My previous vice principal, Kristi, inspires many of my blog posts, and she’s definitely done so here. Earlier this evening, she blogged about her great day at school, and she asked us to think about what made our day great. All day today, I’ve been thinking about what a fantastic day it’s been, so I’m very happy to share a “good news” post of my own.

One of my students that usually struggles in reading and writing, independently used the first and last sounds in words around the classroom to label all of the colours and items in her dinosaur sketch. She knew that she labelled everything correctly, and she celebrated this accomplishment even before seeking praise from me.

A couple of students taught each other how to use Scratch Junior to create their own labelled, interactive dinosaur sketches. Despite most of the class using paper for their plans, these two spoke up about why Scratch Junior was a better option for them (“It’s easier for me to draw with my finger, Miss Dunsiger,” and “I leave spaces much better on the iPad than on paper. I also find it really hard to make all of the letters perfectly.”), and they showed just how powerful this program can be.

A Screenshot Of What This Student Created

All of my students proved that they can be great math thinkers. They looked critically at the 3-D figures that we made out of newspapers yesterday, spoke about why some worked well and some didn’t, and figured out ways to make them better. They also looked at the impact of mass on their “dinosaur skeleton” design, and planned ahead to meet with more success.

Click On The Image To Hear The Podcast

I shared many chuckles with my students and colleagues today. Laughter’s good, and I love that I can laugh inside of class and out. There was lots of laughing today.

I listened to a student read all on her own today. She made a few mistakes, but she went back and corrected most of her errors. She started the year not reading, and now, she’s a real reader. We were both bursting with smiles and pride when she was done reading. What a great accomplishment!

The students took responsibility to get started on creating their newspaper dinosaurs all on their own (as soon as they were finished eating their lunches), and they persevered, even though the task was tough. They could only use newspapers and tape to create their “dinosaur skeletons,” and it was tricky to get the newspaper standing and make a stable dinosaur structure. Many toppled over. Numerous students had to start again. But there were no tears or “I can’t’s.” Persevering paid off: in the end, every dinosaur skeleton was complete, and they were all stable enough to sit or stand up as planned. 

Everybody helped each other. As students completed their dinosaur skeletons, they went and supported their friends. We shared in the group success of finishing all of our designs today. We also shared in the massive clean-up of scissors, tape, and newspapers … but despite the mess, we were done in less than 10 minutes because team work matters.

I ended the day hearing words that make my heart incredibly happy. I listened as students discussed the value of school. Here’s just a little bit of what I overheard …

Yes, teaching is my job, but it’s also my passion. I’m so lucky to do what I love to do every single day. Kristi’s post reminds me about the importance of focusing on the positive because every day can be as wonderful as today. What made your day great? Let’s all share some happy news!

Aviva