Day 89: Amy Wray, 2nd Grade Teacher

Are you having a laugh?

http://www.kansasbob.com/2013/05/lol-its-good-for-you.html

My laugh is something that people "remember" about me. I can't say I am always proud of it ;-). Some say it's infectious, some say it brings a smile to their face, and some (possibly my teenage daughter) say it's loud and annoying.  

However, it's a part of me and my daily life.  We spend a large amount of our time at work and with our kids. I feel like it's important to incorporate humor and fun into each and every day.  

Recently a former student came to read to my second grade class.  When he was finished my class commented on his reading and asked some questions.  When the kids were finished asking questions, it was my turn.  Even though I like to have fun, I have high expectations! I asked my former student if he felt prepared for third grade.  He said he did feel prepared.  I asked if he thought I was too hard on them?  

"NO WAY!", he said.  "We always had fun in here!"  

That meant more to me than any test any day!!!  Laughter is the best medicine!  Find a reason to laugh today!

Day 78: 2nd Grade Student Reflection

Learning the Power of Setting Goals

A student in Mrs. Potter's 2nd Grade Class wanted to share how he set a goal for himself to go above and beyond when it comes to meeting the expectations for behavior in his class.

Here's his submission:

"One day I set a goal for myself and I learned [I] learned to try to get a certificate and I reached my goal.  I learned that if I try I will reach my goal."

He shared that it was hard sometimes to work towards his goal.  "I got frustrated when I saw others [doing well].  But I set my goal and I got to be student of the month."

This 2nd grader has learned that setting goals for himself can help him stay focused on what he wants to accomplish and that hard work pays off.

Day 77: There's a Giant in the Hallway...

Mrs. Wray's 2nd grade class has been working on learning how to measure.  We have talked about estimating our measurements before we do the actual measurement.  We have also discussed quite a lot about proper tools to use when measuring.  

We have also been reading and comparing various fairy tales.  We decided to combine the two lessons.  We read Jack and the Beanstalk by Richard Walker and Niamh Sharkey.  After reading the book we decided to create a life sized giant.  

First, we decided what parts we would add to the giant.  Then we made a "model" of a giant and estimated the size of each part, keeping in mind that we wanted the giant to be proportionate.  

Next we broke the class into teams to make the parts of the giant.  Once each part was finished we glued the whole giant together.  

Not only did the kids have fun but they worked together and really learned which tools would be best used to measure all the different parts of the giant.

Day 75: Painting to Rediscover the Joy of Reading

There are moments when even the things that brings joy and happiness into our lives gets a little too familiar.  It happens at our jobs, at home, or with our everyday routines.  This sometimes happens to readers too, especially young readers. We forget why it is we love reading - our excitement dwindles and we stop looking forward to picking up a good book.  

Recently, 2nd graders in Mrs. Ley and Mrs. Baker's class stepped outside of their routine in order to reconnect with their love of reading.  With the help of Mrs. Wendt, students created paintings inspired by the book Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney.  The book is a story about a woman who wanted to bring joy and beauty into the world by planting lupine, a beautiful purple flowering plant.  The excitement of painting generated by the students helped rekindle their love of reading.

Finding a unique way to reconnect to the joy of reading taught us that sometimes we need to break free from the routine to help ourselves remember to find joy in the things that we do everyday.