New Energy

It's Friday afternoon, and I'm reflecting on a busy, but good week. I felt very blue when my teaching friends left last week. Very blue. I don't want to go home, yet, don't get me wrong. But the flurry of activities and fun times was a natural high for more than a couple of weeks! So I decided I had to focus in and really teach well with my kids this week and enjoy every part of the day.

That meant moving Harry to a new seat. A seat all by himself in the front of the room. He cannot stop talking, as smart and amazing as he is. I've tried everything I know of. So, for the first time, I singled him out in a desk completely apart from the others that are facing each other in table groups. It's been fantastic since. His work is completed, he's quiet, he's respectful, and he is following directions. Success #1.

Also, I've been slowly introducing the Daily 5, and it's flowing wonderfully now! You may know this "program" designed by two sisters, Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, in the states. It incorporates everything we already do, but in a way that the children are moving right along at an independent level. I've adapted it, as we do, to fit what I have in my room, the time I can give it, and the makeup of my class. It's simple: Read to Self, Read to Someone, Word Work, Work on Writing, Listening. For me that translated to: silent read, read to someone, practice your spelling, write, and 'sketch to stretch.'

It hit me when I realized they had no incentive, no real reason to learn to read, enjoy a book, or care about reading, really, at all. That saddened me! I needed them to formally practice spelling. I knew they needed time on text with books they had chosen themselves. I knew they needed more time writing. I don't have listening tape machines, so I used Linda Hoyt's Sketch to Stretch, since I know these children are very motivated to make colorful, elaborate pictures. I also was feeling the drain of having them to myself all day, every day, without pull-outs of any kind, particularly the long haul from 11:40 - 1:20 (when they finally have lunch!). See what I mean??

Daily 5 to the rescue! Since I can't do it daily, I call it 5 Alive! I've followed the lesson plans in the resource book, almost to a tee. We spent a week discussing, then practicing Read to Self. The girls suggest start small to 'build stamina,' starting with 5 minutes and adding a minute each day. Suddenly it was magically fun. 5 minutes was nothing. "Can't we read more??" "Not today! But tomorrow we'll try for 6 minutes!" "Wow!"

The next week we practiced Read to Someone. Who doesn't want to do this? Elbow, Elbow, Knee, Knee. So purposeful, so meaningful, so powerful. Only 5 minutes! "Ohh!" they all exclaim. I smile!

The girls recommend waiting until they have learned and practiced all 5 before mixing. But I took the plunge (plus, it's halfway through our year together) and tried the two as a choice, "Which one will you do first today?"

The next week I introduced Word Work. Wow! That sounds much better than, "Boys and girls, we're going to practice your spelling. Again." Making flash cards, rainbow writing the words with different colored markers, etc. Not rocket science. But they are thrilled. We kept it separate, but still did the choice/switch for Read to Self and Read to Someone.

The best was when one child whispered to another, "I love how we get to choose."

Now I've introduced Writing, and you would think I've given them $20 to spend now. They can't wait to open their booklets and write whatever they want!! Some are finishing paragraphs from before, writing creative stories, copying poems from books, or writing letters.

We're up to choosing from the 4 things introduced so far. We can go 15 min. each. The kids remember what time we did yesterday, of course, so how much we should do today.

So for one hour, at least, our afternoon is taken up with excellent literacy practice, both independent and with another student, and the time flies as they take care of all four items.

I'm saving the Sketch to Stretch for last since I know they will love it more than anything, and I want a candy for when the doldrums set in in a week or so.

In the states I know that teachers are often frustrated with no uninterrupted blocks for solid teaching. Here I'm faced with one every day, and it's a long long afternoon. Even with my sterling lesson on writing, then the Rainforest, then Spelling Practice, it's a long long afternoon!

5 Alive is saving us all!