Marianne Bloom Kindergarten Teacher
HoHoKus Public School
HoHoKus, NJ
"I wouldn't want to teach any other way," responded Marianne Bloom when asked about her Learner-Active Classroom. Marianne, a kindergarten teacher in HoHoKus, NJ, was inspired by her son's kindergarten teacher to leave her accounting career and enter the field of education. After spending time volunteering in his classroom, Marianne felt that she, too, could make a difference in the lives of children.
How do you feel students benefit from being in a Learner-Active Classroom? The kids come in lacking confidence in their own abilities. At first, they don’t know where to go or what to do. Throughout the year, they gain confidence in taking responsibility for their own learning. It helps them realize that they can be successful on their own. They also become more involved in their own learning. Their interest levels are higher because they get to choose their tasks and the order of activities. This cuts down on behavior problems because the students feel a certain accountability to get their work done. (Students take responsibility for getting ready for the day using the morning checklist. In the early months of school, Marianne used this tool to get students ready to be more independent using the activity checklist. Marianne creates a scaffold for learning for each unit to map out diverse opportunities for students to learn, highlighting daily activities).
What structures are most helpful to you as a teacher? The resource table is one of my favorite things. By October, the kids can work independently. This frees me up to focus on instruction instead of wasting time passing out materials. The use of a schedule is also big. I use pictures and words in kindergarten, so all kids know what to expect.
Which of the ten principles is most important in your classroom and why?
I think global citizenship is huge. The kids here develop a strong sense of themselves in the world. Then they begin to see it’s not about them, it’s all about each other. I love to watch them celebrate each other’s successes.
How do you differentiate in your classroom?
I start by assessing the students in order to determine their needs. Then I tailor tasks around the same concept to their appropriate levels. I also make sure to address the various learning styles in my lessons.
How do you use assessment?
I use a facilitation grid to shape small group mini-lessons for the next day. I also let the kids sign up if they feel they need it. I feel it is important for them to learn to identify their needs. One thing I learned was how important it is to thoroughly explain what a mini-lesson is to them. In the beginning of the year I had kids who would sign up just because they liked to write their name on the board. I also had one student who thought he was in trouble because his name was there! Now the kids understand the purpose and realize that it is okay to receive help.
I also give each child three cups. The red cup means "I'm stuck", the yellow cup means "I'm slowed down until you get here", and the green cup means "I can keep going on my own." It's a great tool to quickly scan the room and see who needs help first.
How do you manage all of this with so many non-readers?
Everything I use has pictures along with words. I start with
checklists in which they can color a happy face when the task or activity is completed. My assistant is instrumental in working with non-readers. She takes small groups and guides them through their assignments. It’s great for them to see how successful they can be. Kindergarten sets the tone for a child’s entire school experience. I want my students to love to learn.
"I wouldn't want to teach any other way," responded Marianne Bloom when asked about her Learner-Active Classroom. Marianne, a kindergarten teacher in HoHoKus, NJ, was inspired by her son's kindergarten teacher to leave her accounting career and enter the field of education. After spending time volunteering in his classroom, Marianne felt that she, too, could make a difference in the lives of children.
The kids come in lacking confidence in their own abilities. At first, they don’t know where to go or what to do. Throughout the year, they gain confidence in taking responsibility for their own learning. It helps them realize that they can be successful on their own. They also become more involved in their own learning. Their interest levels are higher because they get to choose their tasks and the order of activities. This cuts down on behavior problems because the students feel a certain
accountability to get their work done. (Students take responsibility for getting ready for the day using the 
The resource table is one of my favorite things. By October, the kids can work independently. This frees me up to focus on instruction instead of wasting time passing out materials. The use of a schedule is also big. I use pictures and words in kindergarten, so all kids know what to expect.
need it. I feel it is important for them to learn to identify their needs. One thing I learned was how important it is to thoroughly explain what a mini-lesson is to them. In the beginning of the year I had kids who would sign up just because they liked to write their name on the board. I also had one student who thought he was in trouble because his name was there! Now the kids understand the purpose and realize that it is okay to receive help.
