Final Day at Maplewood

Sadly, today was our final day reading with the residents at Maplewood Manor Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center. As I mentioned in previous posts about our visits there, we establish an intergenerational bond with the residents while there and while reading with them.

Last time the kids and I will be reading with the residents here. The kids added a singing component. More later in a blog post #classongeek

— Stephen R. Flemming (@kellygrade6) June 5, 2017

With every visit, we add a little something, planned or unplanned, to the experience. The last time we visited, we sought to gather the stories of a few of the residents, write them up in a mini-biographical sketch and read them back to them. Well, if it can go wrong, it will. We started the process, but for a wide variety of reasons, we were unable to completely finish this mini-project. Undeterred, we pressed on.

As the kids were finishing the short stories and poems we brought along with us, one had the idea to sing to the residents. I can't lie, I was hesitant. I, however, was not going to be the one to stifle their excitement. So #onward...sing children! At first, a smaller group of them sang to the residents at one table. The song of choice, The Star Spangled Banner, which we're learning for our 5th grade Move-Up Day next Friday. Cute. lol That went well! I thought they'd be nervous, but nah! That must've been me.

Then another one of them got the idea to sing to all of those who were in the dining area. Ok. Now I'm even more hesitant. Were they going to stop us? Would the residents respond? What about those working in their offices? I'm not a worrier, so it bewildered me why I was worrying now. Still, I set aside my feelings and let them have at it. To overcome my apprehension, I gave them a quick public speaking, 10-second mini-lesson.

Introduce yourselves, especially for those with whom you didn't read.
Tell them where you're from. John B. Kelly Elementary School.
Tell them what you want to do. Sing.
Tell them what you're singing. The Star Spangled Banner and the Black national anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing.

As the children sang, those who hadn't read with us, moved their wheelchairs, got up from where they were seated, or looked up, and were quite the captive audience. My "allergies" started to act up when a grandfather and his two guests, moved to where I was seated and were moved by these young voices. One of his guests, "Ms. Alice", wanted to know more about who we were, where we were from, and why we were there. She stated that Mr. Resident (for privacy sake), really enjoyed what he heard and loves this sort of thing.

Another resident, with whom we hadn't worked before, really expressed his joy at having the opportunity to sit with one of students as they read and learned from each other. I overheard much of their conversation and I wanted to just sit in rapture.

I cannot quite put into words the connections WE made and how we felt. To know me is to know that I have a special place in my heart for those who are older and have had some experiences. It was good for the kids and me, all of us, to be a part of this intergenerational experience!

This Week in the RearView...

Every now and then I sit and reflect on the day or the week gone by. Not all the time do these thoughts make it onto a page or onto Twitter. This time they will.

On Monday a few of us made our way to the Maplewood Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to make new friends and read to them! We went after school and had a great time. We plan on going back.

This past week, I also taught the classes some self-regulation strategies, mainly for fluency. I wasn't required to do so, but since the school district makes us "AIMSweb" the kids and makes major decisions about them based on it, I decided to teach them how to monitor their own fluency. They actually liked the exercises we did. They've been partnering up all week as an extension of our pleasure reading time.

Thursday I noticed a student was peering for an extended time into one of our autistic support classrooms. Instead of "Can you keep up with the class," I pulled him aside and asked if he'd like to volunteer in there from time to time. He said "yes" excitedly. After school I spoke with the teacher and she, too, was onboard. So we'll be working something out in the days ahead.

Friday was writing work day. Let me add that this was the plan, not an after-thought; this dedicated time to write. (I could say more, but real teachers know how it is sometimes...*wink*) As one who loves to write, I understand the need for time just to get thoughts down onto paper. Since we'll be publishing books through Studentreasures Publishing, we dedicated time to brainstorm ideas and begin drafting. This was an extension of a previous homework assignment. The time was also used to fine tune our understanding of poetic devices like similes and metaphors. Many took great advantage of this work time.

As I reflect further on the week gone by, there are lots of moments that occur each and everyday, such that if I were to enumerate them all, we'd be here for a minute! There were, however, some things that kids said that were memorable for one reason or another. It's important to note that I overheard much of what they said. The statements were not directed to me, making them all the more genuine.

• Student whispers, "Yes!!" when I called him over to the table for some one-on-one reading/instruction with me.
• While listening to a Flocabulary video, a kid whispers, "Oh I get it now!"
• Student, while at the nursing home, "Man, this place is way cleaner than John B. Kelly!"

Also memorable were some funny moments we had. Like the few who made up some LIES about my hairline! HA! First, close followers of my tweets know that I don't play about keeping my jawn sharp! Second, I had just got a fresh boi the day before. Third, I ain't some wack teacher who ain't gonna come back with a bangin' teacher #clapback! This teacher right here will grind you all the way up!! Bruh! AND I did!! LOL!! Shoot! Got me chop! You know it's good when the class goes "OOOOHHHHH" Then we got back to work now that we all had an understanding what the deal was! 

Then there was one day I did a lil something different with the lay. Kid, "OK, Mr. Flemming, I see you with the fresh lay on! Let me find out! You look more educated." lol

There are some moments that I'd like to forget or would rather not deal with, but we see too much of that in the media especially for kids who look like me. So no, you won't hear a lot at all from me about those moments (except in cases of systemic injustice)! We have them. I deal with them as a concerned educator and human! #ByeFelicia

New Friends at Maplewood Manor Nursing Home

When I get the chance to sit and think, that can be dangerous....in a good way!

Yesterday, a few of my students and I, along with a few of my colleagues, went to Maplewood Manor Nursing Home to read to the residents there. We went to read and came out smiling!!

The facility is about a 15-minute walk from our school, right there in our community. It began as a thought about a month or so ago. I called Maplewood, left a message, received a call back and we set up a tentative date. We spoke of the possibility of making this a once a month thing as well. I sent out a survey to parents to gauge the interest level. There was interest.  Permission slips were sent out, I spoke with the principal, and boom!

The idea hit me like a ton of bricks that it would be better to go after school. Why? Just because. That little blurb was in the survey too. Still, there was great interest on behalf of the 5th grade families. (There were some kinks on my end that I'll have to fix for next time.  Long story short, me being too hype, I got unorganized and quickly)

We left the school around 3:15pm. But before doing so, the kids and I had a little chat. "This is the first time your teacher has done anything like this. We'll see how it goes. No matter what, just go with the flow. We'll speak, be polite, introduce ourselves and why we're there and enjoy ourselves."

On the way I allowed them to snap pics, and to snap, as in....this. Why? They're "snapping chatting" (lol) about going to read! Why not?!?

The staff was very warm, gracious, and welcoming! We entered the recreation area and immediately we all got to work introducing ourselves to the our reading buddies and the kids got to reading. My colleagues and I would only step in for a sec to move a kid closer or to slide the book between the two reading buddies. #SmilesAllAround

The kids loved it! They'd read to their new friend and in a couple of cases their new friends took the book and read back to the much younger buddies!! I even got the chance to read to a couple of the residents, "Mother to Son" by Langston Hughes and "Green Eggs and Ham". Both were a hit!!

We stayed for about a half hour before heading back to school to the waiting arms and cars of parents! Wow! That's all I can muster right now. Wow!! It was one great experience for us all!

Today, during one of the classes we had a panel discussion. The students ran it. The panel (the students who went to Maplewood) took questions from their classmates about the event and they responded well.

The student panel

More than 24 hours later, I'm still sitting here reflecting in rapture! There isn't a test in the WORLD, no benchmark, no Pearson, no PSSA, no PARCC, nothing, that can capture the essence of that and myriad other experiences!!