Happy New Year

January 2016 was rough for me. Coming back to work after maternity leave is always rough... Not knowing where you'll be next year makes it even rougher... For once in my life, the support of my family & friends wasn't enough and I had to seek help from a counselor. Even then, I suffered from my first panic attacks and swinging emotions. It is so hard to stay motivated and positive when you are so disheartened... and I found out how strong & how fragile I am. In some ways, I wish 2016 hadn't happened but, it has built me stronger and honed my focus.

2017 will be transitional year for me. I look to the Pope, the Dalai Lama, and oddly Frank Raegan from Blue Bloods. Stay positive. Find solutions. Rise above the fray. Most of all I will be a voice to the voiceless. I will make sure that I am heard and a part of these difficult conversations that will be coming up. I am ready now, so thank you 2016.

A VERY 3rd Grade Christmas Play

What happens when you let 3rd graders write a Christmas Play?

I had originally planned us to just do a musical number, but the students asked if they could write their own play. They have been obsessed with plays since we did Daedalus the first week. 

We started by each picking a character. There were a lot of changes. One went from Mrs. Claus to a Baker Man to a Baker Woman. Another went from Elf to Santa. Another went from a tree to a gingerbread girl... 

We drafted a story with no real direction. As students changed characters and lines over the weeks, we did draft after draft... Finally, we got some semblance of a story. A Baker with 2 daughters bakes a gingerbread that comes to life. The Elves see the gingerbread girl and try to decide if it should be on the naughty or nice list. After interrogating the gingerbread girl (in the most 3rd grade way possible: by asking a series of multiplication facts "Whats 16 times 2?" and asking her to write in cursive "The elves cant write in cursive because they didn't go to school" ) They determine that since she eats gingerbread, she is a cannibal and therefore a monster and should be placed on the naughty list. At the end, the silent snowman moves which prompts the elves to now wonder if they will have to decide if the snowman now goes on the naughty or nice list. Santa declares No, so they sing a silly song instead. The song was Jingle Bells, Batman smells and they wrote their own second verse which was "Jingle Bells, Tattle Tales. Santa ran away. The elves ran home and reindeers roamed and they said have a good day. hey!" 

Its'a very 3rd grade christmas tale! 

Reindeer Wonderings

Why are they called Reindeer? 

We were practicing spelling christmas words like tinsel, christmas, and snowflake when a student asked why its "reindeer" and not "raindeer" 

A quick google search showed that there are two main theories: 

1) It comes from the old norse word "Hreinh" which means horn. 

2) You use reins for domesticated deer on sleighs opposed to wild deer. 

They liked that second theory: 

-One student wondered if Santa might use "ReinZebras" in Africa. 

-Another student mused about calling SledDogs "ReinDogs" instead... 

Winter Wear in the Arctic

We hit -50 this week.

You couldn't really tell from my classroom. All the girls were in tank tops. LOL 

Some of the students have also been coming into class wearing these gorgeous "canvas boots" This pair had the most amazing beadwork! I need to get myself a pair! Just exquisite! The boys will often have ones with green and blue beading. I'm glad that they dont think that flower designs are "girly."  I make sure to compliment them every time I see them. This is unique and they need to feel pride in these things because if they are to step out of this community, these objects would be unfamiliar to a passerbyer. 

Feeling comfortable with their unique background and their clothes is important. 

Holiday Celebration

The students decided that the STAR at the top of the christmas tree should be our STAR rules for reading (Sit up, Track with finger, Answer on cue, Respect other) 

Religion has a tendency to come up during the holidays. I've done my best to expose my students to all religions. This week we talked about the story of Christmas, the story of Hannukah, St Lucia in Sweeden, Saint Nikolas who became Sainter Klaus who became "Santa Claus". These stories are important, they are history. You dont have to listen to just one. This lead to some great questions like "What is Yule?" "Where did Rudolph come from?"

During reading, some of the kids were still curious and discovered that Epic had some great Hannukah Stories. They found out about Latkes and Jelly donuts are eaten, I told them we could make Latkes later since they thought they sounded good.

I asked my students if I should let my babies believe in Santa Claus. They overwhelmingly said yes, even my student who didn't grow up with him.

We play christmas music with lyrics so they can practice reading to help them with a spelling word scramble. We talked also created a "Naughty" and "Nice" list for the books we read this year. (Island of Dr Libris, Flora & Ulysses, Malala, 13 story tree house, 11 birthdays, Miniature world of Marvin & James, Pax, Dory Phantasmagory...) They were unsure which one the Sharkodile should be on since he was naughty but also nice...

They have been writing their own Christmas Play for the show next week entitled the Naughty & Nice list. It should be very interesting how it turns out. They came up with the plot, characters, and dialogue. One student decided to change characters, so now we have to re-write it.

Teaching another class to @getkahoot!

My students are able to do the math, but they struggle with dissecting the word problems. Our last unit chapter had us writing Multiplication problems. They did not like to do it because it was tedious. So the next day, when the unit was on writing Division Problems, I told them we would make a kahoot with their problems.

Suddenly, the engagement was through the roof. We finished the Kahoot and then played it as a class. Afterwards, they wanted to invite the 2nd grade to come play it. I told them that multiplication & division would be hard for them, but that we might invite the 4/5 graders. So we did!

4th Grade had not done a Kahoot before so each of my 3rd graders paired up with a 4th grader to show them how to sign-in. They then worked in pairs to solve the word problems. It was so much fun and great review for all of them. 

N made medals for the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Place winners. 

Great way for another teacher to see Kahoot in action. It's such a great tool! 

Role Models

Sometimes its hard to fathom that there is someone always watching. I can see myself reflected in my two-year old. I never realized how much I say "ok" when I am stressed until he started doing it. To most people, ok mean yes. Its an affirmation. I say "ok" as a way to reassure myself that things will be ok. He learned that word from me in that context. So now whenever he gets frustrated, he says "ok ok ok" It helps me know that how he is feeling.

We model respect of student's ideas, failing forward, fairness & justice, and if we have done it right. We'll find it reflected back at us:

One of my students wrote a nice note about our snow trip yesterday: We all had fun (play in snow) even the second grade. From T. 

- The students will correct me if I mispronounce something during reading, which I do sometimes. Its only fair, since I do the same.
-When we can't agree on something, the students will call for a vote and respect the outcome of the majority.
-When its time for them to select something, we will use the "wheel of destiny" to determine who gets to pick the book or the role first.
-We talk about problems and solutions. They take an active role instead of me giving directives. Sometimes we think up consequences (like jumping jacks for getting a wrong answer or forgetting to put up your chair at the end of the day) or sometimes we think outside the box. We had several students keep losing their pencils. We were trying to brainstorm how to make it so that it didn't happen anymore. One student decided to bring in 24 extra pencils, so that we had an extra pencil jar for anyone who might have misplaced theirs.

They didn't want to do the Christmas Play that I was planning on doing for the show and decided that they wanted to write their own. They each picked a role that they wanted to do and helped craft the dialogue. This ensures that they will be doing something that THEY want to do. As a teacher, I have learned to let go of what I want to do and help them achieve something with a similar outcome that they want to do. And it is way better than what I had originally planned. They actively creating their own costumes and sets and writing dialogue. They have ownership. I can't  wait to see it.

They give back what we give them... Its an important fact. If you just demand compliance, that is all you will get. Give them autonomy and they will surprise you.

#PBJHCE2016

Its the annual (Projects by Jen) Holiday Card Exchange! We were put in a group with 30 other classrooms. We were busy making cards to send out and in exchange, they will send us ones too!

We also did our first global mystery skype with a class in Australia. It is amazing how you have to use different problem solving skills for international vs domestic vs alaska only. 

They asked if the bordered the Atlantic, if they were North of the Equator, if they were Africa, If they were an Island, and then if they were AUSTRALIA. They were. 

I was worried the accents would be a giveaway, but my students thought they were in Ireland! LOL We showed them the snow, our sleds, and that it was -25!

We had a sled day on the playground, which was fun. At -25, the snow is powdery not watery. Way different texture, but still so much fun!