Author Archives: cwatsondps
All the Big Doings in Class!
Friday, September 20, 2019 – A HARD HABIT TO BREAK…
The band Chicago was onto something! One of the most challenging aspects of growing up and growing intellectually is to develop strong, healthy habits of mind in regard to both academics and behavior. Even harder though, is “unlearning bad habits,” that have become so repetitive and rote that a person no longer realizes they are doing them. It’s so important though to try to break the bad and build the good because, as the following line from a poster in my class illustrates: Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your CHARACTER…
Good habits of mind in academics, while not a breeze to develop, are a bit easier to implement than behavior habits because they are more concrete and mindful: Learn your math facts; stop and think about a math problem and identify the steps to solving it; organize your time, space and materials; use proper mechanics as you draft and also pause your drafting frequently to edit and revise; read, read, and read some more — stopping just enough to help develop strong ideas around what you’ve been reading; pick books that will challenge and inspire you to become a lifelong reader. These are all things that students come to school expecting to learn, and most pick up these good habits at some point in their school career.
Behavior, however, is a much more difficult area in which to break bad habits and build better ones. This year, I am really pushing the kids to think about their behaviors and, as needed, to start to make positive adjustments. I find a good percentage of sweet, kindhearted students at Ox Ridge have, despite their generally good character, developed some “bad habits” when it comes to talking, following the rules, listening to teachers, listening to directions, etc.
Our Ox Ridge Code ends with the line, “Respectful to all,” but because of some rote and repetitive habits, students can repeat behaviors they know are disrespectful to the adults, the school rules, and the learning community without meaning or wanting to. Truth be told, being asked to change bad habits and re-develop better ones can be daunting, exhausting, and can add to the overall learning curve of being a 5th grader. This is where they (and I) need your help.
We have been having discussions in class about this. In one such lesson, I asked for an honest show of hands of those becoming more aware of times they were being disrespectful but did not change their behavior and/or repeated that behavior again in the future. Many hands went up. I then asked who among them would be open to the help of teachers and parents in talking about and making positive change in their behavior habits. All hands went up (even those who I consider having already developed good habits). This tells me that your kids – wherever they are on this behavior continuum, recognize their behaviors as either respectful or disrespectful, but may need some guidance in breaking bad and building good, or maybe they just want to share their observations of behaviors here at Ox Ridge. It would be great if you could help them self-reflect. Please ask them about how they and others behave in school and encourage their honest assessment of themselves. Ask them to share some instances of both respect and disrespect that they or others show to the adults, the rules, and the learning community and suggest some alternatives. It’s important that these discussions be non-punitive, so that kids can be honest with you and with themselves. When kids put voice to their actions, they see themselves more clearly and can start to make those positive changes that result in strong habits of mind and lasting good character.
Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow – Cathy
All the Big Doings in Class!
Friday, September 6, 2019 – THE IMPORTANCE OF A TRIANGLE…
In order for a child to achieve maximum success in school, there needs to be a triangular relationship in place between the parents, their child and the teacher. Parents need to feel comfortable working with their child — giving constructive feedback and tips, offering opinions on the quality of work, etc. Their children need to be open to such feedback and welcome it as an opportunity for growth – not give push-back and attitude to parents. And of course the teacher needs to give and receive feedback to and from the parent AND the child in order to serve the needs of the student and family best. Students seem to take feedback and advice naturally from their teachers here at school, but often times they don’t see their parents in quite the same light…
In class, I have had this talk with your kids. After this talk, they should understand the following: That nobody loves you more than your parents; that your parents are your first, last and best teachers; that your parents MADE YOU and/or CHOSE YOU, so therefore your efforts make them proud, or your lack thereof infuriates them; that parents HAVE DONE FIFTH GRADE ALREADY, and they hold a crystal ball into your future that shows what it takes to survive and thrive; that having parents care enough to spend time on your academic & personal growth and development is a precious gift to be seen as an OPPORTUNITY not a burden. Therefore, when you decide you’d like to be a resource for them at home, THE KIDS ARE NOT TO GIVE YOU LIP…ATTITUDE… EYE ROLLS, TEETH SUCKS or any other such thing resembling DISRESPECT! Of this they should Capeesh…
Having said that, it’s also important for parents to realize that, in order for their child to become more independent, what was fine for parents to do in second grade is no longer okay in fifth. Guide your child, but let him or her make mistakes. MISTAKES ARE JUST KNOWLEDGE WAITING TO HAPPEN! Let him leave his homework folder or instrument at home and have him face The Wrath of Watson for missed homework. Let her struggle a bit with time management at home before you offer to help her…
But when you do offer, your kiddo should be open to your time and attention without complaint. If lip, attitude, eye rolls, teeth sucks or any other such thing resembling disrespect start to make their way into your world at home, simply close the triangle and let me know. With that triangle now secure and strong, they have nowhere to hide…
Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow – Cathy
All the Big Doings in Class!
Tuesday, September 3, 2019: A TEACHER’S POST-LABOR DAY THOUGHTS: THEY WERE WORTH THE WAIT…
It’s now Day 5 – the Curtain has lifted and the show has begun! And let me tell you, these kids were worth the wait. Despite the necessary droning on by me regarding all the new routines, procedures, etc., the kids have been engaged, are practicing how to listen well the first time, are asking thoughtful questions of me and of each other, and are increasing their stamina for classroom life. But this week is all about dipping our toes in the pool…
The school pool, that is. Believe me when I tell you that I will challenge your kids this year. But the best way to maximize those challenges is to set them up for success and ease into new expectations one item at a time. Our focus over the next few weeks will be on building a loving, supportive classroom family, learning how to listen well the first time (ask them about “listening with your eyes,” and “ask a friend who listened” strategies), and setting up/using processes and systems for getting work done and staying organized. Finally, a major focus is in asking students to become more reflective about their behaviors and examining how, to be respectful, they need to moderate their behavior for the setting and act differently as a member of a community than they would as an individual at home. An idea our class has explored, related to building and maintaining respectful communities, is that of The Model Citizen. Feel free to ask your child about what it means to be a Model Citizen in any community.
Now to some Factoid Info –
· The “Homework At a Glance” Page in the pink bar above shows nightly homework. Just click on the bright green box and it will pop up bigger.
· The “Parent Place and Student Resource Center” Page (also above) has some great info for parents as well as online copies of many important things the kids will need throughout the year. I do not give out extra copies of these things to kids if they lose them – they can print them from the blog page as needed. There are also docs for parents, such as my Open House Overview.
Your kids are awesome. I fall a little bit more in love each day with these Sweetlings, and I look forward to learning and executing all the ways in which I might help them become their best selves going forward. I have a poster on my door which we discussed as a class that says, “What is Popular is not Always Right…What is Right is not Always Popular.” And while I may not always be popular when asking them to step it up throughout the year, I know in my heart that I will be doing what is right for each of your children for their future success.
Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow – Cathy
All the Big Doings in Class!
Thursday, August 29, 2019 – A TEACHER’S AUGUST THOUGHTS: ANTICIPATION!
Here are the DEEP THOUGHTS of a teacher at the end of August, just before school starts… With my summer tan in full bloom, it’s hard to believe that in a few short days, I’ll be meeting 17 new sweet souls and their families, with whom I’ll spend the next 10 months. These days just before the start of school are so interesting – and nerve-wracking. The mind goes wild with thoughts: Will they like me? Will they work hard for me and for themselves? Will we build a classroom family built on love and respect?
While I’m sure the answer will be a resounding YES!, these next few days are akin to the final dress rehearsal before Opening Night. The curtain has yet to rise, the show has yet to start, and the applause has yet to thunder in response to a magnificent performance. The mind is riddled with doubt, yet ecstatic about what possible triumphs lie ahead. And it dawns on me that it must feel exactly the same right now for my 17 sweet souls as it does for me…
But let’s flash forward to the end of the show. By June, the entire Cast of Characters in the Watson’s Winners Extravaganza will hit it out of the ballpark. They will win the Tony Award. They will receive a Standing O. They will become legendary in their awesomeness and fabulosity…
And so we look forward to the start of the show, knowing that by the end, the angst, the hard work and effort, and the joy and love shared by each supporting player will result in that MAGNIFICENT performance. Get ready to take a bow…
All the Big Doings in Class!
Friday, September 28, 2018 – A LOOK AT WHAT WE’RE UP TO…
We’re really getting going now! There is just so much to share, but I can’t (nor do you probably want me to) share it all in one post. So…below is an overview of what we’re up to with many of our endeavors in class. I’ve also added some attachments that give clear examples of the types of experiences your kids are having (or will be soon).
In writing we are drafting and crafting our Small Moment narratives, as well as conducting peer-editing (student-to-student feedback). We will begin publishing within the week. The purpose of the Small Moment is to learn specific techniques and writing strategies that effectively pause the plot and stretch the moment, as well as to learn how to embed a life lesson into the heart of a story. Each day, I have also been teaching lessons on conventions related to paragraphing and comma usage, which the kids can execute in their drafting and free-writing at home. Below are three items for your perusal: 1). a STRATEIES OF AWESOME WRITING poster that we’re using this year for all genres of writing; 2). the PEER EDITING FEEDBACK FORM, so that you can see what types of feedback kids are asked to give to and get from each other; and 3). a Small Moment mentor text, written by Yours Truly…
In math we’ve been dipping our feet deeper into the pool of double- (or more) digit multiplication. A reminder: STUDENTS WILL ULTIMATELY BE USING TRADITIONAL ALGORITHMS FOR LONG MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION, as these are most efficient when “executing” in math. The other models that we investigate and learn really do help students to see how it all works, and they can ultimately transfer that understanding to their efficient execution. But remember, you can help your child understand math however you see fit – THERE IS NO WRONG WAY!
In science and social studies, we have an overlying theme for the year: FORCE CAUSES MOTION, AND MOTION CAUSES CHANGE (ask your kids to show you the chant/dance). In science we are really getting into our unit on Earth’s Systems, and the kids have already discovered that our day-to-day life on earth is dependent on the interactions between systems of the GEOsphere (ground), BIOsphere (all living things), (HYDROsphere) (water and weather); and ATMOsphere (air and wind). Through field study and simulations, we are examining how each sphere interacts, affects, and is affected by the other spheres, as well as by human impact, in creating both positive and negative changes to various biomes, ecosystems, and communities…
In social studies, we have embarked on our study of “The Roads That Led to America.” We start this story back in Europe and Asia in the Middle Ages. Students become quite knowledgeable about life during the Middle Ages, and how the religious forces behind the Crusades caused a movement of people, goods and ideas. This motion created knew economic and intellectual forces and led to great change – the burst of learning known as The Renaissance, which further led to the Age of Exploration, which ultimately lead to America’s discovery, settlement and colonization (all HUGE CHANGES). Below are some documents related to an upcoming project, called THE ROADS THAT LED TO AMERICA, which involves using nonfiction sources to gather research and take notes, and then to weave those notes in creating historical fiction and expository writing pieces.
Well, that’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed your snapshot into our classroom world, and there will be other snapshots to come. My next post will be devoted primarily to HABITS OF MIND. Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow – Cathy
All the Big Doings in Class!
Friday, September 7th, 2018 – A TEACHER’S AUGUST THOUGHTS: ANTICIPATION!
Here are the DEEP THOUGHTS of a teacher at the end of August, just before school starts… With my summer tan in full bloom, it’s hard to believe that in a few short days, I’ll be meeting 21 new sweet souls and their families, with whom I’ll spend the next 10 months. These days just before the start of school are so interesting – and nerve-wracking. The mind goes wild with thoughts: Will they like me? Will they work hard for me and for themselves? Will we build a classroom family built on love and respect?
While I’m sure the answer will be a resounding YES!, these next few days are akin to the final dress rehearsal before Opening Night. The curtain has yet to rise, the show has yet to start, and the applause has yet to thunder in response to a magnificent performance. The mind is riddled with doubt, yet ecstatic about what possible triumphs lie ahead. And it dawns on me that it must feel exactly the same right now for my 21 sweet souls as it does for me…
But let’s flash forward to the end of the show. By June, the entire Cast of Characters in the Watson’s Winners Extravaganza will hit it out of the ballpark. They will win the Tony Award. They will receive a Standing O. They will become legendary in their awesomeness and fabulosity…
And so we look forward to the start of the show, knowing that by the end, the angst, the hard work and effort, and the joy and love shared by each supporting player will result in that MAGNIFICENT performance. Get ready to take a bow…
A TEACHER’S POST-LABOR DAY THOUGHTS: THEY WERE WORTH THE WAIT…
It’s now Day 6 – the Curtain has lifted and the show has begun! And let me tell you, these kids were worth the wait. Despite the sticky heat and the necessary droning on by me regarding all the new routines, procedures, etc., the kids have been engaged, are practicing how to listen well the first time, are asking thoughtful questions of me and of each other, and are increasing their stamina for classroom life. But this week is all about dipping our toes in the pool…
The school pool, that is. Believe me when I tell you that I will challenge your kids this year. But the best way to maximize those challenges is to set them up for success and ease into new expectations one item at a time. Our focus over the next few weeks will be on building a loving, supportive classroom family, learning how to listen well the first time (ask them about “listening with your eyes,” and “ask a friend who listened” strategies), and setting up/using processes and systems for getting work done and staying organized. Finally, a major focus is in asking students to become more reflective about their behaviors and examining how, to be respectful, they need to moderate their behavior for the setting and act differently as a member of a community than they would as an individual at home. An idea our class has explored, related to building and maintaining respectful communities, is that of The Model Citizen. Feel free to ask your child about what it means to be a Model Citizen in any community.
Now to some Factoid Info –
· The “Homework At a Glance” Page in the pink bar above shows nightly homework. Just click on the bright green box and it will pop up bigger.
· The “Parent Place and Student Resource Center” Page (also above) has some great info for parents as well as online copies of many important things the kids will need throughout the year. I do not give out extra copies of these things to kids if they lose them – they can print them from the blog page as needed. There are also docs for parents, such as my Open House Overview and the 5th Grade Supply List.
· Speaking of that, below is a link to both the 5th Grade Supply List, and the Homework Planner from Success By Design. Please use the list and link to order these items for your child if you have not already done so.
5th Grade Supply List 2018 – 2019
Homework Planner: https://successbydesign.com/shop/student-planners/elementary-school-student-planners/2020d-build-character-build-community-block-format.html
Your kids are awesome. I fall a little bit more in love each day with these Sweetlings, and I look forward to learning and executing all the ways in which I might help them become their best selves going forward. I have a poster on my door which we discussed as a class that says, “What is Popular is not Always Right…What is Right is not Always Popular.” And while I may not always be popular when asking them to step it up throughout the year, I know in my heart that I will be doing what is right for each of your children for their future success.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A TRIANGLE…
In order for a child to achieve maximum success in school, there needs to be a triangular relationship in place between the parents, their child and the teacher. Parents need to feel comfortable working with their child — giving constructive feedback and tips, offering opinions on the quality of work, etc. Their children need to be open to such feedback and welcome it as an opportunity for growth – not give pushback and attitude to parents. And of course, the teacher needs to give to and receive feedback from the parent AND the child in order to serve the needs of the student and family best. Students seem to take feedback and advice naturally from their teachers here at school, but often they don’t see their parents in quite the same light…
In class, I have had this talk with your kids. After this talk, they should understand the following: That nobody loves you more than your parents; that your parents are your first, last and best teachers; that your parents MADE YOU and/or CHOSE YOU, so therefore your efforts make them proud, or your lack thereof infuriates them; that parents HAVE DONE FIFTH GRADE ALREADY, and they hold a crystal ball into your future that shows what it takes to survive and thrive; that having parents care enough to spend time on your academic & personal growth and development is a precious gift to be seen as an OPPORTUNITY not a burden. Therefore, when you decide you’d like to be a resource for them at home, THE KIDS ARE NOT TO GIVE YOU LIP…ATTITUDE… EYE ROLLS, TEETH SUCKS or any other such thing resembling DISRESPECT! Of this they should Capeesh…
Having said that, it’s also important for parents to realize that, for their child to become more independent, what was fine for parents to do in second grade is no longer okay in fifth. Guide your child but let him or her make mistakes. MISTAKES ARE JUST KNOWLEDGE WAITING TO HAPPEN! Let him leave his homework folder or instrument at home and have him face The Wrath of Watson for missed homework. Let her struggle a bit with time management at home before you offer to help her…
But when you do offer, your kiddo should be open to your time and attention without complaint. If lip, attitude, eye rolls, teeth sucks or any other such thing resembling disrespect start to make their way into your world at home, simply close the triangle and let me know. With that triangle now secure and strong, they have nowhere to hide…
Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow – Cathy
The Watson's Winners Blog 