So this morning I was part of a walk-through for the Literacy Team and Central Office at Thomas Elementary. I was snapping pictures like crazy, because I know teachers like you, who read this blog, will appreciate seeing some of the great things I saw!
Thomas Elementary had lots to offer my camera today! I wish taking pictures would have been my only purpose while I was there or there would be many more.
First up is a Pre-K classroom with a restaurants theme! I have seen LOTS of great pretend play scenes, but I have never seen a Baskin Robbins! I wanted to stop and play in this ice cream shop.
Look at the ICE CREAM SCOOPS??!! So cute! So clever!
Next up was a Kindergarten classroom. I loved this display of fingerplays and clapping chants they know! As a teacher, I was always forgetting my go-to songs etc. Now they are posted for all to see and for kids to reference. I can only imagine the way this teacher must use these in Literacy Work Stations. I imagine kids also have copies of all of these chants/fingerplays and can read/sing/clap them during stations as well. This could be a Fluency Work Station too! Oh the possibilities....
Can we say KEYBOARDING?! Not the kind I grew up with however! This was the keyboarding lab! I am so excited that elementary kids in DC get to learn how to play music at such an early age.
I continued to see cute everywhere I went. Seriously? Look at these classroom curtains made from paper! The entire school was such a welcoming learning environment.
I love seeing LITERACY and MATH meet! Here is an example of a Math Word Wall. I love the pictures with the definitions.
A Poet Tree! Seriously!
Next of note, is how she reminded the kids (who were reading at a level C) to point under words. She asked kids to fly their finger UP like an airplane and then down under the words. Another teacher I saw said WIND it up and kids spun their finger like a helicopter roter blade... up and then down to the words. I have to admit- that is a lot more fun that what I used to do which was just tell them to point to the words. BORING! Wind up... fly in... so much more fun than I ever was at the Guided Reading table.
Finally, can you see the SIGN at the table! This is her READING RADIO SHOW! Kids come to the table and read into those fancy plastic microphones from the dollar store- you can see one on the table. The idea is, they are broadcasting to listeners. Motivation for kids to read for real, and to think about what their reading sounds like. So much fun! Very clever Mrs. Carroll.
I am already looking forward to my next school visit in DCPS and the next classrooms I will get to see. If you are a DCPS teacher reading this- leave a comment- invite me to see the good things you are doing at your campus and out "In the Trenches"with DCPS kids! I can't wait to visit you too!
