Kathleen - This hour is for 4-Blocks Chat
MsAt - what grade does everyone teach??
cathie/NC/2 - second
Linda/CA - Formerly 2nd--now resource teacher for k-2
MsAt - I teach first
Lisa - I am just learning about the 4 blocks program
cathie/NC/2 - me too Lisa
MsAt - this is my first year using 4 blocks too, Lisa
cathie/NC/2 - I am confused oh how a regular day goes with 4blocks
Kathleen - Am I correct in my impression that 4-blocks is spreading like wildfire?
MsAt - 4 block is very structured
Linda/CA - Don't see why not
Linda/CA - I think so Kathleen-it has a lot of good features
jenn - do we have a paticular topic tonight or can I bring up a topic?
MsAt - I see some good results with using 4 block but wish I had more training. I have been reading and training myself
Kathleen - jenn, anything about 4-blocks
Kathleen - MsAt, where are you located?
MsAt - Ohio
Linda/CA - just wish we had more training sessions here in CA
cathie/NC/2 - can someone tell me a daily schedule with 4blocks?
MissHeather - Does anyone teach 2nd or 3rd, and can answer some questions for me
cathie/NC/2 - I teach 2nd, Heather
Linda/CA - I have taught 2nd
MsAt - the guided to 4 block has a good schedule and time slots to follow
MsAt - sorry I meant to say the book Guide to Four Block has a good schedule to follow
Kathleen - go ahead and post your questions
cathie/NC/2 - MsAt, thanks. do you do reading groups with 4blocks?
Linda/CA - cathie--there area lot of 4b people in NC
MsAt - guided reading is part of the 4 block program
Kathleen - Linda, nothing coming up with Pat or Dottie or Cheryl out there?
Linda/CA - I so--only because our district says no whole class instruction for reading
cathie/NC/2 - yes, Linda, there is a conference in Clemmons near me on it, isn't there?
Linda/CA - only leadership conference in june--there is a K conference, think in April
cathie/NC/2 - oh, I thought there was one this month
Linda/CA - but it is hard to learn what you need in one day
Linda/CA - CA leadership conference is in June--we talked Dottie into it last May
MsAt - you learn alot about 4 block by just doing it in your classroom
Linda/CA - yes, but often you need someone to help you out
Kathleen - I assume everyone here is already on the 4-blocks mailring, right?
rw - How long have you been using the four blocks, MsAt?
Linda/CA - YES
MsAt - I started last year
rw - I am not on the mailring...should I be?
Linda/CA - Mailring is very helpful
rw - What kinds of info would I get?
Kathleen - mailrings: http://teachers.net/mailrings , just select the ones you want to receive. Like having 24 hour mentors
Marcia/1-2/Ca - oh! lesson plans, ideas for any thing you can think of..
Marcia/1-2/Ca - friendship, support....etc..
Linda/CA - you can ask questions and get answers, learn of web sites that have info or other stuff you can use, learn of conferences, etc
rw - Sounds great..I was just afraid of getting too much stuff
Marcia/1-2/Ca - you might find someone in your area that is already doing four blocks....then you can go an observe..
Linda/CA - at certain times of the year the ring is more active than at others--but you will get several messages every day
Marcia/1-2/Ca - if you take the digest form,,,,I think it only comes once a day
rw - I really like the words block, but am still a bit confused with the guided reading block. I have correlated our Houghton Mifflin series with 4 block as a project for my master's program. It took a ton of time...but worth it.
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I almost bought the newest book today when I was in GW....but..... I decided to wait...for a while....the phonics one...(that I can't spell)
rw - Does anyone use Houghton Mifflin
Linda/CA - My biggest problem is the guided reading--not the teaching of it--but finding the materials to use--we don't have many multiple copies of books--and finding ones that meet our state standards
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I have done that for our grade..Invitations to Lit...grade one...the word block...and there is a seperate discussion ring for it..
MsAt - same here Linda. I think it's hard to find materials in first for guided reading
Marcia/1-2/Ca - yes rw, our school does....
Linda/CA - Try doing it with SRA Reading Masteryeven at 2nd grade level the stories are about 3 pages long and don't lend themselves to guided reading comprehension skills
MsAt - rw Our school used to use Houghton Mifflin but we were given baskets of books this year to use instead!
rw - How is it correlated. We made H.M. fit into the four block framework
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I did something this week that I have wanted to do...to help improve my SSR block..... I finally made phonics phones for the kids....and I started letting them share...more after..
Linda/CA - So we kept our old basals (Signatures) to use for guided reading
rw - If I go to the mailring website, will I find a spot for discussing H.M. and how it works with 4block?
Marcia/1-2/Ca - well I combined the spelling/word list for HM with the one (100 common words) in the MbM book... after adjusting it.... I am using it..but I find some words they choose (HM) are too hard for first...this week...COULD!
Linda/CA - you can ask that question of the mailring, someone will answer you
Marcia/1-2/Ca - no that's another ring. send me you address and I will send it to you
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I do wish we had more, but I am lucky..the school bought all the components to the HM series..
Linda/CA - there is also a 4b chatboard
Linda/CA - http://teachers.net/mentors
Linda/CA - click on 4b chatboard
Marcia/1-2/Ca - what might give you more support is to read Cheryl's column on tnet...she has great ideas and her articles are in respons to questions from the mailring
rw - I check there on a regular basis. It has been extremely helpful
MsAt - Marcia...how did you make the phonics phones for the SSR block??
Linda/CA - biggest problem I have teachers getting to use 4b is getting them away from round robin reading
rw - Marcia, do you use the Phonics Bookshelf and Watch me Read books?
Marcia/1-2/Ca - At first I was disappointed...many wrote in that they found the parts cheaply...,but here in CA I couldn't.
Marcia/1-2/Ca - use 11/4 pvc elbows (they are big) and connect them with a short piece of pipe... I can't remember where but someone had a picture.
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I don't have thephonic bookshelf, but borrow it from another teacher...Yes the watch me read and the set of books....early emergent, emergent, etc...don't know what they are called..
Linda/CA - BTW--off topic--just found out I qualify for a $1400 tax credit on my state taxes for teaching supplies, etc,
Marcia/1-2/Ca - goodie
PJ/1/TN - Hi, all. There is a great description of the phonics phones at http://www.successlink.org/great/g1008.html
Linda/CA - Hey, lisa, how is it going?
Linda/CA - thought you were at leadership conference
Marcia/1-2/Ca - oh good..I didn't describe it well,,,but the kids like them and stay on task with them
rw - Marcia, do you use them during guided reading or SSR...as grade level or easier material
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I am jealous of Lisa..going to the leadership conf.
PJ/1/TN - You're welcome.
Lisa/1/NC - Linda -- Leadership begins tomorrow morning -- it's about 10 minutes away from me
Marcia/1-2/Ca - SSR...the children read into the phones and they amplify their voices so they don't need to read so loud to hear themselves...younger readers have trouble not reading aloud.
Lisa/1/NC - Marcia -- I'm going to have to make some more phones
Marcia/1-2/Ca - left your others in CA?
Linda/CA - I used those phones for a student who had a tendency to shout in class--the amphifying in her ear made her lower her voice
Marcia/1-2/Ca - cost me $1 each! ouch!
Lisa/1/NC - yep -- actually they went home with my kiddos from last year
Linda/CA - Lisa--nothing up on the CA leadership confernce in June--heard anything more about it?
Marcia/1-2/Ca - Tell Dottie a contingent from Vallejo will come...
Linda/CA - I will come if it is in No Cal
Lisa/1/NC - nope -- but Pat and Dottie are very busy with Leadership this weekend -- and the 4Blocks conference in February -- probably they won't think about it until after the Feb. conference
Marcia/1-2/Ca - I was talking to our reading specialist about it.... she was interested.
Lisa/1/NC - Linda -- it'll be up in No. Cal -- probably Sacto
Marcia/1-2/Ca - you are hoping??
Linda/CA - Lisa--how many are going to the leadership conference tomorrow?
Lisa/1/NC - there's around 200 people
Linda/CA - Marti will be disappointed--but hey--she can get out of smoggy LA
Marcia/1-2/Ca - Gosh it would be sooo strange to meet all those people...
Lisa/1/NC - I ran over to the airport to pick up a teacher from Michigan who came in tonight -- dropped her off at the hotel -- there were lots of teachers checking in
MsAt - I live in Ohio. I wish we had 4 block training conferences here
MsAt - not too many questions about 4 block tonight??
Lisa/1/NC - gonna go -- have to be up real early tomorrow!
Lisa/1/NC - for the Leadership conference
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