Our Classroom Norms: C.A.R.S.

Posting rules in my classroom has not been my strength. It’s a back-to-school expectation, but I have always struggled with this duty. I was a loop-hole sort of kid myself, and I was very good at developing my own interpretations of the meanings of the rules. Many an exhausted teacher suggested that I save my talents for debate or law school. As a result, I managed a somewhat successful career without this traditional list on the walls of my little lab.

Today, a student addressed this predicament for me. A gifted (former) graffiti artist, he came to me with a piece of paper and asked how to spell, “confidentiality . . . attendance . . . safety . . . “ After I wrote them for him, I went back to addressing the needs of the American History students.

Later, the young man told me I needed to turn and look at the “CARS” he had created. I turned to see the following in beautiful lettering on the blackboard:

Classroom Norms

confidentiality

Attendance

Respect

Safety

This addition to the lab stimulated a great deal of discussion but not any dissent. The following points were discussed:

Confidentiality-

Somewhere to let your guard down and someone to talk to without fear that your vulnerability will be someone’s entertainment.

Attendance-

Showing up means something. Someone cares enough to make you miserable when you don’t show up.

Respect-

Everyone. Everyday. All the time.

Safety-

Physical. Emotional. Creative. Cognitive. You can’t reach your full potential without it. School may be the only sanctuary available.

I like it . . . all of it. I like it a lot. I found the term, “norms,” especially interesting. This isn’t a list of ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts;’ it’s simply the standard we have set for our community. Thank goodness I neglected to hang those rules.

Time to Boogaloo

Empty the shelves. Order supplies for next year. Create your schedule. Finish entering grades. The end of the year checklist is exhausting. The children are counting the hours, and the staff is counting the minutes. Visions of summer are dancing in our heads.

Be kind to yourself as you approach the end and take a little time to boogaloo. Celebrate all you have accomplished. The words read and written, art created, games played, and friendship shared. Think of how special the year was, and the experiences we had. In the midst of the chaos and commotion, take a moment to reflect, smile, and shake your tail feather.

Make It Personal

What is the best way to cultivate readers?

Share your love of literature and language.

My students and I love to have fun with reading. We videotape ourselves reading, use props, dramatize with puppets, and throw ourselves into books.

Celebrating favorite authors encourages students to l

ook forward to the next book and the next and the next. Kindergarten students through seniors helped me celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday and Read Across America. We created book videos, posted them on YouTube, and were amazed by the number of hits. We used Green Eggs and Ham to write our own class books during ELL inclusion time. The school newspaper made us famous!

“Funny” books are often favorites. When I think I have a student ‘pegged,’ I select a book that “I know he will love.” We talk about how fun it would be to read it to mom, dad, a sister, or brother. Once they come back ‘hooked,’ I feed them a steady diet from the same author or them. I am forever indebted to Doreen Cronin and the Click, Clack, Moo books.

My goal is for students to ‘get’ to take books home to read rather than books they ‘have’ to read. The David books by David Shannon and Yo! Yes! books by Chris Raschka are great fun. Simple text and opportunities for expressive language make them delightful for beginning readers. They love to read REAL books. Our local libraries are very generous and allow me to check these books out and send them home with eager students. We have to develop systems so that everyone gets a turn with each book. “I haven’t had it, yet . . . You had the last one first . . . “ What a wonderful problem to have!!!!

Achieving Great Things

Mustang Academy News

Published when Mrs. Witham gets around to it.

• Jasmine is attending a conference at NASA.
• Kylee will attend HOBY (the Hugh O’Brian Youth) conference.
• Keylin visited Children’s Hospital in Omaha to explore careers in the medical profession.
• Roberto tutors 1st grade students in math and reading.
• Jackson wrote an amazing essay.
• Keylin completed the Iowa Pathways survey.
• Tyler, Jarod, Kylee, and Kaylee cook and served tacos for Families Together.
• Eloy and Kylee will attend state speech this Saturday.
• Jackson, Roberto, and Kylee have completed their goals and will attend the Risky Business conference.
• Saidee helped Keylin finish her social studies project.
• Yerlin, Clarissa, Saidee, and Tyler agreed to form a team for the Students Taking Charge conference.
• Ashley and Sarah worked on Wednesday to make big gains in e2020.
• Shayla, Cody, Luis, Simon, Tyler, and Roberto recorded children’s books for younger students. Many of the books have received over 100 hits on YouTube!
• Saidee helped with the kindergarten lesson.
• Jarod makes popcorn for the middle school Reading Plus students each day.