I am exhausted!! I spent all day at a Singapore Math Workshop. Have any of you heard of Singapore Math or are using it in your classes?? It's a different approach to math compared to the 'american' way of teaching math. The foundation is CPA=concrete, pictorial, abstract. I am pooped. This was a 7-4 workshop so my brain has been worked to the max. I sure know how the kids feel now :P
Hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to share some things with you. Until then, I wanted to share this touching video that a friend of mine had posted on FB. This is a documentary about children writing journals and sharing their deepest emotions in school. The teacher emphasizes that the number one priority or goal is to be happy, and that sharing their feelings is part of the path to happiness. In this video you see that the students truly love and care for one another. They have a safe community where all children feel that they belong, which is so important. I feel that in many American classrooms this is lacking.
As much as I would like to deny it, I admit that my classroom isn't always the safest learning environment. I try as hard as I can to make every child feel safe and that they belong, but we all know there are those kids who will always sneak in a snicker here or there..or those kids who get impatient. This video is truly touching and brought tears to my eyes!!
I only cringe to think of the reaction that I would get from some of my parents if this were to take place in my class?! Thats a scary thought but very sad at the same time!
Enjoy!
That video made me cry too. That is such an amazing idea. I really want my student to feel empathy. Most of them certainly do not.
ReplyDeleteAdventures of a Third Grade Teacher
What a great video. It reminds of Responsive Classroom's Morning Meeting routine that I have in place in my classroom. There is a share time where students are free to share anything. As a teacher you have to be willing to spend just as much time on student's emotional well being as their academic learning. Without the first, I find you can't have the second.
ReplyDeleteI do want to try having students write their shares first. I feel they will be more powerful and organized and not just what they did for the weekend.
Blackboard and Beyond
Oh dear, I'm watery over here. Thank you so much for sharing that. I'll be back to hear about your math conference though! On a totally unrelated note, your blog theme is adorable.
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower,
Christi ツ
Ms. Fultz’s Corner