The Power Of the Post-It

I love having students use Post-its. I think it is the easiest way to capture students thinking. I love that they are small. My art teacher always says small hands do better with small things.

What is the Message of this Story?

It can be difficult for a kindergarten or first-grader to record their thinking on a small Post-it. Sometimes I buy the post-its that are a tad bit bigger. I was recently having a conversation with an amazing first-grade teacher who was adamantly against using post-its. They didn’t work for her. She thought they were just two small for her kids. I don’t disagree with her thoughts, as classroom teachers, we need to make a decision based on the needs of our students. Maybe next year, a different group of kids will find it easier.

Our Favorite Part is...

I used to have my student responds to books on big sheets of paper. I am not against the idea of recording on a response sheet or in a notebook that could have lines or blank white paper. I like to start with bigger sheets at the beginning of the year and transition kids into post-its in the middle of the year.

What do you think will Happen to Henry?

 I found that sometimes the bigger response sheets became an art activity rather than a thinking activity about the book. Don't get me wrong I think connecting art to books is important, but there are different times for that. 

 Thinking About Our Reading

What I like about using post-its is that when I had made students stop and jot or stop and sketch,  it was quicker for them to do, and it gave me more time to see and hear their thinking.

Joyfully yours in using little Post-its to show your thinking,

Melissa