Read to those Kids!

It was the summer of 1983 and I had just learned that I would be teaching fourth grade at Clark Elementary School in Charlottesville, Virginia. My very first full time teaching position! At that time, I was a breakfast bar manager at Shoney’s. An unexpected thing happened after I announced the fact to a few co-workers. Toby the bus “boy” had worked at Shoney’s since it had opened and was probably in his late 60’s at the time. He came up to me and said the following, “Heard you’re gonna be a teacher. I only know one thing about learnin and that is you need to read to those kids.” This was some excellent advice from an unlikely source.

I did read to those fourth graders, and to the second and fifth graders I taught as well. This year as I was preparing to teach U.S. history to our eighth graders, I was able to sit down with Sumner Academy teaching legend Brenda Whitsell. I was delighted to hear that she regularly read picture books to the eighth graders for U.S. history. She said student faces lit up like it was like a holiday if they saw a picture book on her desk.

Story time can set the stage for a love of reading. If you do not currently have a regular time to read, here are some guidelines for you:

(1)  Schedule a regular time to read. Bedtime is good, but I usually would fall asleep until nudged by one of my children.

(2)  Have your children predict what a new book will be about by examining the cover illustration.

(3)  Vary your books to expand their exposure to different kinds of books.

(4)  Let your children participate by discussing the illustrations, turning pages, finishing rhyming lines, etc.

(5)  Use different voices for different characters.

(6)  Take turns choosing. Children have traditional favorites which they will ask for over and over again, this allows you to introduce new books for your turn.

(7)  Have one evening per week designated as reading night…no screens!

Reading is the essential tool in the attainment of all of our learning. When you model reading, you set an example which your children will emulate. Just remember to stay awake while reading!

Here are some recommended lists for reading aloud:

http://www.readaloudamerica.org/booklist.htm

https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/read-aloud

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/books-for-kids#.qgVRNql3JN

Back to...already?

Back to…already?

It seems that major retailers clear out Fourth of July displays and bring in the Back to School displays…much to the dismay of children around the country. In the spirit of the Back to School supplies everywhere, I’d thought I’d send out a blog about getting your family ready for the start of school.

(1) Re-establish those School Routines - For younger children it is wise to start backing that bedtime up so it’s not such a shock on the first day of school. Also, start moving wake-up times earlier during the last two weeks of summer.

(2) Keep Morning Madness to a Minimum – Mornings with children were always hectic in my household. It takes practice to have everything down to a science to make your mornings enjoyable. It’s a good idea to have those school clothes out the night before, lunches packed and ready to go, homework checked and in the backpack, notes to the teacher, permission slips signed, etc. All these take practice to help you get to school on time in the morning.

(3) Attend Orientations and Meet and Greet at the School – Whether you are new to a school, or a seasoned veteran, meet the teacher and check out the classroom with your child. This calms much of the anxiety they may have about the new school year. This also provides you practice if you drive your children to school. How long does it take? Am I taking the best path in terms of morning traffic? How does carpool work?

(4) Make a Sick Day Plan – With most families having both parents working, this is critical. You don’t want your child waiting at school feeling terrible, so it’s best you have a plan ready to go.  If you have multiple children, find a family who lives nearby who can help with carpooling. The school should help you with a list of those who live near you.

(5) Create an After School Plan – Your child should have a regular time and place for homework designated within your home. It makes homework easier to manage when your child has supplies they need right there, instead of asking you every four minutes where the ruler is.

(6) Make the Process a Family Affair – Be aware of school events and programs and try to join in as a family. Be involved with the school through volunteering. Those who work during the day can still volunteer. Teachers have tons of projects for volunteers that can be done at home.

(7) Stay in Touch – Ask the teacher how they prefer to be contacted. Some like texts, others emails, and still others phone calls. Know how and when your teacher likes to communicate.

(8) Make the First Day Memorable - First day pictures adorn FaceBook every year. Perhaps you would like to make a special breakfast that first morning. Others may go out to dinner to celebrate a successful first day. You may want to write a special note for your child’s lunch. You know your children the best, match up a special event to celebrate that first day.

This will be my thirty-first first day of school as an adult. I still get excited about the start of every new school year. Now I just need to follow these eight steps!

Let's Head to the Movies

Occasionally I will post a blog which is not education related. Shocking I know, but there are actually other things roaming around in my pea brain!

Amy and I love going to the movies. One of our first dates was at Vinegar Hill Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia to see “The King and I” on the big screen. For the last several years, we have enjoyed going to Oscar nominated films. Not just in the best picture category, but across the board. This became much easier once we became empty nesters. I am not a film expert and have not taken any classes, I just rest on my 50+ years of movie going. From my big brother taking me to “The Jungle Book” in the 60’s to this year’s  “American Sniper.”

So, here are my thoughts on this year’s best picture category (minus “Whiplash” which is the only movie we have yet to see). I would place two movies together in the “out there” category: “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Both were well acted (especially Michael Keaton) but storylines were a bit too wacky for me. “Boyhood” is in a category all of its own. No one has done what Richard Linklater has done before, so it is difficult to judge. To me, it was too much like real-life. I go to the movies to escape real-life, you can give me a good story like "Gone Girl" any day. We watched “Selma” on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Loved the acting and story line and learned things I did not know about the three marches. “American Sniper” was excellent showing one man’s realization that we all have limitations, but we can in fact make profound differences in what we do. That leaves two more “bio-pics” which I found outstanding: “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything.” Both stories were engrossing and enlightening since I knew very little about Alan Turing or Stephen Hawking. These would be my two favorites.

Best performance by a lead actor goes to Michael Keaton in “Birdman.” Steve Carell was creepy-good in “Foxcatcher.” Lead actress goes to Reese Witherspoon. She gave a great performance in “Wild.” Julianne Moore’s (not one of my favorite actresses) role in “Still Alice” is heartbreakingly good. Supporting actor is close to me, but The Judge, Robert Duvall gets the nod. Best supporting actress has some really good performances like Laura Dern in "Wild," but you can’t bet against Meryl Streep.

Disappointment of the year goes to “Unbroken.” I understand this story is long and full of twists and turns and would be very difficult to make. Apparently the sound was incredible. While it was enjoyable, it did not catch the essence of the book. This goes into the great book, movie OK file. Unlike my file for “The Monuments Men” which was a great book and lousy movie. Another disappointment was the omission of “Life Itself” which is a documentary on the life of Roger Ebert. This was outstanding.  

So, here are my random thoughts. Next time, it’s back to school.

One Week - Eight Middle School Classroom Observations

The strength of any school can and should be found in the classroom. This is why one of my all-time favorite job responsibilities is to observe each classroom instructor formally. In the fall of 2013, our faculty set forth on examining what should go into a lesson at Sumner Academy. It was specific to our mission, students, and gifted instructors. What came from that meeting was a lesson design with five components; introduction, presentation, checking for understanding, independent practice and closure. Also, eight teaching characteristics which should be present for every lesson. They include; classroom management, compassion, effective communication, enthusiastic/encouraging, expertise, flexibility, high expectations, organized.

So, during an observation I look for the five components of the lesson design as well as the eight teaching characteristics and keep a running narrative on what is occurring in class as well as thoughts on significant points on the lesson and possible changes for improvement.

From my week of observing and learning, I now know the following: (1) the origins of the discovery of DNA and how to find the DNA of a strawberry and a human; (2) the controversial role of Brutus in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar;” (3) factoring trinomials forward and backward using the smiley face method; (4) the proper usage of quotation marks; (5) various Spanish ocean related vocabulary; (6) using complements such as predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives; (7) writing traditional and modern haiku poetry; and (8) the culture and history of civil disobedience and activism.

Whew, I’m glad I just observed and did not have to complete the homework assignments!

Here are a couple of commonalities I saw in our instructors during the week. The first was how passionate they each are about the discipline they teach. Without this passion, it would just be reading the textbook, answering the questions, then completing the homework. Our instructors go far beyond the classroom and bring technology to our students to enhance their learning. I saw video clips, articles from magazines, web based research, fun cooperative learning activities, hands-on learning and much more. Another commonality came when I met with each instructor individually. To a person, they were eager to hear what I had to say and observed…even when I made a few suggestions. They each are willing to change and adapt to make even more difference in the learning process for our students.

One instructor told her class I would be observing the following week. They were concerned with some of her "techniques" and "props" she used during instruction. Each subsequent lesson, the students would tell her, "uh, that might not be a good idea when Mr. J. comes in to observe." They even collected many things from the room and placed them in a "Tools of the Trade: DO NOT USE DURING OBSERVATION." You just got to love middle schoolers!

While my role of headmaster has many duties and responsibilities which keep me from the classrooms, this truly is my favorite time of the school year.