- Gina Pepin, Ed.D.
- Escanaba, MI #Grade 1 #Grade 2 #Kindergarten #ELA
- www.ginapepin.com
Here is a picture from today of our First, Then chart.
We use a lot of First - Then T Charts... it helps set expectations and it also allows students to further develop a sense of time. We use these in small groups for intervention and some teachers use them whole group.
We utilize Acadience Reading, NWEA Reading and Math and Delta Math as our screening/benchmark assessments for students in our 1st and 2nd grades. This gives us 2 reading and 2 math data points to track student progress. Acadience tells us who is at risk and NWEA tells us where to begin instruction. Delta Math is new for us this year and we are learning how to best consider the data etc.
Recently we began using all of the great resources from UFLI - the University of Florida's site. A large majority of the resources are free. What I appreciate the most from this is that the nonsense words are few and in between... as many districts turned Nonsense Word Fluency into routine practice. UFLI is an interactive, engaging Tier 1 option. https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/
This is one of my favorites! It is a simple yet powerful way to convey this concept and meaning!
Our district uses a Thinking Sheet - it has PEC like images and student friendly prompts as part of our PBIS system. It is a great resource!
It is something similar to this one found on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1208465474/boardmaker-social-emotional-behavioral?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ps-e-toys_and_games&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjw99e4BhDiARIsAISE7P_wA7-ceit1tuUVFvVt9fJRj1xV3hCvCGiPE9SlERjB013JGVUEDAcaAhS0EALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_21791666340_169566861598_716586688977_aud-2007167693669:pla-314535279060_c__1208465474_12768591&utm_custom2=21791666340&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw99e4BhDiARIsAISE7P_wA7-ceit1tuUVFvVt9fJRj1xV3hCvCGiPE9SlERjB013JGVUEDAcaAhS0EALw_wcB
One of my favorite phrases to share is- ‘you are not a bad person… you have just made a bad choice’
This is a powerful way to differentiate between the two!
Our district sends home a formal letter after 10 absences. We have a liaison officer that works with the school. They really do a beautiful job with accommodating our needs.
We have approached this with Genius Hour, Reading Buddies, and Community Helpers (a service learning project)!
I agree as well. Sometimes complex approaches are too much. I have found that many students in my district do really well with text and accompanying pictures for clues. They do well with repeated approaches and multisensory activities.
We have “Book Exploration” time! It’s a time to read any text: recipe books, sports cards, magazines, etc
We also weave it into our Genius Hour!
We have adopted the Leader in Me program K-12 and take advantage of the common language and culture aspects the program shares. We also are a PBIS building and utilize other state mental health and wellness approaches for whole child growth. On the side we have several 'teams' i.e. Family Collaboration Team, Data Team etc... to engage staff - but probably the best team is the "Fun Club" - this is the team that sets up Trivia Night at a local restaurant and other activities outside of the school day!
Science provides one of the best opportunities for phonemic awareness! Utilize the amazing vocabulary words and practice finding, naming etc. the sounds in the words. For example: energy, sunlight, investigation, molecules and organisms are all wonderful science words to practice with.
I share this presentation I created in Canva - it has Talking Points to help guide conversations:
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEw4giYbAg/Kl2ObXE1B9iJkSpa1WGjIA/view?utm_content=DAEw4giYbAg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelinkhttps://www.canva.com/design/DAEw4giYbAg/Kl2ObXE1B9iJkSpa1WGjIA/view?utm_content=DAEw4giYbAg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
I asked a good friend of mine that works with deaf students within several school districts and this is what she shared:
Answer: A combination of receptive and expressive tasks/activities
Receptive (Identifying Colors): Show the student a set of colored objects or flashcards. Sign a color (e.g., sign "blue"), and have the student select the corresponding object or flashcard. This assesses whether the student can correctly recognize and identify colors through sign language.
Expressive (Signing Colors): Present the student with colored objects, pictures, or flashcards, and ask them to sign the correct color. Observe the accuracy of the student’s hand shapes and movements to ensure they are signing each color correctly.
You could also add = Matching Colors to Signs: Give students a set of images that depict colors along with a set of handshape illustrations or written descriptions of color signs. Have them match the correct handshape to the appropriate color.
Interactive Game (Group or Individual):
Create a game where students take turns signing a color, and the others have to find an object in the room that matches the color signed. This can make learning colors fun while assessing both recognition and expressive skills in sign language.
Coloring Activity with Sign Language:
Provide students with a coloring sheet and ask them to color specific sections based on signed instructions (e.g., “Color the sky blue”). This checks their understanding of signed instructions related to colors.
We have a wonderful person in this role that aids in these difficult conversation.
This also came to mind - as a teacher: Reframe the conversation by shifting the focus from blame to problem-solving. Ask questions like, “How can we work together to support your child?” This shows collaboration and shared responsibility.
The text I first thought of was "The Great Gatsby" (F. Scott Fitzgerald) vs. Film Adaptation (e.g., 2013 version by Baz Luhrmann).
The focus could include: Comparing scenes i.e. - such as Gatsby's parties, examining how wealth and decadence are portrayed differently in the novel and the film.
Our students in first grade right now are studying Animal Adaptations – they are learning about migration, hibernation, and other ways animals prepare for colder months. Although this is not quite 'nonseasonal' it is a great way to think about what other living creatures are doing in the world right now.
A math word wall is also something that can be used (or a mini word wall for intervention groups i.e. in a notebook etc) it is a collection of words and phrases that students need to know to progress in math. It can be used as a reference for students and an instructional tool for teachers.
*Show words that are relevant to math content
*Use pictures, notation, or words to connect to formal definitions or instructional discussions as picture clues.
*When teaching units with multiple vocabulary words, group the cards together and words gradually:
*Practice words daily with activities like writing, tracing, clapping, cheering, snapping, and chanting
* Attach magnetic tape to the back of the cards and post them on a whiteboard
The purpose of a math word wall is to help students understand and use mathematical language, which is important for developing thinking skills. It also helps students understand the importance of key words and promotes independence.
The word wall can contain something like the following;
Prefixes: In words like triangle (tri = three), or quadrant (quad = four).
Roots: In words like graph (meaning write or draw, as in graphing).
Suffixes: In words like multiplication (where -ation indicates the process).
I bet you could incorporate a Walk to Read or intervention type approach but include math in its place!
This approach includes all hands on deck and students can be broken into leveled or mixed groups for instruction or intervention run for 20-30 mins.
The first thing that pops into my head are amazing literary resources out there for teachers to utilize!
Teaching resiliency through literature is a powerful approach.
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/childrens-books-that-build-resilience
Have you heard of UFLI? It adds the print aspect to Dr Heggerty in a sense.
https://ufli.education.ufl.edu/foundations/toolbox/
Wow that’s amazing! So many great options. There was a time when several smaller K-12 schools tried the 4 day week but many have transitioned back.
Michigan has also bounced back and forth between mandated days in a year, hours, or a combination of the two.
One of my favorite books for this Onward.. at a local university they utilized this text as part of their teacher preparation!
Adding Sound Cube Video
Reformatted Video
Michigan requires the following:
Teachers within their first three years of employment in classroom teaching be assigned a mentor and also receive 15 days of additional professional development beyond the days required in MCL 380.1527 over those first three years. Below, please find supports related to mentoring and induction practices in Michigan. https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/ed-serv/educator-retention-supports/mentoring-and-induction-supports. Our district offers a $500 stipend and the principal makes the arrangement. I believe a great addition to this would be for a team of experts to form a mentor/ship team for the candidate. I recently was reading about ASU's Next Education Workforce: Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College works with schools and other partners to 1) provide all students with deeper and personalized learning by building teams of educators with distributed expertise and 2) empower educators by developing better ways to enter the profession, specialize and advance. This is a team approach to mentorship and it sounds like a very innovative approach to mentorship!
https://workforce.education.asu.edu/
I have been working on adding free dramatic play PDFs for teachers and families to print off from my website - please check it out and share!
https://www.ginapepin.com/blank-10-1
Displaying student's individual and collective projects and work is really key to helping them see themselves in the school and in the classroom. This is a picture of a display in our building from a couple of years ago - it was a fun way to display student work!
Some of the key indicators that a student might have a reading disability is when they do not have the consistency of word attack skills and/or when a student recognizes and/or reads a word - but does not recognize it or remember it again in a short passage. Another sign that often is a red flag is when a student cannot differentiate between sounds they hear (i.e. rhyming) or cannot hear the difference between /a/ or /e/.
One of the things that I often try with student in intervention that cannot hear the difference between /a/ or /e/ is to try another 'test' with them. I will utilize a xylophone or piano and see if they can differentiate between various pitches played. I will also have them write/encode a short vowel word with a or e in it to see if they can produce words in writing accurately.
Our school utilizes our Title 1 and 31A teaching team, foster grandparents, and parent volunteers to help students get caught up. In the classroom they use folders (with missing work inside) labeled "Catchup Time" (bottle of Ketchup is included).
In our intervention groups we do a very quick check-in and check-out. We also mark the results in our logs to track patterns and needs etc. We do ask students if they would like to share their "why" - and if topics lead to areas of concern I note it and refer them to the right people in the building that can help.
We include birthdays as a whole school in our monthly assemblies… we play this fun Boomwhacker version of the birthday song and the students learn a dance/moves that go along with the song!
One thing I often find in resumes is that new teachers don’t always capture, well, all of the amazing things they are doing - or have done. Make a list of conferences you have attended, courses, research, etc also consider all of the experiences you have had in your field experiences and other jobs. Most of all it is critical to include verbs that are all in the same tense- always present yourself as ‘still doing’ - meaning you didn’t just learn something once.
Many of the teachers in my building share that they do a lot of peer partnering … that way they are both involved in the lesson but a peer can help to modify aspects etc
They share it works really well!
They also use something similar to ‘pick 3’ - the student with the IEP is given the same materials but can choose 2 or 3 items on the page of their choice and work on it with their partner or individually.
Kristen- we always include these in our family literacy bags for reading month .. some sort of monster or witch finger!
One of my colleagues from AAQEP - accreditation wrote a recently published a book and I am truly enjoying it!
The Habit of Passionate Teaching: Reflections on Teaching For Learning
by Deborah Rickey (Author), Randall Wisehart (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/Habit-Passionate-Teaching-Reflections-Learning/dp/1958890766
Wow - that looks like such a great resource! Thank you so much for sharing!
Have you ever read any of the books/texts or visited the site from YouCubed? https://www.youcubed.org/
I used this site with my 3rd graders several years ago.. it is a totally unique approach and I, an ELA major, enjoyed teaching math!
Mathematical Mindsets by Joan Boaler
and Mindset Mathematics Grade K-8 Books
A couple of great literacy supports I would suggest include- books and read alouds:
"Lemonade for Sale" by Stuart J. Murphy
"The Great Graph Contest" by Loreen Leedy
"Tiger Math: Learning to Graph from a Baby Tiger" by Ann Whitehead Nagda and Cindy Bickel
Tally O'Malley" by Stuart J. Murphy
"Graphs" by Bonnie Bader
"Pictograph Fun" by Thomas K. Adamson
"Making Graphs" by Molly Blaisdell
"Data Day: Graphs" by Sue Glass
"Graph It!" by Lisa Trumbauer
Several of these are from the MathStart leveled texts - many districts utilize these texts.
https://www.mathstart.net/level-1-books.html
There is one tool one of our local teachers shared that she uses in her daily teaching with a SMART board and that is DELL-E - "Produce AI-generated images and art with text prompts" - check out more information here: https://askaichat.app/onboarding-visual-chat?utm_source=google&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=askai_website_go_search_us_purchase_generic_chatgpt_imageart_inf_200224&&utm_term=dalle&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8MG1BhCoARIsAHxSiQk7bADSa2LHrMlqpbT5DMcUMJsdhfwckntWlhv1_Y-gkzH4sQY5Z94aAiLFEALw_wcB
Can you tell that ELA is my favorite topic! I have a simple poster to share with you so that your students can easily remember the 5 vowels! Post it in your classroom, share with families, print smaller versions for your student's folders or desks!
In this video I share a quick easy tool to use in your classroom to support early language and literacy development!
Here is a Screencast of my website and what the Voice Jar cards look like! View now to see how to download and enjoy!
My husband is the Assistant Principal at a local high school and we have the HS therapy dog, Hutch, that goes with him every day. One or two of the many things that he is in charge of is attendance and behavior. He loves to share the story about the time a parent came in and was irate about something that the school 'did' (rather than what their child was responsible for) and Hutch climbed up on the chair next to the parent and kept tilting his head from side to side every time the parent began to yell or scream! Eventually everyone in the room (including the parent) began to laugh... Hutch had diffused the tension in the room and afterwards they were all able to have a much more productive conversation. So - a school therapy dog can contribute in so many amazing ways to the learning environment and help with those difficult conversations with families!
I teach reading intervention- small groups in a smaller sized room. I also organize and host weekly Student Study Team meetings with our Multi-Disciplinary Team (OT, PT, Social Worker, Principal, Resource Room teachers, School Psychologist and Teacher Consultant and any other relevant staff) so I have to keep in mind both students and staff when arranging my room. I have a small couch so that students with sensory needs or ADHD (diagnosis) can read on their belly or back (reduces sensory input) and a small table, desk, Epson projector (to project the agenda for meetings and other documents) etc. I have painted a mural on my back wall so that the learning environment is inviting, inspiring and joyful - as intensive reading groups are not always desired! In this picture I have also included our family dog, Hutch - he sometimes comes to 'work' with me... but he usually goes to work with my husband (he is an AP) at a local high school and was bought by the community as a Therapy Dog post COVID.
One of my favorite ELA resources - and/or strategy is to include student interest inventories and interviews. Truly knowing a student's perception regarding reading and/or writing gives me a lot of insight into their strengths and needs. Here is a simple inventory from my book with Eric Litwin (Scholastic). I am always amazed by a child's response to these questions. I will often ask them to do this a couple of times throughout the year to gather more data.
My district is a Leader in Me school and one of the greatest resources to prevent and approach behavior issues includes the 7 Habits and the fact that each classroom has a written (and posted) Classroom Mission statement. Students also have their own mission statements, goals and targets that they continuously visit and revisit - along with peer accountability partners. We also have a full - time Behavior Interventionist (retired police) and Social Worker in each of our school buildings. Having support staff and shared language is truly key to preventing and managing behaviors.
Many of the new math programs include differentiated practices and suggested groups/ing. These programs often include Tier 2 intervention pieces and/or resources for easy implementation. Most of this is applicable to elementary students, though. There is also a wonderful online program called Delta Math that supports MTSS & RTI processes for meeting the varied needs of students. https://www.deltamath.com/
Here is an example of the Google form we use in our district - our multi-disciplinary team created
Common accommodations and modifications in school - Understood.org is one of the best resources for educators on the internet! Check out the list they share about this topic: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/common-classroom-accommodations-and-modifications
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/the-difference-between-accommodations-and-modifications
Reading Rockets also has a list, table and videos to share more on the topic: https://www.readingrockets.org/helping-all-readers/inclusive-classrooms/accommodations-and-modifications
Alliance Action also has a great resource: https://www.workforcesolutionstexoma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Contents-IEP-School-Accommodations-Modifications-Handout-PRN.pdf
Most school districts will assign a mentor - this is done through administration and some districts have a very thorough and indepth program. Some districts have more so an unsupportive process - a checklist and little support. Teachers are always encouraged to reach out to other staff or neighboring educators that can help them grow as professionals.
Shared previously:
Innovative instructional strategies:
What are some of your favorite instructional strategies?
One of my absolute favorite strategies for reading fluency - and even oral language development - is utilizing silly voices! I have created over 200 voices for educators and families to use! Teachers and families can take advantage of early literacy reader's theater scripts and implement repeated readings using a variety of these voices. It is SO much (more) fun to read or speak in a silly voice!
Voices provide skill development in prosody, inflection, word attack, and so much more!
Check out these FREE resources at: https://www.ginapepin.com/apps-1/teaching-resources
We started this past year using Eureka 2 (squared) - we used to use Illustrative Math (?) and Envision all of this is for K-6
Great question - I lead a team of 5-8 Title One Teaching assistants in our building and one of the ways we approach this together is to have an agenda and routine meeting times (weekly or biweekly etc). Start with an inventory of materials available and what you both are familiar with etc. then you can dive into the data as that will drive a lot of the alignment for who does what etc. You can also include a strengths survey - or interest inventory where you both can share your areas - skill development or material preferences etc.
You should refer a student to a study team when they exhibit consistent academic struggles, behavioral issues, social or emotional concerns, signs of learning disabilities, or health issues affecting their learning. To do this, document your observations, communicate with the student and their parents, complete and submit the necessary referral forms, and follow up by participating in study team meetings to develop and implement a support plan. This ensures the student receives the appropriate assistance to improve their educational experience.
Many school districts will have this process well defined i.e. a flow chart or Google form to fill out etc.
In our district we include a Google Referral Form in Clever so teachers have easy access to the form!
And… Despite your answer, which would you feel would be the best approach and why?
I teach small group reading intervention .. so creating a welcoming space outside of my classroom is an important way to get kids excited to enter!
Our school always does a parent night prior to school starting… as an elementary building etc
Most universities also especially the two that I I work for university supervisor have all these candidates share and all about me digital presentation
In the past, we have even done social media posts - a virtual welcome where the principal stands in the front door and they get a little sneak peek into different parts of the building
Prioritize - and find a paper version and/or app that works for you so you can balance work and life intentionally.
I use Cozi (color coded app for my family and professional), sticky notes, and paper calendars!
Our area often includes an approach similar to: elementary position available .. and several applicants interview and become part of a pool. The district then chooses which applicant fits best in a specific grade etc so I always advise folks to think about how they would approach, strategically, a general interview like this.
A new teacher in our building did anAll About Me flyer-like intro and placed it in everyone’s mailboxes… it was quite funny and her comical introduction led to others adding their own … we then posted them in the lounge for others to enjoy!
This can be a tricky at times as itinerant or other teachers can struggle with prep times that are spread out through the day and/or doubled up on one day and void another day.
For many new and veteran teachers the priority should be to make sure you take the time to actually have a prep period. Making time for yourself and your personal and then professional needs is key to longevity in the field.
It’s been quite awhile for me … but years ago when I taught first grade we had a talking rock! If you didn’t have the rock you didn’t have the right to talk… it worked super well!
I’ve also known others to use a talking stick .. some using a rain stick .. all had to be quiet to speak. .. hence the rain noise could not happen and the stick had to be held still.
Looking forward to reading this book written by fellow AAQEP Commissioner Deborah Rickey!
"In The Habit of Passionate Teaching, they share what they have learned from their students in middle school, high school, and teacher preparation programs. The motivation for this book comes from the authors' deeply held belief that it is crucial for teachers to share their knowledge about teaching (their craft knowledge) so that every generation of teachers can build on what has worked in the past."
The Habit of Passionate Teaching: Reflections on Teaching For Learning
by Deborah Rickey (Author), Randall Wisehart (Author)
#passionateteaching AAQEP
I include engagement opportunities built into my daily routine.. that are based individual and collective needs. If a majority of students need visual supports I provide that… and multisensory everything!
Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators
by Elena Aguilar
Here is the video
Best purchase ever! In Upper Michigan it takes awhile for the pool to heat up .. so this is something fun and relaxing to have! Fun for everyone ☀️
Students in our building are a part of the Leader in Me program and it’s an amazing foundation for building student leaders- they do the daily announcements, spirit assemblies, student led conferences and so much more!
Michigan does not really recognize this as an asset.. there are many states that reward teachers with large bonuses and even sometimes yearly rewards… some folks have been working on this at the state level
Enjoying family and water sports… swimming, paddle boarding, and even gorgeous sunsets
A lot of Math Recovery- quick games… or center activities are used in our general education classrooms and intervention.
We also are trying Delta Math components this summer.
This is always such a great question… And I will often ask my teacher candidates… How would you set up a classroom environment By thinking about it in two parts. The first part being a classroom in which you have all of the resources and furniture you could ever want or need. The second part would be to reimagine the space but with limited resources.
Sometimes a good old fashion KWL chart … or something similar is a great way to start.
I started a podcast- Let’s Talk, Teacher to Teacher!
Michigan does not offer a STEM or STEAM endorsement. Michigan also does not offer an engineering endorsement. However, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Michigan State Board of Education have approved educator preparation standards for separate science, technology and math endorsements. These endorsements are offered at various educator preparation universities throughout the state.
I didn’t know this… but looked it up in MDE - Michigan’s ed website!
Definitely time to toss what has not been used! Time to shred data sheets and prepare intervention files for next year.
For intervention groups, we prepare, digital, and hard copy files for students in summer school. The students in our interviewing groups often carry their intervention plans well into the summer… Utilize summer as an add-on intervention, but a fun and engaging twist. The skills and targets and goals, etc., are still very intentional and targeted and individualized
The assessments are reviewed and intervention groups begin in the fall, right where they left off in the summer
We began Eureka Squared this year for elementary math - and use the new version of Wonders for reading
Readers theater and Voice Jar cards! Check out my free 200 cards on my website- print off and share!
www.ginapepin.com
We do as well! They tour and have lunch. Our multidisciplinary teams meet to go over students with medical, behavior, and/or academic concerns- we meet on different days.
Wheat grass! Not sure if that is ideal for most but children love to trim it etc!
Our teachers do a little bit of both… Sharing responsibilities, etc. they meet every Wednesday after school. They do this by individual grade levels. It’s relatively a small group for each… With seven teachers in each group.
Student created anchor charts!
Our teachers use MAP Skills, Zearn, and Moby Max
Thank you!
Augmented Reality.. thank you for this! I am not all that familiar with these!
I would love to share something I had created … it is a bit similar to your post. I have created a free PDF of 29 or so pages - Summary Frames. It includes a wide variety of graphic organizers
Check it out here on my website: https://www.ginapepin.com/_files/ugd/5fe563_af663bc11d13429f885bbfc6eb754d77.pdf
We have 6 weeks - 1/2 days and last summer we used Scholastic's summer kits. We have also in the past used our intervention programs and kept those going where students had left off during the school year:. Phonics for Reading, Fountas and Pinnell LLI etc.
I would ask if the school has any online sources that are continued from the paid programs they teach in school: i.e. Lexia, Wonders, Moby Max etc.. they may have options to continue during the summer!
Our students use Clever codes to log in.. and they can use them to access all 'learning apps' at home!
I love this! I just shared it with our math intervention folks and 2nd grade teachers! Thank you!
We have been a Leader in Me school for several years.. and it is such an outstanding program! Building student leadership in a Title 1 district has really helped students develop so many wonderful skills. There is a cost with the program - but it includes ongoing, continued support, resources, and professional training.
https://www.leaderinme.com/
Each of our buildings also have a full time Social Worker and a full time Behavior Interventionist (they are all retired police force folks). Our local ISD provides support for students with IEPs and 504 plans (SW, OT, PT - and 31N).
People and programs are key to sustainability
Whenever I see the word STEM - Legos pop into my mind... I think of all the ways Legos build literacy skills. You can attach words to Lego pieces to from new words; or add a word to each block and build sentences - and/or paragraphs; you can also read the directions - this is great for more proficient readers etc!
As part of a Leader in Me school - our student create one word mission statements, or classroom mission statements to persevere, do their best, and reach their goals!
Read Alouds are perfect! I especially like flashlight reading or echo reading during these times! Such a fun time to be creative.
One of the best places for great resources can be anything online that the district's adopted program offers. i.e. we utilize Eureka squared - and there is a home- school connect feature etc. Our resource room teachers rave about Zearn: Zearn Math | Top-rated Math Learning Platform @ https://www.zearn.org/
In Michigan LETRS training is tied to a lot of money, but it is not mandated. For example, if an entire school or district has all of their teachers complete the training then the district/school gets a massive amount of money. It has to be 100% of the educators in order to receive the grant.
Here is one for 2nd Grade
We use textured walls (brick, concrete) or plastic, textured grid-like sheets under white paper and would have the students copy (or trace) a word 3xs using a red crayon. They would see it (copy or trace), say it, and write it. They would also arm tap it - using both of these multi-sensory approaches (OG) really helps students remember tricky words. Here is a similar example: https://blog.maketaketeach.com/multi-sensory-activity-for-teaching-letters-and-sight-words/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6nGL_AQWtI
I am not sure if my previous post was shared..it may have froze.. but I love Canva and use it for everything! Check out all of the free resources I have on my website: www.ginapepin.com all of the videos, PDFs etc. all were created on Canva
Brian we do a lot of quick vision activities in intervention: I recreated a lot of the ideas from several websites... but my ultimate favorite is eyescanlearn: https://eyecanlearn.com/
Check these out! I would be glad to share some of my resources as well!
Yes! I use wordless books also in intervention groups for storytelling.
I am not familiar with Classkick! What do grade level do you use this with the most?
We use Google Sheets.. and sometimes our secretary will link it into the school-wide Google calendar as well.
Our school actually purchased a pair of glasses for all of our 280 students and letters were sent home to families last week.
Our school also likes to do the ABC countdown as an elementary building… we are a Title 1 building and we cut out a day of school count down because many of our students are from rough homes … and the countdown really seemed to be a catalyst for poor behaviors.
Something a little bit tied to this topic is how we integrate engagement activities into our intervention groups. We partnered with our occupational therapist and now we weave in quick 'mid-line crossing' and/or chair push ups, visual tracking or memory activities inbetween lesson skill development. Quick participatory bursts (i.e. 3-4 chair pushups) help students stay focused. We accompany all expectations with visual flip chart prompts.
Here is something I had made for newer (and other) teachers to serve as talking points for our PTC. - feel free to use anything that may help!
We used to use this in our district for many years… but then the district decided that it was too expensive to continue online. Some of our older kindergarten teachers still had an original version of the paper copy and they still use it to this day! Even when DIBELS and/or Acadience etc. was booming they thought these assessments were much more comprehensive.
I love hearing about district printing options! No.. we are not so lucky in this rural area! Nor is a Staples etc. anywhere within a 200 mile radius! Perhaps something online... but I cannot find any! Thank you!
Our building - we utilize our Title 1 team to help with this. We also have parent volunteers that work with students.
Our school chooses a theme - this year is circus. We have a Scholastic family night and daily activities!
Taking care of yourself .. reflecting… and viewing the situation or person from multiple perspectives/angles. I also love to remember the Circle of Control.. what can you control etc. and as others have also shared -grace.
Our classroom teachers use Signup Genius as well. We will utilize a team approach for conferences ie Reading Specialists, Speech and Language Pathologists etc We are also a Leader in Me school and some teachers conduct student led meetings!
This is an amazing book to read aloud and talk with your students about!
We use 3 or more data points… NWEA, teacher data and Wonders data.
We used to use Acadience but we got rid of that last year.
Our teachers do similar things… paragraph frames etc as well!
We actually have a ‘fun club’ … we plan everything from Escape Rooms to Trivia night!
This is one of my favorites! I used it in summer family literacy camps for children 0-8. It checks off so many boxes!
Thank you both!
We do not have a district printer (large) not do we have a Staples or Office Max etc within 2-3 hours! 😢
We have building support teaching assistance that would provide additional help with us for students… Some of our elementary teachers also weave into the day or into the week with a called catch-up and mustard time!
This is where either the teacher or a peer partner or instructional assistant, etc. can work with students and help get them caught up while others are working in intervention and or enrichment
Three times a year or sometimes quarterly, our school district takes a day and we spend it revisiting expectations. Kind of like all of the things you do within that initial first day or week of school. We go through centers and we address certain or specific areas of the school building and schoolyard and talk about what good behavior should look like, etc.
Sometimes it’s just that break from the norm -- the redundancy for some areas of winter regions to just be able to do a schoolwide reset.
One of my favorite … but limited… is to simply say to the student “pick 3”.
Allowing students to complete partner or independent work, but with slight changes can be really powerful. Ask the student to pick three questions or problems that they would like to answer… This allows for student choice and often times it gives us enough information whether they are demonstrating an understanding of the skill or task, etc. Of course this can be tailored to whatever number is more applicable to the assignment.
We us a lot from Math Recovery. There are many sites and free resources - many schools even share free PDFs! Google Math Recovery PDFs etc…
Have you ever used anything where there are colorful or color-coded type of frameworks? Colorful semantics? Check out this link https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fgethackneytalking.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F05%2Fcolourful-semantics-2.jpg&tbnid=raInl7_mI2cXtM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fgethackneytalking.co.uk%2Ffact_sheet%2Fcolourful-semantics%2F&docid=aok8xsqMGvmHOM&w=798&h=409&hl=en-us&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm1%2F3&shem=tric&kgs=ad5d760504629cbc
5 Tips
I utilized ChatGTP for this one.. I really wanted to see the results.. and I was a bit impressed! Here is what was shared:
Here is a list of resources that can be valuable for teaching elementary poetry:
1. Poetry Foundation's Children's Poetry: Poetry Foundation offers a collection of poems for children. It includes a variety of themes, styles, and poets.
2. Giggle Poetry: Giggle Poetry provides a fun and interactive platform for kids. It includes humorous poems, lessons on poetry writing, and poetry contests.
3. Kenn Nesbitt's Poetry4kids: Poetry4kids by Kenn Nesbitt offers a wide range of children's poems, as well as resources for teachers, including lesson plans and activities.
4. ReadWriteThink - Poetry Interactives: ReadWriteThink provides various poetry interactives, such as Acrostic Poems, Diamante Poems, and Theme Poems, to engage students in creating different types of poems.
5. Scholastic's Poetry Writing Lessons: Scholastic offers lesson plans for teaching poetry writing. These lessons cover different forms of poetry and include activities for students.
6. Education.com - Poetry Worksheets: Education.com provides a collection of worksheets focused on various aspects of poetry, including rhyme, rhythm, and different forms of poems.
7. Poetry Archive for Children: Poetry Archive offers a selection of poems read by poets. It includes resources for teachers and students, along with lesson plans.
8. ReadWriteThink - Acrostic Poem Generator: Acrostic Poem Generator by ReadWriteThink allows students to create acrostic poems online.
9. Poetry4Kids - How to Write Funny Poetry: How to Write Funny Poetry is a resource by Kenn Nesbitt that provides tips and techniques for writing humorous poems.
10. Billy Collins Poetry Lessons: Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins offers poetry lessons on MasterClass, providing insights and guidance on the art of poetry.
These resources cover a range of poetry styles, activities, and lessons suitable for elementary students, making the learning experience engaging and enjoyable.
Interactive Read Alouds
I usually have a bin for each group. There is a folder for each student in that bin - and in the folder (the kind with the 3 prongs) I have each student's writing booklet, manipulatives, and books. I slide the books into a clear sheet protector that is fastened in the center of the folder (using the prongs) for easy access. The folders are color coded by the intervention program used.
We are a Leader in Me school - and Accountabiity Partners are key!
Sorry I tried to upload a video!
Interactive Read Alouds
Do you have access to any PECS or picture prompts to help them in different scenarios? This is one of the sites our resource room teacher often shares
https://autismteachingstrategies.com/free-social-skills-downloads-2/
We are a Leader in Me school and in the beginning of the year each class writes a Class Mission Statement. In the new year - classes revisit these mission statements to check for any modifications that may be needed etc. This is something we do collectiely to build relationships etc.
On a smaller scale all of our classrooms and even our intervention groups have daily (sometimes multiple) SEL check-ins. For example in small group intervention we check in with each of the students in our groups using an SEL wheel - we document their daily reponses, refer them to other experts if they have voiced any concerns, and track patterns as a multidisciplinary team. Taking 1 minute to check in with students before class - or intervention - and then again throughout the day reinforces that people care about them.
I work with students in small group intervention - self assessments for our students simply include self reflection using growth mindset templates (I can't .. yet). Students reflect on their progress (towards their goal) and work with a partner to write down their celebrations with an accountability partner (we are a Leader in Me school).
This is great! You could add voices from a voice jar too! I shared a free PDF!
Another variable sometimes can be that their family or caregivers absolutely do not value reading. It is not talked about it is not modeled it is not encouraged, etc. in the home or any place beyond the school walls. It’s so hard when folks at home devalue anything in education… It can have such a powerful effect.
In our intervention groups we have started to utilize the cool little stickers from this website! They are really cool, and they have all kinds of different options and all kinds of different textures. https://calmstrips.com
@Brandie Loomis Ed.S
I really love the fact that you use Teacher Ease.. and communication is built into it! I will have to check this out!
/ensure/*. couldn't edit!
Nora - the graduate class I teach at Northern Michigan University that focuses on trends in teaching ELA includes some discussion and sharing of resources for ChatGPT. I have read some articles on Storyq and am wondering if anyone has any experience with this?
Today we have our first 'cold weather' day across a majority of the state - as today, in Upper Michigan we have temps as low as -35. Michigan schools must have at least 180 days and can call off school up to six days for things outside of their control like bad weather or health conditions. They can request a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education for up to three more days.
If they go over nine days, they may have to extend the school year or add additional hours to the existing school day.
Many districts have policies where they will cancel school if the windchill is 25 or 30 degrees below zero because superintendents do not want students to get frostbite while waiting for the bus
I love this idea for older students! Often districts approach a number of positive phone calls, home a month as a goal… But that often entails just reaching out to someone in the family. However, sometimes that could simply be a foster family or someone that may not have such a powerful relationship as the folks you mentioned!
Wonderful! Our district uses the leader in me program and we do not have too many of these behaviors often. And we do have an in-house full-time social worker and behavior interventionist for additional support. They are the folks they get to problem, solve and dive a little deeper with those students.
In our small group interventions, we use a social emotional wheel. I always find it intriguing to track that data for myself and record, and reflect on patterns that I see from one part of the day to another… Or one week to the next.
I do not teach math very often - but one of my coworkers shared this with our staff recently. I appreciated the simple layout, linked worksheets, and diagrams. See more here: https://www.cambridge.org/cn/education/blog/2020/12/16/free-differentiated-activities-grade-4-and-7-fractions/
I see that I can upload a file here as a reply
I would love to be able to go back, maybe even on my computer MacBook Pro, and be able to attach a file
I would also love to be able to edit this from either a computer or my phone
