Back to Basics!

January means back to routines.  And by this, I mean reviewing the routines from September.  We got a little lazy with them during the month of December.  As I've mentioned before, I use Whole Brain Teaching as my classroom management backbone.  Here are the highlights of the regular techniques I use:

     Lines:  When I call 'Lines', the class three-peats it, 'Lines, lines, lines', as they move into their line order.  I have a set line order that we use all year no matter what - doesn't matter who is VIP of the week, whose birthday it is, etc.  Everyone is given a number on day one, and that is the order they line up in.  This has been very handy for me on field trips and fire drills.  I call 'Number off' and they say their numbers in order.  It is a quick and easy way for me to see if I have all of my kiddies.  We use this order for lining up, order of the hooks in closet, and various other uses through the year, like grouping - '1, 6, 11, 16 - you are one group'.  You get the idea...

     Class-Okay:  This is the attention grabber.  When I need the classes attention, I say, 'Class' and they respond 'Yes'.  You can make it fun and keep it fresh by mixing it up.  'Classity Class' - 'Yessity Yes'; 'Class-a-doodle' - 'Yes-a-doodle', etc.  It is unbelievable how effective this is.

     Hands & Eyes:  After doing the Class-Okay, if it is something really important, I will say 'Hands and eyes'.  Students fold their hands and look at me while saying, 'Hands and eyes'.

     Scoreboard:  When doing all the above mentioned, I use a scoreboard on the blackboard and give a smilie or frownie for how well they responded.  A smilie gives them permission for a 1 second party of pumping their arms and saying, 'Oh yeah', and a frownie gives permission for a 1 second sulk of giving a collective mighty groan.  

     5 Classroom Rules:  You can read more about them on the WBT website.  But I will just say that we will be reviewing these at each reentry to the classroom for the first couple of weeks back.

You can find more information on all of these techniques on the WBT website or in their amazing book, 

Whole Brain Teaching for Challenging Kids.  It's inexpensive and is truly the best class management program I have ever come across.

Good luck to everyone with back to school tomorrow!!!

Primary Ponderings in Abu Dhabi

That is what my site will be titled next year.  A couple of years ago I started looking into teaching internationally.  It’s something I have always wanted to do but haven’t.  There was always something ‘guilting’ me to stay put.  With both my daughters in their teens, the oldest in college and the youngest with a sense of adventure, I decided it was time.  From browsing the internet, the agency that stood out to me was Teach Away.  Of course, I wanted a job in Italy, Switzerland, or Australia.  These were not to be found.  I applied on line and the next day received a call for a phone interview.  I was accepted for a position in Abu Dhabi!  Where is that?  I had never heard of it!  They wanted me to go right away.  I couldn’t go right away --- I had a job, house, commitments.  I began preparing my parents (I’m an only child) and children that I would eventually be doing this.  I decided when my youngest completed grade 12, would be a good time.  That is spring 2015.  I told my rep at Teach Away this and my file was put on hold. 

Over the past two years we have researched Abu dhabi, Teach Away, and many teacher blogs that are teaching there now.  The excitement grew.

This past fall, I reawakened my file.  I had to do another phone interview for everything to be brought up-to-date.  On November 22^nd I went to the Harbour Castle in Toronto for an in-person interview. 

The first step was to check in with all of my paper work – copies of passport, degrees, criminal check, reference letters, OCT certificates, resume, passport photos, medical form. 

Next step was a small group session first.  We watched via satellite, as two women filled us in on some of the ADEC policies, contract info, what to do if you don’t like it, and a few cultural differences.  They were both very friendly and wearing what business women in Canada might wear.

Then we went back to a waiting room to wait for our individual interviews.  I had expected the room to be filled with young new teachers.  This was not the case at all – there was 1 that I would say was under 30.  The rest were middle-aged.  I talked to a man beside me that told me he was from Nova Scotia and had been teaching internationally for some time.  He takes a two year contract, then comes back for a year – doesn’t work – visits family and friends, then travels to visit friends he has met from around the world.  Then he repeats it.  Sounds good to me!  My hope is that this will lead me to connections to teach in other countries.

I was first up for the IPI.  What a difference experience!  I was led in to a big conference room with an open laptop sitting on a table.  From a distance, I peered around to see who would be interviewing me.  There was a woman, maybe in her 50’s, and a man, 30ish.  I sat down and put on the headphones.  I have never skyped or anything before, so this was really different.  The woman was quite strict with her questions and her reactions to my responses.  She had me a bit nervous as she seemed to dismiss everything I said.  The man was more casual.  [Good cop, bad cop?  I don’t know.]   When I left, I really wasn’t sure how I did.  The rep’s told me I would hear in about 6 weeks.  Ok, I am ok with it either way.  I have a job I love, at a school I love!

On Monday, Nov. 24, after school, I got an email with a Letter of Offer!  The interview was only Saturday!  That was awesome.  I was so excited – a few tears escaped!  Now the process of authenticating all my documents has begun.  I cannot find my diploma for my teaching degree.  It was too long ago!  I had to contact the college and pay, and am now waiting for a new one.  My lawyer’s secretary said it will be about $200 for authentication.

Happy New Year!

My goals for 2015:

1.  Sell my house

2.  Move to another country

3.  Invest some money

4.  Contribute $12000 to my RRSP

5.  Visit 4 countries

6.  Ride a camel

7.  Swim in the Persian Gulf

8.  Get a custom made abaya

9.  Shine God’s light more

10. Spend more time with God

What are your goals?

A New Christmas Favourite!

I was just introduced to Pentatonix recently.  I love their sound!  And what a beautiful Christmas song!  Check out their other Christmas songs - amazing!

Kevin Henkes

Kevin Henkes is one of my favourite authors of children’s books.  I have read his books to Jk classes and to grade 8’s.  There is a valuable message, not to mention stupendous vocabulary, in each and every one!  This year I purchased a fantastic resource, packed with curriculum based activities on TPT, by Hollie Griffith.  I wove these activities into my own and others I have picked up along the way.

I always start with ‘Old Bear’.  This is a short story that I use to discuss seasons. 

The next book I do is ‘Kitten’s First Full Moon’.  Very cute.   I use this book to introduce retell.  I do a craftivity with the children, using black construction paper, chalk, and a full moon.  Students get 4 ‘full moons’.  One for the title, and one each for the Beginning, Middle, and End.  This is a great diagnostic to see where your students are at for understanding and sentence structure.

                                               

Next up is ‘Chrysanthemum’ – an all age favourite!  From this story you can pull some ‘vivacious vocabulary’.  Even though the setting is kindergarten, the mean girls are the same at every age/grade.  Thank goodness for Mrs. Twinkle!  I start with a picture of chrysanthemum on chart paper and we discuss character traits.  The vocabulary in this story leads nicely into syllable lessons – lots of 4 syllable words!  We also discuss how many letters in our names, how many vowels & consonants.  From the number of letters in their names, students used that number and showed different ways to make that number.  The students go on google to find what their names mean.  Using Hollie’s packet, we did a comparison activity and a crafitivity of ‘I bloom when....’ and ‘I wilt when....’  We also made a chrysanthemum with petals of adjectives.  Attached to this were two sentences:  Chrysanthemum was ____________.  I know this because _____________.  This activity requires students to find evidence in the text.  I introduced the ‘Because Clapper’ from WBT.  The students caught on quickly and wanted to share their responses orally, using the gestures for capitals, because, and periods.  If I could only get them as eager to write it on paper... 

Here are some of the activities:

This is their first time learning the "Because Clapper':

Adjectives

We have been doing lots of activities with adjectives.  To introduce adjectives I used the Power Pix from Whole Brain Teaching.  Here is the mini-lesson from WBT Power Pix ebook:

adjective

Question: What is an adjective?

Answer: An adjective is a word that describes a noun.

Gesture: Pet an imaginary dog and say, “fluffy dog.” (Emphasize the adjective, “fluffy.”

California State First Grade Standard: Writing, 1.2: Use descriptive words when writing.

Teaching suggestion: While your class is involved in individual or group activities, write adjective/noun pairs on the board, pretty house, cold water, blue car, etc. Explain to your class the concept of adjectives.

Play Yes/No Way! with questions like the following: 1. Is this an adjective? (Point at various words on the board.)

2. Is horse an adjective? (Substitute words that are, and are not, adjectives.)

3. Is this the adjective gesture? (Make various gestures.)

Quick Test: Say, “Now we’re going to play Cutie. I’m going to say some sentences. When I say an adjective, please silently raise your hand.”

1. The big, hairy dog is good.

2. A little, smiling girl stood on the corner.

3. I went to the store.

4. I went to the bright, shiny, new store.

Critical Thinking: Play Compare/Contrast with adjectives and other Power Pix.

Review: Ask your students to review with each other the question, answer and gestures for adjective and other Power Pix.

We made a mini-flap book to describe apples, during our Apple Unit.  This was glued into the students' interactive language notebooks.  From Wild About Firsties I got a fun activity for creating Juicey Apple Adjectives.