Civil Rights is an issue that must be addressed in schools today. To engage students in learning about the Civil Rights Movement and its lasting impact, I would begin by exploring the current civil rights issues in the U.S. today, such as racial justice, voting rights, police reform, and systemic inequalities in housing and education. By starting with these contemporary issues, students can immediately see the relevance of civil rights struggles in their own lives and communities. We would then examine what has changed since the 1960s—such as the progress made through legislative victories like the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act—and where challenges remain, such as ongoing racial disparities and the rollback of some protections.
From here, I would guide students in drawing parallels between the Civil Rights Movement of the past and today’s social justice movements, such as Black Lives Matter. Using primary sources from both eras—speeches, protests, and media coverage—students can critically analyze how strategies for achieving equality have evolved and where the fight for civil rights continues.
By facilitating thoughtful discussions, I would encourage students to explore how activism, both past and present, has shaped U.S. society. This approach not only connects historical movements to ongoing struggles but also empowers students to reflect on their own roles as active participants in shaping a more equitable future. Hands-on projects, guest speakers, and community connections would further deepen their understanding, helping students see how the Civil Rights Movement’s legacy remains alive today.
Why is Phonemic Awareness so Important?
Phonemic awareness refers to the ability to identify, manipulate, and work with individual phonemes—the smallest units of sound in a language.
Participating in phonemic awareness activities, students can decode words, spell, and comprehend text.
How do you incorporate phonemic awareness into your daily activities?
How do your students get to play? Here’s a peek at how my Kinders get to play!
What are you doing to keep your students motivated to do well on end of year district assessments for grades K-2? I am awarding my students play money if they show growth so that they can purchase a prize from our classroom store. I am also posting their pictures outside my classroom.
To differentiate materials effectively for all students, you can offer various formats and levels of complexity.
What would this look like in a multi-age classroom?
We use orange folders for studentswho are a part of our Student Study multidisciplinary team/s. We summarize interventions, response to intervention, etc in a final recommendations report/pdf. This will then go into the student’s file. What does this look like in your school?
What’s your Goal this Year?
At the beginning of every school year, effective teachers will set a goal for themself. Why? Setting a goal gives you a purpose and can point you in the right direction of improving your teaching performance. As your skills improve, a new idea might be discovered that keeps you motivated, which in turn will also improve your students’ performance.
As you begin setting your goal, remember to consider the “why” behind it. Try to decide where you really need to improve. As a new teacher, you might have several areas that come to mind. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, try to focus on one thing.
Start by reflecting on your past year. Did you have a feeling of dread with certain educational buzz words like technology, differentiation, data, etc.? As you reflect on some of your students, were there some that made you lack confidence? How about your engagement with other teachers in the building, is there anyone that you might need to build better relationships with?
Once you have decided on your goal, create an action plan. What steps do you need to take to achieve it? How often will you address it? How will you know if you have been successful?
What are some examples of goals that teachers might set for themself?
I started a leadership program through my district in January and one of the videos we had to watch is a Ted Talk called Embrace the Shake. Linked here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrZTho_o_is
One of my biggest take aways is that I don't necessarily have all of the tools, yet, to move into a coaching position, but there are many things I can leverage that I do have so that I can build my strengths. One of them is stepping outside my comfort zone to try new (and sometimes scary) things!
What are some ways you've stepped outside your comfort zone to be a leader inside your school building?
What curriculum do you use for classroom circles? I like to introduce my students to a circle by using this book called the Sharing circle. The animals in the story help the students learn how to resolve conflicts. We don't have a curriculum in my district, but we do teach our students how to handle conflicts in a peaceful way. I also use my circles to discuss how we can improve as a class as far as treating each other with respect.
What foundational skills should I focus on to prepare students for success in algebra?
Students need to understand the foundational principles of algebra that include properties for each of the operations and the idea of substitution in variables. Order of operations is also a pivotal skill for Algebra. The key to understanding is knowing that algebra involves equivalencies. Because this can often be very abstract for most upper elementary students, providing as much context as possible makes it easier. I HIGHLY recommend https://borenson.com/product/the-hands-on-equations-learning-system/
It is well worth the investment to purchase this kit for your students to teach the parts of an equation and how to solve algebraic expressions.
I have students who are struggling with reading. What are some strategies that I can use to help them?
First, you need to determine the area of focus that the student is struggling with. This can be done by using various assessments. Gather data on different areas of reading: decoding, sight words, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Once you have determined the area(s) of concern, you can apply reading interventions to address these needs.
Word Study
Phonemic awareness
Decoding
High Frequency (sight words)
Syllabication
Spelling
Fluency
Modeled and assisted oral reading
Prosody development (pacing, intonation, volume, smoothness, phrasing, expression)
Guided reading
Partner reading
Vocabulary
Teacher models and explains
Technical
Content specific (using different genres)
Teaching word parts (roots, prefixes, suffixes)
One of my own personal family activities for the new year is a Family Book Club. Together as a family we select a book to read together during the month of January. We try to pre-schedule weekly discussions where we talk about the book and relate its themes to the new year.
What family literacy activities do you do at the start of the new year?
How many are in school for the eclipse? What do you have planned? We are in the path of totality and have a day of learning planned!
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As we continue to build relationships with the parents, here is an example of an email I sent to everyone because, well, I made a mistake.
Good Tuesday afternoon everyone-
Remember that time you thought it was a Tuesday because the teacher said it was a Tuesday and you were expecting a Tuesday folder to come home on Tuesday because Tuesday is when the Tuesday folder comes home?
Well, the teacher knew it was a Tuesday and did not send the Tuesday folder home on Tuesday because there was a FAST test on Tuesday and the teacher who even sent an email home saying it was a Tuesday in the subject now has to apologize on a Tuesday for not sending the Tuesday folder home today which is a Tuesday because he forgot it was a Tuesday.
Tuesday word count: 18
Being able to joke during your mistakes helps ease the tension with the parents. It also opens up a closeness when there is effort to be vulnerable with your mistakes. In the grand scheme of things, it is not that big of a deal but it brings people together.
What are some things you do at the start of the school year to build relationships with students?
What is a math manipulative that you use multiple ways in the classroom throughout the year?
In my role as a math interventionist (although looking back I did it as a homeroom teacher, but I don't think as intentionally as I do it now), I have found that many of my students can do the math, they just don't believe they can. As educators, we wear so many hats and one of them is helping students see their potential. I now ask students when they answer a question for me: "Are you asking me or are you telling me?" This questions prompts students to be more convicted in their answer to me. Or if they aren't sure about their answer, it prompts them to go back and recheck it. I have the conversation with students that if they aren't sure of their answer then they need to take a second look at it. They should always answer confidently if they did the work. If it's wrong, we will figure out what happened. It has been so rewarding to hear teachers say that their students are more confident in their answers when sharing in class.
Absenteeism: At what point do you involve administration if a child has been frequently absent?
There are a couple of parts to this. I have worked in schools where I have been asked by admin to let them know when students have missed more than 2 days in a row. Usually after the first day, I will reach out, just saying that I missed the student and hope everything is okay. I will offer assistance if they need it. Usually parents will get back to me quickly if it's just a minor illness or a family emergency. I would say anything past 3 days in a row should go to admin, especially if you haven't heard from the family once you've reached out. I would also say that if it gets to a point that it is impacting their grades or their performance in your class, that it's time to sit down with admin and discuss next steps. They may need to be put on an attendance plan.
