Missing Assignments

I've always wondered how others approach missing assignments in intermediate grades. Do you follow up the day they return from vacation/sickness? Do you give them time? Do you sometimes let it go?

In our electronic grade book I have some items where students have missed assignments. You have the option to mark it so it doesn't count, a common occurrence for me. Typically I'll follow up with students when they return. Sometimes, often on longer assignments, these get lost in the shuffle. Why? The missing 1-3+ days makes getting the writing or research done difficult, particularly if we moved on. What is then more important, the assignment or the instruction?

Sometimes people use recess time. I get that. I often choose not to go that route. They weren't sick because they wanted to be, and they are kids. They need fresh air and time to socialize with friends. If it is a multiday assignment and they are dragging, do we want to do the dance of getting it done because it should? Could we instead bag it because it is benefitting no one?! I lean towards the latter.

What they don't teach you

When you are in your education program there are a myriad of things you are taught. Best practices in literacy. How to construct knowledge in math. Ways to engage students in science so they come to deeper conceptual understanding. All of those are part of the education you get (or should get) prior to getting your teaching certificate.

How about the juggling act after year one? It seems like everything has stacked up in these last few weeks. Field trip #1, field trip #2 (all day), promotion, grades, comments, talent show, end of year party, field day, health curriculum, and a large end of year writing project. How do you balance that out? You've still got to teach, so that isn't an option.

The obvious thing is that some items are taken off. This year I didn't get to government. I just simply ran out of time. The larger projects monopolized time, squeezing out a huge part of what I wanted to do in social studies.. But you also take out things like lunch- talent show tryouts and putting together the performance list.

You learn to deal with it. You do. But it isn't something you learn in your education program, and likely not until you are a year or two in. Next year will be different, or at least I say that now!

Memoirs

As we start to wrap up the year, we have begun our end of 5th grade memoirs. In many ways these are a series of vignettes that encompass moments in their elementary lives. We started them on our last field trip- an all day outdoor experience in Carnation. It was a rather auspicious start.

I'm trying to get them away from listing events from all grades. In the past I've seen this done where kids write about most grade levels, including who they had and what they remember. Often it seems like very little, and lacks feeling. Instead I want them to write about 3 (or more) events in detail, starting with a zoomed out lead in and zooming into that moment that was important. This will yoyo between out and in as they transition between moments. The effect should provide a glimpse into the moments that were meaningful, including how kids felt and what they were thinking.

In the little bit that we have worked on this I've seen kids gradually get moving. After listing events they pick one, often remembering far more than you would imagine. They pick out who they were with, how they felt, and the atmosphere before/during/and after. The smiles as kids talk through moments are heartwarming.

For me this is the payoff. It brings the kids back I center as they get set to leave the comfortable confines of their soon-to-be-former academic home. It gives them a chance to think about where they came from before they find out who they will become. I hope the writing itself will be something they will remember.

Being Inspired to Write

Writing was never my greatest interest. In fact, literacy as a whole was never really something I enjoyed. Throughout my career as a student, literacy was my weakest area. I preferred math (and PE!). Somewhere along the line the switch was flipped though- I'd venture it was when I began working at a bookstore (the now defunct Borders). You mean I can take any book I want from the store, using it like my library?! Brilliant!

Quite obviously being a reader can translate into inspiration to write. Many of my students that love reading also enjoy writing, and are often quite skilled. Why? My guess would be that they've been exposed to writing that they enjoy, and are willing to attempt something similar. They've been provided with inspiration to write.

I've struggled to find the time to read over the last two months. Having a two month old has led to a significant decrease in available time. Reading? Perhaps some student work. Books? Not so much. Coincidentally, or not, my own writing has tapered off. Some of that is connected to my decrease in time. But I'd also posit that it can be connected to reading far less. I'm not reading blogs as much as I was. Not reading kid lit as much as I was. That has left me without the inspiration to really get going and blogging.

Going forward what do I do? I need to read more. That starts this weekend with kid writing. 75 student writing prompts should provide significant cause to write. At least that is what I hope.