The Giving Tree That Keeps on Giving

Wow! I've been waiting to share this experience until it was all wrapped up so that I would be able to express every single emotion that came with it. Before I tell you about the best part, I want to fill you in on what lead 50:1 is, and how this was all possible. Lead 50:1 is in its third year among Teach for America corps members and community members. These are young children in middle school and high school that are wanting to volunteer their time in service. A few chosen corps members have a scheduled month where they create a service project for these wonderful children to give back to their community. How lucky was I to be apart of this? I still am in a little bit of shock. 

I stress the importance of kindness and giving in my classroom, and it's only right that I am living what I preach. For my project, I did not want it to benefit MY classroom or ME. I wanted everything to be for my kids, the true rock stars. I decided to go with a theme (everything always has to be in theme form for me) of giving. My class studied the book, The Giving Tree. When I was a kid, this was always one of my favorite books, so I guess things are starting to go full circle. We first studied the word give and created our own definition of what it meant and talked about how it made us feel. My kids summed it up way better than I could have, so here you have it in true seven year old fashion:

"Giving makes your heart feel so big."

"When you give, it makes you feel good."

"Giving means to get rid of things that you don't need anymore, like baby toys, and giving them to someone else."

"You can give hugs, love, and friendship."

"Giving makes you feel like a hero." (My all time favorite)

After this, we talked about the relationship of the tree and the boy. My kids went so deep with this, it was unexpected. I had a few students that were REALLY upset. They had time to talk to each other about what they thought of the book:

"All that boy does is want, want, want and gives nothing to the tree. I don't like that mean boy."

"The tree loves the boy so much."

"The boy is so greedy."

Finally, we talked about how we could give. We talked about how giving means more when you don't buy it. Even though were seven, we have so much to give. They came up with so many ideas: 

Extra food

Hugs

Love

Smiles

High fives

Art projects 

Friendship

Old toys and clothes

We then invited community members into our classroom and "gave" to them by making them bracelets. We learned about how we can make something and even though we want it, it feels so good to give it away. While they were busy making bracelets, the community members and kids had brought in clothes, blankets, shoes, toys, and so much more for the kids. In my initial request, I had mentioned that my goal was for everyone to provide used items that they cannot use, but can make my kids so happy. The idea was to teach everyone the cycle of giving, which ultimately is happiness. Let's just say, the community blew me away. When I walked into the room, it brought me to tears, literally. I can't really express every reason that I was crying. Part of the reason was because I love them with every ounce of my heart, another reason is because of their situations, and finally, because I imagined their grateful faces in their new clothes to keep them warm this winter.

Today was the big reveal, right before our thanksgiving break. I sat them down and talked about giving one last time. They discussed how it made us feel as people, and how important it is. One boy said that this thanksgiving, he wanted to wrap up his old toys and hand them out at his trailer park. Gosh, where does he come from? I did a lesson where I told them how when you love someone, sometimes you want to give them something (just like the tree), and I gave away a stuffed animal to my student. This student said they felt really good, but the lesson continued and they had to give it away. After he didn't have it anymore, he said "I feel good that I gave it away." 

To wrap up the lesson, of course I surprised them with bags that were bigger than them. I was in pure amazement. It's so incredible how your clothes that sit in your basement or closet and bring you no joy, can make someone else the happiest person in the world. Thanks to amazing people, my kids will be cuddling up with a warm fleece blanket this winter. They were at recess with new jackets and tennis shoes and their smiles were unreal. They weren't greedy, and could not find anything negative in the situation, even one girl whose shoes were 4 sizes too big- yes she still wore them to recess. 

They said it was the best day ever, and I hope it is one that they don't forget. I don't want them to remember it as the day they got presents, but the day that they learned how giving leads to receiving and complete strangers love and care about them. For the parents, I left a note inside to explain why I am thankful for their child and how they inspire me. I also wrote that sometimes unexpected situations happen and they cannot be explained, but I would love for them to accept this act of giving, and continue the cycle when their child outgrows it.

This whole day and service project opened my eyes to the meaning behind what I do. While I love being a teacher, what I love more is loving these children. I didn't have expectations of being a teacher, but I had big goals of loving students with all of my heart, however that needed to happen. I know that this experience happened for a reason and I am in Phoenix because that is where my heart belongs.

We have a saying in our class that we repeat, and it's one of our expectations for being positive people. A lightbulb turned on in my students head when he came up to me and said "Miss Abney, now I really do have everything I need." 

With that- we ended the day with our saying, "We might not have everything that we want, but together, we have everything that we need."

College Discussions

Q: In your blog this week, talk about your current strengths, weaknesses, and hopes for the future.

A: I cannot believe the program is coming to an end! I have learned so much about how to be a teacher and how to be MYSELF in the classroom. Looking back, that is the biggest thing I have learned, was how to bring my skills into the classroom, rather than mold myself into something that I am not. We are able to have so much fun in class everyday, and my students and I all bring a different personality into the room. I am still working on my time management, and every day I learn something new that I want to implement. There is just never enough time. As for my future plans, right now I am focusing on my students so that the future doesn't interfere with the now! :)


Q: What types of teaching strategies have you utilized with you ELL student? Of the strategies discussed, which one(s) do you think will implement in the future?

A: I love using pictures and kinesthetic movement with my students! Especially when learning a new vocabulary word, it is so amazing to see how much information they retain when they use their bodies! We sing many songs, have many hand motions, and make sure we are moving. At the same time, we always relate new words to our own lives and draw pictures of them. It is so helpful in remembering what the word means, and putting it into context!




Q: What is your most stressful part of the IEP for you to deal with or work on?

Do you have someone on your campus that you can go to for assistance and support in writing the IEP?

A:  I do not have an IEP this year, but went through the testing last year in which a child was identified. While I did not have to look at an IEP, I had to work with others and research methods to best teach my student. The hardest part was feeling as if I wasn't being "fair" and the "fair isn't always equal" idea. This was as big of a lesson for me as it  was the kids and understanding that their consequences may look different than his because his behavior was based upon a 30-minute time schedule, while there's was in larger increments. It took many discussions as a class to understand this. Also, having to restrain in front of my class was at times difficult because they saw me as a calm teacher, and then also saw me having to restrain angry students. I always had to make sure they were never frightened and understand what I needed to do (stop the lesson, restrain, etc) to make sure that they were safe and the student was not hurting himself.



Q: What is something you want to change about your classroom management?
Be specific and use specific example(s) for this change.

A: I honestly love the way my kids interact with each other. For my management, at this time in the year, my kids have taken ownership and run the classroom without me (in a good way). I definitely have to step in at times due to children wanting TOO much ownership. They sometimes feel that they have the authority to tell someone that they are not being respectful if they choose to break a rule, and that's something that I cannot allow. If I had to change something, it would be our school wide system because I feel that sometimes it can take away from education. Also, if they are in trouble at recess, it is something that I NEVER deal with. This can have its benefits, because I was not there and did not see it, but often times they come back after a big fight and I am not sure how it was handled. I never want inconsistency in their development.


Q: Did you receive training regarding children with Emotional Disturbance? How was it helpful or not? Does your school have an “Emergency Team” for a student with Emotional Disabilities?

A: I went to school for human services, with a minor in psychology and loved studying children and the brain. Prior to graduating, my final internship was as a guidance counselor. Working with the students one on one was the best experience I could have receive. This prepared me more than anything to know how I would react in certain situations, and how I provide an equal education to all students. After having a student in my class with an emotional disturbance, I fell in love with everything about it and wanted to specialize in this! There is a CPI team at my school and we are able to rush to classrooms in emergencies to restrain a child if absolutely necessary. It is so important!






Q: After participating in the webinar about Common Core Standards, what are your concerns? What ah-ha did you have about CCS?  What will you continue to do or do differently to ensure that you are teaching to the CCS?

A: After participating in the webinar, I was definitely thinking about my classroom and the changes that I made this year. I taught common core in my classroom last year, so I am familiar with the standards and strategies. The big difference this year is the way that we are to incorporate reading, grammar, and writing together! That was my big ah-ha coming into this year. It was one of those "Why did I never think of that?" moments. It has definitely made all of the ideas flow more smoothly and help things feel less choppy. I love teaching the foundational skills and will continue to teach and review those throughout every lesson that I have (syllables, rhyming, decoding, etc.). These are so important to make sure that they are becoming fluent readers and can demonstrate the other standards independently.

Q: Have you had to go to your school counselor to
assist in a situation? What was your experience in working with
the counselor? Were you able to get the student or parent the
resources they needed? If you have not had an experience with
a school counselor, after hearing this webinar…what scares you
the most about the topics discussed? What thoughts did you
have reflecting on the content of this webinar?

A:

Unfortunately, we do not have a counselor at my school, which breaks my heart. I completed my internship as a guidance counselor in an affluent area in Indiana, and felt that the workload was so overwhelming because some many students benefited from the services. Coming here, I knew that I wanted to be a counselor to my students in the classroom. I think the biggest thing that scares me is that so many signs of neglect, hunger, etc. go unnoticed because we are so busy as teachers. I think it is so crucial to have somewhere for the kids to go and someone for them to talk to in order to help them solve their daily problems and normalize their situations. Also, I noticed that a counselor is so beneficial for a parent and they need someone to talk to as well. Overall, reflecting on this webinar was refreshing because I am so passionate about the topic, but it was also disheartening to know that most students have cut this position.


Q: How can you incorporate the STEM concepts to a particular
project or lesson plan in your classroom (or a classroom you’ve
been in)?

A: With being a huge fan of science, I try to always incorporate STEM concepts into every ELA lesson. This week, our ELA focus is on non-fiction text. I have decided to focus the unit on earthquakes. For their grammar, we are describing the Earth, it's layers, and earthquakes by using adjectives and playing hot potato with a globe. Friday, they will be creating a blueprint as a writing sample with a group. This blueprint must explain a sturdy building that can survive an earthquake. After they explain the earthquake, they will be creating the building/structure with marshmallows and toothpicks, voting on the structure they predict will stay standing, and we will have an earthquake simulation.

Q: What types of teaching strategies have you utilized with you ELL
student? Of the strategies discussed, which one(s) do you think will
implement in the future?

A: We focus so much on their language and adding a new vocabulary word every day. I give them the opportunities to decide what the word means before I tell them. This way, they are digging into their background knowledge and I have an understanding of where they are at. I use the 7-step model where they then relate it to their lives in a sentence. I also use many pictures and songs as well as realia to help them remember. I try to make every lesson very hands-on for them! Less worksheets, more activities!

Q: How will you address classroom management in the final weeks of school? Will you change anything? What kind of positive incentive plan will you implement in your classroom? How will you communicate it to students and parents?

A: Being the final weeks of the last semester, they biggest thing I am working on is consistency. Especially during this time of year, I think it is easy to let the distraction of the holidays get in the way and allow the kids time to "break." While we are going to celebrate and do exciting Christmas activities, it is important to remind them of the expectations in the classroom. As soon as a teacher allows for the opportunity for children to "slack off," the expectations are lowered. As for positive incentives, we are still doing the same things, nothing different. We earn time together by mastering our math facts and filling up our box of "kind gestures." This way, the motivation is intrinsic and can carry on outside the classroom.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Thankful: Aware and appreciative of a benefit. This definition describes exactly how I feel about my students and you, for your unending support. Before I introduce you to myself and my amazing students, I want you to know how important your role is in Teach for America. By supporting me in my journey, you are graciously supporting twenty-seven young children who deserve the world. Together, we can lift these children up and help them discover their potential, which I’ve learned is an incredible experience.

My name is Jacey and this is my second year as a Teach for America corps member. I was born and raised in Indiana, and am appreciating that more and more each day. I was also born a Boilermaker, and knew from a young age that I would attend Purdue University. While I left a little bit of my heart there (okay, a lot of my heart), I am happy to cheer on the Boilers from the valley. I graduated with a degree in human services and completed my final internship as an elementary school guidance counselor. The day that I said goodbye to all of my students in Indiana, tears rolling down my face, I knew that I needed and desired to work with children every day of my life. This was when I decided that Teach for America was perfect for me.

I was placed in Phoenix, Arizona at Brunson-Lee Elementary School. Last year, I taught the most amazing first graders, and this year, I have the privilege of teaching a class of first and second graders. This dynamic has opened my eyes to so many things and has allowed me to truly experience the achievement gap first hand. I have ten second graders who are at or below a kindergarten level. Many cannot count to twenty, and I am teaching them their letter sounds every day. My goal for this year is that every second grader will leave my classroom being a confident and proud reader. After meeting with their parents, I have learned that many of these students were previously told that they weren’t smart enough, or would “always struggle.” I do not believe that, and I never will believe that. While their hearts are enormous, their potential is even larger. I refuse to give up on them, and cannot wait to see the smile on their face when they discover all that they are worth.

I cannot express how excited I am for you to be a part of this experience and knew that I owed a big thank you to all of you who support me. Whether it is my reading my blog, sending letters, saying prayers, sending love, or helping out in my classroom, I couldn't do this without you. My student recently decoded a three letter world, and I have never seen a smile so big. He looked at me and said, “Miss Abney, I’m reading.” While I held back tears, I smiled back and said “I knew you could.” This is an experience that I hope continues each and every day, and am confident that it will. I strongly believe that all these children need is someone who cares. Lucky for them, they now have you, also. Thank you so much for supporting me in this adventure. It will be exhausting, rewarding, and incredible all at the same time. Words cannot express my gratitude. My students deserve the world, and together we can help them discover all of the beauty that surrounds them.

Unending Thanks,

Jace

Update!

it's finally time for me to update my blog! first, I apologize for my lack of updates. lately, i have been strictly using this blog for my schooling and the posts have truly been lacking any excitement or passion. but im ready to pour out my passion and love and update you on this crazy roller coaster ride.

warning: this is going to be lengthy so prepare yourself!

There is so much that I want to tell you about this experience. I am officially a first grade teacher. I know i have been a first grade teacher since July, but I am finally FEELING like a first grade teacher and feel confident in my role. I was on a run the other day and 3-D shapes started playing from my iPod, yes this is real.

I have been given so many opportunities here that have both excited me and confused me. When I look back on a year ago to when I was leaving my lovely home in Indiana, this was nothing like the picture I painted in my head. I will be honest, I left everything. I left a wonderful neighborhood, my perfect family, supportive friends, a boyfriend that I loved, a sick grandpa, job opportunities, and a nephew that I was afraid would forget me. I didn't know how much I had until I was miles away from it and I would be completely lying if I said that it wasn't tough. I think that I have completely changed as a person. I don't think I ever realized how selfish I was until I met my students. I am sure it compares to being a parent. When I was in college, every thought seemed to be centered around one thing: me. Will I pass the test? What class should I take? Should I go out tonight or study? Where should I apply for jobs? What should I eat for lunch? Now, everything revolves around my 26 wonders. Would they like this lesson? Are they okay? How can I make them happy? Do they understand? This is my new train of thought, and I am so satisfied with that. However, day in and day out and I constantly struggling with this idea of privilege.

I feel like I am so stuck with figuring out how to run away from all of this privilege that I have been given. The crazy thing about this word is that everyone has it! Everyone is privileged in one way shape or form, because everyone is different and everyone has something to offer. But I am having a hard time figuring out why God chose to give me so much. I feel like he is challenging me to give it all away- and I don't know that I have found out how to do that. My biggest regret that I have had this year is not immersing myself more in my children's culture. I dislike the fact that my kids walk to school completely hungry and I don't. I can't stand the fact that when the bell rings at 3, they are gone back to their lives and I drive home in a new car to a different zip code. I go home to make a healthy meal with organic foods, take a warm shower, and fall asleep on a bed. They go home to a house the size of my room, with no air conditioning, often no lights, no showers, no dinner, and bed bugs on the floor which doubles as their "bed." I promise you that I am grateful for all that I have, but the fact is, I don't need it. I go home to all of these things that really aren't needs at all. The funny thing is, I am so in my element with them. I LOVE walking my kids home from school. When their parents forget them, I get to walk them home and the kids and I both love it! As I walk through their neighborhoods, I smile and wave at the community that I love. I feel so safe there and know that they would always protect me. I have one little boy that I have walked home more than once, and I have been noticing he secretly tries to get left behind so that we can walk together again. Truthfully, I don't mind. I don't like when they have to go home, and neither do they. It is spring break this week and my children were almost in tears leaving Friday afternoon. My sweet boy put his hands on his head and said "NO! I don't want to go to Spring Break because I will miss you so much." The feelings are mutual, I will be thinking about them always. My other young boy grabbed every worksheet he could find to make sure he had something to do. Not ONE of them is going on vacation like the spring breaks I had as a child and they were asking to please take a pencil home so that they could have one at home. They are truly amazing. They love education and are so appreciative of their lives. The world needs more of them.

With all of these thoughts, it's easy for you to see that I want to do more. I love being their teacher, but I feel that God is calling me to go beyond the classroom. My love for these children is beyond words. I would go to the end of the Earth for them. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to help people. I know that God places everyone on this Earth as part of his master plan. I cannot wait to see what he allows me to do. Maybe he will take me farther, to a place where my students are seen as "rich" and where the people are grateful for each other and the grace of God, because they have nothing else. Maybe he will allow me to create an organization where students get to receive extra services, warm meals, character development, and employment help on the weekends to keep their learning going and provide them with a safety net. Because when I am on home visits or with them outside of school, that is when my passion is on fire! I don't know what this all means, but I know that everything in my life has led up to the now and at the end of it all, I hope to be standing before my God hearing "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

I told you this was going to be long, but there is a lot you need to know! So now an update on my kids! (The best part). I have written about my student with an emotional disability, one that cannot control his anger. It is so crazy to think about him in July. This child would destroy my room daily. Taking down my posters and ripping them to shreds. I remember his kindergarten teacher telling me that she could never have push pins in his reach. She told me this after he pulled one from my wall and stabbed a girl's behind. I remember standing in front of the class each day and writing on the board while he would erase everything I wrote. Did I ever get frustrated? Yes. Not for my sake, but for my other children. But something about this child excited me. I saw an opportunity, and you bet I was going to run with it. This child is my story. We have a mutual love and respect for each other that is undying. When he is himself, he is constantly showering me with love and appreciation. He writes me letters saying "you are so good for me." We ate lunch together while he chatted with me about how he used to be "so bad" in Kindergarten, but he doesn't do that anymore. He is so mature, so loving, and has this need to help others around him.

My other story is a young boy that God laid on my heart. My little boy in my class who came to me with his family on meet the teacher night with the largest smile in the world! Two months later, his world was flipped upside down. He was removed from his home and placed in foster care with a family that speaks Spanish. FYI, this boy does not speak spanish. He was no longer with his biggest fan, his mother. And his little brother was miles away. His behavior began to change immediately. I will never forget the day that he was yelling at me in my face, to the point where I was almost in tears. It was so hard for me to let him react, but I knew in my heart that I was the only stable person for him and he needed to let out his anger somehow. I was so scared that he misunderstood my love for him. He was so confused! When I had to call his foster mom to take him home after a day of misbehavior, he starting screaming and crying "ALL OF THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. I WILL GO TO A NEW HOME AND IT WILL BE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" I hurt for him and stood there, silent, letting him try to face his emotions. He would talk to me about his situation and say, "I pray every night Miss Abney. I pray that my mom will learn to be a better mom." or "When I get mad, I know I can pray." These motivated me so much to show him my unconditional love for him, no matter what. I'm happy to say that our love is mutual and understood. He has made an incredible turn around and amazes me with his coping mechanisms. He is lactose intolerant so I decided to bring him some chocolate almond milk (one of my favorites) to school for our cookies and milk party. He looked at me, feeling so special and happy, and said "Miss Abney, we are so much alike. One day could you pick me up and we can go hiking and drink almond milk?" I was on cloud nine. I spoke with his real mom yesterday, and she said that he already can't wait for next monday when we are back at school.

Those are my two turn-around stories, the ones that every teacher has. However, all of my kids are my stories. I see this amazing potential in them, and qualities that will leave a legacy. We are focusing on what it means to be kind to others in the world, learning that our hearts can hurt because of other people's choices, which is so powerful, but so simple to avoid. We also talk about being positive and never using our energy on negative things. Both play a domino effect and if we choose to stop negativity then everyone around us benefits. We call them "no negative people" in our class, and strive to be that person. 

I have one young girl who is always so positive and goes out of her way for everyone. She never wants anyone to hurt, and will make sure that everyone truly feels happy. She is going to be a teacher, I know it. And she is going to work so hard for her students, until she is physically exhausted. 

I have one young girl who is an artist! When you give her paper and a pencil, she will create a masterpiece, but only if she is passionate about it. She is creating me at home, let's see how it turns out. :)

I have a boy who is so happy all the time and wants everyone to follow the rules. He always walks in late and explains his situation with a smile. "Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! My power went out again!" I'm not kidding, he says this while smiling and toothpaste down his face and shirt. He will be voted Mr. Congeniality.

I have a young boy who has a genuine concern about everyone. He will help them any chance he gets, even if he doesn't know the right answer himself. He also has never eaten a salad... When he saw lettuce on the ground he said "Teacher! What is this?! We do not eat plants..." He was so confused.

I have a young boy who can create math problems in his head. He loves numbers! He will sit in front of the clock just to watch the time, or stand at the back of the line so that he can count students. He is extremely creative and will most likely create a roller coaster at Disney.

My whole class is so special and each and every one of them has an important spot in my heart. They are so kind, loving, and grateful. They literally will change the world. They already have changed my life, I can only imagine the impact they will make.

Lastly, I wanted to place a young girl in your heart. This is a 6th grade girl that was on my soccer team. Not only is she an outstanding soccer player, but she is one of the most inspiration people I have ever met. Remember my young boy who is in foster care, this is his older sister. If you can think about the situation she was placed in, she now has the responsibility of raising her six year old brother. There were mornings she would come to my room and just cry. "I need help. I can't do this. I don't know what to do." I hurt for her, but secretly knew that if anyone could do it, it was her. She knows how to remain so positive when her world is flipped upside down, something that most people could not do. She invited me to a  Mother's Day Brunch at her church yesterday. I sat at the table of all of the important women in her life. I was beaming and felt so honored to be sitting in her presence. Last minute, she decided to sing a song acapella for the audience. As she stood up there shaking, the lyrics surrounded my heart and head. She sang "No Matter What" which was about how even in the hardest situations, God is there no matter what. Even when everything felt so broken, she wasn't alone. I had goosebumps and was reminded of how powerful faith can be.

For those of you who read to the end, thank you for following along on my journey. I know that I cannot change where my student's live or what they go home to at night. I know that I am not able to change this world, but I know that I can change one person, and it will be a ripple effect. The power of love is unstoppable.

All my love and hope,

Miss Abney

Poverty

Have you been impacted by poverty? Personally? Professionally? How can you, personally, make a difference in the life of a  child who lives in poverty? What would you want others to understand about the impact of poverty on children and learning?


As a professional, I am impacted by poverty each and every day. From the moment I walk outside to greet my children, until the bell rings at the end of the day. They are constantly telling me stories that remind me of their struggles. However, they are never telling me these stories out of pity, and most of the time, they are still smiling. The other morning, my student came to school with toothpaste down his face and shirt. He walked in and immediately wanted to explain. He said he was so sorry, but he couldn't see in the dark, and their lights are turned off. Another boy chimed in and said that's okay, they don't have the money for toothpaste, so he cannot brush his teeth right now. My heart was warmed at the fact that the little boy wasn't ashamed, however he wanted to be open and honest with the reasoning for his shirt. I love when they relate to each other with so much understanding and it is so easy to see how much they care about each other.

I used this to make a difference in their lives. I know how important it is to have clean teeth. When student's have a tooth ache, they cannot learn. A sore mouth is SUCH a distraction. Also, an infection is very painful and can lead to further issues. It hit me that brushing my teeth multiple times a day is SUCH a privilege. This was a privilege that my children deserved. With that being said, my mother helped provide them all with toothbrushes at home, and toothbrushes at school. Every Monday, students are able to brush their teeth at school as a reward, and it is one of their favorite days!

What you need to understand is that you can't change if they have electricity at home. You cannot change that they do not have adequate transportation or bed bugs, but you can go deeper and figure out what that means. They don't have a car? Help them with a bus pass, reusable grocery bags, comfortable shoes. Sometimes you have to think about the bigger picture and what the lack of resources mean for them.


All my love,

Jacey

ELL Strategies

What ELL strategies will you implement in your classroom and what outcomes do you think it will have?

After the ELL strategies presentation, I felt like there were so many things I wanted to implement. There were 2 imparticular that really stuck out to me! The first one was the personal dictionaries. We spend a lot of time on vocabulary with the 7-step lesson plan and I fully believe that it works wonders. I would love to add to this and make a personal dictionary center for their writing center to write their own definition, create their own picture, and solidify this definition by creating sentences or a story with this word. They LOVE reading dictionaries and I think they would really love this. They take pride in their creations. :) Also, I want to focus on the positive reinforcement and making sure that it is so clear everytime I am reinforcing anything. I have made it a goal to even reinforce my students for being human, "Thank you for the big smile or thank you for sitting." I want to really focus on making every positive reinforcement count so that they can also notice the benefits that it has.

Professionalism

Q: Have you witnessed staff acting in an unprofessional manner? If so, what can you do to avoid these pitfalls?


A: I would not say that I have witnessed staff acting unprofessional. I am very fortunate to work with an AMAZING group of teachers. What I love most about our staff is that we are very close to one another and will help each other out. With that being said, I don't believe that anyone has the opportunity to be unprofessional because we would help each other out before that could happen. That is one of the benefits of having a small staff. It is very common for schools to witness gossiping between teachers, or what is called "teacher lounge talk." However, it is so easy to avoid. I think that the most important thing to remember in a school setting is to stay positive. There are many things that happen within a school setting that can have teachers hanging their heads. It only takes one person to keep the positivity up, and it only takes one person to tear that apart. It is important for teachers to be that positive energy, even after a tough day.

Bullying

Question: 

Did you experience bullying as a child either as a victim, witness, or bully? How did you survive that experience and what did you learn from it that is helping you now as a teacher?

Answer:

Growing up, my experience with bullying was always the witness, and that was a really tough place for me. My heart always went out to those who were not treated like they should, but at the same time, I did not want to be the snitch. When I talk about bullying, I do not mean physical. I never witnessed that. More, I witnessed emotional and social bullying often between other girls. I would always befriend the person who was being hurt, in hopes that it would help. However, I think that it could become so bad that nothing could help because of the internal self-hurting that the person faced. Knowing this, as a teacher, I bring everything to the surface. I think it is so simple to turn your back on the little girl who says "You are not my friend." Why? Because it happens every single day with first graders. But, if I do that, these little things turn into big things. I think the most important part is to voice the feelings of the person being hurt. I stress the idea so many times that we are all people, and people do not have the right to hurt others. We talk everyday about how we are all different, and we all like different things. If we weren't different, it would be SO boring. One thing we do have in common, is we all have the ability to be kind and that is our job to make sure that our classroom and our world is a safe and happy place to be. :)

Q & A

Q: What are 3 things that you want to improve or initiate within your classroom this semester?

           - I have initiated 2 new things that I want to improve. I have really gotten into guided reading groups which I would like to continue learning about and adding new strategies to increase my reading scores. Many of my kids have been starting on chapter books and loving them! I love seeing them love reading, it is amazing! I have also started a big emphasis on being kind. It is something I am passionate about and have noticed that my first graders can be very hurtful. We recite a kind class promise every morning but I am looking to introduce ways to successfully face these challenges so that they can use the strategies outside of class. Lastly, I want to initiate routines that they do not get at home! I got them all their very own toothbrush and wanted to use this as a reward for them and a way to teach these positive routines to carry over to home and benefit them :)
                   
My goals are… to have all students feel like they are successful at reading and mat by the end of the year. Also, to be very very cautious of my lesson plans and spend time on them so that the kids are moving around and learning things that are relative to their life and interests.

To be successful, I need…stay calm and positive with them every single day. Raising your voice will get you no where.Teachers must always remember that students will copy their behavior because they simply look up to them! I want to continue to laugh with them and teach them that life is full of amazing opportunities for them!


All My Love,

Miss Abney

New Year, New Possibilites

I have been so fortunate to spend so much time at home with my family and friends who are absolutely amazing! I have taken full advantage of this relaxation, and have probably taken it to a whole new level. While my break is quickly coming to an end, I have been thinking so much about my adorable little firsts and hoping they are enjoying their time away from school (but secretly ready to come back).

Many people have been posting blogs about the New Year and I am incredibly excited that 2013 is here. The tree came down too fast and Christmas was over too soon, but I am still inside my cozy house with LOTS of snow outside! :)

Okay seriously, how cute?!

Anytime I have the opportunity to recharge, I take it. The New Year is probably my all time fave! I don't think about it as a way to change (I never want to change who I am) BUT I do see a new and endless possibilities. For me, it's kind of a chance to create a New Year bucket list, and that is exactly what I have done! Some people say to make one resolution and stick with it. ONE!? You're kidding. I say the more the merrier. I made a million and two (it seems like it) and blocked them into my all-time favorite categories. My advice, break them into months and go after each one like crazy. At the end of 2013, I'm sure you will have hit most of them and there will be little room for disappointment. So, for you slow pokes out there who are still thinking about their resolutions, here's a little inspiration.

January & February: These months are organization months, because these are the cold months to stay inside and revamp.
-Clean out my closet and get rid of everything that has hung on a hanger since last year. Basically, organize the place.
-Clean out my computer. From the ancient music files to the scattered lesson plans, let's go.

March & April: These months are for fitness. The sun is out, but not scorching.
-See a personal trainer and try new classes. I love running, but I need to switch it up. Kickboxing, Pure Barre? You betcha.
-Find/create new smoothie recipes. Time to get creative in the kitchen.

May & June: These months are my "me" months. School is ending, time to plan some trips and focus on myself! Don't be overwhelmed, this should be your biggest category.
-Journal gratitude and positivity every day. Have you heard of a one-liner journal?
-Cut out technology on certain days.
-Pamper myself more. Massages, nails, you name it.
-Adventure: more hiking, skydiving, and simply explore my new community.
-Study the Bible. Do it with friends for more enjoyment and accountability.
-More time in prayer.
-More craft time. Make more jewelry!
-Read 10 books. I know that doesn't sound like many, but look at my list and think about time. Let's be realistic. I am starting with two new ones that were just gifted to me. Thanks :)

July & August: These are my travel months because July is my month to get away.
-Go on a spontaneous trip.
-Go on a service trip.

September & October: These are devoted to my career because school is in full swing. (Finances are included)
-Plan engaging and hands-on lessons so my kids truly love and value learning.
-Less planning on the weekends.
-Blog more :)
-Save up my money for my future and for travel.

November & December: Obviously these months are my favorite, because they are devoted to giving and others.
-Give more compliments.
-Send more mail: letters, thank-yous, and care packages.
-Random act of kindness once a month (Pay for a stranger's Starbucks, they won't forget it.)
-Become a mentor.
-Always remember to be positive and loving in every situation.
-Be more open and accepting at doctor's appointments. They know best :)

Yes this is a lot. But it's not really a do-all list. It's a do what you can and see what comes from it. Don't think of them at resolutions, think of them as possibilities and go get 'em!


Happy New Year,

Miss Abney xxo

Happy Holidays!

I have completed 100 days of teaching! The fact that I am already sitting here and typing this is incredible. I cannot believe that time has passed so quickly. When I look at my experience thus far, I am in disbelief. My life has changed completely for multiple reasons and I do believe that I am flying back for Christmas with a renewed heart.

I thank God for this experience every day and for the wonderful relationships I have built. If you want honesty, I did hit my slump mid-November and began questioning a lot of things. Why did I choose this path and what is my purpose here? It did not take long for me to snap back into reality and remember the million reasons why I am in Arizona teaching first graders. Now, I am in a place of complete happiness and gratitude. I am the luckiest girl in the world. I am not only teaching children to read (whoa!) but I am teaching them how to function in life and how to break the cycle of poverty. I have spent so much time teaching life skills, and I stop my lessons every time that there is an opportunity to teach them something about themselves or the massive world around them. One thing that has really upset me is the fact that 6 year olds can be so unkind. I have witnessed my kids saying and thinking hurtful things and it has broken my heart.

I will not forget the day that I had to stop my lesson and show my disappointment to my little ones. I had heard multiple students picking on one little girl and the class refused to sit by her. I was very clear about my expectations for them and how they had let me down. The next day, I came to school with a kind class promise. Every morning, we recite this to start our day.

1.    I will choose to be kind.

2.    No one has the right to hurt anyone else.

3.    We may all be different, but we can all be kind.

Along with this, we have a box that we are trying to fill with kind notes. If someone is kind, we can write it down and put it in the box in hopes that our class can fill it up! A lot of my students have internalized these kind behaviors and throughout the day I hear them say “That’s not kind, we need to be kind, or please just be the bigger person.” This honestly makes me smile so much, and I hope that it can be continued on throughout their lives. Think about it. If they choose to be kind, and teach others to be kind, we are going somewhere J

The biggest accomplishment for me so far is the student I wrote about at the beginning of the year, the student who kept me up at night because I was worried that he wasn’t getting this excellent education that I had promised. This student has not been suspended since September, nor do I plan on any more suspensions for the rest of first grade. There are so many wonderful things that I could say about this student, and I enjoy every second with him. I began a paper trail immediately and we were able to go through the testing process to determine that he is emotionally disabled. Thankfully, this will not change his placement in my class, but will protect him throughout his life. I learned quickly that he loves to help, and it is obvious that he is so academically talented. He has become a teacher in my class, and helps students work through problems. I sent him after a kindergartener who had run away, oh and he also killed a bug for us J I don’t know what I would do without him, and I am so lucky that we was placed in my class. I truly think that God placed him in my class for a reason, and I am so proud of the growth he has made.

I could go on and on about my 25 amazing students, each and every one of them. I love them so much and am inspired by their willingness to learn and grow. My adventure here in Phoenix has been so wonderful. I have connected with amazing doctors with unending determination. I have been placed on a team of outstanding first grade teachers. I have met people who have allowed me to grow in my faith. I take in the beauty of the desert every single day with picture perfect sunsets and scenery. I have been connected with sponsors who support every decision I make and care about the welfare of my students. I have formed relationships with amazing people from all backgrounds. I have a deep appreciation of Indiana and Midwestern hospitality. I continue to find even more reasons as to why my family is perfect in every way. And, of course, I have been able to live out a passion of mine while being surrounded by 25 amazing individuals who have found a perfect spot at the center of my heart.

 

If I can give you any advice, it is to please serve others and give all that you have. Go outside of your comfort zone and talk to perfect strangers, find out what they need. Forget that new shirt that you had to have, and give to others instead. Be grateful for what you have, and come to the realization that you have everything you need. Find out what you are passionate about, and make a change. In order to live your life passionately and whole-heartedly, you must go outside of yourself and get to the core of a problem. It will not change itself.

My one hope is that everyone will be hopeful that we can make a world a better place to live in.

 

Be kind, be passionate, be hopeful, and give.

 

All my love,

Jace xxo

Curriculum Mapping

How can curriculum mapping assist you?  Do you have one?  Does your school/district curriculum map?  Where would/will you start in creating a useful curriculum map for your classroom? 

Oh, curriculum mapping. I definitely did not like these two words at the beginning of the year. More importantly, I did not have any clue what that meant. After much time on Google, I was able to get a better understanding of what that meant. I have a curriculum map for every subject. Some of the subjects are very/overly planned like reading. Others are rough draft pen and paper, but are still there. I am a planner, and I think these have helped me more than anything. Of course, there are a few times where I look at the pacing and change a few things now that I know my kids so well, but for the most part, I stick to them. My district provided me with a math curriculum map but was something that everyone changed and followed their own map. For reading, we follow the map of our curriculum, but it misses a lot of important parts of common core, so this was something that I recreated completely, but I love it! This has been so helpful for me and I feel confident that my students will master every objective of common core. They are brilliant :) To start, I simply looked at every objective, sorted and grouped them, and then put in order by difficulty and similarity. So, for those of you that cringe when you hear those 2 words... get on Google, cut and paste objectives, and save yourself time in the long run.

My advice: write out the objectives in advance! It's easier to edit than create! Best of luck!!

All my love,

Jacey

Use me!

Where have I been?! I am so sorry that I have not updated in a while. It is safe to say that I have had so much happen in the past few months that finding the time to sit down and put it all into words is a miracle. I finally and officially feel like a first grade teacher. Took long enough, huh? I want to open my classroom up to you and hope to inspire you to go out there and change the world. Don’t know where to start? Find a teacher, find a classroom, and give your time, knowledge, and heart. Think about if every single person that read this volunteered just 15 minutes of their time. That’s one seriously amazing idea.

I always seem to find the time to blog when I am 30,000 feet above. That’s right, I am taking another long plane ride. This is actually starting to become pretty familiar. This trip was unexpected, and while I caught a last minute flight to celebrate and honor an amazing person’s journey on Earth, it got me thinking. I have always felt like I am here to serve. I remember saying my prayers when I was little and always ending it by saying “Use me!” So here I am, miles away from home, being a teacher and caretaker to a group of amazing children. I can honestly say that this experience is nothing like I expected. I pictured a torn apart building where I stood in front of children who were hungry and needed so much more love than they were given. I pictured myself being the soft-spoken “mother” who gave them everything they needed. Instead, I spend my nights researching the behavior of my children and read a few articles on parenting. How do you respond to a defiant child, a young boy who cannot regulate emotions or anger, a child who gets upset and runs away, a child who falls into a deep sleep out of nowhere? How do you restrain a child? This is what I do, and this is what I love, My one wish: I wish that I could spend more one-on-one time with my children. I want to figure them out, but I always have to remind myself that they all need my attention at all times, period.

I have been drained and exhausted many days, but inspired and proud at the same time. We are starting to test one of my students for an emotional disability. Sitting in a meeting and informing a parent that there is concern is so disheartening. I felt terrible and all I could say was “I promise you we are going to figure this out, and your son will receive an excellent education.”

Another parent pulled me aside after school with tears in her eyes and asked “Miss Abney, how do you make someone trust you again?” This was a moment I will never forget. I expect my students to come to me needing help and advice. But, getting that from a parent put me on cloud nine. That is why I am here. I want to go beyond the classroom and help the families. Think about it, if you help the parents, it will cycle back to the children. Now your problem has been addressed from the core and will carry on. Funny how that works. Teachers cannot forget that the children’s lives do not end when the bell rings. The world keeps turning and the impact still needs to be made.

I have a child who was placed into foster care, and the effects have scared me every day. I watch as he begins to stop trusting everyone. He has become so disrespectful towards adults and it saddens me. I understand why he thinks that adults are liars, that’s all he knows right now. I pulled him aside one day and he looked at me and said “I pray for my mom every night that she will become a better mom.” That pulled at my heart so much and I sat there, wanting to say so much, but knowing that I couldn’t!

Every day in my class is so different. I love that about my job. No day is ever the same. You never know the amount of love you can have for over 20 kids at one time, until you become a teacher.

All my love from another plane,

Jacey xxo

Technology and ELD

Blog Prompts:

Technology: I am asked to write about how I use and feel about technology in the classroom, which can lead to a pretty complicated response. Let’s just say that I LOVE technology, but when it comes to teaching, I am much more old school than I expected. I do use technology on a daily basis and am very comfortable with it. However, if I had to go a day without it, I wouldn’t mind. I think it is important to remember that my kids are all different types of learners. I have some students who LOVE to learn by looking at a book or reading something for themselves. On the other hand, a majority of my students love to learn by song or are visual learners. Every day for math, we use my doc cam so that I can do the packet while they follow along. The same goes with phonics or any other worksheets where they need guidance. I believe that is helpful for them and it is helpful for me as well because I can show everyone exactly how to do it which saves a lot of time! Also for math, we sing and watch 2 youtube videos during our math fluency warm-up time. This is a time for them to have the daily reminder of skip counting, odd, and even, which can be very tough concepts for young children to grasp. They love singing these, and I catch them singing them throughout the day as well J For science, my students LOVE seeing pictures of any kind! I make power points so that they can paint a picture of what I am saying and to make it feel more real. The more realistic the learning is, the better. Though, when the opportunity comes where a lesson can be hands on instead, I will always pick hands-on learning over technology. So, while I use technology every day, I am not reliant on it and believe there are many other ways for students to successfully engage in a lesson.

ELD: Upon becoming a teacher, I was so confused about how students are labeled as ELD or non-ELD. This is a subject that I never understood fully. When I think about a classroom, I think of how I have 24 unique students who all learn in completely different ways. It can be challenging to accommodate all of them during one lesson, but with preparation, it can be done. When I think about my students who struggle with a language barrier, I do not see that as their way of learning. ELD strategies are amazing strategies that should simply be used with all children. These strategies should never be limited or labeled as one type of learning. They accommodate children who are visual learners, tactile learners, and auditory learners in one lesson. These are strategies that include showing pictures, using kinesthetic movement, and creating rhymes to help pull concepts from their memory. I use these every day with my non-ELD learners and I think they are extremely beneficial. All in all, these strategies are perfect for any class regardless of if the desks are filled with non-ELD, ELD, SPED, or “high ability.” In my opinion, strategies are strategies that should be used and implemented in order to create successful learners.

Reading:
How prepared do you feel in effectively teaching your students in reading?  Is this one of your strengths?  A weakness?Have you started to plan to the Common Core Standards?  If you have, how is that going?  If you haven’t, why not?  What support do you need?

-I feel so much more prepared teaching reading than I did at the beginning of the year. I have been doing so much research on phonics rules and finding fun games for the students to play to promote fluency. I have learned that teaching reading requires a lot of differentiation. I have students who are reading 60 words per minute, and students who are reading 6. This requires extra time spent with my students during after school tutoring to focus on the skill that they need the most. Some students still need to practice letter recognition, letter names, and letter sounds. I would not say that this is a strength just yet. This definitely takes time. As for common core, I have been teaching this since day one and love it. There are always fun ways to teach common core standards and allow for a lot of creativity. We are currently learning about reality and fantasy and the students always catch on so quickly. This is a very fun time for us and I find them using these skills during other lessons as well.

Differentiation:
Do you differentiate instruction? Why? Why not?  What is the important for differentiating instruction?  What impact does it have on student learning?

-I absolutely differentiate instruction. Like I previously said, this is key for reading instruction because every student is at a different level. During our letter sounds instruction, my fluent readers read their own books and take a comprehension test. I also always differentiate during math. This is very important so that ALL of my students are being challenged constantly. For independent practice, the worksheet starts out simple, then leads to a challenge problem, then a create-your-own math problem. If this is all finished, they can turn to the back page which says "when you think you're done, you've just begun." This page incorporates very difficult math problems to challenge my high students and make them think outside the box. This has a huge impact on learning and allows for students to meet individual goals while working towards a group goal.