Welcome Gage... we have waited a long time to meet you! :)

Have you ever loved someone you had never met? Our SMART Community has loved a student that most of the students have never met... but we all finally met him last week. Some made cards, some drew pictures and all signed a banner for him. We had waited to add that new student to our community since school started and we have had his picture by the SMART board since August. We are so thrilled to have Gage with us!! Hooray! Welcome to SMART Community Gage... where you have been loved since the beginning! J

Cowboy Day!!

YEE HAW!!!

After learning about the farm, fall and visiting Livesay Farms in Porter, Oklahoma… we decided the students would love the opportunity to dress up in their knowledge! Farmers and cowboys came to school last week... we had SO much fun which included a cowboy picnic, cowboy games and some yummy s’mores for snack! It was a great day and I am certain our students will remember it FOREVER! J

Fall Math Journals!

I am so excited to share my Fall Math Journal with you! It is an approach to math that I strongly believe in because it is literacy-based and visual! Click on the pic below to check it out!

This is my example on the SMART board!

Here are some student examples! J

Down on the Farm

We have been learning all about farm and many new vocabulary words like irrigation and combine... we had some fun along the way making these barns! They were adapted from an original idea by TLC Art. When I asked the students what they have learned, I was thrilled with all they understand and remember!

SMART Parent Night was AWESOME!

Here is just a tidbit of what we shared with parents about our collaboration...

The benefits of a collaborative teaching team:

Collaboration in teaching is an up and coming practice that encourages teachers to work together to provide students extra support as they learn. It is the idea that “two is better than one”. Many educators “plan” together which typically means they teach the same themes or curriculum around the same time. Mrs. Weyher and Mrs. Parrott have done that for years but in all honesty, that is surface collaboration. How does that help a teacher to change and grow or evaluate his/her practice? True collaboration is working together for a common goal. Deep collaboration is a step beyond that, where teachers challenge each other to improve how they teach through a combined effort. J

How do students benefit?

~ They have two teachers who work together to support students in both classes.

~ They become flexible learners because they are taught by more than one person, sometimes using different methods or approaches.

~ They establish and build friendships that support them now and in the future.

~ They learn how to work in collaborative groups to complete projects throughout the year.

~ They have two teachers who love them and if one of us is absent, they know their “other” teacher is just down the hall.

~ They become comfortable speaking in front of a large group (40+) of students which boosts their self-confidence in all areas!

~ They will be placed in a small “flexible” groups according to their specific reading skill level where they will receive direct instruction. *Flexible meaning as the skill level changes, they will move to another group. J

When you collaborate with another teacher who you trust and respect beyond words, the result is student success beyond your wildest dreams... and teaching growth that surpasses all expectations! We are blessed to do life together as teachers and friends!

SMART Parent Night...coming soon!

Kelly and I are excited to offer the first ever "SMART Parent Night" on September 29th. It will begin at 5:45pm and last until 6:25pm. We are looking forward to sharing our vision for education and our combined love for teaching with the parents of both classes. We will demonstrate our morning message, used daily. We will have clips of students from last year and this year, involved in various literacy learning activities. Our field trip video (5 mins long) from last year will be shown to show collaboration across the curriculum and how we use vocabulary to teach all subjects. We plan to discuss our plans for Our SMART Community and answer any questions parents have regarding our approach to teaching in tandem. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to present our ideas to parents to further involve them in their child's education!

We teach to inspire... children, parents, our peers and each other.

I can't imagine doing anything else!

Back To Kindergarten... SMART Community is in full swing!

Kindergarten is in full swing! We began our SMART Community on the first day of school this year. Our students are AMAZING! They are already reading several sight words and using them in oral sentences. It is so cool! Today, we started Word Wall Necklaces and Vocabulary of the Day. Kelly and I are so excited to see what this year will bring with our new students. Teaching together is the most natural thing we have ever done and our students are benefiting in so many ways already! We are currently in the middle of Literacy First Assessments  and then we are going to flex group our students in small groups. It is going to be a whole new type of community intervention and collaboration! WOOT!!!!!