Because You Care

What are you doing to connect with students?  Do your students really know you care?

If you need help in this department - the department of caring - read this, this and this.  The last this is one of Upcycled Education's most popular posts.

My best,

Jen

A New Take on Class Meetings

You probably remember Dr. I from her guest post here.  Welcome back, Dr. I!  Explain a new take on class meetings to the Upcycled community, please......(and PS - I miss you since you moved to SD!)

(Graphic from The Graphic Fairy; Picniked by Jen)

Many classrooms hold weekly class meetings to help build a positive classroom environment and for each student to have a voice and feel like part of a learning community.

The class meeting structure at one school in San Diego is called CPR (Concerns, Praises, Responsibilities) and it is used in grades 2-5.  My daughter’s teacher, and I agree starting class meetings on a positive note sets the stage for a successful meeting.

• Praises (students compliment one another for something great they did that week….like being a good study partner)
• Responsibilities (students are given the opportunity to take responsibility for something they did, without being prompted … like apologizing for taking someone’s pencil)
• Concerns (students can raise a concern about another student….but it cannot be something that the student already took responsibility for … also, the teacher does not allow more than two concerns to be raised about the same student)

I LOVE the structure of this class meeting and think that it is developmentally appropriate for 7-10 year olds.  The second graders would need more teacher support to learn how the process works, but by the time the students get to 4^th or 5^th grade, they could probably run the meeting themselves.  Talk about empowerment!

Dr. I, I love this class meeting line-up, too, as it promotes student ownership and civility.

Thank you for sharing and big thanks to Ms. H and her colleagues at Francis Parker for making this a vital part of students' days.

All the best,

Jen

Giving Back for All Ages

  Since I literally have the most creative, brightest, college students in the world, I've asked them to join Upcycled Education and blog with me.  Please welcome, student blogger:  Kim.  You might remember her from her maiden post here.

About Kim:
I am a parent, educator-in-training, COG Kids Contributor, recycler of almost everything, self-proclaimed artist, craver of all things hot, really awful singer, & very loyal friend.  I'd like to add, Kim is an amazing student. A-MA-ZING.

Kim, take it away...

Thinking about Martin Luther King, Jr. made me think about this….

As a teacher-in-training, I believe creating a sense of community in the classroom is important.  But, what about getting our students to think about their actual community, and getting them involved in giving back? I believe that giving back to our community through volunteering time, donating goods, and cooperative collaboration creates not only better, stronger communities, but better citizens of our planet. 

Further, I believe that everyone, no matter their age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status, has the capacity to make meaningful contributions to the community.  That being said, here are a few ways to get your students psyched about making their community a better place to live:

• Keep a shredder in your classroom and shred all of your class’s scrap paper.  Local animal shelters and rescues use shredded paper (no staples please!) for bedding.  Drop off the bags monthly “in honor of” whichever students have a birthday that month.
• Make stuff, sell it, and use the money for more fun stuff!  For example, I plan on teaching science.  Perhaps, in one of my environmental lessons, I can incorporate rain and the use of rain barrels to conserve and repurpose water.  Then, my students and I can build a handful of rain barrels (maybe with donated or reclaimed supplies) and either donate the rain barrels or sell them.  We can use the money to fund more awesome science lessons and projects. 
• Create a community garden.   Start the seeds and nurture them in class, then they can be transplanted.  Even if you do not have a plot of land for a garden, container gardening is really convenient.  Encourage any student who wants to take any seedlings home to do so and to document the plant in its new environment.  OR donate the small plants to a local organization or community garden.
• Keep your students informed of ways that they can volunteer in their community.  For example, I am a contributing member of Chesapeake Outdoor Group for Kids (COG Kids).  In addition to lots of fun events, we also host a few volunteer days throughout the year, such as bagged lunch assemblies for a local shelter, our Earth Day weeding and gardening at a local non-profit, and a beach clean up at a local park. 
• Check your local and state volunteer networks to find creative ideas.  In Maryland, this is a great one here; most states have something similar.

Kim, thank you for reminding us that people of any age can give back.  Upcyclists, how do you plan to "give back" for 2012?  Leave your ideas and comments below.

As always, Kim, you are talented and bright.  I can't wait for you to have your own classroom of students!

Best,

Jen

Squirrels and Learning

My colleague shared this video with me.  Her daughter, E, is studying education at a nearby college and her clever professor, Professor Wilson, shared the video during an education class. I. Love. This. Video.  It is appropriate viewing for teachers, parents and all allies.

For my education students, see if you can make connections to scaffolding, modeling, the importance of clear learning goals and objectives, the significance of caring adults, IFSPs/IEPs, and any other edu-ideas that come to you.  Leave your comments below under the "comment" feature.  Like all YouTube videos, you can make the video larger by clicking on the full screen option located at the bottom, right corner of the video window.

I'm looking forward to your reactions and connections.  Big thanks, to my colleague, E, and Professor Wilson for sharing this video with me and agreeing it would be blog-worthy.

All the best,
Jen

Caring Classrooms

There is a MUST-DO activity that I begin on the first day of school.  Once begun and continued, it changes the entire classroom being.  Students want to come to class.  Students know they belong.  Students are engaged.  It's simple really.  Building a classroom community.  Building a place where students know each other's names.  Know how their classmates spend their free time.  Know that in this classroom all students are welcome regardless of skill level, intelligence, abilities, disabilities, athletic prowess, musical talents, skin tone, hair texture, the list goes on.

Simple, that is, if you begin on day one.  Simple, if you know building a classroom community is as important as tackling learning objectives.  Simple, if you consistently build that community during the first 4-8 weeks of school and then maintain it thereafter.  When you and your students are a community, the magic unfolds.

Many gurus write on the topic of classroom communities, but Laurie Frank is an all-star, in my book.  Her book, Journey Toward Caring Classrooms, is filled with research and gems for this must-do activity.  Activity might be too small of a word.  Let's call community building a movement.

If you want to preview the book before buying or scouting it at your public library, check out the free e-book version on Google books.  Laurie covers everything from active listening, to cooperation, to acquaintance activities, you name it.  It is everything you need to know to get started with classroom community building in one book.

Awesome.  Super awesome.

Jen