Podcast: Learning at Lely - Episode 5

In this episode, two teachers who are new to Lely Elementary, talk about the challenges of being a first year teacher, or being a first year teacher in a new school, and the ebbs and flows of the first semester. They talk philosophy and learning and have many valuable observations to share.

Math and Muffins

Another day, another triumph at Lely Elementary School. Earlier this year, we had an amazing standing-room-only turnout for our morning program, Books and Bagels. A couple of weeks ago, we put on another morning program, Math and Muffins. Now, early morning programs are not all that well-attended in general, especially considering the work responsibilities of our students' parents. We thought that the Books and Bagels success may just be a fluke. Well, we could not have been more wrong.

The media center was packed again. Parents streamed into the library with their kiddos, grabbed a bite to eat, and then settled in for some math pointers from Patti Jones-Ragusa, our math coach. For the second time in two months, we had a standing-room-only crowd in the media center, finding out ways to help their kids and support our school. It was awesome to witness.

I've talked a lot about a rejuvenated spirit here at Lely Elementary this year. When we have successes like Math and Muffins, it breeds success. Suddenly, we expect more. When we expect more, we work a little harder to meet those expectations. The hard work pays off by snowballing into a series of positive events.

We have higher aspirations now. We know we can turn out a crowd for our morning programs and can elicit parent participation at school events. As our community involvement increases, so too will our achievement. We cannot wait to see what successes lie ahead for our kids. We know that our positive attitude toward our school is contagious. This is an awesome year to be at Lely Elementary.

Podcast: Learning at Lely - Episode 4

In this episode, Lely Elementary Academic Coaches Karen Pelletier (Reading) and Patti Jones Ragusa (Math) talk about their roles in the school, special programs they put on, and the challenges of implementing effective reading and math programs in an elementary school. Contact us on Twitter (Don @dayankee or Karen @karenpell13) to collaborate!

Incentivizing Reading

Like any teacher or librarian, I want kids to read for the same reasons that adults read - to grow as people and to have fulfilling reading experiences. Sometimes kids read for those reasons, but a lot of times they don't. In school, kids read for assignments, to take reading tests, or to complete readings assigned by the teachers. This is reading not of their choosing. Often they consider reading a chore that they would rather not do. So how do we get them in the habit of reading? How do we convince them that reading can be fun? How do we show them that reading is fulfilling if they find the right books to read?

One way that we help kids develop the habit of reading is to incentivize reading. Now, we do this because we want to hook kids into reading and, after kids find the books they love, let them read and read and read. So often, kids will not even give reading a shot unless we can somehow hook them. Our incentives often provide that hook. A student may not want to read just to read or complete an assignment, but if there is an incentive or a competition, they often will give it a try.

We have developed a fun incentive program here in the Lely Elementary Media Center in order to encourage more kids to reach their reading goals. First, I got a huge reading trophy that will travel from quarter to quarter to the class that has the most kids reach their reading goals. This quarter, it went to Mrs. Knudsen's class. In addition to keeping the trophy for the quarter, they also received a banner proclaiming them Reading Champions that they will keep forever in the classroom.

Mrs. Knudsen's kids had no idea that they were the reading champions. Principal Tammy Brown and I unlocked their classroom door one morning and were greeted by a stunned group of faces. Mrs. Brown held the trophy high in the air and announced that they were the Quarter 1 Reading Champions. I unfurled their banner to show them. Then, we took a few pictures to commemorate the moment and made the appropriate school announcement. While this class is proud of what they have accomplished, other classes are now vowing to take that trophy away. I think we have started a fun little competition.

We have also incentivized reading individually. Any student who has reached their reading goals is brought to the media center to spin our big wheel. When they spin the wheel, they land on a space that tells them how many prize box items they can pick. Everyone wants to spin the wheel!

While we know that we want kids to read for pleasure and fulfillment, sometimes we have to incentivize them to develop the habit. That's what we're doing here and it seems to be working. Circulation is way up in the media center, kids are reading more, and they are feeling better about their reading. They are seeing reading more and more as something they want to do. Some are doing it only for the incentives, but more of them are figuring out that they really like reading, especially when they find the books they love.

Facebook Read Alouds

One thing that we all know is that kids need and love to be read to. It doesn't matter what age they are, they love it. Adults also like to be read to. Just look at the popularity of audio books. The evidence is clear. For students it is much more imperative that we read to them everyday. The more words that kids hear, the better their reading development. Kids need to read on their own, listen to stories, and read text with audio support. They need to be immersed in language from birth.

Many kids, for one reason or another, don't have someone at home to read to them. Maybe they don't have someone at home who is confident enough to read to them. Maybe they have no books. There are dozens of reasons why kids don't hear stories.

We decided to try to help. This week, we initiated a weekly (hopefully) event where we have a teacher record a reading of a children's book. We upload this video to our media center Facebook page, facebook.com/lelymediacenter, so that kids can watch and listen to an adult read them a story. Now, this assumes that a child will have the technology at home to get to our page, and also that they have access to our Facebook page. We are working toward that goal by getting all of our Lely families to "Like" our Facebook page.

This idea is an exercise in outreach. We know that schools are community centers and we have to extend out from the physical building to help kids learn. We have to offer some sort of support 24/7 so that kids have access to learning material. Our Facebook Read Alouds represent just one way that we are trying to accomplish our goal. As the year goes on, we will have a nice collection of read alouds for the kids to use. They also get to see some of their favorite teachers reading them a story whenever they want to watch. We hope that this idea sparks the imagination of kids even while they are away from school.

Our first Facebook Read Aloud was done by Megan Lindburg who read her own book, Conrad the Courageous.

Podcast: Learning at Lely - Episode 3

In this episode, Lely Elementary School counselors Tanja Smith and Nicholas Suarez talk about the Leader in Me program that we are implementing here at Lely Elementary. They talk about how their roles in the school have been tweaked, the buy-in from the teachers and students, and the expectation for the program long-term. Contact us to collaborate. Twitter: @dayankee

Tents, Passports, and Story Time!

My vision of the media center at Lely Elementary is one where there is always something cool going on. Kids will come down to work, read, build, create, think, invent, innovate, and collaborate. I love when teachers walk through and see the kids deeply invested in what they are doing. They normally take a second look to see exactly what the kids are working on. That's cool. I love that.

One of the ways we're trying to make our media center more kid-friendly is by changing the physical environment. To that end, I made a few reading tents. The idea was that kids could come in and take a book into a tent to read. It would be a more solitary environment for reading, and the kids would like the tent-aspect. I made the tents with PVC pipe and animal print curtains that go along with our media center theme. Well, the tents are a hit. Kids LOVE them! We've got two placed in the media center now and there is one more on the way. The tents represent one step forward in our evolution. 

While we have some hits, we also have a few misses. Since I've never done this before, I am making mistakes, and trying to turn those mistakes into opportunities. It doesn't always work, but sometimes it does. At the beginning of the year, we started giving stickers for each returned book. Well, that turned out to be a whole lot of stickers. A lot! After thinking things through a bit, we decided to create Passports to Reading. We made little passport books for the kids to keep with them. When they return a book, we stamp their passport. We have different stamps so that it's not the same design or logo on every page, but the kids like it because it is like having a passport stamped upon entering another country. We like it because it is cheap :) 

In the morning before school, we have Maker Mornings where kids can come in for a half hour before school starts. During this time, they can read, do homework, or use the MakerSpace. Without a doubt, the MakerSpace is the most popular attraction. However, one morning last week, I looked over into the reading corner to find a fifth grade student with a group of younger kids. When I walked over to see what was going on, I realized that the fifth grader had picked up a puppet and was creating an impromptu story for the younger kids. I watched as he wove a tale about the monkey puppet. The younger kids ate it up. I was reminded that kids can do some really amazing things and I love that this media center offers them an environment where they feel that they can stretch themselves and try new things. That is exactly the environment we are trying to create here!

Kids and Their Dads

We continue to be stoked about the support that we are getting from parents this year. Last week, it was Dads Take Your Kids to School Day. We expected semi-large group of dads to bring in their kids, eat breakfast with them, participate in the short program, and head home or to work. In these times, it is very difficult for parents to schedule time off of their jobs in order to attend school functions. We kept our expectations in check.

Well, our expectations were wayyyy off. We had over 230 attendees that morning! In fact, we had to annex a few other school spaces to accommodate the group. Dads came to school. Boy, did they come in! I think that everyone feels the makings of something special at Lely Elementary School. Our administration is giving us every opportunity to succeed and teachers are spreading their wings. They are using those opportunities to try new things, collaborate differently, and do their best to meet the needs of the students in their classes. There is a tangible, positive vibe at Lely Elementary and the community recognizes it and wants to be a part of it.

Our morning with our dads was the second morning event (along with Bagels and Books) that we held this year and both of those events had overflow crowds. While the huge number of parents may make things tricky logistically, we gladly scramble to accommodate the large group because we know it means more support for the kids. So far this year, we see that investments we are making in the students and community are paying huge dividends and we are enthusiastic about greater things down the road.

Books and Bagels

One of the things I love about being at Lely Elementary is the total, complete commitment to reading. Every teacher in the building works on reading skills and fostering a love of reading in their students. Once in a while, there comes an event that blows our minds. Books and Bagels was one such event.

When planning events where parents are invited, we tend to keep our expectations reasonable because we recognize the reality of parenting and schooling. Parents have to work more than ever to provide for their children, often two and three jobs. We know that a parent's time is precious and so sometimes school visits have a lower priority. So, we expected a dozen or so parents at our Books and Bagels event. We held it in the morning before school and it required parents to come to school for a half hour and read with their kids.

To say that we were pleasantly surprised by the turnout would be an understatement. Our unofficial head count was 90. 90! We had a standing-room-only crowd in the media center. It was amazing! Our reading coach, Karen Pelletier (@karenpell13), had everything set up and ready to go by the time parents got there. The books were separated, the bagels were set out, and the chairs and tables were set up for maximum benefit. Other teachers who are always there to help (@karendent3rd, @Mrs_EHall) also pitched in to make the morning a huge success. Karen instructed the parents about effective ways to help their kids practice reading and then gave the parents time to read with their kids. It was beautiful. 

As we milled around the media center, we heard all kinds of great conversations between kids and parents. We listened and smiled. This is exactly what we wanted to see. 

With this huge success under our belts, we look forward to more wonderful morning sessions. We have the upcoming Dads Bring Your Kids to School Day, and Muffins and Math later this year. Our expectations will never again be "reasonable"; we are learning that our parents are very involved in their kids' education when given the opportunity. We will make sure they have those opportunities.

Learning at Lely - Episode 2

In this episode, Megan Lindburg, first grade teacher and children's book author, talks about her book, her creative process, and the stories behind the characters in her book. Contact me on Twitter at @dayankee to contact Megan or myself. We are always up for collaboration!

A Beautiful Sight to See

One of the things I love to see is kids discovering something that completely "wows" them. It's one of the reasons I chose education as my profession. Those light bulb moments are what we educators live for sometimes.

The other day, a fourth grade teacher, Karen Dent, brought her class in for some MakerSpace time. They were pretty excited because they had seen the MakerSpace before but I had only put out the Legos, Keva Planks, art supplies, Picasso Tiles and other building materials. I had been waiting for a class or small group to start experimenting with some of the more techy gadgets. Mrs. Dent said that her kids would be that group.

The kiddos came in, sat down, and took a look at two one-minute videos. One showed the Makey Makey and the other showed Bloxels. During the Makey Makey video, the kids were amazed. "What?!" one said. "Whoa!" another responded. It was the same during the Bloxels video. After the videos were over, I told them that neither Mrs. Dent nor myself knew how to use either of these technologies and that it would be up to them to figure them out. We made it clear that we would not help them in any way because we couldn't. Well, to say they were up to the task is an understatement.

Within ten minutes, these kids had organized themselves into groups, unboxed both of the tech packs, and started working. The Makey Makey group plugged the circuit board into an available laptop and started experimenting with the alligator clips. They grabbed some Legos from the table and used them to discover some of the capabilities of the device. Each group member had a different idea for something to use. There was a lot of cooperation and back-and-forth while they devised different ways to experiment with the Makey Makey. It was so cool to watch! These kids were learning without any adult input or interference.

The Bloxel groups were just as excited to figure out how that gadget worked. By the time I left the Makey Makey group, the Bloxel group had already started designing. They were well on their way to creating an interface to use with the iPad app. Because they had a real-life goal and a limited amount of time to achieve that goal, these kids approached the project with a sense of urgency. It was learning disguised as play.

When our time ran out, we agreed that we would reconvene in order to use these gadgets more and advance our learning. My real goal is for these kids to become experts in this technology so that they can teach other students. In a few weeks, I will have a dozen or so experts in Makey Makey and Bloxels and I can have them teach the other kids how to use those items. Then, we bring a few more technology tools out and learn those. By the end of first semester, we will have kids who have mastered all of the technology that we have. We'll just need to get more!

This is the kind of learning I love to see. It is genuine, relevant, authentic learning where the kids are the driving force behind the learning. It is a collaborative project where kids make the decisions, fail, revise, and try again. There is no instruction manual and Mrs. Dent and I made sure that they could not rely on us for answers. They had to be self-sufficient, and they were! It was a beautiful sight to see.

Learning at Lely - Our New Podcast

I think that when you ask people, they will admit that teachers do not get enough positive accolades for the work that they do. You see it in the trashing of public education on a regular basis. Nearly everyone has a gripe and they're not afraid to speak up. However, when you see what educators do in order to teach their kids, you are amazed. Teachers are real heroes. They have to be nearly everything to every kid. It is an impossible job but most are able to pull it off. When visitors come through schools, they stand slack-jawed, amazed at the energy and passion with which most educators approach their profession. Teachers are amazing. I've known hundreds and hundreds over the course of my 30+ years in the profession.

One thing I always wanted to do was highlight the good work that teachers do in the classroom everyday. Some of it is spectacular and unique, and some of it seems mundane but is incredibly effective. The teachers with whom we entrust with our kids are able to pull off miracles everyday. People need to hear these stories, see what is going on in the minds of today's teachers, and witness the creativity and passion that teachers bring to their positions. Periodically on this blog, I will highlight the good works of the teachers around me.

In an effort to profile some of the awesome things teachers are doing everyday, we started a podcast called "Learning at Lely". The podcast is an attempt to shine the spotlight on teachers who are doing great things in their classrooms and also take a peek behind the curtain and see how the ideas came about and how those ideas were effectively implemented. I hope that listeners get a sense of all of the planning and creating that goes on when the kids leave the classroom. The podcast is a tribute to the good works of today's educators, a celebration of their accomplishments. We hope that we can connect with other educators to collaborate on projects and share ideas.

The first podcast is linked below and I will always have the most current podcast available in the side column of this blog. Take a few minutes to listen to a couple of amazing teachers, Caitlyn Carbonell and Katleen Milito, as they talk about generating ideas, creating a healthy, positive environment for their kids, and why they put so much energy into their craft. It is always a privilege to listen to teachers share ideas, and this episode is no exception.

MakerSpace in the Media Center

MakerSpace is an increasingly popular educational space that schools, libraries, and community centers are incorporating in order to get kids thinking and creating. What is a MakerSpace? Well, a common definition is, "a collaborative work space inside a school, library, or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high tech to no tech tools." (Makerspace.com)

I love the idea of a MakerSpace and so I've begun building one inside our library at Lely Elementary School. It is a place, smack dab in the center of our media center space, where kids can come in and use the tools to create and learn. We have building materials, robots, art supplies, circuit boards, and other tech tools with which kids can work. We are still building the space and we hope that by the end of the semester, we have a lot more stuff for kids to use.

MakerSpaces are important because they allow the kids to illustrate their ideas, build their schematics, express their creativity. Kids spend a lot of time in classrooms learning how to do things a certain way, and rightfully so. We need to teach kids literacy in language, numbers, and technology. There are certain things that kids should learn and we do a good job of teaching them. However, a MakerSpace is a place where there are no instructions, no "recipes" for making something.

A good MakerSpace, in my view, would resemble Edison's lab, or DaVinci's studio, or Bell's work space, or Tesla's area. It would be a place where tools and materials are abundant, but the child would have to put those tools and materials together to fashion something completely unique. These spaces give us a peek into how a child thinks, what processes they go through in their decision-making, and how closely they realize their visions.

There are lots of ways to run a MakerSpace. Some have "lessons" that the kids can complete, some have "recipes" or step-by-step instructions for the kids, and some no instructions or lessons. Ours is the latter, and for good reason. Kids experience the lessons in the classroom. If we provide for them step-by-step instructions in the MakerSpace, we don't get a chance to see their original thinking. They will be simply learning how to do what someone else wants them to do. Edison had no instructions. DaVinci had no instructions. They simply used the tools at their disposal, failed a lot, and eventually came up with something amazing. Do I think all of our kids will come up with something amazing in the MakerSpace? Nope. But I would like to see what they do come up with and also see their minds open up to the possibilities around them. I would like to see them get some practice in original thinking and creating.

We often see the best from students when they come up with something on their own. Our MakerSpace is an attempt to give our kids that forum. Kids will get time to learn and play according to what interests them, what motivates them. Our kids may discover things they like and areas where they excel. It is discovery-learning at its best. This is the value of MakerSpace and it is the best reason for every school to incorporate a MakerSpace into their program. Kids love a place where they can tinker, wonder, revise, ponder, imagine, and create. Our kids will be better off for having a MakerSpace, and so will our schools.

First Day at My New School

Today was the first day of school, which is always an exciting time of year. This year, it's even more exciting for me. I've transitioned from Middle School ELA teacher to Elementary School Media Specialist. I've wanted to be a media specialist for a long time. Heck, I've been getting kids to love reading for 30+ years so it's only logical that I'd want to extend my reach to the entire school.

Today was special. A lot of teachers brought their classes down so I could meet them and nearly all of the kids checked out books. It was gratifying to see them browsing and asking questions of us and of their classmates. I got a kick out of seeing their faces light up when they saw a book they'd been wanting to read and immediately grabbed for it.

Our space is a good one, but it needs a refresh. I have ideas and plans about how to revise the space in the media center to make it more kid-friendly and improve the learning experience for all of the students. It will take a lot of hard work, input from our stakeholders, a collaborative effort from our staff, and a little magic. I'm confident that the space at the end of the year will be quite different from what it is now. It has been a good media center, but I want to look forward and renovate it with the next ten years in mind.

Sitting here now reflecting on the first day of school, I feel like we are on the right track. We will be able to accomplish great things this year, both in design and execution of a great library program. Our kids' needs are great, but I'm confident that we can help all of our kids realize their personal and academic goals. With the talent and experience of the teachers and staff at Lely Elementary, there is nothing but great times ahead. I am grateful to be starting the year at such an excellent place. I look forward to what this year will bring.