Tag: teacher

Middle School Madness: What Parents Can Do To Help

Posted on December 28, 2011 by

 

Masonimages

Middle school can be the most confusing time for students and parents in their educational career.  Everything ‘known’ about school is shifting, and hormones are often kicking into gear at the same time.  Students want more independence, and parents want to do the right thing.  Instead of letting teens ‘sink or swim’, try a more balanced approach.  Teens definitely need to learn responsibility and independence, but they also require structure and supervision more than ever.  By following these simple tips you may be able to crack the middle school confusion code and have a more happy and stress free experience.

Step 1:  Attend Back To School Night, Parent Nights and Open House.

Everyone has busy schedules, but this is an important show of support to your child, their teacher and school community.  These nights often are times to sign up for email lists, learn about the course, and at a minimum get a ‘visual’ of where your child spends their day, and who their teachers are.

Step 2:  Expect homework every night.

Follow the school’s homework policy or create one of your own.  If you teen says they ‘don’t have any homework’, ask to see their planner or sit down with them to check the school or teacher website.  If they truly have nothing assigned, require them to read a book, graphic novel, or magazine of their choice for 20-30 minutes.

Step 3:  Set aside a regular time and quiet place to study.

In middle school it is important to create and/or maintain good study habits.  Not only will it help improve grades, but will assist students as they enter more rigorous high school courses that count towards college entrance.  Bedrooms, kitchen tables, and family rooms all can be acceptable study areas as long as they are equipped with a writing surface, are relatively free of distractions, and have a place for teens to store their school supplies and books when not in  use.  Many teens are able to listen to music while studying-TV and computers are generally more distracting.  Also, turn phones on silent to discourage the temptation to read texts while concentrating.

Step 4:  Check your child’s planner/backpack/binder regularly.

Not every teen is a born organizer.  They need help finding a system that works for them.  Teach them how to use a calendar to write down homework, preferably something that will clip into a 3 ring binder.  Try using one binder for all classes-it will cut down on the misplaced papers and forgotten assignments in lockers.  Once a week, dump out backpacks and book bags.  Hole punch loose papers and put in their binder behind dividers for each subject.

Step 5: Make studying fun.

Some teens have shorter attention spans than others.  Try setting a timer for 15-20 minutes of solid concentration.  Take a 5 minute break, then resume studying.  Make sure they have a full tummy-hunger can be very distracting.  Try Skype or FaceTime-teens are social by nature and may surprise you with their ability to work with a partner.  Studying with a friend at home or in a cafe can also be a nice change of pace.

Step 6:  Provide encouragement, clear expectations and logical consequences.

Middle school is a time for kids to learn what works and doesn’t work for them.  Rewards and consequences are an effective tool to help teens stay on track.  Try to use a one week system-many kids today are used to instant gratification and waiting for a month or two is too long.  Figure out what they really like, value or want and use that as your motivator!

Step 7:  Be proactive with teachers.

Middle school teachers often have 100+ students.  While they may want to contact you, often times they aren’t able to let you know about problems and successes as soon as you’d like them to.  Make sure to get on email distribution lists.  Send teachers an email every week or two asking specific questions about your student.  Think of yourself, your child and their teachers as a team that is working together to provide the best educational experience possible.

Step 8:  Expect success and understand struggles.

Teens are bound to encounter subjects that challenge them in middle school.  Earning straight A’s is not in every subject.  By setting high expectations yet understanding their struggles teens will learn that you are listening and care about them.  When teens are scared to talk to their parents about grades it becomes unproductive and unsafe.  Encourage them to do their best everyday, and understand when they make mistakes.  They’re still learning!

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Friday Photo: Shifting Gears

Posted on December 18, 2011 by

The week before winter break is never easy for a middle school teacher. The combination of high energy and anticipation levels of the students juxtaposed with the need to finish units, projects and assessments makes for an exhausting experience. Add to that the needs of my own children at home, the cards, gifts and holiday cheer and I am not sure if I am coming or going.

Late last night as Leno wrapped up his monologue, I catch myself in an unsettling space between gearing up and winding down. A kaleidoscope of ‘to-dos’ spins through my mind. Fortunately, sleep kicks in, and eight short hours later, I have a flash of clarity.

After driving through the mountains in the predawn hours, my son and I pass Donner Lake, and in that moment, as the water and sky met and steam hissed from its surface, I quickly stop the car. My brain pauses and we drink in the tranquility of the water before us. Silently I breathe deeply, wait, and shift back into gear with a new sense of calm.

Try it. Breathe. Pause. Wait. Shift.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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3 Fun and Easy Ways to Encourage Your Child to Write More- guest article by Jacob Maslow

Posted on December 15, 2011 by

As a teacher, parent, and writer, I know firsthand the importance of written communication.  Today our children are learning in a different world than we did, and that can mean some adaptations need to be made to our way of thinking about learning how to write.  The stakes are high-if you’re wondering about how to make writing easier for your children, read my guest post today by Jacob Maslow.  He’s got some great ideas!
Strong writing skills are crucial for success in high school, college and beyond. Parents can help their children develop their writing skills by reading to them, providing a wide variety of reading materials and encouraging them to practice their writing skills. However, even the most avid reader can be a reluctant writer. Here are a few ways to help make writing less intimidating and more fun for your child so that they get the experience that is necessary to develop into fluid writers.

Make the Act of Writing Easier

Writing by hand is hard work! Many children shy away from writing simply because of the time and energy involved in putting pencil to paper. Like any skill, handwriting becomes easier the more that you practice, but getting your child to practice is often easier said than done.

Parents can make handwriting easier by helping their child develop the fine motor skills that are necessary for writing. Puzzles, modeling clay and dough, stringing beads and lacing and other games can exercise these muscles and  help develop hand-eye coordination without seeming too much like work.

Start small when encouraging your older children to practice their handwriting so that they can develop stamina without being too discouraged. Even a few minutes of practice a day can help them improve their handwriting skills. Help them make captions for their artwork or ask them to help make shopping or to-do lists. Play games like hangman, Boggle or Mad-Libs that incorporate writing in a fun way.

Keyboarding and typing are useful skills for older children, but should not take the place of handwriting practice. Writing by hand helps children develop neural pathways that are important for their future learning. Keyboarding should only be introduced as an aid to writing after handwriting has been firmly established.

Use Imaginative Play to Help Your Child Develop Narratives

Imaginative play is popular with early childhood educators because it’s one of the best ways to help children increase the complexity and structure of their inner narratives. Pretend play helps children develop rich inner narratives and to learn how to communicate them to their playmates.

While younger children can’t write down these narratives, the practice they get in composing inner narratives will help them as they advance in school and have to call upon their imagination to compose sentences, paragraphs and essays. Parents can help their child play imaginatively by limiting screen time and providing props (toy kitchens, costumes, puppets, etc) that can help support their child’s imaginative play.
Older children can be encouraged to take their pretend play further by asking them to write out scripts for a performance. Set up a small puppet theater or stage for your children so that they can perform their creations for friends and family. Puppets work especially well since they allow your child to practice writing things from multiple points of view without requiring a large cast of actors. If you have a video camera, older children can also write their own movies, television series and commercials to be filmed to share with family and friends.

Make Writing a Part of Everyday Life

Again, the more opportunities that your child has to practice, the easier writing will become. Formal writing instruction is important, but it’s usually not enough to make your child completely comfortable with writing and often comes with a lot of pressure that makes writing seem like a chore instead of a useful tool.

Here are a few ideas to incorporate writing into your child’s daily routine:

Give them a notebook or journal for writing down their thoughts. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but often something that seems fancy or grown-up to a child can capture their imagination. Special diaries with locks or invisible ink are irresistible to most children.

Encourage them to send letters, cards and artwork to family and friends. They don’t have to be distant friends – dropping off a handwritten card to an elderly neighbor or classmate can be just as special and provide immediate feedback that will motivate your child to write more.

Let your child help you with your daily writing tasks, such as making grocery lists, writing down measurements and jotting down reminders on the family calendar.
Many children enjoy writing their own comics and picture books. Combing writing with art is an excellent way to help your child’s creativity grow while they practice their writing skills. Provide a wide variety of art supplies and look for books that help your child learn how to improve their drawing skills.

Find toys that encourage writing that they can use as props in their imaginative play. A whiteboard or chalkboard or easel can be used to play school, be a menu board for a restaurant, a for sale sign, an advertisement for their play or a danger sign.

Let your child make and display handwritten signs for their room.

Give your child prompts to help them come up with their own short stories or poems. Allow them to read them to the family at the dinner table or during family time.

Help your child get an advantage in school and career by giving them plenty of opportunity to practice their writing skills in a way that is fun and natural to them. Even a few minutes of writing practice each day can be enough to help them become comfortable and fluid writers.

Jacob Maslow is a father of five who has had a lot of practice in helping children learn how to write. He works for online retailer, Today’s Concept: which sells a wide variety of educational and fun toys that ignite children’s imaginations, including the always popular line of Melissa and Doug puppet theaters and puppets.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Lesson Plan for the Occupiers

Posted on December 5, 2011 by

Still making news, the Occupy movement hasn’t fallen victim to a lack of media coverage.  According to the Sacramento Bee last week, “nearly three fifths of voters” agree with the cause.  I count myself as part of this cohort-I believe strongly in changing the inequities our country is creating.  I also find myself in the 99%. 



Our local Occupy campsite

But even though I am cheering on their message, I feel like the movement isn’t pushing forward in the best way possible to enact change.  Being the type-A-semi-control-freak teacher that I am, I’ve created a lesson plan for the Occupiers to follow.  Welcome to my classroom!

Rationale:  To win over people to the side of the 99%

Essential Question: How can the Occupy Movement share their message and persuade those people ‘on the fence’ to join the cause?

Activate Prior Knowledge:  Remember Martin Luther King Jr.?  He had a cause.  He created a national movement to promote his message using nonviolence.  If MLK had destroyed property or used violence to get his word out he would have only succeeded in pissing people off, not making them think.

Step 1:  Decide that it’s more productive to be peaceful.  If Occupy’s objective is to change people’s thinking, they need to win people over. According to the Sacramento Bee’s article on Nov. 29, “49% said they don’t identify much with Occupy protesters.”  The old saying, “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar” comes to mind here-the people who need to be persuaded aren’t the types that think violent activism is ok.  The people who need to be persuaded are most likely 60 years of age or older, reasonably educated and have access to the media.  They also have money-they’re the 1%, right?  In the same article, “nearly one third of Republicans said they agree with the reason behind” the Occupy Movement.  These people otherwise might agree with the Occupy message, but don’t like seeing the destructiveness of the protesters.  This might not be the time for anarchists.  Power to the peaceful.

Step 2:  Focus the message.  One of the basic elements of persuasion is to have a strong thesis.  Maybe there needs to be a few key, clear outcomes identified that become slogans.  I know the basic idea behind the movement, but do you know how the success will be measured?  I don’t.  The homeless population, the pepper spraying, and the college protests have all diluted and divided what they want to say.  While all good symbols, the message is muddled.  Instead of fighting and protesting in the dark at the campsites, perhaps they could try to occupy when more people can see them in action.

Step 3:  Choose your enemies carefully.  Be cautious not to attack the 1% in total.  Some of those 1%ers may actually be interested in making change happen, too.  According to a field poll taken Nov. 14-27, 56% of those earning $100,000 or more agreed with the reason behind the Occupy movement.  Make sure there is room for everyone to join and feel like they fit in.  Name calling and stereotyping everyone in the 1% may just alienate people who would otherwise mobilize towards the cause.

Closure:   Think about what the movement is all about.  Do protesters want to be right or make change?  Remember, no one wants to go out and be pushed, shoved, or pepper sprayed.  The media is looking for sensation, but is that going to strengthen the message and make things happen?  Power to the peaceful.  Focus.  Make friends not enemies. 

Are there any questions?

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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What’s Really Happening Here At UC Davis?

Posted on November 23, 2011 by

While my 8th grade students are learning about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the American Revolution, history is being made right in front of us.  Colonists, in the form of UC Davis students, are rebelling against the Red Coats, in the form of the administration and the government. And just like in the Revolution, it all started with a shot heard round the world. Only this time the shot came from a can of pepper spray.

What began on Nov. 15 as a peaceful Occupy UCD protest on the university quad climaxed as a violent confrontation between students and police. Students, tired of being “taxed” for their education, revolted against their oppressors, the “government.”  They organized and chanted: “Black, brown, Asian, White, 99 percent unite”. The problem is, as they organized, they did not count on the 50-plus police officers turning their revolution into a full-fledged attack.

Armed only with signs proclaiming “Beat Wall Street Not Students” and “People Over Profit,” students occupied administration buildings the first day and then the quad the next. They were asked to leave, but they didn’t, so they were arrested. And as they sat peacefully, they were systematically doused with yellow flumes pepper spray. With their message clear, the police then dispersed, leaving students in pain and confusion.

And now I’m confused.  What really is happening here? Students and professors acted within their rights to peacefully assemble and voice their freedom of speech on their campus that they have paid inflated prices to attend. Aren’t the salaries of these officers paid by the students whom they are supposed to protect?

Everyone knows the status of public education in California. There’s not enough money to run programs, pay salaries, or equip facilities to meet 21st century standards.  Protest chants of “Education must be free, no cuts, no fees” have been shouted by university students and professors trying to get their message out. And in return, they are silenced with spray?

Who is leading this revolution? How can the tables turn from a peaceful protest to police intervention?
Police are not supposed to be part of the problem. If seated students linking arms are not breaking the law, don’t spray them. If they are breaking the law, then why did the police spray and then leave the scene?

Where have the students’ rights gone? Systematically arresting students would seem to both acknowledge their rights to occupy their own campus as well as send a message to others to disperse or accept the consequences. Where are the people’s rights over profit here?

Maybe the police didn’t count on the students’ ability to fight back with media. Armed with cell phones and video cameras, our tech-savvy citizens’ ability to tweet and harness the power of the web provided them invaluable ammunition to their fight. The cameras do not lie — they are just another tool for nonviolent protestors to gather their troops and spread the word.  The Red Coats are coming. Link together. Stand strong in the face of oppressors.

So now we prepare for a revolution with the real message becoming lost in the muddle of the war. The issue is far from over.  The troops are now strategizing, both sides arming themselves and readying to launch a new offensive. And as Patrick Henry tried to teach us over 300 years ago, “The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government-lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”

Maybe everyone should sit down together on the grass for a minute and think about that.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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