Progress

Friday morning was amazing! Friday afternoon, not so amazing. I'm going to chalk it up to being at school the day before for 12 hours and then knowing Friday would be a late night because I had to write sub plans for two days. But Friday morning...

After talking with another teacher, I wanted students to be able to share their teaching points and their thinking, but felt that some students didn't get to share their teaching point until others had shared their thinking that may or may not have connected to our current learning. (Don't get me wrong, readers realizing they are thinking and sharing it is amazing.) I asked the students to allow for teaching to occur first and then we'll share thinking.

After a few students shared their teaching, one girl asked if anyone else had anything else to teach? Seeing no hands, she immediately asked, "Does anyone have anything to share?" And wouldn't you know it, hands rose just to share their thinking. One boy (Bob (not his real name) shared how his book had reminded him of the movie he had seen. Two boys said his name and one boy waited to let the other speak (we're working on interruptions in class). After Bob answered his question, I asked Bob to say it again, but to give him (the other boy) eye contact. This other boy said, "Yeah, cause on our chart when we share in a group, we are supposed to give eye contact."

Wouldn't you know it...they are using the charts we created and they remember it! I am excited to see how their sharing circles will continue to grow and shape themselves this year.