And we're back!! (Well, we've been back for a week. It's been busy.)
My eighth year of teaching has begun!! Also, I've changed schools and grade levels. It's almost like being a brand new teacher again! Lots of late nights and learning new things.
I'm now in 6th grade, after being in 7th for the last six years. (My first year was 6th... three curriculums ago.) I do love my middle school babies! They're so sweet! They're also SUPER excited about middle school & very chatty. :)
I am a bit nervous about this year- I'm trying Standards Based Grading for the first time. I've done tons of reading and planning, and I think it will be a success. I'm a little nervous for explaining it to my kiddos on Friday. I hope it makes sense to them. I think it will once they see the examples.
Happy New School Year!!
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Friday, June 16, 2017
Standards Based Grading/ Growth Mindset/ Gamification
Standards Based Grading, or SBG, is one of those newer educational terms that I've heard about, and read about, but never really did anything about it.
Basically, the concept of SBG is that you give students grades based on their mastery of standards, not just grades based on classwork, homework, and assessments.
It is a newer way of thinking about school/learning, and, to be honest, is fascinating to me. I love the idea of focusing on what standards I want my students to learn and helping them to reach mastery on each standard.
I believe that it works well with growth mindset (encouraging students to think more positively and focus on growing and improving) and with gamification (making learning more like a game, where you can earn experience points and have fun). I'm WAY simplifying all of those new terms, but I'm super excited to try it out.
I've been toying with the idea of all three concepts (SBG, growth mindset, and gamification) for a while now, and I think I can make them all work together. Just means I'm going to be doing more planning this summer!
Basically, the concept of SBG is that you give students grades based on their mastery of standards, not just grades based on classwork, homework, and assessments.
It is a newer way of thinking about school/learning, and, to be honest, is fascinating to me. I love the idea of focusing on what standards I want my students to learn and helping them to reach mastery on each standard.
I believe that it works well with growth mindset (encouraging students to think more positively and focus on growing and improving) and with gamification (making learning more like a game, where you can earn experience points and have fun). I'm WAY simplifying all of those new terms, but I'm super excited to try it out.
I've been toying with the idea of all three concepts (SBG, growth mindset, and gamification) for a while now, and I think I can make them all work together. Just means I'm going to be doing more planning this summer!
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Summer Lunch
You know, I think the best part about summer is that I can eat lunch whenever I want. I'm not narrowed down to a barely 25 minute time limit (if I walk my kids to lunch quickly enough to not eat up more of my "30 minute lunch). AND I can go out to lunch with friends. During the week. WHAT?! That's so cool! I love it!!
Ok, so it might also be tied with getting to go to the bathroom whenever. That's pretty cool too.
Ok, so it might also be tied with getting to go to the bathroom whenever. That's pretty cool too.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Classroom Library: Mission Organization
I have, approximately, forty-seven MILLION books in my classroom library.
Ok, ok, it's really more like 3,000. Either way, it's a lot. Probably (definitely) way too many. And, if you've read my last post, you know I'm moving schools this year. So, before state testing this year, I took all of my books home. I did a little bit of weeding while I went, and probably set out 200 books for my students to go through. They took quite a few, but I still have way more books than I need or will have room for in my new classroom.
That led to my first big project of the summer: organizing, cleaning, and decluttering my classroom library. I finished the first stage today, and resorted all of the books I brought home into their genre categories, since that is how I have my library set up. I have tons of books that were either never genre-d or were new this year and didn't get put out. (My classes did not have a lot of readers this year, sadly.)
My next stage is to go through each genre and take out old books or duplicate titles. I have a friend who is getting her first classroom this year, and I'm planning on gifting her with my duplicates/other books that are still in good/great condition. Everything else I will be taking to Half Price books to sell. They take everything you bring in, and they will donate or recycle what they can't sell. It's a pretty good deal, and they give you cash. Which never seems to make it out of the store because I just buy new books!
Ok, ok, it's really more like 3,000. Either way, it's a lot. Probably (definitely) way too many. And, if you've read my last post, you know I'm moving schools this year. So, before state testing this year, I took all of my books home. I did a little bit of weeding while I went, and probably set out 200 books for my students to go through. They took quite a few, but I still have way more books than I need or will have room for in my new classroom.
That led to my first big project of the summer: organizing, cleaning, and decluttering my classroom library. I finished the first stage today, and resorted all of the books I brought home into their genre categories, since that is how I have my library set up. I have tons of books that were either never genre-d or were new this year and didn't get put out. (My classes did not have a lot of readers this year, sadly.)
My next stage is to go through each genre and take out old books or duplicate titles. I have a friend who is getting her first classroom this year, and I'm planning on gifting her with my duplicates/other books that are still in good/great condition. Everything else I will be taking to Half Price books to sell. They take everything you bring in, and they will donate or recycle what they can't sell. It's a pretty good deal, and they give you cash. Which never seems to make it out of the store because I just buy new books!
Friday, May 26, 2017
7th Year... in the books!
I'm officially done with my seventh year of teaching. This year was more challenging than any of the other years I've taught. I've been in the same building since I started, and I love my Eagle family. I really love working there and I have amazing colleagues. However, I will be joining a different middle school in my district next year, and I will be moving from 7th grade to 6th grade.
And here's why:
We started hearing rumors at the end of last year that the district was thinking of closing our school. Long story short. after months of waiting, we found out that they were closing our school. Kind of. Our school building will have a new purpose next year, and our 6th & 7th graders will be redistributed between two schools. Our 8th graders will have a special section at the closest high school. Teachers have been reassigned to other buildings.
In short, I will miss my kiddos and my colleagues, but I am happy to get to stay with some of them. I will be going to one of the two schools our kids have been redistributed to, and two of my awesome colleagues from my current school will be there too! I am excited for my future and the challenge of teaching a new grade/curriculum. My new PLC sent me the book list today and I can't wait to start planning!!
And here's why:
We started hearing rumors at the end of last year that the district was thinking of closing our school. Long story short. after months of waiting, we found out that they were closing our school. Kind of. Our school building will have a new purpose next year, and our 6th & 7th graders will be redistributed between two schools. Our 8th graders will have a special section at the closest high school. Teachers have been reassigned to other buildings.
In short, I will miss my kiddos and my colleagues, but I am happy to get to stay with some of them. I will be going to one of the two schools our kids have been redistributed to, and two of my awesome colleagues from my current school will be there too! I am excited for my future and the challenge of teaching a new grade/curriculum. My new PLC sent me the book list today and I can't wait to start planning!!
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Student Visitors
I got a very happy surprise this week! I got an email during class that said "we are here to see you." As soon as the bell rung, I escorted my kids to lunch and set off to find my visitors. Since I had been in class, another teacher had rescued my visitors from the office and they were hanging out with her. I was so surprised to see two of my favorite students! They are kids from my second year of students, and are seniors this year. (They actually graduated today!) It was so nice to talk to them and hear about all they have accomplished and their future plans. It definitely brightened up my week!
Monday, May 15, 2017
About Me
Hello world and welcome to my blog!
I'm Melissa. I'm a 7th grade ELA teacher in Missouri. I've been teaching for seven years at the same school, and I LOVE middle school. There's just something about it that is so much fun! It must be something about the crazy hormones and eagerness to fit in, yet still wanting to learn and be cool with your teacher. Whatever it is, I love it. My kids rock!
I'm hoping to use this blog to share funny stories about teaching, teaching/learning successes (because my students ROCK), and cool things we do in the classroom. (And probably 12 other random things that I'll think of later!)
So here we go! Come along for the ride- it's Life in the Middle School Lane!
-Melissa
I'm Melissa. I'm a 7th grade ELA teacher in Missouri. I've been teaching for seven years at the same school, and I LOVE middle school. There's just something about it that is so much fun! It must be something about the crazy hormones and eagerness to fit in, yet still wanting to learn and be cool with your teacher. Whatever it is, I love it. My kids rock!
I'm hoping to use this blog to share funny stories about teaching, teaching/learning successes (because my students ROCK), and cool things we do in the classroom. (And probably 12 other random things that I'll think of later!)
So here we go! Come along for the ride- it's Life in the Middle School Lane!
-Melissa
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