Month by Month Reading and Writing for Kindergarten |
The Teacher's Guide to the Building Blocks |
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Erin - Are you here for Building Blocks chat?
cdc - Hi, everyone
Erin - Have you folks been using Building Blocks?
cdc - No, just wanted to hear a little about it.
Erin - I started using it this year, and I LOVE it
cdc - Do you use it?
Barbie/K/WI - I have been doing some of the BB things
Barbie/K/WI - Don't do the letter of the week anymore and almost all my kids know most of their letters! Thanks to BB I think
Erin - I have a very mixed class this year, and as of this week's assessments, they are almost all meeting the end of year literacy requirements.
Barbie/K/WI - that is great Erin
Erin - I was so afraid to give up Letter of the Week, and it has been fantastic.
Barbie/K/WI - I agree!
Erin - Do you teach full or half-day?
Barbie/K/WI - I am 1/2 day
cdc - I teach half-day
cdc - Do you have time to get all of BB done?
Erin - I think it would be more difficult for me to do all of the Building Blocks activities without the more unstructured time that we have in the pm.
Barbie/K/WI - we do centers for about 40 minutes and our Reading Recovery teacher is in the room with a reading group at that time (she is a center)
Erin - (I'm full-day)
teacher - I teach full day
cf - What is the end of the year literacy requirement?
Barbie/K/WI - I just started BB this year and have been using parts of it
Erin - When I first started looking at BB, I was struck by how similar parts were to the Reading Recovery program for 1st graders.
Barbie/K/WI - After 13 years of teaching it was hard to start a whole new thing!
Erin - By the end of the year, my kids need to know letters, sounds, rhyming, and be at a level 2 reader.
Barbie/K/WI - that sounds reasonable
Erin - I think so.
teacher - Is Building Blocks similar to the Constructivist Theory of learning
Barbie/K/WI - my one concern is how they form their letters; it doesn't seem like without formal handwriting time they aren't getting it
cf - Is a "level 2" reader just the second book in their series rather than a grade level 2?
Erin - I began teaching handwriting this week. We don't do it until the second semester.
Barbie/K/WI - I don't know what that is teacher; sorry
Barbie/K/WI - can you explain?
Erin - Yes, cf! It's like a "B" reader. Does that make sense?
Barbie/K/WI - ok, that sounds good
Erin - teacher, do you mean like whole language?
teacher - High Scope and Project Construct are similar to the Constructivist theory
cdc - Does it teach any handwriting at all?
teacher - It is basically centers and hands on learning
Erin - BB combines whole language and phonics. It is a framework, not a curriculum.
teacher - That's interesting
Barbie/K/WI - the way I understand teaching handwriting is that they will pick it up when you do interactive and shared writing; but I think they need more practice
teacher - I agree
Erin - The kids learn letters and sounds through interactive writing activities, shared reading of Big Books, etc.
lakefarm - Well can anyone of you help me? I need to know about becoming a spanish teacher.
cdc - Sorry,lakefarm
Barbie/K/WI - I have found the daily message has been so great! All my kids know all the punctuation marks and can use them
teacher - I am of no help
Erin - lakefarm, this is a meeting of kindergarten teachers. Perhaps some local colleges might help.
cf - Lakefarm, Check with your state department of education about requirements for Spanish teachers.
Barbie/K/WI - there is also a spanish teachers chat board I think
cdc - What are the parts of the framework for BB?
Erin - I like doing the predictable charts with the kids.
teacher - Where can I get more information on Building Blocks
Barbie/K/WI - I started by checking the archives here
Barbie/K/WI - then bought the books
Erin - There is a good source right through Teachers.net, but I don't remember where it is. I will look for it. BRB
teacher - It sounds like what I am already doing, simplified
Barbie/K/WI - I think with Building Blocks you wouldn't need an expensive Reading curriculum
Erin - It probable is like what you are doing, teacher. Carson Dellosa just tapped into a way of putting it all together in a package that is easy to handle. Then, they commissioned books on every facet you can think of!
sioux - hello - did anyone go to the 4B leadership conference MLK weekend - it was great!
Erin - No, sioux
Barbie/K/WI - just lots of chart paper and sentence strips!
Barbie/K/WI - and books of course
Erin - lol, Barbie
cdc - Hi sioux, do you use BB?
Barbie/K/WI - I would love to go to a BB conference
sioux - i am actually a principal, but my K teachers use it.
sioux - I like to see what is being talked about so I can share with the teahers in my school.
Erin - Okay, this site had good general info about BB: www.k111.k12.il.us/lafayette/fourblocks/kindergarten_building_blocks.htm
cdc - Is it expensive to buy?
sioux - teachers - ooops! (I can't type all that well!)
Barbie/K/WI - ok, this is not about BB but I just got back from our school's Reading Restaurant Night
cdc - Thanks, erin
sioux - Yes, that site is great - Joe Furhman (sp?) provides a wealth of information about 4B.
Erin - It's about 19 dollars for the main book, then about that much for all of the peripheral books that you CAN buy to elaborate on the different activities. You don't really need the other books, but I have most of them & use them!
Barbie/K/WI - It was our 2nd year; each teacher that wants to participates chooses a theme (mine was winter books) and a treat (powder sugar donut holes-snow balls) and each family gets a menu and visits each classroom and reads a story and has a treat. TPO sponsors it but it is great fun!
Erin - Besides investing in chart paper and sentence strips, I also bought a ton of ABC books to help reinforce letter sounds.
Barbie/K/WI - The BB materials are worth the $ I spent
cdc - Reading Restaurant sounds great!
Barbie/K/WI - Can't wait for next year
Erin - Yum, Barbie
cdc - Barbie, how often do you have RR?
Barbie/K/WI - RR reading recovery? or reading restaurant?
cdc - Reading Restaurant
Barbie/K/WI - once a year
Erin - Another big part of BB is the name activities that kick off the year and can continue throughout.
Barbie/K/WI - I just have to say I have loved all the parts to BB and my kids are so much further ahead now then they were at the end last year and I don't have "brighter
Barbie/K/WI - brighter kids this year
Erin - ditto, ditto, ditto, Barbie
cdc - That is really great
Barbie/K/WI - well, I would love to stay but it has been a long night for my 18 month old and now she is fussing and wanting to go night night
Erin - We have a BB conference coming in March, and I have talked two of my K-team members to join me!
Erin - into joining me, that is.
Erin - Good night, barbie
Barbie/K/WI - Hope you guys look into BB and Erin have a good rest of the year!
Erin - Thanks! Take care!
cdc - I have to go, too. I've got to get stuff together for a worm farm.
cdc - good by all
Erin - Good night ,cdc. Happy worming.
