Sunday, August 2, 2020
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
I Did It, and So Can You!
The big hoorah, the final episode, the last leg. Yesterday was my last day of school. Somehow, over the ten months with me, my second graders became third graders. It seemed that my classroom shrunk over the year, but of course, it was the growth my students. I have taught school for many years, but this past school year was my second time to teach the second grade. Being a teacher, like the rest, I wonder if what I am doing is enough. I wonder if I am really teaching them all that they need to know to be successful in the third grade. Teachers all wonder and worry about this. That's why we seem to have school on our minds every second. We are responsible and that weighs heavily on our shoulders.
Thinking back on my year, there were many successes in my classroom. Some of these were as small as getting my students to raise their hands rather than get out of their seats when they needed help. (That is a big one in many ways!). When I would hear my students say to each other, "A gentleman does not shove others." or "That is not the way a lady sits in a skirt." I was proud. Sometimes I suppose they must think that I'm an old woman with old-fashioned ideas. (I am in my 40's!! Ha). But I decided that if anyone thinks that, then so be it. Good manners are important no matter what age you are or in what time you reside.
Other successes had to do with a student spending a little extra time to figure out a math problem or learning to use process of elimination on a spelling worksheet. My students learned to look up words in a dictionary and use those words in a complete and meaningful sentence. They can do two and three digit addition and subtraction by drawing a picture or setting up the algorithum. Mrs. Hayden's students can now write an opinion essay and locate the text features on any page. These same students are able to tie their shoes. - Yes, students come to second grade unable to tie their own shoes!
While working on student's permanent files for the past two weeks. I noticed some things. First of all, they have grown in their writing content enormously as well as in mechanics. The performance tasks that my second graders completed this year were exponentially harder than the ones they did in the first grade. Still, my students were able to not only complete them, but to complete them successfully without help from me.
Our test scores came in three days ago -two days before school was out. Ours scores come with long stickers that are about two inches by twelve and a half inches. I try not to pay too close attention to test scores. We all know that every student, like every person, is multi-faceted. A test score is only one aspect of how my students grew in the second grade.
I was fitting the twelve and a half inch sticker onto the back of the eleven inch permanent record cards and trying to line them up perfectly with the first grade stickers. I inadvertently began noticing the differences in the numbers. The numbers seemed to be higher in every category on comparison to the numbers on the first grade stickers. With every sticker that I lined up with the previous sticker, there was a marked difference. Of course, this intrigued me. After I finished sticking in all of my class scores, I went back through each one.
I was floored when I discovered that every single one of my sweet students had improved test scores in every area. One student had a more than a forty point improvement in both his mathematics composite score and his composite score in language arts!
I feel, like most educators, that one test is not what is the most important and is not indicitive of all that a student learns in a school year. All of the untestable things mean much more in the overall scheme of the school year. But, I can't help but say that it felt great to see those test scores! I felt validated and vindicated. I am a teacher of life-skills and kindness and compassion and all of the other things that every person needs. But, I can do those things and still please my school, my district and my state by achieving the all important test scores! I did it, and so can you!
I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
Thinking back on my year, there were many successes in my classroom. Some of these were as small as getting my students to raise their hands rather than get out of their seats when they needed help. (That is a big one in many ways!). When I would hear my students say to each other, "A gentleman does not shove others." or "That is not the way a lady sits in a skirt." I was proud. Sometimes I suppose they must think that I'm an old woman with old-fashioned ideas. (I am in my 40's!! Ha). But I decided that if anyone thinks that, then so be it. Good manners are important no matter what age you are or in what time you reside.
Other successes had to do with a student spending a little extra time to figure out a math problem or learning to use process of elimination on a spelling worksheet. My students learned to look up words in a dictionary and use those words in a complete and meaningful sentence. They can do two and three digit addition and subtraction by drawing a picture or setting up the algorithum. Mrs. Hayden's students can now write an opinion essay and locate the text features on any page. These same students are able to tie their shoes. - Yes, students come to second grade unable to tie their own shoes!
While working on student's permanent files for the past two weeks. I noticed some things. First of all, they have grown in their writing content enormously as well as in mechanics. The performance tasks that my second graders completed this year were exponentially harder than the ones they did in the first grade. Still, my students were able to not only complete them, but to complete them successfully without help from me.
Our test scores came in three days ago -two days before school was out. Ours scores come with long stickers that are about two inches by twelve and a half inches. I try not to pay too close attention to test scores. We all know that every student, like every person, is multi-faceted. A test score is only one aspect of how my students grew in the second grade.
I was fitting the twelve and a half inch sticker onto the back of the eleven inch permanent record cards and trying to line them up perfectly with the first grade stickers. I inadvertently began noticing the differences in the numbers. The numbers seemed to be higher in every category on comparison to the numbers on the first grade stickers. With every sticker that I lined up with the previous sticker, there was a marked difference. Of course, this intrigued me. After I finished sticking in all of my class scores, I went back through each one.
I was floored when I discovered that every single one of my sweet students had improved test scores in every area. One student had a more than a forty point improvement in both his mathematics composite score and his composite score in language arts!
I feel, like most educators, that one test is not what is the most important and is not indicitive of all that a student learns in a school year. All of the untestable things mean much more in the overall scheme of the school year. But, I can't help but say that it felt great to see those test scores! I felt validated and vindicated. I am a teacher of life-skills and kindness and compassion and all of the other things that every person needs. But, I can do those things and still please my school, my district and my state by achieving the all important test scores! I did it, and so can you!
I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
http://janhaydensmilinginsecond.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/janettahayden
https://www.pinterest.com/janettalynn/
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Spring Break
I am on Spring Break but I'm not at the beach! Instead, I am propped up on the couch recovering from surgery. I am having melancholy feelings about my children being grown up and out of the nest. I miss them! I don't often have long periods of time alone and when do I make more TpT stuff. My husband won't let me do any work around the house until I am fully recovered. My lesson plans are reaping the rewards of this!! I am, as you can imagine, making more stuff for my classroom.
I am sure my second graders will come back from spring break raring to go. We were working on money before I went off to the hospital. Of course story problems aka word problems are always difficult for students to master. I've made a packet that includes 40 problems. Half of them are for addition and the other half are, of course, subtraction problems. All of them are about money!
I am sure my second graders will come back from spring break raring to go. We were working on money before I went off to the hospital. Of course story problems aka word problems are always difficult for students to master. I've made a packet that includes 40 problems. Half of them are for addition and the other half are, of course, subtraction problems. All of them are about money!
Click HERE to download now.
There are 20 Addition Problems
There are 20 Subtraction Problems
Of Course this packet is completely NO PREP!
I have another week of my recovery time so I may be posting more than usual! Thank you for your time. I hope that you are having or have had or will have a wonderful Spring Break 2015! I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
I would love it if you would follow me on any or all of the following:
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Time is Relative
Sometimes a week at school feels like three. Do you know that feeling? And then at other times, a week at school flies by because you are so busy teaching and doing paperwork and conferencing and making lesson plans and grading papers and decorating bulletin boards and logging students onto computers and relogging students onto computers and dealing with lost teeth and broken shoelaces and principal's visits to your room and DRA and DSA and Dibels and Common Core and AR goals and Pajama Day and more paperwork and interims and report cards and more conferencing and RTI and character education and bus duty and copy machine issues and and and and.
However, this week has flown by for me. First of all, our son, Saul, is home from Florida for his Spring Break. I have missed him so much that it seems like he has just arrived when he is about to leave. This has been the fastest week that I can remember. I rush home everyday just to be in the same house with him!
In addition, I am having surgery on Monday and will be out of school for three weeks. Preparing four weeks worth of lesson plans is not a walk in the park. I'm planning for four weeks because you never know and because I don't want to arrive back at school with no plans. I also had to put in grades and prepare report cards because I won't be there when they go out.
Our daughter's car was hit from behind during all of the ice and snow and I have had to deal with the insurance company. I also had two root canals! So far this week, I haven't had a lot of sleep.
.
However, I did manage to finish a couple of school things! Yes, I know, that is not a surprise to anyone.
I tutor several students after school three days a week. Although they are in the second grade, they aren't on second grade level for some things. Hence, the need for tutoring. The largest obstacle my little pupils have is reading. In math, word problems are of course an issue.
I have made a set of word or story problems with a cute Spring theme. The problems are considered first grade level. However, we all know that children learn and develop at different stages so the grade level is pretty arbitrary.
We've been working on story problems in my classroom and with my tutoring group using my Word Problems for March packet. You can see it HERE.
Anyway, here is the new math packet I put together for my classroom as well as my extra kiddos.
Although the theme is April, it is relevant for all of the spring months.
However, this week has flown by for me. First of all, our son, Saul, is home from Florida for his Spring Break. I have missed him so much that it seems like he has just arrived when he is about to leave. This has been the fastest week that I can remember. I rush home everyday just to be in the same house with him!
In addition, I am having surgery on Monday and will be out of school for three weeks. Preparing four weeks worth of lesson plans is not a walk in the park. I'm planning for four weeks because you never know and because I don't want to arrive back at school with no plans. I also had to put in grades and prepare report cards because I won't be there when they go out.
Our daughter's car was hit from behind during all of the ice and snow and I have had to deal with the insurance company. I also had two root canals! So far this week, I haven't had a lot of sleep.
.
However, I did manage to finish a couple of school things! Yes, I know, that is not a surprise to anyone.
I tutor several students after school three days a week. Although they are in the second grade, they aren't on second grade level for some things. Hence, the need for tutoring. The largest obstacle my little pupils have is reading. In math, word problems are of course an issue.
I have made a set of word or story problems with a cute Spring theme. The problems are considered first grade level. However, we all know that children learn and develop at different stages so the grade level is pretty arbitrary.
We've been working on story problems in my classroom and with my tutoring group using my Word Problems for March packet. You can see it HERE.
Anyway, here is the new math packet I put together for my classroom as well as my extra kiddos.
Although the theme is April, it is relevant for all of the spring months.
We have moved on to Two-Step Word Problems. Of course, the entire packet is NO PREP!
There are 20 addition Two step word problems featuring all of the a key words for addition.
There are also 20 subtraction two step word problems containing all of the subtraction key words.
You can head on over to my TpT store to download this 40 page packet.
The link is HERE!
Thank you for giving my blog a bit of your time. I appreciate it. I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
I would love it if you would follow me on any or all of the following:
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Snow Days in March
Hi Friends,
I can't believe the number of snow days we have had here in Arkansas. We usually have one or two. This year, however, we are on our sixth in my district. I'm in one of the largest districts in central Arkansas and I know that the rural districts have had even more snow days. The legislature
has passed a bill that we can go an extra hour each day for a week to make up one snow day. I don't know if my district will choose to do that and I'm sort of 'on the fence' about it. I don't want to
go to school until June 5 either. My feeling about snow days has always been a positive one.
When I was a little girl, if there was even a hint of snow (really we mostly get ice) my brothers and
I would be awake watching the news just waiting to see "Arkadelphia" fly across the bottom of the screen beside the stationery title "School Closings". Our bedtime was 8:30 pm but we could still barely get our eyes open at 6:30 am the next morning. But on a possible snow day, our eyes were wide open staring at the tv screen praying that we were going to be out of school. My mother made snow days fun (she made everything fun). We would play in the snow and break off icicles to munch on. When we came in, she might have homemade cookies or cake or some other delicacy. We might play board games, watch game shows, or play other things, or read. Anytime we wanted to go back outside, my mother was good with it. It was just a cozy day. For my own two children, I copied many of my mother's ideas. We would spend the day doing basically whatever they wanted. They would play outside in the snow. They especially liked jumping on the trampoline when it was covered with snow.
Now that my children are both in college and not living at home, I am not so excited about snow days. That is not to be confused with 'I don't like snow days". I still like them, I just liked them more when I got to spend them with my children.
Now, back to my original idea about when we should have the make-up days. I don't like going to school into the summer, but the students can have outdoor recess then! They are tired of being trapped inside and they need to run and play. On the other hand, staying an hour later has its own set of issues. For the upper grade teachers the extra hour would be helpful in preparing for testing. A colleague asked me this question. "If we all stay an hour late, what will the specialty teachers do?" My idea on that is that they can have extra classes. They won't want to hear that! Ha. I don't blame them, either. But I guess if we all are having an extra hour of work, that means ALL of us.
Well, whatever the district decides is what I will do. And as with anything, I'll do my best to make it work!
We moved into a new house recently. I have spent my snow days this year unpacking and organizing. Our son is coming home for his spring break so I want it to look like 'home' for him.
I did however find some time to make some new resources for my classroom. The one that is most relevant for now is a March pack. It is a set of word problems. There are 20 pages for addition and 20 pages for subtraction. It is absolutely NO PREP! Take a look at it and please let me know what you think. If you like it, even if it isn't right for your class, please post it on Pinterest or some other social media to share with other teachers.
Although these word problems are on a Commom Core Standard for first grade, we, as educators know that it is appropriate for some second graders and some kindergarteners. It is also appropriate for RTI or enrichment. It is NO PREP! You just PRINT and GO!
I can't believe the number of snow days we have had here in Arkansas. We usually have one or two. This year, however, we are on our sixth in my district. I'm in one of the largest districts in central Arkansas and I know that the rural districts have had even more snow days. The legislature
has passed a bill that we can go an extra hour each day for a week to make up one snow day. I don't know if my district will choose to do that and I'm sort of 'on the fence' about it. I don't want to
go to school until June 5 either. My feeling about snow days has always been a positive one.
When I was a little girl, if there was even a hint of snow (really we mostly get ice) my brothers and
I would be awake watching the news just waiting to see "Arkadelphia" fly across the bottom of the screen beside the stationery title "School Closings". Our bedtime was 8:30 pm but we could still barely get our eyes open at 6:30 am the next morning. But on a possible snow day, our eyes were wide open staring at the tv screen praying that we were going to be out of school. My mother made snow days fun (she made everything fun). We would play in the snow and break off icicles to munch on. When we came in, she might have homemade cookies or cake or some other delicacy. We might play board games, watch game shows, or play other things, or read. Anytime we wanted to go back outside, my mother was good with it. It was just a cozy day. For my own two children, I copied many of my mother's ideas. We would spend the day doing basically whatever they wanted. They would play outside in the snow. They especially liked jumping on the trampoline when it was covered with snow.
Now that my children are both in college and not living at home, I am not so excited about snow days. That is not to be confused with 'I don't like snow days". I still like them, I just liked them more when I got to spend them with my children.
Now, back to my original idea about when we should have the make-up days. I don't like going to school into the summer, but the students can have outdoor recess then! They are tired of being trapped inside and they need to run and play. On the other hand, staying an hour later has its own set of issues. For the upper grade teachers the extra hour would be helpful in preparing for testing. A colleague asked me this question. "If we all stay an hour late, what will the specialty teachers do?" My idea on that is that they can have extra classes. They won't want to hear that! Ha. I don't blame them, either. But I guess if we all are having an extra hour of work, that means ALL of us.
Well, whatever the district decides is what I will do. And as with anything, I'll do my best to make it work!
We moved into a new house recently. I have spent my snow days this year unpacking and organizing. Our son is coming home for his spring break so I want it to look like 'home' for him.
I did however find some time to make some new resources for my classroom. The one that is most relevant for now is a March pack. It is a set of word problems. There are 20 pages for addition and 20 pages for subtraction. It is absolutely NO PREP! Take a look at it and please let me know what you think. If you like it, even if it isn't right for your class, please post it on Pinterest or some other social media to share with other teachers.
 |
| 20 pages of addition problems |
 |
| 20 pages of subtraction problems |
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
I would love it if you would follow me on any or all of the following:
Friday, February 6, 2015
President's Day
Can you believe two blog posts in two days? I must be on a roll. Since we have finished our move, I finally have a little time for my hobbies. Isn't it great that my favorite hobby reflects my profession? I should be unpacking, hanging pictures, putting things away, etc. However, you know what I am doing! I decided that I needed some practice worksheets to go along with President's Day. I created this math and literacy pack. It is completely Print & Go! Otherwise known as NO PREP!
There are 20 worksheets! Answer keys are included where applicable. I realize that most teachers won't use all 20 worksheets at once. The great thing is, we love our country everyday, not just on special holidays. These worksheets can be used at anytime! The ones you aren't using for President's Day can be used for a substutute 180 days a year! I keep sets of these in my 'Substitute Drawer'.
This is the preview of the packet:
There are 20 worksheets! Answer keys are included where applicable. I realize that most teachers won't use all 20 worksheets at once. The great thing is, we love our country everyday, not just on special holidays. These worksheets can be used at anytime! The ones you aren't using for President's Day can be used for a substutute 180 days a year! I keep sets of these in my 'Substitute Drawer'.
This is the preview of the packet:
 |
| CLICK HERE to Download |
The following are included in the packet:
Math Skills:
Measuring in Inches
Measuring in Centimeters
Making Change
Two-Digit Addition-Without Regrouping
Fact Families
Expanded Form
Hundreds Chart
Even and Odd
Less Than/Greater Than
Literacy Skills:
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Word Search
Compound Words
Singular and Plural
Syllables
Aphabetical Order
Making Words
Comparative and Surperlative Adjectives
You can click HERE to go over to my TpT store to download this NO PREP Math and Literacy Pack!
Thank you so much for reading my blog. I really appreciate it! I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
Please follow me on any or all of the following:
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Clipping Along
I can't believe how January clipped along and moved right into February. We have spent the time packing and moving to a new house. For the past few weeks, I have gone to the old house after school to move small stuff and/or clean. Today is our first day to come straight home to our new house after work. It was funny to be home for the evening before dark. I told Stan that I hadn't realized how much light the transom window over the front door allowed inside. I have been in the living room much during the daylight hours.
My plan, besides unpacking, it to try to write more blog posts. There has just been little to no time to do anything other than move. I have to admit that I had way more school stuff at home than I had realized. I kept asking my daughter to, "Go put this box in my trunk before your Daddy sees it." It isn't that my husband isn't understanding about all of the things I need to teach, in fact, he 'gets it'. But, he has moved my things so many times that it does become overwhelming. I 'found' a couple of boxes of books that I had forgotten. Several of them happened to be ones that I am able to use this month.
My plan, besides unpacking, it to try to write more blog posts. There has just been little to no time to do anything other than move. I have to admit that I had way more school stuff at home than I had realized. I kept asking my daughter to, "Go put this box in my trunk before your Daddy sees it." It isn't that my husband isn't understanding about all of the things I need to teach, in fact, he 'gets it'. But, he has moved my things so many times that it does become overwhelming. I 'found' a couple of boxes of books that I had forgotten. Several of them happened to be ones that I am able to use this month.
These are photos from Amazon, but they are the titles of books I 'found' during my move. My books have HAYDEN written on them in various Sharpie colors. They also have the Accelerated Reader information on them and are gently loved.
My students love to make crafts and projects. Yours do, too, I bet. We are working on timelines this year and I wanted to make a fun craft to go with it. This is what I came up with:
 |
| Click HERE to get it! |
I think it is ADORABLE! We are going to start on it tomorrow. My students watched me put together the one above the other day and they were more than excited! They haven't stopped asking me when we can start. This week, we have been reading books about Abraham Lincoln, We have also done some background research online. My second graders are chocked full of information and ready to write their timelines!
I have several students that will complete the timeline with the information they have discovered. However, there are some that are going to need help deciding which information is important. I created a timeline and will help those students pick the events that they will write.
There are twenty-seven events in all. In my class, each student will choose six event to hide in Lincoln's hat. If you have older students, you might want them to add more. Each page has a place to write the year and draw a picture. In addition, there is room at the bottom to actually write the information.
If you are interested in this cute, fun, innovative timeline, please click HERE to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
I hope this is something that you will use in your classroom. Click HERE to get it now!
Thank you so much for reading, I appreciate it. I am
Cordially yours,
Jan’etta
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