TwitterForTeachers (or anyone getting started)

Ever since our local news featured my classroom and how we use Twitter to enhance our learning, I've been busy trying to help get any of my social-media-ready colleagues who ask, started with their own class twitter accounts! However, with a new grade level to learn this year, and the demands of life and family outside of school ( #iteachtoo #manyhats ), I felt like some of my colleagues were waiting around for me to fit them into my schedule, when they could be and should be exploring the twitterverse at last! SO...I created this tutorial to help anyone who wanted to get started do so! If you're thinking about twitter and how it might benefit YOUR classroom, Personal Learning Network, and students, then check it out and pass it on! <3

Day 9 Write about one of your biggest accomplishments in your teaching that no one knows about (or may not care).

Wow. So, this one gave me pause. I can think of some accomplishments in teaching that I am exceptionally proud of, but, that “no one knows about” part has got me stumped. I mean, I’m married, I have a very close family and tight circle of friends...there’s very little in my life that NO ONE knows about. All of my greatest accomplishments, once recognized as such, have been gushed over to the people who I love and who love me most, because that’s what I do. I share my joys, and any accomplishments I have had in my career/passion/mission as an educator, fall under the category of life-joys that I just can’t help but burst out about.

The thing is, though, that I hope that my BIGGEST accomplishment in teaching is one that no one knows about yet, not even me, because my hope is that it hasn’t happened yet. My hope is that my greatest successes as an educator are yet to be realized, and my largest growth spurt is yet to come.

Day 8 (Blog Challenge) What’s in your desk drawer, and what can you infer from those contents?

The fact that my desk drawer can be photographed and even have discernible contents, is proof positive that we’re only about a month into the school year! Even so, I suppose my plethora of organized goodies is a bit telling- so here are my inferences :) *which are really quite easy to make considering I know the owner of this desk drawer quite well!

Starting in the back left hand corner:

Cherry Chapstick: Little known fact- I am addicted to the stuff and buy it almost every time I’m in a grocery store. I have a tube of this in almost every area of my world, always at the ready. Why? Well, for one thing, the taste and smell of it rushes me back to simpler days when “lipsmackers” were all the rage, but I still held an affinity for the old standby! That being said, I also, of course, appreciate the protective effects it has on my lips, the gentle sheen it gives them, and subtle sweet taste. So there.
Inference: Loyal Nostalgic with cherry-flavored lips!

Urban Decay all in one pallet: because a spontaneous date night is always a possibility and this girl likes to be put together for such an occasion.
Inference: I don’t need a glamorous job but I find my glamour where I can!

Black Eyeliner: Same reason as above and additionally, a job that causes me to tear up on occasion requires the occasional touch-up- especially if my post-work plans with my hubby or girlfriends are exciting!
Inference: This sap likes to keep a little edge ;)

Gum: I always have gum. Mostly because I feel bad to inflict my coffee breath on my students.
Inference: #coffeeprobs

Tiara Glasses: It makes me laugh that these are in here- but I have little costume pieces (from boxing gloves, mustaches, wings, NASA helmet etc) stashed all over my room. This just goes to show that I’ll do just about anything to quickly engage my students or spice up my lessons, and kids love a good show, so I ham it up whenever possible!
Inference: I have a flair for the dramatic!

Sweet Smelly Pencils: I’ve got a thing about smells! I also keep a bottle of Coppertone sunscreen in the drawer below this one, because smelling that stuff is instant SUMMER! I keep things around that make me smile or feel special, and smelly pencils don’t really do it for me, but the definitely light up my kiddos! SO I keep a few on hand for special occasions!
Inference: I like to capitalize on all 5 senses when it comes to happiness & learning.

Rogue Nerf Dart: I keep these stashed everywhere as well so I am always prepared for a good nerf war and because I seem to find them here, there and everywhere once one has occurred! I have some like-minded fun colleagues who also keep a stash so I have to be ready if I come under attack, but I also use nerf darts in review games with students and they love it!
Inference: I’m a big kid with a strategic bend.

Tide Stick: An elementary school cafeteria is a battleground for teachers with a passion for fashion. Sticky fingers, huggable children and despicable ketchup packets are the enemy, and a tide to go pen is our ivory skirt’s only hope.
Inference: I can’t turn down a pint-sized hug even for the sake of my JCrew Chambray or ivory lace!

Twistable Crayons: I have this weird thing about crayons. I am totally aware of how strange it is, but I just hate them. I’ve always loved coloring, but something about the waxy film, the weird smell, the shredding labels, just makes me cringe! I actually considered this pretty high up on my con list for moving to a primary grade. Lucky for me, there are twistable crayons, and all my woes of the old original are appeased by this wonderful invention! If only I could afford to outfit all my kids with them- but for now, I keep a few handy for color demonstrations!
Inference: I’m weird and I may have had a traumatic experience in a crayola factory as a child.

Duct Tape, Post Its, Push Pins: I have a list of synonyms for GRIT hanging in my classroom this year- it’s hanging with double-sided duct tape, and one of my faves on the list is Stick-To-Itiveness - I like to “stick” things that inspire me and my students up at a moments notice- so I’ve got plenty of sticky ways to post quotes, posters, pictures, student artwork, cards, notes, etc!
Inference: Personalization matters.

Caffeinated Mints, Starbucks Via, Emergen-C: Sometimes I don’t have time to make my espresso and steamed milk in the morning (this almost NEVER happens) and there is always the chance that the machine breaks, or my hands become immobilized, and so, I have a via packet (just mix with hot water and Voila! Starbucks coffee) for just such an emergency. I also start alternating vitamin C packets with my coffee once cold and flu season kicks in, and the mints help ward off headaches if I’ve gone too long without my wonderful coffee bean!
Inference: Prepared for emergency situations of all sorts!

Computer Dongles, USBs, Earbuds: This girl loves her tech! I’m also a sharer, and these tools help me share, plug in, display and consume the learning technology of the moment!
Inference: #nerdisthenewblack I embrace my nerdiness and harness the power of tech to reach my students and colleagues!

Happiness Notes: I picked these up a couple of years ago and keep restocking them! They are just one more way I use to connect to and encourage my colleagues- because we all need those little reminders once in a while, that we are loved and appreciated! #KindnessMatters #HappinessIsABoomerang
Inference: I like cute notes, and making people smile!

Label Maker: I use this to label files, drawers, cabinets, books, and just about anything else. Its a gadget to help me get excited about my everlong quest or order and organization!
Inference: Trying...ever trying!

"Because THAT'S what Love DOES"

I have been teaching for 10 years. One of the things I love most about our profession is the unique opportunity that we have as teachers, to incorporate our “favorites” into our profession and our day-to-day life. Have a favorite color? Make it the jump-off point of your classroom decor! Have a favorite recipe? Make it with your class as part of a demonstration in “How-To Writing”! Have an interest in film? Find a spare room in your school to create a green-screen studio for student-centered movie-making! I doubt doctors and lawyers find it as easy to share their passions with their patients and clients as we do with our students! One more perk of the job (as if you didn’t love it enough already!) All of this to say that I love the book “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. When I was a science teacher, I read it to Kindergarteners during our Trees, Wood, and Paper Unit and tied it in to renewable resources. For the last six years as a fourth grade teacher, I read the story to my class each year to discuss Theme, Empathy & Gratitude. At home, its a go-to bedtime story for my own children Alana & Connor, who will make me start the book all over again if I don’t do the voices of the Tree & boy “just right”. In this, the first week of my school year and my first year in 2nd grade, I wanted to incorporate this favorite once again by sharing it with my new class. I have to say that 2nd graders give WAY MORE audible feedback during a read aloud than 4th graders. As I shared the story (which was familiar to about half of the class), the students giggled, smiled and nodded their heads as we read about the boy loving the tree and the tree loving the boy.
As the story progresses, and the boy keeps coming back to the tree and taking what he needs and then leaving, the giggles and nods are replaced by gasps and head shaking. One student says, “This is bad! He just keeps taking things and then leaving her all alone!”
At the end of each visit from the boy, where the tree offers him the part of herself that he needs and then watches as he walks away with it, the author states that “the tree was happy” and several students seem confused by this. One student even sneaks up closer to me, to look over my shoulder and make sure I’m reading that part right. *heartsmile*

I ask them, “Why do you think the tree is happy?”
The responses are varied:

Disgruntled: “She’s not happy, she’s just saying that”
Appalled: “If he keeps taking things from her she won’t have anything left!”
Thoughtful: “Maybe she is happy because she knows he will keep coming back again!”

I keep reading, and the boy does come back again, needing something different to “be happy”. The gasps continue and I feel myself becoming indignant right along with them. I say, “Can you believe this guy? He’s back again and he won’t play in her shade or swing from her branches like she wants him to, he just wants to cut down her trunk and build a boat and sail away!?!?!?!” They join me in my quiet outrage, murmuring to each other about the boy. “Isn’t he selfish? Isn’t he greedy!?”

I sit back in my chair with an exasperated sigh, close the book and say “I don’t think I can read this anymore..it’s just too sad and it’s making us all upset!”

The “Noooooo” and “keep reading!!!” cries (that feed my teacher soul), echo all around the room. I sigh and try to look hesitant as I reopen the book and say “if you insist” I revel a little as they all become quiet and lean in closer...The story finishes with the boy, an old man now, finally coming back and deciding that all he needs from the tree is to be with her and rest. She, an old stump, offers what she has left so that he sits and stays a while. “And the tree was happy.”

I close the book and ask, “Boys and Girls, WHY did the tree keep giving and giving to the boy, even though she knew he was just going to go away, and even though she was running out of things to give him?”

I will pause here to admit Readers, that I momentarily sold my 2nd graders short in my mind today. I expected answers like “because she’s a nice tree” or “because its a good friend”. Perhaps it was because my expectations were too tempered, that I was so moved by the first response I got. A boy sitting close to me was wiggling his fingers in my face with his lips pursed tightly to stifle the sounds he wanted to make, but knew would disqualify him from being called on. Impressed by his silent enthusiasm I chose him first. He took a deep breath and then offered this:

“Because…..That’s what Love does”

This answer stopped me in my tracks for just a second. It reminded me of a book I read in the Spring by the same Title (Love Does, By Bob Goff) and it struck me as being an absolutely perfect and simple answer to a very complex question.

That’s exactly what love does. Love says “If I have what you need, I will give it to you” and love doesn’t count the cost. Love says, “If you’re happy, I’m happy” even when your happiness takes you away from me, or diverts your attention to other things. LOVE DOES whatever it can to show itself with intentionality, to give of itself and Love is made happy through the giving, so much so that depletion of self goes almost unnoticed.

I was humbled and inspired by this reminder of what Love does in us, for us and through us, if we are brave enough to let it do what Love does best.

A Tour of my Classroom (before it gets lived in, tested and ammended!)

When I found out I was moving from 4th grade to 2nd grade I was having a hard time visualizing my new role. I did what I often do, when I need to appeal to my visual learning side, I turned to YOUTUBE. Some of the room tours, teacher Vlogs, app reviews and lesson videos were really helpful to me, but there weren't as many as I thought there would be. If I wanted to know how to create a "smokey-eye" make-up look (which of course there is a time and place for), I would have literally thousands of options, but when looking for some engaging video tutorials on Primary Grade room setup, lesson strategies, etc the options are more limited.
In an effort to be part of the solution, I'm putting my room out there. Maybe if more teachers start sharing their journey, we'll all feel more comfortable to do so too! So, for what it's worth, this is my room and I"m hoping posting it gets me some valuable feedback, suggestions, and maybe even inspires YOU to share what YOU'RE doing in your classroom!

The Role of Twitter in Education

My scholastic Twitter feed has gotten some attention locally, and our class was honored to be featured on the local news at the end of the school year. I love having one more piece of nostalgia to remember that unique and exceptional group of 4th graders for many reasons, but especially because shortly before this interview, I was asked to move to 2nd grade in the new school year, so the 4th grade class of 2014 will be my last group of 4th graders, at least for a while! ;)

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