Reflection

WOW!  Two posts in a week!  Running is one of my favorite things to do!  While running, my mind just keeps going!  While running this evening my mind went to a conversation I had Friday.   I was honored to be asked to be part of our Night of the Stars (St. Lucie County's night where we honor each school's Teacher of the Year, Minority Educator of the Year, School Related Employee of the Year, and First Year Teacher of the Year.   The Excitement of the night is realized when the SLC Teacher of the Year is announced).  

The intent of this invitation is to recognize me for being awarded the Milken Educator Award.  As much as I would love to be part of this night, I had to decline due to a prior commitment (my son will be performing with the Honors Performance Band at Carnegie Hall in New York that same weekend, of course that's where I'll be). While running, I was thinking of what I would say IF I were to be part of this special night.  I felt it is important enough to pen down for others to read.  

I would begin with cordially thanking Superintendent Yost, board members, and other distinguished guests.  Then I would continue with these words:  

I am honored, blessed, and humbled to be awarded the 2014-2015 Milken Educator Award for the State of Florida. There are so many outstanding and amazing teachers and educators in St. Lucie County who could represent our district with this award.  I am blessed with a God-given passion, desire, and ability to work with children.  I couldn't imagine doing anything else.   Recently someone asked me "How can you be so enthusiastic all of the time?"  I thought long and hard about that question. I'm enthusiastic because I have 22 students watching me. What do they see?  I want to be that teacher, that person who inspires children, with my words and with my actions.  I was blessed to attend a Ruby Payne "train the trainer" workshop in Santa Fe New Mexico several years ago.  Rita Pearson was, and still is, an inspiration to me!  She said "Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be."  I strive to be that adult, that teacher!  When I see a student, I see someone with potential.  Even that hard to reach child, my job is to find the key that's going to unlock that potential.  This past summer, while at the mall, I heard, "Mrs. Routten, Mrs. Routten!"  Before I could utter a word, a former student approached me with a great big hug "I was so hoping to see you.  I'm leaving for school in about two weeks!" (She's finishing up her last year of college).  A few days later I received a text from her.  This text was so special I printed it, and now I keep it with me.  When I'm having "one of those days" I pull it out and read it.  She wrote, "Mrs. Routten never underestimate the power of being a teacher.  You are the best teacher I ever had. You believed in me that I was something special when no one else at the school did.  You still kept me in line when I spoke out of turn but still loved just the same.  You were the only teacher that I got student of the month from.  You gave me a chance to be someone great, you gave me a little more time and love, it changed me.  I WILL be something great, you will reap the seed you sowed in me years ago, I promise you that!" 

So, you see, we are an influence to our students, positive or negative.  Receiving this award forced me to reflect on what I do! The ability to unlock a student's potential is why I'm enthusiastic all of the time!  So, what kind of influence will you be to a child? Thank you!

Because I will not have the opportunity to speak these words, I felt it was important to share them here.  Even if it causes only ONE teacher to think and reflect!

Learning New Things!

I just LOVE learning new things!  My grade group and I were sitting in a training last week when we heard about a strategy used by another teacher at another school.  It sounded interesting and beneficial for our fourth graders.  So, we put our heads together and came up with something that would better meet the needs of our students.  I couldn't wait to try it with my students.  

First, we "designed" a placemat to put in the middle of each group (we have groups of 4).  We actually took a placemat and "revised" it.  Each student has a role and roles rotate with each question.

I am not an expert, but I see the benefits of using this with my students (we only practiced three times)!  100% of my students are engaged!  That includes ALL students!  All students have to listen because all students are accountable for the answer.  

First, my students "Close Read" a short fable (see my Blog below on "Reading Like a Detective").  After the 3rd read, I distributed the mats and questions.  Student #1 is the facilitator.  This student reads the question, restates the question, and makes sure everyone understands the question.  Student #2 Answers the question using words from the question.  This student also makes sure everyone is listening.  Student #3 agrees or disagrees (with evidence).  This student also makes sure everyone is listening. Student #4 summarizes or paraphrases the answer to the question.  

I call this  strategy a revised version of "Numbered Heads Together" (a Kagan structure) because I then choose a student and a group to answer the question.  

I then distribute another question and students rotate the placemat and repeat the activity.

Here is a video of my students using this strategy with a fable.  The question posed; "What is the theme of the passage, provide the evidence".

This strategy can be used with any question(s).  I also used it to review science concepts.  I took the higher level questions from one of our science units and typed them on cards.  

This is a new strategy (activity) I just started using these past two weeks! I'm open to feedback!  

Reading Like a Detective!

I absolutely LOVE learning new things! This past September I attended St. Lucie County's ECET2 Conference where I participated in a "Close Reads" training. If you google Close Reads you will receive thousands and thousands of hits. I am going to share with you how I use this strategy in my classroom with my students.

If the reading passage is short, I can usually get all six steps completed in one reading block (I do this about once every two weeks).

If the reading passages are long, I will break the steps into two days.

Step #1: Students will read a piece of text for the first time just to get the "gist". While reading, students code the text (see picture below showing a poster of coding marks). After students code the text, they go through the text and highlight words they don't know or understand.

Step #2: Students now discuss their coding with their shoulder partner. My students sit in groups of four. Each student has a shoulder partner and a face partner. With this particular step, students work with their shoulder partner. I select a student to begin first (either student A or student B) and set the timer for 2 minutes. During the two minutes student A shares the code he/she recorded and the reason. When the timer sounds, student B will have two minutes to share his/her thinking. After both students share their thinking, they now take turns discussing words they highlighted. Student B will go first this time (for two minutes) then student A will have his/her turn. When discussing vocabulary, student will read the highlighted word, read the sentence that contains the word, and read surrounding sentences for clues. Both students will work together to determine meaning of the word or words.

Step #3: Students will now read the text for the second time. Tasks will vary depending on the text and learning goal. I usually have the students look for clues that signal the structure of the text. Students will circle these signal words. We are a "Thinking Maps" school, therefore; students will select the appropriate thinking map that best fits their thinking. This will help signal the structure of the text.


Step #4: Students will now have a discussion with their face partner. I select a student to begin first (either student A or student B) and set the timer for 2 minutes. During the two minutes student A shares with student B the structure he/she feels the author uses. Student must use textual evidence. When the timer sounds, student B will have two minutes to paraphrase what student A said and agree or disagree with evidence.


Step #5: Students read the text for the third and final time. At this point I will have a question or two the students will answer in step #6 so the task is dependent on the question. For example, today the question asked the students to determine the theme of the text and provide evidence. During the third reading, the students underlined clues that determined the theme.


Step #6: Students will work in Cooperative Groups using a variation of a "Kagan" structure to answer a question or two. Each student has a role:

Student #1 will read the question, restate the question, and make sure everyone understands the question! Student #1 also takes the role of a facilitator.

Student #2 will answer the question using words from the question. He/she will make sure everyone is listening!

Student #3 will paraphrase the answer and agree or disagree with evidence. He/she will make sure everyone is listening!

Student #4 will summarize or paraphrase the answer to the question.

Roles will rotate with additional questions.

(This is a new structure my students are practicing. I will write another blog just on this strategy, complete with pictures and video)

These are pictures of my students participating in "Close Reading"!

Notice the "Close Reading" glasses!!!! The students LOVE them!

When teaching gets tough!

With this post I want to address teachers.  If you were in my house I would have a pot of coffee and we would just sit and chat.  Sometimes we need that!  Teaching is difficult!  At times it feels as if we are pulled in so many different directions.  Our district introduces new initiatives, the state chimes in with their interpretation of new initiatives, meanwhile you have students who didn't eat this morning and have no interest in learning.  So what is a teacher to do when he/she feels overwhelmed?  I thought long and hard and came up with a few things that have worked for me.

1.   First and foremost, those who know me know the first thing I do is pray!  Then I surround myself with positive people.  It's very easy to fall into a "negative" trap!  Don't do it!  If you need to vent (and we all need to vent once in a while) seek out a close colleague whom you trust.  One who is going to encourage you to continue doing what you love and focus on the students.  Once you vent, let it go!

2.  Take responsibility for your own learning!  When a new initiative is introduced by your district or state, don't wait for someone to "teach" it to you.  Do your research and look for those strategies that will help you and your students.  I find myself less stressed when I'm a step ahead!

3.  Just teach!  We can't change what the district does, nor can we change what the state does.  We can take it and make it work for our students.

4.  Finally, don't lose sight of what you are called to do.  Yes, I believe teaching is a calling. We are here for our students!  Our responsibility is our students.  At the end of the day can you say yes to these questions?  Did I do everything I can to reach ALL of my students?  Did my students feel safe today? Did my students feel loved today?  If you can answer yes to all of these questions, you had a GREAT day!

SHOW DOWN!!!

This is a video of my students using "Show Down"

One of my favorite strategies to use with my students is "Show Down"!  This is a Kagan Structure that allows 100% student engagement.  Keep in mind, it did take a few rounds of practice before the students were able to use this strategy fluently.  In fact, you can hear in the video that I had to remind the students about a step they were about to skip.  

When participating in "Show Down", students work in groups from two to five.  I like groups of four!  Each group begins with a "Show Down" captain (use a selector tool to keep it fair).  Cards are placed faced down in the middle of the group.  The cards include content questions you wish the students to review.  The "Show Down" captain takes the top card, reads the card, and places it face up in the middle of the group so all group members can see.  Students record their answer on a white board.  White boards are held "belly up" to ensure individual thinking.  When  group members complete recording his/her, he/she turns the board over.  When all boards are turned over, the "Show Down" captain says "SHOW DOWN!" All group members display his/her answer.  If all answers are the same, the "Show Down" captain checks the answer key.  If answers differ, the "Show Down" captain coaches.  When an answer is agreed upon and proven to be correct, the responsibilities of a "Show Down" captain rotates clockwise.

Here are some pictures of "Show Down" in action!

Students use "Show Down" to review Revolution and Rotation.  When students display and discuss their answers, they must use text evidence.  For example, "I wrote Revolution because page 67, paragraph 4 says ....."

Students use "Show Down" to review equivalent fractions!

Students using "Show Down" to practice Text Structure!

Fantastic FRIDAY!!!

This past Friday, January 9th, proved to be the most exciting day of my teaching career!  The day began with a planned school-wide assembly, planned about a month ago.  Florida Education Commissioner, Ms. Stewart and First Lady Scott made their appearance, along with our school board members, St. Lucie County Superintendent, Port St. Lucie Mayor, and Mayor of Ft. Pierce.  Why, you may ask?  We were told that F.K. Sweet was being recognized for being an A school for 14 consecutive years, but we felt something else was going to happen.  The assembly began with Mrs. Wright (our fantastic principal) introducing our special guests.  First Lady Scott spoke, then our State Education Commissioner, Pam Stewart,  spoke then introduced yet another special guest.  Dr. Jane Foley from Milken Educator Awards took over the assembly with the words, "I have a secret!"  By then we knew something was about to happen.  Several of us teachers thought our Principal was going to receive an award as she was Principal of the Year last year.  Dr. Foley sought assistance from our student audience to display figures that represented a financial award.  With gasps heard throughout the cafeteria, she stated that one teacher was selected from Frances K. Sweet to receive this prestigious award.  She went on to say that this teacher is the ONLY one in the state of Florida. She then asked if we want to know who it is, with a resounding YES...DRUM ROLL PLEASE.......Enthusiastically she said, "The Milken Educator Award goes to NARDI ROUTTEN!!!!  Did I hear that correctly?  Did she actually say my name?  Needless to say, I was stunned, speechless, and I couldn't move.  The rest of the morning was a blurr!!!

I am a blessed woman who has a passion to teach!  I'm humbled, thankful, and so appreciative for this recognition!  I can't wait to see how this is going to impact my career!  This award further ignites my passion and desire to teach and lead.  

Get a glimpse of what I experienced by clicking here!

I would like to use this blog to share teaching strategies that I use in my classroom.  I will also share other "tidbits" that could help other teachers.

Keep checking back!!!