The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

"The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree," A classic quote that gains a whole new meaning after parent-teacher conferences. For purposes of confidentiality, let's just leave it at this... there was a lot to learn! Like my Cooperating Teacher said, conferences are always exciting because you get to meet the parents and talk to them about their "special person." Meeting the parents makes you think about that child in a new light. Conferences are long days... thank goodness for yummy treats waiting in the teacher work room.

I also attended a Reading Recovery meeting with my Cooperating Teacher this week. I watched her teach a lesson behind the glass. This is a nerve wrecking process for the teacher but gives everyone great insight into the early literacy behaviors of the student.There are two teachers that do lessons behind the glass during each meeting. The rest of the teachers observe the lessons and note the behaviors of the students and actions of the teacher that are contributing to the success in reading or lack there of. Afterward, they go over the notes taken during the lesson. This turns into a group discussion about what can be done during daily instruction that will most benefit the child and increase their reading level. The whole meeting was a great experience and showed me what it really means to be a life-long learner!

I have started meeting with my own small groups of students during the morning while my Cooperating Teacher teaches Reading Recovery. I developed these groups after talking to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade teachers about students who were not receiving Title I services but could use some extra literacy support. In the afternoons, I teach the Title I groups.

This week, my first grade group worked on making sure the words they said matched the word on the page of the book. They also do writing and word work. The students seemed to like the word ladders and word sorts. By working with word families, I have already seen an increase in the writing vocabulary of these students. In one of my second grade groups we worked on the non-fiction genre. We also played games to increase word recognition. My other second grade group worked on comprehension by acting out the book, Stuck in the Mud. We also did a Reader's Theater of Curlylocks and the Three Bears. This book is a twist on the classic, Goldylocks and the Three Bears. The goal of this activity was to increase reading fluency. We talked about how good readers have expression, accuracy, and an appropriate rate of reading. After many times practicing the play, the students got to perform for one of the paraprofessionals.


I am enjoying helping students become better readers and writers.  All teachers are accountable for student learning but I feel the pressure more in Title I.Title teachers are accountable for making sure all students are reading at or above grade level. The classroom teachers, parents, students, and administration are all counting on you. If the student is not making progress it is not the student's fault; it something you are doing. Title teachers constantly monitor, assess, and adjust their instruction in order to meet the needs of their students. In Title it is hard to plan for the upcoming week because daily information should be guiding instruction. A side note, my conducting and analyzing of running records has gotten much better, and quicker too! Marie Clay is no longer my worst enemy. (For all of you non-literacy folks Marie Clay, pronounced Mar- e,  is a literacy guru. She developed the Reading Recovery program. She developed the Running Record system that is used in Reading Recovery and Title I.)

I do enjoy working with struggling readers and giving them the tools to be successful in and out of the classroom. Looking at Title I vs. Classroom teaching, I have decided I would like to do both during my time teaching. I don't want to do Title my whole life and I don't want to be a classroom teacher the entire time either. There is something to love about both jobs. I hope to experience the joys of each job during my teaching days.

Teaching Tip: "ALWAYS BE NICE TO THE JANITOR AND THE TECHNOLOGY PERSON. YOU WILL NEED THEIR HELP MORE THAN YOU KNOW."

The Countdown Begins

I have an official countdown now...47 days until graduation.

As I walked into my new school my first thoughts were, "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore." My two placements are night and day. This elementary school is large, modern, and diverse. My old school was none of the above. At my new placement, a lot of emphasis is placed on test scores. It seems that the focus is on math and reading. The layout of this new building is different, too. Kindergarten and 1st grade share a pod, 2nd and 3rd shares a pod, and so does 4th and 5th. Since Title I at this particular school is considered early intervention, I will only be working with students grade K-2. Jumping from 4th grade, I have to remind myself of the development differences in age. Lots of redirecting will be needed in my small groups. Even simple things, like walking down the hallway, need to be explicitly taught. I have never been one to embrace change, but this change is refreshing. I am glad I got two placements that are worlds apart. All of this experience will hopefully make me more marketable when I start my job search. Unfortunately, this is coming sooner rather than later.

As I have been watching my Cooperating Teacher during Reading Recovery lessons, I am becoming more and more intrigued. I think this is something I would like to pursue in the future. The structure of the Reading Recovery program is designed for success. Statistics at this particular school show 84% of Reading Recovery students continue to be at or above grade level four years after they have completed the Reading Recovery program. Furthermore, 46% of those students are above grade level. It is moving to see the success brought about by this program. To think that these students' whole lives have been enhanced by the power of literacy amazes me.

I have been blessed with fabulous cooperating teachers. Both have had many years of experience but still show the same enthusiasm as brand new teachers. I hope to follow in their footsteps. Still, I walk out of school smiling knowing that each day I am learning and bettering myself. I am confident that I will be a teacher that inspires, educates, and loves each one of her students.

Better Wear Waterproof Mascara

TWS update: 52 pages complete.
Rockstar Status... I do believe so.

So much for the weekly updates. Right now I am on "transition week," meaning no school for an entire week. Therefore, I have come back to the 'burbs for a little rest and relaxation (and of course some pampering from the rents) I have gotten complaints that my blog wasn't promptly updated on Thursday, which was my last day of teaching. For all of you that have been eagerly waiting... here you go.

Last week was my last week at my first placement. I was suppose to use that time to explore other classrooms in the school. I spent some time in third grade, second grade, and Title 1. For most of the week, I was kicked out of my classroom so the kids and my Cooperating Teacher could pull together their little plan. As the week started to unfold,  I began to realize that Thursday was going to be full of surprises. One of the little girls in my class told me "Miss. Nebbia, you better not wear makeup tomorrow 'cause you're gonna cry."  Although no official tears were dropped, I was misty eyed.

The kids had a party for me on Thursday. Everyone brought something! There was so much food! One little girl even bought a cake that was decorated with "We will miss you Miss Nebbia." The students also put together a scrapbook, with help from my cooperating teacher.  There were hugs, songs, and tears. One of my students came in Thursday morning crying. She asked for my email address so we could stay in touch. Sure enough, all the fourth graders wanted my email address. Now, I have to allot a small amount of time each day to answering the emails from my former students. One boy emailed me at 3:30 last Thursday (school gets out at 3:05)  His email read "It's me. I just wanted to say I already miss you."

All of these heart-warming moments made my first placement so memorable! It was sad to leave my 4th graders but I am excited to start a new placement in Title I reading.

Bittersweet Symphony

Each weekend I find myself in this monopoly coffee shop that serves drinks in a white cup and green label. Naturally, I am at Starbucks, sipping on lattes and typing away at my Teacher Work Sample. This week proves no different. So here I am, Saturday night 8pm, typing away and reflecting.

Exciting news came to me this week. The Center Coordinator from Cedar Falls contacted my Center Coordinator asking her if she had any student teachers with strong literacy backgrounds who would graduate in December. Apparently, there is an opening as long term substitute for a Title I reading position at a local school. My name was passed along! Nothing is ever a sure thing but it's nice to know my name is out there. This was a huge reality check. It seems that the real world is getting closer and closer... Behind me are the days of running on little to no sleep, eating junk food, and functioning properly only with an enormous amount of caffeine. Okay well, let's be honest, the caffeine addiction is still with me. I will probably never kick the habit. Other than that, I feel wonderful! Seriously, my body is so much healthier now that I have such a set schedule. It amazes me how much a good night's sleep can affect your health. With a bedtime of 10:30, strict meal times, and regular exercise, I have never felt better. I even feel like my emotions are more in check. Just one more example that teaching was really my calling!

At my seminar this week, someone decided to voice their opinion. We all know the saying about opinions. "Opinions are like __________, everyone has one." You can fill in the blank; I've got to keep it professional these days. So, the intelligent gentleman in the back decided to announce that "School is not the place for all of these high-fives, hugs, and fist-bumps. We don't have time for all that mushy gooshy stuff. It's time to learn."

Oh, my blood pressure was rising at a rapid pace! Obviously, I strongly disagree with the previous statement. I am a firm believer teaching the "whole child: heart, head, and hands." This same intelligent gentleman also shared his struggles with classroom management. Hot news flash sir, if you took time to build relationships with your students you probably wouldn't have half of the management issues that you do! In my mind, you don't have time to NOT to build relationships with your students. Research has shown that the most powerful statements for students are "I care about you and I believe in you." But, teachers can't just talk the talk, they need to walk the walk, too. A teacher's actions should show the students that they are there for academic and emotional support. Teachers need to take the time to show students they care. Whether that be words of encouragement, a high-five, or a heart felt hug, students need to know you are on their side and you want to see them succeed.

This week will be my last week at my first placement. It seems like three days ago I was assembling book boxes and attending open house. The time went by so quickly. I could not have asked for a better placement. My Cooperating Teacher has been my rock. The whole school community is refreshing. Everyone is friendly and passionate about education. Not all schools are like that. I hope that I can work in a place with this type of school environment. I don't want to leave these kids. I have taken the time to get to know each one of them. I hope they all enjoy the rest of the year and strive to be the best they can be. Hopefully, I can hold back my tears on Thursday. It's been wonderful! Although I don't want to leave, I am confident I will enjoy my next placement as well, working in Title I reading.

Teaching Tip from Week 7: "DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOW TOUGH LOVE."

Do You Believe in Miracles?

One of the most memorable events from this week was reading the daily journals my students write. Each day, I have a journal prompt on the board. They do not have to write from the prompt, but it is there for those students who may need an idea of something to write about. At night, I take home four journals and so does my Cooperating Teacher. We respond back to the students' journals and return them in the morning. On Thursday, I gave the students the following prompt: "If you could perform a miracle what would it be and how would it help others?"

That night I forgot to read their journals. Naturally, I would remember right as my head hit the pillow in efforts to fall asleep for the night. So, I drudged out of bed, grabbed the pile, and began reading. As you can imagine, I was not exactly enthusiastic about reading the journals on this particular night. I opened the first journal to find this entry: "If I could perform a miracle, I would make Miss Nebbia stay and teach me for the rest of my school years. It would help her keep her job." That journal entry melted my heart! That's what teaching is all about.

This week I taught the entire day. My Cooperating Teacher was M.I.A most of the time. She would peek her head in and out but never stayed around for too long. To be honest, I liked that time to really have the students to myself, as if they were my real class.

I love my kids but they are a very chatty group. Instead of fighting it, I try to find time twice a day for them to talk. One thing we do is called "Yeahs and Yucks." Quickly, we go around the room and the kids say either one good thing that happened to them today or one bad thing. Another way I encourage socialization without disrupting instruction is to set the timer and let them talk to their neighbors each morning for a few minutes. I am queen of the timer... I use it for everything. It is the only way to help me manage my time effectivelty.
The "Yeahs and Yucks" and "Talk Time" seem to help but they are not a total quick fix. I resorted to having a class meeting and creating some "Class Expectations." It amazes me how much these must be reviewed in order for them to be effective. We probably read the list at least three times a day for reinforcement. The expectations include everything from "using kind words" to "keeping personal belongings (silly bands and accessories) on our bodies."


The kids have been teasing me that I "smile too much." A few of them have said, we can't imagine you getting MAD. You don't yell and you are always in a good mood! I am not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind, you can never be too smiley. My favorite elementary teachers (you know who you are... *throat clear* Miss Koch and Miss Martin) were always happy and smiling. That's what I remember most about them. Oh and things like reading the Rainbow Fish and getting Lemon Drops and Lemon Heads! Or the time when Nicole and I wrote an anonymous note to our third grade teacher asking if we could sit next to each other when she made the next seating arrangement. Low and behold, the next day our desks were side by side! Obviously, I could continue with my elementary stories. My teachers had such an impact on my life, which is probably why I see them as role models and hope to make that sort of impact on my future students. ... I digress. Back to the point. Although these teachers were loving, friendly, and kind they still had respect and focused on academics. As a teacher, you can demand respect without using put downs or making the students feel inferior. That is the type of teacher I hope to be!

Teaching Lesson from Week 6: "YOUR WORK IS NEVER DONE. IT BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER TO SEPARATE YOUR PERSONAL LIFE FROM YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE. SCHOOL COMES HOME WITH YOU EVERY DAY. I FIND MYSELF THINKING ABOUT MY STUDENTS ALL OF THE TIME!"

There Are No Problems, Only Solutions

My mother/therapist is one of the only people who can calm me down. She knows exactly what to say to stop my full-fledged meltdowns. I suppose after twenty-one years, she probably knows me better than I know myself. This is her famous quote, "There are no problems, only solutions."

Exhibit A: Week 5.

Monday started off with the buzz of the alarm at the glorious 6:10am.  I could not peel myself out of bed. I should have sensed there would be trouble this week after getting off to a rough start. Monday was just okay. I hoped for a little more energy and clarity by Tuesday but of course, no luck. Having to attend seminar on Tuesday after school put me in a sour mood. However, our speaker presented legal issues in education and it turned out to be wildly entertaining.

Wednesday was the day of all days. I left the house at 7:00am and did not return until after 8:00pm. After teaching a full day, having a doctor's appointment (of which I was late for), and attending another 3 hour seminar I walked out to my car in the metered parking at the University. Of course, the little twerp who gives out parking tickets was placing a ticket on my car as I used my key fob to automatically unlock the doors. Mind you, my meter had just expired and he let the guy next to me out of a ticket. Let's just say the waterworks started immediately. This was truly the straw that broke the camel's back. I stared the little twerp down and considered using my words to express the anger I felt inside but restrained myself. In my head I was thinking, "Teachers are role models. Act appropriately, you are in the parking lot of the College of Education." So, I let out a good cry for about 25 minutes and vented to Saint JoAnne, also referred to as "Mom".

Once the tears stopped I made my way home and decided to grade the post-assessment I administered over perimeter.This assessment was to assess my learning goals and unit that were developed for my Teacher Work Sample.  As I was grading the assessments, I realized that I created a problem that was unsolvable. Of course all of you are thinking, "Duh, Christi, everyone knows you should take the test before you give it to your students." Well, I didn't think I needed to because it was a question where everyone's answer could be different and they would all still be correct. Moral of the story: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS take the test before you administer it!!!! So once again, I called Saint JoAnne and sobbed uncontrollably until
she was finally able to console me enough understand my words. We decided I would put away all of my schoolwork until the next morning when I would talk to my Cooperating Teacher and ask for her guidance.  I know my Cooperating Teacher and my mom will meet each other one day, in heaven, when they are both canonized as Saints. Both of them have an extraordinary gift, the ability to deal with my ridiculous antics and help me regain the voice of reason.

In the end, my Cooperating Teacher gave me some great advice. We were able to fix the problem and all is right in the universe again. And, contrary to my thoughts on Wednesday, I am not a failure. My class average for the pre-assessment Part 1 was a 50 percent. The post-assessment average turned out to be an 83 percent! For Part 3, the pre-assessment class average was 31 percent. Drum roll please.... the post-assessment class average for Part 3 was a 90 percent!

This week, my Cooperating Teacher has stepped out of the room quite a bit to let me have the students all to myself. When she does that, I feel like my security blanket is gone. But, I am learning a lot. Some days, I think I am learning more than my students. That is not to say that my students are not learning, but I feel that each day I am becoming a more competent educator. You can learn all you want from books and classes but it's when you are thrown in with the wolves that you really learn... and boy oh boy do you learn fast!

Since I forgot to provide a teaching tip from last week here are two!

Teaching tips from Week 5 and Week 6: "EVERY DAY OF STUDENT TEACHING IS AN INTERVIEW. MAKE SURE YOU ARE PUTTING YOU BEST FOOT FORWARD!"

"PICK YOU BATTLES WISELY! NEVER GET IN A POWER STRUGGLE WITH A CHILD. SOMETIMES THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DO IS TO WALK AWAY, BUT IT MIGHT BE THE BEST THING."

Oh We're Halfway There...Living on a Prayer

Dear Bon Jovi, thank you for providing me with the title of this current post. Yes, this past week marked the halfway mark for my first placement. And yes, I am living on a prayer right now. I am started to get a little overwhelmed with my workload. Not only do I have to plan lessons for every subject except for science, I also have the TWS looming over me.

I am four weeks in and only have four more to go! Then, I will be shipped off to my next placement. I think about leaving my current school and it is depressing. I am so lucky to have gotten the placement I did. The school I am at is wonderful. My cooperating is fabulous and the kids, well they are the best part of each day!

I am truly thankful for this weekend though. Yikes, it was a long week. I think all the teachers were feeling the same way. I heard "Thank God It's Friday" a handful of times in the hallway.

The students had a half day on Wednesday. As a teacher, half days are not all they are cracked up to be. As a student, I used to relish in getting to spend the afternoon with my dad and brother. (Yes, Dad. I did just admit that I enjoyed hanging out with you on half days...even when John had to tag along.) In a teacher's eyes, half days are hectic and disorganized. The kids are confused because there is no routine. Teachers are supposed to still fit in all of their teaching in a condensed amount of time. Plus, teachers don't go home at noon like the kids. Oh no, teachers stay and have meetings all afternoon. Our meetings were all about technology. The school I am at is severely lacking in the area of technology. I became everyone's new best friend when they found out I know how to use everything from excel to garage band to Skype and obviously Blogger. Some teachers came into our room after the meetings and I walked them through the literacy website I used to work on. At the time I worked on the website, I thought I was just doing meaningless tasks that no one else wanted to do. However, working on that website was such a great experience. While I was showing the teachers many other websites that they can use in their rooms, the principal walked in. He plopped down and listened too. He was asking me about my experience working on the literacy website. The whole time he was sitting there I kept thinking "You be unemployed in less than four months, Chris. Sell yourself. You want a job!" My cooperating teacher was even joking around with the principal telling him that he should hire me in December to help out. She might have been joking, but let's be honest here. This is not a joking matter... I need a job! My fingers are crossed, and all you Tripicchio's know Grandma is crossing her toes for me. Hopefully, that will give me some extra good luck.

On a side note, I know I have mentioned that there is a high morale amongst the teachers. Well, a few weeks ago one of the teachers came in to show my Cooperating Teacher a bunch of baby clothes she had knit. These clothes were the most precious things I had ever seen. Beautiful cable knit sweaters, bibs, even a headband! Too stinkin' cute! I expressed my amazement and asked if she would be willing to help me get started on knitting a hat. I have knit scarves but that is all. I want to move on to bigger and better things. Everyday this woman comes in to knit with me while the kids are at recess. I finally finished my hat today. I amazed that I actually created something other than a garder stitch scarf.

The hat is too big. Oops. At least it's cute!