Super Speed 100 was a hit this week with my class! Although it is the end of the year, I felt it was the appropriate time for this group and their skill level. I made sure that my seating arrangement consisted of one partner who was a little more advanced in reading than the other partner. Also, before we started, I had my students review the words for that level so that when it came time to begin they weren't scrambling or lost. As well, I had them decide who would start first. My students have stickers on their desks so sometimes I would say reds will start for the first round and purples would start for the second round. They really ate it up! Yum!!
Today, I had one of the grade 2 teachers come and observe my class in action! I was SO nervous! I divided my scoreboard so that it was girls vs. boys. The kids were amazing - students taught the class, they taught each other, they taught their sockless hand puppets, they compared and contrasted, and they played all the games. I even was able to deal with an issue between two children while my class was still running smoothly. Oh yeah!!! If only I had been video taping!!!!
It definitely hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies this week - spring fever is definitely in the air:)
As the year progressed, my students have demonstrated some interesting ways of speaking to one another. Some are very hard on others if things do not go their way. Often they are critical and, sometimes, they say things like, "If you don't do this for me, I won't be your friend!" After a particularly rough gym class I decided to skip computer time and head back to the classroom. I made a T-chart and we listed unkind things someone might say. We discussed how the person that is saying these things most often feels badly about themselves. One little boy offered this pearl of wisdom: You are what you say:) I had each student have their sockless hand puppet say mean things to the other sockless hand puppet. I asked them how their sockless hand puppet felt. Next, we made a list of kind things to say to the person rather than becoming defensive - I reinforced that if that person is saying these things they must be feeling badly - what can we say to make them feel better? I had them practice again with their sockless hand puppets. Finally, I challenged my class to compliment 5 different people a day for the rest of the year. We brainstormed and practiced good compliments. To facilitate this, every so often for the rest of the day I would say, "Compliment!" and everyone would compliment one another. I am going to try and keep this up with the objective being to create a more positive, supportive environment!!
Today, I had one of the grade 2 teachers come and observe my class in action! I was SO nervous! I divided my scoreboard so that it was girls vs. boys. The kids were amazing - students taught the class, they taught each other, they taught their sockless hand puppets, they compared and contrasted, and they played all the games. I even was able to deal with an issue between two children while my class was still running smoothly. Oh yeah!!! If only I had been video taping!!!!
It definitely hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies this week - spring fever is definitely in the air:)
As the year progressed, my students have demonstrated some interesting ways of speaking to one another. Some are very hard on others if things do not go their way. Often they are critical and, sometimes, they say things like, "If you don't do this for me, I won't be your friend!" After a particularly rough gym class I decided to skip computer time and head back to the classroom. I made a T-chart and we listed unkind things someone might say. We discussed how the person that is saying these things most often feels badly about themselves. One little boy offered this pearl of wisdom: You are what you say:) I had each student have their sockless hand puppet say mean things to the other sockless hand puppet. I asked them how their sockless hand puppet felt. Next, we made a list of kind things to say to the person rather than becoming defensive - I reinforced that if that person is saying these things they must be feeling badly - what can we say to make them feel better? I had them practice again with their sockless hand puppets. Finally, I challenged my class to compliment 5 different people a day for the rest of the year. We brainstormed and practiced good compliments. To facilitate this, every so often for the rest of the day I would say, "Compliment!" and everyone would compliment one another. I am going to try and keep this up with the objective being to create a more positive, supportive environment!!
I love the idea of using the sockless hand puppet to practice social skills!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to use the Independents next year! I only got so far as the Guff counter with my class from this last year (they were a bunch of cupcakes they were!) but I hear this next "bunch" is a bit more challenging.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear more from you in the future!