Mrs. Mantonya's ELL Blog

Here is a short little power point why we should donate to the Back Pack program!!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSgCg-N5kX9ZdEuPmqAtFlwwXuP_XmHXNB2chnzQH9xu1U5FUogW3tCt7HYATCaM8j8RjwQoVMzkD86/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=3000

At both schools I have been using an effort rubric with my students to self assess how they were working in ELL. We all have good, bad, better and not so good days, but we can always try our best!!

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1p3iDNKNQXyu8qGxCC-v6L3RlR6iGY_iGKu1a6c2fQSQ/edit

On Monday August 21, we were able to see a total solar eclipse in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Here is a link to some amazing photographs taken by people around the United States http://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-aug-21-2017-total-solar-eclipse
It was an amazing once in lifetime experience, unless I become a world traveler to go see eclipses around the world.

I have finally figured out a way to be at two places at the same time. Thanks to our new laptops and the app called Zoom, I was able to attend a meeting at Brownell while I was at Norwood Park. Also with the ability of Goggle docs I was able to instantly see what was being recorded.

Here is an informative vidoe that tells how students are welcomed into  the ELL program in LPS.

On Mondays I spend most of the day teaching my ELL students the new vocabulary words for the week.  As I am working on teaching these words, I have found that when I am intentional in telling the students what the learning targets are and why we are learning the words.  The students really do take ownership in learning the vocabulary so they can tell me the definitions and use the words in meaningful sentence and so they can find and understand the words in their stories or texts they are reading.  It has also been meaningful for me to review mid lesson the targets and at the end of class what they have learned.  I need to continue this with genres, reading strategies and comprehension strategies.   The students are more engaged when I explicit in my sharing of the learning targets.  My 2nd graders at Norwood Park are the most excited with the new vocabulary words but I also have the gift of time and have them as a group for 40 minutes!

On Friday, September 23, I was able to spend the day learning with Dr. Bj Stone  and 3 of my Brownell teachers. It was the first day of a 4 day learning opportunity.  The great thing is since we only had one day, we were not completely overwhelmed with information.   My goal for the day was to learn how to write more effective Learning Targets so that I will be even more intentional in my teaching and the students will be able to state what they are learning.  For the past two years I have written my targets as We will learn new vocabulary words, or  We will learn about genres or  We will write a constructed response.  Now I am working on using the format We will  Know…    Understand… and Be able to..  Keep coming back to see what I learn and how I am improve!

         Last week was a tough week! On Monday I got the call that I had been anticipating, I was getting moved to a new school to teach ELL. I was sad to say good bye to my students at Meadow Lane but knew I was needed to teach ELL at another school. My new school is Norwood Park and I am so excited to be here. I have my own classroom and dedicated teaching space to teach my ELL students.  I also have a sink and a window and a desk.

One of the greatest gifts of teaching is the heart felt gifts that students give to me.  Often there is no money given.  One of my 1st graders from Meadow Lane was really sad that I was leaving, he is sensitive child who loves life and people, he gave me a going away rock.  He had found it at recess and had it in his pocket.  A hug was not enough, so he had me take this very special rock he had found.