As always, let me know if I can support you or your team in differentiating for math in the classroom. Mama math is always there as well and can assist in getting math stations going as well.
Jenna
Monday, October 28, 2013
Differentiated Math
Did you know that there is a resource out there that makes differentiating math a breeze? If you log in to Everydaymathonline and click on "Everyday Mathematics Assessment Differentiation System" you can find resources that align to the lessons you are teaching.
Look at the front of your lesson and it will tell you the strand you are teaching. Locate that within the webpage and then you can find the skill you are focusing on that day and Voila! Ideas to use for your very low learners, all the way to your very high learners. It might take a little searching to find the perfect one for each group of learners, but if you plan as a team... you might consider adding this to your agenda as a way to bring differentiation into your classroom.
As always, let me know if I can support you or your team in differentiating for math in the classroom. Mama math is always there as well and can assist in getting math stations going as well.
Jenna
As always, let me know if I can support you or your team in differentiating for math in the classroom. Mama math is always there as well and can assist in getting math stations going as well.
Jenna
Blogging to Communicate
If you attended the new teacher training last week, you were introduced to the extremely fast version of how to set up a blog. Blogs are becoming such an amazing tool to share ideas and resources, not only in the world of teaching, but everywhere around us. It adds another way for us to communicate with people, especially our kids' parents. Plus, it's FREE!
Blogs can be used just like an electronic newsletter that you keep adding to. Can't remember to get that classroom newsletter typed up, copied and sent home on Friday? No fear... blog at anytime of the day. And... if your parents follow your blog via email, they will be notified every time you post. No more newsletters or notes getting lost in a backpack. Or our students forgetting to write things in their agenda. And don't forget about how much paper you would be saving!
Another use for a blog is a digital scrapbook of your classroom happenings. Now remember, what you post on your blog is ON THE INTERNET and ANYONE can find it, if they look hard enough. So, if you choose to post pictures, artifacts and/or first names of your students you will want parent permission first. So send home a note to ask for permission. However, if you do some searching, there are several blogs out there where teachers will post pictures with only a first name and no faces, students will hold the work over their face instead (it's pretty cute). Decide where your comfort level sits and go from there.
Need support in setting up a blog? You know how to get ahold of me. We can even do it as a group of teachers and all work together.
Get ready, get set and COMMUNICATE!
Jenna
Blogs can be used just like an electronic newsletter that you keep adding to. Can't remember to get that classroom newsletter typed up, copied and sent home on Friday? No fear... blog at anytime of the day. And... if your parents follow your blog via email, they will be notified every time you post. No more newsletters or notes getting lost in a backpack. Or our students forgetting to write things in their agenda. And don't forget about how much paper you would be saving!
Another use for a blog is a digital scrapbook of your classroom happenings. Now remember, what you post on your blog is ON THE INTERNET and ANYONE can find it, if they look hard enough. So, if you choose to post pictures, artifacts and/or first names of your students you will want parent permission first. So send home a note to ask for permission. However, if you do some searching, there are several blogs out there where teachers will post pictures with only a first name and no faces, students will hold the work over their face instead (it's pretty cute). Decide where your comfort level sits and go from there.
Need support in setting up a blog? You know how to get ahold of me. We can even do it as a group of teachers and all work together.
Get ready, get set and COMMUNICATE!
Jenna
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Whole Brain Part 2
Here is a link to another blog that really explains the 7 elements of whole brain teaching in depth. It is really interesting and allows you to understand why things are the way they are in WBT and how it affects the brain. Enjoy!
http://www.commontothecore.com/p/whole-brain-teaching.html
Or.. just jump to the WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING website... Mind blowing!
Click on "1st steps" to get an idea of each element.
http://wholebrainteaching.com/
Jenna
http://www.commontothecore.com/p/whole-brain-teaching.html
Or.. just jump to the WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING website... Mind blowing!
Click on "1st steps" to get an idea of each element.
http://wholebrainteaching.com/
Jenna
Whole Brain Teaching
I am so amazed. I have been looking through several videos on Youtube and am amazed at what Whole Brain Teaching can do for a classroom. Even to take a few elements here and there could make a world of difference when working with classroom management and the engagement of your students. Enjoy!
There are several other videos out there by a man named Chris Biffle that are AMAZING! Check them out.
As always, let me know if you have any questions and/or if you found this useful.
Jenna
Vocabulary Strategy
Vocabulary is a huge piece to learning. I pulled a few ideas from here and there, and below is something you might utilize in your classroom as a way to teach vocabulary or incorporate it into Daily 5.
1. What is the word?
2. What does the word mean? (kid friendly, not dictionary copied)
3. What other words do you think of when you hear this word?
4. Name two people who would use this word.
5. What are other ways of saying the same thing?
6. Make up a sentence using the word. Your sentence should tell what the word means without
saying it directly.
As always, let me know if you have any questions and/or if you found this useful. Have a great day.
Jenna
Word Work Ideas
Students will make notecards to keep track of their
vocabulary words. On one side, they write the word and on the back, they do a
Word Storm. They keep all their notecards on a ring and add as they learn more
information about the words. They can use their notecards to practice their words both reading and knowing what it means.
Word Storm
1. What is the word?
2. What does the word mean? (kid friendly, not dictionary copied)
3. What other words do you think of when you hear this word?
4. Name two people who would use this word.
5. What are other ways of saying the same thing?
6. Make up a sentence using the word. Your sentence should tell what the word means without
saying it directly.
Where you might see this going…
Keep notecards also with
morphographs they learn. The morphograph will go on the front of the card, the
meaning will go on the back and then they can create a list of words that
contain that morphograph and can continue to add as they read. Ex. Un would be
on the front of the card…. Not would be on the back and then I would list words
like unaware, unclean, unrest, unavailable. As students find words around the room and in books they are reading, they can add to their morphograph cards.
Jenna
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Can you see it? Let's Visualize!
We have started to embark on a new journey using Steve Dunn Reading Workshop. Our first steps have moved us into using visualization. I have heard from several that resources are hard to find and there is not enough time to go searching. So... I went searching for you.
Now, some of these have been tested in the classroom by teachers, and some have not. Enjoy the list. Feel free to add your own ideas by leaving a comment. Or if you found a book that works well, leave that comment as well.
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
Abuela by Arthur Dorros
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
When I Go Camping with Grandma by Marion Dane Bauer
The Sandcastle Contest by Robert Munsch
No Clean Clothes! by Robert Munsch
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner
My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer
Tuesday by David Wiesner
Remember, you don't have to use the whole book. Find a paragraph or two that work well for your think together, or think along. They can also work on a paragraph or two during guided practice, not a whole book.
Good luck and Happy Visualizing!
Now, some of these have been tested in the classroom by teachers, and some have not. Enjoy the list. Feel free to add your own ideas by leaving a comment. Or if you found a book that works well, leave that comment as well.
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Night in the Country by Cynthia Rylant
Abuela by Arthur Dorros
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
The Paperboy by Dav Pilkey
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
When I Go Camping with Grandma by Marion Dane Bauer
The Sandcastle Contest by Robert Munsch
No Clean Clothes! by Robert Munsch
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner
My Side of the Car by Kate Feiffer
Tuesday by David Wiesner
Remember, you don't have to use the whole book. Find a paragraph or two that work well for your think together, or think along. They can also work on a paragraph or two during guided practice, not a whole book.
Good luck and Happy Visualizing!
Monday, October 21, 2013
If it's not broke...
You might recall the old saying, "If it's not broke, don't fix it.". That made me think of teaching. If I am not broken as a teacher, do I need to be fixed?
I am a big fan of DIY projects and my husband and I decided to do a total overhaul of our kitchen/dining/living room area. We were on a tight budget and wanted to get the biggest bang for our buck. So with the help of my trusty friend Pinterest, I set to work. We were able to stretch our budget by taking things that were old, slightly used, dusty, and even some new items and create some pretty amazing things. We used our resources and were able to make our house that much more.
Now, was my house broken? No. It worked ok just the way it was. However, with a few adjustments here and there, my house is looking WAY better than it did before. With the exception of a kitchen chair, nothing was broken actually. It just needed a fresh pair of eyes to see it's true potential. I knew the old cupboards had it in them to be something amazing. They just needed to be looked at differently to see what they could become. Same with the table and chairs. They had been around for quite some time and worked great as is. However, with some paint and new fabric, they are now amazing. I even had NEW frames that I painted in order to fit the surroundings a bit better.
So when you think about "Do I need a coach?", you might think of my DIY projects. They still worked the way they were, but with a few adjustments here and there, they work and look SO much better.
Let me support you in your DIY classroom to use the resources you have in order to make the biggest impact for kids. A coat of paint, some new fabric, or maybe even a little dust removal... let's work together.
I am a big fan of DIY projects and my husband and I decided to do a total overhaul of our kitchen/dining/living room area. We were on a tight budget and wanted to get the biggest bang for our buck. So with the help of my trusty friend Pinterest, I set to work. We were able to stretch our budget by taking things that were old, slightly used, dusty, and even some new items and create some pretty amazing things. We used our resources and were able to make our house that much more.
Now, was my house broken? No. It worked ok just the way it was. However, with a few adjustments here and there, my house is looking WAY better than it did before. With the exception of a kitchen chair, nothing was broken actually. It just needed a fresh pair of eyes to see it's true potential. I knew the old cupboards had it in them to be something amazing. They just needed to be looked at differently to see what they could become. Same with the table and chairs. They had been around for quite some time and worked great as is. However, with some paint and new fabric, they are now amazing. I even had NEW frames that I painted in order to fit the surroundings a bit better.
So when you think about "Do I need a coach?", you might think of my DIY projects. They still worked the way they were, but with a few adjustments here and there, they work and look SO much better.
Let me support you in your DIY classroom to use the resources you have in order to make the biggest impact for kids. A coat of paint, some new fabric, or maybe even a little dust removal... let's work together.
Friday, October 11, 2013
We want our kids to grow... Why not ourselves?
As I sit and ponder what to blog about this week, I am so overwhelmed with emotions and ideas it is hard to pick just one thing. However, there is something that keeps circling back around in my brain.
What exactly is my purpose?
I know there is probably a technical term or definition for my job. I am sure it is listed in a place most people don't go or it is written in language I even have a hard time understanding. Is this a bad thing? Nope! But, I am going to step out of the adult language for a little bit and put it into kid language.
"What is your job?" I am a student performance coach.
"Well what does that mean?" I work WITH teachers to help them grow and learn new ideas.
Plain and simple. :-)
Does that mean if I work with someone that they are "bad"?
Well... if you work with a high reader does that mean they can't read? Of course not!
You are there to guide their growth and help them achieve goals they didn't know or think they were capable of. That's me, only my focus is teachers.
Now for my breakdown of it...
I am just another team member. I am another mind to bounce ideas off of. I am another educator who can come and model things in the classroom just to give a different perspective or new ideas. I can help you find resources and organize them in an effective and purposeful way. I can track things for you such as student engagement, types of questions you are asking or even the ratio you call on students.
So if you find yourself saying "Oh my gosh! What am I doing? This is so confusing!" I might be the answer or the clarification you need.
Have a fabulous Friday. Good luck with conferences next week.
Jenna
What exactly is my purpose?
I know there is probably a technical term or definition for my job. I am sure it is listed in a place most people don't go or it is written in language I even have a hard time understanding. Is this a bad thing? Nope! But, I am going to step out of the adult language for a little bit and put it into kid language.
"What is your job?" I am a student performance coach.
"Well what does that mean?" I work WITH teachers to help them grow and learn new ideas.
Plain and simple. :-)
Does that mean if I work with someone that they are "bad"?
Well... if you work with a high reader does that mean they can't read? Of course not!
You are there to guide their growth and help them achieve goals they didn't know or think they were capable of. That's me, only my focus is teachers.
Now for my breakdown of it...
I am just another team member. I am another mind to bounce ideas off of. I am another educator who can come and model things in the classroom just to give a different perspective or new ideas. I can help you find resources and organize them in an effective and purposeful way. I can track things for you such as student engagement, types of questions you are asking or even the ratio you call on students.
So if you find yourself saying "Oh my gosh! What am I doing? This is so confusing!" I might be the answer or the clarification you need.
Have a fabulous Friday. Good luck with conferences next week.
Jenna
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
What is a Coach?
Many of you are wondering... What is a coach?
Well a coach is many things. We carry several roles, some which we spend more time on than others.
Data coach, Classroom supporter, School leader, Resource provider, Mentor, Learning facilitator, Instructional specialist, Curriculum specialist, Catalyst for change AND Learner! Wow, what a list!
You might be saying to yourself, "That's great, but what does that mean for me?"
Well here are SOME of the ways that I can support you:
- setting or achieving your professional growth goals
- trying a new strategy
- refining a current strategy
- Modeling of a lesson
- observe a lesson/classroom and provide feedback
- Co-teaching
- Curriculum document/ lesson planning support
- classroom management/student engagement support
- Analyzing assessment data
- Look for suggestions of resources, websites, books on a particular area
- Chat about things
This is just a short list. The possibilities are endless.
Now, there are a few things I WILL NOT do:
* I will not evaluate your performance as a teacher.
* I will not judge you.
A coach is here to support your growth as an educator.
So... why not give it a try? You might find it was the answer to the question you didn't know you had.
"Sometimes you need to step outside, get some air, and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be."
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
A New Journey
Welcome!
My name is Jenna Farkas and I have taught 2nd and 3rd grade in the West Fargo Public School district for the last 6 years. I am beginning a new journey though and will be working as a Student Performance Coach. I am so excited to begin my new journey. I am in the process of transitioning out of my classroom and will begin full-time coaching on Monday, October 7th.
My blog will be my way of communicating new ideas, tips, tricks and sharing resources. It will also be a way to remind others of everything we have going on in our district. This blog will be directed to West Fargo staff, however, others may benefit from it as well. When you do utilize an idea or resource from my blog, please comment or email me and let me know how you are using the resources. I would like to be able to track how useful it will be and to track my own growth as a coach. On the flip side, if you have any ideas you would like to share, please contact me and I will post them.
Be sure to enter your email on the side so you can "follow" my blog and then whenever I post a new blog post, it will send you a notification so you will not miss anything.
I look forward to working with all of you.
Jenna
My name is Jenna Farkas and I have taught 2nd and 3rd grade in the West Fargo Public School district for the last 6 years. I am beginning a new journey though and will be working as a Student Performance Coach. I am so excited to begin my new journey. I am in the process of transitioning out of my classroom and will begin full-time coaching on Monday, October 7th.
My blog will be my way of communicating new ideas, tips, tricks and sharing resources. It will also be a way to remind others of everything we have going on in our district. This blog will be directed to West Fargo staff, however, others may benefit from it as well. When you do utilize an idea or resource from my blog, please comment or email me and let me know how you are using the resources. I would like to be able to track how useful it will be and to track my own growth as a coach. On the flip side, if you have any ideas you would like to share, please contact me and I will post them.
Be sure to enter your email on the side so you can "follow" my blog and then whenever I post a new blog post, it will send you a notification so you will not miss anything.
I look forward to working with all of you.
Jenna
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