with until I saw his laser focus and passion while building and coding a Lego Mindstorm kit on our Innovation Day (<a href="http://juliedramsay.blogspot.com/2016/07/students-learning-true-value-of-literacy.html">Students Learning the True Value of Literacy</a>). He saw what I had been missing...</div>
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We were going to turn our ELA classroom into a Makerspace. Students were going to design, make, or create anything that interested them in order to teach it to a group of 3rd grade students through informational "how-to" writing. As my intern, Caylyn Harden, and I began planning out the specifics of how to provide students with ELA content instruction and how to manage a Makerspace within our small classroom, she asked if she could take on this challenge for her 10 day unit. </div>
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Students were given an interest survey to determine what types of projects and topics interested them. Caylyn created a basic supply list with a parent letter explaining the <i>what</i> and <i>why</i> of what we would be doing and included a Sign-up Genius request some of the basic supplies that we would need (cardboard, pipe cleaners, masking tape, poly-fill, fabric, thread, yarn, etc.). The focus was never on the materials, but on the learning that would occur when students dove into making. We were creating a host of learning opportunities where students were safe to explore, investigate, fail, persevere, and have fun while harnessing their literacy learning to propel their individual growth.</div>
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Learners were exposed to new ideas and methods before they embarked because how can they know what they want to make if they've never experienced something? Caylyn created a collection of about 70 different open-ended challenges providing students an opportunity to find their own path to the destination.We had all kinds of materials (mostly donated) for students to use in meeting these challenges, including four sewing machines (which turned out to be extremely popular). Due to student interest, learners also had the opportunity to build and make with coding, Makey Makey, Google cardboard, Snap Circuits and a variety of other digital tools.</div>
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After 2 days of hands-on fun, our learners began making a plan for their creating and their writing. Each student conferred with us one-on-one explaining their plans. Every single one of them was excited about the opportunity to make a mess, document it and share it with an authentic audience. Every single one of them chose something different. For us, that meant we had 90 different projects being made...being made in our extremely tiny classroom and the hallway and the storage closet and the outside courtyard and in any space that they could find to spread out.</div>
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Was it messy? Absolutely. It was the biggest, most wonderful mess. Students were 100% focused on their project, on their writing. They could wait to get started and they didn't want to stop at the end of class time. And as their teacher, how could I ask any more than that?</div>
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But, I couldn't help but wonder, how can we do this on a regular basis....</div>
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<br />Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-75830678836917197662016-08-05T12:43:00.001-05:002016-08-05T13:21:59.816-05:00Imagine the PossibilitiesFor many of us, the summer is drawing to a close and we are at the brink of a brand new school year. Although, I will miss some of the freedom and relaxation that a summer offers, I am always excited about all the possibilities that a new year presents.<br />
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As I began to think, dream, and plan, this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt continued to come to mind:<br />
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<i>"Do one thing every day that scares you."</i></div>
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I first heard this quote from Jeff Charbonneau last January and it really stuck with me. As veteran teachers, it's very easy to fall into routines year after year without taking the time to reflect, analyze, and evaluate not just the "what" but the "why" of each and every decision we make in our classrooms, schools, and our professional lives beyond classroom walls. Complacency and apathy begin to set in and before we know it, we've drifted away from doing what's best for students into doing what's easiest for us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5551Us9vJOzj8LD1Ck0ElCjAoPIUoBglh_OadUjafFR7g2d0iHE1gt-__GX9LPTjV_o0o4eOGxadLm1alEAzTSyZOLa-0zY6cp6yqrnW9YbfxUB-h6T2zsDvm4H8ofYsuGwdBuydmGmM/s1600/-Do+one+thing+every+day+that+scares+you..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5551Us9vJOzj8LD1Ck0ElCjAoPIUoBglh_OadUjafFR7g2d0iHE1gt-__GX9LPTjV_o0o4eOGxadLm1alEAzTSyZOLa-0zY6cp6yqrnW9YbfxUB-h6T2zsDvm4H8ofYsuGwdBuydmGmM/s320/-Do+one+thing+every+day+that+scares+you..jpg" width="320" /></a>As teachers, our sole mission is to positively impact each of our students with each of our choices. That intentional reflection often leads to change, and change can be scary for most of us. But that fear can lead to amazing possibilities for our students and our professional growth.<br />
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After months of reflection, research, planning, and plotting, I've created my list of the "something new" that I believe will have a dramatic impact upon my students' learning. These items do cause me to have those nervous butterflies. In the back of my mind I wonder, "What happens if this fails?" The answer is simple: It will be a powerful learning experience for not just me, but for my students. They will learn that it's okay to try new things and fail...and how to continue to move forward to find success. And that is one of the most powerful lessons that our students can learn.<br />
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<li><b>Makerspace</b>: Last spring, my intern and I turned our classroom into a makerspace where students pursued their interests, made something unique and documented their progress. They used this experience to write informational text for a class of 3rd grade students. Through this experience, my students far exceeded our content area standards (there were 12 of them tied to this writing and publishing). Every day was jammed back with high-energy, laser focused, enthusiastic learners. This was only a three week unit; I want to bring this into my 6th grade ELA classroom on a full-time basis.</li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.breakoutedu.com/">Breakout Edu</a></b>: At the end of last school year, we began dabbling in Breakout Edu. My students would beg for class to continue. Through these series of breakout, puzzle-solving games, they were sharpening their mastery of content standards while strengthening their problem solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration abilities. Last year we started with the <a href="http://www.breakoutedu.com/digital">digital games</a>, but this year, I have four of the breakout boxes that I have built. I even have tried my hand at creating my own breakout for the 4th day of school. (Those butterflies are breakdancing in my stomach over this one.)</li>
<li><b>Peer reading recommendations</b>: Although my students have Free Read Friday and book chats once a week, I want to increase their opportunity to recommend books to one another. As teachers we know that a recommendation from a peer carries much more weight that one coming from an adult. My fellow ELA teacher and I are planning on having students create a data base of book recommendations with all of our classes. Also, I have set aside shelves in my classroom for students to place their favorite reads. I know that this "new" thing will take dedication to continue throughout the year. My hope is that once the students get a feel for it, they will continue it on their own.</li>
<li><b>Book shopping</b>: I've tried this in the past, trying to match the right student with the right book at the right time. Honestly, I haven't had much success with it. However, my plan is to do this in conjunction with student recommendations so that any guidance I may be providing will be using the voices of their peers. Although, I've never banned (or discouraged) audio books, knowing my students, I hope to steer some of my ELL and struggling readers in that direction so that they can join in book discussion with their peers as they often feel left out or isolated from this activity. </li>
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That's my list (so far). They all create a different level of unease, but they also create an excitement for all the possibilities that these new practices will bring to my students' learning. Be brave. Try something new. You never know what great places it will lead you and your learners.<br />
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<i>I'd love to know what new thing are you trying out this year that scares you. Please feel free to share below.</i>Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3745128336944727794.post-15578649028374345992016-07-19T10:46:00.000-05:002016-07-19T10:46:14.867-05:00Students Learning the True Value of Literacy<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #4e4b48; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As educators, we know learners sometimes fail to see the connection between their work inside classroom walls and their lives beyond classroom walls. A question that often arises in many of our students’ heads is, <i>why do we need to learn this?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As their teacher, I wonder how I can help my students see that their time within our classroom is valuable, not just for the few months we are together, but for a lifetime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One practice I employ is asking students, “Why do you think we need to master this?” Once they get beyond the idea of “We need to know it for the test” or “We need this for next year,” my students begin to discover some interesting ideas about how their learning affects them now and in the future.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rCmqUYjkGmRUnpEZq-ItmR4NehrjbpwkriX9gNOOHe4yAthi-Llv4g386kMWPY8J2pKFtnqSpJSsYbXFw6f7azTOZeMeIzA60cVqvA25h4m4uwZbx2fvigfV2BlObIx4Z7JzAroKkew/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.42.30+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rCmqUYjkGmRUnpEZq-ItmR4NehrjbpwkriX9gNOOHe4yAthi-Llv4g386kMWPY8J2pKFtnqSpJSsYbXFw6f7azTOZeMeIzA60cVqvA25h4m4uwZbx2fvigfV2BlObIx4Z7JzAroKkew/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.42.30+AM.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">This winter, our sixth grade had our annual Innovation Day. This day is built on the 20% principle where students can choose any topic, wondering, or problem that interests them. Students get to spend an entire day becoming experts and creating something to use to teach their peers about their area of expertise on the following day during our Gallery Walk, where they get to share their findings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, we challenged students to make something that would be interactive for their peers (and the others guests we invited). We had an incredible day filled with excitement, passion, and creativity as each project was as unique as the student behind it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I spent more than two weeks working with each of my students in the planning stages. One task they were expected to do was explain what skills or strategies they had taken from their academic classes that would support their learning on Innovation Day. Seeing that “eureka” moment when students realized how much they would rely upon their literacy abilities to discover answers, solve problems, and create something to share with their peers was exciting.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgTLwBSevMlHUs90BIZQWmnWrlYB_TiMXc5Zi-guQQKGGuEsLNpmpjpg8jSgxWLfPibuczvu1_d1lHei2JE69k36T_NmFpmJUEz8FDitlxgFvISyPoPAen-m34BKghBW0XS-CySj8G8c/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.01+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXgTLwBSevMlHUs90BIZQWmnWrlYB_TiMXc5Zi-guQQKGGuEsLNpmpjpg8jSgxWLfPibuczvu1_d1lHei2JE69k36T_NmFpmJUEz8FDitlxgFvISyPoPAen-m34BKghBW0XS-CySj8G8c/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.01+AM.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because of our Innovation Day, I had the opportunity to see some of my students in a new light. I saw enthusiasm I had not seen before. Students who had been hard to reach or difficult to connect with through our usual classroom activities were now strong, confident, and excited to share their learning with others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Several students used Lego Mindstorm kits to build and program robots. Another student created authentic, interactive games teaching peers how to make financial investments. Other students built motors, created inventions, or learned the chemistry behind dyeing hair. Some wanted to create a children’s book using tools like StoryJumper or LINTOR Publishing. Others wanted to create videos using WeVideo, PowToon, or iMovie. Some students wanted to create a how-to guide on a Wiki, Tackk, or a Weebly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I took time to visit them during their Gallery Walk, I asked each of the students, “What can we do to bring this type of learning into our ELA classroom?”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNKJ3FSv01tjBlNQNM_WiGWoqbC3P-f-GEtnPgkRrbFy0_oYOFOhlTwPp6a79HfTPs_eKFEdDBxSjlTNvv-J3Ll4AVBni_OqPyvCreAhGXLZ7fKJ2SDU_3zFEhXtpXZdqh2PpuXIbgUM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.18+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNKJ3FSv01tjBlNQNM_WiGWoqbC3P-f-GEtnPgkRrbFy0_oYOFOhlTwPp6a79HfTPs_eKFEdDBxSjlTNvv-J3Ll4AVBni_OqPyvCreAhGXLZ7fKJ2SDU_3zFEhXtpXZdqh2PpuXIbgUM/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.18+AM.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though each student created something unique, students’ answers to my probing question were very similar. They each expressed an interest in composing something that could teach others what they had learned. They all wanted to pay forward their learning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Using their newly gained experience, my students clearly saw how their mastering of ELA standards supported them in anything they wanted to accomplish. They truly have gained an understanding of the importance of literacy in their lives, not just for a grade or a test, but as a vehicle for taking them anywhere they may want to go—now and in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And their answers to my question, well, that opened the door to a whole new adventure...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85JXNpr5PA25VMX-HTCdojs5hUB2x02PSKdZBoAig5FYXg1P02-MiOEgPEED9YcEdVv0ZzkN-ejppBF_-BAJYvinI7aqmSJsE6FTezoGPK3F224_GQCbvzr9pB_1U_pU5PBwd3ezPtVg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.34+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85JXNpr5PA25VMX-HTCdojs5hUB2x02PSKdZBoAig5FYXg1P02-MiOEgPEED9YcEdVv0ZzkN-ejppBF_-BAJYvinI7aqmSJsE6FTezoGPK3F224_GQCbvzr9pB_1U_pU5PBwd3ezPtVg/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-07-19+at+10.43.34+AM.png" width="319" /></a></span></div>
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Julie D. Ramsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09376200217069450181noreply@blogger.com0