choas and calm

There is this term in education that slips out every once and while. It is feeling-tone. Throughout this year I have learned to recognize how very sensitive my students are to the attitude in our classroom and the impact this plays in the overall positive/negative feeling. For us, maintaining a calm and positive feeling-tone is pretty essential. Interestingly enough, I find that can still be kept with boisterous and loud classroom. There is a fine line between excited learning and madness. 

Occasionally extra time reading will help buffer and remedy an overly chaotic afternoon.

Some days I also realize that there are far too many outside factors weighing in for me to pull the group back to focus.  I will often pull out paints or other art supplies to allow for focused creativity.

It was a day like that when I realized that we needed to learn to knit.  I have been wanting to bring knitting into my classroom since the year began.  In yu'pik class many of class had learned to crochet but did not have the tools to knit. 

In the past I have made my own needles from dowel rods and had hoped to bring this idea to my students.  Over break I had picked up enough rods for each student to make a set of needles.  There was one day where it suddenly occurred to me we had the perfect climate to give this a go.

My usual classroom aid was out for the day and her substitute was an avid at crochet.  She instructed those who wanted to learn crochet while I whittle needles with the others.  A few were not having either and she was able to successfully get them finger-knitting.  That afternoon I knew that while math was important, what they needed in that moment was an afternoon sitting on the floor learning to craft with their hands.  They need focused creation and concentration.

Since that day knitting and crochet have joined reading and sketching as a to be a part of my classroom culture.  

However chaotic that culture may be.