Phenomenal Blogger and a Little Self Reflection

Math Coach's Corner is a must have blog for all teachers not just math teachers. If you do not follow her, I recommend that you begin. She is from the Houston area and has an immense amount of knowledge and to say the least she is phenomenal. As my amazing cohort says, "Donna is SPOT ON!". I could not say it any better!!! I would love to work with her.

Yesterday, she posted about Developing Fraction Number Sense. If you are in education, please go read her post. Especially, the part about WHAT DO WE DO. This part pertains to ALL subject areas and all of us in education. All of us need to look at these areas in ourselves and our practices with TRUE DEEP reflectiveness. Sadly, that is very difficult for us. Donna's most powerful statement was, "...it's essential that you understand the standards for your grade level. The standards for each grade level are perfectly aligned, like interlocking puzzle pieces, to develop deep understanding. If you don't teach your part, it's awfully hard to complete the puzzle." I know that is something I will be examining in myself because in the world of intervention I see it as one of our biggest issues in education. What happens when one person doesn't cover a concept to the true depth that is specified? How are students impacted? How long does the deficit exist?

I will get off my soapbox for today. Go read some great posts over at Math Coach's Corner and enjoy a beautiful afternoon with a swirl of self-reflection.

ALL STAAR Rehearsals for "STAAR -cessful" Students and Misc. STAAR Kick Off

If you have ever taught and helped grades who are held to standardized testing standards, you know the pressure for the students and the teachers. As I've listened to my sweet intervention kids since Spring Break, it has become my passion and mission to provide the best last minute possible lessons possible along with motivation and novelty. As much as testing is an academic race, it is also a stamina and emotional race. So the last 2 weeks before our BIG round of testing, we've transformed our room a little. It has become a Hollywood Theater with STAAR Rehearsals.

The last minute practice for reading has encountered some mind boggling skills. So we have began a 5 minute warm up activity. Each time they come for a visit, they have 5 minutes to do one of their poster activities. At the end of the week, we highlight and great answers and discuss the answers. The first day was filled with a few tears and anxiety. The days to follow were filled with excitement and knocking down the door to come in and try one.

Third Grade Gallery Walk Warm-Up (excuse the quick thrown together posters)

Fourth Grade Red Carpet Walk

The best part is that this simple little activity and decoration has been a blast for the kids, has created big smiles, created confidence and let them enjoy the last few days of practice.

Knock STAAR Out of the Park was the theme for our 5th graders before the big reading test. We had a baseball theme celebration with cookies and creating individualized STAAR trading cards.

Up this week is a small Reading Camp for Third and Fourth Grade for last minute practice along with the possibility of a Pep Rally. How do you motivate and encourage kids the last few weeks before standardized testing?

Fired Up About Writing

Whew!!! This post has been written in my mind for about 3 weeks, but time is flying so fast and life is crazy busy!

The week prior to the 4th Grade STAAR Writing test we hosted Camp Write Along in the afternoons. The 4th Grade STAAR Writing test is a huge to kids. We wanted to pump kids up in self -confidence while helping them tie up a few loose ends. We transformed their area to look like a camp.

We had the three cabins to rotate through each day along; there was the Composition Cabin, Revising and Editing Cabin, and Revision Cabin. Plus, each student had the opportunity to visit the Writing Conference Cabin for an individualized conference about their writing. Each cabin was filled with activities to fit each groups special needs. The kids LOVED it! The novelty eased the anxiety and gave them confidence. Even though we were tackling hard skills such as combining sentences and transition words in my cabin, the kids were so pumped up!

We ended the week with a celebration. We read the book Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor. This book is wonderful and would also be great at the beginning of the year when establishing a classroom community. Then, we painted good luck rocks. This turned out to be a powerful activity. There were so serious when painting their special rock, Plus when they had their rocks on testing day, it was obvious the comfort the rock provided. We ended the celebration with a snack of S'more Cupcakes.