2nd grade organizers and strategies

2nd grade teachers are using a variety of strategies to help students learn, retain, and transfer knowledge to gain a deeper understanding. By creating graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts, as well as show problem solving steps and processes, they have a place to anchor their thinking or turn to when understanding breaks down.

In this first example, Clark's class was focusing on non-fiction/informational, and they used the Venn Diagram to compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story or topic; RL9 and RI9.

To help students understand, they compared and contrasted across multiple topics and themes to help solidify students' understanding. In the student work below they worked with a partner to compare and contrast two individuals.

In Reick's classroom they displayed their problem solving strategies and organizers they use for math. Reick does similar problems multiple days in a row, but continually changes out the numbers students are using. This way the students are seeing the same problem and noticing the same vocabulary and functions they will be using, but get practice with multiple facts.
This strategy also allows Reick to incorporate multiple standards without having to create tons of anchors or new problems. 2.MD.5 and 2.OA.1

On the above anchor it is evident that this was co-constructed with students. The teacher was adding student thinking, circling important details, and going back to check the work. By creating the chart while you are modeling to students, and adding your thinking with students, they have not only a better understanding of the concept, but can also utilize this anchor more effectively when they are working independently and attempting a strategy on their own,.

Co-constructed anchor charts are the most effective anchor charts to assist students later on after the concept has been taught. 

Writing is an additional area that second grade creates and uses graphic organizers to help students with their stories. By giving students a structure to follow, they are able to keep track of their findings and thoughts, go back later to add more information, and are more likely to be successful with an end product.

1st grade Informational Text Threaded in all Workshops

A big rock for 1st grade in this trimester as well as the next, is non-fiction informational text. 1st grade has found a way to incorporate reading, language and writing workshops and standards to emphasize the student learning throughout all of their workshops.

The below hallway displays show how students were first learning about text features through whole group instruction and modeling, and how to use these to help them as a reader in reader's workshop. Then students transferred that learning to create their own books using the strategies they had learned not only with the text features like table of contents, but also incorporating their writing standards to show they could create an introductory statement with key details and a conclusion.

1st grade teachers are currently in a coaching cycle where they created a rubric and proficiency for 4 elements to call for in their writing. These goals from their cycle, as well as the standards are being addressed in this student work. Teachers purposefully provided meaningful and specific feedback to students on their writing, as well as have students self assess their own writing to say what they could do better next time. By having students reflect and set personal goals, they are creating more meaning through their work and will be more likely to improve on future writing assignments. 

KDG Addition and Subtraction within 10

KDG math curriculum is currently focusing on Understanding Addition and Subtraction problems within 10. Standard K.OA.2

Students have been working in class with manipulatives, pictures, graphic organizers, small group, whole group, you name it! By understanding that students learn in different ways, and need information modeled in a variety of ways to not only comprehend the information but transfer that knowledge between addition and subtraction with multiple mediums is a high impact approach.

Standards were posted to reflect what the students were working on and the result anticipated. Multiple classrooms had similar standards posted with a variety of activities. Teachers also interpreted the students' thinking and provided guiding questions and feedback to push student understanding and continue to show high expectations. Continuity between the classrooms, is a focus on our building SIP plan. This shows that students are receiving meaningful and purposeful instruction by following the curriculum and being held accountable for meeting the standards on a proficient level.

Scaffolding Instruction with Student Work Displays

Student Work displays have gone through a series of definitions and formations throughout the years. While we have not yet discussed student work displays in our PLC's or Professional Development, I am already seeing some great examples of my belief in Best Practice for displays. 

I will highlight some of those things below, as well as my vision and purpose for student work.

We will focus more on these displays later in the school year as our work progresses;

To me, I believe the only things worth my time as a teacher, are those things that are supporting the learning of my students, and the environment of my classroom. For that reason, I have never been one to decorate bulletin boards with holiday creations, or hang a piece of work from every student in the class, just to have something on the wall, if it did not have a purpose. 

Student work displays should be current, relevant, and purposeful. Because of this, my work displays never appeared to be complete, because we built them as we worked our way through a unit. (I will use the term "unit" to describe the content covered from one district assessment to the next.) And the minute we were on to the next thing, the displays started over again. Always reflecting the current objectives, and scaffolding student learning as we went. 

Every unit I would start out by just posting the standard and "I can" statements. This allowed the students to know where we were going, and what was going to be expected of them by the end of our unit work. 

As we began our work, I added graphic organizers, anchors, and PROFICIENT student work with specific feedback, that matched each of these items. If I ever had a student confused or miss a class, they were first sent to the wall to see the work that had been taught by the teacher and completed by a student. They were then to go to the student with the proficient work displayed to ask their questions. 

Elmarouani had student work with specific feedback about their writing, displayed in the hallway.

Students were aware of who's work was displayed, and knew only the proficient students made the wall, so it was used as a motivator to boost confidence and work ethic. (I of course went out of my way to look for proficient work from those that might not always have it.)

Deb Carlson used the author study unit to highlight student's proficient writing. 

Kocina helped her class make real world connections to their math unit. If students feel connected to the work, they will be more likely stay engaged in the learning and feel a strong connection to the classroom environment and culture. 

How can you as a teacher display student work? How will this work scaffold student learning? How will it be relevant to their learning? 

We will dive deeper into this discussion as the year progresses and our learning continues.

Thank you for all the work you do for our students. 

Grade Level Continuity

Every school creates a School Improvement Plan, where the principal works with the Leadership Team to determine a growth area for the building, and benchmark to assess and track the progress of the building.

This year our Instructional SIP goal is that:

By June 2016 80% of students will be proficient on the District Assessments on Power GLE’s in Math and Reading.

The first trimester benchmark we are using to assess our work and progress towards reaching this goal, is for there to be:

Visible continuity between grade level instruction.

Common Proficiency Criteria among grade levels.

During PLC's we have been working to gather student data to assess how students are performing across grade levels. Most PLC's have even created common formative assessments in either reading or math to inform our instruction.

Grade levels are to meet every Monday afternoon in addition to our PLC time in order to plan together, and work towards improving the core instruction in their classrooms. Each grade level also has the opportunity to use the common planning time that occurs once a week during specials/counseling lessons, in order to meet, plan, and analyze student work.

While walking through the classrooms last week, 1st grade stuck out to Julie Smith and I as having already met the benchmark for August-November, by having "visible continuity" through the use of similar anchor charts.

 Although the graphic organizer is similar all three classrooms, the lesson itself was still unique to the teacher and student needs. Each classroom had used a different text to determine the part of a story. 

By seeing similar graphic organizers used in the classroom, I am able to determine that the group of teachers are collaborating, sharing ideas, and are fairly closely aligned with the district curriculum map. 

This is just one way I am able to notice if effective team collaboration is taking place, in order to meet student needs and plan for instruction.

1st grade had multiple examples of similar anchor charts with student thinking tracked for language arts instruction.

Student Driven; Impact on Students

During Monday PD we determined multiple values that are essential to the work we do at Hoover. This week I highlight our value of being Student Driven.
As a team we decided this meant we would continually use student data, needs, and interests to guide the work we do in the classroom and the instruction we plan for each and every day.

In the above video I talked with a 2nd grade student in Ms. Rieck's room who was practicing the use of math manipulatives to represent numbers. Ms. Rieck talked about how this was the second tool they had learned to use, and students would continue practicing in a variety of ways.

Research shows that using hands on materials will help contribute to the retention of knowledge for students. Research also suggests the more ways we are able to model learning for students, the more likely we will help ALL students make a connection and find the most efficient strategy for their particular learning and style. 

As students were working, Ms. Rieck was constantly walking around to pairs of students, checking work, asking reflective questions, prompting students further to challenge their thinking. This is an efficient time for the teacher to be taking physical or mental notes to formatively asses where students are at in their thinking and learning. By the teacher walking around to students, we are encouraging them to stay engaged in the learning, creating that sense of proximity, and we can see where multiple students are at, instead of one at a time at our desk.

After students practiced with partners, Ms. Rieck brought students together to share about their learning. Below is the conversation Ms. Rieck facilitated in her classroom. Throughout this conversation Ms. Rieck will be able to make multiple judgements of the student learning, as well as notes about their thinking process or misconceptions she might need to clear up with the class or individuals at a later time. 

By using this formative data, she will be able to drive her future instruction and continue to be student driven to improve student achievement.

Teacher

"The number was 46. We know that is 4 tens and 6 ones. Looking at my pieces, is this 46?"

Class

"NO!"

Teacher

"It's not"

Student

"It is but it is backwards"

Teacher

"This is 46, but when I write 46, I have to make sure the pieces are in the correct place.

So I can write it out 46 like this and it is less confusing. If this is the way we are going to write numbers, this is the way you need to show it on your paper."

Teacher

"How do you feel about working with these tools compared to the connect blocks?"

Class

"EASIER!"

Teacher

"Let's talk about that. Yesterday we used the connecting cubes to look at our place values, and today for the first time we got out our place value blocks. I wanted to talk about what the difference was, and which ones you enjoyed working with the most. Who can tell me something that you liked about these that was different than the other ones?"

Student

"I liked that they stayed together and they didn't fall a part."

Teacher

"Anything else you noticed about these?"

Student

"I liked when we changed numbers is was easier to take 10 away instead of breaking them a part to make 5 or another number. When we went from 46 to 35 we could just take a big piece with 10 off and one more little piece. It was faster. "

Teacher

"Anything else about the difference between the two tools?"

Student

"It is easier to make big numbers, because if you needed 5 tens, you didn't need to count out each one, you just knew to use the ten ones."

Teacher

"So you can just easily count out 5 to get 50, and that is easier for you?"

Student

"Yeah"

Student

"I liked that if you needed 100, if you were using the connecting cubes you would need to spend all that time counting them each out, but with the blocks you could just pull down 10."

Life-Long Learners

Last week in Staff PD we discussed what Hoover's values and vision should be, in regards to staff expectations of student outcomes.

We came up with 5 focuses and broke each focus down to really determine what we should be able to see and hear when we walk through the building or classroom.

This week, I kept seeing examples of the life-long learners we are creating here at Hoover through our teaching, each and every day, based on the definition the staff came up with.

By this definition I found examples across all grade levels that I will share below.

Self-Regulated:

 A second grader was reading independently, while Ms. Rieck worked with a small group of students.








A first grader worked independently on Lexia to improve his reading skills while Ms. Daley worked with a small group.

Both of these student showed they had the ability to self-regulate on learning tasks to improve their skills.

 Two boys in Ms. Grasz's room were motivated by the engaging math activity to use cards and manipulative to find sums of 20.
These students were able to tell me that "they were finding sums of 20 in order to quickly see if numbers added together to equal 20. Then they got to move on to bigger and bigger numbers as they got better at their math facts."\




In Ms. Elmarouani's class, they were working on Number Talks when I came in. A word problem was presented on the board, and students were to determine how to solve this problem and be able to share how they solved it. This was a real world problem presented to them, asking students to figure out if they had three dogs, how many total legs did all of the dogs have. Students were given time to consider the problem and think about the solution. Then share out their thinking with the class. Here is the conversation I heard:

Teacher
"While you are thinkingm if you come up with an answer, see if you can think of another way to solve this same problem."
"Who has an answer?"

Student
"I think the dogs have 16 total legs."

Teacher
"Walk me through your problem solving to help the class understand."

Student
"Well first I did 4+4 which equals 8. Uh oh, I think I messed up."

Teacher
"That is ok. Continue to share your thinking with us, and then tell us how it just changed."

Student
"Well I did 4+4 =8 and then I did 4+4 = 8 again. And then 8+8 equals 16. But I know I added too many 4's. Because the problem only had three dogs. So I just need to add 4 three times."

Teacher
"So you are saying instead of doing 4 +4 and then 4+4 again, you would just do 4 + 4 +4. So who can explain what he just said and then tell us what you think the answer is."

By not telling the student they were wrong right away, Elmarouani allowed the student to notice their mistake and make the correction on their own. By learning from our own mistakes, we retain the knowledge and lesson for much longer than if someone else corrects us. We also have the skills needed to solve future problems on our own.
At the end of the lesson, the student felt successful, and his relationship with Elmarouani was intake, since he was not discouraged for answering incorrectly, or embarrassed in front of his peers.
When students are given the capacity to learn and reflect on their learning, we are instilling the ability to be life-long learners beyond the lesson and classroom.

Collaboration is Visible

"The first step in learning to work together is to become a team - an entity unto itself that is more than the mere sum of the individuals who comprise the team."
- Guide to Effective Teacher Teams

Being the first week that PLC's met for teacher teams, I had collaboration on the mind. As I started to walk through classrooms I realized that collaboration and team work were evident throughout the entire building.

Teachers had already started to teach their students about teamwork to ensure they were setting them up for success within the classroom and productive groups. 

In Mr. Boes' 5th grade class, it was clear that these students had practiced collaboration for years, since they were so equipped to work productively with partners and small groups on the second week of school. The expectations for the 5th grade class were clear and attainable with students on task, sharing how they came to a solution in math, and working together to find the solutions. 

Amy Rallis allowed students the option to read together during independent time. These two students did not know I was behind them, and their teacher was across the room, and they were on task reading, discussing, and learning together. I knew this had to have come from an environment that fosters peer collaboration and teamwork, not just a random moment in time. 

When students see teachers collaborating with students, other teachers, anyone in the building, it is a visual model for them of what can be accomplished when we learn to work together. 

I continue to be so impressed and excited every day at the opportunity I was given to come work and collaborate with the amazing teachers and students at Hoover. This was reinforced again when I was able to be a part of the first PLC's of the school year with each team. 

Teachers came to the meeting ready to set goals, talk about student data, share ideas, and embody the definition of collaboration. 

I know that through productive PLC's we will continue to move from Great to Greater!

Living and Learning the Hoover Way

Watching the first week get under way at Hoover Elementary has been a wonderful and uplifting experience. 

It is so evident walking the halls and into classrooms that teachers truly care for their students, and students enjoy being here. 

At out first Staff Meeting we talked about what we stood for at Hoover, or what our Pillars were. It was so interesting to look at the staff responses and hear what everyone had to say, and a totally other thing to walk the halls and SEE our words take actions.

So many classrooms the first two weeks created specific lessons regarding the Hoover Pillars of Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Caring. 

Deb Carlson had the Pillars posted and visible for every student as they entered the classroom.

Tonya, Becky, and Jamie each had the Pillars and descriptors listed in their rooms that they had discussed and created look fors with their students. 

I was able to witness Lyndsay Daley teaching each student in her room what it means to be a productive and successful student at Hoover. Students were participating in the discussion, and providing examples to show they understood. As I continued to walk through Lyndsay's room the rest of the week, they continued to revisit this anchor chart, and the language Lyndsay used each time she addressed a student behavior or retaught an action, the language matched the chart. This type of consistency will truly resonate with students and help them to learn and live in a way that is Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Caring.

Our jobs as teachers have grown increasingly difficult over the past couple of decades, with it becoming more of the job of the teacher to develop the WHOLE child. We no longer focus on just academics, but instead are responsible, for the social, emotional, and mental state of a child. By embedding these skills and traits throughout our everyday lessons of what it looks like to be in our classrooms and schools, we are setting up our year for success!!!