Missing Work

Ms. Leom has about half her students with missing work. On the even of Puzzle Day, she is puzzled as to how that can happen.

The typical Reading lesson:
First ten minutes - Ms. Leom introduces and models the spelling lesson for the day
Next fifteen to twenty minutes - Ms. Leom teaches, and we practice the core reading skill
Last half hour - work time for students ... Ms. Leom supports students who need help or reteaches lessons to students who need more feedback
Last fifteen minutes - Ms. Leom works in small groups with students who attend a different flex

During the entire time, Ms. Leom keeps a careful eye on the class and maintains expectations of using time wisely. In both classes, there is another adult in the classroom, supporting their specific students, and also available to all the students in the classroom. We meet regularly to problem solve the day-to-day challenges. The various adults share in Ms. Leom's concerns.

The students with missing work often have the ENTIRE half hour to work ... and they are still piling up the missing work.

There is often time at the end of the day, during Homeroom time, when students can work on missing work.

On these cold days with inside Recess, students can also work on missing work.

Missing work is communicated 2-3x a week with printouts or notes in student planners. Students can also check their StudentVue on their iPads to see what they need to complete.

Missing work is a puzzle that we continue to work on ...

Note: Ms. Leom often is busy working with students DURING the school day. It isn't until after her own kids are in bed, 8:00/8:30 PM, that she sits down and gets caught up on the grades for that current day. So if your child says, "I handed it in" ... yep ... There is also this "itty bitty" reality ... in her house, she shares the computer with the high school Math teacher, Mr. Leom. He also has daily grades to upload. They usually have pretty good communication at sharing ... but even on the best days, sharing a computer has its limits. :0)

No Name Papers

It has become an epidemic ... no name papers are flourishing in fourth grade ...

Ms. Leom's No Name Paper Basket

In some fourth grade classes and several fifth grade classes and beyond, no name papers end up in the recycling bin. For Ms. Leom, they are place in the "no name basket" in her room. On any given day, Ms. Leom may assess nearly 200 papers. When names are missing, it can make grading them and recording the score for the right student a challenge.

What is most puzzling, we start nearly EVERY learning with the directions, "Write your name on your paper." In addition, Ms. Leom will often walk AROUND the classroom and check to see if name are on papers, unless it is a time she is working with small groups. The other reality, writing your name on your paper has been an expectation since kindergarten. By fourth grade, students have had five YEARS of practicing this expectation.

Students will even find their paper IN the no name basket and turn it in, STILL forgetting to write their name on the top.

Ms. Leom wasn't "crabby" today. She was using her "stern" voice. There is a difference. No name papers was a trigger for the stern voice today.

Cause and Effect

This week, we are working on the reading strategy, Cause and Effect. There were many opportunities to practice this skill.

Placemat Lunch

In December, students were invited to read a book. When we returned to school, we worked on a Book Project Placemats. Students had over 90 minutes to work on it IN class. We also had at least four days of inside Recess that students could work on it. In addition, Mr. Greninger and Ms. Leom gave additional work time in class.

Ms. Leom made sure that students presented on a day that they were able to be outside for Recess. It is respectful to our students that they have a chance to get out of our classroom walls and experience different settings.

Students were invited to eat lunch in the classroom. Students could choose to sit or stand to present. While a student was presenting, the rest of the table was encouraged to listen as they ate their lunch.

So fun to hear the questions and discussions. Our intent was to have students share new ideas about books and talk about books. So fun!

Special

There are moments of my teaching career that I love with a passion and feel such pride to be a part of such an incredible staff and student body, there aren't words to adequately explain ... how special this school is ...

This is fifth grade teacher, Mr. Anderson. If you are missing the inference, he takes being a Vikings Fan to a whole new level ...

This is fourth grade teacher, Ms. Hake-Anderson. She is married to fifth grade teacher, Mr. Anderson. We are waiting to enter the courtyard to begin our Viking cheer.

I LOVE that I get to spend time with my alums ...

Entering the courtyard ...

Gathering ...

 The women fourth grade teachers ... Ms. Hakes-Anderson, Mrs. Arens, and Ms. Leom ...

Some of this years special kids ...

Our Curriculum Director, Mr. Wedin, and the Milaca Elementary Assistant Principal, Mr. Meyer filmed from the room of the school ... note Mr. Anderson's arrival ...

Another special student ...

Mr. Anderson's voice carries ...

I love the joy and excitement of this image!

More special students ...

I am surrounded by special students ...

Half of my special students ... didn't want to miss anyone ...

We had the BEST Wishes for the Minnesota Vikings ... and we always know, there is always next year ...

Unit 5 Test

We have goals for our tests. This is how the test is introduced. The skills we are being assessed and what we are expected to do is shared as well as reminders about how to be successful:

Take It With You

We were in the middle of reading a longer Trickster Tale, Brer Rabbit and Sis Cow, and analyzing the text, when it was our turn to participate in Reading Benchmark. Students are pulled into the ADSIS and Title One classrooms to read one-to-one with the staff. They are trying to read as many words in one minute, with minimal errors. We brought our learning with us while we waited for our turn, making the most of our time. The class knows the routine and expectation, so the location didn't impact our learning.

Developed

In Reading, we take time to develop our learning and model. One of our skills we have been developing is comparing and contrasting. Students were invited to write two paragraphs comparing storms.

We started by brainstorming types of storms you might compare:

Then Ms. Leom further developed the lesson by modeling what two paragraphs compring and contrasting might look like. She used Mr. Grenigner and herself as an example.

example modeled with Ms. Leom's class

example modeled with Mr. Greninger's class

After the lesson was introduced, developed, started together, then modeled, students were given work time. To begin, Ms. Leom walked around the room supporting students. Soon, she could see the students who needed additional support. She pulled them into small groups at a table with her and one with our support staff who works in the room.