One of my most important responsibilities.

“….that students will see meaning, relevancy, or emotional connections to their own lives,” and that I “actively work at helping students make these connections.” (Whitman & Kelleher*,* p. 89)*
Neuro Teach: Brain Science and the Future of Education*

The Color Monster

My students and I needed a reboot. We needed a pause. The end of the school year is approaching. Lots of assessments. Lots of urgency. Lots of noise.

So I ordered The Color Monster. I wanted them to know that their feelings matter.

Each of my five groups sat down at the guided reading table, but this time, instead of listening to them read, I told them to just sit back. Relax. Because I was going to read aloud to them.

“…the children who are most at risk for reading failure enter kindergarten and the elementary grades without these early experiences. Frequently, many poor readers have not consistently engaged in the language play that develops an awareness of sound structure and language patterns. They have limited exposure to bedtime and laptime reading.”

I grabbed sentence strips and a black Sharpie. They watched me write and they read with me. No pressure. No expectations.

As they colored their words, they talked about their feelings.

We reconnected that day.

Pokémon

I now know that Pikachu is a squirrel with electrical abilities.

If I am going to facilitate meaningful Writing Workshops, I better stay on top of kid trends.

The message that I am getting, when I go into classrooms, is that Pokémon is here to stay.

“What do you want to write about today?”
“Pokémon….Wartortle…Pikachu…Eevee…Squirtle….”

Yesterday, I grabbed my son’s Pokémon binder from his younger years (yes, I knew exactly where it was) and put it in my backpack for Monday. I am so excited to show my students.

I am confident that I will get lots of Oohs and Ahs….Connections.

A page in the binder.

Naruto

Another kid trend.

Yes! I finally know how to pronounce Naruto. 
Nar-to or Nar-a-to. 
Not Na-ru-to.

There is this one student in particular. I will see him tomorrow for Writing Workshop. I cannot wait to show him that I know how to say Naruto. Both ways.

He always tells me that there are two ways to say Naruto, yet, until now, I seemed to only be able to say it the third way, the wrong way. He kept trying to help me.

I clearly needed this YouTube video.

I am anticipating lots of smiles and connections.

Meaningful Leveled Readers

I made this sheet to go along with Making a Pencil. We highlighted it. Wrote facts on the back. We loved writing 14,000,000,000. That’s how many pencils are made each year.

The students who come to me for extra reading support are going to third grade in August. Their reading levels range from C to J. Students are expected to test out of C in March of kindergarten. Students are expected to test out of J in September of second grade. I see 24 students. One C. One J. And the rest in between.

“Third graders who cannot read on grade level today are on track to be our nation’s lowest income, least skilled citizens. Reading is a prerequisite for most adult employment, continued personal achievement, and for a continued democracy. And sadly, some states use their elementary students’ reading failure rates to predict future prison sizes.”

I used to go to the book room and only get books on their level. They were starting to get it.

Anger. Sadness.

They would ask me what level their book was. They would not be excited about their books.

That’s when I moved to heterogenous reading groups.

This week, I went to the bookroom and shopped. Making a Pencil caught my eye. I grabbed the folder holding five copies of the book and decided I would use it with everyone.

We all loved it. Even me.

They felt happy learning the word graphite.

It was also an authentic way to discuss the digraph ph.

One group asked how colored pencils were made. We found this.

I ignored the script printed on the folder. Meaning. Relevancy. Emotional Connections.

My 20-year-old daughter is watching. She is on Season Two. I started watching yesterday.

Nothing is better than connecting with those you love.