Hello!
Mentoring Monday and Tutoring Tuesday went well. Great conversations were had with my mentors about winter break coming up and successes/challenges they are having with their mentees. Tutoring Tuesday competition is still rolling and students are trying to complete as many worksheets as possible!
On Wednesday and Thursday I had mentor/mentee pairs research different stages of the brain, along with the history of the brain and how it's been studied over the years. There were guided topics for them to search, but they had to do a lot of the heavy lifting. It's always great seeing them work together to complete these tasks and what roles they take on.
No Fun Friday was just a couple team building games to keep their energy high and to stay on track for finishing the semester on a good note.
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Monday, December 18, 2017
Monday, December 11, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #16
Hello!
Last week flew by with students learning more information on the brain.
On Mentor Monday I have the mentors doing a quick research project on any hobby or interest that they have. They will use this research to teach the class more about their self interests.
Tutoring Tuesday is still paired up competition. Mentors and Mentees are working together to complete as much homework and worksheets as possible to earn as many points as possible before Winter Break. Winning pair will get a wicked awesome high five from me, or candy.
On Wednesday and Thursday we watched a PBS documentary that talked about the teenage brain. We had great conversations and students in most classes could relate to how the teens were acting in the film.
We closed out the week by watching Brain Games. That was definitely a more fun way for students to learn why our brains act certain ways at different times.
Thanks for reading!
Last week flew by with students learning more information on the brain.
On Mentor Monday I have the mentors doing a quick research project on any hobby or interest that they have. They will use this research to teach the class more about their self interests.
Tutoring Tuesday is still paired up competition. Mentors and Mentees are working together to complete as much homework and worksheets as possible to earn as many points as possible before Winter Break. Winning pair will get a wicked awesome high five from me, or candy.
On Wednesday and Thursday we watched a PBS documentary that talked about the teenage brain. We had great conversations and students in most classes could relate to how the teens were acting in the film.
We closed out the week by watching Brain Games. That was definitely a more fun way for students to learn why our brains act certain ways at different times.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, December 4, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #15
Hello and welcome back to the Weekly Ranum!
Mentoring Monday and Tutoring Tuesday went great last week. Students came back from Thanksgiving break excited and with a little extra energy.
On Wednesday we learned more about the brain, we went over a lot of definitions and the students did a wonderful job of asking questions and trying to understand what each part of the brain actually does.
On Thursday and Friday students worked on their brain projects. Each mentor and mentee pair was assigned a different vocab word and they had to create a super hero based off of it. Their super heroes super powers were based off of what that function of the brain excelled at. For example, the hippocampus' main function is memory so a super power could be the ability to remember everything that's ever happened. Here's a couple student examples:
It was a great week learning about the brain. Tune in next week! Thanks!
Mentoring Monday and Tutoring Tuesday went great last week. Students came back from Thanksgiving break excited and with a little extra energy.
On Wednesday we learned more about the brain, we went over a lot of definitions and the students did a wonderful job of asking questions and trying to understand what each part of the brain actually does.
On Thursday and Friday students worked on their brain projects. Each mentor and mentee pair was assigned a different vocab word and they had to create a super hero based off of it. Their super heroes super powers were based off of what that function of the brain excelled at. For example, the hippocampus' main function is memory so a super power could be the ability to remember everything that's ever happened. Here's a couple student examples:
It was a great week learning about the brain. Tune in next week! Thanks!
Monday, November 20, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #14
Hello!
Our motto this past week was Attitude of Gratitude. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I knew giving thanks and being grateful was much needed and an excellent addition to the YESS curriculum.
Mentoring Monday and Tutoring Tuesday went well. We're still talking about leaders on Monday and students were focused on catching up on missing work on Tuesday.
On Wednesday we created huge lists of everything that we are thankful for. Ranging from friends and family, all the way to the roof over our heads and being able to have possessions. On Thursday we used this list to create giant THANKSgiving Turkey's. Students picked the top 3 things they were most thankful for and those were the feathers. Inside the turkey, students explained WHY they were thankful for these things in their lives. These students did an excellent job of self-reflection and being grateful for the things they have.
On Friday we finished up the Turkey's and watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving to cap off a great week of Attitude of Gratitude!
Have a great Thanksgiving break and enjoy this time with family and friends!
Our motto this past week was Attitude of Gratitude. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I knew giving thanks and being grateful was much needed and an excellent addition to the YESS curriculum.
Mentoring Monday and Tutoring Tuesday went well. We're still talking about leaders on Monday and students were focused on catching up on missing work on Tuesday.
On Wednesday we created huge lists of everything that we are thankful for. Ranging from friends and family, all the way to the roof over our heads and being able to have possessions. On Thursday we used this list to create giant THANKSgiving Turkey's. Students picked the top 3 things they were most thankful for and those were the feathers. Inside the turkey, students explained WHY they were thankful for these things in their lives. These students did an excellent job of self-reflection and being grateful for the things they have.
On Friday we finished up the Turkey's and watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving to cap off a great week of Attitude of Gratitude!
Have a great Thanksgiving break and enjoy this time with family and friends!
Monday, November 13, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #13
Hello!
I first want to thank all of the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our rights and freedoms. Thank you Veteran's and current military personnel!
On Mentor Monday we started researching potential leaders in history that you don't really hear too much about. Mentors are gathering information on these leaders and we're going to dive in and see the impact these people had on history.
Tutoring Tuesday went well. The mentees and mentors did an excellent job of staying on task and catching up in other classes.
On Wednesday the 8th grade mentors took their PSAT's at Westminster High School. It was a long exam but I heard awesome reports about Ranum students especially. I let the 6th graders and 7th grade mentors get a head start on t-shirt designs. They were super excited and came up with some great designs.
On Thursday we had everyone working on t-shirt designs. This may be the most creative year yet!
On Friday I had all students work on Veteran's Day cards. Giving thanks to those who defend this country is a small way we can give back and make them feel appreciated. One of my mentors' grandfather is a part of a VFW so I gave her a lot of the cards to deliver to them.
Overall, another great week and this is the last week before Turkey break! Thanks for reading!
I first want to thank all of the men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our rights and freedoms. Thank you Veteran's and current military personnel!
On Mentor Monday we started researching potential leaders in history that you don't really hear too much about. Mentors are gathering information on these leaders and we're going to dive in and see the impact these people had on history.
Tutoring Tuesday went well. The mentees and mentors did an excellent job of staying on task and catching up in other classes.
On Wednesday the 8th grade mentors took their PSAT's at Westminster High School. It was a long exam but I heard awesome reports about Ranum students especially. I let the 6th graders and 7th grade mentors get a head start on t-shirt designs. They were super excited and came up with some great designs.
On Thursday we had everyone working on t-shirt designs. This may be the most creative year yet!
On Friday I had all students work on Veteran's Day cards. Giving thanks to those who defend this country is a small way we can give back and make them feel appreciated. One of my mentors' grandfather is a part of a VFW so I gave her a lot of the cards to deliver to them.
Overall, another great week and this is the last week before Turkey break! Thanks for reading!
Monday, November 6, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #12
Hello! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Here's an update from Ranum:
Mentoring Monday was more laid back this past week. We discussed how mentees reacted to the Trust Bridge and if we have seen any changes in their behavior and actions. Mentors saw some small improvements but realize this will take time.
Tutoring Tuesday was a little thrown off because of an anti-bullying assembly. It sounded like a great assembly, but I had to stay back with my classes because they were called out by grade.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday was all about fear and how it effects us all differently. We created lists of our deepest fears, read articles on how to deal with fear and even watched a short (20 min) and spooky film that definitely gave everyone at least a little scare. We had many great discussions of how fear can be good or bad depending on the situation.
Overall it was another great week! Thanks for reading!
Mentoring Monday was more laid back this past week. We discussed how mentees reacted to the Trust Bridge and if we have seen any changes in their behavior and actions. Mentors saw some small improvements but realize this will take time.
Tutoring Tuesday was a little thrown off because of an anti-bullying assembly. It sounded like a great assembly, but I had to stay back with my classes because they were called out by grade.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday was all about fear and how it effects us all differently. We created lists of our deepest fears, read articles on how to deal with fear and even watched a short (20 min) and spooky film that definitely gave everyone at least a little scare. We had many great discussions of how fear can be good or bad depending on the situation.
Overall it was another great week! Thanks for reading!
Monday, October 30, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #11
Hello and welcome back to the Weekly Ranum!
On mentor Monday I had the mentors create a TRUST acronym for them and their mentees. They were also in charge of rating on a scale of 1-10 how much they trust their mentee and how much they believe their mentee trusts them. They had to explain why and give examples of why they chose their respective rating number.
Tutoring Tuesday focused on getting students caught up in all their classes. We just had conferences so students were pretty aware of what they were missing and what they needed to work on.
On Wednesday, students finished up their trust bridges. It was fun to see all their creative projects and their hard work paying off. They were all very proud of their bridges.
Thursday, we talked about the difference between a ritual and a routine. Most students were aware of their routines but rituals was harder to conceptualize and apply to their current lives. They enjoyed putting a why to their routines and how it made them feel. Some students were honest about zoning out being on their phones or watching TV and put in some action steps towards not wasting so much time doing those activities.
No Fun Friday was Halloween Charades. Some funny examples were Frankenstein mowing the lawn, a witch getting her hair done and a zombie going through a McDonald's drive thru. Students loved it and everyone ended up participating.
On mentor Monday I had the mentors create a TRUST acronym for them and their mentees. They were also in charge of rating on a scale of 1-10 how much they trust their mentee and how much they believe their mentee trusts them. They had to explain why and give examples of why they chose their respective rating number.
Tutoring Tuesday focused on getting students caught up in all their classes. We just had conferences so students were pretty aware of what they were missing and what they needed to work on.
On Wednesday, students finished up their trust bridges. It was fun to see all their creative projects and their hard work paying off. They were all very proud of their bridges.
Thursday, we talked about the difference between a ritual and a routine. Most students were aware of their routines but rituals was harder to conceptualize and apply to their current lives. They enjoyed putting a why to their routines and how it made them feel. Some students were honest about zoning out being on their phones or watching TV and put in some action steps towards not wasting so much time doing those activities.
No Fun Friday was Halloween Charades. Some funny examples were Frankenstein mowing the lawn, a witch getting her hair done and a zombie going through a McDonald's drive thru. Students loved it and everyone ended up participating.
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #10
Wow, 10 weeks into the school year, crazy how fast time flies!
This past week was a short week (No class Friday) but also long time wise because of parent teacher conferences. It was so great meeting so many parents and talking about how great their kids are and some specific ways we can work together to give their child the best education possible.
Mentor Monday was great. We went through We vs You language to try and emphasize how the mentors need to show the mentee they are on their side and in it together with them. After we went through a few scenarios of how to put that type of language into practice when talking about different topics with their mentees.
Tutoring Tuesday was great, students were really motivated to catch up in other classes. Mostly because they knew their parents would find out during conferences what work they were missing.
On Wednesday and Thursday we worked on Trust Bridges. The whole idea is that we want our mentoring relationships to have a great foundation and support throughout, just like a bridge, so that the relationship can last and withstand the good and the hard times. The students really got into it and created some great bridges!
Thanks for reading and tune in next week!
This past week was a short week (No class Friday) but also long time wise because of parent teacher conferences. It was so great meeting so many parents and talking about how great their kids are and some specific ways we can work together to give their child the best education possible.
Mentor Monday was great. We went through We vs You language to try and emphasize how the mentors need to show the mentee they are on their side and in it together with them. After we went through a few scenarios of how to put that type of language into practice when talking about different topics with their mentees.
Tutoring Tuesday was great, students were really motivated to catch up in other classes. Mostly because they knew their parents would find out during conferences what work they were missing.
On Wednesday and Thursday we worked on Trust Bridges. The whole idea is that we want our mentoring relationships to have a great foundation and support throughout, just like a bridge, so that the relationship can last and withstand the good and the hard times. The students really got into it and created some great bridges!
Thanks for reading and tune in next week!
Monday, October 16, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #9
Hello and welcome back to the Weekly Ranum!
This past week flew by! Students did great work all week and were really engaged.
On Tutoring Tuesday many students caught up in a lot of their classes. Conferences are this week so that may be part of the reason why.
Wednesday we completed the lesson called Today I choose...This lesson was all about the attitude and actions you want to follow that given day. For example you could say, today I choose to be positive or today I choose to help someone. Obviously we want the students to say something positive and overall I believe the students understood and like the idea of it.
On Thursday we learned about Social Emotional Learning and what it is all about. I told them that is basically the back bone of the YESS program but also for being a good person throughout life. We did a gallery walk where students learned about the 5 components of SEL; Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision Making.
For No Fun Friday we played Taboo/Fish Bowl. There were a bunch of random words on paper that was in a box that was passed around in a circle. When it was your turn you had to describe your word to the group and if they got it, you got a point. Each person had a minute to try and get as many points as possible. They loved it!
Another great week in the books!
This past week flew by! Students did great work all week and were really engaged.
On Tutoring Tuesday many students caught up in a lot of their classes. Conferences are this week so that may be part of the reason why.
Wednesday we completed the lesson called Today I choose...This lesson was all about the attitude and actions you want to follow that given day. For example you could say, today I choose to be positive or today I choose to help someone. Obviously we want the students to say something positive and overall I believe the students understood and like the idea of it.
On Thursday we learned about Social Emotional Learning and what it is all about. I told them that is basically the back bone of the YESS program but also for being a good person throughout life. We did a gallery walk where students learned about the 5 components of SEL; Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision Making.
For No Fun Friday we played Taboo/Fish Bowl. There were a bunch of random words on paper that was in a box that was passed around in a circle. When it was your turn you had to describe your word to the group and if they got it, you got a point. Each person had a minute to try and get as many points as possible. They loved it!
Another great week in the books!
Monday, October 9, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #8
Hello and welcome back!
We, the mentors and myself, kicked off the week by creating SMART goals for the mentees and our relationship for the school year. Most mentors really want to grow closer with their mentees and be their go to person.
Tutoring Tuesday went really well this week with most students catching up on some missing assignments and mentors had a chance to see their mentees assignment reports for other classes.
On Wednesday we partnered up and worked on "My Personal Goals". This worksheet had the students dive in a little deeper to see what their world and their values are like and see how those factors lead us towards certain goals.
Thursday we created our own social "networks" to see who are the groups of people we come into contact with every day and how our networks will continue to grow and we need to be able to use them to our advantage when searching for jobs, help or even some advice.
I was out of town on Friday but the substitute played some fun team building games and the report I got back was very positive!
Have a great week!
We, the mentors and myself, kicked off the week by creating SMART goals for the mentees and our relationship for the school year. Most mentors really want to grow closer with their mentees and be their go to person.
Tutoring Tuesday went really well this week with most students catching up on some missing assignments and mentors had a chance to see their mentees assignment reports for other classes.
On Wednesday we partnered up and worked on "My Personal Goals". This worksheet had the students dive in a little deeper to see what their world and their values are like and see how those factors lead us towards certain goals.
Thursday we created our own social "networks" to see who are the groups of people we come into contact with every day and how our networks will continue to grow and we need to be able to use them to our advantage when searching for jobs, help or even some advice.
I was out of town on Friday but the substitute played some fun team building games and the report I got back was very positive!
Have a great week!
Monday, October 2, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #7
Welcome back to the Weekly Ranum! Here's a quick update from this past week!
We had our second Mentor/Mentee Monday last week. The mentors were told their mentee pair for the year and we discussed any challenges we thought may come up to make sure that we had the best matches possible. Most mentors were satisfied with their mentees and excited to get started with them.
We had Tutoring Tuesday and the students seem to be a lot more engaged in it than last year. They are bringing work from other classes and most are using their time wisely.
Wednesday was the big day. We paired up mentors and mentees and started an activity called May I Introduce... It was their responsibility to ask each other a bunch of different questions to find out more about who they are, what they care about and what they'be done in the past or want to do in the future. After they had a good list of fun facts, they created a google slideshow introducing their mentee or mentor with as many fun facts as possible. Some students presented on Friday, and we'll have the rest present on Tuesday.
Overall, a great week of learning more in depth facts about one another!
Here's a link to a couple of their presentations (not 100% sure if you'll be able to view):
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1B4iPkW_vOwRzsQ_4iP-bVjaVKYHk24ixCYnEW1rvPbQ/edit?ts=59cea1bf#slide=id.p
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RUchgzTwwsR2LIhoLA5Qc3VXZVhkW3i9eJOjbu-o32w/edit?ts=59ce97e1#slide=id.p
We had our second Mentor/Mentee Monday last week. The mentors were told their mentee pair for the year and we discussed any challenges we thought may come up to make sure that we had the best matches possible. Most mentors were satisfied with their mentees and excited to get started with them.
We had Tutoring Tuesday and the students seem to be a lot more engaged in it than last year. They are bringing work from other classes and most are using their time wisely.
Wednesday was the big day. We paired up mentors and mentees and started an activity called May I Introduce... It was their responsibility to ask each other a bunch of different questions to find out more about who they are, what they care about and what they'be done in the past or want to do in the future. After they had a good list of fun facts, they created a google slideshow introducing their mentee or mentor with as many fun facts as possible. Some students presented on Friday, and we'll have the rest present on Tuesday.
Overall, a great week of learning more in depth facts about one another!
Here's a link to a couple of their presentations (not 100% sure if you'll be able to view):
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1B4iPkW_vOwRzsQ_4iP-bVjaVKYHk24ixCYnEW1rvPbQ/edit?ts=59cea1bf#slide=id.p
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RUchgzTwwsR2LIhoLA5Qc3VXZVhkW3i9eJOjbu-o32w/edit?ts=59ce97e1#slide=id.p
Monday, September 25, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #6
Welcome back to the Weekly Ranum!
Last Monday was our first Mentor/Mentee Monday of the year. During these classes the mentees and mentors are split up into different rooms. The mentees go over a self improvement curriculum called Why Try and the mentors work on their leadership skills and how they can better serve their mentees needs. After talking with the mentors, they are excited to be paired up and ready to dive in with their mentees.
Instead of Tutoring Tuesday we worked on Personal Values. Students went through a list of about 15-20 values and they had to determine which ones were very, kind of and not really important in their own lives. After, they had to justify why they chose some as very important over other values.
On Wednesday we re-wrote our top 3 mentee/mentor choices because students had decided to not give 100% on Friday when they had a substitute teacher. They were not extremely happy with this decision but they understood that this will continue to happen if they do not turn in their best work.
Since we wouldn't be seeing each other on Friday, I decided to have No Fun Friday on Thursday. Students were in teams of 4 and had to build the tallest paper tower using only 3 sheets of paper, 40 cm of tape, 1 ruler and 2 pairs of scissors. There were some really creative ideas that did not pan out, but there were also some that did not seem like they would work and they did really well.
Overall, it was another fun filled week. I'm hoping to have mentees and mentors paired up this week!
Quote of the week:
"I never want to leave this class" - 6th grade mentee, Serenity.
Last Monday was our first Mentor/Mentee Monday of the year. During these classes the mentees and mentors are split up into different rooms. The mentees go over a self improvement curriculum called Why Try and the mentors work on their leadership skills and how they can better serve their mentees needs. After talking with the mentors, they are excited to be paired up and ready to dive in with their mentees.
Instead of Tutoring Tuesday we worked on Personal Values. Students went through a list of about 15-20 values and they had to determine which ones were very, kind of and not really important in their own lives. After, they had to justify why they chose some as very important over other values.
On Wednesday we re-wrote our top 3 mentee/mentor choices because students had decided to not give 100% on Friday when they had a substitute teacher. They were not extremely happy with this decision but they understood that this will continue to happen if they do not turn in their best work.
Since we wouldn't be seeing each other on Friday, I decided to have No Fun Friday on Thursday. Students were in teams of 4 and had to build the tallest paper tower using only 3 sheets of paper, 40 cm of tape, 1 ruler and 2 pairs of scissors. There were some really creative ideas that did not pan out, but there were also some that did not seem like they would work and they did really well.
Overall, it was another fun filled week. I'm hoping to have mentees and mentors paired up this week!
Quote of the week:
"I never want to leave this class" - 6th grade mentee, Serenity.
Monday, September 18, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #5
This past week we finished our Mentoring in the Community projects on Monday. Most of the posters were well thought out and all were definitely creative and colorful.
Tutoring Tuesday allowed students the opportunity to catch up on some missing assignments they had in other classes. Students were focused and glad to have this extra time to work.
On Wednesday we had a team builder that challenged students to create the longest paper chain possible. Good communication skills were needed to follow directions and come up with the most efficient chain building method.
Thursday was the big day students have been waiting for, speed matching. Speed matching gives mentors and mentees the chance to meet and talk one on one and asking as many questions as possible to see if they are potentially good fits to work together for the entire year.
Friday I was out but students were responsible for coming up with their top 3 choices for mentors or mentees for the year. The better the reason, the better the chance you have of matching with them.
My phone isn't emailing pictures for some strange reason so no pictures right now but I'll try to have it figured out and uploaded at some point.
Thanks for reading!
Tutoring Tuesday allowed students the opportunity to catch up on some missing assignments they had in other classes. Students were focused and glad to have this extra time to work.
On Wednesday we had a team builder that challenged students to create the longest paper chain possible. Good communication skills were needed to follow directions and come up with the most efficient chain building method.
Thursday was the big day students have been waiting for, speed matching. Speed matching gives mentors and mentees the chance to meet and talk one on one and asking as many questions as possible to see if they are potentially good fits to work together for the entire year.
Friday I was out but students were responsible for coming up with their top 3 choices for mentors or mentees for the year. The better the reason, the better the chance you have of matching with them.
My phone isn't emailing pictures for some strange reason so no pictures right now but I'll try to have it figured out and uploaded at some point.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, September 11, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #4
Hello!
I was out Thursday and Friday so this past week was a short one for me which will make this a shorter than usual blog. Sorry there will be no pictures, my phone has run out of room, so I need to figure that out!
Last week we finished our Time Capsules. Some students got really into it so it will be exciting when they open them at the end of the year. The rest of the week we talked about why mentoring is so important and where does it occur in our communities. Students were responsible for coming up with their own examples and created their own "mentoring communities" on a map.
Overall I think students were surprised to see and hear all the examples of mentoring that happens all around us every single day. This week I'm hoping to get students finally paired up!
Thanks for reading!
I was out Thursday and Friday so this past week was a short one for me which will make this a shorter than usual blog. Sorry there will be no pictures, my phone has run out of room, so I need to figure that out!
Last week we finished our Time Capsules. Some students got really into it so it will be exciting when they open them at the end of the year. The rest of the week we talked about why mentoring is so important and where does it occur in our communities. Students were responsible for coming up with their own examples and created their own "mentoring communities" on a map.
Overall I think students were surprised to see and hear all the examples of mentoring that happens all around us every single day. This week I'm hoping to get students finally paired up!
Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #3
Hello!
Hope you all had a great long weekend. I'm sure the kiddos enjoyed the day off just as much as we did!
This past week we started off with shared agreements so we could determine the do's of the classroom and how we each learn best. We practiced our communication skills Tuesday with an activity that partnered students up and had one of them describe a picture while the other student had to draw it based solely on their partners description. They learned that they needed to be way more descriptive in their directions if they wanted the pictures to match.
On Wednesday we created a Coat of Arms that depicted how students describe themselves in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, things they care about and what they want their future to look like. Thursday, we started Time Capsules. Students love this activity because they have a chance to write to their future selves and see how much they have grown throughout the course of a school year.
For No Fun Friday we played scattergories. Students were challenged to come up with words that fit into a specific category, however, every word had to start with the same letter.
Overall, it was a great week!
Hope you all had a great long weekend. I'm sure the kiddos enjoyed the day off just as much as we did!
This past week we started off with shared agreements so we could determine the do's of the classroom and how we each learn best. We practiced our communication skills Tuesday with an activity that partnered students up and had one of them describe a picture while the other student had to draw it based solely on their partners description. They learned that they needed to be way more descriptive in their directions if they wanted the pictures to match.
On Wednesday we created a Coat of Arms that depicted how students describe themselves in terms of their strengths, weaknesses, things they care about and what they want their future to look like. Thursday, we started Time Capsules. Students love this activity because they have a chance to write to their future selves and see how much they have grown throughout the course of a school year.
For No Fun Friday we played scattergories. Students were challenged to come up with words that fit into a specific category, however, every word had to start with the same letter.
Overall, it was a great week!
Monday, August 28, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #2
Hello!
We had a very busy yet exciting full week of school which was kicked off by the Solar Eclipse on Monday. We had the entire school outside at the peak time and the students were amazed at how "cool" it looked! They even noticed the slight drop in temperature! Later that day, in class, we designed and decorated our journals that students will use throughout the year.
On Tuesday our activity was all about providing more information about ourselves. Our likes, dislikes, things we've done in the past, places we've been, etc. We then shared out this information by rotating around the room and talking with some new faces.
Wednesday, we discussed the difference between a regular student and a scholar student. Students discovered what that definition means to them personally and the supports they will need from themselves, the teachers and others in order to be a scholar student.
Thursday, Introduction Bingo was the main activity and again it was all about moving around the room and finding out more information about other students. Everyone had a bingo card and on the squares it had different fun facts like, "has more than 3 dogs" or "favorite food is pizza", so it was the students responsibilities to find other students that fit into those squares.
On No Fun Friday we played a cup stacking game where students were in groups and the had pieces of string tied to a rubber band and it was their job to work together, using only that rubber band, to stack cups into different formations. Some students became frustrated but overall there was a lot of great communication skills utilized.
We had a very busy yet exciting full week of school which was kicked off by the Solar Eclipse on Monday. We had the entire school outside at the peak time and the students were amazed at how "cool" it looked! They even noticed the slight drop in temperature! Later that day, in class, we designed and decorated our journals that students will use throughout the year.
On Tuesday our activity was all about providing more information about ourselves. Our likes, dislikes, things we've done in the past, places we've been, etc. We then shared out this information by rotating around the room and talking with some new faces.
Wednesday, we discussed the difference between a regular student and a scholar student. Students discovered what that definition means to them personally and the supports they will need from themselves, the teachers and others in order to be a scholar student.
Thursday, Introduction Bingo was the main activity and again it was all about moving around the room and finding out more information about other students. Everyone had a bingo card and on the squares it had different fun facts like, "has more than 3 dogs" or "favorite food is pizza", so it was the students responsibilities to find other students that fit into those squares.
On No Fun Friday we played a cup stacking game where students were in groups and the had pieces of string tied to a rubber band and it was their job to work together, using only that rubber band, to stack cups into different formations. Some students became frustrated but overall there was a lot of great communication skills utilized.
Monday, August 21, 2017
The Weekly Ranum: Edition #1
Hello!
Welcome back to another fun filled YESS program year at Ranum Middle School!
School started last Tuesday (8/15) with a nice mix of excitement from past students and nervousness from the incoming 6th graders. Everyone started the day in their Knighthood Families where they learned more about what's new this year at Ranum and some logistics. The day ended with class rotations which gave teachers and students a chance to see how their schedule will run and what their classes are about.
The rest of the week was all about team building activities in the YESS program. We focused on learning names, getting out of our comfort zones and seeing what YESS is all about.
Overall it was a fast and fun week and we're all excited to see the solar eclipse today!
Welcome back to another fun filled YESS program year at Ranum Middle School!
School started last Tuesday (8/15) with a nice mix of excitement from past students and nervousness from the incoming 6th graders. Everyone started the day in their Knighthood Families where they learned more about what's new this year at Ranum and some logistics. The day ended with class rotations which gave teachers and students a chance to see how their schedule will run and what their classes are about.
The rest of the week was all about team building activities in the YESS program. We focused on learning names, getting out of our comfort zones and seeing what YESS is all about.
Overall it was a fast and fun week and we're all excited to see the solar eclipse today!
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Ranum Week 35
Hello!
I still can't believe that the school year ended last week. It felt like this year flew by with all of the fun and engaging activities we completed.
It was your typical last week of school with lots of celebrations, field trips and of course, kids bouncing off the walls ready for summer to start.
On Monday we created superlatives for the mentees and the mentors. Some were comical, such as, most likely to never cut their hair all year, to humbling words like most likely to be valedictorian. We used these superlatives for our end of year party which was on Tuesday. We also opened our Time Capsules from the beginning of the year. Most students had forgotten about them so they were super excited to open them up and explore what they put inside their envelopes at the beginning of the year. Many of them checked to see if they had grown and were surprised to see that they actually did.
On Wednesday, 8th graders went on a field trip to Chautauqua State Park and hiked around all day so I was left hanging out with the mentees. We talked about how they felt their year had gone and we ended by watching some Brain Games. On Thursday, the last day of school, we had rotations so I did not see most of my YESS students throughout the day but, as a school, we participated in a lot of fun activities like angry birds, memory book creating, Kahoot! and puzzles/games.
Overall, another great year with a lot of great students. I wish all of them a fun filled and safe summer break and I can't wait to see most of them next year! To all my 8th graders, I know you're going to move on and do great things in High School and beyond, best of luck!
I still can't believe that the school year ended last week. It felt like this year flew by with all of the fun and engaging activities we completed.
It was your typical last week of school with lots of celebrations, field trips and of course, kids bouncing off the walls ready for summer to start.
On Monday we created superlatives for the mentees and the mentors. Some were comical, such as, most likely to never cut their hair all year, to humbling words like most likely to be valedictorian. We used these superlatives for our end of year party which was on Tuesday. We also opened our Time Capsules from the beginning of the year. Most students had forgotten about them so they were super excited to open them up and explore what they put inside their envelopes at the beginning of the year. Many of them checked to see if they had grown and were surprised to see that they actually did.
On Wednesday, 8th graders went on a field trip to Chautauqua State Park and hiked around all day so I was left hanging out with the mentees. We talked about how they felt their year had gone and we ended by watching some Brain Games. On Thursday, the last day of school, we had rotations so I did not see most of my YESS students throughout the day but, as a school, we participated in a lot of fun activities like angry birds, memory book creating, Kahoot! and puzzles/games.
Overall, another great year with a lot of great students. I wish all of them a fun filled and safe summer break and I can't wait to see most of them next year! To all my 8th graders, I know you're going to move on and do great things in High School and beyond, best of luck!
Monday, May 22, 2017
Ranum Week 34
Welcome back!
For our last full week of school we were all about giving back to the community that we live in. At the beginning of the week we decided to pick up trash and recycling all around the school. At first I thought the students may not be into it, but they were all about it. Running around outside and filling as many trash bags as possible. They turned it into a competition and it ended up being awesome for everyone involved.
For our last full week of school we were all about giving back to the community that we live in. At the beginning of the week we decided to pick up trash and recycling all around the school. At first I thought the students may not be into it, but they were all about it. Running around outside and filling as many trash bags as possible. They turned it into a competition and it ended up being awesome for everyone involved.
We also had our Middle School year end event. Thank you to everyone who came. I like to think that Ranum Middle School had the most students show up which makes me super proud. We had great speakers all night. Special shout outs to Oanh, Zowie, Isabelle, Alejandra and our very own Vice Principal, Mr. "Wally" Walters, for standing on stage and speaking in front of everyone. Also, shout outs to Zowie and Carlos for winning Mentor and Mentee of the year. It was a really fun night and we hope you can all make it next year!
Towards the end of the week we continued with community service by writing lettings and drawing encouraging pictures/words to different individuals in need of some love and support. Students could choose to support people from the children's hospital, veteran's of armed forces or the homeless. It was very rewarding and helps students gain perspective on the simple things in life they should be thankful for.
Overall, a very rewarding (final, full) week of school! 4 days left until summer break!
Monday, May 15, 2017
Ranum Week 33
Hello and welcome back!
Last week was all about Love Cups. This is a fun and interactive activity that allows students to be really creative about sharing the good and the bad things that happen in their lives.
The Love Cup is a metaphor that helps us figure out how much of ourselves we are able to give to others. It is also a reminder that taking care of yourself is just as important as caring for others. You need to be able to take care of yourself, before you can help others.
So, the first part is to figure out what makes you happy, or what brings you joy. It could be physical like working out or it could be something emotional such as talking about your feelings with your friends. Reading can be an intellectual was to bring you joy, or even going to church or meditating can be good for the spirit/soul. All of these things that bring you joy will fill your cup up.
Now come the things in your life that take away your happiness. It could be as simple as forgetting a problem on a test, all the way to coming home to parents who always argue. No matter how big or small, these are the holes that take away your joy by leaking out of the cup.
Finally, here's the important part, plugging those holes in your cup. This can be any healthy outlet you use to stop the leak. For example, listening to music, playing sports, and not hanging out with those negative friends in your life can all be good ways of stopping those negative leaks.
Overall it was a fun project and students always have a lot of fun with it. Only 9 days left!
Last week was all about Love Cups. This is a fun and interactive activity that allows students to be really creative about sharing the good and the bad things that happen in their lives.
The Love Cup is a metaphor that helps us figure out how much of ourselves we are able to give to others. It is also a reminder that taking care of yourself is just as important as caring for others. You need to be able to take care of yourself, before you can help others.
So, the first part is to figure out what makes you happy, or what brings you joy. It could be physical like working out or it could be something emotional such as talking about your feelings with your friends. Reading can be an intellectual was to bring you joy, or even going to church or meditating can be good for the spirit/soul. All of these things that bring you joy will fill your cup up.
Now come the things in your life that take away your happiness. It could be as simple as forgetting a problem on a test, all the way to coming home to parents who always argue. No matter how big or small, these are the holes that take away your joy by leaking out of the cup.
Finally, here's the important part, plugging those holes in your cup. This can be any healthy outlet you use to stop the leak. For example, listening to music, playing sports, and not hanging out with those negative friends in your life can all be good ways of stopping those negative leaks.
Overall it was a fun project and students always have a lot of fun with it. Only 9 days left!
Monday, May 8, 2017
Ranum Week 32
Hello!
Last week flew by and was a little crazy at times because of an end of the week Field Day!
Our big project for last week was all about media and body image. We first talked about how the media will try to sell things to you in a bunch of different ways. One way being, to make you feel guilty about yourself and how you NEED their product to help you fix that "issue". So, we talked a lot about advertisements and what those look like, who they're targeting, what's their end goal, etc.
The following day we focused on magazines and all of the positive and negative words/pictures that are displayed. It was the students' jobs to go through these magazines and cut out as many positive and negative words/pictures and give reason to why they think it's one way or the other. For example, there is a lot of photoshop in pictures that try to hide blemishes and make people look completely different their natural look, so that was a big one that students could find easily.
Also, students found a lot of diets in magazines and most of the time, those ads try to make people feel like they're not skinny enough. On the bright side, students found a lot of positive words that they included in their posters.
Overall, a great lesson that students had a fun time exploring! See you next week!
Last week flew by and was a little crazy at times because of an end of the week Field Day!
Our big project for last week was all about media and body image. We first talked about how the media will try to sell things to you in a bunch of different ways. One way being, to make you feel guilty about yourself and how you NEED their product to help you fix that "issue". So, we talked a lot about advertisements and what those look like, who they're targeting, what's their end goal, etc.
The following day we focused on magazines and all of the positive and negative words/pictures that are displayed. It was the students' jobs to go through these magazines and cut out as many positive and negative words/pictures and give reason to why they think it's one way or the other. For example, there is a lot of photoshop in pictures that try to hide blemishes and make people look completely different their natural look, so that was a big one that students could find easily.
Also, students found a lot of diets in magazines and most of the time, those ads try to make people feel like they're not skinny enough. On the bright side, students found a lot of positive words that they included in their posters.
Overall, a great lesson that students had a fun time exploring! See you next week!
Monday, May 1, 2017
Ranum Week 31
Hello!
This week was all about getting back into the swing of things post testing so we jumped right into Life Maps.
Life Maps are all about the ups and downs that occur in your life and how you persevere to overcome/ flourish in them. We talked about earliest positive and negative memories we could remember from our childhoods. We also discussed both positive and negative significant events and changes that have occurred in our lives.
There were great discussions between mentees and mentors about these topics and a realization that even though we are young, we have all been through our fair share of challenging times.
See you next week!
This week was all about getting back into the swing of things post testing so we jumped right into Life Maps.
Life Maps are all about the ups and downs that occur in your life and how you persevere to overcome/ flourish in them. We talked about earliest positive and negative memories we could remember from our childhoods. We also discussed both positive and negative significant events and changes that have occurred in our lives.
There were great discussions between mentees and mentors about these topics and a realization that even though we are young, we have all been through our fair share of challenging times.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Ranum Week 31
Hello all!
Last week was all PARCC testing in the morning and all fun and games in the afternoon. Unfortunately we did not have any formal YESS classes last week but this week we will make up for it!
See you next week!
Last week was all PARCC testing in the morning and all fun and games in the afternoon. Unfortunately we did not have any formal YESS classes last week but this week we will make up for it!
See you next week!
Monday, April 17, 2017
Ranum Week 30!
Hello and welcome back!
Last week we worked on Test Taking and Note Taking skills in order to prepare students for the upcoming PARCC testing this week.
The Test Taking lesson gave students some helpful hints on how to handle themselves before, during and after tests. Studying is obviously very important but you do not want to over study and end up losing sleep because that will effect how much of it you'll actually remember. Students asked great questions and some even shared their study tips that have worked well for them. Including, eating before taking a test, breathing exercises, and even as simple as just going to the bathroom to take that distraction away.
The Note Taking lesson tested students ability to take notes in a multitude of ways. The first was strictly auditory, so I read them a short story and they had to pick out the important parts to write down for notes. Then I quizzed them on the story. After that, they watched a video that had no audio so their notes were based off of what they saw and then they were quizzed. Finally, I showed them another video that had a lot of dates but it had audio and visuals so it was a little easier to take notes.
Overall, it was a great test of their note taking abilities and realization of what they need to work on/listen for in the future when they're taking notes.
Thanks for reading, have a great week!
Last week we worked on Test Taking and Note Taking skills in order to prepare students for the upcoming PARCC testing this week.
The Test Taking lesson gave students some helpful hints on how to handle themselves before, during and after tests. Studying is obviously very important but you do not want to over study and end up losing sleep because that will effect how much of it you'll actually remember. Students asked great questions and some even shared their study tips that have worked well for them. Including, eating before taking a test, breathing exercises, and even as simple as just going to the bathroom to take that distraction away.
The Note Taking lesson tested students ability to take notes in a multitude of ways. The first was strictly auditory, so I read them a short story and they had to pick out the important parts to write down for notes. Then I quizzed them on the story. After that, they watched a video that had no audio so their notes were based off of what they saw and then they were quizzed. Finally, I showed them another video that had a lot of dates but it had audio and visuals so it was a little easier to take notes.
Overall, it was a great test of their note taking abilities and realization of what they need to work on/listen for in the future when they're taking notes.
Thanks for reading, have a great week!
Monday, April 10, 2017
Ranum - Post Spring Break!
Hello!
It was a short but action packed week coming back from Spring break.
Tuesday was a chance for all of us to talk and catch up on how everyone's break was. If there were any issues that needed to be resolved we talked about them, but basically we just tried to gear up for this final stretch of the year.
On Wednesday and Thursday, we created Treasure Maps. Students cut out pictures and words from magazines that they wanted to connect to their future. For example, they could look for the house of their dreams, a location on an island to build that house, a picture of a fishing pole that could represent a favorite hobby. Basically they were trying to associate pictures and words with their future life (a.k.a the things they treasure).
(Sorry it's upside down)
On Friday we participated in a team builder called the Egg Drop Challenge. Students were randomly assigned to teams and with a bunch of different supplies they had to create a structure that could hold and protect and egg from a 12 foot drop. They had a lot of fun with this activity even though only about 1 in 3 eggs survived.
Have a great week!
It was a short but action packed week coming back from Spring break.
Tuesday was a chance for all of us to talk and catch up on how everyone's break was. If there were any issues that needed to be resolved we talked about them, but basically we just tried to gear up for this final stretch of the year.
On Wednesday and Thursday, we created Treasure Maps. Students cut out pictures and words from magazines that they wanted to connect to their future. For example, they could look for the house of their dreams, a location on an island to build that house, a picture of a fishing pole that could represent a favorite hobby. Basically they were trying to associate pictures and words with their future life (a.k.a the things they treasure).
On Friday we participated in a team builder called the Egg Drop Challenge. Students were randomly assigned to teams and with a bunch of different supplies they had to create a structure that could hold and protect and egg from a 12 foot drop. They had a lot of fun with this activity even though only about 1 in 3 eggs survived.
Have a great week!
Monday, March 20, 2017
Ranum Week 28
Hello and welcome back!
We continued with the future planning portion of our curriculum this week.
The whole week was focused around interview skills because there will be a lot of interviews and auditions in life and students need to be prepared to handle those stressful situations.
Students learned about some interview skills such as eye contact, a solid handshake, voice control and how to answer a question completely. For the activity portion, I had students create a script of what a good job interview would look like and what a poor job interview would look like. After they wrote their scripts, I had them choose and perform in front of the class either the good interview or the poor interview. They had a lot of fun with the skits, most chose the poor interview in order to be funny, but the joke was on them because it still showed others what not to do and if students know what not to do, that's a great start on figuring out what to do!
Sorry there are no photos for this week! But come back next week (THE LAST WEEK BEFORE SPRING BREAK!!)
We continued with the future planning portion of our curriculum this week.
The whole week was focused around interview skills because there will be a lot of interviews and auditions in life and students need to be prepared to handle those stressful situations.
Students learned about some interview skills such as eye contact, a solid handshake, voice control and how to answer a question completely. For the activity portion, I had students create a script of what a good job interview would look like and what a poor job interview would look like. After they wrote their scripts, I had them choose and perform in front of the class either the good interview or the poor interview. They had a lot of fun with the skits, most chose the poor interview in order to be funny, but the joke was on them because it still showed others what not to do and if students know what not to do, that's a great start on figuring out what to do!
Sorry there are no photos for this week! But come back next week (THE LAST WEEK BEFORE SPRING BREAK!!)
Monday, March 13, 2017
Ranum Week 27
Hello!
This past week was all about finance. We started by playing the stock market game. Each pair is given $2,000 to spend however they wish on the stock market. They can purchase any amount of shares of any company they are interested in. I had them choose a minimum of 3 companies for diversification reasons. We will check back in a month and at the end of the year to see who's stocks grew by the most. Students had a lot of fun with this and were excited about investing in the future.
We also worked on budgeting and how to keep a budget. This was a little tricky since most students do not really make an income but I gave them imaginary careers and it was their job to figure out how much they could spend on housing, a car, leisure items, etc.
On Friday we played the game of Life because it was a good wrap up of everything we learned this week. Students had a lot of fun with it not just as a board game but they viewed it now as their potential future so they had to be smarter with their money and life choices.
This past week was all about finance. We started by playing the stock market game. Each pair is given $2,000 to spend however they wish on the stock market. They can purchase any amount of shares of any company they are interested in. I had them choose a minimum of 3 companies for diversification reasons. We will check back in a month and at the end of the year to see who's stocks grew by the most. Students had a lot of fun with this and were excited about investing in the future.
We also worked on budgeting and how to keep a budget. This was a little tricky since most students do not really make an income but I gave them imaginary careers and it was their job to figure out how much they could spend on housing, a car, leisure items, etc.
On Friday we played the game of Life because it was a good wrap up of everything we learned this week. Students had a lot of fun with it not just as a board game but they viewed it now as their potential future so they had to be smarter with their money and life choices.
Another great week in the books!
Monday, March 6, 2017
Ranum Week 26
Hello and welcome back to the YESS program at Ranum Middle School blog!
This past week started off with mentor Monday and I had students present their leaders in history. They created a slideshow talking about a leader they admired and what made that person a great leader. Overall, the presents went well, the students do need to work on eye contact and not putting blocks of text/reading straight off the powerpoint but they are definitely improving!
Tutoring Tuesday went well. I printed off some new worksheets and found a math worksheet they were currently working on so students were happy to get the extra help there.
Wednesday and Thursday was all about wealth and what it means. We watched some short videos about wealth inequality here in America and globally around the world. We also saw a video on what it means to be a minimalist and how it effected some peoples lives for the good. These videos brought about great conversations of material wealth and how that is spread throughout the world. After the discussion, I had students talk about what they value besides money and how they value money depending on their moods (ex. Good/happy mood could equal donating money/giving to a friend).
Friday we did a team builder called spaghetti towers. It's like the marshmallow challenge but I do not require students to just have a structure that supports 1 marshmallow at the end. I give them just spaghetti and mini marshmallows and have them build the highest tower possible. It was great seeing students work together and collaborate. Here are some pictures:
Another great week in the books!
This past week started off with mentor Monday and I had students present their leaders in history. They created a slideshow talking about a leader they admired and what made that person a great leader. Overall, the presents went well, the students do need to work on eye contact and not putting blocks of text/reading straight off the powerpoint but they are definitely improving!
Tutoring Tuesday went well. I printed off some new worksheets and found a math worksheet they were currently working on so students were happy to get the extra help there.
Wednesday and Thursday was all about wealth and what it means. We watched some short videos about wealth inequality here in America and globally around the world. We also saw a video on what it means to be a minimalist and how it effected some peoples lives for the good. These videos brought about great conversations of material wealth and how that is spread throughout the world. After the discussion, I had students talk about what they value besides money and how they value money depending on their moods (ex. Good/happy mood could equal donating money/giving to a friend).
Friday we did a team builder called spaghetti towers. It's like the marshmallow challenge but I do not require students to just have a structure that supports 1 marshmallow at the end. I give them just spaghetti and mini marshmallows and have them build the highest tower possible. It was great seeing students work together and collaborate. Here are some pictures:
Monday, February 27, 2017
Ranum Week 25
Hello all!
This was a short week for students and an even shorter week for me since I was out on Thursday and Friday.
Tutoring Tuesday went well with mentors and mentees working together to try and get as many worksheets/homework done as possible. The competition has motivated students to work even harder.
On Wednesday, we finished our career questions and took a deeper dive into the multiple career paths that students are thinking about and the education that needs to go with it.
Thursday and Friday I had the substitute show the movie Inside Out. It's a great film about a girl who moves to a different part of the country and how her emotions effect her mood and turn her into a person she doesn't even recognize. Luckily her emotions save the day for her and show that you're supposed to go through all your emotions sometimes and how it's healthy to acknowledge them and not just ignore the negative ones.
Looking forward to a full week this week! Have a great day!
This was a short week for students and an even shorter week for me since I was out on Thursday and Friday.
Tutoring Tuesday went well with mentors and mentees working together to try and get as many worksheets/homework done as possible. The competition has motivated students to work even harder.
On Wednesday, we finished our career questions and took a deeper dive into the multiple career paths that students are thinking about and the education that needs to go with it.
Thursday and Friday I had the substitute show the movie Inside Out. It's a great film about a girl who moves to a different part of the country and how her emotions effect her mood and turn her into a person she doesn't even recognize. Luckily her emotions save the day for her and show that you're supposed to go through all your emotions sometimes and how it's healthy to acknowledge them and not just ignore the negative ones.
Looking forward to a full week this week! Have a great day!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Ranum Week 24
Welcome back!
Hope you all had a great long weekend! Last week was all about College and Career.
On Wednesday we looked into what college has to offer and all of its benefits. I asked students to try and name as many colleges and majors as they could and I was surprised by the amount of colleges some students knew. They also had a lot of questions about college life and how class schedules worked so it ended up being an engaging conversation.
On Thursday and Friday, students chose a career path that interested them and had to research and answer questions based on their career choice. I tried to make sure their choice was realistic and reasonable (ex. not a "youtuber" or an NFL player). The questions helped them discover the salary range, whether the job is growing or not, what part of the country has a need for it, etc. The students enjoyed researching and finding more about all the careers that are out there.
Overall, it was a great week and we will continue with exploring our futures this week.
Hope you all had a great long weekend! Last week was all about College and Career.
On Wednesday we looked into what college has to offer and all of its benefits. I asked students to try and name as many colleges and majors as they could and I was surprised by the amount of colleges some students knew. They also had a lot of questions about college life and how class schedules worked so it ended up being an engaging conversation.
On Thursday and Friday, students chose a career path that interested them and had to research and answer questions based on their career choice. I tried to make sure their choice was realistic and reasonable (ex. not a "youtuber" or an NFL player). The questions helped them discover the salary range, whether the job is growing or not, what part of the country has a need for it, etc. The students enjoyed researching and finding more about all the careers that are out there.
Overall, it was a great week and we will continue with exploring our futures this week.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Ranum Week 23
Hello!
This past week we focused on the top 10 habits that lead to success and learning styles assessment.
There are 3 main learning styles:
Kinesthetic - Prefers to learn by doing (projects, activities they can hold, etc)
Visual - Learn through seeing examples (maps, diagrams, etc)
Auditory - Learns best by hearing (directions, projects, etc)
Students took a quick assessment to see which learning style they most likely fall into. Some were surprised with their results but most knew the way they learned best. The great part about this was they got to see and hear what other ways people and their friends learn best.
We also looked at the top 10 habits that lead to success. Most of the students felt they were not really hitting on any of the top 10 but they felt there were a few they can try to master before the end of the year. The ones they felt they could turn around include, learn from failure, start everyday new, and choose your attitude.
Overall, it was a solid learning week and I'm excited for this week!
This past week we focused on the top 10 habits that lead to success and learning styles assessment.
There are 3 main learning styles:
Kinesthetic - Prefers to learn by doing (projects, activities they can hold, etc)
Visual - Learn through seeing examples (maps, diagrams, etc)
Auditory - Learns best by hearing (directions, projects, etc)
Students took a quick assessment to see which learning style they most likely fall into. Some were surprised with their results but most knew the way they learned best. The great part about this was they got to see and hear what other ways people and their friends learn best.
We also looked at the top 10 habits that lead to success. Most of the students felt they were not really hitting on any of the top 10 but they felt there were a few they can try to master before the end of the year. The ones they felt they could turn around include, learn from failure, start everyday new, and choose your attitude.
Overall, it was a solid learning week and I'm excited for this week!
Monday, February 6, 2017
Ranum Week 22
Welcome back to the Ranum blog!
Last week we finished accountability by performing skits that fell somewhere on the accountability ladder. The students had a lot of fun with the skits that involved not taking accountability but were also very much aware of what it means to be responsible and accountable in different situations. The skits ranged from students getting into car accidents, to teaching in the classroom and even to playing some pick up baseball and breaking a window. Overall, they were very creative and it was entertaining watching their skits.
We wrapped up the week by working on hand contracts. Hand contracts are agreements between mentors and mentees for the rest of the year. Most mentees wrote about how they would go to their mentors if they needed any help with anything and mentors wrote about how they would try communicating better with their mentees outside of the classroom. It was a fun activity and another great way for mentors and mentees to hold each other accountable.
Also, we handed out our t-shirts!
Have a great week!
Last week we finished accountability by performing skits that fell somewhere on the accountability ladder. The students had a lot of fun with the skits that involved not taking accountability but were also very much aware of what it means to be responsible and accountable in different situations. The skits ranged from students getting into car accidents, to teaching in the classroom and even to playing some pick up baseball and breaking a window. Overall, they were very creative and it was entertaining watching their skits.
We wrapped up the week by working on hand contracts. Hand contracts are agreements between mentors and mentees for the rest of the year. Most mentees wrote about how they would go to their mentors if they needed any help with anything and mentors wrote about how they would try communicating better with their mentees outside of the classroom. It was a fun activity and another great way for mentors and mentees to hold each other accountable.
Also, we handed out our t-shirts!
Have a great week!
Monday, January 30, 2017
Ranum Week 21
Hello!
This past week was all about accountability!
After Mentor Monday and Tutoring Tuesday we went through an entire PowerPoint about accountability. Students from most classes seemed to correlate being accountable with being responsible which was great. They also learned that there are times in life when we are faced with a difficult decision...we can either admit that something was our fault and deal with the consequences or we can be dishonest, feel guilt ridden and then make the consequences 10 times worse.
We had great discussions about times where we did the right thing and when we did the wrong thing. We talked about how easy it can seem at the time to just push something off and not take accountability for it but in the end it is definitely worth it just to admit something, take accountability, and deal with the repercussions.
On Thursday I gave the students a couple different scenarios and it was their job to end them in both an accountable way and an irresponsible way. They had a lot of fun with it and made up some pretty funny stories. Here is an example of some of their work:
We can't wait to get this week started, see you next week!
This past week was all about accountability!
After Mentor Monday and Tutoring Tuesday we went through an entire PowerPoint about accountability. Students from most classes seemed to correlate being accountable with being responsible which was great. They also learned that there are times in life when we are faced with a difficult decision...we can either admit that something was our fault and deal with the consequences or we can be dishonest, feel guilt ridden and then make the consequences 10 times worse.
We had great discussions about times where we did the right thing and when we did the wrong thing. We talked about how easy it can seem at the time to just push something off and not take accountability for it but in the end it is definitely worth it just to admit something, take accountability, and deal with the repercussions.
On Thursday I gave the students a couple different scenarios and it was their job to end them in both an accountable way and an irresponsible way. They had a lot of fun with it and made up some pretty funny stories. Here is an example of some of their work:
We can't wait to get this week started, see you next week!
Monday, January 23, 2017
Ranum Week 20
Hello and welcome back!
Last week we worked on ESMART goals and I am poems.
ESMART goals are different from typical goals because you need to be able to justify and hold yourself accountable with an ESMART goal. ESMART is an acronym for Emotional, Specific, Measurable, Action Steps, Reasonableness, and Time oriented goals. If a student claimed they had a goal, they needed to back it up by filling in all of those categories or else it was more of a dream than a goal. Most students thought long term about future careers and where they'll be while some thought about the here and now and just really wanted to graduate from middle school.
Our next assignment was I am poems. I am poems are great because you get to do a self analysis and answer questions about yourself that you typically wouldn't even think about. The beginning of every line would start with "I" and it would be followed by "wonder", "feel", "cry", "dream", etc. This way students were challenged to think about themselves and only themselves. Here are a few examples of what the students came up with:
Overall this was another great week and we'll try to keep the great momentum we have going!
Last week we worked on ESMART goals and I am poems.
ESMART goals are different from typical goals because you need to be able to justify and hold yourself accountable with an ESMART goal. ESMART is an acronym for Emotional, Specific, Measurable, Action Steps, Reasonableness, and Time oriented goals. If a student claimed they had a goal, they needed to back it up by filling in all of those categories or else it was more of a dream than a goal. Most students thought long term about future careers and where they'll be while some thought about the here and now and just really wanted to graduate from middle school.
Our next assignment was I am poems. I am poems are great because you get to do a self analysis and answer questions about yourself that you typically wouldn't even think about. The beginning of every line would start with "I" and it would be followed by "wonder", "feel", "cry", "dream", etc. This way students were challenged to think about themselves and only themselves. Here are a few examples of what the students came up with:
Overall this was another great week and we'll try to keep the great momentum we have going!
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Ranum Week 19
First full week back since break and the students did an awesome job on our Heart, Mind and Soul project.
The idea of the project began by answering a bunch of questions that correlated with different parts of the body. For example, students were asked about different things in their lives that stress them out and that correlated with their shoulders because it can weigh you down and feel like a burden on your back. Another example was your heart correlating with your passions and things you care about.
Student's answers ranged from family stressing them out to bullying at school. Or their goals in life being graduating college and their passions being helping others.
Here is a picture of some examples, if you can zoom in you can see all of their answers!
Overall it was a great project and we're all excited for another short week this week!
The idea of the project began by answering a bunch of questions that correlated with different parts of the body. For example, students were asked about different things in their lives that stress them out and that correlated with their shoulders because it can weigh you down and feel like a burden on your back. Another example was your heart correlating with your passions and things you care about.
Student's answers ranged from family stressing them out to bullying at school. Or their goals in life being graduating college and their passions being helping others.
Here is a picture of some examples, if you can zoom in you can see all of their answers!
Overall it was a great project and we're all excited for another short week this week!
Monday, January 9, 2017
Ranum Week 18
Welcome back!
It was a long winter break with a super short returning week. We were only in school 2 days last week (thank you snow storm!) but we managed to complete a couple of small activities. On our very first day back, we created basic goals to start the new year. Students could choose any goal that they wished. It could be school based, home based, sport based, club based, etc. Here is an example of one students' goals:
On Friday we played a team builder that challenged students to describe a word to their teammates with both verbal (taboo) and non verbal clues (charades). It forced students to be creative with their descriptions and get out of their comfort zone by trying to act out different words. I'm excited to get a full week in and see if the students are ready to finish the year strong.
See you next week!
It was a long winter break with a super short returning week. We were only in school 2 days last week (thank you snow storm!) but we managed to complete a couple of small activities. On our very first day back, we created basic goals to start the new year. Students could choose any goal that they wished. It could be school based, home based, sport based, club based, etc. Here is an example of one students' goals:
See you next week!
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