It's November, and we are all thinking about things related to fall... pumpkins, leaves, cooler weather, and Thanksgiving.  And I've learned a few things about being thankful, specifically how thankfulness affects me in the classroom.

I have found that teachers can be the best complainers.  We have too much to do, too many mandates, too many students (or parents) causing extra problems... And we use the excuse of "I need to talk to someone about this."  Before we know it, we're one of the best complainers in the school.  That's not how I want to be, and that's not how I want to affect those around me.

The best way to cure a complaining spirit is by being thankful.  Even when things look hopeless, stressful, and irritating, finding something to be thankful for changes my mood.  This time of year seems to always be stressful, as the holidays are coming, and, as teachers, we are trying to cover material, keep up with grading, and keep our students calm in the middle of all sorts of holiday excitement.  Not easy.

So, here's my list of things to keep reminding myself to be thankful for.  I'm going to post them in my classroom - by my desk, on my lectern, in my plan book and grade book - anywhere that I may need the reminder to be thankful.  

I'm thankful for...

1. Jesus.  

"By His wounds I [have been] healed." Isaiah 53:5  If nothing else went well in my life, I know that I am still blessed to have my sins forgiven and a hope that is sure and secured through the work of Christ on the cross.  

2. Family

My husband, son, parents, siblings, grandparents, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles... blessings given from God that I tend to take for granted at times.  Each moment together is a gift from God.

3. Church family

As an extension of number 2, these dear people are my extended family.  Time together, encouraging each other to focus on Christ and live in a way that pleases our Savior, becomes the highlight of my week.  

4. My job

Yes, I am truly thankful for my job.  Without my job, bills wouldn't be paid, and we would have tons more problems than what I have now.  Teaching is demanding, no matter what kind of school I'm in.  I've been in public schools, charter schools, and private.  and each has its own pressure.  But the pressure will always be there, because teachers interact with people.  But it's in these interactions that we can find joy - joy in seeing our students understand new concepts, joy in partnering with parents to help their children learn and grow, and joy in collaborating with others to be the best that we can be.  I have to find joy and thankfulness in teaching to combat the tendency to dwell on the frustrations of the job.  

5. Friends

God has given us friends to help us understand and enjoy life.  And they sharpen us to be better than who we are.  I am thankful for my friends who live close by that I see all the time, and for those who live far away that I wish I could spend more time with.  

6. Time

Even though I complain that I don't have enough of it, I'm thankful for the time that I do have.  I'm constantly challenged to use my time wisely, because each moment is precious.  

7. "My Favorite Things"

These little things (chocolate, Dr. Pepper, Flair pens, etc.) are things that make me smiles.  They remind me that, even in the middle of whatever I'm going through, there are things that can still make me smile.  

8. Pets

I love my dogs.  One is gone, and I cherish each memory of Jaggers.  Shamu, our beagle, keeps me laughing.  She is "slightly" overweight, curious, snuggly, and pretty much lazy.  But she brings much joy to my family.

9. Books

I love books.  Especially ones that I can read just because I want to read them. To get lost in a good book is a good thing.  

10. A new day

I'm thankful that God gives us new days.  When I wake up in the morning, it's fresh.  All the frustrations and mistakes from yesterday are gone.  I have a clean slate.  I can choose to dwell on those things from yesterday, but they will rob me of the joy that is in store for me today. 

So, what are you thankful for?  

Martha from "The Owl Spot"

Try this, not that...

I tend to learn things by experience, especially if I've done something I know NEVER to do again. Hopefully these little tips can help you at the start of this new school year to learn from my mistakes!

1.  Use journals instead of loose leaf notebook paper
It doesn't work all the time, but I've found this is a HUGE time savor and paper-clutter reducer.  My students have hard cover math books.  I dread assigning work out of them, because I know the stack of math papers that get turned in get added to the others and make me feel like they'll never get checked.  And, quite frankly, sometimes they don't.  It's an overwhelming task!

A teacher friend of mine last year gave me the idea of using journals for their practice work.  This is not a math interactive notebook to take notes and keep foldables.  We had those too.  These are just for students' book work.  Things they were practicing.  Things that it's ok to make mistakes on, because that's how we learn.  Instead of grading a huge stack of messy papers, I check journals, a set at a time.  Paper clutter gone!

2.  Give your students answer keys
Yep!  You read that right.  I have learned that answer keys are not just for the teacher.  My students use them all the time.  I post answer keys in my classroom in different areas (clip them on the front board, place on a chair in the back corner...).  When students finish a set of problems, they go check their answers.  They aren't allowed to bring their pencils up with them, just their checking pen.  They mark which ones they missed and go back to their seats or their groups and figure out why it's wrong and correct it.  This is a HUGE learning opportunity for students, especially if students are working in partners or small groups.  The discussions that happen as they are trying to figure out what they did wrong are priceless!

If the group cannot figure out what their mistake was, then they are allowed to come ask me.  This also eliminates the students asking for every little thing, forcing them to THINK about the problem in different ways.

3. Have a set of Emergency Sub Plans
Most administrators require their teachers to have Emergency Sub Plans ready in case they are unexpectedly absent.  For years, I've tried putting things together, only to feel frustrated because I was trying to pull from my curriculum, not knowing where students would be if and when I was out. I don't think I've ever had to use the plans anyway.  There were a few days, though, that I had to go in early that morning, get something ready for a sub and leave before students arrived.  That's not good.

So, I made a couple sets of Emergency Sub Plans that will get me through those days.  They are printed out with enough copies of worksheets and activity cards for the class and stored in a binder on my shelf.  Worth every penny, every minute spent in prepping, because if I'm sick, I can stay home and not worry.

Here's a free math sheet that you can grab.  It's included in my Sub Plans for a Week for Upper Elementary: Winter Edition.

Divisibility Rules Color by Number

Thanks for stopping by!  I'd love to hear some of those things you've learned to save you time :-)

I'm also giving away a $10 gift certificate to my own TpT store, "The Owl Spot."  Enter through the Rafflecopter below.

Head on over to my friends, Misty Miller, for the next "Do This, not That" tip!

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Martha from "The Owl Spot"

Motivational Monday:

Monday's are tough, especially during the school year.  So, here's a little motivation to go out there and do what you do best!

My Summer Bucket List

I love summertime!  It's my time to get some things done that I've been waiting all school year to do. And this year is no exception.  Since I'm teaching summer school for 6 weeks this summer, it's even more important for me to keep a list to make sure I don't forget anything important.  I know that once school starts up again in August, anything that didn't get done may need to wait until next summer.

1.  Get caught up on some R & R.
It usually takes me a couple weeks to feel back to normal after a strenuous end of the school year. This year has been no exception.  To get caught up on my rest, I like to "try" to get some extra sleep and read some books I've been meaning to get my hands on (see the list later on in this post).  And this year we finally broke down and purchased a new mattress set, which will make getting some extra rest even better!

2.  Finish moving in
My husband and I recently moved, so I've been living with boxes hanging around, waiting for school to end.  So, it's time to unpack those lingering boxes, hang pictures, and make those little improvements that will make this new house our new home.

3.  Go through my closet
This one scares me the most - I have so many clothes that I haven't worn in ages that need to be donated or sold at an upcoming garage sale.  But the idea of sorting through the stacks can be overwhelming and will take time.

4.  Read books, books and more books!
It kills me, but I don't read for pleasure at all during the school year.  I just don't have time, especially since I haven't taught the same grade level consistently for 5 years.  So, once summer hits, I'm ready to begin reading.  Here's a few of the books on my list for this summer:
-  The Hobbit
-  And Then There Were None
-  The Book Thief
-  The Art of Racing in the Rain
-  the Narnia Series (I've read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but not the others)
-  Unbroken
-  The Story Teller
-  Pride and Prejudice

These don't include all the YA books and classroom novels that I plan on writing units for... I think there's way too many books in the world to read!  If you have any suggestions to add to my list, let me know!

5.  Get some traveling time in
I love traveling!  This summer, I'm planning on attending the Teachers Pay Teachers conference in Vegas (YAY!).  I'd love to visit some friends in other states, too, but I'm not sure I'll be able to fit those trips in.  Anything's possible, though!

6. Spending time with family and friends
I feel that when I'm in the middle of a school year, I'm confined to a box.  A box that only allows me to interact with people who naturally cross my path.  No time for nights out with friends or making memories with my family members.  Hoping this changes a bit this year, but it's just my reality right now.  So, summers are important for catching up!

7.  Work on curriculum
I know... this is the least desirable of my list, but it's something that has to be done.  I'm moving to a new school this year, so I need to get familiar with my curriculum.  Planning a couple units out will be very beneficial come October!

8.  Work on my TpT store
This one sounds like work, but it's really one of my passions.  I love writing curriculum, and my TpT store has become such a significant source of income for my family.  Spending time on new products and updating current ones is definitely a priority!  I've recently opened a second store "The Primary Owl Spot," and hope to stock this one full of great products for K-2nd grade teachers.






9.  Working on my piano skills
I've started taking piano lessons again this summer with hopes to fill in some gaps where I know I can improve.  I play for church, and would love to improve.

10. Get healthy
I'm teaching summer school through a grant that my local YMCA received.  I had no idea that I would get a year's Y membership for free!  So, hopefully that's the motivation I need to start exercising and, in turn, eating better and losing some of the pounds I've gained in the last couple years.

When I look at this list, I wonder when I'm going to ever accomplish any of this!  Thankfully, I have all of July and most of August before school starts again.

What's on your Summer Bucket List?

Readers' Theater

I have found that no matter what age my students are, they enjoy readers' theater.  Especially this time of year when they are wrapping up the year with state testing and have had enough of sitting and working and learning.  All you need is multiple copies of an engaging script and maybe a basket of props (hats, scarves, crazy sunglasses, masks, etc.) and you are set to go!


And the Research Says...

Now, something can be fun and engaging, but we all know that research drives our instruction.  So, what are the benefits of engaging our students in readers' theater?

1.  Improves reading fluency

This one is quite obvious.  Readers' theater forces students to practice reading their scripts/parts over and over again, with the intent for performance.  They have to work on pronunciation, reading rate, and expression.  It's the perfect read aloud situation!  Susan Finney, an author for Education World states "that the goal of readers' theater is to enhance reading skill and confidence through practice with a purpose. [It] gives students a real reason to read aloud."  http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev082.shtml

2.  Builds confident readers

We already read in the above quote from Education World that confidence is one of the major goals in using readers' theater.  By starting with easy and fun scripts, students don't have to worry about struggling with decoding.  They can experience success right along with their peers by rehearsing their part in the script and performing with their group.  As they get used to readers' theater, the teacher can increase the reading difficulty as students increase in their reading skills.

3.  Increases reading comprehension

This benefit seems to "just happen" when using readers' theater.  When students are actively engaged and motivated to read with a readers' theater script, the comprehension of the text naturally follows.  Judy Freeman, a children's literature consultant states:  "If you're searching for a way to get your children reading aloud with comprehension... readers' theater is the miracle."  And she's right.  Students are more likely to be able to give details, identify character traits, and summarize what happens because they have read and reread and have been physically engaged with the text.

So, what are you waiting for?  Whether you teach in the primary grades or upper grades, reading or other content areas, there are readers' theater scripts for you.  One of my favorite things to create are unique scripts for my students.  A perfect springtime example is my script for Frog and Toad are Friends.

(click on picture to see product in my TpT store)

I have included a fun readers' theater script, based on the endearing story of Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel along with some great comprehension graphic organizers and a nonfiction companion text about the differences between frogs and toads.  

 

 

Visit my TpT store for more readers' theater products for primary grades and upper elementary grades!

Aesop's Fables Readers' Theater Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Aesops-Fables-Readers-Theater-Bundle-Best-Seller-797186

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs Activity Pack

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-True-Story-of-the-Three-Little-Pigs-Activity-Pack-1123637

Fairy Tales Readers' Theater Bundle

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fairy-Tale-Readers-Theater-Bundle-1370640

Aesop's Fables for Big Kids - The Ant and the Grasshopper

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Aesops-Fables-for-Big-Kids-The-Ant-and-the-Grasshopper-Close-Readingtoo-1233414

Thanks for reading!  

Martha Hach from "The Owl Spot"

www.mrshachsowlspot.blogspot.com

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Martha-Hach-the-Owl-Spot

www.facebook.com/theowlspot

Time to Celebrate!

I am so excited to announce that I have reached a milestone goal with my Teachers Pay Teachers store!  Yay!! (Can you tell I'm excited?)

All of this goal setting celebration gets me thinking about setting goals and celebrating these goals with students.  Yes, WE set goals for them with their test scores, and WE push them to reaching them.  But what areas do we allow students to set their own goals?  How do we help them reach their goals?  And do we celebrate with them?

I'd love to hear how you encourage your students to set goals and celebrate with them!  After entering my raffle for a $10 gift certificate to my TpT store in celebration of my milestone, make sure to leave a comment about goal setting with your students!

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Martha-Hach-the-Owl-Spot-





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Warm Up and Chill Out! Test Taking Strategies

I don't know about you, but I am SOOO ready for spring!  Up here in Northeast Ohio, we've had enough snow to last a couple winters.  I know those of you in the Boston area have had a little more, but I'm a southern gal at heart, and miss my flip flops!  Well, the awesome teachers over at The Lesson Deli are going to try to get that cold blood flowing in your veins with a Test Prep Blog Hop.  Hopping is exercise, right???

Are your kids getting cabin fever, too?  For some reason, cabin fever always comes during testing, which adds to every teachers' frustration.  I remember so many times thinking "I know they knew that!  They just weren't thinking!"

I finally figured out something key:  if I prep my students well from day 1, using sound, research based teaching, testing day becomes just another day.  I always tell my students that the test is a celebration of everything they have learned during the year.  Be excited to show what you know and how you've learned to think this year.  I've actually seen some students breathe a sigh of relief as they changed their thinking about tests.

One tool that I've started using this year that has been an amazing resource is my "Vocabu-Ladders."  I found that my students really struggled with vocabulary.  They could memorize a definition (sometimes), but usage was horrible!  They were using nouns as adverbs and adjectives, and it pained me to grade their papers.  After using these Vocabu-Ladders, their scores improved, they were actually learning how to use the words, and they were learning how to think.

You can download a free copy of my Vocabu-ladders here:  (they are only free for a limited time; they are normally $1.50).  The download includes the graphic organizer and a set of task cards.

Other test prep items you may be interested in:

                   

Make sure to enter my raffle for a $15 Target gift card below, and then hop right on over to the Lesson Deli blog to enter the big raffles.  If you haven't hopped through my other teacher friends' blogs, make sure to - they have some amazing test prep ideas and products.  Many of the blogs have their own raffles, too!

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A Time for Giving

My school means a lot to me.  Not just because that's where I work or because the kids are great (which they are).  It's the school where I went.  I had some of the same teachers who are still there now.  They have a heart for what they do.  So, as my school gets ready for their annual auction, I thought the best thing I could do was try to give a little bit back.

A group of teachers donated products to create this bundle for upper elementary teachers.  All proceeds from the sale will go directly the my school.  There's about $130 worth of products bundled together for $25. Awesome deal for some awesome products!

Please check out the specifics in the link below.  And if you think this is a worthy cause, please pass along the link.

"Super" Celebration!

In celebration of reaching 400+ followers in my TpT store and because many of you will be surfing the web while others are watching the Superbowl, I have my entire store at 20% off Friday through Sunday.

I am also giving away one of my Emergency Sub Plan sets - contains enough activities to last a week in reading, writing and math.  I have a set for upper elementary and one for grades 2-3.  If you win, you choose which one you'd like.

Just enter the rafflecopter event below.  Make sure to follow me on TpT, Facebook, and, of course, here on my blog.

You can check out both Emergency Sub Plan sets here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sub-Plans-for-a-Week-Upper-Elementary-Winter-Edition-1670974

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sub-Plans-for-a-Week-Primary-Grades-2-3-1675337


Enjoy your weekend!

Martha from "The Owl Spot"
www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Martha-Hach-the-Owl-Spot-
www.facebook.com/theowlspot
www.mrshachsowlspot.blogspot.com



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Math Workshop

Over the 14 years of teaching, my math instruction has changed drastically, partially due to different curricular and district demands, and partly due to figuring out what works best for math instruction.  I now teach math using a workshop approach.  

Math workshop allows me to meet my students where they are in their math understanding and take them to the next step.  It is set up in 3 basic parts:  mini lesson, independent practice and workshop groups.

Mini Lesson:

The mini lesson focuses on the topic of the day.  This is your set curriculum that you are following. It might be modeling a new process, introducing a new concept, giving instructions for an Interactive Notebook entry, introducing a new game for reinforcement of a new skill, or clearing up a misconception that the entire class had.  This should take about 10-15 minutes of your instruction time.  

Here's a picture of a long division example that we worked through during a mini lesson.  I followed up with students on this during workshop lessons.

Independent Practice:

This is where students work on the key skills for your unit and review from previously taught lessons. I organize this for students by using a "Must Do" and a "May Do" list for them.  Students must do the items that are listed on the "Must Do" list.  I usually keep these to about 3 tasks:  problems from their math books, spiral review, daily word problem work.  It's up to you what you wish to keep on this list.  It's not a "busy-work" time, though.  These assignments should be relevant to what the students are learning.  One of my "Must Do" assignments will usually be called "workshop assignment." (I'll explain this in the small group work section.)

The "May Do" list consists of review activities, usually in the form of games or task cards.  Students LOVE this part! Most of my games can be played either individually or with partners.  Some of my students' favorite games include "You Know" (math Uno created by Fun in 5th Grade  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Place-Value-U-Know-Game-Whole-Numbers-to-Millions-ONLY-Played-like-UNO-969579) and Bottle Cap Multiplication and Expression games. 

Workshop Groups:

This is where I meet with small, flexible groups to go over common needs.  Many times I'll give them a 3 question quiz (they love sticky note quizzes!) to check understanding of the previous day's lesson. I'll group my students based on their answers.  My groups change - students are not locked in to a particular group.  Workshop group lessons last around 10-15 minutes, depending on what we are going over.  We write on the table with dry erase markers (they love this!), I have them use manipulatives and explain their thinking aloud. These types of things are difficult to do with a whole class, as many classes don't have enough manipulatives and it's difficult to have all students explain what they are thinking to you.  I add one assignment for their Must Do list from our workshop lesson. This gives me differentiated lessons that really make sense and apply directly to student learning. We usually end the lesson with a quick quiz (about 4 or 5 questions).  This quiz either goes in the grade book, or helps me determine tomorrow's group.  Students do their quizzes right on the table, and I record scores on a clipboard I keep just for math workshop.  Super easy, no after school grading and immediate feedback.  Great way to "WOW" your administration, too!

I've taught math through a workshop method with 28+ students, small classes (10 students), self-contained elementary classes, and departmentalized math classes.  Works great, no matter what your setting.  You just have to modify for what works best for you.  

Thanks for reading!  I'd love to hear any creative ways you get your students involved in math :-)