The Power of Communication

At the beginning of this school year I sat down with one of my colleagues and discussed the first units of studies, daily procedures, and everything there is to know about the school (this is my first year at this school).  As we spent endless hours going over everything, there was one piece of advice that stuck out to me.  She recommended that I start a "5 minute jot" notebook with each of my students.
A "5 minute jot" notebook is basically a communication notebook between each student and the teacher.  Students are given 5 minutes everyday where they can write anything they want, and then the teacher responds back to each student with a comment or something as simple as a smiley face.
At first I was resistant to the idea, thinking that it would be a lot of additional work, but I decided to give it a try. 
After the first day not only was I hooked, but my students were hooked.  Students that I told "do not write" were sharing great memories with me, asking questions, and writing about their friends and families.  The first day after school I sat down and read through all of the notebooks and made sure I wrote a personal response back to each and every student.  
The next morning the students faces were priceless as they opened the notebooks and realized that I really did respond.  Students were eager for their "5 minute jot" time and were disappointed when the time went by so quickly.  Again, I wrote back, students were shocked they got responses, they wrote a new entry, and the process has continued ever since.
I have learned things about my students that I may have never known if I didn't have this simple notebook.  I have connected with students who usually are very quite and shy.  I have watched my "non-writers" fill up half a page of writing in five minutes (I don't think they realize they are really writing).  I have witnessed the power of kind words, as my students run into the room in the morning to open their notebooks and see what is written.
Some people would say I have taken on an extra, unnecessary burden in my daily routine, but I would have to disagree.  The half an hour I take out of my day to read and respond to my students is one of my favorite parts of the day!  Who knew a simple piece of advice would have such a positive effect on my teaching! 

We are Family!

At the beginning of the year I feel that it is imperative to build a strong classroom community and have students learn about each other.  One of my favorite activities is the creation of a class puzzle.  To complete this activity I buy a large piece of poster board and cut it up into however many students there are in my class, and I include a piece for me.  On the first day of school, I give each student a piece of the puzzle.  They are instructed to write their name on it, and then draw or write three things that represent them. 
After each student has spent time decorating their puzzle piece, we sit in a circle and each student shares their puzzle piece with the class.  At the conclusion of the sharing session, I explain that all of the puzzle pieces represent us as individuals; however, throughout this year we are going to grow together as a "family" and that each of us will bring our strengths and talents to the class throughout the year.  We then work together to put all of our pieces together, signifying the start of our strong "family."

Individual Puzzle Pieces

Final Product Representing our Class "Family"

Everyone Needs A Little Inspiration Once in a While

During our back to school faculty meeting my principal showed us Rita Pierson's Ted Talk:  Every Kid Needs a Champion.  Rita discusses the importance of relationships, especially in regards to teachers and students.  Her unique stories give you ideas of how to create powerful relationships with students by doing and saying the simplest things.  She is a profound and very powerful speaker that leaves you with a message you will never forget.  Check our her video to get motivation to kick off your school year.

"Teaching and learning should bring joy."

- Rita Pierson  

Out of My Mind

Sharon Draper's Out of My Mind is an extremely powerful book that I love using as a read aloud in my classroom.  Students learn life lessons about acceptance, being respectful and the power of a smile.  It is typical to hear students begging for you to read on at the end of read aloud as they travel through the journey of life with Melody, the main character. 

First Day Jitters

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg​ is a highly recommended book for the first day of school.  Students come to understand that teachers also have "first day jitters" and it is normal to be nervous the first day of school. 
This book allows for great discussions allowing students to open up and discuss their fears for the year creating a great classroom environment. 


Click on the picture to get an electronic read aloud.