LAIRD LEARNING
  • Consulting
  • Connect
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Publications
  • Speaking
  • Blog
  • Consulting
  • Connect
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Publications
  • Speaking
  • Blog
LAIRD LEARNING

There's No Room for a Deficit Mindset, a Lesson from an Elementary Student

10/31/2019

0 Comments

 
Every so often an interaction with a student provides invaluable perspective and outlook on both teaching and life. Today was one of those instances. 

I was in charge of today’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) Assembly, where we recognize students who have shown the RAMS Way (Respect, Always Responsible, Manners, and Safety) over the past month. Students receive awards, VIP tickets, play games, and are reminded to show the RAMS Way everyday, both in and out of school. Since it is almost Halloween, I chose to do a Halloween themed “Eyeball relay race” which involved students using a spoon to carry a bouncy ball eyeball (I found them at Target!) around a series of cones. For the younger grades they just walked/ran around the cones, and the older grades we had them use scooters. 

It was prior to the older grades’ assembly that the perspective I mentioned earlier was experienced. You see, while drawing names for students to participate in the game, I drew the name of a student who happened to be on crutches. For a second I thought I should draw another name to replace the student, however at just that moment the student in question walked by. I asked them to stop by the table where I was drawing names, and let them know I had drawn their name for the game, explained what the game entailed, and asked if there was a classmate they would like to pick to go in their place. Expecting to hear the name of one of their friends, I was surprised when the student said “No, I am going to do the relay.” A little perplexed, I asked if they were sure, and the student quickly replied, “Mrs. Laird, I still have one good leg!” and walked away. Believe me when I say I felt about an inch tall! In that one statement, “I still have one good leg,” I learned so much and was reminded how harmful it can be to have a deficit mindset. I need to remember to focus on what I do have, what I can control, and always have a positive outlook. This memory will stick with me for the rest of my teaching career and life, and perhaps I’ll find a way to turn it into a children’s story or weave it into a professional book! 

​
0 Comments

Opening a Student’s Writing World through Speech to Text

10/18/2019

0 Comments

 
In my role as an Instructional Coach, I am frequently asked to support teachers in their work with students. Recently, an elementary student needed support with writing. This student had wonderful ideas to share, however classmates and the teacher were unable to decipher handwritten or typed stories. The classroom teacher knew there must be something to be done, and turned to me for support. Given the fact that we are a one-to-one technology device building, I have used Google’s speech-to-text tools (Voice Typing) before, and knew this would be a good place to start. 
A few days later, the student game to my office during writing time. After logging in to their Chromebook, the student opened a new Google Doc, clicked “tools” then “voice typing,” and their world opened!

Picture
Picture
Immediately upon speaking and reading their rough draft aloud, the student paused the speech-to-text and looked at me with a grin on their face. “Mrs. Laird, do you know what this means?” the student asked. “My friends and my teacher will now be able to understand me and everyone will be able to read my stories!” 

While Voice Tying isn’t new to me, and I have told other teachers about it, this was the first time I saw first hand a student see their world as a writer open up due to the tool. The next thirty minutes flew by as I watched the student become familiar with the intricacies of using Voice Typing, including remembering to say the type of punctuation, remember to pause periodically, and recognizing Google doesn’t automatically know how to spell the names of their friends. When it was time to go back to their classroom, the student told me how excited they were to take their writing notebook home over the weekend and type up other stories to share with friends. The thirty minutes I spent with this student reminded me the power technology has to open doors for students and allow them an outlet to share their voice, ideas, passions, and curiosity with the world.
0 Comments

Reciprocal Teaching Resources

10/5/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
For several years, Reciprocal Teaching has been one of my go-to strategies for reading. Over the past year I started using it in math instruction and am loving the results.

In case you aren't familiar with Reciprocal Teaching, there are four strategies ("The Fab Four"): Predict, Question, Clarify, and Summarize. All four strategies are used within each lesson, and Reciprocal Teaching has an effect size of .74. Introducing the strategies can occur through read alouds (Lori has a great list in her book), or by using cards like the ones below. For more information, check out ASCD's Fab Four webpage, and Reciprocal Teaching at Work by Lori Oczkus. 

Through my Instructional Coach role, I have the opportunity to partner with teachers, and incorporating Reciprocal Teaching within reading and math is one of my favorite topics/goals.  To support our work, I have created different resources related to Reciprocal Teaching, starting first with reading and later adding in math. Below, you can check out several of the resources I have created. 

I love the results I've seen from Reciprocal Teaching in reading and math, and cannot speak high enough of the strategies. 
If you would like support incorporating Reciprocal Teaching in your instruction, have questions, or would like copies of any resources, let me know. 
0 Comments

    Archives

    October 2023
    July 2023
    January 2022
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    App
    Augmented Reality
    BeeBots
    Bloxels
    Book Creator
    Book Recommendation
    Book Review
    Book Talks
    Breakout Edu
    Close Reading
    Coach's Corner
    Code
    Coding
    Conference
    Course Work
    Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy
    Dash Robot
    EBook
    ELA
    Elementary
    Fifth Grade
    First Grade
    FlipSnack
    Formative Assessment
    Fourth Grade
    Functional Writing
    Google Classroom
    Google Expeditions
    Google Hangouts
    Google Lit Trip
    Graduate Coursework
    Grant Funding
    Grants
    Grip Robot
    Growth Mindset
    Holidays
    Hour Of Code
    IBooks Author
    Instructional Coach
    International Literacy Association
    International Reading Association
    IPad
    ITEC
    Kindergarten
    Kindness
    Leadership
    Learning Hunt
    Literacy
    Literacy Breakout Edu
    LucidPress
    Math
    Merge Cube
    Mindset
    MiP Robot
    Model Lessons
    MTSS
    Multicultural
    Multicultural Children's Book Day
    Mystery Skype
    Nearpod
    Number Sense
    Number Talks
    Ollie Robot
    Olympics
    Ozobot
    Padlet
    PBIS
    Personalized PD
    PhD Program
    Picture Book
    PixelPress
    PLC
    PLCs
    Popplet
    PowToons
    Professional Development
    Professional Learning
    Professional Learning Communities
    Publications
    Reading
    ReadingToday Online
    ReadWriteThink
    Reciprocal Teaching
    Reflecting
    RL.1
    R.L. 1.2
    RL.2
    RL.3
    Robots
    Science
    Similes And Metaphors
    Skype
    Skype In The Classroom
    Social Justice
    Social Studies
    Special Education
    Speech To Text
    STEM
    Story Retell
    Student Writing
    Teaching
    Teaching Standards
    Tech In Focus
    Technology
    Tech Tidbit
    ThingLink
    Third Grade
    Timeline Generator
    TLAP
    Video Game Creation
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from Lucas Hayas, Brett Jordan