Our First QFT This Year

I know, I know....wtf is a QFT?

QFT stands for Question Formulation Technique. It requires students to generate and prioritize their own questions about a topic.

Today we are working on our first QFT for the year. For many of my third graders this is the first time they will have experienced the strategy so it will be highly scaffolded over the course of the year and this time will be heavy with teacher support.

For today we are just reviewing the rules for generating questions:
1. Ask as many questions as you can
2. Do not stop to judge, answer, or discuss the questions
3. Write down every questions exactly as it is stated
4. Change any statement into a question

After using this technique with my students last year, I find number two,  to be the MOST challenging step in the process. It is so hard not to want to praise and reward a student for generating a "good" question. Judging in a positive manner should not occur either.

Normally I like to have students create their questions in a shared Google Doc but we don't get our chromebooks until this afternoon and we are on a time crunch for this lesson (it will be part of a bigger lesson involving bills and laws) we will have to record questions the "old fashioned" way on pencil and paper. 

So today we will review our rules for generating a question and students will generate questions based on the following focus statement:

"Rules are important for communities to run successfully."

Simple. Next time we complete a QFT we will move further into the process. 

Check back for a blog post with more detailed comments on how to facilitate a QFT in your classroom.

 

New Year, New Reflections & Goals

Last year I completely let my blogging fall apart. My new year's resolution is to keep up with my blogging.

My personal life has been in an uproar since I accidentally scheduled my wedding during my first month of student teaching. Now as I am in the beginning of my third year in my own classroom (fourth in my district) and approaching my third wedding anniversary I finally feel like my life is settling down. Over the course of our short marriage my husband and I have faced our fair share of struggles. Finally as of the end of July we are settled into a new house and both feeling comfortable in our careers. I finally have enough time and space to focus on my teaching craft, family, friends, and my love of cooking.

Over the last year I have fallen in love with using GAFE and giving professional development. I love presenting to and working with other educators who are as excited about their jobs as I am. While I am not a morning person (by any means) I enjoy getting up in the morning and coming to school. Comparing that to jobs where I have actually cried the entire commute (Nordstrom...retail...ugh) it is a welcome change.

This year my goal with my students it to help them be more proactive about setting their own goals and tracking their own progress. I created "Record Keeping & Celebration" books for each student. In the books it gives them a section to record their behavior points for the week, math scores, reading scores, set goals, and discuss their challenges and successes from each week. (I promise to post on TPT soon!)

I don't think we should hide how students are doing from them--if they aren't at goal in something let them know. And let them know it IS okay...as long as they are working their hardest and making progress towards the goal.

So for my own goals this year?
1. Finish setting up my new house. I know, I know...not a "school" goal. However, until my home is ready I don't think I can devote 100% of my focus to my students. So I need to have a sanctuary I can return to in the evenings to recharge.

2. Keep up with the blogging! I love sharing ideas, reading ideas, and even looking back on what I was doing LAST year---how quickly we forget!

3. Eat healthy. This aligns back to number 1. I can't be at my best for my students if I am not mentally and physically at my best. I just ordered a new pressure cooked and veggie slicer so I can make healthy meals in a shorter time span. So I may even be throwing in some healthy(ish) recipes here as well.

4. Keep up with my own learning and sharing. This year I will have Chromebooks for all my students. I need to make sure I am using them in the best possible way. And I am super excited to be presenting at another google summit next this (YIKES) month.


I could continue on and on and on...but I think four is a reasonable number of goals.


What are your goals this year?