Is The Role of the Teacher Unnecessary in the life of Children? - a 7 part series
Today I went to ChatGPT and asked, “Why do we need teachers?” and here is the response I got:
Teachers play a crucial role in education and development for several reasons:
Knowledge Transfer: They impart essential knowledge and skills, helping students understand complex concepts and subjects.
Critical Thinking: Teachers encourage critical thinking and problem-solving, guiding students to analyze information and make informed decisions.
Support and Guidance: They provide emotional support and mentorship, helping students navigate challenges both academically and personally.
Social Development: Teachers foster social skills and teamwork, creating a collaborative environment where students learn to communicate and interact with others.
Inspiration: A good teacher can inspire a love for learning, motivating students to pursue their passions and reach their potential.
Individualized Learning: They recognize the diverse needs of students and tailor their teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and paces.
Preparation for the Future: Teachers equip students with the skills needed for future education, careers, and life challenges.
Overall, teachers shape the minds and futures of their students, making their role invaluable in society.
Over the next several days, I am going to tackle each of these seven points, bringing my perspective as a teacher and as a parent. Before I was a teacher, I NEVER felt I could go into this profession without proper training to do the job. Having since joined the profession, both as a Montessori primary teacher and in a charter school setting as a Kindergarten and Third Grade teacher, I still look at this profession as the ‘unsung heroes’ - a word thrown around entirely TOO MUCH but definitely appropriate in this scenario.
Why do we think anyone can teach? Have we forgotten during the time of Covid when we all HAD to educate our kids at home?
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classroom management tips from a Montessori teacher in the real world
You have clicked into my series called ask a Montessori teacher where I am answering all kinds of questions that I have gotten
different questions that I've been asked by Montessori teachers new Montessori teachers homeschool parents wanting to try out
this Montessori philosophy in their homes teachers that maybe have left the classroom and are coming back to the classroom so all
things about Montessori all about creativity all about blending the Montessori classroom into your environments
today question number one how to interact with a child that keeps taking a material that has not been presented to him or is misusing one
hmm okay well especially at the beginning of the school year um with with our three-year-olds right here's what I find so interesting right because we create those materials so that they are attractive students and then we face with this problem that they're so attracted
to the material that they don't want to wait for you to give them a lesson. So this is one of those things that you have to really deal with it on a case-by-case situation right the beauty is especially for your second and third year students that you have in the classroom okay so if you have that Bravo because some some teachers will tell you they get into a classroom when they're all three-year-olds and that is tough and I've done that and it's tough those second and third years especially the ones that really do love the environment love what we do in that environment and also those that have followed the protocol of when they can do do an activity they will be your biggest advocates they will be the ones that let other students know hey that's not how you touch that hey you haven't had a lesson on that yet hey friend listen on that yet she has an adolescent on that yet and so a lot of this will kind of go by the wayside because you don't even have to say anything one of the other students because this is our community this is not just Mrs norgren's Community they will help you with this so that is that's one thing to take heart of if however you don't have that because I I had a year I'll tell you kind of a little Side Story I had a year where usually I'll have a boy or a girl someone who is very nurturing that if there's someone that you know might feel a little sad in the morning they would go over and they would kind of chat with them or try to help them feel better I do remember there was one year however I did not have that in the classroom and it was a little bit disconcerting like why hasn't someone risen up to be this person in the classroom so again I had to remind myself every classroom environment is different and so that again and that's the part about Montessori that I will always love you get to have the opportunity to truly see children the way that they are and then invite them to try something different and see if this might be a better way okay so for example you could do the traditional um ways of doing it like you you haven't had a lesson on that yet or let's look at some let's let's see what we've had lessons on or even to show them the shelf and go okay you would like this would like to work with us I see you're excited about this right are we because of course it's a progression and they can actually see it on the Shelf oh you're right here okay again this this is again has to be navigated based on the size of your classroom right so I'm not naive with you got 35 kids and this child wants a lesson right now that doesn't necessarily happen because he or she wants it right but I would say okay well here's what we can do I think you're ready for this one here would you consider exploring this one right and so then I've come off of that you necessarily don't necessarily have the you're not gonna you're okay you're not getting this lesson that's what so that's what you know you're not getting this lesson but I see that maybe what you're telling me is you're ready for a lesson try this and so depending on my time I would either take that moment to give a lesson I might pull in one or two other students that I think might be ready for this lesson or I might even pull a leader in my classroom who I trust to give that lesson now again this is all up to comfort level you can always come back explore that with them make sure that they've gotten the lesson properly so again this is up to building your trust level with those in your classroom so that's how I would handle that those that are misusing it that's just a non-negotiable that's not available to you anymore and listen energy is everything in a classroom it's everything your manner of like holding back for so many things but there's like three things that when missing orgrin says it that's non-negotiable one of them is misusing material okay listen this is me being very honest I wish we would charge parents for when kids do things like this because you and I both know how expensive those Montessori materials are and most parents really don't understand and uh yeah remember back in the day if you broke it your parent had to pay for it well unfortunately that doesn't happen anymore and um so there's just this lack of understanding for how expensive you know even replacement materials are oh my goodness right and especially you know you know talking at 2023 the year 2023 how expensive Lumber costs are and most of the things in our classroom are wood so it's you know you damaging things are you throwing a brown stare and now there's all these Nicks over it all over it and now it's potential to Splinter and all that yeah it's just not acceptable so I would say again you know as we're making rules in the classroom right this would be a non-negotiable rule if you handle the material this way it is no longer available until further notice another way I've done it is I have if I've noticed there has been like this level of like just lack of respect I will either put a sheet or I will turn a shelf around and it's just no longer available to anyone in the classroom until we can establish how we handle things in the classroom so again this might feel a little bit harsh at the outset but I'm telling you you've got to establish that so early in your classroom because otherwise it really does become an issue and it's just hard to back it up after you let it go okay so there's my answer for that the misusing and the presenting again I try to negotiate here's what I can give you this is not happening today that's my last resort try to go oh I really I love that you're ready for a lesson lesson also say Hey you know it's kind of like this one you've had a lesson on this and it might be something in the Practical life area or even in the language area which believe it or not I mean this might seem like it's a reach to you but I bet you there could be something like oh this is this there are maybe um three part cards that kind of go with this and I might actually do that as well so just be open to like again this set that kind of like open-hearted Spirit about your classroom that yes we have a regimen as far as you get this lesson and then you get this listen and that's true I mean there's a reason why it happens that way but also be willing to go
okay well he's clearly wanting because it could be
like well what does he like about that oh he likes
that there looks like something that looks like
we're building something so let me invite him to
something where it's a an appropriate building
activity okay all right so our last question
because I was kind of two two in one question how
do you stop the fantasy play in your classroom
okay well here we go here here we go the fantasy
play in the classroom is of course a very big
issue partially well mostly because I'm just gonna
say it I don't mind fantasy play I don't mind
imaginary play I don't even mind having [Music] um
what would you call it a dress-up area I actually
don't mind that so again that's why I've had to
like widen my scope of what Montessori means to me
I have I have been in Montessori environments
where you kids are students are not bringing
backpacks with comics on it nothing that
is any sort of Make-Believe like so again
it depends on your school right how strict
on are they on this line of fantasy play
that being said so oh for example and of
course you're going to chuckle when I say
this those red rods oh my gosh red rods they
sure do look like a good sword don't they so
um again this is about making room for things
that your children are interested in right if
they are clearly interested in this what are
you going to do about that well first of all
recess is a great opportunity for them to
have that kind of fantasy play if and and
let me just tell you you're not stopping that
recess that's not happening unless they're I
mean it's so like all around lunch AIDS are
buying into this and just everywhere you know
um so so there's that Ninja Turtle play
and all that that's happening out on
the playground listen let's be honest girls
have their own imaginary fantasy play too so
um you can't take out one and not be it not take
out the other and that kind of thing they you know
they're not going to be able to distinguish
between oh that's why this is okay and this
is not okay so that being said short of having
like a full-blown like um dress-up area in your
classroom what are some ways that you could bring
that into the classroom well a couple of ways that
I have done in the past is I've done things like
um students love to do skits and so what I would
do is I would create skits for them to do in
the classroom right or nursery rhymes or um
sequencing of like oh here is a story of you know
maybe one of their favorite stories but I would
make it into a sequencing work so again they could
have that conversation but they also would have to
build on that conversation either by sequencing
you know where they what happens in the story
um I would also uh perhaps tie in writing into it
so okay well let's let's say we're going to create
a character together and what would that character
say and what would they do so I would again go
back to how can I bring this in in a way that is
going to honor what it is that they're interested
in but understand that I have a certain mindset
of like why that might not be because to be honest
there are some students that stay in fantasy play
and so how do you pull them out a little bit one
of the things that I did because one of the um so
I live in Arizona and so common core standards are
are guidelines for schools and so for kindergarten
they had to learn character and setting and so
what I did was I created and you can see this
on my YouTube channel what I created was I had
these books that I created where they would get
to pick a character and then they would have to
draw a setting around it so again it's kind of
fantasy play so there would be a picture of a
princess let's say or a pirate yes you can go
ahead and draw that pirate or color that pirate
what's that pirate's name how old is that pirate
where is this pirate going and so then I would tie
common core standards to what it is that they
want to do and they kind of get that you know
you know they've they've appeased that desire to
have kind of a fantasy but they've also built a um
a groundwork for you know what you can
actually write stories about things like this
Ask a Montessori teacher #montessori #lessonplan
This video is a part of a series that I created to help new Montessori teachers and those considering Montessori school for their children.
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Common and Proper Nouns - Can you Tell me the Difference?
Proper Nouns
Proper nouns are specific names given to particular people, places, or things. They always begin with a capital letter.
Examples of proper nouns in sentences:
1. **John** is coming over for dinner tonight. (John is a specific person's name.)
2. We visited **New York City** last summer. (New York City is a specific place.)
3. She loves drinking **Starbucks** coffee every morning. (Starbucks is a specific brand.)
Common Nouns
Common nouns are general names for people, places, or things. They do not refer to anything specific and do not begin with a capital letter unless they start a sentence.
Examples of common nouns in sentences:
1. The **boy** rode his bicycle to school. (Boy is a general term for any young male.)
2. There is a beautiful park in the middle of the **city**. (City refers to any urban area.)
3. She bought a refreshing **drink** from the store. (Drink is a general term for any beverage.)
Understanding the difference between proper and common nouns helps us communicate clearly and accurately about specific versus general things!
Let’s Talk about Pronouns in easy to follow Language
A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun, like 'she,' 'he,' 'you,' 'them,' and 'this.' Pronouns can only replace nouns after the noun has been mentioned previously. For instance, 'Jen drinks water' would change to 'she drinks water.'
What is a pronoun?
Pronouns are words that serve as a 'placeholder' for a noun; we can use pronouns in place of nouns.
"They are used to avoid repetitive use of nouns in writing and speech, which makes our communication smoother. For example:
Without pronouns: 'Maria carried the books to school. Maria's books were very heavy, but Maria put the books in the bag.'
With pronouns: 'Maria carried her books to school. They were very heavy, but she put them in her bag.'"
We use pronouns to avoid repeating words. But remember, a pronoun must match the thing it refers to in number, gender, and how it's used in the sentence. If they don't match, the sentence won't make sense!
3 Ways for Parents and Teachers to Collaborate for Student’s Success
Working collaboratively, parents and teachers indeed play crucial roles in shaping a child's educational journey during the foundational years of kindergarten through third grade. This period is pivotal for establishing academic skills, fostering personal growth, and building a strong foundation for future learning. Here's how parents and teachers can effectively collaborate to support K-3rd grade students:
1. **Communication:** Open and regular communication between parents and teachers is fundamental. Teachers should provide updates on academic progress, behavioral developments, and social interactions at school. Conversely, parents can share insights into their child's learning habits, interests, and any concerns observed at home. This exchange helps both parties understand the child comprehensively and adjust their support strategies accordingly.
2. **Establishing Consistent Routines:** Consistency between home and school environments is crucial for a child's stability and learning. Establishing routines for homework, bedtime, meals, and daily activities helps children feel secure and organized. When parents and teachers collaborate on maintaining these routines, it reinforces responsibility and enhances the child's ability to focus on learning both at home and in school.
3. **Parental Involvement:** Active parental involvement significantly contributes to a child's educational success. Parents can participate in school events, volunteer in classrooms, and engage with teachers through parent-teacher associations. This involvement not only supports the school community but also provides parents with insights into their child's educational experience and allows them to reinforce learning outside the classroom.
By focusing on these key areas of collaboration, parents and teachers can create a supportive environment that nurtures academic achievement, social development, and emotional well-being in K-3rd grade students. This partnership lays a strong foundation for the child's future educational success and lifelong learning journey.
Subject Verb Agreement: ELA Lesson from a Third Grade Teacher covering common core standards
Subject-verb agreement, also known as “subject-verb concord,” ensures that the subject and verb of a sentence match in tense, aspect, and mood, which in simpler terms means they agree in number, person, and sometimes gender.
English, unlike some languages, does not generally use grammatical gender except for pronouns. For most verbs in English, subject-verb agreement is primarily about quantity: if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular; if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural. For example:
Singular subject: The dog rolls in the mud.
Plural subject: The dogs roll in the mud.
However, there are exceptions and specific rules, particularly when dealing with third-person singular subjects. In the present tense, most verbs add an -s to the base form for third-person singular subjects:
Singular subject: She needs to catch her breath.
Singular subject with verb ending in -x, –ss, –sh, –ch, –tch, or –zz: My snake hisses to say “I love you.”
Singular subject with verb ending in consonant + y: Atlas carries the world on his shoulders.
Singular subject with verb ending in vowel + y: My roommate stays in his bedroom from morning to night.
The verb "be" is unique in that it changes significantly based on the person:
First person singular: I am
Second person singular: You are
Third person singular: He/she/it is
First person plural: We are
Second person plural: You are
Third person plural: They are
These notes are crucial for understanding and applying subject-verb agreement correctly, especially since "be" is not only used for existence but also as an auxiliary verb in continuous tenses.
In the simple past and simple future tenses, verbs do not change based on the number or person of the subject:
Simple future with plural subject: They will be here tomorrow.
Simple future with singular subject: He will be here tomorrow.
Simple past with plural subject: The potatoes grew overnight!
Simple past with singular subject: The potato grew overnight!
The main exception in the simple past tense is the verb "be," which changes between "was" (singular) and "were" (plural).
In perfect tenses, the auxiliary verb changes based on the number of the subject:
Plural subject: They have not seen the movie yet, so no spoilers.
Singular subject: She has not seen the movie yet, so no spoilers.
While these guidelines cover the basics of subject-verb agreement in English, there are more specific rules for certain situations that can be more complex. Understanding these rules will help ensure clear and grammatically correct communication in writing and speaking.
Chapter book review - My Weirder School: Miss Lilly is Silly ||Thoughts from a third grade teacher
You may have heard of The My Weird School series. With over 11 million books sold, it is a surefire hit for getting kids excited about reading!
In the first book of the My Weirder School series, part of the laugh-out-loud third arc, A.J. and his fellow third graders from Ella Mentry School embark on a wild field trip to the zoo. There, they encounter Miss Child, the quirkiest zookeeper ever known! She believes animals are smarter than humans, teaches elephants to paint, and even keeps snakes in her pockets for fun. Get ready for a hilarious ride as A.J. navigates the unexpected twists and turns, perfect for reluctant readers and those who love to dive into imaginative tales. Join Dan Gutman's wildly popular series for unforgettable adventures with A.J. and his friends!
Watch my review:
Teaching Simple and Compound Sentences with Conjunctions: Aligning with 3rd Grade Common Core Standards
Sentences in English are built from clauses—groups of words that include a subject and a verb and express a complete thought. One important type of sentence your child will learn about is called a compound sentence.
What is a Compound Sentence?
A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses. These clauses are like mini-sentences because each can stand alone and make sense on its own. In a compound sentence, these clauses are connected by coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," or "so." These conjunctions help link ideas that are related.
Spotting a Compound Sentence
You can easily identify a compound sentence by looking for these conjunctions that join the clauses together. For example:
- I really need to go to school, but I’m too sick to sit in class.
- He broke his leg, so he had to go to the ER.
In these examples, "but" and "so" are the coordinating conjunctions that connect the independent clauses.
Remember FANBOYS?
Remembering the word "FANBOYS" can help you recall these coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. These words are like links in a chain that hold two related ideas together in a compound sentence.
Punctuation Tip:
When using FANBOYS to connect two independent clauses, you should generally place a comma before the conjunction. This helps clarify where each idea starts and ends in the sentence. For example:
- Danny took the school bus, and I got a lift.
- Mary went to hang out with my friends, but my brother stayed in his room.
However, with "and," sometimes the comma isn't needed if the clauses are very short and closely related, like "Hattie likes painting and reading."
Why It Matters:
Understanding compound sentences helps children become better writers and communicators. It allows them to express more complex ideas in their writing and to understand how different parts of a sentence work together.
Practice Together:
You can practice identifying compound sentences with your child while reading together or discussing their schoolwork. Encourage them to look for those FANBOYS words and see how they connect ideas in what they read and write.
By helping your child understand compound sentences, you're supporting their development as confident and effective communicators in both spoken and written language.
Parts of Speech Noun, verb, pronoun, adjective, adverb: common core lesson by Third Grade Teacher
Here are 5 ways to teach part of speech at home:
Parts of Speech Puzzles: Create or find puzzles (like crossword puzzles or word searches) where the clues or words to find are categorized by parts of speech. For instance, clues could be "a type of noun," "an action verb," or "a descriptive adjective." This engages students in both recognizing and applying their understanding of parts of speech.
Grammar Sorting Relay: Set up a relay race where students must sort words or phrases into bins labeled with different parts of speech. For example, scatter cards or strips of paper with words around the room. Each team member must grab a word, determine its part of speech, and then race to the correct bin to deposit it. This combines movement with learning and encourages quick thinking about word types.
Parts of Speech Rap or Song: Have students create a rap or song where each verse or line highlights different parts of speech. They can write lyrics that include examples of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc. This activity helps reinforce recognition through creativity and rhythm.
Parts of Speech Bingo: Create bingo cards with various parts of speech written in the squares (e.g., "noun," "adjective," "preposition"). Call out words or short phrases, and students mark the corresponding part of speech on their cards. This game adds an element of competition and encourages students to listen carefully to identify the correct category.
Digital Parts of Speech Hunt: Utilize educational apps or websites that gamify the identification of parts of speech. Many online platforms offer interactive quizzes or games where students can drag and drop words into the correct categories or complete sentences with the appropriate word types. This can be particularly engaging for students who enjoy learning through technology.
These activities aim to make learning parts of speech interactive, engaging, and varied, catering to different learning styles and preferences among students.
kids chapter book reviews: Captain Awesome || tips from an elementary school teacher on literacy
Here’s my synopsis:
Join Eugene on an action-packed journey at sleepaway camp in the latest escapade of Captain Awesome and the Sunnyview Superhero Squad! Filled with superheroes and supervillains, this engaging story is tailored for young readers with easy-to-understand language and lively illustrations throughout. It's an ideal choice to captivate budding readers and ignite their love for storytelling and adventure!
Watch my video to hear my review:
Curating Reads for Your Third Grader: Reviewing 'Bad Guys' by Aaron Blabey
Synopsis:
"The Bad Guys" is a delightful children's graphic novel series created by Australian author Aaron Blabey. It follows a group of quirky anthropomorphic animals known as the "Bad Guys". Led by their charismatic leader, Mr. Wolf, these characters embark on humorous adventures where they strive to do good deeds and prove to the world that they're more than just stereotypes. Through their comical escapades and unexpected twists, the series explores themes of redemption, friendship, and the importance of second chances, all while captivating young readers with its engaging illustrations and lighthearted storytelling. Join the Bad Guys on their quest to change perceptions and discover the fun and heartwarming lessons they learn along the way!
Watch my video to hear my review: