How Do You Release Responsibility in Your Classroom?

A few days ago we had a conversation in the teachers lounge.  Several of my classes are struggling with all their teachers.  What to do?  I asked if anyone had extra Pixie Dust that I could sprinkle and make the problems go away.  EVERYONE was fresh out.

One of the teachers made a profound comment.  "They need structure because many of them don't have it at home.  When we don't provide structure it ends in chaos."

I knew that.  Really I did.  My aha moment  came as I realized I was giving freedom and independence to early.  I started to analyze how I could approach these classes differently.  How can I give them structure and move them to more independence.  It seems its time for me to study and learn more about "gradual release of responsibility."

Yesterday I changed up my lesson plans.  I took out all our individual state books and split them among the tables.   Students were asked to write the framework in their notebook to collect the notes from their reading.  I also reminded them that the book might not answer all their questions.  They would need to find another resource and include that information.

  Information Source 1 Source 2

1	State Name
2	Rivers and lakes (4)
3	Landmarks (5)
4	Famous People (3)
5	State Bird
6	Agriculture and Products (5)
7	State Flower
8	Major Cities (4)
9	State Animal/mammal/fish
10	Names of Counties (5)*
11	State Parks (3)
12	National Parks
13	State Capitol
14
15

*Not all states have 5 counties.
Citations:  Where did you find your information?

Next week I will give them the Diamante Template to plug in their information.  The first part went well.  They were excited to share with each other.
I adapted this diamante poem template as a state research tool, to provide new ways to synthesize research information.

State Research - Diamante  Poem

Line 1:  Write the name of your state.

Line 2:  Write the name of two rivers or lakes in your state.

Line 3:  Write the name of three counties located in your state.  

Line 4:  Write the names of four cities in your state.

Line 5:  Write the name of three crops or products in your state.

Line 6:  Write the name two state parks. ( Or one if it has two words in the title)

Line 7:  Write the name of the state flower.

                                                 Montana
                                  Yellowstone       Clearwater
                       
                              Custer         Carter         Petroleum
   
                       Missoula          Helena            Billings    Butte

                          Wheat               Alfalfa                Barley

                               Pictograph Caves     Lake Elmo
                                             
                                               Bitterroot

    


                                   

Bacon Flavored Kisses

Baby our black lab is a little spoiled around the edges.  She has my husband well trained, however.  You see it was love at first sight for both of them when she came to us. I digress.

Monday my husband had breakfast at the Hogg Wild Cafe.  Monday our high was about 45 degrees and a low of 15, with snow flurries.  He had brought home a slice of bacon but forgot it in the pickup.   When he came home from running some errands that evening he brought it in.

Baby was sitting on top of the crate waiting for him.  She quickly smelled the bacon.  Dan sat down near her and waited for her customary kiss.  Baby was focused on the bacon.  Dan talked with her, explaining she could have her treat as soon as he got his kiss.

She was not listening.  She waited.  Dan cajoled.  Then he turned and laughed as I watched him run the bacon over his lips.  The whole time Baby was watching and waiting.  Dan waited.  Baby waited expectantly for her treat.  Dan waited for his kiss.  They waited.  Finally Dan gave in and gave her the treat, then she gave him a kiss.

She wouldn't settle for bacon flavored kisses, she wanted the real deal.





Update  I just read the poetry post thought I would give it a try.

Baby

Black lab

Spoiled around the edges.  

She has my husband well trained.

It was love at first sight for both of them,

Breakfast at the Hogg Wild Cafe 

Chilled bacon from the pickup

Baby waiting

On top of the crate

Dan waiting for her kiss 

Baby focused on bacon

Dan explained she could have her treat

When he got his kiss

She waited.  

Dan cajoled.  

I watched and waited

As he ran the bacon over his lips  

Baby watched

Dan waited.  

Baby waited for her treat.  

Dan waited for his kiss.  

They waited.  

Dan gave in.

Then she gave him a kiss.

They shared bacon flavored kisses.

Translation Please

When talking to students do you ever feel that you are speaking a foreign language they don't understand?  Last week one of my 1st grade classes came to the library for story time.  A new student was in their midst.

I went through our class rules.  The class did the "Pretzel" one of S'cool moves brain workout.  I then reminded all the kids to sit criss-cross pockets on the floor.  My new youngster who was near the front was still kneeling.  I repeated my statement of putting pockets on the floor.  Still no response.

A little boy sitting near him leaned over and stated, "She means put your butt on the floor."

My new student looks at him and he puts pockets on the floor.  It's great to have translators.

In Search of Zebras

I mentioned before that my husband loves road trips.  So Saturday we went searching for Zebras on the Montana plains.  I can see you raising your eyebrows, as you think to yourself, "Zebras are not native to Montana."  You of course would be correct. However that does not mean they are not there.

A few months ago Dan was looking at the local pictures on his Weatherbug app.  He showed me a picture of a pair of zebras.  Now that isn't unique.  What made it unique was that the picture was taken near Plevna, Montana.  Plevna is about 200 miles from Billings.

When we talked to Dan's kids they knew about the zebras but hadn't seen them.   So Saturday we took a road trip.  It was cold and blustery with occasional dancing snowflakes.

We looked for the zebras where we thought they would be.  No zebras.  We drove into Plevna and talked to a lady headed for the community hall.  We asked her about the zebras.  She told us where they could usually be found.  We told her that was where we had looked.  She leaned forward and gently explained that they didn't care much for the cold weather.  She figured they were probably spending the day in their barn.  Thanking her we drove away.

Again we looked for the zebras.  Not finding them we went to explore the Terry Badlands.  I took some pictures, unfortunately my camera is not talking to my computer.  I do have a picture to share.  It was taken by Evelyn Cameron about 1905.

I think I will wait till it warms up before going to search for zebras again.

A Glimpse

Recently I came across an image of an old fashioned key hole.  In the open space you could see part of a room.  I loved that idea, that image.  It made many connections in my mind.

I am an elementary librarian in Billings, Montana.  My husband and I are pet parents to 3 fur-babies of the canine persuasion.  Max (Boxer cross) 13 years old, Baby a 5 year old black lab, Tank is about 2-1/2 (black lab Dane cross).  They are a little spoiled around the edges.

I like to write and take pictures.  My husband has never met a road that didn't call his name.  So we have traveled many of Montana's back roads.

Recently I have been doing a number of presentations about using primary sources in the classroom. The picture below is from the Library of Congress and was taken in Billings in 1936.  http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa1998019541/PP/

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa1998019546/PP/

What's the Connection?

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/oem2002002880/PP/		http://libraries.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dswenttowar/
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/det1994000092/PP/		http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/00649621/

Take a moment and peruse the images?  What connections do you make? What do you see?
Want to confirm what you think?   Each link under the image will take you to source information about the image.  The colored image is a picture of a street in New York 1900. The name of the street is also the name of a street in Springfield, Massachusetts - his hometown.  I  wonder which one was his inspiration?

Teaching with Primary Sources always makes me think of Paul Harvey's line, "And now you know the rest of the story."

Want to Come to Montana?

Disclaimer:  I am biased I love Montana.  It is rich in history and raw beauty.  I always want to share its wonder.

I also want to share information about an opportunity to come visit and learn about part of this great state.   This summer the Montana Historical Society is organizing 2 sessions for teachers.  Did I mention there is a stipend.

Check it out-

Please help us spread the word!

K-12 teachers are invited to apply to become NEH Summer Scholars and attend the six-day workshop, “The Richest Hills: Mining and the Far West.”

Join “Richest Hills” to travel to five distinctive mining communities, each of which express a rich historic fabric: Bannack, Virginia City, Helena, Butte, and Anaconda. Through lectures, tours, and hands-on learning activities, Summer Scholars will explore the development of placer gold mining, hard rock silver mining, and industrial copper mining; the racial and ethnic diversity of the mining West; mining’s impact on American Indians; mining’s environmental effects; and the relationship between capital and labor in mining communities. 

As you explore the dynamic geographies and histories of mining in Montana, you will interact with workshop presenters who have been chosen for their expertise in Montana’s social, political, architectural, industrial, and ethnic history as well as with other exceptional educators from across the United States.

Session 1: July 12, 2015 – July 18, 2015

Session 2: July 26, 2015 – August 1, 2015

Applications must be postmarked no later than March 2, 2015.

NEH Summer Scholars will be granted a $1,200 stipend, from which they will need to pay for their meals, lodging, and travel to and from Helena, Montana. Graduate credits are available through Montana State University-Northern.

More details on workshop and application process are available at http://www.archiva.net/richesthills/.

For questions, contact Deb Mitchell at dmitchell@mt.gov or 406-444-4789.

Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Montana Historical Society.