Math Instruction

My typical math instruction includes a whole group lesson, differentiated small group instruction, engaging math activities, and summarizing check in. 

Whole Group Lesson

1. Math Warm-Up

My favorite way to start a math lesson is with a short math message or review. This is a great opportunity to reinforce previous skills and also serves as a formative assessment opportunity. Following a quick review, I ask a question involving the new skill for the day. I allow students time to consider how they can solve the problem and then ask students to share their responses with peers. I use this information to guide the rest of the lesson.

2. Establish Lesson Goal 

Setting a goal for the lesson allows students to understand what they should be able to accomplish by the end of the lesson. I believe students should be encouraged to take ownership of their learning and by setting goals they have that opportunity. 

3. Explicitly Model

We discuss the math question of the day and I explicitly model how to solve the problem. During this part of the lesson, I model the skill of the day and explain step by step how to solve the problem. 

4. Scaffolded Practice

In the whole group setting, I provide students an opportunity to practice the new skill or strategy. I scaffold the problems by doing some steps together with the class, asking students to work with a partner, and by inviting students to the board to share their work. During the whole group practice, I am checking in with students and assessing who understands, who needs more support, and how needs more challenging problems. We review the problems together and then prepare for math centers. 

Meaningful Math Centers

During this time, students typically rotate through four meaningful math centers. 

• M - Meet with the teacher (differentiated instruction)
• A - At your seat (students work on independent stamina)
• T - Technology or small group activity (depending on the skill and resources available)
• H - Hands-on activity (students might be playing a math game or completing activities around the room)

Math Check In

Prior to the math block ending, we meet whole group to check in. Students might complete ticket out the door, share a challenge/success, or answer a closing question in small groups. I encourage students to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses for the lesson and ask them to consider if they were successful in reaching today's goal. 

Balanced Literacy Approach

"What does a reading block look like?"

My typical reading block includes a whole group lesson, differentiated small group lessons, and meaningful independent/partner centers. I also include literature circles, book studies, and mini lessons in our routine throughout the year in upper elementary classes. 

Whole Group Lesson

1. Warm Up - Activate student interest by asking questions or reviewing previous skills 
2. Set a Goal - Define our goals for the lesson (Common Core Standards and Curriculum Objectives
3. Model the Skill - Introduce the skill or strategy of the lesson. Explicitly model how to use the strategy to become better readers. 
4. Scaffold Instruction - Provide students an opportunity to practice the skill in the whole group setting with immediate feedback (formative assessment opportunity)

Differentiated Small Group Lesson 

I meet with a small group of students and provide instruction at their level and designed to best support their individual needs. 

Meaningful Reading Centers 

While working with differentiated small groups, the rest of the class will participate in reading centers to practice the strategies and skills learned in the whole group lesson. The reading centers will differ for each grade level. Below are a few reading center options. 

• Independent Reading - students build reading stamina, complete stop and jots, reading logs, or reading reflections 
• Work work 
• Examples for Primary grades- rainbow writing, word stamping, magnetic letters, word wall writing, and word sorting
• Examples for Upper Elementary - vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, Latin root words, prefixes, and suffixes 
• Work on Writing
• Listening to Reading/Reading to Someone - primary 
• Comprehension and Grammar Activities - upper elementary

Classroom Management

Between summer camps, student teaching and substituting teacher, I have had over six years of experience in managing student behavior. I follow these five strategies to successfully manage my classroom: 

1. Classroom rules - Classroom rules are the starting element of a successful classroom. I encourage students on the first day of school to help us determine rules for our classroom. When students are involved in creating the rules, they have greater ownership towards the rules. Once our classroom rules have been established, I strive to consistently apply those expectations. 

2. Clear and consistent routines - Students are more successful when daily routines are established. As a substitute teacher, I have gained an even greater understanding of how important consistency in routine is for students. Students should know where to find the tools they need throughout the day, where to turn in papers and how to transition between activities.

3. Positive Reinforcement - I regularly use both individual positive reinforcement and group positive reinforcement. While substituting, I have had the unique opportunity to see and use a variety of strategies to motivate student behavior. 

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• Individual - collecting tickets, marbles, brag tags and fuzzies to earn rewards 
• Group - collecting a jar of marbles, tally table races, adding letters to spell a word and teacher vs. students points to earn rewards 
• Other strategies - secret hallway student and secret transition student

4. Appropriate Consequences - When students are not following the rules of the classroom, it is important to have appropriate consequences for their behavior. I believe in using a layered system to approach students who are not following our classroom rules. Every situation will be different based on the student and circumstance. I strive to have a logical consequence for student misbehavior. Below is a general outline of consequences for failing to follow classroom rules. 

• Class reminder
• Individual reminder
• Modification
• Removed from the situation
• Parent contact
• Office referral 

It is important to note that for situations that continue to be a problem in the classroom, I would implement an individual behavior chart to best meet that students' needs. 

5. Engaging Students - Although engaging students is listed last, I would consider engaging students to be the first step to help with classroom management. When students are engaged in their learning and understand the expectations of the lesson, there are less behavior concerns that arise. When lesson planning, I consider ways that I will engage students, ways that I will encourage student participation and steps to smoothly transition from modeling the skill to practicing the skill. 

I also plan movement opportunities for students to limit behaviors. I might plan for students to walk to share with a partner if they have been sitting for a while. I also regularly plan stretching breaks or brain breaks, such as GoNoodle, throughout the lesson. 

Technology in the Classroom

During my time student teaching and substitute teaching, I have seen so many engaging ways to use technology in the classroom. In the last two years, I have taught in kindergarten through sixth grade at fifteen different elementary schools! It's been a great opportunity to speak with many teachers and see all the ways technology can help meet individual students' needs. Below are a few of my favorite ways to use technology! 

1. Seesaw 

Seesaw is an app that creates a digital portfolio of student work. Students can share their work through photos, videos, text, and drawings. It's a great way for students to share their learning with teachers and families! 

Ways to Use Seesaw

• Practice Fluency - Students can record themselves reading and listen to their reading to practice fluency. It's a great way for students to reflect on their fluency and for teachers to assess their fluency. 

• Spotlight Student Work -Students can take a picture or record a video of work they want to share with their teacher and family. This is a wonderful way for students to reflect on work they are proud of. 

• Reflect on Learning -Students can post pictures or videos to share new information they learned, challenges they came across or new questions they have about the topic. For example, I might ask students to reflect on the math lesson and share how they solved a problem. It's a great "exit ticket" tool that students enjoy.

• Writer's Workshop -Students can take a picture of their writing and record themselves reading their writing. 

• Share Projects -Students can take pictures of a math project or record themselves explaining a drawing. This is a fantastic tool that allows students to privately record their work and later share with the class.

2. Book Creator

Book Creator is an interactive app that allows students to create a book. Students can use their creatively to create a project by adding text, pictures and videos. 

Ways to Use Book Creator

• Publish a Book or Poem - Students can publish their final copy of a writing assignment. Students love adding pictures and videos to share with their story!
• Book Report - Students have a new, engaging and fun way to share story elements.
• Collaborative Books - Students can work with partners or in small groups to complete a collaborative project on Book Creator.
• Learning Journal - Students can create a journal of their learning throughout the unit. 
• Science/Social Studies Project - Students can share what they have researched using Book Creator. It's a great way to demonstrate the new information they have learned. 

3. QR Codes

A QR Code is a great tool to use to engage students in their learning. To use a QR Code, teachers use a website to create a QR Code and then prints out the code. Students use iPads to scan the code which takes them to a website. 

Ways to Use QR Codes

• Easy Access to Resources - Students are directed to cites for research projects, such as PebbleGo, World Book Online, and Kidtopia. 
• Sharing Work - Students are directed to a picture, project, or recording of another student's work. 
• Problems Around the Room *Scavenger Hunt* - Students are given a movement opportunity as they walk around the room and scan the QR Code to a math or reading question. This is a great center during differentiated small group instruction! 

More Helpful Tech Tools

There are many more exciting tech tools to explore. I also enjoy using Padlet, Kahoot, and Quizlet in the classroom. 

Teaching Philosophy

Why Teaching? 

My passion for teaching started at a young age. On the first day of kindergarten, I came home and told my mom that I wanted to be a teacher just like Mrs. Nastelli. Mrs. Nastelli was a kind, passionate teacher who made me love learning. She showed me how exciting it could be to discover the world. During high school, I volunteered in elementary classes and knew with absolute certainty that teaching was the career for me. 

My Teaching Philosophy

"A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning." -Brad Henry

My kindergarten teacher demonstrated how one teacher can make a significant difference in a child’s life by inspiring, encouraging, and creating a love of learning. I strive to create a caring and engaging classroom environment, just as Mrs. Nastelli created for me. My own experience has made me committed to providing an engaging and inclusive classroom environment. I strive to help each student reach their fullest potential. I believe in creating a classroom where students are:

• Taught the value of respect, honesty, kindness, determination, empathy, and individual responsibility
• Encouraged to take risks and try new things 
• Actively engaged in their learning and participating in hands-on, authentic activities
• Given tools and strategies to best support their individual needs 
• Inspired to ask questions and take ownership of their own learning by being a reflective learner
• Encouraged to work cooperatively with others and use problem solving skills effectively