HSE 21 In Action
at BSE
Feature Teacher - Mrs. Deborah Kalustian
Most people I meet assume that I’ve been teaching for years, but I am eager to remind them, “I’m still a rookie!” This is my sixth year of teaching and, while I’ve learned a ton, I’m still growing and evolving as an educator. On the road to teaching I have been a marketing major, entrepreneur, banker, and stay at home mom. I think if I wore all those hats simultaneously it would still be easier than being a teacher!
We face so much coming at us in a given day. A barrage of emails, tons of PD opportunities, parent communication, team meetings, lesson preparation, checklists, and the list goes on. And that’s just before 9:00 a.m.! How are you balancing it all? The truth is, I wasn’t balancing it very well. I was trying to do everything and found I couldn’t do it all and do it all well, despite the Super Woman cape I tried to put on each day. I’m reminding myself every day that two things are most important. Did I teach my students well and did I go home at a reasonable time to take care of myself and my family?
That means I have to prioritize and make some decisions about how I spend my time here at school. I have to remind myself that the actions I choose to take and the activities I choose to engage in need to matter. Will this thing I’m getting ready to spend 30 minutes on make a difference with my students? Sometimes that means moving a few things lower down on the priority list and being okay that the to-do list didn’t get done. Gasp!
I’ve also been reflecting about how to make time more efficient in the classroom. For instance, one thing I started to do this year is to eliminate whole-class bathroom breaks. I started to add up all the minutes I was standing in the hallway waiting for my entire class to, you know, use the facilities. It’s amazing how much time I was wasting doing that. It’s much more efficient for us to keep working and just send a couple kids at a time. Why did I not do this sooner!? I mean, the time we wasted could be spent on a read aloud or something! Way more important!
Finding a better balance has helped me find some time in my day to breathe, know I’m doing my best, and be a better teacher, wife, and mom.
LET'S TALK MATH- These first sets of pictures are from the classroom of our feature teacher, Debbie Kalustian, who works to make math accessible, visible, and fun!
Here is my challenge from recent days with Dr. Flessner:
"IF AS READING TEACHERS, WE VALUE HAVING A LITERATURE-RICH ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPING READERS, HOW DO WE ALSO MAINTAIN A MATH-RICH ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR YOUNG MATHEMATICIANS?"
Challenged. If I'm honest with myself, I'm constantly looking for the newest picture book or novel to support readers. I'm concerned that post-it notes, highlighters, and markers are available for annotating at all times. Excitedly, I share new stories, update book baskets, look to balance fiction and nonfiction texts. I'm concerned that my readers have every tool and strategy available to them for reading success. I model how to read an entire book, including the pictures and endpapers, but what might I be missing with my mathematicians?
Here are some questions that might be worth the reflecting:
1. Do we each have the materials required to meet student needs in math?
2. What manipulatives are at student disposal and how are they organized?
3. Are manipulatives easily accessible or may students only use them when handed out?
4. What anchor charts support student thinking and how do students use them?
5. What recent research have we read about math fluency and problem solving?
As spring draws near and our teacher brains begin to celebrate all that we have accomplished this year (and that's a great deal), let yourself dream about next year. What is my next step in supporting my young mathematicians?
How can your administrative and coaching team support those dreams?
I can make a hexagon using many different shapes!
Game time with "Halves"!
Many ways to make a triangle!
Math Leadership
Story Problems Resource (also in our balanced math shared drive - many of you have this one)
What Does Research Say about Fact Fluency?
LITERATURE, LEADERS, AND THEME THROUGH DIVERSE BOOKS
A MESSAGE FROM MARIA AND JEN
Sounds and Sights of HSE21 at BSE
Learning by Doing with Science Fair
"We failed five times! It was so funny! Then we helped each other fix it."
Students Wandering the Halls is OKAY - sometimes...
(Conversation outside Ms. Master's classroom.)
When Brooks School Bears and Geist Gators come together - watch out! Together We're Better!
Third grade teachers, Kim Stephenson(BSE) and Angela Smith(GES) share about what they've done well this year with Project Based Learning.
Fourth grade teachers, Deb Kappas, Erica Erickson (GES), and Amy Murch (BSE) enjoy some professional dialogue.
It's an honor to serve Brooks School Elementary.
Megan C. Thompson
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
Brooks School Elementary
Geist Elementary
Email: mcthompson@hse.k12.in.us
Location: Fishers, IN, United States
Twitter: @MeganCThompson