[Teacher Prep] Super-rific

Earlier this summer I was struck by a piece of brilliance. No jokes please....

I was watching the new Green Lantern movie and learning, for the first time, about the story of the Green Lanterns. Have you heard it?  I will 'splain. No. There is too much. I will sum up...

There are tons of Green Lanterns in the universe. Maybe not tons, but the movie showed a lot of them. They each have a "power ring" that is feed by strength of will. In fact, in the place where the green lanterns hang out there was a big swirling pot of "will" to feed the rings.* The lanterns have something to do with it, too. The point is, the true power of the Green Lanterns is their own strength and will. Cool huh?

Now, in the movie, their greatest enemy is Parallax. This turns out to be extra cool because it is a math term that I barely understand. The villain Parallax, according to Wikipedia, is the 92nd Greatest Villain of All Time. A dubious distinction to say the least. Or the most. Parallax has a variety of stories to his name, but the movie focused on the fact that his power comes from fear--the mortal enemy of strength of will. Fear limits our strength. We have to fight it by understanding not only our strength, but the fear as well. Deep stuff.

Where's the brilliance, you ask? I realized during the movie that my little lovies need to be Green Lanterns, and that Parallax is their greatest enemy (not their 92nd). I realized how damn cool superheroes are, and I decided to go hog-wild with them this school year.  Different superheroes have been assigned as mascot to different areas of my classroom.  

Green Lantern--Writing

Rogue from X-Men--Reading (more on that later)

Superman--Super Tricks for writing

Wonder Woman--Wonder Words for vocabulary

Wolverine from X-Men--the time away area or the  I-need-a-break-because-I'm-pissy area.

Thor--Thor's Hammer of Grammar

Captain America--I'm not sure yet, but he may be riding along with The Man on the White Horse.

Ironman--I don't know yet, but he's cool.  

As I write this, it sounds like it's too young for my students, but it is actually manifesting quite nicely. On the first day of school we used the superhero emblems as our mentor texts.*  We created a list of what kinds of things we learned from the similarities and differences of the symbols. We talked about color, symbology (yes, a word), origins--lots of stuff.  Then we each made our own superhero symbols. Next we are going to use the characters themselves as our mentor "texts" and create superheroes. This will lead into a study of graphic novels and the writing of graphic novels.  See where this is going?  We also have a world of villains to learn about!

I needed a little boost of energy this year, and the superhero theme has done it. It goes quite nicely with my whole teachers-as-cape-wearing-superheroes thing, and the kiddos are totally buying into it.  I can just feel it.   This year is going to be... super.  Yeah, I went there.

*Note--I read up on it and it's called the Central Battery on the Planet Oa watched over by the Guardians of the Universe.  Link here if you'd like to get similarly geeky.

*Note--A mentor text is a text that is used as an example of quality writing.  I am using the term "text" loosely here.  For more information about mentor texts either click here or keep following this blog since I'll be bending your ear about it all year.  

[Book Review] Not Really...

I will tell you up front that this is, in part, a smoke screen.  I have been staring at the "new post" page for more than two days* and don't know where to start. This happened last year too.  So, I am posting this to entertain you while I come up with a clear thought. I think it's cool, and will use it, but I understand it doesn't count as a pithy post. Forgiveness, please.

booklamp.org

*Note--Full disclosure... I haven't been staring at the actual screen for two days. I have looked at the screen periodically a few times over the course of the last few days. I have, in fact, been teaching my arse off. It's been good, I just have no words yet.

[Re-Post] First Day Thoughts

I am quite certain I will have a new set of first day thoughts to share, but in the meantime I will shamelessly re-post from last year.  I feel like this captures the first day for me.

Originally posted August 17, 2010...


Amid the hurley-burley of the new school year each little Lovie shakes out their feathers, stands up on their wobbly legs and knobby knees, and begins to explore their newest nest.   We watch them.  Let them try out their squawks and their chirps.  Let them tear through the day or tiptoe.  Let them push away our attempts to connect or to teach, or both.  Let them stand closer, move further away, and stand closer again.

All of the Lovies have come despite the fact that our school buses were cut from the budget.  Many are walking, some are on public transportation, and many parents have moved their schedules around to get them here.  We've tracked down bus passes for the poverty-stricken families, and researched bus routes for the less able.  They are here though, and hoping to stay.

We assess them, ask questions, try to learn about what they need, what they bring to us, and what they hope to take with them when they go.  Some are bigger versions of themselves these first few days.  Louder, more forceful, more likely to be the smart ass or to argue.  Some are smaller versions of themselves.  Quiet, taking up less space, unwilling to take a step out.  Both are finding the balance between who they are and who they will be in this classroom this year.

Some have come back from last year.  They came in with confidence and smiles, pointing out how they have changed over the Summer.  Some are taller, leaner, more serious.  Some are still goofy, silly, ready to have fun.  They look around the room and point out what has changed or stayed the same.  They dutifully report to the new ones that "this shelf used to be there" or "that is where the collection of blue things always is".    They ask for familiar performances of hiccup cures, magically changing white folders to "yellow," and the swiftness with which a caped teacher might don her cape.

The visitors start to arrive.  First two boys from the previous two years who were kicked out of their high school summer school, but plan to "get it together real soon." Then two more who were successful in summer school, but are nervous about high school starting.  The next day, a boy that has been in juvenile hall and came to say hello.  He leaves with a quiet "thank you."  They are all tall, and confident, and proud.  Eager to use our first names in conversation, but slipping immediately back to Ms. right afterwards.  Quiet, looking for familiarity, checking to see if the nest they built in previous years is still there.  It is, it just looks a little different.

All of this... it is an amazing way to earn a living.

[Teacher Prep] Gearing Up

Well my caped friends, it's nigh time to prepare for the return of my dear little poodle-heads. I have a fizzy energy about what this year might hold, but seem to be avoiding the classroom-preparation tasks ahead of me. My goal today?  I actually stop by my room. That's enough for a day, yes?

Mums the Word

Well my dears, school started nigh on three weeks ago and I have been... mum.

"Seal up your lips and give no words but mum." 

--Bill Shakespeare

It's not that it's a secret exactly.  It's just that if you were to ask me how it is going, I would say, "Mmmmm" and then lose track of the conversation almost immediately.  This is not, as it can be, because my brain is empty.  This is, as it can also be, because it is so FULL!  There is so much this year!  It all happened so quickly, and there is so much to say.  Any one story links to tens of others and then I am struck... mum.

So, where to start?  How do you eat an elephant?  I'll just begin. Or take a bite.  Or something.

Our kids this year are not your typical punk kids.  We have many fewer gun-totin', teacher-hitting, drug-using turkey-butts than in the past.  This year our kids border on sweet (key word--border), just don't fit in, and just... need.  They need so much! Example?

In one of my classes you will find...

-A student with seizure disorder and severe attention deficits.  It is unclear when he is having seizures and when is just isn't listening.  He is learning at grade level though, and is bored easily.

-Two students who have not been to school for over 6 years (if at all) and cannot read, can barely write, and are learning to add.

-A student with serious mental health issues including a perception that we are all out to get him and he must plan his retaliation attempts well ahead.

-A student with Autism who cannot comprehend how to navigate the middle school social whirl (who can?).

-A student with a hearing loss and Tourette's Syndrome.  He also has attention issues, but it is unclear when he is not paying attention and when he didn't hear us.  Chicken or egg?

--A student working at 8th grade level in all areas that just needs to "serve her time" with us.

Add in 5-10 other students with a variety of seemingly lesser needs, and I feel like a whirling dervish.  I'm feeling pressure to simultaneously teach two kids to read (to READ for goodness sake!) while another student needs to be challenged with interesting literature and in-depth writing instruction.  One kiddo is spinning on the floor in a distracted state of... distraction while another has his head buried on his desk in despair because someone rolled their eyes at him (have you SEEN how often middle school kids roll their eyes?).  One girl is kicking the chair of a boy she likes while that same boy can't hear me--or just isn't paying attention.

And... I just adore them!  I can't find my own tail end to save my life, but all day I see so clearly that they just need to be taught.  I feel like I have been running at full speed for the last three weeks and the only thing to do is keep running.  So... hang on to your capes my super friends!  This is going to be a fun year!

Nesting

Amid the hurley-burley of the new school year each little Lovie shakes out their feathers, stands up on their wobbly legs and knobby knees, and begins to explore their newest nest.   We watch them.  Let them try out their squawks and their chirps.  Let them tear through the day or tiptoe.  Let them push away our attempts to connect or to teach, or both.  Let them stand closer, move further away, and stand closer again.

All of the Lovies have come despite the fact that our school buses were cut from the budget.  Many are walking, some are on public transportation, and many parents have moved their schedules around to get them here.  We've tracked down bus passes for the poverty-stricken families, and researched bus routes for the less able.  They are here though, and hoping to stay.

We assess them, ask questions, try to learn about what they need, what they bring to us, and what they hope to take with them when they go.  Some are bigger versions of themselves these first few days.  Louder, more forceful, more likely to be the smart ass or to argue.  Some are smaller versions of themselves.  Quiet, taking up less space, unwilling to take a step out.  Both are finding the balance between who they are and who they will be in this classroom this year.

Some have come back from last year.  They came in with confidence and smiles, pointing out how they have changed over the Summer.  Some are taller, leaner, more serious.  Some are still goofy, silly, ready to have fun.  They look around the room and point out what has changed or stayed the same.  They dutifully report to the new ones that "this shelf used to be there" or "that is where the collection of blue things always is".    They ask for familiar performances of hiccup cures, magically changing white folders to "yellow," and the swiftness with which a caped teacher might don her cape.

The visitors start to arrive.  First two boys from the previous two years who were kicked out of their high school summer school, but plan to "get it together real soon." Then two more who were successful in summer school, but are nervous about high school starting.  The next day, a boy that has been in juvenile hall and came to say hello.  He leaves with a quiet "thank you."  They are all tall, and confident, and proud.  Eager to use our first names in conversation, but slipping immediately back to Ms. right afterwards.  Quiet, looking for familiarity, checking to see if the nest they built in previous years is still there.  It is, it just looks a little different.

All of this... it is an amazing way to earn a living.

Je l'ai dit

Here it is, the first official Teacher Work Day of the 2010-2011 school year.  Two days until the kidlets come stompin' in the door.  How does this happen so quickly?  What happened to the Summer?  Why didn't I get all of that planning done?  And, while I'm at it, why are there no size "B" batteries, but there are many kinds of "A" batteries?

Je l'ai dit....

Classroom Prep Time

This Caped Site Lead has turned back into this Caped Teacher and is preparing her classroom for a new year.  School starts painfully early this year and there was not a lot of transition time.  Teachers spend a huge amount of time in their rooms and many spend much of their own time, money, and energy making it a good place to be.

My theme this year focuses on the colors of my school--green, black and white.  I found this border at Frog Street Press.  It was perfect except for that pesky pink and black part.  So... I cut off the pink.  Yes, it took a long time to cut a band of pink off of 144 feet 216 feet of border, but it looks great!!!  I know I'm a little obsessive, but my eyes are happy when I see it along the many feet of black background paper I put up. It was worth it.*

I found these coordinating pieces as well, but did not buy them.  I made myself a deal that I would only spend $100 on my classroom this year, and I have already nearly doubled that on academic materials.  So... these pretty pieces had to stay in the online shopping basket:

I did stumble on a conundrum while I was poking about the online store, however.  This set looked good for a minute...

It is called the Zebra Create and Decorate.  I had to wonder, though, why there are alligators in the Zebra Create and Decorate package.  Don't Zebras and alligators fight or something?  So, I emailed and asked.  I just wanted to know, you know?  Surprisingly, they did not answer.  Ah well.  

Anyhoo, I might take some photos of the room when it is done up. As I'm sure you are holding your breath for the big reveal, I will try to hurry.

* Note--I have to admit, I only cut 144 feet of it myself.  The other 72 feet were cut by the office manager at one of my Summer School sites.  She was bored and did it for me.  I just can't pretend I did the whole thing by myself.  That would be rude.