Thursday, May 2, 2013

Book Study - Teaching with Intention

Yes, I've read the next chapter in my personal book study "Teaching with Intention." Just didn't follow through with my intentions to post about it last week. {ha, ha, ha, I'm so funny :)} I have computer issues - my teenager limits how much I can use it. 
Have you ever had kids do highlighting on something? Did you ever say something like - Don't highlight everything or nothing will be important? That's how I feel about Chapter 4, Creating Classroom Cultures that Support and Prompt Student Thinking.  I felt like I was trying to highlight everything! I kept tell myself to focus on the really important stuff. 

Then I started a post - and boy, it sounded blah! But since then, my one thought on this chapter is something Debbie Miller suggested. She says, "I keep a notebook with me when I teach." And then she captures or writes down, things the children say. She calls them insightful or poignant things. She does add that this might be awkward at first. 

Umm, yeah. I tried it today. I only made it through the morning. On a little 3 x 5 notebook, I had about 3 pages of things that kids said. I didn't just do insightful things - I did some behavior things, some encouraging words little friends shared with each other, and so on. I am finding that the end of the school year is the perfect time to try some things to see if I like how they go - before I implement them next year. Does anyone keep a notebook with them to record things that happen in their classroom? What do you record? How does it go? 

And just to keep things in perspective - this is what we woke up to this morning:
And no, I don't live in Montana, or North Dakota. I live in SW Kansas! Crazy! It was 80+ degrees on Monday and Tuesday - and this on Thursday. It has already melted, of course.
This has been a good week, but I'm so looking forward to Friday. How about you?

Sara
 

PS - Oh wow - when I went to post this - I noticed this is my 100th post! How exciting for me :)





1 comment:

  1. Congrats on 100! I haven't tried Debbie's idea. I suppose it would help me to slow down sometimes and listen better too. :)
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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