mrsmojo - I am a facilitator. Trying to get all our teachers on board...
powerma - We are supposed to have all four in place next year.
mrsmojo - Some of them are kicking and screaming
Dusty - Hi everyone. Have any of you been trained in the 4 Blocks or are you self taught through the books like me?
powerma - I teach a 1-2 multiage.
Goldilocks - self taught--though I have the video
mrsmojo - I took Training of Trainers with Connie Prevatte last summer
bev - i teach 2-3 multiaage
powerma - a little of each.
Dusty - I teach 1st and when since this is my first year in 1st I know I needed some kind of outline to follow and 4 Blocks was perfect.
REI - Dusty~I attended the 4 Blocks conference in Clemmons, NC and have attended some of Dottie's other workshops this year.
Goldilocks - 3rd grade here
Linda/2/CA - I need some help--I am just beginning some training in guided/shared reading--mostly self-taught. Today for my early lit class, we were told to write a lesson plan for shared reading on synomyns--anyone know of a good book for this? BTW--the short--extr
Steph - I am a student at UCF and need a mini lesson on combining sentences. Any ideas?
Dusty - REI -- did Dottie give you any ideas that are not addressed in the books?
mrsmojo - Do any of you use a spelling book?
Linda/2/CA - this is for a 2nd grade class that is reading on or above grade level
mbax - Is there a 4 Blocks mailing list of some sort - for conferences?
REI - Back...wanted a different color.
powerma - We are devoting 3 hours/day next year, so 4 Blocks fits in well.
Goldilocks - does everyone know Pat is writing a new book on guided reading?
REI - Dusty~yes!!!
powerma - when will it be out?
Linda/2/CA - No guidance was given--just write the lesson and do in class
Dusty - What block does everyone have the most trouble implementing? Guided reading is difficult for me.
mrsmojo - there is a mail ring through this web site. I can't remember how to subscribe, though
Goldilocks - REI--can you share some of them with us?
REI - Goldilocks~it is to be available at IRA in Indianapolis.
Goldilocks - go to teachers.net and click on mailrings in the header then find 4-Blocks
Goldilocks - REI--am attending local one in Missouri--doesn't help
Dusty - I have been reading Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading and they have a different way of approaching it than 4 Blocks- they are more homogenous grouping and 4 blocks is hetero.
Goldilocks - the book is supposed to be out in the spring....maybe...Carson Dellosa are th epublishers...
scho - Does anyone have trouble working the blocks around pull out like title one speech etc.
Goldilocks - CD is also going to publish a 4block lesson plan book
rose - Does anyone have any data about the success of their implementation. Some of our pincipals are skeptical.
Goldilocks - scho...I do--but my problem is semi-departmentalization
REI - Dusty~Guided Reading is probably my easiest. The writing block was the hardest. But, learned a lot from Jim Cunningham's session. Came back and started over again. WOW! What a difference.
Dusty - scho- when my kids leave the room some of them just miss part of a block- that unfortunate but unavoidable.
REI - We got to see the Lesson Plan book demo copy.
Dusty - REI- what are some of the good ideas he shared - in a nutshell!
scho - Mine go out for 45 min and miss most of guided reading, I was wondering if I should switch it with another block or alternate what do you think
Goldilocks - rose...refer to book Preventing Reading Difficulties...study done by the government with suggestions that are compatible with 4block
Dusty - REI -- what do you think of the plan book?
Goldilocks - alternate sounds like a good idea..I have my pullouts like speech during SSR--they mis 2 days
Dusty - scho- having self selected reading at that time might work better.
scho - that is what I was thinking just needed another opinion
Dusty - REI -- do you use the same book for your whole class or do you have several copies for small groups?
rose - Just saw there will be a 4-blocks conference on /aug. 19 for beginners K-3
scho - rose where is the conference
Dusty - rose- where will that conference be?
Laura - I have been doing 4-blocks since December and have lots of questions about the writing block.
rose - In Winston Salem, NC
scho - laura writing block is my favorite what do you have questions about
Linda/2/CA - does anyone know of a book I can use for teaching synonyms?
Jennifer 4th - Laura, what kind of questions?
Dusty - Laura- my writing block is finally pulling together. My first graders are using the writing process and I have seen so much improvement.
Laura - Should I spend the majority of my time in the Writer's Workshop style?
scho - Linda- are you looking for a trade book
Dusty - Linda- i can't think of any books on synonyms.
Linda/2/CA - yes
Laura - Hi scho, boy do I hope you can help me.
scho - what grade are you
Linda/2/CA - have to do a shared reading lesson for on or above 2nd graders
Laura - I teach second grade.
REI - He tolde us to start with "I Can't Stop Writing". A 3 minute modeled writing session, then students write for 3 minutes.
scho - Laura me too
Dusty - My favorite block is Working with Words. I worked all summer getting the lessons together and now all I have to do is pull out a Making words lesson or Guess the Covered word, etc.
Laura - Do you use the Write Traits in your writing block?
jan - Scholastic puts out a book of synonyms or some type of thesaurarus thats good for younger kids I believe
REI - Sorry....principal just walked in to touch base about 4 Blocks training.
Linda/2/CA - Jan--has to be a shared reading lesson
scho - I usually model a story 2-3 times a week and work on a specific skill ,adjectives, cap. puntuation etc. I have sstudents help me edit. Then I let them write and go around and conference
Dusty - Laura- I think the Writing block is very similiar to the Writing Workshop of previous years.
powerma - y students really like the working w/ words.
Laura - I am required to give a language grade so I struggle with what I should be doing in this block.
Jules - Does anyone use Kathy Ganske's spelling program?
Dusty - Month by month Phonics for the various grade levels is great. I use mine all the time. So many good ideas for the word block.
jan - If you are talking about giving a grade in language, how about developing some sort of "rubric" for what you expect students to include in their writing? For example correct punctuation, sticking to the topic, spelling expected words correctly, et.
REI - No....we are using Rebecca Sitton's program. I LOVE IT!
scho - Laura I would work on some of the language skill in guided reading too. You may have to add a few minutes on to that block for graded language type activities.
Jules - What does Rebecca Sitton's program involve?
powerma - I just got Month to Month Phonics last month and am glad to hear someone say it is a good resource.
scho - How do you incorporate the spelling with the four blocks do you use it instead of word wall
Jennifer 4th - Laura, can you grade the work they produce for their folder?
Laura - I am currently writing curriculum for next year. We were told by our reading supervisor that only comprehensions skills should be taught during the guided reading time.
Dusty - REI- we use Rebecca Sitton spelling too. Do you use the spelling words on your word wall. Most of them seem to match lists suggested by Cunningham.
Linda/OH - Any grade 3 or 4 using 4-blocks? I'm interested in how long you spend on word work time.
Dusty - REI- I like Sitton but sometimes I feel that the expectations are a bit low for the number of words each grade level is supposed to master.
jan - Laura, as far as teaching only comprehension during guided reading, I would want to also include evidence of using good reading strategies to solve new words!!
scho - Laura I think you would have to grade their writing for what ever skill in launguage you are teaching
Laura - Hi Jennifer, yes I can and do. I was hoping this was okay.
scho - I agree with jan you need to work on those reading strategies
Laura - Jan, this is a great idea and one I never thought about.
Jules - Our grade level is trying to think of an inexpensive reading incentive program for this month. Any suggestions?
Jennifer 4th - Laura, one of the best things I've done this year is used rough draft notebooks, rather than loose paper. Notebooks show clear record of growth in writing.
Ginn - Do you use the adopted reading program?
scho - jules have you tried homework passes
Linda/OH - Guided rdg is for working with words-especially word solving during oral reading.
vol - Is everyone in here a teacher?
jan - During guided reading we talk about what we will do to solve new words, teacher observes how students help themselves get to tricky parts, kids could even mark with sticky notes, tricky parts that they solved and then tell what strategies they used to help themselves.
Jules - Good idea scho!
scho - Laura try having them write in a note book so you can see growth and observe improvement in skills over the nine weeks
Dusty - vol- I teach 1st grade.
Ginn - Very good scho.
Laura - Thanks everyone for the help!
powerma - multiage 1-2, with emphasis on the 1st
vol - Do you have internet at your school?
REI - Dusty...many of our Spelling words are our Word Wall words. We have to have an spelling "program", so my principal is letting two of us pilot.
Dusty - Hi Sally- do you teach using the 4 Blocks? Everyone has so many good ideas.
Jules - Have you ever tried using a folded paper as a bookmark and write words that they had trouble with or figured out. You can also write characters, setting, important parts to discuss, etc.
scho - is any one here in a multiage or looping class
Linda/OH - we have internet but no e-mail.
jan - To whomever was talkiong about shared reading, I don't know what grade level you are, but I think of "shared reading" as using poetry charts, big books, wall stories that the kids have written or re-reading a story that the class has written together
jan - Jules, I like the bookmark idea!
powerma - bookmark idea is great!
vol - I was trying to set up a chat between my students in Belize and student in the US. Is anyone interested?
Laura - In shared reading is it important for all the students to have a small copy of the big book?
Ginn - What do you use for your guided reading?
scho - Ginn I use trade books, poetry, charts, songs, or reading series
Laura - Vol, are you from Belize? My parents are from Belize.
jan - Laura, no they do not need to have a copy of the big book...you all read together from your big book or chart if that will work for you
Joe - Bye everybody! Thanks for letting me peek in. Don't forget to checkout www.k111.k12.il.us/lafyatte/FourBlocks...
Laura - Thanks Jan.
scho - we do some of our best guided reading blocks with charts or big books
vol - I am in the Peace Corps Laura. Where are they from
Ginn - Does anyone use Scott Foresman Reading?
Dusty - I must go. Enjoy the rest of your chat.
REI - We use our Basal for 3 days and then other books, poetry, sciencebooks, etc.... for lowerlevel.
scho - Ginn I do
Linda/OH - actually shared reading is done with a big book or poem or whatever written on chart paper so that all can see. It's a great time for using pointers to read as a whole group. students can use the pointer to point as class reads along...
powerma - We use Scott Foresman Celebrate Reading. We skip around a lot. in it.
needspace - is everyone here elementary
Ginn - We have adopted it for next year. What do you think of it?
Laura - My parents were born and raised in Belize City. They have been in the states for 44 years.
REI - Joe~I love your website. Been a great resource.
Jules - What do you think of the Scott Foresman series?
needspace - I am trying to get ingormation for a research paper I am writing
Ginn - 2nd grade
scho - it is ok, we skip around in it and use other things as well
Jules - On what needspace?
REI - We use Scott Foresman's Celebrate Reading. Have had it the last 10 years.
jan - Ginn, we are fortunate to have lots of sets of rigby, writight group books for guided reading, but it can be done with a story from a basal reader. The most important part of guided reading to me is the story introduction that the teacher gives or eventually teaches the students to give themselves by looking through the story and just talking about the important parts before reading. Rather than giving a list of vocabulary words, it is more important to use new words in the introduction to the story and let the kids use some of these new words you are "planting" in their discussion previous to reading the story.
vol - I am in Belize city now. I work at the special education unit. Would you be interested in a chat between students?
scho - 2nd grade tow
needspace - who believes Huckleberry Finn should be taught in the classroom
Jules - What grade would you use Huckleberry Finn needspace?
scho - 2nd
Laura - Unfortunately we do not have the technology to do this at our school. Sorry.
Jules - What subject area Jen?
powerma - Jules - We skip around because we don't like the order in which SF presents the books. We do a lot of thematic (ITI) teaching, too, and try to stay within the theme.
needspace - that is part two of the question, if so at what grade level
Sunshine - In guided reading do you call same ability students to the table as others go about centre work or do you set up guided reading as one centre and pupils rotate into it? I don't want to have my centres as same ability groups but I did think that guided reading had to be by ability or is it by different abilities?
Jules - What grade do you teach powerma?
vol - Thats alright Laura, One question, do your parents still speak Creole?
scho - guided reading can be mixed ability levels it works well in my class
Jules - Are you referring to Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain?
powerma - Jules - first and second multiage
Nick - Vol, what grade level would you want to set up internet chat with...?
Laura - Ha, ha, ha. . . this certainly bings a smile to my face. When they get together with relatives dat creole takin is wild!
Sunshine - I am referring to grade one.
scho - powerma- I will be doing a 1/2 multiage next year any pointers
jan - Sunshine, you can have "flexible" groups and somedays read a story that may be a little easy for some kids and other days read a story that may be a little bit hard for some kids, or you can stick to ability groups 3 days a week and then mix them in the other two days and read a story that will be easier.
vol - we will be trying to run it all day nick, with students of all grades
vol - fi true gyal
Ginn - I'm really going to try to do 4 Blocks next year in my 2nd grade classroom. What are the resources that you think are a must?
vol - are you interested nick?
powerma - scho - It is pretty much like reg. classroom, with a wider range of levels.
Nick - I think it might be great... we are a school of 100 student, K-4 in New Hampshire.
vol - Nick you might just save my life
jan - Ginn, I would say that a MUST HAVE for you is Classrooms that Work by Pat Cunningham and Dick Allington. Also go to Patricia Cunningham's website and she has lots of information there...you can do a search on the web under her name or under four blocks literacy. Also the Making Words books are very helpful to have!
vol - Tuesday is International Peace Corps day,and I am really behind in setting up this chat.
Sunshine - I have been using my basal for guided reading - it is the new Nelson series, there is a workbook that goes with it, anyone use a workbook with guided reading or as a seatwork activity after or not at all. I am from the "old school" - teaching umptteeen years but want to use more modern approaches like balanced literacy. I am doing what I can but have had no training - I've just been reading books and trying to put it in effect.
Nick - What's your email at your school? I can contact your again tomorrow and see if we can make it work.
Jennifer 4th - Ginn, read anything you can by Cheryl Sigmon
jan - Jennifer, can you gie a title of any of Sigmon's books...I've not heard of her. Thanks
vol - my personal email is aaronwitt@hotmail.com I am not doing this through a school, we are bringing area students to the Peace Corps office.
vol - I will try to check to see if you wrote on thursday. Remember this is a third world county and computers might as well be made of gold.
Ginn - Thanks, jan! I have researched this alot on the web. I have visited that site. I use alot of the methods. I just don't have them into blocks of teaching time. I am from Arkansas and we are currently involved in ELLA(Early Literacy Learning in Arkansas) and they teach lots of the methods and ideas used in 4 Blocks.
Nick - Ok, I"ll contact you tomorrow and we can see how it goes. I have a friend who is returning today from Belize.. she's been there for a week with teachers from NH. I might be able to get her connected too..
Jennifer 4th - Jan, The Teacher's Guide to the Four Blocks (which is co-authored by P. Cunningham), plus all the articles on teachers.net by Cheryl
vol - Spread the word, and my email address if it helps. I will look forward to hearing from you.
jan - Ginn, I have been using Linda Dorn's book Apprenticeship with which I am sure you are familiar, ha!! You probably are doing a lot more of this than we are! We are doing lots of training here in Southeast Missouri with Dorn's book!
Ginn - Yes, very familiar with the book. This is my first year in the 3 year training.
jan - Ginn, then, we are at about the same place! Where are you in Arkansas?
Ginn - Northeast Arkansas
jan - Ginn, we have several teachers attending the early lit conferencee tomorrow and Friday...are you going?
Ginn - It's so hard to block off the amount of time needed.
deb - ginn - the two hours or the 1/2 hour per block?
himhaw - so how long have you been doing 4block
deb - I have taught 4 block for two years. I have been training other teachers since last August
Jen 1st/PA - does anyone know any good sites for Dr. Suess activities? Sorry to change the subject
jan - Deb, what materials do you use to train with?
deb - RAA -- reading across america chatboard on teachers.net has a ton listed
Jen 1st/PA - thanks deb!
deb - The teachers guide by cunningham and then samples of everything
Ginn - The two hour block.
deb - It is hard to put together two hours Ginn, sorry to ask again, what grade?
Jen 1st/PA - someone was talking about it last night on the chat group and just mentioned it and I can't find it
deb - ginn, I would block out the day into sections of time -- specials, math, recess, then look at what's left and figure out how to squeeze in all the blocks. It is worth your time
jan - I am very much geared to teaching K-1, but have to train teachers in the four blocks for 2 - 4 grades soon. Please give me suggestions in what to use for "shared reading" in grades 2-4....an alphabet chart and poetry charts and big books won't cut it for shared reading in upper grades. What do you use?
Ginn - Yes I think it would be. I'm really hoping that my principal with work with me on my schedule next year because I really want to do this.
powerma - Our Principal has agreed to move all of our specials to after lunch, so that we can have the solid block of time in the morning
deb - poems jan
Ginn - Mine was supposed to be that way this year but it didn't happen.
deb - also that age doesn't need as much shared reading as the younger set
himhaw - do you all love 4block
Jennifer 4th - Jan, choral reading and Readers' Theater.
Ginn - what about using some of the current music lyrics(if you can find clean ones)?
deb - then, don't count it or give her an f. You probably give enough timed tests not to count this one. YOu can even let her think it was an F if that makes you feel better, but you need to figure out a way for this child to be successful in your classroom.
powerma - We put shared reading on overhead projectors, too. That way the older ones don't feel as if they are being "big-booked".
jan - Christiana...is this a pattern or just a one time memory lapse? I think the tearing up part may be a little harsh...had you told the students you would not count grade if name was not on paper. It is always fine to apologize and give it to her again. At least onece, but not as a regular routine
Jen 1st/PA - i love 4 block himhaw
deb - himhaw -- wouldn't teach any other way
deb - powerma -- good idea
jan - Thanks for the suggestions for shared reading!!
Ginn - Thanks for all the great ideas. Good night all!
deb - ginn, time, is the schedule a mess because of pullouts and such
b-ball - Is there a 4 block book for the upper grades?
deb - in terms of training, I use the video in segments for followup and offer specific lessons for each block
Jennifer 4th - Month by Month Phonics for Upper grades and Cheryl Sigmon has a teacher's guide for upper grades that will be published in the next few months.
deb - the new guided reading book comes out in May and Dottie said the kindergarten book will be out late summer
jan - Who puts out month by month phonics?
deb - b-ball Classrooms That Work has one chapter on upper grades
deb - carson dellosa publishes month by month for _____ grades
jan - Goodnight, thanks for the great help!
mon - would anyone feel comfortable in sharing what their educational philosophy is? I'm a student teacher so I'm curious about the ways that other teachers think.
b-ball - What other books for the upper grades (3- 5) would you recommend for the beginner 4 block teacher?
Jennifer 4th - b-ball, it's quite limited. Have you read the articles by Cheryl Sigmon on Teachers.net?
b-ball - I have read some, but not all.
Jennifer 4th - Craft Lessons by Ralph Fletcher (?) is excellent for mini-lessons for writing
b-ball - What about the 2 big word books?
Jennifer 4th - They're good, too. I have one of them and it makes life easy!
powerma - good night all - been informative
af - Has anyone heard of using the 4blocks in a special education class?
b-ball - You say the upper grade book will be available in May?
Jennifer 4th - No, af...but I think it might work.
af - Any suggestions?
Jennifer 4th - Yes, b-ball...I'm really looking forward to it because there are differences between primary and 4-6
b-ball - Thanks, I'll be looking for it.
Jennifer 4th - What kind of a class do you have af?
af - I am going to be doing a temp. sub job for the rest of the year. It is a k-3, with a lot of kids that are mostly self contained.
Jennifer 4th - What has the teacher done so far?
af - This school hasn't started the 4blocks yet, even though other schools in the corp have. She mostly does reading groups.
Jennifer 4th - K-3 is a big spread
af - Their performance level is really not so large.
af - I would like to make the lessons a little more exciting than just write your spelling words 5xeach and just doing ws for the basal
Jennifer 4th - You have a big job ahead of you.
af - I know, but am really looking forward to it. I am lucky that the kids come into the classroom in groups so I could do a whole class lesson. Thanks for the support.
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