I am so excited to be back to school! I mean, I needed this summer "vacation" to visit my daughter and Tim & NORA and I visited my step-dad in Florida twice while he had two of his chemo treatments I didn't even get to the beach to see if there was any oil! But I understand there wasn't any anyway.
And, back in January, I began a new hobby - Lampworking, that is, melting rods of glass at a torch and creating beads and tiny phrogs and stuff. I love it! So I got to practice and hone my skills a bunch this summer. But I love teaching! I've already taught 3 students (7, 10 & 12 years old) and more than half a dozen grown-ups to use the torch.
However, like I like to tell Mrs. Baggett, I LOVE it here. It's a challenge, it's ever-changing, it's creative, it's heart warming and heart breaking. Like I said, I am so happy to be back to school!!
This year we've begun with In Three Words. I borrowed the idea from Shades Mountain's Enrichment teacher who used In Three Words last year with the theme of Going Green. She got the idea from an ABC morning show . You can see the weekly show at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/. Please forgive that there are ads on it. Anyway, people send in mini-videos and show what they are telling using only three words. I assigned my students, in small groups, to create mini-videos that could be used on our daily broadcasts, using only three words and no sound, about the school's theme of RESpect.
It is a very foggy concept, hard to define in words, and still harder to show. So far, the groups have found and discussed all sorts of definitions of respect, along with compassion, empathy, sympathy, and made huge lists of various ways to share their thoughts on video, in an appropriate manner. Like putting each of the three words on a die, then rolling the dice which would show the three words. Cool idea but doesn't have anything to do with respect. This is one of the reasons I mentioned that I would like for them to have their own zip drive so that they can bring home their work for this year, but not just this video.
We begin each class with a productive thinking assignment - on half a sheet of notebook paper, they think of & list many (more than one), varied (not all about one idea), and unusual (things no one else will think of) ideas & add details as needed to be more specific. We've messed with A Scrabble Tile, a Clothespin, Newspaper (AJ has a list of over 100 ideas to Reuse, Reduce Waste & Recycle newspapers!) & a Brick. I want them to get in the habit of looking at things from all sides, in terms of what it is intended to do, what it could do, building on/bouncing off of other's ideas, and writing them down. By the end of the year we can probably write a book!
Interesting, interesting work!! I love it! Mrs. Mac
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Elinor Alice Christy
Wow!
School ends, I get everything up off the floor of my classroom in anticipation of a stripping and waxing and, bingo, my daughter has a baby! Yes, yes, Elinor Alice has been expected, also anticipated, even promised a pony and chocolate if she'd hurry up and get here but
on Monday, May 31, she came!! Birth was at 4:03pm, she weighed 6lbs. 5 oz., and was 19.5 inches long, 9 on the APGAR scale, lots of hair! Mom and Baby doing GREAT. On June 2 I arrived in Chicago, right on time for visiting hours and helped pack the babes (Ali & Nora) up to go home. She is a wonderful baby; sleeps, eats, poops when she's supposed to. On Thursday, Mom, Dad and I took Nora, on the L, to her first doctor's appointment. She was all wrapped in one of those baby carrier wraps, slept all the way there and back and only fussed when the doctor took off her diaper and examined her (she's very modest).
I left Nora & family on Saturday, June 5and am now in Naples, FL helping my Dad while he is going through chemo.
I will write more later - I'm already pumped for NEXT year! XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
School ends, I get everything up off the floor of my classroom in anticipation of a stripping and waxing and, bingo, my daughter has a baby! Yes, yes, Elinor Alice has been expected, also anticipated, even promised a pony and chocolate if she'd hurry up and get here but
on Monday, May 31, she came!! Birth was at 4:03pm, she weighed 6lbs. 5 oz., and was 19.5 inches long, 9 on the APGAR scale, lots of hair! Mom and Baby doing GREAT. On June 2 I arrived in Chicago, right on time for visiting hours and helped pack the babes (Ali & Nora) up to go home. She is a wonderful baby; sleeps, eats, poops when she's supposed to. On Thursday, Mom, Dad and I took Nora, on the L, to her first doctor's appointment. She was all wrapped in one of those baby carrier wraps, slept all the way there and back and only fussed when the doctor took off her diaper and examined her (she's very modest).
I left Nora & family on Saturday, June 5and am now in Naples, FL helping my Dad while he is going through chemo.
I will write more later - I'm already pumped for NEXT year! XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
Friday, May 14, 2010
Time is so flying! I guess that means we're having fun (!?). I asked the students the other day what they would suggest as topics for next year and I was surprised at some of their answers. One was A REPORT about countries...a REPORT??? My big toe! This is Enrichment, where you stick your neck out and do things NOT usually done in the regular classroom! I suggested, and I did it nicely, that no, we wouldn't even consider doing a "report" unless it was as a travel agent who had researched a complete itinerary with flights, costs, sights to see, time-tables and postcards. There were a number of "Adopt a/an ________(space, country, animal)" ideas. Which was cool this year but let's come up with something new! I tried to point them into the present by reminding them of the earthquakes and oil spills going on. Everyone seems to agree that the challenges proposed by the PBS Design Squad are a lot of fun (& they don't realize how much they are learning - about problem solving, about risk-taking, about their own abilities). So that's a good possibility!
Personally, I'm leaning toward having each class have a 6to9 week tour of duty in the Broadcast room. Whether or not they want to be On Air there is SO MUCH to learn there! Technology, graphic arts, communication/journalism, presentation and advertising, even typing are a few topics that come to mind. Lights, sound, teleprompter, cameras, action! Plus, because it would be occurring during the day in a less harried manner, it can be recorded, re-recorded, critiqued and improved. I would love to see interviews, book talks, photo-essays written, performed and produced by students and aired on our daily broadcasts. We may even get into some clay-mation....
This is an incomplete blog, I'll be back. Meet me here! XXOO!!
Personally, I'm leaning toward having each class have a 6to9 week tour of duty in the Broadcast room. Whether or not they want to be On Air there is SO MUCH to learn there! Technology, graphic arts, communication/journalism, presentation and advertising, even typing are a few topics that come to mind. Lights, sound, teleprompter, cameras, action! Plus, because it would be occurring during the day in a less harried manner, it can be recorded, re-recorded, critiqued and improved. I would love to see interviews, book talks, photo-essays written, performed and produced by students and aired on our daily broadcasts. We may even get into some clay-mation....
This is an incomplete blog, I'll be back. Meet me here! XXOO!!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
WOW! The end of the school year is soooo close! and I've fallen down on keeping up with this blog. So here are some highlights to catch up on the way things are going!
Talent Pools have had many on-going assignments & projects this year - they were asked to try to find a project, near and dear to their hearts, that would help others. In lieu of this "Mess", as it was called, a project that they could work on (off & on) all year was requested.
Recently, several of the projects have really taken off - the girls who put together a donation project for animal toys for the Humane Society, the boys who had a similar donation project for clothing to the Salvation Army, and a third grade project to provide folders of learning games & activities to be used by the library, art, & music teachers for their special students who aren't able to do some of the activities with their classmates. One student received a couple of very detailed emails from a city planner when questioned about the viability of an above ground subway to relieve traffic on 280 (a BIG news topic at the moment).
A requirement of these projects was to write to "Experts" in the field. Letters went to the Humane Society, the Salvation Army, the ASPCA, a graphic designer, a cartoon artist, a Birmingham City Planner, among others. Several letters were written to Mrs. Baggett requesting permission to place boxes or signs around her school. They had to give starting dates, ending dates, how often they would check to keep things neat, etc. She has been very accommodating!
A number of projects have fizzled but I hope they are listening when I tell them that sometimes worthwhile efforts require even MORE effort than what they have invested so far. Then they have to ask themselves if they want to pursue this project farther. If yes, then re-thinking and redirecting is in order. If no, then examination of what was done and accomplished needs to be celebrated and used as a learning experience. All students are going through a "What did you learn from this activity?"
It was firmly suggested that these projects be kept at school because another "assignment" for this school year was to dig into becoming a Self Directed Learner. Talent Pool students kept notes in their journals about their talents, their interests, their pluses and minuses. It was an exercise to help them understand that life and learning is what they make of it. Parents, bless their hearts, do their best to make life good, organized, and easy for their children. Teachers, bless their hearts, offer all sorts of learning opportunities designed to produce a student who is full of knowledge. In my class students are challenged to USE (or find out how to) what they know (this "knowledge") to create what they can imagine. Learning, I believe, is Problem Solving and Creativity. It is overcoming obstacles, it is not easy, it is not (at first) organized, but by DOING they gain self-confidence, personality, and (I hope) a love of what this knowledge-stuff can do for them. It takes responsibility, it take tenacity, it takes focus, it takes being honest with themselves. It is hard work. I think it is/will be worth it.
They also were given the task of dipping a toe into Chemistry by Adopting an Element. In this assignment they drew elements out of a bag and had to (3rd graders) create a baby-book to record various information they did major research to find. They had to create a picture of the element's "family", a glyph of the element using it atomic number, a Bohr's model (ask about that!), write a poem about the element, figure out their element's future profession, a sign for the hall AND a rebus (a pronunciation picture)! The fourth & fifth graders had similar assignments but to a higher level. Wow!
In between all this, they worked on origami, pop-ups, and MATH!! Gentle Readers, do your own self directed learning and search for the 24 game, the game of SET, go on my wiki, and play along! YOU are the BEST model for your child!! SHOW them how you can learn new tricks!
Enough! Ti voglio bene! XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
Talent Pools have had many on-going assignments & projects this year - they were asked to try to find a project, near and dear to their hearts, that would help others. In lieu of this "Mess", as it was called, a project that they could work on (off & on) all year was requested.
Recently, several of the projects have really taken off - the girls who put together a donation project for animal toys for the Humane Society, the boys who had a similar donation project for clothing to the Salvation Army, and a third grade project to provide folders of learning games & activities to be used by the library, art, & music teachers for their special students who aren't able to do some of the activities with their classmates. One student received a couple of very detailed emails from a city planner when questioned about the viability of an above ground subway to relieve traffic on 280 (a BIG news topic at the moment).
A requirement of these projects was to write to "Experts" in the field. Letters went to the Humane Society, the Salvation Army, the ASPCA, a graphic designer, a cartoon artist, a Birmingham City Planner, among others. Several letters were written to Mrs. Baggett requesting permission to place boxes or signs around her school. They had to give starting dates, ending dates, how often they would check to keep things neat, etc. She has been very accommodating!
A number of projects have fizzled but I hope they are listening when I tell them that sometimes worthwhile efforts require even MORE effort than what they have invested so far. Then they have to ask themselves if they want to pursue this project farther. If yes, then re-thinking and redirecting is in order. If no, then examination of what was done and accomplished needs to be celebrated and used as a learning experience. All students are going through a "What did you learn from this activity?"
It was firmly suggested that these projects be kept at school because another "assignment" for this school year was to dig into becoming a Self Directed Learner. Talent Pool students kept notes in their journals about their talents, their interests, their pluses and minuses. It was an exercise to help them understand that life and learning is what they make of it. Parents, bless their hearts, do their best to make life good, organized, and easy for their children. Teachers, bless their hearts, offer all sorts of learning opportunities designed to produce a student who is full of knowledge. In my class students are challenged to USE (or find out how to) what they know (this "knowledge") to create what they can imagine. Learning, I believe, is Problem Solving and Creativity. It is overcoming obstacles, it is not easy, it is not (at first) organized, but by DOING they gain self-confidence, personality, and (I hope) a love of what this knowledge-stuff can do for them. It takes responsibility, it take tenacity, it takes focus, it takes being honest with themselves. It is hard work. I think it is/will be worth it.
They also were given the task of dipping a toe into Chemistry by Adopting an Element. In this assignment they drew elements out of a bag and had to (3rd graders) create a baby-book to record various information they did major research to find. They had to create a picture of the element's "family", a glyph of the element using it atomic number, a Bohr's model (ask about that!), write a poem about the element, figure out their element's future profession, a sign for the hall AND a rebus (a pronunciation picture)! The fourth & fifth graders had similar assignments but to a higher level. Wow!
In between all this, they worked on origami, pop-ups, and MATH!! Gentle Readers, do your own self directed learning and search for the 24 game, the game of SET, go on my wiki, and play along! YOU are the BEST model for your child!! SHOW them how you can learn new tricks!
Enough! Ti voglio bene! XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Just here passing things on...
Here's a wonderful blog to begin a new year.
Huge long e-dress but, I think, worth it!
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2010/01/being-first-rate-you.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CoolCatTeacherBlog+%28Cool+Cat+Teacher+Blog%29
XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
Here's a wonderful blog to begin a new year.
Huge long e-dress but, I think, worth it!
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2010/01/being-first-rate-you.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CoolCatTeacherBlog+%28Cool+Cat+Teacher+Blog%29
XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
Saturday, January 16, 2010
It's Elemental!
Wow! 2010!! It'll be a very good year!
We started a side-project (beside working on the Mess projects) called ADOPT AN ELEMENT this week! It has been surprisingly exciting! Funny, I don't remember being this excited when I took chemistry!
We started with an info hunt to define the following vocabulary:
Mendeleev
Periodic Table of Elements
element
atom
proton
neutron
electron
nucleus
atomic number
Given 15 minutes and only (OMG!) BOOKS! each class came up with working definitions and what seems to be a hunger for elemental knowledge was born!
My third graders are creating a Baby Book for their adopted element (they got to reach into the bag and select from the first 20 elements to choose their subject, two students actually chose TWO!). Through their research they'll find out if their element is either a boy (a solid) or a girl (a gas) that they get to name and will produce a birth certificate that will be included in the baby book. The baby picture will be the Bohr's model of the element's orbitals. In weekly pieces the adoptive "Parents" will be creating a pronunciation rebus, a poem about their element, the element's home address, a family portrait, and a glyph (a type of pictogram) using the elements protons, neutrons, electrons, and atomic number. Oh, and they have to come up with an appropriate career for this element! I've heard that Lithium wants to grow up to be a psychiatrist and Sulfur plans on becoming a plumber. Among all sorts of other things! Everyone is also learning how to write a business letter to people who are professionals in their Mess field, asking for information to help them do their best on their Mess Project. And, for some reason, being able to check out books from my personal library is a BIG thing!
Fourth grade chose the elements between 21 and 40. They also have to create a pronunciation rebus and poem and Bohr's model but their assignment includes an advertising slogan and an ad layout poster for their element.
The adoptive parents in fifth grade chose two elements from 41 on. A few traded one in to chose again, once everyone else had chosen. They will do all that the fourth grade is doing only twice!
We are all creating an element mobile for the classroom and will post our Elemental Info on the wall in the hall.
I am so proud of the way they are helping each other - finding definitions, element information, rhyming words, etc. etc. They are reading all sorts of things! Oh, did I say that they (all grades) have to list at least 3 sources of information, and only two may be from the Internet? Oh, well, I'll tell you later!
This is all so cool!
XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
PS: http://www.chem4kids.com/
is a good place to refresh (or re-learn!) the beginnings of chemistry!
PS My Daughter, who is a pregnant published author in the MD/PhD program at Northwestern University in Chicago, says I have too many exclamation points. WHO can have too many EPs when you are excited?? What does she know!?! Besides EVERTHING?!
We started a side-project (beside working on the Mess projects) called ADOPT AN ELEMENT this week! It has been surprisingly exciting! Funny, I don't remember being this excited when I took chemistry!
We started with an info hunt to define the following vocabulary:
Mendeleev
Periodic Table of Elements
element
atom
proton
neutron
electron
nucleus
atomic number
Given 15 minutes and only (OMG!) BOOKS! each class came up with working definitions and what seems to be a hunger for elemental knowledge was born!
My third graders are creating a Baby Book for their adopted element (they got to reach into the bag and select from the first 20 elements to choose their subject, two students actually chose TWO!). Through their research they'll find out if their element is either a boy (a solid) or a girl (a gas) that they get to name and will produce a birth certificate that will be included in the baby book. The baby picture will be the Bohr's model of the element's orbitals. In weekly pieces the adoptive "Parents" will be creating a pronunciation rebus, a poem about their element, the element's home address, a family portrait, and a glyph (a type of pictogram) using the elements protons, neutrons, electrons, and atomic number. Oh, and they have to come up with an appropriate career for this element! I've heard that Lithium wants to grow up to be a psychiatrist and Sulfur plans on becoming a plumber. Among all sorts of other things! Everyone is also learning how to write a business letter to people who are professionals in their Mess field, asking for information to help them do their best on their Mess Project. And, for some reason, being able to check out books from my personal library is a BIG thing!
Fourth grade chose the elements between 21 and 40. They also have to create a pronunciation rebus and poem and Bohr's model but their assignment includes an advertising slogan and an ad layout poster for their element.
The adoptive parents in fifth grade chose two elements from 41 on. A few traded one in to chose again, once everyone else had chosen. They will do all that the fourth grade is doing only twice!
We are all creating an element mobile for the classroom and will post our Elemental Info on the wall in the hall.
I am so proud of the way they are helping each other - finding definitions, element information, rhyming words, etc. etc. They are reading all sorts of things! Oh, did I say that they (all grades) have to list at least 3 sources of information, and only two may be from the Internet? Oh, well, I'll tell you later!
This is all so cool!
XXOO!! Mrs. Mac
PS: http://www.chem4kids.com/
is a good place to refresh (or re-learn!) the beginnings of chemistry!
PS My Daughter, who is a pregnant published author in the MD/PhD program at Northwestern University in Chicago, says I have too many exclamation points. WHO can have too many EPs when you are excited?? What does she know!?! Besides EVERTHING?!
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