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When I walk into Colleen's room, I am always impressed with her ability to juggle the multiple (and I mean MULTIPLE) needs in her classroom. She has several students, all of whom need her attention for a variety of different reasons. When I come in, she has thought about how I can best support a specific group of kids and sh has it ready. She negotiates behaviors, struggling readers, OT/PT concerns, anxiety, and writing challenges with grace and kindness, all the while instilling a sense of community and gratitude in her students.

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I walked into Meaghan's room this morning,just as they were transitioning from Morning Work to Math. Students were able to transition quickly and quietly and settle right in as Meaghan started her Math lesson, on perimeter. Meaghan had all the slides ready, on the SmartBoard. She did a quick review and then started in on a problem they had to find the answer to. I really loved how Meaghan's ' student desks were in clusters or groups of 3-4 students. She presented the problem then addressed her students as "mathematicians": "How are you, as a mathematician going find the missing perimeter?" Meaghan had a nice wait time for students to individually come up with the answer, then did a "thumbs up" check-in to see if the students were ready. She then had each group talked together, in their group, about the answer and how they got their answers. Meaghan did a check-in with several groups as they talked quietly in their groups. Then, Meaghan got their attention as a class, did a 3- second "count down" before they class gave a choral answer. Meaghan repeated this step several times (I observed 3 different problems) and each time she addressed her students as mathematicians: "

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Yesterday, I had the privilege of seeing Jen in action during a persuasive writing lesson. When I entered her classroom, the students were transitioning from the mini lesson to their desks. Within 2 minutes, all of her second graders were rereading their work and following the expectations. Jen had the expectations very clearly displayed on the SMART board. I was very impressed with how the students had color coded their work to ensure they had stated their opinion, reasons from their book to support their opinion, and they had transition words. What a terrific idea! Jen also, within the 7 minutes I was in her room, was able to have a quick conference with three different students. Impressive! I loved visiting Jen's classroom and seeing her second grade authors. It was a highlight of my day, especially to see all of the growth from my former first grade friends.

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Loving the work going on with Ms. Lesiczka’s class-As with the other 3rd grade classrooms, the SmartBoard had the assignments with clear expectations on it. I liked how the assignments were color-coded. Students were working on their Pilgrim diaries, independent reading or shared reading with S. News. I was so impressed with 2 girls who were reading the S. News, together. They took turns reading aloud- and knew to switch off at each paragraph. Christa used a great – and very effective - strategy to get the students attention: “Class”, Cindy said quietly. “Class” they repeated back.	   “Class, Class”, she said.  “Class, Class” the again repeated.	    “ Classity class.”      “Classity Class” they echoed back. By then all students had stopped what they were doing and focused on Christa as she did a check-in and gave some directions. I really enjoyed seeing how Christa got their attention- using a unique way -  rather than the “1-2-3, Eyes on me” or “clapping out a pattern”. I may have to “steal” the idea from you, Christa and try a catchy phrase to get my students  attention!

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Loving the work going on with Ms. Lesiczka’s class-As with the other 3rd grade classrooms, the SmartBoard had the assignments with clear expectations on it. I liked how the assignments were color-coded. Students were working on their Pilgrim diaries, independent reading or shared reading with S. News. I was so impressed with 2 girls who were reading the S. News, together. They took turns reading aloud- and knew to switch off at each paragraph. Christa used a great – and very effective - strategy to get the students attention: “Class”, Cindy said quietly. “Class” they repeated back.	   “Class, Class”, she said.  “Class, Class” the again repeated.	    “ Classity class.”      “Classity Class” they echoed back. By then all students had stopped what they were doing and focused on Christa as she did a check-in and gave some directions. I really enjoyed seeing how Christa got their attention- using a unique way -  rather than the “1-2-3, Eyes on me” or “clapping out a pattern”. I may have to “steal” the idea from you, Christa and try a catchy phrase to get my students  attention!

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Sailing through St. Clair’s Room -

It was so fun to visit Cindy  St. Clair’s room today. While there were so many things happening, the room was silent as the students were so absorbed in their work and working so cooperatively! All the assignments  were listed on the SmartBoard: reading folktale and answering questions in groups of 2, perimeter  worksheet, with Ms. St.Clair to make (staining) tea-stained Journal pages. I was so mesmerized by the amazing work  going on while the students sustained their focus and stamina! This is one room where I would love to be a student- the expectations were clear, the working environment was so quiet, and positive “vibes” were in evidence.

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It was so fun to watch Erin teach a lesson that I was teaching that same day. She was teaching the kids to analyze political cartoons portraying different immigrant groups. I love how she gave each student a copy of the political cartoon shown on the Smartboard, and had them circle in red pencil any features of the cartoon that stood out to them. It really got them engaged and ready for discussion! Next, she had the students share in small groups about what they thought the cartoon meant. She used a great technique of counting calmly down from 5 to show that group sharing time was over, and by the time she got to 3, the kids were all focused back on her and ready to share with the class. (I am totally using this technique in the future!) I was impressed at the high level of participation -- the kids were very engaged in sharing their ideas!

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I got to observe a reading lesson in Kate’s room this afternoon which also happened to be There’s a Wocket in My Pocket day! Students were all working on various reading skills-many were covered in sewn on pockets (too cute!). Some were partner reading while others worked on a word work sheet that incorporated their spelling words from the week. I also noticed students on Lexia and a small group at the teacher table with Ms. Ebdon. Students working with her were highlighting comprehension questions and then matching the highlighted colored question to the answer in the text she provided. The SMARTBoard displayed the different reading centers each student was working on. While I was walking around, students were eager to share that this year, their class counted a total of 417 pockets-a new record! Thanks for letting me come in and see all the hard work your 2nd graders are doing in reading, Ms. Ebdon! Go Pineapple Powerhouse!!!

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When I walked into Ms. Mailloux’s room to do an observation, it was so peaceful! Quiet music was playing while students worked on typing MCAS practice essays on Chromebooks. As I walked around the room, I could see that each student had mapped out their essay on scrap paper and many of them already had a topic sentence and first detail typed. The SMARTBOARD displayed step by step directions of what the expectations were if students were to finish early. While they were working, Ms. Mailloux was calling individual students to the back table to provide them with feedback on an essay they had previously worked on. I observed her praise the many things one student had done well on their essay and then provide them with one piece of feedback on how they could make it even better. While being in Ms. Mailloux’s classroom, it was clear that all of the students knew what the expectations were as they were all on task and working quietly. Ms. Mailloux, your students are so lucky to have you as their teacher!

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I got to observe Ms. Carlson during a math block where her second graders were working on combing different shapes. I saw geometry vocabulary both on the SMARTBoard and on a poster. Some students were working on a their math mats with bins of shapes while others were doing partner work or challenge math. I was so impressed by how seamlessly Ms. Carlson was able to check students’ math mats and provide them with positive feedback while also provide math support to a student beside her. On top of all of this, she was also keeping time on her phone of another student who was taking some sort of timed fact race. Very impressive stuff! I could tell her second graders have been working hard to get ready for 3rd grade as they demonstrated some impressive geometry skills!

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Shout out to Mrs. Lesiczka who made time in her jammed packed schedule for some community building activities with her class. I could hear her class laughing and enjoying each other multiple times this week with different activities she purposely made time for. I’m sure these few minutes each day will make a big difference in the culture of her classroom moving forward. Way to go Mrs. Lesiczka!

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I had the opportunity to stop by Michele's room, this morning as she was working 1-1 with a 3rd grader. I love Michele's energy as she cajoled, enticed and encouraged the student to complete the perimeters. Michele used a variety of techniques (having to "switch it up" about every 30 seconds because the student needed a lot of refocusing) -having the  SmartBoard projected on the wall- which could be written on, white board and cubes.
While I was only able to observe for about 8 minutes, I was exhausted!! SO MUCH energy was needed to keep up with this wonderful student and Michele definitely has the momentum and stamina!!
Way to go, Michele!!

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(Apologies, I'm out of more creative titles in Week 3) I was so excited to finally get to stop by Devin’s room! When I came in she was speaking to a student at her desk and the rest of her kids were getting ready for independent work time. I didn’t have too much context on the conversation Devin was having with the student at her desk, but my guess was that he had said something not so kind to someone else. I heard Devin say that she didn’t know if the other child had heard it, but she still was addressing it. I thought it was so important that Devin chose to address this issue with her student, even if no one else was aware of it. A great teachable moment for sure! Devin also had a list of independent work tasks on the board. She got her class quiet very quickly by counting down from 5. She explained the tasks they had to do independently, where each activity was and what to do when finished. Devin gave directions in a clear, concise way and her kids knew just what to do. They got right to work! Devin has clearly established so many clear routines and expectations in her classroom, all while fostering a sense of independence. So happy I got to visit!!

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When I walked into Erin's room the students were all working productively in groups.  They were doing research using computers and texts.  The students were all engaged and working cooperatively with their groups.  It was then time to share out.  Erin previewed some public speaking skills (eye contact, loud voice, etc.) and active listening.  This seemed like a great way to get some communication skills into social studies.  The students took turns sharing and adding to the interactive bulletin board.  I learned a lot!  Tai Chi came from China, Kindergarten came from Germany, and Barbie dolls came from Poland.  I especially loved when a student referred to a cultural dance as "weird" and Erin helped her rephrase in a more respectful way to  say that the dance was different and difficult.  It was nice seeing so many of my old students.  Erin uses a lot of humor with her students.  I loved the morale in there.  Thanks Erin!

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Ms. St. Clair is currently reading “Wonder” to her class. This book has many heavy topics, but Cindy handles them smoothly. I love how she stops to ask the students what is behind a character’s feelings and models thinking it through outloud.

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I was lucky enough to arrive in Kate's room while she was still teaching her lesson about juicy words. I always enjoy being able to get there before kids have broken off to do their independent work. She has a very clear, concise way of teaching new information to kids. Her ease with the kids allows them immediately to connect with her; they are so comfortable. They also know the routines. Her expectations are clear and the kids can finish her sentences, including, "If you love your writing...YOU EDIT IT!"

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I love watching Lizzy work with the students. She has a way of explaining things in ways I didn’t think of.  When my struggling students don’t grasp the math concept taught that day, she is able to reteach it in a way they can understand. Lizzy is always a breath of fresh air!

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Today I saw Devin working with students in a small group with polygons. Others students were completing the independent practice. The students were all focused and doing their best work. She reminded students who were coming to her for help to try multiple strategies before coming to her. Devin does a great job helping when needed, but still helping the kiddos gain independence and confidence with themselves.

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Christina's class was planning an imaginary party as an opener to how immigrants contribute to our country. She gave them time to write an idea and then read them as a group. She then asked them to think about how we could group the items into categories. I love the creative way the she intros ideas to students in a way easy for them to understand.

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I spent time watching students in Christa's class working in pairs reading and answering questions about the Puritans. She pulled the groups back together and asked them clarifying questions and asked students to build on their learning. She rephrased student responses to help kids understand the responses. There was amazing organization and management throughout the lesson.

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I stopped by Lindsay’s room this morning and was so impressed at how independent her class was! They were working on the front of their math mat, and building teen numbers as a group of 10 and 1s. The kids were using cubes to make a “cube train” and then coloring what their cube train looked like on their mat. Each table was working so quietly and had all the materials they needed available. Kids who were finished were quietly looking at books on the rug. It’s clear that Lindsay has made expectations so clear to her class and they have had a lot of practice. As kids finished making and drawing their cube trains, Lindsay reminded them that it might be a good idea to double check their work and make sure their numbers were going the right way. Number reversals are very common in kindergarten and while it is developmental, around this time of year we gently begin to remind the kids to start turning numbers around. I loved how Lindsay did this and how she helps all her kids to be so independent! The Purple Cats are so lucky to have her!

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I walked into Kendra’s classroom during a transition time. Kendra rang her chimes and then waited for students’ to stop & look at her. As she was waiting, some students were having a harder time focusing. Kendra announced “I am going to try 1 more time” giving students a second chance at stopping and finding her. As more of her students caught on, Kendra would state: “I see 5 friends ready...” and so on. I always love watching Kendra in action. She has so much patience during such a tricky time (transitions).

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Meaghan’s scientists were hard at work with magnets. Students were actively engaged measuring the space between the magnets. I was able to watch Meaghan wait patiently at the smartboard for her students to quiet down. I loved how while Meaghan was walking around, she would make observation: “table 4 had interesting discoveries”. I loved seeing the 3rd graders so engaged! The classroom was full of scientific conversations! I know I could learn a lot from these scientists!

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I came into Mina's room while her class was doing Daily 5 centers. It was the very end of the day and I was impressed with how focused and on-task everyone was. This must be a hard time for Kindergarten. Mina had a very organized slide on the smartboard telling each student where to work. They clearly all knew what they were supposed to be doing and the classroom expectations. The class was lively with various reading activities going on around the room including partner reading, center activities, and literacy games on the ipads. The class was a bit noisy, but the sounds of learning were all around. Support staff were there to assist with all of the activities. Mina was working with a group at the back table. In the small time she spent with the group, the lesson was packed with literacy instruction.  She did a sight word warm up and then got into a book.  I love how they previewed the book to prepare to read. While reading, they found sight words and other phonetic elements. They discussed strategies to figure out unknown words. They read independently and did some choral reading. When a student struggled to read an unfamiliar word, Mina helped her through and gave her a high five for sticking with it. When the book was finished, Mina asked questions to check for understanding and asked students to go back and find evidence (something we ask the students to do in third grade). I was very impressed with the organization and learning going in with these little ones! Thanks Mina!

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Crystal was amazing today in her math lesson! The kids were all sitting in a very attentive circle and Crystal was using base 10 blocks to teach about place value. She reminded them that like a 10 frame, a row of blocks joined together shows 10, so they did not need to count each one individually. Instead, they could count by 10s! She had some individual blocks too that represented 1. She had a combination of the blocks showing 10 and some showing 1 and had the kids help figure out how many it was showing without counting each individual block. The kids did so well counting the 10 blocks by 10s and then adding the additional 1s. By the student responses I could tell they really got it! All of the kids were so engaged in the math circle. When it was time to transition to different spots, they all knew just what to do and were so quick and quiet! Crystal, I love watching you teach! You are so awesome :)

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I love catching those quick lessons from teachers that are easily inserted while reading stories to their classes. Today Jess came across the phrase, “A Stitch in Time…” to which she had a sidebar about the idiom and the meaning. Such a quick way to reinforce these phrases kids hear but may not already understand.

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Superb SPED Team - Marielle, G, and Marella

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Superb SPED Team - Marielle, G, and Marella

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I was having a really down on myself morning this morning, and I couldn't be more grateful to my partners in SPED for lifting me up. I ended up having a chance to speak to each of them individually, and they each supported me, heard me, and gave me advice. They helped turn my day around and not feel like a failure. I feel so blessed to be a part of such a supportive group of talented educators. We understand each other, challenge each other, and always end up on the same page together. Thank you Marella, Angelina, and Marielle.

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I love the way Craig starts music class. My class attends at the end of the day. We pack up and put our belongings on the bench and get back into line. To be honest, this is not our best time of day. It is admittedly not the smoothest transition. Craig has such a calm soothing voice. He gets the students to do dancing quiet signals and then echo into their spots! At times he needs to call a few students in first to get the other students attention to start meeting expectations. Works every time! He has a great way of calming my not so calm class at a hectic time of day!

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I loved visiting Jess’s room this afternoon. I loved the energy in her room which is fitting because the lesson was about energy. The students were engaged and enthusiastic. The students were all huddled around a table hanging on Jess’s every word. Jess creatively used whiteboard marker on the table and was using dice to have the kids tell energy “stories.”  At one point a student stood on a chair and all Jess had to do was make eye contact and the student non verbally understood the expectation.  Jess then used the slow motion feature in her cell phone and the students were obsessed. She then showed a video of a boy jumping off a diving board and no one even blinked they were so into it.  This lesson inspired me to try to make my teaching more engaging. I was truly impressed and in awe. I also loved a few hugs from former students! Thanks for the inspiration Jess!

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Last, but not least, I even got to observe Ms. Endres in action the other day! Her class was also discussing an immigration article that she had up on the SMARTBoard. Students were both on the rug and at desks at the front of the room. She also had another student at the back of the classroom reading off questions that students had written on various posters. The questions were surrounding what looked like different excerpts from the article that was also on the board. As the student would read a question, Jess would find the section of the text related to it, pull it up on the board, and then clarify the question with such enthusiasm, that she had the full attention of every student in the room! One of my favorite parts of the lesson was when one of the students asked what an indentured servant was. To help students have a better understanding of this, Jess asked permission if she could use someone from the class as an example to explain. I loved this idea and am sure it’s just one of the many ways she makes each and every one of her students feel safe and comfortable in her classroom.

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I observed Christa reviewing an MCAS practice test with her students on Joanna Cole. Students had highlighters out and as they read each paragraph of the text, they highlighted details supporting why her books are so successful. All of her students were engaged as she asked them periodically to give a thumbs up or down if the section of the text included this information. There were also times she had students pause from the reading and do a turn and talk about what they had read. I also heard her say things like, “Let’s give ________ time to defend their answer” and “Thank you ________ for reading with such great expression!” It’s clear that Christa has developed a classroom culture where her students feel safe to take risks and learn from one another. I want to be a student in your class Mrs. Lesiczka! :)

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Immigration was happening all over 4th grade the other day. When I popped into Ms. Severy’s classroom, I quickly realized that her students were working on the same assignment as students in Mr. Ogilvie’s class. Erin was helping problem solve a computer issue while students worked quietly in groups. Some students were sitting at the circle table with her, while others were on the rug, at the horseshoe table and at a table group. I was so impressed with how focused and on task every single student was. The students at the horseshoe table appeared to be listening to a social studies text as they had headphones on while other students quietly read from a packet and took notes-nice differentiation! As I circulated the room students shared some of the information they had gathered so far as to why people chose to come to the U.S. I learned so much! Thanks for having me, Erin!

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It was so much fun being in Aaron’s classroom and seeing all of his 4th graders hard at work! Students were working independently to explain reasons why people leave their native country and choose to come to the U.S.. The slide on the SMARTBoard explained his step by step expectations and I loved the working clock-definitely going to have to find this on SMARTNotebook! While students were working, I saw Aaron working with one student in particular on a laptop. His words were very encouraging as the two of them read and discussed the reading related to what they were studying. I heard him provide her with many tips to focus her reading such as, “This is all very interesting, but is it helpful information for why she may have left?” and “Hmm, this part sounds important!” Such great things happening in room #213. Way to go, Ogilvie!

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Shout out to Michele for an amazing reading lesson with 2 second graders! The students were so engage in their reading that they didn’t even notice me come in. Within moments, it was clear that the students where using different post-it notes to help them think about what they were reading. Michele explained that she was going to model a think aloud to show how to use the post-it notes for the lesson. The orange ones said I’m wondering…, the green said That reminds me of when…., pink was LOL and the yellow ones said WOW! After modeling how to use them, Michele and the students read the story Danny and the Dinosaur together. Pausing after each page and with support from Michele, they were each marking their books with the post-it notes. I loved this lesson and can’t wait to have you show me how to print on a post-it!

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I had the chance to observe Tara in the middle of a Second Step lesson  about positive self talk. It was such a treat being able to see a Second Step lesson from another grade. When I walked in, students were sitting calmly on the rug and as a class, they were filling out a positive self talk sheet on the SMARTboard (they would each be completing their own after). Before having students start the activity, Tara asked if there was a student who could use their own words to repeat the directions (I loved this idea!). She then asked students to tiptoe back to their seats and get started which they quickly did. As I circulated the classroom students had great ideas of times they could benefit from using positive self talk. My favorite part of the lesson was when one of Tara’s students expressed frustration because they couldn’t find their pencil. They shared that they thought someone had stolen it. Within seconds, Tara came over to the student and asked if they were having a strong feeling. She reminded the student to put his hand on his belly and take some deep breaths. She then incorporated what they had just learned by asking him how he could use positive self talk in this moment. It was so cool seeing him apply this skill right then and there!

While being in Tara’s classroom, I also saw Crystal in action. She was also circulating the classroom as students were working and providing helpful suggestions to students who were having a hard time coming up with an idea. After touching base with Crystal, there wasn’t a student left who didn’t have an idea for the activity.

Tara and Crystal- the two of you are quite the duo! Those first graders are so lucky to be learning from you both!

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Colleen’s classroom this morning was also working hard on the reteaching lesson of their math topic! I love looking around Colleen’s room and seeing all the different accommodations she provides to help each of her students learn. One student had a privacy shield up to help focus, there are visuals everywhere that provide so much support, it’s very clear kids have what they need! When each student finished their reteaching mat, Colleen had them check with a partner to compare their work. They did this so independently! I thought this was an awesome way to keep kids engaged as they finished at different times. Colleen told her class they were going to play a jeopardy game after which was clearly very exciting to everyone. As students were starting to finish and check their work, Colleen went around and worked with kids who needed her help. She provided so much scaffolding and encouraging support to those who needed it. She always has a way of helping but showing her kids they can do so much on their own! Her room was so quiet and calm and I was amazed at the focus her class was showing so early on Monday morning! What lucky 2nd graders they are to have you, McBride!

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Today in Jamie’s room her kids were working so hard at Math Workshop! I loved getting to see this block in action. Jamie had an awesome visual on the Smart Board with the groups as well as the activities they were doing in order (math magazine, FASTT math, teacher table etc.) The goal for their math block was on the visual as well as the expectations and what to do when they finished each activity. So comprehensive! Jamie was doing some reteaching with a small group at the back table. She used amazing language that was clear and very encouraging. She pointed out strategies that her kids were using or could use to help. There was some nice quiet music on which made the whole thing even more fun! It was clear that every single kid was engaged and knew exactly what to do. There was so much awesome learning going on! Thanks for letting me see this!

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Aaron’s class was also working on Second Step when I stopped by this morning! I love how 4th Grade seems to start their Monday mornings with Second Step, what a nice start to the week. His class was working on solving problems while using empathy and putting yourself in someone else’s position. They had watched a video about two kids named Emma and James who were having a disagreement and placing blame on each other. Aaron asked his kids to find someone sitting nearby and have one person play James and one person play Emma. He wanted them to use each problem solving step, as the character they were playing. The first step was to say the problem without blame and Aaron reviewed what it means to blame someone and what words you might hear. Kids gave responses and Aaron did such a great job acknowledging and expanding on their thinking. He pointed out how the characters in the video had used blame, and reminded them that when we use empathy to solve problems, we do not blame each other. This was an awesome exercise for putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and practicing an important social skill! Thanks for letting me get a peek into 4th grade Second Step!

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I love visiting Jess’ classroom! I am a huge fan of the dim lighting she uses, it always puts me at ease. She was doing a Second Step lesson with her class about how to handle put-downs. She asked the kids what they thought a put-down was first and one student gave a response. Then the class watched a video of a flower and heard audio of put-downs as the flower slowly wilted. After the video, she had the kids talk in their desk clumps about what they thought put-downs were. They shared out and Jess related their answers to the original student response and also to the flower wilting. They watched a second video with an example of one student putting another one down. Jess asked her kids how they would feel if someone put them down. One student said stressed, which Jess related to a video they had watched on the amygdala where the amygdala had been freaking out when it was stressed. Jess explained that when you’re stressed your brain shuts down to protect itself which makes it very hard to learn. Jess always speaks in such a calm manner and explains things in such a kid-friendly way. Her kids learn so much! I never want to leave her classroom!

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I have been blessed to get to work with Marella since she began here but I haven't had the chance to see her in action yet. I'm sad it took me until week 3 of March Madness to snag a time to see her but I am so glad I did. She was working in the breakout space with a group of fourth graders teaching about R controlled vowels. How tricky- IR, ER, and UR all sound the same! Marella went through words, writing them on the board but leaving a blank space for the r-controlled vowel for the students to fill in. Each student had a white board or some space on the table in front of them to write on. They had the R controlled pairs on different color post-its for a helpful visual cue. After each word, they discussed what pair to use and how to figure that out. Marella reminded them that with ER/IR/UR, you just have to figure out what looks right or sounds right for those who learn best by spelling it out aloud. Marella's kind, funny, and laid-back personality shined through. She used humor and connected with her students in each moment. She also didn't harp on them for brief moments of chatter. She let them have those few seconds, and then the kids knew it was time to move on right away. Marella is a joy to work with and to observe teaching!

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On Thursday 3/21/2019, I observed Jess Endres’ 3rd grade classroom during their Math Workshop. As a class, students were learning how to locate fractions a son decimals on a number line. Jess as students count together with her the numbers that were located in between for example (zero and one eighty hundredths to zero and one ninety hundredths) (0.80, 0.81, 0.82...and so on).  Furthermore, Jen has students take turn going up to the smart board and move and place random numbers on the number line. Then use a pen to draw an exact space with the number would fit. This was a very engaging math lesson that had a great examples. I really enjoyed how engaged the students were with their interactions as they asked questions and show their participation.  Can’t wait to come back Jess!!

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On Thursday 3/21/2019, I observed Jen’s 2nd grade classroom during reader’s workshop. With the timer set, and group assigned on the smart board all students knew what needed to be accomplished during this time.  One group, were reading chapter books quietly and answering questions on a packet as they read. The goal was to identify main characters, the problem, and solution.  I enjoyed listening to this group interact with each other and asking each other how to word the first sentence of a questions. At the back table, I saw Jen work a group students on a shared reading. Jen asked her students to give a quick summary of a chapter they read. Students were able to give their opinions of what can be considered a problem, an important event and why. Students were also given the reminder to include names of the characters as a part of their sentence. I loved how structured and focused this classroom was and can not wait to visit again. Great job J Bo!!

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I stopped by Meaghan’s room on my way out of the 3rd grade hallway because I could tell there was amazing learning going on! They were also prepping for MCAS and looking at a writing sample. Her class was able to point out a number of different strategies used in the exemplar like a “mighty middle” and “exciting ending” as well as onomatopoeia! Meaghan reminded her kids that when they were taking MCAS, they would be able to use scrap paper to make a graphic organizer. She gave a good pitch for this being a very helpful strategy! My favorite thing she did was when she prompted the class with a question that she thought they all knew, she told them if they knew it, to blow it in their hand and then say it all on 3. I will be using this in my class for sure! I love getting to stop by your room, Meaghan! Thanks for letting me visit :)

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Lizzy was in Cindy’s room while I was visiting, since it was her time to work with a particular student. When it was time to do MCAS practice, Lizzy took her student down to the breakout room. She reminded her student that what they were working on was familiar and something she’d done before. Lizzy provided awesome accommodations the whole time and knew exactly what her student needed to help her learn. They read the questions first, and Lizzy reminded her student that this was so she knew what to be looking for as she read. The first time she read the question, Lizzy said, “That sounds confusing, let’s read it again.” I think it’s helpful and encouraging for kids to know that teachers also get confused! This was some awesome modeling on Lizzy’s part. She explained that they were going to use a highlighter to find information they needed and that when her student took the test on the computer, she could use the highlighting tool on there. Lizzy is such a huge help to every student she works with and I know they are so lucky to have her!

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Cindy’s class was hard at work doing MCAS prep yesterday! The class was looking at a writing sample on the board. Cindy was explaining to her class that when they were going to be writing for MCAS, there wouldn’t be any “red squiggly” lines when they were typing to check their spelling. She encouraged them to just do their best with spelling and I really think she put them all at ease. I also loved how she used a silent signal to help a student quiet down when he was talking over someone else. When she sent her kids back to her seat, Cindy awarded some table points to the table that had been ready first. They were all very motivated to get back to their seats! I’m sure your kids are ready to work hard on MCAS, Cindy!

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I was excited to stop by Christina’s classroom for the first time yesterday! I was very impressed at the math 4th graders are doing. They were simplifying fractions and converting them into decimals. Christina was working through different problems with them on the Smart Board while each student had a white board they were using. Great for engagement! She used calling sticks to give different kids a turn to come up to the Smart Board and show their work. When the kids weren’t using white boards, Christina asked them to keep their markers in the “resting position” and gave table points to the group that all had their markers resting. I was amazed by her very clear visuals and flow charts on the Smart Board to help Christina’s fourth graders solve these tricky math problems. There is some awesome math going on! Thanks for letting me visit!

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I loved reading all of Laurie's students' examples of how they use second step. It was such a great way to have the students connect their learning to something they actually do. What a colorful, fun way to display it too!

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I had a chance to see Steve teach writing today. It can be hard to motivate 4th graders to go back and revise. He was telling them about how many times J.K. Rowling revised Harry Potter and that they could always go back and make their writing better. In classic Steve form (always working math into everything) he called the students to get their chromebooks by saying "If your chromebook is a factor of 12, you can go get it. If it is a factor of 30 you can go get it."

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I had a chance to chat with Marella in the hallway for a few minutes about working together on modifying some content books for our social studies curriculum that were way above some of our students reading level. Marella did an amazing job of using the photographs from the book and paraphrasing the text making it much more accessible for some of our struggling readers. She then made another version of the book that still got the content across in a clear, simplified way.

Marella is a master at rethinking/redesigning/   changing/modifying grade level content to meet the needs of all learners!

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I had a chance to watch Jess working her magic with her class in math. Jess had just completed an example as a group of how to use the number line to figure out fractions and decimals. Tricky concept! She asked if there were any questions and then gave students time to work in pairs with whiteboards to solve the problem together. She then asked them to whisper in their hand the answer and told them when to "throw" it at the Smartboard. Jess always has such creative ways to keep order in the class and make learning fun! Spending time learning in her class is always a blast!

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When I went in Cindy's room she was going over writing exemplar on the board. She was asking students to point out things they saw in the model that were good narrative writing strategies. It is clear that they have been working on this for a while and the kids knew a lot! I saw Cindy hold a student accountable who shouted out an answer by visually prompting him to raise his hand and then not responding until he did that. With all that narrative work, I'm sure they'll be ready for MCAS!

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I never get to see Lizzy work her magic in the breakout room so I was happy to catch her in there today. She was working with a third grader on a math assessment. Lizzy has the most consistently calm, patient, kind demeanor no matter what the setting. She was guiding the student through the assessment and anticipating problems before their occurred. She gave the perfect level of scaffolding. On some questions she pulled out visuals, on other she asked questions to prepare the student to access their schema. She'd say "show me with your arms what parallel lines look like." Then she would read the question "find shapes that have two pairs of parallel lines ." She also monitored for impulse guesses and would said "keep reading the rest of the choices just to make sure" or "count the number of sides before you select your answer." Loved it!

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When I walked into Michele's room she was working with a student from Ms. Jacobson's class who was celebrating their class reward of "choose your own name day." She had chosen "fly girl" which Michele consistently referred to her as throughout the lesson. They were working on subtracting with regrouping. Less is more - Michele was doing an excellent job listening and giving the student time to figure the problem out. By not talking she was able to create space for the student to process their thinking out loud. This seemed to really work for this student! it's clear they have a great relationship with each other!

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I have seen so many posts (and heard so many things) about how wonderful Kendra is as a teacher. Today I went in to check it out for myself! When I got there I was disappointed to see that it said recess on the schedule. However, it looked like the students were sitting on the rug preparing for a lesson. Kendra explained a complex switch in their schedule and that when it is indoor recess, on a Friday, they combine it with lunch recess so that they have more uninterrupted learning time. She held up a sign that said "Our schedule can change" and thanked them for being flexible. Then the students transitioned into partner reading. While this was happening Kendra was able to redirect two students in a seconds. My favorite was when she asked a student if their choice was acceptable (thumbs up) or unacceptable (thumbs down). Kendra helped the student reflect on his own choice instead of telling him that he was not meeting expectations. he student gave a thiumbs

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I came to observe in Ms. Nnyanzi’s room, just after her class had been in library. The children were gathered on the rug, and she had a wonderful map of the classroom on the SmartBoard. (So great!) She called students by two’s, to go find their spots with their book bins. Always with a smile and the incredible patience that is a trademark of Kendra, she reinforced and reminded children of the expectations. “I noticed XYZ.” “I’ve already found X and Y doing this.” “Now I’m noticing every partner…” Kendra then walked around to check in as needed and gave whisper reminders, stopping to punch a child’s behavior ticket. After a few minutes, the entire room was quietly reading and the transition was done, at which point Kendra moved in to work one on one with a child. I can’t wait to observe her in a lesson next time! 

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Huge SHOUT OUT to Jen McKenzie for her assistance in the library. Not only is she always great with the kids, she is great at anticipating what else can be done. She had some open time yesterday, so very kindly asked if I had any jobs to do. I had her work on pulling upcoming seasonal books for a display, which was a great help. No matter what I ask of her, I know I can count on her to do the job well. Thank you, Jen!

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Mina’s class was transitioning into Daily 5 when I walked in. Mina patiently waited for her students to be ready and on the rug. She had a way for students to show her they were reading by showing their “silent signals” which was for them to silently copy what Mina was doing with her hands/arms. Then Mina clearly explained where each group would be going for Daily 5 today. Once it was time to go, groups quickly went to exactly where they were supposed to go! I sat next to the table while Mina was working with her group for the day. She started by having students read silently to themselves the book they had been reading for the week as this would be their last day with the book. Once students were done silently reading their book, she started with a CVC word reading game called Pop. Students took turns playing the game for several turns as they read CVC words off of popsicle sticks. When a student didn’t know what a word was, Mina explained in a way that was easy for them to understand. Once Pop was over she transitioned into a new game. This game was also focused on CVC words but instead this time students would be building CVC words instead of reading them. The game was so great and engaging. I loved how Mina kept the focus on CVC words, but also kept it fun and exciting by switching up the game they were playing. I wish I could have stayed for more!!

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Observing Christina yesterday made me feel a bit nostalgic. As many of you know I taught 4th grade for a little bit in NY and then again at Butler for a year. I LOVED teaching the unit on immigration, so I was so excited to find Christa beginning an immigration lesson when I walked in her room. The first thing I noticed was how peaceful, calm and serine her classroom environment was.

To activate their schema, Christina reminded them that in their last lesson they learned that most of the immigrants arrived in the cramped steerage section of ships. Next, she introduced the lesson by saying that today; they will pretend that they are in a cramped boat. She moved the desk around to limit the rug space for available for the kids to sit. She then called the kids by table to come and join her on their boat. It was very cute and the kids were very intrigued.

“Put your thumb up if you are ready for the lesson.” The kids responded right ways and she was ready to begin. “Welcome to our boat. Today’s question is What hardships did immigrants face on their journey to America?”  She then reviewed the lesson’s research skill goal and immigration learning goal.

I was upset that I had to l leave to pick up my class from special because I could have stayed in Christina’s room all day!

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Whenever I walk into Jamie’s room, students are engaged and working! This time was no different! Jamie was at the back table with a reading group and other students were engaged in Reading Workshop centers around the room. Students at the back table were reading a story individually. After they finished, Jamie invited them to practice a 5 finger retell. First, Jamie modeled what this looked like. Then, Jamie asked students to practice with a partner. Finally, Jamie led the group to share the retell together. There were 5 students in the group and Jamie said “there’s 5 of you so we can each have one part”. She started by asking one student who the characters were. While this student answered, all the students touched their thumb. The next student shared the setting and  all students touched their pointer finger. This continued through their fingers for Beginning, Middle and End of the story!

Jamie, you are a gem of a human and an incredible teacher. The way you have with children is loving, encouraging and challenging all at the same time. So very glad you’re here.

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Lizzie was working 1-1 with a student when I walked in her cheery rainbow filled door. They were reading a book about immigration. I learned that this student’s class is working on Immigration so as a way to differentiate, they have created a connection for this student to read about people who immigrated from Germany. I also learned that there is a big connection for this student because his family is German and he goes to Germany. Lizzie asked great questions like “what do you notice about the pictures” and “do you think that these are old pictures or new pictures?”. Lizzie’s connection with this student was so evident to me! Lizzie asked “are you ready?” and the student responded “I’m so ready!” with a big smile! It was such an enthusiastic learning environment. At one point, while the student was reading aloud, he came to the year “1820-1821”. He wasn’t sure how to read this so Lizzie said “So ya know how we say two thousand and nineteen? This is eighteen twenty, what’s this?”. It was so encouraging! At the end, Lizzie pointed back to the focus question. She said “When we first started reading, there was a focus question: Why did so many Germans leave Germany to go to the US?” The student was able to express that Germans left Germany for a better life in the US.

Lizzie your way with students is fun, exciting and so encouraging! It was so fun to watch you!

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When I saw Laurie in the library she was reading the very end of Balto aloud to her class. Being on Laurie’s team, I know she LOVES Balto so it was so cool for me to see the way her class was hanging on every word she read aloud! After closing the book, Laurie asked “what questions do you have?” She gently answered questions the kids had about Balto and the Iditarod before giving instructions for students to get shelf markers. Laurie called these “tickets” and explained to the kids “remember to put your ticket in the book slot and then take the book out”. I loved this language! I will definitely use this! After her students began browsing the library, Laurie went around and asked questions to students like “would you recommend this book to ____?”. I really haven’t ever done this in the library. Most often I just let my students pick whatever books they want but Laurie was so intentional with each book choice for students, asking more questions like “do you have someone who could read this with you at home?”. Her words and tone were encouraging and personal to each child!

Laurie, I loved getting to see this special time with your students! You are so personal with them and I wish I could have heard you read all of Balto aloud to me, too!

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When I walked into Mina’s room she was sitting on the floor with some students reading a book. There were other students all around the room, engaged in a number of activities. When Mina transitioned the class she used a chime, gave the direction and asked the students to come to the rug. As students came to the rug, Mina was doing some gentle patting of her legs or shoulders or arms and students were following along with the pattern of this movement. The class continued until all students were at the rug. I loved this idea of following the teacher’s actions because all students were engaged! Mina wrapped up a math lesson by asking the class for 3 ways that they made 10 today. As students shared ideas, Mina (as always) was so encouraging to her students’ thinking. After wrapping up, she transitioned the class in a calm and smooth way to get ready for recess.

Mina, you are a real hero. Your room is calm and peaceful yet buzzing with energy and excitement and you are consistently encouraging. I think you are the world’s greatest.

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Alex B – It was so nice to visit Alex as she was working with a group. Alex had 3 2nd Graders at the table with her. The focus of the lesson  included retelling a story, using sequence words. Alex was holding the book (a version  of) The Ugly Duckling  and was  re-reading it with them. On the table was a small table“easel”   with the key words: Then, One day, Next – for the students to see and read. Alex incorporated a lot of techniques throughout the lesson. I love how Alex modeled for the students: rereading some of the story, asking a question and answering it with a full sentence and using the sequence word. Alex also prompted the students: by using the sequence word she wanted the student to use, point to the word on the table easel or , emphasize the part of the picture that would help the student answer  a  question. Alex even got the Wellington concept of Bucket Dipping! The other animals in the story they were reading, were mean to the “duck” (i.e. swan) and the students commented on that. “I know”, said Alex. They are really being bucket dippers, aren’t that?”  It was awesome!! I really enjoyed watching Alex work with the group. Thank-you, Alex!!

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P. E. with A. D.!! -  Aimee Doherty was teaching a 1st Grade class how to play Elbow Tag.  I came in right after Aimee was finishing up, talking about, how to be a Problem Solver.  Aimee immediately  reinforced the concept of the discussion  when a student had a question about something and Aimee was able to point out he did a nice job of problem solving. What impressed me, right away was how calmly and quietly Aimee was, when talking to the class. I also loved how she spoke slowly and clearly as she was introducing the rules of the game. She went one step at a time; had someone model what to do and then had students start, once Aimee knew all the children understood the game. When I was leaving and I told Aimee that it looked like a really fun game, she replied, “Depending on the class, I have one or a couple of groups going at the same time.” Aimee knew this group could only handle a “smaller” version of the game and modified it so this class could have fun and bee successful! Aimee: I wish you were MY P. E. teacher when I was in Elementary School!!

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Kendra’s Amazing Math Block – Math was already underway when I walked into Kendra’s class today. What amazed me, immediately, was the super engagement and focus of each student!!  Although there  were some small groups working on the rug, the classroom was very quiet! The SmartBoard was on with a very organized chart that included students’ names and 4 stations/activities – in words and pictures: myself with a math game; math with a partner; math mat, by myself; math with the teacher. There was also a timer, counting down on the board. Kendra was at the back table (wearing the “lei” – do not interrupt), working with 4 students on place value: tens and ones. She had manipulatives to use to support the concept and learning of making tens. Kendra has instilled a fabulous  classroom community of expected behaviors during work time, as well as being respectful to others.  ALL students were so engaged and focused at ALL TIMES!! It was AMAZING!! They knew exactly what to do, where to get tools, manipulatives and other materials. At one point, a boy came and sat down at the table I was sitting at and started working on a number mat. I asked him, “Did you just finish a game?”  His reply – very matter-of-factly,  “No, _____ wasn’t being a good math friend so I am not going to play with him.” Unbelievable!! Without interrupting Kendra, complaining or making a fuss, he just picked himself up off the rug and did an independent activity.

Kendra has such fabulous classroom management, I’m sure the kids could carry on, by themselves! Kendra: your classroom management skills, class climate are the best, by far!!  To see a whole room of 1st Graders  so busy, happy, respectful  and enjoy their work time was truly uplifting. You make it look SO EASY!

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I was able to pop in Library to watch Rose in action. I love how she uses such a soft, gentile voice when speaking to the children. Before asking them to line up, she reminded the class of the cleanup expectations. It was clear that the kids knew exactly what to do because the majority of them were doing it before she said anything (the few that didn’t had their eyes glues to their books which was so nice to see). She asked them to help her get ready for the next class by putting their papers in their books, put the crayons back in the pencil boxes and to push in their chairs. When the kids quietly walked to their line spots, Rose complemented some students by saying “I like how lots of students are ready with their books closed and facing forward.” The rest of the class quickly followed. Rose has such a nice way with her students. Wellington is so lucky to have you on our team!

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I popped into Colleen’s room during social studies. Her class was continuing their learning of Alaska. All students were seated at their desks, actively engaged in the reading activity. Each page within the packet had some important information and facts about Alaska. They read each page out loud together. At the end, there would be some directions on how to color the picture. After they read together, Colleen would restate the directions for coloring in a very clear way and I could see students repeating the directions to themselves. Colleen told students that if they were not finished colored that specific page; they would be able to finish at a later time. As they continued through to book, Colleen would get the whole class ready to read by having them put their finger on the first word. On the state seal page, Colleen beautifully made the connection to prior learning, “Have we seen a seal like this before?”. All hands immediately went up and students made connections to the Belmont town seal. The students recalled all of the important symbols on the Belmont town seal and remember what they stood for! Impressive, Colleen!!

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Earlier this week (Tuesday), I got to observe Kate during math workshop. As I walked in I noticed all students working independently during their round. Kate was at the back table working with a small group. As soon as the timer went off, students moved quickly and quietly to their next round without Kate having to say a word. Kate then gave a countdown to have everyone settled into their second round. The volume of Kate’s voice was so soft, I wondered how they heard her, but they did! Kate has set up wonderful transition expectations. During the next round I got to check out what was going on at the back table. Students were working in their word problem teacher table packet. Before starting, Kate asked all students what they had been working on- bar models, and what they remembered about them- you can use them for comparing and changing numbers. I really liked how Kate and taught students to use a symbol (?) for the unknown. At one point, a student was playing with the pencils at the table and Kate said, “show me what is expected”, and the student quickly chose a pencil and got started. It was so great being able to see Kate in action!

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Christa has such a nice way of getting her students to actively participate in her lessons! When I arrived, the class was doing a MCAS test prep activity. We all know how boring that can be, however Christa had a way of making it interesting and the kids were very enthusiastic to participate.

When I walked in, Christa was teaching her class how to find and underline evidence in a text. The first thing I heard her say was “I’m seeing so many students that want to share. I am giving ___ time to find the evidence.” I liked how you gave your friend thinking time and also acknowledged your students that were raising their hands to share their thinking.  When the student found the evidence in the text, he shared it with the class. As Christa underlined it on the Smartboard, she responded “Nice job persevering to find the correct answer!” Another student excitedly raised his hand and said “I found another piece of evidence on the front page!” It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic he was to share.

I love how Christa encourages to her students, creating a safe environment for them to participate and take risks. I enjoyed being in your class!

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Devin was in the middle of geometry when I arrived. She was working with a small math group at her rainbow table. She provided her students with positive reinforcement by saying “Yes, you are right! These are all polygons!” Her students seemed eager to learn and each student was on task.

The rest of the class was working on independent practice. Mark was checking in with students to help them with their work. He used a calm voice when he spoke to the students, which they responded well too. I heard several students tell him that they like working with him. So sweet!

After a few minutes, Devin walked around to a couple of tables to check in with a few students. From a distance, I could hear her using a kind voice while reviewing the meaning of concave and convex with a student.

There was soft music playing in the background, which really added to the calm, collaborative, and engaging environment. I wish I could have stayed longer watching you interact with your students!

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I have always been amazed by JBo but it was an extra special treat really getting to see her classroom for the first time! Her 2nd Graders were working very hard on their first Reader’s Workshop round. There was an awesome visual on the board with expectations, groups and activities. Jen was reading with a small group and they were working on a graphic organizer to go along with their reading. When her timer went off, she told her kids that from looking at the clock there wasn’t enough time for their next round so there would be some before lunch/recess and some after. She explained that the round might feel a little short, but they would finish later. It was very clear! I was so impressed by how independent her kids were at the transition. They knew exactly what to do and one of her kids was even resetting the timer on the board for everyone! They clearly are experts at Reader’s Workshop routines! Thanks for letting me visit!

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Today I visited Kendra Nyanzi’s classroom during her phonics lesson. Students were learning about the suffixes -s vs. -es. Each child had a copy of the word work and were sitting at or near the rug with a clipboard and a pencil. Kendra had posted the word work on the SmartBoard for a model as well. Kendra’s first graders were so focused and working quietly as she gave them some time to practice independently.

Kendra your amazing classroom management skills were prevalent as I watched you check in with students and as the others worked on their word work. Your energy and enthusiasm was so endearing as you shared with your first graders how impressed you were with their hard work. (I was super impressed too!)
I can’t wait to come back and see more!

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It was awesome getting to see part of a math lesson in Jenna’s room today! Her and her mathematicians were using gloves to practice skip counting! I loved that she used gloves that belonged to her first graders. They were using skip counting to figure out how many fingers were on all the gloves (I think!) Jenna gave them time to think, and then had the kids whisper an idea to a partner about how they thought they could solve this question using skip counting. Jenna had a couple of kids share out their ideas before trying them as a group. She was sure to point out that both strategies shared gave them the same answer! When her class transitioned from a circle to the rug (so quietly) she held up an awesome listening visual. Jenna has such amazing management and is so clear in her instruction. I love getting to visit!

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Quick shout-out to McBride who finds time, even once the dismissal bell has already rung, to help support her students manage their strong emotions! It is SO evident that McBride's kids are cared for !!

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I love finding time to get into classrooms, especially at the end of the day on a Wednesday-Thursday flip- flop when Mr. Ogilvie's class is talking immigration.

As I walked into the classroom, it was immediately evident that all students were engaged while their classmates presented on their research of what made the journey difficult. When a few students began to loose engagement, Mr. Ogilvie calmly reinforced the expectation of respectful listening. Mr. Ogilvie's patience in making sure each student was showing respectful listening for their classmates was admirable and worth the wait! Mr. Ogilvie's students were full of expression and animation! I also loved how Mr. Ogilvie repeated the learning objective which was to listen for common facts among immigration groups. Almost half of the class raised their hands excitedly to share their connections. This also provided a helpful recap for all listeners! Way to go, Ogs !!

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I popped into the Red Birds after their lunch time today while they were ending their Quiet Time.  It actually opened my eyes to yet another difference between K and 1 that I was not aware of.  I had no idea kindergartens had a short quiet time after lunch.  No wonder my first graders are always so exhausted at the beginning of the school year!  I especially enjoyed seeing some of the kiddos choose to read quietly during this time.  I loved the quiet piano music playing in the background too.  It made me want to curl up with a book and take a little rest myself!  After quiet time, the students transitioned to the rug to do some shared reading of a poem they’ve been working on.  What immediately struck me was how every single kiddo knew exactly what to do.  Clearly Mina spends a great deal of time teaching expectations for her routines because students were able to navigate their way through so much of this time completely independently.  Way to go, Mina!

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I loved getting into the gym to watch Aimee Doherty teach PE for a few minutes today.  The tag game students were playing looked super fun.  I noticed that every student knew exactly what to do and was able to be successful during this game.  Clearly the rules and expectations had been very clearly explained to students.  I did not get to stay too long since I had to go grab my kids but I hope to make it back soon!  You rock, Aimee!

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If you haven't gotten a chance to sit in a parent-teacher conference with Christa Lesiczka, you are missing out!! Christa creates such a warm, comfortable and positive environment. Christa is able to express her authentic care for her students while balancing the need to share about areas of challenge, in such an eloquent way. Christa constantly makes time to meet with each of her students on an individual basis, which shines through when she speaks about her students with such a personalized focus. On top of that all, Christa is able to effectively manage the 20 minute conference time without rushing parents out!

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Loving Laurie!

I ended the school day in Laurie’s classroom as they were nearing the end of a math lesson. She had posted all of the vocabulary they were working on, with definitions and examples for everyone to see as they reviewed what they had learned. When students got wiggly and talkative she paused to have them review the “Rug Rules” which helped to bring them back to focus. As she was going over their HW she gave them a review guide to go with it which would help if questions arose. I also noticed growth mindset quotes posted all around her room for the students to see. Thanks for letting me sit in and for reminding me of vocab used for polygons!

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I walked into Colleen's room and was so excited to see that it was time to move desks! She thought through each thing that would happen out loud and had the students prepare their desks and chairs (an added complication is that it was also stuffed animal day so many furry friends needed to be safely tucked away)! The thing that stuck out to me the most was how her students spoke to each other. "Can you move your desk so I can move mine in?" "Oh I'll come help you." "You can go past me."

It is clear that they have a high level of respect for one another.

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When I walked into Jamie's room her class was in the middle of morning meeting. They were doing a name game which was so nice to see at this point in the year! I also got to learn a new game called "bug in the rug" or "bug under the rug" or something like that! One student went out of the room - while they were gone another student sat in the middle of the circle and was covered with a blanket. When the person in the hallway returned they had to guess which of their classmates was "under the rug." It was so great - I wonder if 4th graders would like it!

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No points for this one... I just have to share how much I am LOVING this challenge! I'm super competitive so of course I'm squeezing in as many observations as possible. Also though, points aside, I'm really enjoying being able to walk into all different classrooms/grades/subjects and see what's happening around the school. I'll be honest - our staff is amazing. Thanks to Devin and Jess for running this on top of everything else you do!

Ok enough of that... Let's get it Christina & Jenna!!!!

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I popped by Lisa's early morning phonics group. It's no small feat to motivate a group of struggling 4th grade spellers first thing in the morning. Despite dry erase markers running out, other markers being "too smelly" and various other distractions, Lisa kept the group moving forward! It's clear she puts a lot of planning into each group and how the lessons build each on each other each day. I was sad to leave just as they were starting a syllable game that seemed very engaging!

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This afternoon I sat in on part of a science lesson in Steve's room. He told me that it was his first time teaching that specific lesson, but if he hadn't said anything I wouldn't have known. He stated the goals and objectives clearly at the beginning to make sure students knew what they were focusing on. They reviewed some information from a previous lesson that they needed to know for this one before diving into it. The lesson focused on motion and energy, specifically elastic energy. The students were given a question to think about and equipment to practice with. Each group was coming up with a hypothesis, testing it, and discussing with their partner. He then brought the class back together to share more information and discuss what had taken place in their small groups. Students were having so much fun working with their little catapult-type things as they learned more about elastic energy and motion. Such a fun lesson to sit in on! Steve definitely had the attention of his audience, and had his lesson well balanced with a mixture of his teaching, students answering and sharing examples, students testing theories, partner discussion, etc. Loved it! I miss science classes like crazy. :)

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Those were the first words I heard as soon as I stepped into Ms. Carlson’s room. The kids were sat on the rug as she was giving a geometry lesson. As a student explained her answer, Laurie cleverly asked another child to repeat what was said (both to check for his attention, and to restate the answer more loudly for the kids to hear again). Another child said an answer, using the word “vertexes” to which Laurie smoothly replied back, using the proper pronunciation, “vertices” without big fanfare. As she moved on, she gave a heads up to a child possibly not paying attention, “I’m going to ask if X agrees to my next answer.” When it was time for directions, she reminded them that she expected another word to be spelled correctly, since it is on the top of the page. During this whole lesson, Laurie was modeling growth-mindset. She said she was nervous, or said it she may be confused, but then at one point said, “Oh, I’m getting it!” She drew in the kids to all be her helpers and teachers. Nice lesson, Laurie! You packed in a lot of wonderful teaching strategies in a short five minutes!

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Kate was working with a small group during her reader’s workshop block today. They were working on finding evidence in a text to help them answer questions. She had taught them a strategy to highlight (and color coordinate) details in a text that would help them answer  comprehension questions. She said things like “do you notice how..?” and “where do you see the evidence?” She had students in the group point out the highlighted text and read it out loud. She then had students repeat what other students had said to make sure everyone understood. Great strategy! Students were then moving on to a new reading passage which they would implement all the same strategies that Kate just modeled for them. Kate then filled me on how using this type of reading comprehension work has really helped the readers in her classroom. Awesome job, Kate!

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Jen Bowler started her day strong this morning! I walked into Jen’s classroom at the end of their morning meeting and beginning of writer’s workshop. During the morning meeting Jen patiently gave reminders to students about expectations for this time. She had a student read her morning message and then clearly explained significant things that would be happening throughout the day. Then it was time to transition into writer’s workshop. Her students quickly transitioned back to their seats and got ready. For students who needed a reminder she said “ _______ read the room.” I was excited to be back in Jen’s class during this time as I was in her classroom for writer’s workshop last week during an observation. Students had just started their “Book Awards” assignment last week and they have made so much progress up until today. Jen gave the objective of the day which was for students to go into their books and find examples to support their reasons. She had all students re-read what their first reason was to refresh their memories before going into their books to look for examples. She said “keep that reason in your brain..” She then provided students an example before they went to do it on their own. It was great being back in your class, Jen!

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This morning Marella was running a spelling group for 4th grade students. I only got to see the tail end of the group’s session but in that short amount of time I saw so many great things! It appeared that the groups focus for the day was remembering when to use er vs ir. Marella was sharing strategies about the different ways people remember things. She asked her students “What kind of memory do you think you have?” and she explained that people can remember things by looking at pictures, seeing certain words, or even moving their bodies. She went around the group and asked each student what was something they vividly remembered.  After each student shared she gave input on how she thought they remembered things. For example one student shared a memory of something they did that they really enjoyed. Marella said back to the student “it seems like you have a strong memory for things that are enjoyable to you.” Marella challenged students to think of how they could use their memory strategy to remember when to use er or ir. Marella always does a great job engaging students she is working with!!!

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Marielle Benanti! (That’s all you need ;)

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Marielle Benanti! (That’s all you need ;)

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I want to give the BIGGEST shout out Marielle Benanti! I meet with Marielle Benanti on Wednesday mornings (formally), but I’ll tell you that’s not the only times I meet with her! Marielle Benanti technically only works directly with one child in my class, but she is there for me and ALL of my students whenever we need her. I am always stopping by Benanti’s office throughout the day, whether it’s for a quick hi, an anecdote, or in need for her support/magic. Marielle Benanti has been there for me (as an educator) and for my student since the day she started. She ALWAYS takes the time out of her day to help me— help my kids. She has provided me with so many great resources that I used to support my students or my families.  Thank you Marielle Benanti for all that you do! I want you to know how grateful I am to have you down the hall ;)

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Today I slipped into Laurie Carlson’s room during her reading block. On the SmartBoard were six stations labeled. As I walked around the room students were working in groups of 3-4 on a specific phonics/word work goal. Some students were working with prefixes, sight words, review vowel teams, weekly fundations, Lexia, and partner reading.  It was amazing how engaged and focused her students were. I was also super impressed with how regulated they were. Students were working quietly and were dispersed throughout the classroom. There were even labels in the classroom to show student what station they were at and where to go to next.

Laurie I was so inspired by your stations. It’s such a great way to spend time on sight words and review old spelling rules that still need practice. You could tell that put in a lot of work and effort to set up those phonics stations. You are always so creative and original, constantly coming up with something new to teach or something new to try. You clearly have built a classroom around effort, respect, and responsibility! You should be so proud of what you have in your 36+ years of teaching ❤️

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Last time I visited Jenna, she was circulating and supporting her students while they wrote birthday messages for a classmate. Today I was excited to see she was teaching a math mini lesson on skip counting. They've already learned how to skip count (or at least the concept behind it) by the time they get to me, so it was so cool to watch it being taught! She chose her words so carefully and thoughtfully, speaking slowly but still naturally. Jenna has this positive energy about her when she teaches a lesson. She was smiling and sharing such enthusiasm. She encouraged curiosity and problem solving in her kids, engaging them through every step. It sure made me love learning math!

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Kendra is so amazing! She was also doing an es/s ending lesson whole group on the rug. There were some students who were entering the room back from services. Kendra pointed out that she was impressed with these students coming in and noticing where they needed to be and what materials they should get. As Kendra worked through the lesson with them, I was amazed at the phonics vocabulary that first graders used like “suffix” and “base word”. Very impressive! Kendra has such amazing wait time and worked through any errors that kids made so smoothly. I loved how she calls them all “readers” and said things like, “your neurons are really connecting in your brain!” Kendra has a lot of different personalities and needs in her room and I am always in awe of how she handles everything with so much patience. Thanks for always being so welcoming too!

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I was so excited to visit Tara’s classroom yesterday again! Her class was doing a sort focusing on es/s endings. There was a model on the board and all her kids were super focused! Tara was going around working with different students and saying the words they were sorting with both endings, which helped her kids a lot! It was clear that all her kids knew what to do when they were done, and many of them transitioned seamlessly to their next activity after completing the sort. She also had some kids tell her what they were supposed to do when the finished, which was clearly a helpful strategy too. It is always so calm in Tara’s room and I love getting to visit!

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I brought it back to the good ol' days of watching Christina teach math with such ease! Today was fourth graders first venture into decimals and WOW your students really understood it! I loved how you clearly set expectations for using their whiteboards and keeping them all focused. You also used a great strategy for helping a struggling student by having them make the visual for the place values. I definitely stole some of your language when I taught the same lesson an hour later!!

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This morning I observed Cindy helping students prepare for MCAS. She did a great job at walking them through the steps to prepare for write an information paragraph. Her students clearly understood what to do as they were able to tell her main ideas and supporting details. Cindy had great strategies for helping wiggly students bring their attention back to the lesson. They are going to be read and confident when testing time begins!

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Doherty and I had the same idea, apparently doing some of the same observations! I hadn't yet been in Tara and Crystal's room, so I hurried over there after the library. I loved being in there for some Daily 5! Crystal was sitting at one table but was able to support several kids at the two tables near her, multi-tasking like a boss. She helped sound out spelling words, encouraged writers, and troubleshot iPad challenges. She used humor, laughing along with her students, always with a calm voice. Tara, meanwhile, was doing some relationship building when I first got there. She was at her back table with one of her students from last year. He's moving next week and came to show her how Prodigy works. Of course kids loving coming back to see her! Her students were all self sufficient, working and collaborating quietly, allowing her to work with her former student. Then she started circulating around the room, checking in with kids. She eventually pulled up a chair to one table to engage those students. She was supportive, enthusiastic, and used her super soothing Tara voice. I just didn't want to leave!!

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Reading with Rose (has someone already used that title?)

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Reading with Rose (has someone already used that title?)

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I wanted to get a chance to watch Rose in action, and I got to today! Her students knew the exact routines. They were all sitting quietly at tables, engaged in reading their books. Even Ms. Doherty was reading quietly with some students at a table! Rose walked around quietly, checking in with students, reinforcing the expectations. The whole time she had that contagious Rose smile on! When it was time to go, she gave the directions once, and everyone followed right away. So peaceful in there

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I snuck into Tara’s room this morning (of course I can’t really sneak into any room since kids always want to know why I’m out of the gym, but I tried) as they were discussing Main Ideas. Tara has such an amazing way with students, she’s always so calm and sweet, and her room felt inviting right away. She used signals to see when students knew an answer, as well as the turn-and-talk strategy. When it was time to leave the rug she put directions on the board, explained them, and asked a student to explain them in their own words. As students were reading and looking for main ideas, Tara and Crystal were circulating the room and stopping often to discuss with students and have them explain their reasoning. Some students were reading out loud, others silently, and some had noise reducing headphones to help them focus. They were able to sit anywhere in the room and it seemed like they all chose great spots. I just love to see how all different classrooms work. Thanks Tara and Crystal!

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Earlier this morning I stopped by Carolyn's room to observe her class as they began a math lesson. She began by clearly stating their new math vocabulary, and what they would be learning about. Students were asked to do mental math while at the rug and Carolyn was sure to give wait time with each question she asked the group. She pointed out positive behaviors as they happened, one student had a fidget that he was using well, a student with a visual impairment had an iPad so that he could see what was on the board, and she used a couple of different strategies to regain attention when needed. She was working well to meet the needs of different students which was clear. I was able to make a connection with P.E. regarding column/row language and something I need to fix for next year to help our students. Thanks Carolyn!

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We are scoring most of the day's posts in the early afternoon on any given day. If you post later in the evening, we have been updating them in the morning as needed/if possible. If you are posting a couple days later, sometimes it's just being added to the current day.

Rest assured all the points are being counted!

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Today was my first time observing a library class in action in YEARS. While so many things have changed in education, it made me happy that library is still very similar to what it used to be - kids being read to, and having a chance to read on their own and choose what interests them. It's clear that Rose loves what she does, and her and Jitka work hard to keep our library awesome. When I got there some students were checking out books, some were looking for books, and others were seated and reading. It was calm and relaxing. Rose was circulating and chatting with students to help them find what they were looking for, and to help them decide what they were interested in reading, while also managing students being too noisy. Book marks were provided in case students needed them which is a great idea. It was such an inviting environment and I'm glad I got to check it out.