This really can't be happening. There is no way that it is already December 19th. Hopefully UPS delivers my last-minute purchases this week! I won't admit how much shopping I actually did for myself. That's between me and Amazon, and Kohl's, and Very Bradley....
December has been packed! Curriculum Review Teams, Literacy Professional Learning, and Math Recovery meetings, just to name a few. I know you teachers feel it even more than I do! You all are the equivalent of Super Heroes this month! I am eternally grateful for all you do for the children in your care. Just a few more days of crazy before you can take a minute to relax!
We had fantastic meetings with second and first grade teachers. I heard you loud and clear: you want writing! I am working on it, I promise! We will spend a good chunk of our third meeting together talking about writing.
Writing is something I began to embrace last year when I heard your frustration surrounding instruction, ideas, and handwriting. This is what I have to offer right now. Slow down. It's okay. Work together on writing pieces. You don't have to correct every little thing, you'll drive yourself mad, and children will just see their myriad of mistakes. Change your audience. Let kids choose what they want to write about and who they want that writing to go to. Follow through.
Here's where some of you will disagree with me: ease up on the handwriting practice! Research supports 10-15 minutes of practice a day, broken up into several smaller chunks. Let some things go. Does is really matter if they go top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top if it's legible? Most students in first grade and up have developed letter writing habits that will be difficult to change. Choose your battles. Work on handwriting in authentic writing experiences. There is one first grade teacher I know who completely gave up the handwriting worksheets and things are moving along better than when she depended on them for practice!
Here's an article you might find helpful. It discusses the cursive debate:
December has been packed! Curriculum Review Teams, Literacy Professional Learning, and Math Recovery meetings, just to name a few. I know you teachers feel it even more than I do! You all are the equivalent of Super Heroes this month! I am eternally grateful for all you do for the children in your care. Just a few more days of crazy before you can take a minute to relax!
We had fantastic meetings with second and first grade teachers. I heard you loud and clear: you want writing! I am working on it, I promise! We will spend a good chunk of our third meeting together talking about writing.
Writing is something I began to embrace last year when I heard your frustration surrounding instruction, ideas, and handwriting. This is what I have to offer right now. Slow down. It's okay. Work together on writing pieces. You don't have to correct every little thing, you'll drive yourself mad, and children will just see their myriad of mistakes. Change your audience. Let kids choose what they want to write about and who they want that writing to go to. Follow through.
Here's where some of you will disagree with me: ease up on the handwriting practice! Research supports 10-15 minutes of practice a day, broken up into several smaller chunks. Let some things go. Does is really matter if they go top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top if it's legible? Most students in first grade and up have developed letter writing habits that will be difficult to change. Choose your battles. Work on handwriting in authentic writing experiences. There is one first grade teacher I know who completely gave up the handwriting worksheets and things are moving along better than when she depended on them for practice!
Here's an article you might find helpful. It discusses the cursive debate:
I finally found the Holy Grail, a research-informed article on handwriting. I will share at our upcoming grade level meetings, but I'll give you all a preview with one statement: "Wherever readability is important, (highway signs, newspapers, novels, newspapers, television) manuscript letters are used." I'll just leave that right there.
We have one more semester left; five more months with the little ones left in our care. Take the break you all deserve. Binge watch Downton Abbey or The Defiant Ones (the choice of my best friend). I'll be here when you hit the ground running in January. I'm looking forward to more curriculum review teams, grade level literacy professional learning, and AVMR Course 2!
Merry Christmas to all!
We have one more semester left; five more months with the little ones left in our care. Take the break you all deserve. Binge watch Downton Abbey or The Defiant Ones (the choice of my best friend). I'll be here when you hit the ground running in January. I'm looking forward to more curriculum review teams, grade level literacy professional learning, and AVMR Course 2!
Merry Christmas to all!