It's Been a Super Power PD Kind of Week!!

Hello Fellow Bloggers!!!!

SUPER Teacher Here

 

 

 

I wanted to take a few moments and share the crazy yet productive week that I have had.

 

I had the opportunity to attend 2, yes 2, professional development Seminars.

I found both of them to be very informative and fresh with inspiration.

 

The first one, on Monday afternoon, was initiated to celebrate

Literacy Week 2013.

We received training on the

Martha Speaks
Reading Buddies Program

It is a cooperative style of learning that stresses the importance of teaching

vocabulary as well as the effectiveness of cross-age reading.

 

Monday, all of our upper grade classrooms "buddied" up with lower grade classes and we met

for the first time this Friday afternoon, yes I am still talking about the same crazy week. :-)

Each of my 5th graders was paired with a 2nd grader and they worked together through a fun five step process that includes the following:

1. Watch Together - Big Buddies and Little Buddies sit together as a whole

group and watch one of the  Martha Speaks episodes.

2. Talk and Play Time - All buddies then have the opportunity to interact by discussing questions

about their favorite parts of the show and how they feel the show relates to them.  They also participate in a game or activity (provided by the program) that reviews the key vocabulary words.

3. Read Together - Next, the Big Buddies read a picture book to their Little Buddies.

The 4 special vocabulary words are embedded in the story.

4. Write Together - Each of the Little Buddies are provided with a lesson journal

that the Big Buddies help them complete referencing the story and

how it could relate to them.

5. Wrap-Up - The last step of the day is to review the special words and can include songs, chants or the sharing of journal responses.

One Word? Impressed

My students matched up with their Little Buddies and did a fantastic job. It was so rewarding for me to watch them do what I do all week long. I would definitely recommend linking up with another grade for reading and learning.

Also, did I mention that our school has all of the sessions separated into small totes complete

with books and activities. Yes, my school ROCKS!!!

 

 

 

Ok, that is what I learned on Monday and implemented on Friday afternoon.

Now let's fill in some of the days in between......

Tuesday - normal day.....ummm, what is that, really?

Wednesday and Thursday were WOW days!

I had the opportunity to attend a two day Singapore Math Seminar.

 

Another Word? Impressed Again,

I, being a Math lover found everything that was presented to be something that
I wish I had learned back when I was in elementary school. Our presenter was awesome and really knew how to speak to a room full of teachers.  That, my friend, is not an

easy task.  I hope to post some of the

actual things that I learned later on.

If you get the opportunity to attend a Singapore workshop, do it.....

So, that, my friends, is my week in a nutshell.

 

Hopefully you can kinda see why I feel like I have

super powers this week.  Of course, the craziness of this profession is what

keeps us going, right?

 

'till next time friends......Blog ON!