Finding Better Activities for Early Finishers

I have spent my Thanksgiving break thinking of a better way for my early finishers to use their time, especially during reading groups. I know a lot of teachers use centers, and I have been doing this. But I'm finding myself dissatisfied with the results. It works well for my more independent students, but some of my kids are having a hard time staying focused. I've decided to expand my student's options for independent writing beyond "write in your journal". For example, I've put together a newspaper template for students. You can find it here.

What is dyscalculia? It's kind of like dyslexia for math. A student with dyscalculia can have normal or even above average intelligence and struggle with math. About 2-5% of students have dyscalculia, so while you may not have a student with dyscalculia in your class every year, you are almost certain to come across a student with this problem. How can you tell if a student has dyscalculia? Look for a student who has extreme difficulty estimating a number of objects. Most students can glance at a small number of objects (5 or fewer) and be able to tell you the number without counting. A student with dyscalculia can look at a group of three objects and will need to count them to tell you the number. This site is one of my favorite go to places for information about dyscalculia. http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/schools-colleges-and-universities/dyscalculia.html

You have got to read How Children Succeed by Paul Tough. According to this book academic skills and intelligence are not enough to enable children to succeed. Children also need some important character traits such as perseverance, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control. This is especially true for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. I find this book very exciting. I can really see what he is talking about as it plays out in my classroom. The most interesting question is whether these traits are something that can be taught. The evidence seems to suggest that teachers and parents can encourage the development of these traits.

I Think I'm in Love...with the Common Core Standards

Pretty much everyone involved with education has heard about the Common Core Standards. They've been adopted by over 40 states as well as the Department of Defense.

I have to admit that I was skeptical at first. After all, my state already has some pretty solid standards. In fact all fifty states have worked out a set of educational standards. I just wasn't sure how the Common Core Standards could improve what we already had.

After looking the standards over, I'm feeling very positive about the change. There really is a move toward higher order thinking. This is just the kind of thing that I have been wanting to see. It really does seem to be replacing low level drills with an emphasis on a more thoughtful approach to instruction. I like the separate section on speaking and listening skills. This area has traditionally been overlooked, but it can be so important, especially for younger students. It also provides a place for foundation skills like phonics and fluency. I'm old enough to remember a time when a faddish approach to teaching reading downplayed these skills. The standards have a more balanced approach that affirms the importance of these basic skills while also emphasizing the importance of comprehension.

This site gives an excellent overview of the standards: http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

It is easy to navigate and presents all the standards by grade level in a format that is easy to access. In addition, it lists all the states that have signed on to the standards and explains the ideas about learning that shape the standards. I especially love the recommended texts for each grade level. If your state is one of the many that have adopted the Common Core Standards, you will definitely want to check this out.

Word Stretchers

Many children benefit from having a more hands on way of modeling a concept. This word stretcher really works well for my more tactile learners. It's easy to make. All you need is an elastic band, some small, sticky backed Velcro patches, and a set of letters printed on card stock. Put the patches side-by-side on the elastic band, and put the corresponding patches on the back of the letters. These can be used to model stretching out words to isolate their individual sounds and then blending them together by stretching the letters apart and letting them come together.

These patches can also be used on a more solid backing like foam board for holding letters during word work. It's much more sturdy than a flannel board. Here is a set of letters that you can use for this project.

Brain Muscles

A few years ago I read an article that radically changed my teaching practice. According to this article, research shows that, contrary to what we have assumed in the past, praise can have a negative effect on student achievement. For example, being identified as gifted can cause some students to go into an academic tailspin and refuse to even try any activity that looks challenging. I had seen this in my classroom, and it puzzled me. Some of my highest achievers would usually sail through math with ease, but if they were confronted with a problem they couldn't solve immediately, they would shut down. The problem is that when children are praised for being smart, their self image gets caught up with the idea of being intelligent. They would rather fail because they didn't even try than to make an effort and feel like they're not smart. Fortunately there is a solution for this problem. Researchers have found that when students are taught that the brain is like a muscle and if they work hard they can become smarter, this makes a huge difference.

I took this idea into my classroom, and I was amazed at how well it worked. Now I do this every year, and the results are fabulous. I explain that the brain is like a muscle so that if you work your brain, it will get stronger. Then I ask, "If you only lift light things like a pencil or a piece of paper, will that make your muscles strong?" The children are so serious as they shake their heads. "Did the Broncos (I live in Colorado where it's pretty much mandatory to be a Broncos fan) get to be a great team by just sitting around and doing easy things? No way! They train hard every day. If I just ask you easy questions that you can answer right away, you are not going to get a strong brain. I am going to ask you hard questions. You are going to need to really think hard to get the answer, and you might get it wrong the first time. But if you keep trying, you will get it right and your brain will be so strong!" Then I teach them the "strong brain" cheer where they flex their muscles to show that their brains are getting stronger.

Of course, this means that I need to hold up my end of the bargain. I have to ask challenging questions and give the students problems that they may not be able to answer on the first try. They need to see that effort pays off. Sometimes after my students have been working on something really challenging, I'll wipe my hand across my brow, and say, "Wow, that was really hard. Can you feel how much stronger your brain has gotten?" I knew I was on the right track when a little boy told me, "Mrs. Tefft, if I keep reading chapter books, my brain will be a strong as a dinosaur!"

The Number Pull

This is a number pull. I love it because it helps students to develop a strong number sense. It consists of two parallel rows of beads, ten on the top and ten on the bottom. Then students can show a number by pulling beads to the other side. The real fun begins when you challenge children to show a number greater than ten in two pulls. This can be done in different ways.

Here is twelve shown as two pulls of six.

This shows twelve done as one pull of ten and one pull of two.

You can challenge the students to try to see how many different ways they can make a number with two pulls. The kids really get a kick out of it, and it helps them to think about numbers in a more flexible way.

They are inexpensive and easy to make. I was able to buy everything that I needed from Hobby Lobby for a class set for under $15. You will need pipe cleaners, 5 X 8 inch foam sheets, beads in two colors, a hole puncher, and a ruler.

Punch two holes on the 5 inch side of the foam sheet. The hole should be about two inches from the corner.

Secure the pipe cleaners in the holes on one side.

String ten beads on each pipe cleaner using five beads of each color.

Push the ends of the pipe cleaners through the holes on the other side of the foam sheet. Bend the ends of the pipe cleaner to secure it.

Students can use these to gain fluency with addition and subtraction. It really helps them to understand place value as well.