Our Dream Rocket Panel has been selected for two gallery shows. The first show is August 1, 2011 to September 1, 2011 at the New Britain Public Library in New Britain CT. The second show is September 15, 2011 to November 1, 2011 at the Educational Gallery Group in West Palm Beach, FL.
Way to go Fourth Grade SPACE students!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Glad to be safe
I am thankful to have all family, friends and students safe after our bout with severe weather.
We are on the home stretch to the end of the school year. Third Grade had started doing our end of the year evaluations before the county lost power and school was canceled. Fourth and fifth had not started. Today one of the fourth grade groups did our notebook cleanup and metacognitive tags. The students pick work and comment on it using tags that have sentence stems. For the next two SPACE classes, we will complete as much of our report card as possible. There may be items that we don't get to, because we run out of time.
Fifth grade actually did run out of time to complete their evaluations. Because of the Camp McDowell trip and the fifth grade ceremony, I am not going to be able to meet with fifth grade this month. It is unfortunate not to be able to help the students bring closure to their elementary SPACE experience, but I will get to celebrate with them on awards day.
This severe weather experience has helped point out what is really important, and how some things are not in our control. We will complete what we can to finish the year, and all is good when we are safe and surrounded by the love of others.
We are on the home stretch to the end of the school year. Third Grade had started doing our end of the year evaluations before the county lost power and school was canceled. Fourth and fifth had not started. Today one of the fourth grade groups did our notebook cleanup and metacognitive tags. The students pick work and comment on it using tags that have sentence stems. For the next two SPACE classes, we will complete as much of our report card as possible. There may be items that we don't get to, because we run out of time.
Fifth grade actually did run out of time to complete their evaluations. Because of the Camp McDowell trip and the fifth grade ceremony, I am not going to be able to meet with fifth grade this month. It is unfortunate not to be able to help the students bring closure to their elementary SPACE experience, but I will get to celebrate with them on awards day.
This severe weather experience has helped point out what is really important, and how some things are not in our control. We will complete what we can to finish the year, and all is good when we are safe and surrounded by the love of others.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Self Evaluations
Today third grade conducted a self evaluation on their Creative Problem Solving packet. It was a very tough experience. They were very uncomfortable with not being able to reach the highest level. We had lots of discussion regarding why I would have a standard that they could not easily reach. We talked about how people need to know what they don't know so they can grow. We talked about the fact that successful people don't have report cards to measure their ability. Perfectionism was very apparent today.
The good part of perfectionism is that these students have high standards for themselves. The tough part of perfectionism is the highly self critical side where they feel badly about their performance when it is actually a good performance.
Parents you can support your child by having a talk about how to deal with self evaluation and looking at the growth they have achieved instead of the growth still possible.
The good part of perfectionism is that these students have high standards for themselves. The tough part of perfectionism is the highly self critical side where they feel badly about their performance when it is actually a good performance.
Parents you can support your child by having a talk about how to deal with self evaluation and looking at the growth they have achieved instead of the growth still possible.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Dream Rocket Panel
Our panel is up on the Dream Rocket website (http://www.dreamrocket.com/). It might be hard to find. Check under the theme Equality. You may also see our project on Flickr (www.flickr.com/x/t/0095009/photos/thedreamrocket/5629002128) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dream-Rocket/114636921363?ref=ts). I hope the Facebook link works. We cannot check Facebook from school.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Are we creating achievers?
According to Sylvia Rimm (1995), children actually develop self-confidence through struggle and become achievers only if they learn to function in the face of challenge. Most of our elementary gifted students don't get the opportunity to face challenge in the general education situation. In their general education classroom, they already know up to 80% of what is being taught. They typically "catch on" quickly to that which is new, and rarely have to struggle.
At Chaffee students may get three or four years of not being challenged before they are placed in the gifted program. The first year in the program can be a source of discomfort for them. Suddenly they have to struggle. They may not understand the first time. They are given new and challenging tasks. Struggling with a problem and "failure" is a new experience. They haven't learned how to work through a problem, and how to try different methods.
What do parents do about this new sense of self, their child may be struggling with? Should parents protect their child from this very real sense of discomfort? Do we want our children to be upset and uncomfortable? Our immediate action is to remove the problem. Our protective instincts rise up. Unfortunately, our children will not grow without struggle. We need to be their support, but we need to help them address the challenges in life not run from them.
At Chaffee students may get three or four years of not being challenged before they are placed in the gifted program. The first year in the program can be a source of discomfort for them. Suddenly they have to struggle. They may not understand the first time. They are given new and challenging tasks. Struggling with a problem and "failure" is a new experience. They haven't learned how to work through a problem, and how to try different methods.
What do parents do about this new sense of self, their child may be struggling with? Should parents protect their child from this very real sense of discomfort? Do we want our children to be upset and uncomfortable? Our immediate action is to remove the problem. Our protective instincts rise up. Unfortunately, our children will not grow without struggle. We need to be their support, but we need to help them address the challenges in life not run from them.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Communicating Expertise
I had a situation with a parent in which I didn't think the parent was knowledgeable about my expertise. They asked for my expertise, and then treated the feedback as though it was from a peer.
My question is how does a teacher communicate their expertise and still maintain a posture of openness.
I have erred on the side of not communicating my accolades. I am reconsidering this.
How do parents perceive teachers who put their degrees on the wall? Would a parent be interested in a posting of my vitae on line? Do parents need to see my academic surtitle? Or does none of it matter when we are discussing your son or daughter?
I am interested.
My question is how does a teacher communicate their expertise and still maintain a posture of openness.
I have erred on the side of not communicating my accolades. I am reconsidering this.
How do parents perceive teachers who put their degrees on the wall? Would a parent be interested in a posting of my vitae on line? Do parents need to see my academic surtitle? Or does none of it matter when we are discussing your son or daughter?
I am interested.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Report Cards
SPACE report cards should come home for fourth and fifth graders this week. It is taking us longer for third grade so they should come home next Wednesday.
The report card consists of the Process Skills Rating Scales by Karnes and Bean. I have chosen to use the critical thinking and reasoning, the creative thinking skills and the independent study skills for students to rate. These skills are skills the SPACE program works to develop.
The students are very uncomfortable with rating themselves and not using a A, B, C standard. Parents may be as well. One of the goals of SPACE is to help students be more self refective and to be able to critique themselves and their work with honesty. Having students self evaluate their ability on the skills mentioned above helps them both learn the skills we develop and to be self reflective. The student also learns that evaluations can be used as a measurement on a path to self growth. They identify their strengths and areas for improvement. For many of our gifted students who get all A's, they loose the opportunity to understand that evaluations help us see where we are, and envision a path for personal growth.
If you have any questions about the report card, please email me. The report cards do not have to be returned.
The report card consists of the Process Skills Rating Scales by Karnes and Bean. I have chosen to use the critical thinking and reasoning, the creative thinking skills and the independent study skills for students to rate. These skills are skills the SPACE program works to develop.
The students are very uncomfortable with rating themselves and not using a A, B, C standard. Parents may be as well. One of the goals of SPACE is to help students be more self refective and to be able to critique themselves and their work with honesty. Having students self evaluate their ability on the skills mentioned above helps them both learn the skills we develop and to be self reflective. The student also learns that evaluations can be used as a measurement on a path to self growth. They identify their strengths and areas for improvement. For many of our gifted students who get all A's, they loose the opportunity to understand that evaluations help us see where we are, and envision a path for personal growth.
If you have any questions about the report card, please email me. The report cards do not have to be returned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
