Less than an hour ago, I posted what one of my girls wrote about how she felt regarding my 8th Annual Read In.
As I continue to read the papers, I came across additional statements that let me know the experience was hitting home.
"After that we went to lunch. My class was talking about it at lunch."
From another student:
"The Read In was pretty cool. It wasn't as much as I thought though."
Still yet from another:
"Mr. Flemming's mom came. We all forgot what the name of the book was called, but I do know one thing, everyone didn't want her to leave."
Of my college-age nephews, one young lady remarked,
"...they were cute."
Some call me "Flem"
- Dr. Stephen R. Flemming
- I'm an elementary school teacher turned high school English teacher, School-Based Teacher Leader (SBTL), and adjunct professor here in Philly. These posts are the views, as I see them, from room 105, my first classroom number. Enjoy, engage, and share!
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
"I felt like I was important..."
Back in December, before Christmas break, I hosted my 8th Annual Read In. When we got back from the break, I had the kids write about that experience. One girl at the end of her essay
"And I had so much fun. I felt like I was important. I'm thinking everybody had an amazing time together, especially me."
"And I had so much fun. I felt like I was important. I'm thinking everybody had an amazing time together, especially me."
"Mr. Flemming, remember..."
Last week I caught up with a former student at dismissal.
"Mr. Flemming, remember when we analyzed High School Musical?"
"Yeah, and we really analyzed it too!!"
"Uh, yeah! And we hated it when you kept stopping it to ask questions," said the former student as he recalled the memory with a smile.
Mission accomplished!!
Another former student said recently, "I don't look at movies the same Mr. Flemming!! I'm always analyzing them!"
Mission accomplished!!
"Mr. Flemming, remember when we analyzed High School Musical?"
"Yeah, and we really analyzed it too!!"
"Uh, yeah! And we hated it when you kept stopping it to ask questions," said the former student as he recalled the memory with a smile.
Mission accomplished!!
Another former student said recently, "I don't look at movies the same Mr. Flemming!! I'm always analyzing them!"
Mission accomplished!!
Friday, January 22, 2016
A Class Periscope Story
This school year is the first year that I'm using Twitter's Periscope app at various moments during the school day to bring learning events live to the parents and families of my students. I don't broadcast events every day, just at special moments.
Well, today there was a "brought a smile to my face" moment....
Today a student was running a bit late for school. I started today's broadcast as I had two of my students teach two Nikki Giovanni poems to the class. I turned on the Twitter notification. Later, in walked the late student. "My mom told me to hurry up to class because you were broadcasting live on Periscope, so I ran upstairs."
Insert "smile" here!!
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Another "Yoooo!!" Moment When Teaching About Ruby Bridges
There was that familiar gleam in their eyes, followed by sounds from their mouths that went something like "Yooo!!!! Wow!!!"
In the beginning of the school year, we read The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. Each child had his/her copy and we read, discussed and enjoyed!
Today, we boomeranged back to Ruby Bridges with the film itself. The session began with a brief review and then the film. When the actor portraying Ruby's psychologist came, I asked a few times what his name was (this was intentional). The kids responded each time. On target so far. Get his name in your brains boys and girls (said Mr. Flemming to himself).
I strategically stopped at a few different points to discuss what we were seeing and the reality of life for Ms. Bridges at the time. But that's not the focus of this post as it was the focus of our talks today, which were insightful, by the way!!
I already had my Google Chrome taps marked with: the cover of the book we read, "Robert Coles", "Mrs. Henry, Ruby Bridge's teacher" and Norman Rockwell's The Problem We All Live With. I showed them the cover of the book. They remembered. That generated a little chitter chatter. I, then, asked again for the name of "Ruby's doctor", they said "Robert Coles." That was followed by my zooming in on the cover of the book and my asking them to tell me who the author was....there was that familiar gleam in their eyes, followed by sounds from their mouths that went something like "Yooo!!!! Wow!!!"
So much occurred after that moment, including a discussion on the validity of what we read back in the fall and the clear impact that this third person point of view* had on at least a few of them.
Q: "How could he have written it when he wasn't in it," asked one insightful student.
A: "Ahhh!!! So let's talk point of view..."
And we did!!
Then again, there was that familiar gleam in their eyes, followed by sounds from their mouths that went something like "Yooo!!!! Wow!!!"
My name is Mr. Flemming and I'm a THIRD grade teacher in a Philadelphia PUBLIC SCHOOL!!
*They were already familiar with point of view. This was not new. The application of the impact of the point of view took our conversation into deeper literary waters.
In the beginning of the school year, we read The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. Each child had his/her copy and we read, discussed and enjoyed!
Today, we boomeranged back to Ruby Bridges with the film itself. The session began with a brief review and then the film. When the actor portraying Ruby's psychologist came, I asked a few times what his name was (this was intentional). The kids responded each time. On target so far. Get his name in your brains boys and girls (said Mr. Flemming to himself).
I strategically stopped at a few different points to discuss what we were seeing and the reality of life for Ms. Bridges at the time. But that's not the focus of this post as it was the focus of our talks today, which were insightful, by the way!!
I already had my Google Chrome taps marked with: the cover of the book we read, "Robert Coles", "Mrs. Henry, Ruby Bridge's teacher" and Norman Rockwell's The Problem We All Live With. I showed them the cover of the book. They remembered. That generated a little chitter chatter. I, then, asked again for the name of "Ruby's doctor", they said "Robert Coles." That was followed by my zooming in on the cover of the book and my asking them to tell me who the author was....there was that familiar gleam in their eyes, followed by sounds from their mouths that went something like "Yooo!!!! Wow!!!"
So much occurred after that moment, including a discussion on the validity of what we read back in the fall and the clear impact that this third person point of view* had on at least a few of them.
Q: "How could he have written it when he wasn't in it," asked one insightful student.
A: "Ahhh!!! So let's talk point of view..."
And we did!!
Then again, there was that familiar gleam in their eyes, followed by sounds from their mouths that went something like "Yooo!!!! Wow!!!"
My name is Mr. Flemming and I'm a THIRD grade teacher in a Philadelphia PUBLIC SCHOOL!!
*They were already familiar with point of view. This was not new. The application of the impact of the point of view took our conversation into deeper literary waters.
Designing Our Learning Experience
My students and I are ecologists as we navigate our current science learning experiences. We were entomologists and now we've 'metamorphed' into the broader scientific field of ecology, studying ecosystems.
Yes, it is still broad.
So, for the first real time I decided that the students will decide how we should proceed. After introducing some basic terminology and concepts (e.g. the terms ecosystem, producer, consumer, decomposer, herbivore, etc. etc.), we discussed how we should go about studying the various ecosystems. As they talked, I had a Word document opened on the 'big screen' and typed as they talked.
Here is what they said so far (and I'll keep you updated):
Yes, it is still broad.
So, for the first real time I decided that the students will decide how we should proceed. After introducing some basic terminology and concepts (e.g. the terms ecosystem, producer, consumer, decomposer, herbivore, etc. etc.), we discussed how we should go about studying the various ecosystems. As they talked, I had a Word document opened on the 'big screen' and typed as they talked.
Here is what they said so far (and I'll keep you updated):
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Mastery is to Spoiled Brat...
Mastery Charter Schools was finally told "NO" this past week and their reaction is like that of a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum in the supermarket!!
BACK IN THE FALL (wow), Dr. Hite proposed that three schools be converted to charter schools beginning next school year.
This past week, after push back from parents and others who believe and know that real public schools can succeed if truly invested in, the Wister Elementary decision was reversed.
Mastery has about 17 schools in Philadelphia.
You have to wonder why they are reacting the way they are because the district finally said NO!!
Many district schools have been told "NO" for years on music and art teachers, clean and welcoming buildings, reduced class sizes, nurses, updated technology, financial and human resources, shall I keep going?
What needs to happen now, in my opinion:
Huey Public Community School
Cook Public Community School
Philly has done the charter thing, to our financial detriment. Let's try the community schools "thing". Let's try making our neighborhood schools even stronger anchors in our communities that they can be!!
With Mayor Kenney and Governor Wolf, I am a little more hopeful!! I'll be even more hopeful once my kids and I experience the results, of the "resource" variety, stream into our schools instead of being cut off at the knees and being criticized for not winning the marathon!
BACK IN THE FALL (wow), Dr. Hite proposed that three schools be converted to charter schools beginning next school year.
This past week, after push back from parents and others who believe and know that real public schools can succeed if truly invested in, the Wister Elementary decision was reversed.
You have to wonder why they are reacting the way they are because the district finally said NO!!
Many district schools have been told "NO" for years on music and art teachers, clean and welcoming buildings, reduced class sizes, nurses, updated technology, financial and human resources, shall I keep going?
What needs to happen now, in my opinion:
Huey Public Community School
Cook Public Community School
Philly has done the charter thing, to our financial detriment. Let's try the community schools "thing". Let's try making our neighborhood schools even stronger anchors in our communities that they can be!!
With Mayor Kenney and Governor Wolf, I am a little more hopeful!! I'll be even more hopeful once my kids and I experience the results, of the "resource" variety, stream into our schools instead of being cut off at the knees and being criticized for not winning the marathon!
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