Practicing Persistence!

We've been coding for several years now at Ashaway School.  The students love solving the online puzzles and are so excited to make progress from level to level.  The activities are meant to be challenging, and there are times when students get frustrated because they get stuck.  As a response, I decided to do a unit focused on persistence with every grade in the school this year.  My goal is to help them to understand that making mistakes and struggling with something difficult is a normal part of the learning process, and this can lead to an opportunity to shine!

In first grade we read Ashley Spires' The Most Magnificent Thing.  In this story a young girl has an idea to create something truly wonderful.  She tries and tries and tries, but it just doesn't go the way she plans.  Frustrated, she quits.  Then, with the encouragement of her canine assistant, the girl shows persistence and eventually celebrates her success!


We discussed the story and focused on when the girl became frustrated.  The students were excited to point out that the illustrator showed the girl's frustration with the same "anger squiggle" that Mo Willems had used for Pigeon!



Grrrrrrrrrr!

Fortunately, the girl's dog suggests taking a walk, and this is just the break she needs to calm down and try again...and she succeeds!  Yay!  We do love a happy ending!  😊

I encouraged the students to think about a time that they stuck to a difficult task and succeeded.  Then I invited them complete the sentence, "I showed persistence when I...."  They came up with lots of wonderful examples both from school and at home.  I put up as many as would fit on my bulletin board.  They're awesome! 

Click any image in this blog to enlarge!

Please enjoy the "virtual bulletin board" below!

Ashaway ROCKS!!!

Wednesday, November 20th was a day like no other at Ashaway School!  The staff surprised the students with a "Rock the School" event packed with fun and special activities!  The festivities were inspired by first grade teacher Mrs. Dicocco and we were all excited to spend a day increasing student engagement with a very dynamic theme!  Please enjoy these highlights of the day and then visit our online picture gallery for lots more to see!

 

The students' first hint that it wasn't going to be a normal day: the welcoming committee at the front door!

Students walked the red carpet as they entered the gym for morning meeting!

 When the students found a spot in their class lines on the gym floor, they had no idea what they were about to see.  Then the curtains parted for this kick-off performance!!!

 

Click any picture on this page to enlarge!

Students were given a "backstage pass" to wear during the day!

The fourth graders found their classrooms decorated as
"Rock StarBucks"

 

Kindergarten had fun with the green screen!

"I rock! I know my alphabet!"

"Rock and Roll Sentences" writing activity

"Rock Around the Clock" time-telling activity

"Selecting a Band" math activity

In library class my second graders participated in a Code.org lesson that got them dancing.  They were robots who were programmed to respond with different moves depending on which button was pressed!

 

Our reading specialist, Mrs. Vocatura, visited classrooms and read Jarrett J. Krosoczka's "Punk Farm" books aloud.  She said they were a huge hit!

In P.E. class, the students got to do some "cardio drumming" like they saw their teachers do earlier that morning!

Our music teacher, Mr. Zielski, visited each classroom to talk about what it's like to be in a band, explain how some of his equipment works, and of course play his electric guitar!  More than one teacher took the opportunity to take to the stage!

Mr. Z's "roadies" carrying his equipment to his next "set"

It was an electrifying day that will go down in rock 'n roll (and Ashaway School) history!

For lots more pictures, please visit the school online photo album at

http://ashawayschoollibrary.yolasite.com/rock-19-gallery.php

A Kid's-Eye View of Ashaway School!

Every photograph featured in this blog entry was taken by an Ashaway School student!

This fall I began a new "Photo Press Pass" program for our fourth grade students.  As a reward for demonstrating responsibility the students are allowed to borrow a library camera for the day and take pictures of whatever they like! It's been a really popular program and I'm excited to share some of their photographs with you! 

Students have two opportunities to earn a Photo Press Pass.  The fourth grade teachers run a Homework Club, and those students who turn in their homework on time (and demonstrate other indicators of responsibility) are allowed to select a prize at the end of the month.  A Press Pass is one option.  Then in library class I select two students from those who have no overdue books that day to also earn a Press Pass.


When I introduced the Press Passes in the library, we of course went over the expectations.  (They are also on the back of the Photo Press Pass badge that the students wears while in possession of a camera!)  These guidelines include:

• You will keep the camera in your hands at all times with the wrist strap in place
• You will not allow another student to handle the camera.
• You will leave the camera in its special spot when it's not in use. 

Students get to use the cameras all day, so I've gotten some great moments captured during lunch, recess, and in the classroom: 

These were just some of my favorites.   

Please click here to see our school picture gallery where there are LOTS more photos to enjoy!  

Rhode Island Children's Book Festival 2019

It was a beautiful, sunny morning when I walked up to the Lincoln School in Providence for this year's book festival.  As always the list of presenters was impressive, and I was so excited to spend the day surrounded by remarkably talented authors and illustrators! 

My first stop was the gymnasium where tables are set up for the guests of honor to meet fans of their work.  I was first in line to have our school's copy of Kenny and the Dragon signed by author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi.  He was so nice and I really enjoyed chatting with him.  Later on I got to attend his presentation and it made me an even bigger fan.  He's a very engaging speaker! 

Another highlight of the day was learning more about James Dean and his famous feline, Pete the Cat.  While he warned that all of his stories might not be strictly true (he insisted that he had invented the color green as well as "cat language"!), he did share some insights on what had brought him to the stage that day.  As he put it, "One word from a teacher can change your life."  While he had been interested in art, he established a solid career as an electrical engineer and was making a good living in the field.  However, the encouraging words of a teacher resonated within him, and ultimately he decided to pursue his dream.  There was a touch of astonishment in his voice when he rhetorically asked, "How do you go from being an electrical engineer for 20 years to drawing pictures of your cat for 20 years??"  We are all so glad that he did!

While he ended up a popular character in children's books, Pete the Cat was originally the subject of paintings created for adults! 

The last presentation I attended was by Caldecott medalist Dan Santat.  We were lucky enough to have him visit Ashaway School back in 2013, and I was super excited to see him again.  He has a terrific sense of humor and had the audience in a near-constant state of hilarity!  One of my favorite moments was when he talked about "an unfortunate thing that happened in 2015":

I also really enjoyed when he told the audience, especially the kids, about the importance of perseverance.  He displayed one of his drawings from grade school, an impressive rendering of Garfield and Odie, and said that he became a good at drawing by drawing.  A lot. 
He pointed out that you only learn to ride a bike by sticking to it and practicing until you can do it.  He declared, "None of us were born bike-riding babies!"  (That's a quote I plan on repeating!)

 It was another fabulous day and my favorite fall event.  

Thanks so much to Meagan Lenihan and all the organizers who make this event happen every year!  We are all so grateful!!!

p.s.  At the book festival a couple years ago I took a chance and asked Jon Scieszka if he wouldn't mind taking a whole bunch of selfies with me so I could create a collage, and he kindly indulged me.  (Scroll down to the bottom of this post from 2017!)  Inspired by that success, I approached Dan at his autographing table and asked if he'd be interested in trying to out-weird Jon Scieszka while displaying that collaboration on my phone.  Dan replied, "I'm always interested in trying to out-weird Scieszka."  Thus, I do hereby proudly share...

A Set of Silly Santat Selfies!