Don't Judge A Person By Their Trash

I recently wrote a post on "Not Judging A Book By It's Cover" and a lesson I do on tolerance. It was a lengthy post, so I decided to split it into two parts.


As you read in part one, I am all for 'beg, borrowing, and stealing' a good lesson and part two is no exception. Have you ever sat in on your librarians class lessons? If not, you need to add it to your 2012-2013 school year bucket list right now! Our librarian not only does amazing research with our students, but she also does amazing lessons with them about citizenship, tolerance, and more. After watching her in action I knew we needed to team up and collaborate on our lessons.

Below is a lesson she did with her classes in fifth grade this past year. I stopped by and just chatted with the students casually about their experience, and I encourage you to do this and more! Not only are you collaborating, but just think of the power of a small or large group discussion after such an activity. You can really assist your peers in helping let students process their experience and connect it to real life.

In this lesson, our librarian collected trash, not shoes. She asked our teachers to collect their trash for a few days and give it to her in an unmarked bag.  *Note: I think this goes without saying, but leave the banana peels, old milk, etc. at home with your regular trash. This trash should be 'picked through' and only non perishable items should remain. It is important that you go through the trash first and make sure no names are left on bills, mail, etc.

Each class teamed up into small groups of three-five students and they went through the trash bag (*please supply plastic gloves) as a team. Each team needed to record what they found and what they could infer from each piece of evidence. 

Each team collects their data and the inferences they have made based on the trash they have found. For example, my trash bag was full off fluffing and stuffing- the remains off my sofa after Brooklyn decided to 'dig' one day. Some classes thought the person with this trash must order a lot of things online, because they thought it was packaging and there was also a few JCrew catalogs in the bag as well.

Mrs. Svarda's lesson lasts for more than one week. I think it's up to you what to do from here. Here are two choices.

1) Each time presents their "trashy evidence" and makes an educated guess.
2) This is what Mrs. Svarda does- each team develops a Q and A to give the teachers. For example, if they find a movie ticket stub, one question they might create is "What was the last movie you saw?" They then spend their next class period visiting the teachers (spending two-three minutes with each teacher tops so it's not too much of a disturbance) and playing detective. Then they present their findings.

I love this lesson and I love the collaboration between peers. Not only are you sneaking in a little counseling PR with your peers and students, but it really shows your colleagues that you care about their lessons and that combined you can be a dynamite team in ending discrimination.

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

As a pit bull owner, I battle discrimination and judgement every day. I am constantly on a quest to educate the community on this delightful, kind breed. There is nothing more heartbreaking to see someone judge anyone or anything based on his/her/it's outward appearance.

Our students face this day in and day out. Judged based on clothing, judged based on interested, judged based on looks. Last year I did the following lesson in order to teach my students that it's vital they take the extra step to learn about a person, before they "judge a book by it's cover."

Like all good things in education- I "borrowed" this lesson. My brilliant co-worker, Mrs. Payne, was teaching her students about inferences and I "begged"  her to "steal" her lesson. She agreed and so I took it to my third grade classrooms. Now it's your turn to beg, borrow, and steal from me.

"Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover": A lesson about judgements and inferences.

First, I asked co-workers, family members, and friends to borrow a single shoe. I had a variety- a tennis shoe covered in mud from dog walks, stinky old house shoe flattened from snowy dog walks, a fancy purple strapy super high heel I have squished my foot into once, a casual flip flop worn from walks on the beach, a casual pair of 'school appropriate' flats, etc.


Next, I discuss what the word 'inference' means with my class. We talk about drawing conclusions and using evidence to make conclusions. This discussion can look different depending on the age and academic level of your students. Simply put an inference is " a conclusion or opinion that is formed because of known facts or evidence"

This chart is from a very wise and incredible teacher, Shea Payne. She used this activity to make inferences with her 4th graders. The idea was inspired by Tanny McGregor's book Comprehension Connections, where she used her husband's ratty house shoe and one of my flats. She used three shoes that were very different and had students make inferences with partners. Next they had to use evidence and personal connections to back up their inferences.
My shoe is the last one and their inferences make me giggle!

Then, I present each shoe  (I use three shoes per class and switch them out if possible so the classes don't share secrets with each other) one by one. I tell the students that they need to focus on what 'type of person' would wear each shoe, not the person's name or identity, as they may not know them. For example, the flip flop might be a small size six, so it may belong to a young person vs. the flip flop belongs to Ms. Filtness.

Each student shares what they have noticed about the shoe. Once I had a student notice that it a one of my fancy shoes looked brand new so it was probably worn by someone who didn't dress up often. Dead on, but I kept a straight face.

We then discuss what their observations mean and develop a "profile" of the person who may or may not own the shoe.

At the end, I share the real owners of the shoe. Probably my favorite was the time I took in a man's worn out house slipper and they students were sure that an overweight, lazy, jobless woman wore it. When I told them an active, young male, who was a personal trainer wore them, well the look of shock was priceless.

Debrief with a discussion of making judgements and getting to know each other. It's a fabulous lesson that always leads to a good discussion about making judgements at face value. You can also partner with either of these great books:



Our incredible librarian does a similar lesson, but uses trash. Check out my blog on her lesson "Don't Judge A Person By Their Trash." =)

Two Truths, One Lie

This is one of the easiest and one of my favorite "get to know you" activities. I play it with at least one grade level at the start of every year, and they really enjoy it. Sometimes, I have classes say "Oh my teacher already played this," which I love because I respond with "Great, so you know how to play and how to behave during the game. This also means you have to think hard, because you can't use one you have already used."

Here are the the rules of the game:

Each person must think of three things about themselves. Two of these things are true and one is a lie.  They should be fun things that they think people don't know about themselves.
Next, each person gets a chance to read his/her three things, while the rest of the class practices their listening skills and then we vote on which one was the lie.


Let's play! Which one is my lie???????


1) I have flown a plane.
2) I am not a US citizen.
3) One of my favorite vacations was to Seattle.




(*note : I would recommend having them write it down, because in the heat of the game sometime students forget or have the urge to jump and change their ideas.)

Where in the world is....

Carmen Sandiego .... just kidding (I couldn't help myself I love that game).

Where in the world is my counselor? A while ago I pinned  a great idea from http://www.schcounselor.com. Like most things I pin, I pinned it and forgot it. (That should be in the Pinterest infomercial- "pin it and forget it!") Anyway this summer, get crafty was on my bucket list so I revisted my previous pins and made this.

I can't wait to hang it outside my room or on my door. Not only will my students know where I am (and stop just walking in even if they door is closed), but it goes with this years theme!

Where is Ms. Filtness door hanger!

   

Dial and dog theme.

Out of the building, counseling in session, in a meeting, or visiting a classroom. 

Dog training: the newest techniques in classroom management!

This week the K9 Psychology Center of Nashville came to visit me and Brooklyn and help me "train her." What always makes me giggle is that they call it "dog training", when it really should be called "human training."  An hour later I was exhausted and Brooklyn was fast asleep, we had worked hard. Of course they came in told me I had been doing it all wrong, but not to worry they would work with us. It would be like half way through the year your principal coming in and going "oopps I know you thought this was a third grade class, but actually they are fourth."

When the trainers (yes they had to send two for my little girl) finally left, I was struck by the fact that she doesn't actually listen to me. Seriously, she doesn't. I am like the nagging mom preaching to the eye rolling teenager. I was also struck by the idea that I could perhaps incorporate these techniques into my own classroom management style.

Last year I was in a class with a student that just wouldn't sit down and listen, the student was up and about and being a pain to me and the class. I remember getting so frustrated I just looked at the student and said "sit" as though I was talking to Brooklyn. I was shocked that it came out of my mouth, but more shocked because the student just sat down and that was the end of it. I laughed about it at the time, but after this training I thought, could this be my new classroom management room style?

Ok, stop laughing and let me share a few examples from the K9 tips that I really think I want to incorporate into my teaching style.

1) Be a firm leader. Dogs live in packs, when a new dog enters the pack they look to follow the dominant leader and if there is no leader they assume the role. Unfortunately this was true in my own household. Brooklyn thought she was the leader and needed to be "on call" all the time. Once she realized that the male trainer was more assertive and dominant than her she was at his beck and call, but also so much more relaxed. Students look to the adults to demonstrate leadership skills and we have to step up the the plate, which leads me to number 2.

2) Be an assertive leader. One trainer told me that even though I was saying commands, Brooklyn probably didn't think I was serious just from the way I held the leash and my tone of voice. It's true to be a good leader or even a good speaker, your whole body comes into play. They way you present yourself, your tone of voice, your body language, your pitch- they all either say "walk all over me" or "I am in charge!" If I am saying "walk all over me" at home, I wonder what I saying in the classroom? *Note: This is not yelling- but it's a strong assertive tone. It's actually harder for me than I thought.

3) Say things once. The trainer asked me to demonstrate getting Brooklyn ready for a walk and it went a bit like this:
   
Me: "Brooklyn come here."
Brooklyn: wanders around the room
Me: "Come here."
Brooklyn: looks, but continues to walk around
Me: "Come here!"
Brooklyn: takes her time wandering over.
Me: "Sit please."
Brooklyn: Stares
Me: "Sit"
Brooklyn: looks around the room at the other trainers as if to say "Is she serious?"
Me:  "SIT Down!"
Brooklyn: at a snails place moves her butt, but just so it hovers above the floor.

The trainer was quick to point out that I was saying things over and over again, therefore "sit" had become a request not a command.  "If you say things more than once, she get's to choose when she wants to follow it. Say it once," they advised. In the following days I noticed I really do say things a lot! Like a record skipping "sit, sit, sit, sit." The same goes for the classroom I think. I can honestly remember last year telling a class about a hundred times to "keep your voices at a whisper please." So this year I want to tell them once, and mean it! If they don't follow then I am going to stop and wait it out just like I have to do with Brooklyn.

This reminded me of my favorite show HIMYM. When Ted can't get his class quiet his mimics a car alarm until they all stop talking.  I LOVE it, but I couldn't find the video of it anywhere (seriously You Tube!)  It's actually HIMYM Season 6 Episode 7 "Canning Randy," so enjoy the rest of your summer and go rent the DVD's now! Until then here is a video to you decide:

What kind of a teacher will you be next year?