Zeke Knows Where to Find Books

My grandson, Zeke, is just learning to pull him self up to stand.
He is a sponge for all the new things he is discovering.
I love the fact that he found some books on his journeys today.

Collaboration on Stixyboard

I am exploring ways to collaborate online. There are better ways to collect the thoughts of 50 or so staff members besides gathering them in a room to talk. I am also wondering how we can use collaborative online methods in the classroom.

Our teaching staff has tried Stixyboard as a way to collect people's thoughts on a topic. The Literacy Team has been sending a weekly question out to the staff on email. But the process was somewhat cumbersome. A person had to send the email, collect the responses, and paste all the responses together to share them with the staff. There had to be a better way.

So we introduced Stixyboard to the staff. We sent out invitations to respond to a discussion topic. In this case, we wanted to collect people's thoughts on what CHOICE means in an elementary classroom. So we asked, "What does it mean to give kids CHOICE in your classroom as it relates to literacy?"

We asked staff members to respond individually and then continue to revisit the site to watch the number of comments grown and to read what others are thinking about choice in the classroom. Here's what our online collaboration looks like now.



We are excited about using this tool for continued conversations about learning and teaching. It is a format that is easy to use and a very effective way to collect thoughts from a large group of people.

If anyone is using Stixyboard, let me know. It would be good to gather all the creative ways people are finding to use it. And if you use it in the classroom with students, please also share your applications.

Have fun with Stixyboard!

I am working with a group of six kindergarten students who were identified as falling a bit behind in expected development of emergent reading skills. It is a great opportunity for me as a principal to exercise my teaching skills. We meet everyday for an hour.

When we first began to meet, I set out to get to know each one of the children. There were blaring deficiencies and a few strengths to build on. But when I asked one of the children to read something, he too quickly said, "I can't read." It was in that moment that I decided to prove him wrong. So as I work with these six children I will not accept low expectations. I began that day to convince them that they CAN read. It is often in the conversations that we build the confidence in reluctant learners.

It has been a great experience with these children. Yes, they are reading and continue to build their confidence and their skills. I have not heard, "I can't read" in a very long time.

School is for asking questions...

I read a lot of blog posts today and spent some time (way too much) on Twitter. I always take away some new thought or reflection. In a post on Teaching with Technology Steve Kirkpatrick made a statement that made me think. He said,

"At which point did children stop going to school to ask questions and go to school to be given answers to remember?"

What have our schools become? How can we make our schools places where children come to ask questions? In another recent post, Angela Maiers shared a wonderful video of her lesson with first graders about how learners constantly ask questions. Take a moment to watch it.

I am wondering if we ever slow down enough so kids can ask the questions. If we don't take the time to stop and listen, their questions just might stop. That's a very scary thought. I can imagine a school where children walk through the door each day with a "Good morning", a smile to start the day, and a brain filled with questions and inquiries.

"Do you know..."
"I am wondering..."
"What might happen if..."
"How ..."
"Why..."

School would, once again, be a place where children came to ask questions. How would our classroom conversations be different? Would students feel differently about school? How would learning look and sound? I would like to find out.

Do What You Can - Share What You Can

I have been spending so much time on the internet lately that I feel like I have lost some balance in my life. Don't get me wrong. I am learning so much and growing my Professional Learning Network (PLN). It is difficult to even explain how my learning has changed. But I admit that I am somewhat addicted to time online.

So when I read the recent blog post by The Cool Cat Teacher I was reminded that while our lives continue to move forward "like a speeding bullet" we should "Do What We Can" and "Share What We Can." My blog posts are few and far between. Yet each day I am learning, doing and sharing in many ways. Unfortunately, I am spending less time on writing blog posts and more time on teacher evaluations, school newsletters, writing grants, learning, school wikis, twitter and such. Some of this I truly enjoy and some of it just needs to get finished and off my plate. So I am doing and sharing in many ways. In the quiet moments of my days, I slow down to connect with my new grandson, Zeke, who is truly a joy.

Sometime soon, I hope, there will be time to reflect, post on my blog, write a book and the endless other things on my "to do" list. For now, I am doing and sharing what I can.

Have a great weekend!

A message for you.

What I Heard Today

I was in a first grade classroom today during writing workshop. The teacher has supported these young writers in many ways, and they have grown so much since the fall. As the teacher asked what each student was working on today, students shared a variety of writing projects in process. Since this teacher offers so much choice to her students, there was a wide variety of responses. One student with a tiny voice but a determined stature replied, "I'm using the book, 31 Uses for a Mom, as a mentor text to write my own book just like it."

This child has recognized that books can be a scaffold for her own writing. The word "mentor" is part of the shared language of this classroom. This young writer was engaged, motivated, creative, determined, and focused on her work. She created the text and began to illustrate. We talked briefly about how much her own mother would enjoy the book, so she has learned about audience. She never doubted that she could do it. In fact, she said that she had so many ideas in her head that she couldn't get them all down.

In writing workshop, even our youngest students can become writers with the support of a caring teacher, a classroom full of books, and the confidence to simply go at it.