I started with introducing them to the rights of children. The UN had some nice things, but even their plain text version of the Rights of the Child, had language that would not be easily understood by elementary level language learners. I did a video to help with this:

Download Video: Posted by mizmercer at TeacherTube.com.

I also asked them what rights they thought children have. Some of it was about the usual right to do whatever I want, but many had ideas about rights to education. Here is their writing:

Fourth Graders

Fifth Graders

Sixth Graders

In addition, the sixth graders starting a unit on taking a stand shortly after this. We have a large Hmong immigrant population, so I shared a local story about how recent changes in immigration rules could bar some from immigration or citizenship because they might be considered terrorists. Here is what they wrote about that.

All of these activities involved reading, writing, and higher level thinking.

Third Grade Money Unit

Third Grade Country Life Unit

Fifth Grade Revolutionary War Unit (Making a New Nation)

Sixth Grade Music Unit (Beyond the Notes)

I have communicated with and sought input from the regular classroom teachers to align what I am teaching with their goals and themes. Below is the front page of the wiki I use for online planning (you can click on it to go to that page).

I have studied both the Technology Standards –NETs– and grade-level content standards and made both a priority.
Because I’m at a Program Improvement school (PI), I have made sure that I am supporting the focus standards that each grade level set (as you can see in the image from my planning wiki below).

I have focused on language development for ELLs.
I have created activities that develop higher order thinking skills and have students working on inquiry based activities.

To sum up, it’s not about the technology, it’s about the thinking. I plan for that, I scaffold for it, and I make sure that it takes place:[slideshare id=87011&doc=pp-about-me1100&w=425]

Prior to my current position, I taught fifth grade, and five/six split classes. Every school I have taught has been a Title One school, on whole-school free lunch, and in program improvement (the last school I was at exited program improvement status).

For examples of my work, the links section at the right will take you to my current class website/blog, and the previous blogs and website I used for my classes.

My professional and community experience prior to becoming a teacher includes seven years as an Analyst at Wells Fargo Bank, in San Francisco, CA, and one year as president and 4 years on the Board of Directors at Friends of the Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA.

Here is a copy of my current resume:

I participate in a semi-monthly Webcast (online radio show) at Ed Tech Talk, called It’s Elementary. The show features four elementary educators discussing a topic on education technology with experts in the field, and sharing our own experience in the classroom.

I’ve participated in locally based online and in person with CTAP Region 3 (my local area technology assistance project).

At my school, I am site technology leader, letting peers and administrators know about best practices and new developments in technology and pedagogy.

First, we worked as a class to make this video:

The students suggested the titles, and picked the music, and the pictures are from photos that many of them took.
Next, we made up a list of things to show parents. Student were then expected to take their parents on a tour through the class.

I documented things with pictures, and set up a mini studio with my laptop to have students and visitors leave messages using My Chingo online voicemail

Here is what I did on the Water Cycle and Weather as part of an Earth Science unit:

First, I created a planner with objectives and the instructional tools I would use.

 Next, I created this graphic organizer in Inspiration to guide my discussions with students and provide study notes at the end of the unit.

And this slideshow introduces concepts to students, and is kept online for them to review:

In addition, students viewed content based “cartoons” on BrainPop (which include quizzes at the end of each show), reading and worksheets, and hands on experiments.

But how do I teach? What does a typical lesson look like? It varies, but here is an example:

Introduction of the weekly selection from Open Court
(click on graphics to see full size version)

Preview the week’s spelling words with a pretest. Correct and discuss the sound/spelling pattern.

Word Knowledge done from a PowerPoint projected for the class to see.

Vocabulary, also from a PowerPoint. I highlight the clues in the sample sentences by underlining the projected text on the whiteboard.

Background taken from the teacher’s edition, but I often add my own information, including pictures and maps. This is also on PowerPoint.

Two part organizer that ties their experience/prior knowledge to the story being taught. They fill out the first part of the organizer (the left column) answering questions from their own experience.

Clues, Problems, Wonderings:

Students browse the selection, then fill in at least three clues, and two wonderings, plus any problem words they run across. I have them do this on a paper organizer. I circulate, and type in the problem words, with definitions into the projected organizer. I then take student responses by table group on the Clues and Wonderings. We will review what we came up with on Thursday after we have completed the selection.

This is the preview process I go through each week with Open Court stories. The last 40-45 minutes of my language arts block is spent on what Open Court calls workshop time, and is also called independent work time, or centers. The students work in their table groups on worksheets (which they do together), activities, group projects, or on computers. I either do pull-outs, or circulate the room to check and help students. I make this time three to four days a week to ensure that they are not just listening to me lecture, or doing silent seat work. My goal is to have them work together, and learn from each other and increase engagement.

Here is a screencast of a similar lesson (warning, turn down the sound, I was using my instructional voice with a mic):

First, I always work to have clear expectations and guidelines. These rules and procedures are taught explicitly to the students.  Here are slide shows that are part of that instruction. My first week of class is spent going through the rules and procedures, discussing them, finishing up with a Jeopardy style quiz on what they’ve learned. I also use this page to orient new students to my classroom.

Next, I teach character education explicitly.  Our morning writing is based on a word-of-the-week, so we can discuss what good behavior and character look like, and why they are important. This year, our campus has started using Second Step, to improve students behaviors. This program gives students explicit instruction in how to deal with anger, frustration, etc.

Last, I hold weekly class meetings to assist with conflict resolution. This gives students the opportunity to participate in their own problem solving and be part of a democratic process. I have incorporated the “compliments” portion of the meetings in the class website (look at the lower right column). 

My students are not perfect, but many conflicts have been averted and we our classroom focus is on learning.