Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons

About a month ago my friends started to discuss hosting a book study to encourage each other and blog readers to dig a little deeper with our students... to cultivate higher-level thinking...to get our students more involved and engaged. Well, I'll be the first to admit that I was all, "I'm too busy to read a book." I was hesitant to start because I didn't want to over-commit myself. But the pressure got to me even though no one said a word about my non-involvement! I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to join some of my favorite friends AND grow my knowledge as a teacher. So after a few weeks, I ordered the book Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites and started to get my read on. And, let me tell you... I'm so glad I did! There's just no way you can walk away from a visit at RCA and continue to be mediocre. You know that you need to make a change, but you need guidance. Well, this book (along with books I'm reading by Ron Clark) has helped give me the ideas of what to change in my classroom. The strategies they include are so helpful and add a lot to your teacher toolkit!

So, let's dig in and discuss!

Strategy One: Brainstorming and Discussion

Talking is a HUGE part in my classroom. Now, this has not always been the case in my classroom. If you would have visited my room in the first four years of teaching you would have seen kids working independently and me shushing them constantly. Of course we would have class discussions and reading groups where we talked to each other, but my students hardly ever completed tasks with someone else. Fast forward to my 5th year of teaching. I started teaching 2nd grade in the Dual Language program. It is a requirement for students to have a partner, to sit with that partner at all times, and to complete the majority of classroom tasks together. So, I was kinda forced to changed my teaching techniques and I'm so thankful for that!!! My classroom is NOT quiet by any means, but my students are constantly learning from each other. Do they argue? yes! Do they get off topic? absolutely! But, through lots of modeling and practicing they do know how to share the work, discuss before working/writing, and hold meaningful conversations with all students in the class.

Here's what I'm working on/trying out as a result of reading this chapter...

Letting my students be the teacher more often...now, I've always done this occasionally, but sometimes I get to talking and I don't shut up, ha! Here's what I did this week. I had my students turn and talk to their partner about every step of solving a problem. Since we had just learned how to subtract 3-digit numbers, it was crucial that they knew and understood the process. We had to get the steps down. As they were discussing, I was watching to see who worked the best together. I chose a partner group to explain what they did to the class.

You better bet that the next go round every single group was discussing, solving, and writing in sync with one another. They all looked like model students because they wanted to be the teacher! After the first round I could have easily picked any of my partner groups to be the teacher!!

You'll notice the change from the beginning of the year here. Below I just had one student go up at a time... which was great, but adding in that peer discussion component made a HUGE difference!

Another way I want to improve is discussing our reflections more. I was actually really on top of this at the beginning of the year, but I've slacked off a lot lately! It makes me sad because I would so enjoy our share time and would often send parents videos and pictures of their children sharing their writing. This is my goal for the rest of the year...incorporate more sharing when it comes to our writing (and we write across all subject areas) I also really enjoyed the sentence starters and ideas that the book included for students who are struggling with sharing/answering questions.

Strategy Two: Drawing and Artwork

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Step into 2nd Grade with Mrs. Lemons