First Week, New Thinking!

I can't believe how quickly the first week of school flew by!  I also can't believe how incredible the students are and the amount of information I have gathered about each student in such a short time.  I have been teaching over 10 years in the same grade so what is the difference between this year and all the others?  I allowed myself to be more open-ended with activities.  I chose to teach short mini-lessons and have students show me their learning in the way of their choosing.  I also gave time for students to explore our "Learning Places" and play how they wish.  I purposely put a spotlight on work/discoveries being made and that provoked others to venture forth.  In such a short time, I have learned that many of my students can sort using a variety of attributes, make different patterns using a variety of attributes, read sight words, write sight words, use phonics when spelling unknown words, count, work cooperatively together for a goal and sort/organize items in the classroom.  I have also learned who may need more explicit instruction in these areas.  Here is a quick overview of the work that was done:

TASK:  What kind of classroom should we have?  What rules?  How should friends treat one another?

Later on, students presented their ideas.  We then wrote rules on smartboard that we would have (in a positive way... Be Kind, Walk etc...)

This week I also gave a short mini-lesson on patterning.  After a few activities on the smartboard, I told the students I wanted them to make some patterns in a way of their choosing- they could go to the "Creation Station" or the "Building Station" or take anything off the shelves or around our room.  The great thing about this was that because it was so open the children made a variety of patterns using different attributes.

The next day, I put the patterns up on the smartboard and then each child got to talk about their pattern.  Some of the children then noticed that some started as patterns but then a mistake was made.  They also commented if the patterns were too short.

This week, the students were also given time to explore our "Learning Places."  Because I am trying to take an "INQUIRY STANCE" students chose the station and what they did there.  My job was to travel around the classroom and listen to conversations, write anecdotals and ask a few questions.  Through this time, I captured two students collaborating on a shark book discussing who would be the author and who would be the illustrator.  I captured students sorting naturally in their play, patterning at the block centre, students continuing to sort books in our "Book Nook" (I was there for some of the sorting), students writing (after a provocation with one student sharing a book she made to the class), students building, students reading, students listening to books at the "Listening Station" etc...  IT WAS AWESOME!

I will be honest that it was a bit of a struggle for me not to plan in-depth every part of our school day.  I sometimes felt lost... But as the week went on, it was easier.  Allowing more choice in the day and choice of how to show learning kept the students engaged, talking and excited about learning.  It is exciting to be on this path and with each new experience I have, I take another step forward in developing an "INQUIRY STANCE"