The students helping each other overcome some scary moments!

As things are beginning to settle down.  My mother is FINALLY out of the hospital and staying with my sister in Birmingham!  I am working on updating this blog with some photos and summaries for the project and how the students are responding!

The students had a book report due on October 6th.  The report consisted of the students creating a cereal based upon the book they are reporting.  The oral presentations were the commercials.  Many students did not want to get up in front of the class and speak.  Some were even extremely frightened.  The photos depict some of the students lending a helping hand in calming some classmates nerves.  Not only was it encouraging to see the students help each other, but it made for some laughs as well. The students are becoming a close knit group.  I have told them all year we are one team, we may get on each others nerves; but we must learn to be respectful and unconditional in out actions.  The book reports showed this was becoming "normal" in my class.  The students have taken on the "I can say something about you.... but no one else can say anything about you! attitude!"  

Helping Hands Week 3

Now for some details concerning my class project, " Helping Hands"  the students and I are becoming a closer unit as time progresses through the school year.  It is hard to believe one-fourth of the school year is complete.  I am witnessing the students growing as individuals and learning a a team of positive ways to work together on one task.  Yes, twenty-eight students is a lot of students working on one task at one time.  Not only is it a large group they students are growing larger each day; I have one student 6'1" and rapidly growing.  As I barely stand 5' tall I am becoming the shortest in the class.

Even in our close quarters the students are becoming open about feelings, troubles, weaknesses, and successes.  I wish I could schedule a time of the day to talk simply about "student issues." One of my students who inspired this project is mentally challenged has taught me students the meaning of being an unconditional friend.  Therefore, as we venture through this project and the students are able to witness first hand how helping someone simply for the sake of helping someone and doing something nice.  The students are becoming aware of the feeling of accomplishment, accommodation, and fullfillment as they do as good deed for someone.  They are also experiencing the comfort in receiving good deeds from fellow students.

The students overall classroom behavior is improving, well, other than the talking during class.  But they are all trying to work together.  In a way, the talking in class is part of the coming together process because they are verbalizing more feelings rather than withholding and becoming angry with themselves and others in the class. For me as a teacher, I have to concentrate on becoming more tolerant of the talking because as they say, "I can not have my cake and eat it too!"  I can not encourage the students to work together and keep a quiet classroom.  They must be able to talk and communicate with each other.  I am appreciating the conversations occurring amongst the students discussing the good deeds they are doing for each other and for family members at home.

I am truly enjoying the conversations of how my students are helping younger brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, and/or students.  I am seeing and hearing a great deal of how the students are assisting students at school. For example, "helping a student complete an Accelerated Reader test in the library."  The students are having the younger students read to them so they can enhance their fluency skills.  My students have also disclosed helping the younger students at home from tasks as easy as tying shoes to working on multiplication facts.

Again, I hate to cut this short the doctor is one is way into the room.  I will continue....

Week 3 Helping at Home

A surprising fact I have realized, students have difficulty tracing their hands.  I have had to assist several students in tracing their hands as well as assist in cutting out the tracing of their hands.  I am curious is this weakness due to Early Childhood Development becoming focused strongly on reading and phonemic skills?  

All Hands In Project: Week 3 Helping out at Home

Week 3: Helping Hands at Home

This may have to be a two part post as I am Birmingham with my mother.  She had a hip replacement today.  I am now very thankful for the technology we can use today.  The Blog is a very handy tool!  :)

Last week was Week 3 and the students focused on how they helped out at home... outside from the typical chores they are required to do.  I wanted them to pay attention to going out of their way to help out at home.

I regret I have had some technical difficulties while in Birmingham.  I am going to simply post this then add more detail throughout the day!

All Hands In Project: Week 2

I am able to witness the students reflecting on the nice things they do in the classroom.  They are becoming more considerate of the other students.  The first two weeks, we concentrated on the students  and how they have helped a classmate.  This upcoming week, we will discuss and apply how to help out at school.  For example, I picked up the playground; I helped in the lunchroom; I asked the custodian if he needed any help; I helped the Technology Coordinator in the computer lab. 

I have had to adjust the schedule of working on the "All Hands In" Project for the remaining of the observations.  I modeled and assisted the students as they became familiar with the objective and the practice.  This week, the students will begin to work on their "hands" during their "down time" upon completion of activities.  I want to see how the students respond to the tasks of making note of their "good deeds," observe who is taking this  project seriously, and who is exhibiting a difference in their behavior.

All Hands in Project: Actions, Talk, and the "Write Stuff"

Calendar of Events

Week 1: All About Me- how I will improve the well being of my class

Week 2: How I helped someone in my class

Week 3:         How I helped the school

Week 4: How I helped at home

Week 5: How I helped the community

Week 6: How I could help the planet

Attached are some photos of my students working together, this is a growing process!  The hands are samples of the students' ideas and "good deeds!"