Book Trailer Tuesdays and First Chapter Fridays

Back in elementary I was a read aloud queen! We read so many books every year though novel studies and mentor sentences. Jumping up to middle school and into a period schedule, there hasn't been time to complete as many, but I still have the passion to expose kids to books to get them reading. The only issue was that I was used to elementary books, but not middle school books.

Enter First Chapter Fridays!

During that first year I found Amanda Zieba's YouTube channel with tons of recommended books. It became the highlight of Fridays being able to show off books that had been vetted by Amanda and have her read the first chapter to the kids. She knows middle school. I quickly found while teaching multiple classes the power behind technology - if I could save my voice and not read aloud my times, the kids didn't mind.

My second year I also found out about Book Trailer Tuesdays from Abby from Write on with Miss G over on Instagram. She also had a list of books that she recommends, she even has links to the best ones. Book Trailers are similar to movie trailers - a visual of what the book is about - usually 1-3 minutes long. The graphics grab kids' attention. I searched Youtube for "________book trailer". There are a lot of creative people out there that have done a great job making book trailers. 

My issue was keeping track of all the books while sharing 2 per week...it became a lot! I was writing them down in my lesson planner, I was putting the links over on a channel on our Microsoft Teams, which worked as a running list that kids could listen to again during silent reading, but it wasn't much of a visual for the kids to remember.

Last summer I was reminded that back in elementary I took the books we read and created a bulletin board display, so I decided to do the same thing with our book recommendations. I took the big list of books that teachers had been recommending to me, and searched for their book cover image, put it into a powerpoint - 8 per page (about 2in x 3in), and then printed and laminated them. 

Last year it was so easy! I just picked one book cover for Tuesday and another for Friday. I stuck them on two small pocket charts near my class library so kids could have the visual. It worked well and did give them ideas of what they may be interested in. 

Okay - here are the books from the multiple lists. If there are less than 8 per page it's because silly me had duplicates. If you want my images to print, just drag and save them to your desktop. On my desktop I just needed to print the images at 200% to make it be near the correct size. 

I have not vetted all of these myself yet since there are sooo many of them. All are considered middle school, and some are considered YA - and definitely for more mature audiences. This past year I didn't use those, even though my 8ths are so close to high school. Some books our librarian recommended. Some are from Amanda and others are from Abby. All in all, the kids learned about some great books and I'm going to keep this routine in the coming years.

Hope this helps. 

Reflection Journals and Data Folders

Blogging has always been my way to reflect on what was working in my classroom and the lessons that I've been learning as a teacher. When I started blogging 13ish years ago it was a very stressful year and I needed to remember at least one good thing per day. I would share it and then the internet could help me celebrate. :) This website has also been a record for myself, that I can look back to see how I've grown as a teacher.

I do a lot of reflection with my students too, and that's something I've brought with me whatever age that I'm teaching. When I bumped up to 8th I brought the same routines with me that I know worked.

Reflection Journals:

The first week of school I pass out little notebooks to my students and they add their name to the front. We brainstorm the type of person we want to be during the year. Then we use them every Friday for reflections and some other things as well. I tell them that they are creating a timeline of their 8th grade year. 

Every Friday it's my bellringer for History class (the 2nd time I see them during the day). They date the entry and do a quick 3, 2, 1, <3

3 things they learned that week in any subject

2 things they are proud of

1 goal for next week

They can do an emotion check as well. <3 

It is quick, they grab their notebook from their class' basket and when done they put it back. Some volunteers always want to share.

Our middle school does weekly grade checks during homeroom, so we don't do many grades in there, but for progress reports and report cards we do reflect in our notebooks as well. What is an area they are proud of, and what's an area that they want to grow.

Each trimester we do a much deeper dive into creating goals and that also goes into the notebooks - looking at each subject's skills closely. All in all, I'm still thankful I could bring that up to 8th grade.

What exact notebooks do I use? I like the multi colors so it's easier for kids to find their exact one. Not a huge amount of pages, but we use most of them throughout the year. My dad has been donating them to my classroom. Thanks Dad!

Other reflections that we do are using Data Folders.

I shared about them years ago... but here's the middle school version. I just have them bar graph their learning after pre and post tests, or quizzes by subject. So one square will be history quizzes, another square for ELA quizzes, and another for vocabulary. I want to make sure they are actually looking at their Aeries grades, so approx. every 3 weeks we are spending time pulling out the data folders and opening up Aeries to actually look at their grades. It's usually a whole class end of class task. We spend other times doing error analysis for specifics as to why, etc, but these data folders are for an overview.

The other part is reflecting on the parts of the ELA units and giving themselves a 4,3,2,1. For example our first unit is mainly parts of plot, writing plot summaries, and learning about types of conflict - each skill gets it's own line. They rate themselves to see how they are understanding it. I like them to also see how much they have grown.

4 - I understand it so much that I can teach it to someone else

3 - I got it but can't teach someone else

2 - I almost got it but am still sometimes confused

1 - I am still so lost

Glancing at their 4,3,2,1's I can see what areas they need to build their confidence and skills. It's a reference for them and me when we are doing review. 

Every kid has a file folder with both of these print outs stapled inside and then we add more copies as the year progresses. 

Hope this helps!

Back to School Prep - Digital Paperwork

I could joke that I have nothing to do now that I've switched up to 8th grade, but that wouldn't be true. 

I have found that it is far less physical prep for back to school than it was in the elementary grades. Yeah, I'll have to shove furniture around in the classroom, but I'm not packing pencil boxes, creating folders, etc. anymore. It's more the mental and digital prep in order to prepare for a new school year. 

Every summer I still go through my computer file folders to make sure they are still relevant. There's always the chance that I didn't file something correctly in the craziness of the school year, and I have to go through my "Go through" file - yep, I named it that. 

I'm still using Microsoft Teams for my classes - mainly for assignments and posting our daily agenda, and every year I'm creating more photos and details to upload as references on the assignments. The photo below shows part of my direction screenshots.

So I go back through last year's Teams to grab screenshots of my assignment details to file in the correct file folder. It has helped to remember exactly how I explained it last year. If you do this, remember to label the screenshots when you actually take them... learn from me, it's a pain to do it later. :)

I also go through my Week by Week plan and update based on last year's planner. 

After my first year in 8th I created a simple template that I filled in what we accomplished based on the weeks of the year. It's just a simple Week 1-19 on the front, and 20-38 on the back. These simple papers have helped me remember where we're heading while planning out the next unit. It also helps me to not constantly be flipping through last year's planner to check.

ELA Pacing

SS Pacing

Yearbook Pacing

Hope this helps. Next up I need to update my family's school calendars into the computer - min. days and vacations.  This next year we will have 4 schools that we are juggling - 2 colleges, a high school, and then mine. Yikes! When did my kids grow up??

Hope you have a great day!

Lessons I've Learned in Middle School...

Lessons I've learned since moving to middle school...

Kids are still kids no matter the age. Big kids or little. 

Kids all need to know they are important, they are valuable, they are cared about, they matter, and that they are loved. I realized my first year that many of the kids may not hear anything positive from an adult in a single day. During my second year I started daily telling my students it every single day - it was our daily affirmation. I was observed my second year and my admin took affirmations to the entire school. 

I say, "In case no one has told you today, you are important, you matter, you are cared for, valuable, and LOVED." About a month in the kids started saying it with me. It makes a difference. 

There are a lot of other lessons, but that's the most important.

Building relationships made the most difference. Learning how to build relationships in middle school - it was the same as elementary, but also different - sometimes harder as kids have learned to throw on masks and there isn't as much time during the day to make those connections...

The first year I made all these huge assumptions that I had to change who I was... even though the kids knew me as the elementary school teacher. That I had to be a certain way as a middle school teacher. I learned pretty fast - as I was melting under the pressures of changing grades midyear, that I couldn't be anyone other than who I was. Middle schoolers are great as picking up on fake and uncertainty. It was a hard learning curve.

Things got a lot better when I accepted that I am a cheesy teacher. I love being silly and having fun with my students. I love throwing in the unexpected and sharing about who I am. I was miserable when I was all serious all the time, when I left my personality aside. 

I had to learn the new routines of my new grade level, new curriculum, had to learn how to have and plan for multiple classes vs. just one, had learn to fit it all in a single period rather than a more flexible cross curriculum plan. I was one day ahead most days. But now I love it. 

I love seeing my students become the role models of the school, seeing them be the leaders. I love watching them grow in their confidence. I love how we have a big purpose throughout the year of getting them ready for high school. Learning how to be responsible in our small school, before they head off to a gigantic one. It is fulfilling being an 8th grade teacher. 

Have a great day!

I Moved to Middle School

Once again I disappeared for a few years. Sorry about that. I had a good reason. I decided to change grade levels and move to middle school. Specifically to 8th grade teaching ELA and History. 

Yep. Kind of crazy.

And also really really hard. 

3 years ago we had a huge sub shortage (like a lot of other places). We had vacancies in 6,7, and 8th grade. During the 3rd week of school I was called to go and fill in when my 5th graders were in PE. It was a history lesson on the Boston Massacre. 

I left that day wondering who was going to get the kids, my old kids, ready for high school. My own sons were in high school, and they were doing a great job- but that is also because they were prepared. Those 8th graders entire middle school had been a wacky one with the shut down in 6th, distance learning in 7th, and starting the year in vacancy. 

I started praying for them every time I saw them walk by my window. Send someone Lord. And after 3 weeks of praying my heart said “Why not you?” 

Of course I thought that was a crazy idea. I was happy and content in 5th. I loved my class. I knew what I was doing. I knew what to expect. 

I tried to talk myself out of it. I made a pro/con list. I asked questions to the 8th grade teachers. I talked to my best buds. All looking for reasons why this was a really bad idea. My husband asked if I was ready to just talk to my admin, and I said I was waiting for more confirmation. That night we went out on a date (6th week of school), when we were there a stranger stopped by the table, looked at me, and said that “God won’t leave you in the mess, He would lead me to the blessings in my next position.” I burst into tears, knew it was the confirmation I needed and emailed my admin. 

The talk with my admin went really easily. The ball was in her court. I would be content either way. But the need was evident, these 8th graders were on their last year at our k-8 school, the countdown was on. And supposedly it’s easier to find elementary teachers than middle school.

I switched at the end of the trimester. I don’t recommend a mid year switch. Especially packing up a classroom, while finishing up assessments, doing report cards, setting up a new classroom in 6 hours, etc. But it all worked out. 

Random info:

-I knew these kids. I had most of these kids back in 5th grade and would know most of them in the coming years as well. 

-I’m teaching my favorite subjects. Ela and history… 

-I get to work with 3 different groups of kids. About 80 total.

-I doubled my prep time each day. Yeah, that’s a pro.

-A LOT less planning.

-A lot less prepping. I just make 68 copies of the activity.

-I still got to read my novels with my elective class.

-Way back when I was a youth pastor’s wife, I’m used to middle school. 

8th graders are a lot like 5th graders. Just taller and with a bit of attitude. It’s like their hormones have evened out again and most have their act together. 

So that’s that. I’m an 8th grade teacher now.