Just the Bit Extra

 

The Frizz By Tawanna 

Ode to the"Magic School Bus"

Oh to be young again when all one had to do was just watch television, go to school, and come home to finish homework. These days the just enough is not enough. Everything requires "Just the bit Extra."  This new year, as it encroaches upon us, is no different. COVID-19, and its multiple variations, are making us work a bit harder. Our students are forced to pull their weight more, both emotionally, and intellectually. It is hard to just be oneself and say: Yes I am enough. But like, the FRIZZ, who always manages to bring that little bit more so brilliantly, so cleanly, I say she figured it out. Whether it was in her outfit, or the field trip, or leaving the students to problem solve, the FRIZZ she figured out what level of MORE was in fact enough. It is difficult for us as educators, or parents, and just as people to feel like we are doing enough. What is often forgotten is maybe we did enough for someone else and that was all the was needed. That bit extra may not be for us as adults but for the children, adolescents, and strugglers in our lives. So my lesson learned from the FRIZZ this year: BE as MUCH as you can TODAY Just the BIT EXTRA.

Changing our Teacher Mindset

 Changing the Teacher Mind Set

    As educators, we often begin planning our lessons with the activities in mind and not the objectives of studies. Asking ourselves what we are trying to teach our students might help us determine our actions. Listening to our student's interests and concerns will guide us in our teachings but requires a change in our mindset and our thought patterns. I have been reading up again on UbD, Understanding by Design which teaches instructional planning from the lesson objectives to the activities, in other words, backward.

    First, we figure out what we want to teach, our outputs. Then what the students are interested in to gain that understanding and lastly the best activities, inputs for those Outputs. The students are still our focus, but our questions are all student and objectives-based. For instance, I want my Second language learners to become more proficient in reading English; this is my new output or goal, the whole point of my lesson. My second step is to figure out what will engage my students in helping me do this.

    Looking to my students will assist me in answering all my input and questions, letting them have the best possible setup for success in this lesson. My students' current interests are video games, one in particular. Ding light bulb moment, let's gear my activity to replicate this as much as possible in this game. Now the hard part is the why? Why do my students need to know more about reading English? The easy answer is because it is everywhere, and we need it for testing. However, students don't care about this. Returning to the game idea gives it a story intro tie your output to your input; your protagonist needs to defeat the new boss who he can't understand and only speaks with words that must be read. Read the sentences with precision and deal a blow to the big boss more words right the higher the damage dealt. Simple. You have your input activity right there. Get those authentic texts to read, gaming articles, comics, alphabet soup cans, whatever your students want, and read on for English literacy proficiency. 

    Your teacher's mind has also learned a new thing. Our activities aren't ours to make and plan they are our students' own. The more involved the students are, the more they understand and retain. Retention, knowledge, and understanding are the true goal of all lessons.

Snuggle on, Snugglers!

Welcome to the Snuggery

Hello, fellow Snugglers,

     Welcome to the Snuggery! We are so glad to have you here! We appreciate your visiting our teachers' store and hanging with us here on the Blog. As a young company, we aim to please and reach as many like-minded people as possible. Each Snuggery update will include a list of new products from the store and some information, maybe even some inspiration on what sparked them. 

    As a monthly, perhaps random bi-weekly Newsletter, it is essential to point out that we are well-educated teacher professionals with too many ideas for our day jobs and too little time to get them into the classroom. We created the Snuggery for those who want education to be equitable and not just equal. We want our students to have access to all types of materials, ideas, and fun programs without meeting particular guidelines to get them. We are a "no fence around the ballpark" thinker. Equity for all! 

    However, with all our love for our students, there may be times our students' disadvantages spark a lesson or an activity as we teach differentiated learning. This means that our students may need more or less information and assistance to complete a task. We must try to reach all types of learners. 

   

 We welcome you again to the Snuggery, and please be on the lookout for more fun activities for students, teachers, and parents.

PS Snuggery means Cozy and Warm as we are here ready to educate warmly and wholeheartedly.

New Items at The Learners Snuggery

1.    Poppies phone Wall Paper

2.    Be Simply You Skull Wall Paper

3.    Two Languages Lesson Plan Overview with Easel activity

4.     Printable Classroom Schedules

5.    Lesson Evaluation included with wallpapers