*STAR* Teacher---Stacy Gilland

Norman Elementary's New *STAR* Teacher is...

Stacy Gilland

2nd Grade

Words from Stacy...

I have been teaching seven years.

One of my “feel good” moments is at the end of the year when I look back at my students and see how they have grown and matured.  I get sad and teary-eyed on the last day of school every year!  It seems like you get comfortable and used to the schedule and everyone’s personalities and the year is gone.  I really miss (most of) my students when the school year is done!

Funny Story?  

One of my former preschool students called me Mrs. Fish by accident and said, “Oops!  I mean Mrs. Gill!” 

Teaching Strategies?

Read! Read! Read! Reading is one of the most important things a child can do.  It gives students practice with words at their level, as well as new words.   Some books expose students to new topics that they may have not learned about and different genres. We listen to a lot of books on tape, popcorn and partner read, and I read aloud a picture book and chapter book each day.

I also feel that after teaching a new concept that children need time to practice and master it.  They usually do this through stations or with partners in my classroom.  I have many math and literacy games that students use each day.  We have a math cart that we pass around to each of the second grade classrooms filled with different math games aligned to the Common Core.

Advice to a new teacher? 

Stay connected with your colleagues and do not be afraid to ask questions and do what works for you and your students.

Pictures from Stacy's Classroom

Martin Luther King Jr. Writing

New Years Resolutions

November--Class Totem Pole

As a class, we fill one jar up with balls.  I can take balls out when we make bad choices and put balls in when I notice something good.  We set a ball goal each day together.  When the jar is full we vote on a celebration as a class.  We have already had one ice cream party!

Students can earn a ticket each day for good behavior.  When they have five tickets they get a smelly sticker or a small piece of candy.

Each month we do a Classroom Quilt.  Students make two quilt squares each and we put them all together.  It gives great practice with measuring and patterning skills!

December Quilt

January Quilt

Each week we estimate how much of an object is in the jar.

Whoever is closest gets to take the objects home!

Each month students get a new Literacy Menu.  When they finish an activity, they color in the box.

Class Reading Area

Snowman Luminaries

Each day students get two stations folders to work out of.  They are word work, writing, sentence building, reading, and spelling word activities.

Students at work during Stations

Winter Torn-Paper Art

What great activities and Station ideas--thank you!!

(Love the quilt !)

Vicky