The leader of the class

Last year for the first time I came across a certain problem in my class.  I found that the boys elected (in their minds) a leader.  Someone they found was cool and then they without question followed this boys behaviour.  It was such a problem I had to devise ways to group the kids so that the girls separated the boys.  It was a massive pain because that is not how I like to work.  I believe in letting children choose.  But when you have a child with "power" it becomes a struggle to get the other children to realize they have their OWN minds.  After a lot of work on this:  Separating kids, getting my prinicipal and parents involved, constantly checking behaviour...I finally got this settled around April and things started to look up.

Fast forward to this year.  The leader has moved on to middle school and all the kids seem to have their own thing going on.  Until this week.  I was gone for one day and they decided to elect another child a leader.  Once again the boys fought to sit near this child, to the point where fights broke out.  This child is "cool" and must be followed.  OY.  Why does this happen???  What is this need to find someone to follow?  Unfortunately the boys also follow the behaviour of the leader, so of course it's a leader who needs reminders on his behaviour.  My Friday was stressful because I now have a little posse of kids following one boy.  I had to move kids to new spots because of arguing.  Argh.

I'm going to keep my eye on this situation this week and see if it falls or increases.  I'm hoping it's a one off fad and they move on.  I can't go through another year of "leader" worship.  I just won't let it happen!

Research Hypothesis

Most of you know I'm working on my masters and right now I'm heavily into figuring out what my research question or hypothesis should be. 

I've done quite a bit of background research on how furniture affects students on-task behaviour.  Studies I've read have said that students are more on-task with ergonomically correct furniture and that there is no difference between rows and group clusters.  Another study concluded that students arranged in a circle formation had more on-task behaviour and more positive on-task discussion than those in rows.  So after doing some background research what I saw was a need to see if student choice factors into this.  If a student is given a choice of where to work rather than me telling them where to work, will they be more on-task?

This is my basic question.  I'm thinking of this as my hypothesis:  students on-task behaviour is greater when given the choice of where to work versus being directed by a teacher where to work.

I was thinking that if I direct the kids in one setting and then in another give them the choice I use the data to see if my hypothesis is correct.  I was also thinking...should I use another class too?  I teach Montessori, perhaps that is too narrrow a sample.  Montessori kids are used to choice.  So if I also sample a regular classroom, it might make my research more applicable to other teachers.

Hmmmm. 

I also want to look at surveying the kids and asking where they like to work and why?  I want to see if there is a difference during Language vs. Math topics.  So I have a lot on my mind right now.  I have to write a paper detailing my question and what my sample might be.  So I need to decide this week on my sample.  I'm also afraid it might be too small.  It will also only apply to classrooms with tables and alternate work spaces.  Classroom with rows of desks and set seating...don't work for my study. 

Thoughts thoughts thoughts.

One month down

Where did September go? 

I have been so busy it's already a new month.  In my masters class I wrote my first mini-paper on my research proposal.  I believe I have narrowed it down to "How does choice of work space effect student behaviour".  I'm going to look at where the students choose to sit and with whom.  I want to see if they form any patterns and whether they choose to sit alone to work or not.  I'm going to also check to see if they are on-task or not.  I have to clarify the behaviour I'm looking for. 

So far I've noticed some interesting things.  Students have kind of found "their" table.  Some students drift but not many.  I have 2 dominant male tables, 1 female table and a mixed table.  Kids have enjoyed getting to choose where they work, and also like to go outdoors to read and sometimes write. 

I've noticed a few behaviours I need to jump on.  I have five boys who like to call out and talk over others.  I'm going to start clamping down on that lickety split!  They have no malicious intent..but it seems they are very impulsive and can't keep their thoughts inside!

On the Montessori side, I've got my work times up and running.  Students have to complete 3 math cards, 1 spelling booklet, 1 grammar box and 1 reading bookbag (which has a book and 2 response cards) a week.  Then if they finish their "main" work they can do a variety of choices:  Writer's Workshop, Art Cards, Timeline work, Read a book, use math flashcards, Dubio, 99, Countdown (all math review games), and the bi and trinomial cubes (which are HUGE HITS).  I have on average 1-2 kids a day who come up and tell me they are bored....I just redirect them to the choices.  I try to introduce something new to choose daily to add to the interest.  So I've introduced Levels 2,3 and 4 of the Art Cards this week.  I've had two students really take to the timeline of life and have been creating their own booklets of different animals throughout time.  Fun!  I will soon add the maps, more grammar boxes and some Cultural trivia games.  My goal is to have them choose items that are reinforcing or exciting their learning.  Maybe there are too many choices???  I shall monitor that.

On to October!

September Start up Thoughts

I've had my class since Monday and as the days go by I'm feeling more and more certain that my new classroom design is brilliant!!!  Students get to work outside on the grass with chalkboards for a desk, or on the floor (which is a tile), on the carpets with shoes off, or at a table of their choice.  Since introducing this concept on Monday I have had to move very few students for disruptive behaviours.  One student who constantly hoarded items in his desk last year is finding the tables a challenge.  He LOVES to have something in his hands at all times.  Now I don't have a problem with keeping his hands busy but if he is ignoring me this is a problem.  He is learning that items belong away while I'm talking.  So far the no desk idea has cut back on his distractions about 75% as he still finds ways of getting items out of his storage bin and to the table.
 
I've also noticed that the kids don't always sit with the same people.  They do move around and try different spots.  A few seem to enjoy a standard spot.  Mostly the girls are at two tables and the boys a the other two.  They do sometimes mix during Work Choice time, but when I'm talking they seem to stay gender divided.

The carpets are a HUGE hit.  The kids love the feel of the silver carpet and OFTEN chose to sit there.  They have a rule to take their shoes off so I can keep the carpet nice as long as possible.  They always compliment how soft and nice it is to sit on.  For reading this is a very popular place.

Rona has back ordered my bins because I only was able to buy 8 or 9.  The kids ask me daily when their bin will come in.  They are very excited to neatly place their supplies in them!  Some kids already have bins and they love using them.

Monday I found myself very frustrated because it was a typical "rule" day.  I spend the whole day talking about the classroom and my rules...I don't like those days.  But by Tuesday I was getting more pepped up!  Tuesday I taught a few things.  In Montessori you have to introduce a material every day gradually.  I have materials out now that ALL kids can use and then I gradually take them away and replace them with materials for the kids independent needs.  But while I test them on Reading, Writing, Math and Spelling levels I have to have something for the kids to do.

My start up activities in Language were introduced yesterday.  Spelling is a booklet of a certain level (depending on the test).  The booklet is only 4 pages.  Once a student finishes their booklet they get a friend to test them on the words.  If they do a good job (more than 75%) then I give them the next level.  Already some children love to work on their spelling.  Another choice is their handwriting book.  Some asked to take it home..but I said no.  I really want them kept at school.  Today I introduced the pronoun grammar box activities.  I thought maybe these would be boring because they are cards you put in sentences and then you replace the nouns with pronouns.  It's coloured coded.  But to my surprise the kids pulled these boxes out and were very excited to show me the sentences they had made! 

Math start up is a little different.  I tested the kids on some Montessori cards I had.  But quickly realized they are not that up on their basic facts.  I really can't go onto harder level work if the children don't have their basic facts memorized.  So I did a few timed tests and sorted the kids into levels for studying facts.  So I'm slowly showing kids materials and while I do this they have several options.  They can work with flashcards, build the tri and bi nomial cubes (a huge hit), play with the Dubio cards (self correcting math games), 4 Way countdown (a very cool game that uses all basic facts) and 99 (a fun marble adding game).

Right away I notice the kids are very good at chosing their own work, they concentrate and enjoy what they are doing.  Today I had 1 child not make a good choice and 1 student tell me she was bored.  So I consider that pretty successful!

Now the highlight of my week.  I decided to teach the 5 Great Lessons this year to start the year off.  I have done Lessons 1 and 2 so far and the kids really love learning about the universe and how it began.  Tomorrow I will do Lesson 3 and then stop.  I'm going to save 4 and 5 for next year and then restart.  I also had the kids rate which topics they wanted to study in Science and SS together and then added the ratings up.  Zoology was a landslide winner!  So we'll be starting with that.

The noise level only seems to go up during art times.  For now I'm still working on walking over to talk to students (not shouting), using my bell to get their attention, and trying to keep my own voice at a low level to model classroom voice.  It's hard for me!  I'm a loud lady! 

The New Chair

Thanks to my awesome principal I now have a new chair for group discussions!  The chair is extremely comfy and was purchased at Jysk. 

This chair ROCKS!

Almost complete

My classroom is finally looking like I envisioned it!  Today I put some of the final touches on.  I still need to go in Friday and put up the last paper and do some laminating.  But here are some pictures!

Last time I posted this picture it had only one rug.  I went out and purchased a second 5X8 rug.  It is so comfy to sit on.  The students will not be allowed to wear shoes on it!  Right now I have two heavy bins weighing one end down because it is all curled up at the moment. 

Next is my Language Wall.  3 Ikea shelves hold non-fiction, grammar, handwriting, creative writing and on the top I have my spelling and sandpaper handwriting cards.  The gecko tank still needs to arrive.  But I have 5 free cubbies on this wall, which will most likely hold lined paper and extra books that come in through the year.

My computers are all hooked up (did that myself!) and all the bins underneath hold outdoor equipment and indoor recess games.  The grey basket as Montessori mats for doing work on the floor.  Behind the door is my fraction pie shelf, which I washed and tidied.

Although I've blocked a lot with chairs, this is my cultural shelf.  Cultural refers to anything that is Social Studies, Science, Art...etc.  So I have art cards in the baskets, the provincial flags, the globe and several trays I will use for ongoing topics.  Also the kids have 10 cubbies for school supplies and I have ordered 13 more Sterilite 14L bins to complete the 7 I already have. 
You can see my map shelf on the far left with the projector on top!

In past years my teacher desk came out from the wall.  This year I decided to maximize the space by pushing it up against the wall.  Right now it has a lot of papers on it, getting reading for the year.  However, the drawers are student friendly.  I keep tape, scissors, stamp pads, and all office supplies in the drawers and students often use them.  The other small little wooden box of drawers houses small items like bandaids, rubber bands...etc.

My math wall!  You can see my two hardware shelves that have math cards.  It is very uncluttered because in Montessori you only bring out what the students are working with.  As materials are used less you put them away.  I will be bringing more materials out during the year.  For now there are materials out that the students know how to use already or can easily learn the first day!  I also spent most of my day cleaning out the shared Montessori storage.  It had many items that were broken and needed tossing.  I also removed all items that were not Montessori as they shouldn't be in the storage room!  What I did find for me were several materials that were new and shiny that I wanted to use!  So I moved them into my personal storage space.  All the bulletin boards are white or black, with one remaining to be done.

Finally a look at the 4 hexagon tables I have in my room.  Students will be free to work where they like as long as they are being respectful.  Can't WAIT to start putting all my ideas into practice.  I hope the kids enjoy the room as much as I do!

The Carpet needs a friend

So I worked on my classroom today.  I have painters on one side and me on the other so it's a slow going process.  Today I worked on one CORNER of my room.  Realized I didn't want my carpet in the middle of the room because it made the room very unbalanced.  So I've moved the carpet near my novel library.

Notice that you can see the Black Bulletin board paper.  Now once I put this carpet down I thought, it's not big enough for 20 grade 4/5 children!  So I'm going to a liquidation world tomorrow to get another 5X8 rug.  So in essence I should have originally purchased a 10 X 8 rug!  I will add the rug on to the back of this one.  Photo to come soon!

Next I focused on one of my 5 Ikea shelves.  I figured that since I had novels over there I would put my language materials and non-fiction materials on that side too.

So this shelf has non-fiction books in the bottom cubbies.  I am going to get the kids to sort them into subjects, write down the subject names and then I'll make labels for the cubbies.  As I found out with the novels (when the children alphabetized them), they take more ownership of keeping the materials tidy and neat when they created the system.
On the top cubbies are from left to right, my grammar material boxes in order of presentations.  So I teach the green pronoun boxes first.  However, just off to the left of the green boxes are my sentence analysis cards and symbols.   In Montessori all materials are put on the shelf from left to right in order of difficulty.  So I would teach them left to right.
On the far right are two sets of leveled non-fiction books and my Brain Bank non-fiction boxes which house leveled non-fiction readers in Socials and Science.  Red is grade 4 and Purple Grade 5.  I also have Grade 3 in blue if needed.
On the very top I have the gecko tank supplies in a basket, and the tank will go next to the supplies as soon as I get it back from T.  There is an outlet in the wall right next to the shelf which is perfect for the lights and heat rock needed.  My computer is NOT going to stay there.

This weekend I am on a mission to get the carpet and several baskets.  I need a basket to hold my non-fiction writing card material.  I have laminated photo cards with writing ideas on the back for Life Science, Physical Science and Earth Science.  They will be rotated into the basket weekly to keep them fresh and interesting!  Same for the next shelving unit which has creative writing ideas for fiction and journal prompts (photos) that also need baskets.

The third shelf to the right (there are three on one wall) needs the tupperware containers for the kids school supplies.  So I need to purchase 20 of those as well.  V has given me a sample size so I know exactly what size fits in my cubbies (2 per cubby).

On Monday I will be finishing up these shelves and putting my other 2 shelves together, but those are for cultural material and my fiction picture books (which sadly just don't fit in the language area...unless I move the school supplies to the side Cultural wall...hmmm.)  We'll see!  Stay tuned!

I also saw H today and realized I should get commission from Ikea!  Not only does V have 3 Ikea shelves but H has two!  Glad these shelves are popular!