7 Things I Learned in September

I ran into this blog post from Emily Freeman where she shared the things she had learned, and I decided it might be fun to create a monthly post of the things I learned in the past month. At the end of the post you're invited to link up your own list of things you learned this month.

September is always a crazy month for teachers, and this one was no exception for me! Here are the 7 things I learned in September in no particular order:

1. Tomato Horn worms grow really fast!

A few years ago, one of my students brought in a tomato horn worm and my class was obsessed! The same student asked if I would like another one for my classroom, and I agreed to take it.  The students have loved watching him eat and grow!  They definitely do damage to a tomato plant!

2. The Record of Reading App makes running records so much easier!

I recently downloaded the Record of Running App after seeing a post on Facebook and it is so much easier to take a running record now!  The best part? The app is free!  It only is available for iPads though.

3. My students are pretty good at self-assessing!

I often have my students self-assess themselves as they finish tasks.  One way I do this is by having a group of folders numbered 1- 4.  

1 - I can't do this even with help.
2 - I can do this with help.
3 - I can do this on my own.
4 - I can do this so well, I could teach someone else.

The students file their work in the appropriate file.  It helps me to form small groups for re-teach or enrichment, and the students are usually pretty honest about where they fall.

4. My boys and I LOVE photography!

Cody, Luke, and I took a photography class at the Apple store and we have all fallen in love with photography!  I will be posting a blog post on Wednesday about how to use what we learned in your classroom!

5. My students LOVE 4th grade so far!

I love when I get notes and letters from my students like this one!

6. My students have lots of strengths in Reading and Writing!

I love to use these surveys for Reading and Writing from Jennifer Serravallo to help my students set reading and writing goals for themselves.

What Can I Work on as a Reader?

What Can I Work on as a Writer?

7. You can use Tangrams to help your students develop a growth mindset.

We had a Professional Development session on Growth Mindset this past week.  The trainer had us try to put together Tangram puzzles.  She said it would be a great task to give your students to help introduce the idea of having a growth mindset.

Possible Questions to ask students:

1. What did you try first?
2. Did you wish you had additional information?
3. Did you collaborate with others?
4. Did you peek at someone else's work?
5. What did you learn from this activity that you could apply to other challenges you face?

Now it's your turn! What did YOU learn in September? 

Link up below, and comment on at least 2 other posts.

An InLinkz Link-up

5 Ways Teachers Can Say No Without Feeling Guilty

No is only a 2 letter word, but it can be so hard to say sometimes, especially when you are a teacher!

We've all been there, sometimes you are in your classroom busily getting things done during your prep when your principal, fellow teacher, or parent pops their head in and says, "Can I ask you a favor?

Sometimes, of course we are happy to say, "yes".  The favor is something we want to do, is rewarding, or a win-win situation.  But other times, we feel anything but excited about the situation.  We feel obligated, pressured, resentful, and even guilty for wanting to say, "no".

Teachers are natural overachievers.  We are the perfectionists who want to do it all and then some! Couple that with our urge to be care-givers and you have a recipe for not being able to say the word no.  Unfortunately, that can lead to burn-out and frustration!  

I have learned that saying no not only helps me to be a happier and healthier person, but it also gives me more time and energy to focus on my students and instruction. Win-win, right?

But, what if the natural people-pleaser in you doesn't know how to say, "No"? 

Here are some tips to help:

Just Say No

Maybe your principal asks you to serve on "just one more committee" or a parent asks you to pull together work for a week for their student while they go on vacation starting tomorrow.  Sometimes, you just need to say, no you simply can't!  

Frame it in a nice way.  

"Thank you for considering me for the Sunshine Committee, but I really need to focus on improving my math instruction this quarter." 

"I would love to put work together for Johnny, but unfortunately it is impossible to do that with such short notice.  I will have his missing work available for him when he returns to school."

Be a Matchmaker

If you can't help someone with a problem, offer to hook them up with someone who can. 

 "I can't serve on the committee, but I know that Ms. Smith has a lot of great staff morale building ideas!"

It's Not You, It's Me.

Let them know that your not saying no because of them personally, but it is just your own personal boundary.

"I'm sorry, It's my policy to have students make up work when they return to school so that I can offer instruction and support if they need it."

It's Just Not the Right Time

Your principal might ask you to take the lead on a project that sounds interesting, but you just can't take on another thing at this time.

"I would love to implement XYZ in my classroom, but I am swamped with report cards right now.  Can I start that next quarter?"

Reverse the Question

Let's say your principal is asking you to do several tasks at once, or is adding additional things to your already overflowing plate.  Turn question back over to them.

"I would absolutely love to do X, Y, and Z, but I am going to need additional time to do them.  How would you like me to prioritize them?"

Classroom Newsletter Writing Made Easy

Classroom newsletters can be a great way to keep parents informed about your classroom events and learning activities!  But... if the thought of creating a classroom newsletter makes you a little queasy, I have a few tips to make it easy peasy!

Step 1: Gather Important Dates and Deadlines

Make a list of all important dates in the upcoming month. Think of no school days, early releases, field trips, assemblies, test days, etc.  

Step 2: What Will You Be Teaching/Learning?

What topics will be covered in the upcoming month?  You don't have to write out complete details, but broad descriptions will be helpful. For example you might say "We will be working on place value in math, and character traits in reading."  Be sure to include any ways parents might be able to assist including reading with their child, practicing math facts, spelling words, etc.  If you have a weekly spelling list, you might want to include this as well.

Step 3: Reminders

What things have your students been forgetting, or what do they need to remember?  Ideas here might include: sneakers for PE, lunch money, book order money, picture order forms, etc.

Bonus Tip:

Create newsletter templates at the beginning of the year that can be easily edited and re-used.  This will save you so much time!  I have a set of ready made editable classroom newsletters that you can check out if you would like to save even more time!

I have even included a Meet the Teacher (and Meet the Teacher's Aide and  Meet the Student Teacher) versions so you can start off on the right foot!

Do you have any tips for making classroom newsletter writing easier?  Leave a comment below!