Cooperative Learning

I was fortunate enough a few weeks ago to meet with a "star teacher." This person came into my classroom and showed me how to implement a variety of different strategies. I have been using this time off to put some groups of students together in a organized fashion and also to create the tools necessary to implement the strategies that she taught me into my everyday classroom curriculum. I have become so interested in this style of learning that I have decided to complete my action research on it!! Hopefully all goes well :)

Winter break!!! I made it!!! I cannot believe that the year is half way over. When I return on January 7th to begin the second half of the year things in the classroom are going to look a little different. Shouting out will not be tolerated. This is my biggest pet peeve and diminishes the wait time other students might need to process a question that is asked. I also plan to do a lot more cooperative learning activities. I will have groups already developed, often comprised of 2 low, 2 middle, and 2 high students. I feel that this will increase my classroom community and will help students to become more successful and confident in their answers. This is what my research paper will center around.

Consistency is the Best Policy

Being consistent is the concept that I am finding most challenging in the classroom. Kids need to be held accountable for their behavior and actions. I have realized that in order for their behavior to improve, I have to better mine as well! I need to practice using more consistent language and being sure that I am sticking to the expectations that the kids and I have developed in the classroom. Monday is a new day and will begin a new week. A new Miss Walz will emerge and will demand appropriate behavior from my fourth graders!!!!