Month by Month Reading and Writing for Kindergarten |
The Teacher's Guide to the Building Blocks |
|
|
|
Kinder/ MO - Building Blocks meeting?
geoffrey - yes
cf - Hi, Kinder/MO, do you know anything about the Building Blocks literacy?
cf - Paulie, what do you know about Building Blocks literacy?
Paulie - not a lot just reading never really used it all came for info myself
cf - lisag, we're looking for someone who knows something about this topic...any info?
loopy - What do you want to know? I know a little.
cf - Anything at all, loopy
loopy - Building Blocks is the kindergarten version of 4 Blocks. It's a model for teaching literacy.
cf - Great, loopy, that clarifies a lot!
loopy - I'm self taught...been implementing parts of it for 2 years.
cf - What do you like about it?
cf - What parts do you implement?
loopy - I've never been a big fan of letter of the week and it helped me move away from that mode of instruction.
loopy - My students learn letter id and letter sounds at the same time during meaningful instruction.
loopy - They are also getting CAPS all year long. It's made a big difference in my end of year results.
cf - Does it teach them to sound out whole words?
loopy - hmmm. I'm trying to figure out how best to describe it.
loopy - Most teachers start with the "name" activities. Rather than type it all in here I should probably give you some good links.
cf - Thanks. Links would be good.
cf - We're glad you found your way back, Paulie.
cf - Yes, Kinder
Kinder/ MO - I got lost trying to find the location.
loopy - The name activities focus on the letters in each students name when they are the special person.
loopy - Looking for the link...brb
Kinder/ MO - It is also great as a natural self esteem builder
cf - Kinder, what reading skills does it have that you think your students benefit from?
Kinder/ MO - all of my students are now reading many little books, decoding words and understanding basic concept of print.
loopy - http://www.blocks4reading.com/building_blocks.htm
Kinder/ MO - They are able to write a friendly letter format just from seeing the morning message.
PS - You can go to those links and read about it but I feel the best help is from those that are using it presently . . .
loopy - My class is mostly ESOL. At the beginning of the yr they spoke little or no English. Now they are all on or above grade level. BB has been very effective for me.
PS - Do u write your morning message on big paper so someone gets to take it home? or on the board?
Kinder/ MO - I feel the predictible chart, the morning message, the shared reading all build those early reading skills that each child needs.
PS - Do u use any other phonics program with it?
PS - but in BB they also have to have time for reading themselves even if it is only pretending and writing too
Kinder/ MO - chart paper, we use wikki sticks to identify what we know or notice..
loopy - PS. You are right but I don't think we can explain the entire model here. cf seemed to need some info that is available online.
PS - but those sites are online at the top of the BB chat
loopy - I use chart paper. They are posted all over the room for a while. The kids return to them when reading the room.
Kinder/ MO - I have a reading program ( Macmillian McGraw Hill) but as far as phonic or Phonemic awareness, I just basic nursery rhymes and songs.
PS - I myself have already read those I want to know what happens in classrooms tthat ar using it I want to be able t tell my principal we don't need another phonics or reading book
PS - yes I ahve 4 neat phonemic books that go with the seasons
loopy - I do not use an additional phonics program.
Kinder/ MO - PS tell them how much money you can save them and still get great results.
PS - so u use yur reading program and BB?
PS - we are starting a new school and I am on the curriculum committee
Kinder/ MO - BB fits around most "reading programs"
PS - eel this way even tho never got to use it
loopy - We have Literacy Tree. I pull the books that I think will interest the kids or that go with the theme I'm teaching.
PS - Kinder, what I am saying WHY do u have a reading program too?
Kinder/ MO - our reading program is composed of several big books and other litature books. so it is fine
loopy - I also pull books form our Social studies and science curriculum.
Kinder/ MO - PS, it was there when we started BB. so we continue to use it but no WORKBOOKS
PS - oic well I ahve many in my own collection so it would not be necessary if a teacher had their own source fror BIG books then?
cf - Are there essential skills for word ident. that BB lacks?
PS - K should not use workbooks anyway
PS - Loopy, good to integrate
loopy - You don't have to have another reading program as well. You just need children literature so most of us pull from what the school already has.
Kinder/ MO - right. If you have enough big books, then go for it.
Kinder/ MO - cf, I think that a teacher puts into her instruction the letter ident skills in her morning message and predictable charts.
loopy - cf...no. Everything that needs to be covered can be covered using the model.
PS - lots of reading skills with the names too
cf - So, the children can independently decode and read other material?
PS - How many hours does BB take? Is there time for other things like math and science in half day program?
loopy - If I want my student to know what a period is called and what it means then I'll focus on it during morning message or shared reading.
Kinder/ MO - I do the names twice. The first time I use just the first name, and then at mid year, we use the first and last name.
PS - and u don't change the beginning of the names
PS - with a different sound
Kinder/ MO - cf, yes. my students have learned to decode and use letters and sounds to read other material as well
loopy - Half day folks usually alternate predictable charts and shared reading.
PS - so on the average how long are u using BB daily?
Kinder/ MO - I have adjusted the amount of instruction time to meet the needs/ attention span of my students
PS - nono I know they get this in small doses I meant how long during the day do u do sme part of BB
Kinder/ MO - Morning message, 10- 15 minutes, Predictible charts, up to 30 minutes some days, others 15.
PS - but that is only part of it how long do they do their own rading and own writing
Kinder/ MO - Shared reading 20-30 minutes depending on the book and the activity
Peachy - Kinder and PS, do you use journals, too?
PS - reading
PS - journals is a part of BB I am not teaching this year moved and no job yet
Kinder/ MO - yes. 10- 15 minutes depending upon the time of the yr.
Peachy - I teach BB.
PS - Do you use leveled little books like from Wright group or Rigby with BB
Peachy - Did any of you go to the annual conference in Clemmons?
PS - Great tell us about a typical day Peachy
Kinder/ MO - We had Dottie Hall in our building last Thur. She is awesome.
PS - wow how wonderful
Peachy - I thought so too Kinder. Elaine Williams is great also.
Kinder/ MO - I don't have the leveled books, but I do have some easy predictible books
loopy - I'm full day K with pullouts for ESOL and we do have specials. We also have Spanish every other day. So morning meeting is about 25 to 30 minutes. Literacy stations are 55 minutes. Self selected reading is now 20 minutes. I also have 30 mins of Dev. Centers and some kids are reading and writing at this time.
Kinder/ MO - Dottie went into our classrooms and worked with our kids while we watched.
PS - sounds good loopy
Peachy - That must have been a wonderful experience, Kinder.
ME - Do any of you do KidWriting?
PS - Did it cost a lot to host her?
KindergartenCop - ME - I use KidWriting for the writing block
Kinder/ MO - I learned more from watching her. She took us beyond what we were currently doing.
PS - I would liek to include Kid writing
Kinder/ MO - It was pretty expensive but it was covered with a grant/
loopy - I had writing time as one of my literacy stations. I could work with smaller groups. They kept writing in a pocket folder. One side was finished work and the other was work in progress.
ME - About how long do you spend? Do you have help?
Kinder/ MO - I would like to learn about KIDWriting
Peachy - I do, ME. It has really been helpful with our journals. I start at the beginning of the year. BB doesn't start journaling until Jan.
ME - I have seen great results with KidWriting but teach in a 4 hour program and it takes a lot of my time
nance - kindergarten Building Blocks Literacy Chat
PS - Peach do the kids just draw in journals in beginning of year and you write what they say or do u have them writing what they hear then too?
loopy - I meet with about 4 kids at a time. I do one on one within this small group. I spend about 20 25 minutes with them then we switch stations. My kids met with me or another writing coach every other day.
KindergartenCop - Besides KidWriting, I do morning message (writing for K's) and end of the day message ( writing with K's)
ME - I'm writing a research paper on how developmentally appropriate both building blocks and kidwriting is- research supports all we do!
Jw - Hello, I'm interested in gettting information on how to teach in vt?
Peachy - PS, they draw but they also must write something. There is a lot of modeling about how you do it and you accept their efforts.
loopy - Last yr I started earlier. This yr I started later, when they had had more modeling and lots of shared pen (on chart paper) and writing exploration in centers. This yr's class did much better with writing. I'm not sure if waiting made the difference. Last yr's class got stuck in a rut.
PS - ok wll I think wehn I taught K before I moved toa nother state, I was using much of what BB does without knowing it
Peachy - My class was better this year, too. I think it is because I got better...lol!
loopy - BB is really just a compilation of good teaching practices.
PS - That helps Peachy
KindergartenCop - Does anyone use the new Houghton Mifflin reading series, with the Alpha Friends?
loopy - PS ~ Do you have the Teacher's Guide or the Month by Month?
PS - Month by month
PS - A school I was at the principal gave us all 4 Blocks and i told her no, BB is for K
Lisa - KindergartenCop, We'll be using that series next year. We don't have it yet. I'm anxious to see what it involves and to see how compatible it is with BB.
loopy - I think that looking through those books will give you a lot of the "ammo" you'd need to present BB as a possibility. MxM tells you throught why you are doing certain things...and it is all based on research
KindergartenCop - Lisa, this is my first year with it, after 10 years of Letter People - The K's did MUCH better
Lisa - That's encouraging.
PS - yes I love month by month
Lisa - Did you use HM and BB together?
PS - I hear that letter people aren't that good -- just the blow up puppets are cute
KindergartenCop - Lisa - I like that the lower case letters are taught, rather than upper. It sure helps the K's with reading earlier
Lisa - I have done mostly BB this year in my half day program and found the kids did a lot better this year.
Lisa - That makes sense.
PS - used zoo phonics and it taught lowr case shapes with sounds only
loopy - Last yr my numbers were so much better than the other K's that my AP wanted to know why. What did I do differently? I was the only one using BB. After looking at the 2 books I mentioned she purchased them for all of us. Sadly, they won't let go of letter of the week.
Lisa - Did you get most of the series components? Any thing you HATE in the series? WE're getting ready to order our stuff and don't want to order anything that's bad.
KindergartenCop - PS - I've seen that program and thought it looked good. Only my district just adopted HM, so I thought I'd try it. I think it will be better for the 1st grade teachers.
PS - Kindergarten cop my school had nothign one teacher got it in a training and we borrowed from her
Lisa - I have heard lots of good things about zoo Phonics but haven't seen it.
KindergartenCop - Lisa - There is a TON of work ideas. I teach all day, alternate day so... I had to pick and choose. I like the WBs.
PS - you can see zoo phonics by going to zoophonics.com online
Lisa - WB's?
Lisa - Our school is going to have all full day K's next year which is why we're getting the HM series.
loopy - Have any of you taught 1st and used the 4 Blocks?
KindergartenCop - Lisa - WB - workbooks. I have not had a workbook in 8 years, but tried these cuz of the deal they gave the school. About half was independent type work, so I could work with groups on KidWriting. Worked great.
Lisa - I didn't know they had workbooks. Did you find you could still differentiate by skill level?
KindergartenCop - loopy - never been "promoted" to first. Have taught K for 11 years, 4th for two, and special ed for 10
loopy - I'll be looping up to 1st with my class next yr. I'm going to spent the summer learning about 4 Blocks! I'm really excited about it.
PS - that is neat loopy lucky u theey have had BB too
KindergartenCop - loopy - I think that sounds wonderful- my option might be 6th :-0
Lisa - Loopy, that sounds great. I'd love to loop but none of first grade teachers want to teach K. I have taught K for 16 years.
PS - Lisa do u use BB in your K?
loopy - I plan to go to the conference in SC in October. I can't decide if I want to go to BB sessions or 4 Blocks sessions
Lisa - Yes. I really like BB, but have trouble fitting everything into my half day K schedule.
PS - Lisa do u also have a reading series?
KindergartenCop - Lisa - with the WB, at the beginning we did much of it together, but now, the higher kids work independently while I work with the lower groups
PS - too bad u can't go to soem of each loopy
Lisa - We don't have a reading series yet, but will have HM next year in our new full day K classes. This year, I have the freedom to do whatever I want. Next year should be interesting.
loopy - I'm the first one to want to loop. We needed to add a first and lose a K class so it worked out. Luckily, I have another teacher that wants to do this too. She's new and she's embracing the BB philosophy.
Lisa - Thanks for the info. KindergartenCop.
KindergartenCop - Night all - it's bedtime - BUT I'm only working 1/2 day tomorrow and then going away for the weekend with hubby
loopy - nite Cop
Lisa - Good night! Enjoy your weekend!
PS - enjoy K cop
Lisa - Good luck, Loopy. I'd better sign off, too. Good night everyone.
PS - bye Lisa
loopy - Thanks Lisa. I guess it's that time. So long from me too!
PS - thanks for help loopy nite
