Month by Month Reading and Writing for Kindergarten |
The Teacher's Guide to the Building Blocks |
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pez - Hi Everyone
Peggy - Hi, How's everyone's summer going?
pez - Almost over for me
Peggy - When do you start back?
pez - 31st for teachers
Peggy - We have until August 15th.
pez - We're starting a new schedule this year
Peggy - Are you going year-round?
pez - No, but the high schools want to have exams over before winter break. We'll be out by May 22
Peggy - That will be nice! We'll be out June 4th which is early for us.
Dee - hi all....we aren't out until June 25, but don't start until Sept.
Susi_K_AZ - yea, it says i am, so I guess I must be
pez - I started building blocks 2 years ago
Susi_K_AZ - it's my first time here, so i am fairly new with this chat format
Peggy - I'm sitting at a cabin looking out the window at a lake. I'm great!
Dee - Wow, Peggy, can we join you?
Peggy - I'd love it! I get some of my best planning done here.
Susi_K_AZ - wow Peggy, I'd like to be where you are! I am sweating here in arizona
pez - That's okay, Susi. Do you teach K
pez - It's hot here in FL too
Peggy - I've done BB sort of one year and totally one year. I love it!
Dee - This is my first time too, who leads the chat?
Susi_K_AZ - yes, just a couple more weeks til I go back to work
laura/md - where is everyone from?
Peggy - Dinner is ready - gotta go. I'll see if I can join you later. Bye
pez - I'm from Tampa Bay. On the gulf side
Dee - I am in NY.....near Canadian Boarder.
Susi_K_AZ - anyone here from dallas? I am going to the DLM conference there next week, and I am excited!
pez - What's the DLM conference? I might stop in at the I Teach K conference in Orlando next weekend
nylorac - I am from NY
Dee - Where in NY nylorac?
nylorac - near the Berkshires
Melissa - from NJ
pez - I've had great success with BB. Especially because I also have ESOL students in my room
katePSU - Laura, I'm from MD,too
Dee - I am north of Lake Placid.
Susi_K_AZ - Phoenix herehmmm, I can't really tell you what it is! a friend of mine is presenting, and she says that it's great, so i am goingit's sure a lot cheaper than I Teach K, I went there last year!
laura/md - i am in howard county
pez - Melissa, are you the melissa I sent the first grade, first grade tape to a few years ago?
Susi_K_AZ - pez, is your class ESL, or do you just have a lot of ELL students?
Melissa - yep
nylorac - does anyone do literacy centers?
Melissa - I do lorac
Melissa - I used it with great success, this year we did America To Me
pez - Susi, I have the certification on my grade level to teach ESL kids so I get the majority. I had greek, polish, and spanish last year (all non english speakers
Susi_K_AZ - I do too nylorac
nylorac - i am looking for some advice...i seem to make too much work for myself
katePSU - I live in Columbia- teach in PG
Susi_K_AZ - I know what thats like, I have had classes of pure monolingual spanish speakers, good thing I am bilingual;!
Susi_K_AZ - what kind of help do you need?
nylorac - i tend to make new centers each week, then i have other centers that i always have as extra
me - too much work goes with being a K teacerh- I teach with a K teacher that has taught for 35 years and she says just don't watch what everyone else does- it takes longer for K teachers to get all they have to do done!
Dee - What kinds of centers to you use.
pez - BB really helped them to gain confidence
Susi_K_AZ - and how do you rotate, or manage your center time?
nylorac - i spend a lot of time on directions...i guess it is hard for me to give up control..always want an "outcome"
Melissa - don't we all
Dee - Do you find it hard to keep K's on task at non-adult manned centers?
me - I saw someone kept all their centers and activities in a box for each month- I tend to change each year
laura/md - do you teach full day or half day?
pez - I'm still looking for a better way to manage centers
nylorac - susi, i have my class in thirds, then each group goes through 2 "mandatory" centers, then when they finish those, they can go to the ones that I have set up all the time
pez - full day K here
katePSU - susi and pez- I want use BB this fall with my 95% esol, I would love any ideas
Susi_K_AZ - "struggling" with lit centers, but I think I have come up with a system that works for me and that i like...
nylorac - dee, depends on what the activity is.
Susi_K_AZ - are you familiar with guided reading pez?
Susi_K_AZ - I am new at at BB too, really would like training.... or to see a class in action
pez - kate, I didn't do anything different for them. Just the modeling during morning message and predictable chart was enough to teach them letters, sounds, and sight words we have to master
laura/md - i would love to see one too
katePSU - Laura- I teach full day- PG makes it 1st grade for 5 year olds
me - do you do KidWrite in addition to building blocks- I try to do it all in a 4 hour day
pez - susi, we have to do guided reading, but I do shared reading the BB way
Gumbo - susi........there is a BB video.........
TaciFox/k/pa - I am hoping to use BB with a K-2 spread. I will be teaching K and 1, sharing children--as ready--with the 2nd gr. teacher. Any suggestions?
Melissa - hi gumbo
laura/md - we went to Dottie Hall BB workshop last spring and implemented a few things like morning message and loved it
nylorac - kate, me too
laura/md - I plan to start right out with the activities
Melissa - what do you usually do for literacy centers?
Susi_K_AZ - I went to an excellent workshop bt BER about literacy centers, and it got me started
Susi_K_AZ - yes, i like the BB way too for shared reading
Melissa - they do have a video
laura/md - bt ber????
Susi_K_AZ - is there Gumbo, where can i get a hold of a copy?
me - Susi, what was the workshop called?
pez - My kids love morning message. During special days, I'll have a guest write the message. Example: Rudolph wrote it one week
Susi_K_AZ - s by BER it's like SDE, an organization that does educational workshops and presentations
Gumbo - susi...........I got mine from apples 'n' acorns online...........I'll brb w/ url............
nylorac - around mid-year, i have 1 of my groups see me as a center, and I do a direct lesson with a small group, works great if i have parent volunteers to monitor the rest of the class
Susi_K_AZ - cond, let me get the bookRita Hemmert was the presenter, and she is excellent
pez - SDE is in ORlando next week for a K conference
Melissa - I wish I was going!!
laura/md - ok
laura/md - we only teach 2 1/2 hours
Susi_K_AZ - ok, the workshop was called Using Literacy Centers and Workboards to Strengthen Reading and Writing skills in your K classroom
laura/md - we are using the fontas and pinnell benchmark levels for assessment
Susi_K_AZ - WHEW quite the title huh?
me - it's so hard to get anything done in 2 1/2- that's why we switched to 4 hours
laura/md - i just ordered Kid Writing at Borders today
Melissa - I love my full day
Peggy - I attended that workshop in CA. Was Rita Hemmert the presenter?
pez - I'm not familiar with their benchmarks
me - thansk Susi for the name
TaciFox/k/pa - what type of literacy centers are recommended?
nylorac - we use Terra Nova, Fox in the Box literacy profile, twice a year we test
Susi_K_AZ - Kid Writing is excellent
katePSU - does other schools encourage BB or do you integrate it in to your curriculum?
pez - We use Kid Writing too
Susi_K_AZ - yes Rita Hemmert was the presenter
Iris - Oh lynn you took my color
laura/md - all of maryland is supposed to go full day in 2007
me - I agree Kid Writing is the best!
Peggy - I just joined back in, did you like the workshop?
nylorac - pez, what is Kid Writing?
TaciFox/k/pa - laura-- not familiar with F & P benchmarks?
Susi_K_AZ - which workshop? the one by Rita Hemmert?
pez - kate, I brought BB into my school. Hooked one other teacher. When the principal saw the morning message lesson in action during a walk through, he was hooked too
Peggy - Yes.
Iris - What is Kid Writing????????
Susi_K_AZ - oh boy I am having a hard time with this chat format!!! lol
laura/md - it is a series of leveled books with running records and comp questions
Clara - Hello everyone. I am a beginning Pre-K teacher in Texas...can anyone give me some helpful info on reading?
laura/md - A and B are on grade level for k
Ruth - Anyone--what is Kid Writing?
laura/md - I had 10 kids leave k in J last year
Lynn - Sorry Iris, I like green
Susi_K_AZ - I LOVED the workshop, I left so energized and with a lot of new ideas
Peggy - I used the Daily Letter from Rita's workshop and found it very powerful in reaching kids at all levels.
Melissa - pez, how exactly do you do your morning message, do you stick to the way it is recomended in the book
robyn - last year was my first in K...my principal was impressed w/ MMessage also
Susi_K_AZ - cially on how to run literacy centers
laura/md - it is a ton of assessing
Iris - So it is a leveled reading that you do with small groups?
me - Kid Writing is a wonderful systematic jourrnal writing program- very developmentally appropriate for K
TaciFox/k/pa - laura - thank you -- I have purchases several F&P books for summer reading.
Susi_K_AZ - I am going to try that this year Peggy
pez - Melissa, yes, I do it as it is recommended. Later in the year the kids are writing it.
laura/md - yes and then you assess each one to see if they read that level independently
Iris - that's okay Lynn - glad you could join us!
Gumbo - here's the link to the video.........just a one-sentence description... it's $35 http://www.applesnacorns.net/videos.htm
laura/md - BB makes so much sense
Melissa - are her materials available to purchase if you can't attend the workshop?
Susi_K_AZ - Ruth, kidwriting is a great book on teaching children phonics in a systematic approach
Susi_K_AZ - mellissa, Rita's?
Peggy - She had a booklet that BER published. I don't know if you could buy it.
Ruth - Where do you get the plans for Kid Writing?
Melissa - I forget is it in month by month or the teacher's guide, that is the one thing that I have not been able to fit in and would like to add.
Melissa - yes, susi sorry not more specific
pez - Ruth, just read the book and the plans come through
laura/md - there is a book called Kid Writing
Susi_K_AZ - there is a book called Kid Writing published by the wright group
Peggy - Kid Writing is a book that is available through Wright Group. It's very easy to use.
laura/md - I just ordered it
Emily - Who is Rita Hemmert?
Melissa - Wright Group
Gumbo - ruth..........it's a book..........kidwriting........
TaciFox/k/pa - can KidWriting be effective if you do not have an help?
robyn - i'm interested in kidwriting, too,but, so many books and so little money!
TaciFox/k/pa - any help -- sorry
Peggy - Emily, Rita Hemmert is in the Washoe County Office of Ed. in Nevada (near Reno). She is an early childhood educator specialist.
Iris - do you do kidwriting in small group?
pez - robyn, it's worth every penny
Gumbo - taci.........I don't have any assistant,etc. and usually a minimum of 24 kids......it can work,but like BB,it just takes longer........
Peggy - Iris, I do kid writing whole class.
me - Traci- it is difficult without help but older children and parents can help
robyn - thanks, pez, it'll be the next thing i buy
TaciFox/k/pa - Gumbo-- thank you! I have several children I think this process would really help.
me - I do it individually for Kid Writing
laura/md - do you have them write in marker (no erasing?)
Gumbo - taci........it really helps them all........
Peggy - Laura, at the beginning of the year I do. Then we switch to pencil
me - sorry, in a group but they each write their own
Susi_K_AZ - kidwriting is actually quite inexpensive compared to other books
pez - I don't have a helper. When I do predictable chart, I only model 2 or 3 sentences because the kids are so antsy. I will call them to me one at a time during centers. Then, when all the snetences are done we read them together and do the other activities
robyn - someone else was talking about 2 1/2 hr days, that's what we have too, and it's so hard to get it all in
Susi_K_AZ - I do kidwriting in a bit modified version, I first modeled the technique, then after that we did journaling 3 times a week
pez - Susi, me too
laura/md - well, i had 24 in the am class last year
laura/md - even doing half the class would be 12 sentences
laura/md - that is a long time
me - I found the peer modeling of journals and mini-lessons taught the greatest lessons!
Susi_K_AZ - I try to conference with the kids at least once a week, with 28 kids it'shard to do it every day
Ruth - Thanks--I intend to buy Kid Writing
Gumbo - me,too,pez and susi..........I still find they get too antsy doing predictable charts..........and lose interest.........
Susi_K_AZ - is everyone is here familiar with the Kinder Korner email list?
TaciFox/k/pa - Do you do interactive writing with your predictable charts?
Iris - I just went on Wright Goups website and Kid Writing is $24.95
robyn - yes, KK is great!
Susi_K_AZ - yeap gumbo, that is my experience too
laura/md - i signed up for the kindegarten ring on teachers net but nothing so far
Susi_K_AZ - oh there is a kidwriting list too, where people can write in with questions and ideas etc
laura/md - i had Borders order kid writing for me- i think it is 19.95 there and no shipping but I will be waiting a few weeks
Susi_K_AZ - kinder korner is VERY active, sometimes way too active.... you can get up to 50-75 emails a day!
laura/md - wow
robyn - susi-a kidwriting list where?
laura/md - i'll have to try that
Gumbo - well, because of no help, I do 'cheat' and made predictable charts and laminated them.........just fill in the kids' repsonses........
Iris - Gotta go guys. Talk to you later.
laura/md - bye
Susi_K_AZ - but you can sign up and set for no mail, so you can read the posts at your leisure
robyn - re: KKorner, digest is the only way to remain sane
Gumbo - bye,iris.........
Ruth - We're just starting BB--I'm excited and overwhelmed!
pez - Gumbo, good idea
Susi_K_AZ - hey Gumbo, that is a great idea!
Gumbo - I'm in the teachers.net BB ring.........
TaciFox/k/pa - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KidWritingK/
Susi_K_AZ - I just joined that one
Susi_K_AZ - thats it tacifox
Gumbo - susi........I think we have to adapt to our own circumstances,so I do.........
Melissa - first grade is the most active
me - any good new books to do with predictable charts this year?
robyn - thanks for the kidwriting url, i'll get started by reading everything there while waiting for a book
Susi_K_AZ - http://groups.yahoo.com/ group/kinderkorner/
pez - I tie my predictable charts in with my weekly themes
Susi_K_AZ - that is what I always tell people who go to my workshops, take what i show you, and make it your own!
Susi_K_AZ - hi bester
Susi_K_AZ - brb, going to get the addy for kinderkorner! I typed it in wrong I think
Ruth - Thanks for KidWriting url
Gumbo - pez...........that's what I do.........tie into my themes..........
Bester - I'm doing curriculum work w/BB; it looks great!
laura/md - have you seen angie's website?
Melissa - kinder-l is good also
laura/md - she wrote up her whole year
laura/md - i did a similiar thing
Bester - I love that idea about laminating charts!
Susi_K_AZ - Subscribe: KinderKorner-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Gumbo - we start out w/ first names on the word wall and do the name cheers,etc.
TaciFox/k/pa - Melissa--do you teach K-1?
Susi_K_AZ - angies site is awesome!!!
Gumbo - it takes a while to sit down and write the same sentence starter over and over..........lol.........but worth it........
Melissa - what is the address
robyn - i'm back, took a side trip to yahooand changed color too
Melissa - nope full day k
Bester - Well, you're going to write it one way or the other! lol
me - robyn, love your faces how do you do that?
Gumbo - yup,bester..........I had a marathon chart writing session...........lol
laura/md - i am going to try doing two weeks themes this year-one week for the big book and one week for the predictable chart
Melissa - what is the address for angies's site
robyn - i'm all in favor of doing things only once! great idea
pez - Gumbo, I make the name puzzles too
laura/md - ilovekindergarten.com
Bester - I am in a school that only does letter of the week. Thoughts, anyone?
laura/md - =angie's site
TaciFox/k/pa - http://mrsbonthuisclass.com/
laura/md - i am going to be the rebel in my school and not do low
Melissa - thanks
TaciFox/k/pa - is this an old address? mrsbonthuis
pez - Bester, 2 of our teachers didn't want to do BB, they were stuck on LOTW. My kids learned their alphabet faster
laura/md - she got an new url
Bester - Me, too, this year. I'm a little scared!
Gumbo - pez..........I make name,address,and telephone # puzzles........this year made birthday puzzles,too.........
robyn - re: faces...i don't know if it's aol or teachers.net, but when i type in the smiley, it shows up not as type, but as a real face. doesn't take much to make us k teachers happy, does it?
laura/md -
TaciFox/k/pa - Laura-thanks, I'll update.
pez - Gumbo, this year I'm going to make name discovery bottles too
laura/md - hey it works
me - sorry- slow learner how do you type the smiley and it is those little things that do make me happy thanks!
laura/md - me too
laura/md - not that i have been unduly influenced by the chat board
robyn - well, it works for *some* faces ;-(
Gumbo - pez..........I got the bottles last year from Riley.......never did anything w/ 'em.......
laura/md - colon and paranthesis
laura/md - make
robyn - smiley colon, dash, right parenthesis
pez - Oh, something else I do. I choose a special person each day. The kids learn to interview the child and we write up a story about the child. Then we do the name chant and make the name puzzle. We also draw the picture for them and they take their "special person" book home.
laura/md -
Melissa - gumbo how do you make the puzzles
Bester - I just picked up the C-D Making Alphabet Books book by Dorothy Hall; has anyone seen it?
pez - Gumbo, I got the Karo syrup from one of my parents and didn't do anything with it
me - ;-( trying it out !
pez - Bester, haven't seen the CD, how is it?
Gumbo - melissa.........just on different colored sentence strips.........cut up,put in ziploc bag......I start 'em out w/ just the name puzzle,then add the others......
laura/md - there is a cd
Gumbo - no,bester.........is it good?
Melissa - you can get the small water bottlles and the mini letter beads from Oriental trading
Bester - Not a CD (Carson-Dellosa) That's what I get for abbreviating!
me - have you heard about the bottles with salt and a few grains of rice and then stir a piece of colored chalk to color?
laura/md - ohhhhh
Melissa - nope where did you get it Bester?
robyn - melissa...wow! i never thought of getting that stuff from otc...good idea
me - for sight words and
Bester - It's about predictable charts using the alphabet: A is for..., etc.
pez - Darn, Bester,, A CD sounded so good. LOL
Melissa - I do the name did not think of doing the others
Gumbo - I have a predictable charts book..........
Bester - I picked it up at the local teacher store. I'm having a hard time weaning from the letter of the week!
pez - My team mate has the predictable chart book. I need to get my own
laura/md - think of it as letter of the day
me - is the predictable charts book worth it?
Melissa - I agree pez
Gumbo - melissa........it's their 'morning work' when they come in.......they do their sign-in page,then their puzzles,check each other's work.........
robyn - gumbo-how many pieces do you cut your name puzzles into?
laura/md - whatever that child's name starts with
Bester - I like her other predictable charts book, but this one seems kind of dull. I like the tongue twisters in it, though.
Melissa - me too pez
pez - I cut my puzzles into how many letters are in the name
robyn - predictable charts book is good for a jumping-off point...then you'll think of more that meet your needs
pez - There's more than 1 pred. book?
Bester - Agreed, Robyn!
Melissa - do you then give them other names to do
Gumbo - depends on the kid's name,robyn.........usually into syllables at first,then into smaller pieces if the kid can handle it........
Bester - The ABC book just came out, pez
Susi_K_AZ - is there anyway to get a copy of this chat, so i can read thru it later?
Melissa - also with the little bottles you can have cards with names and pictures and they have to match the name bottle to the card
Gumbo - dunno,pez........but I do have one......
laura/md - oh that is so cute melissa
Bester - Maybe in the archives, later, Susi???
pez - Melissa, how little are the bottles you are talking about
Melissa - in the archives
Susi_K_AZ - I have abc discovery bottles, and I just made a popcorn word discovery bottle
laura/md - do you give them to them at the end of the year?
robyn - susi- there is an archive, not that i've ever used it or even knw how, yet!
Susi_K_AZ - ok, I will have to explore a bit later on
Gumbo - susi.........they used to archive these chats,but I don't know .........
laura/md - i read the archive
laura/md - very interesting
Melissa - you can get the eight ounce water bottles or there are littler ones which I think are 4 or 6, you can have kids donate or pick up a case at BJs or costco or Sams
Melissa - how did you do that susi
laura/md - do you put anything else in their name bottles?
Melissa - laura is your question for me?
Susi_K_AZ - I use the nestle quick chocolate milk bottle, they are nice and smooth
pez - Do you fill your name bottles with colored water or sand?
Melissa - no but you can, yes give at end
Bester - Is anyone having luck with student writing? BB says to do morning message & end of day journals for modeling. What comes between that and the wonderful writing they show in the book?
Melissa - nope but good idea
Susi_K_AZ - well, the popcorn word bottle has kernels of unpopped corn, and site words written on popcorn shaped white craft foam
Susi_K_AZ - I have a picture od\f a name bottle, if anyone wants to see it
robyn - way cool susi! what a great idea
laura/md - yes melissa. I was just wondering what else you would do with their name bottles?
Gumbo - sure,susi........
Bester - I'd like to see it, Susi
Melissa - how cute
Susi_K_AZ - grr pls forgive my typos
Melissa - what do they do with the bottles
laura/md - very cute suzi
Susi_K_AZ - send me an email and I'll send pictures to whoever wants to see
Susi_K_AZ - laprofe2@aol.com
Melissa - I don't have any other ideas for the name bottles, except this year will add last names also
Melissa - also, question like how many letter in each name etx..
Susi_K_AZ - I can't take credit for the popcorn word bottle, I saw it on angie bonthuis site
pez - susi, just sent you a message
Ruth - Does each person have their own name bottle?
Gumbo - susi.........can you post a link to angie's site?
robyn - we must all be off e-mailing susi!
laura/md - there is a lesson plan here on discovery bottles by janet bowland #422
Susi_K_AZ - sure just a sec ok?
Susi_K_AZ - www.mrsbonthuisclass.com
shelly - I am new to this, and have a question. Do any of you use Susie Haas materials?
Susi_K_AZ - I think!
Bester - I just discovered this chat room -- how often is it available?
Gumbo - I know I have angie's site bookmarked,but can't find it............grrrrrrrrrrrr
me - Jean Feldman had a site about bottles also- i haven't been there for a while
Lisa - Bester, I got the most mileage out of writing the daily news with my kids and having them figure out and write missing words, such as "We will __ __ P.E." (go to) I omitted "popcorn words" in our daily news and the kids learned to read and spell them quickly. Then they began applying this to their writing. I also think writing in journals at least 3 times a week help the kids develop their writing skills.
Gumbo - bester.......there's usually an ECE meeting every Tues..........same time.........
LisaL - Hey guys. One day when I was looking through the sites listed on teachers.net I came across a first day activity where the kids make puzzles and it gets sent home with a poem. WHen I went back to find it I couldn't. Does anyone know where that is?
REI - Evening everyone.
Bester - Thanks, Lisa
pez - Lisa, I try to do the same
laura/md - the puzzle and poem is for kissing hand
Gumbo - lisa..........it got bumped off the board by other messages.........post again to kdn board,and someone will post it!!
Lisa - The puzzle idea is on Angie Bonthuis' site and is also in the Aug/Sept Mailbox magazine.
laura/md - try angie's site under kissing hand
Susi_K_AZ - angie has that activity on her site too
Susi_K_AZ - lisa, you beat me to the punch
laura/md - i bought 140 little puzzles for our whole team
Susi_K_AZ - I made the puzzles last year... the poem that mailbox has is different though than the one I used
robyn - good night ,folks!
Gumbo - here's a link to angie's site http://www.mrsbonthuisclass.com/
pez - laura, where did you get the puzzles from?
Gumbo - laura.........where'd ya get the puzzles?
laura/md - we have a teacher's store called Learning How
laura/md - they are in the discount school supply catlog or on line
pez - laura, how did you use the puzzles?
Gumbo - I wonder if classroom direct has them.........or really good stuff..........I'll have to look.........
lilacs - evening all!
Lisa - Laura, I'm in MD, too. Where is the "Learning How" store?
Gumbo - hey,lilacs..
pez - Hi lilacs
laura/md - after reading the kissing hand, you make a stamp handprint of each child, stamp a heart and send home in a baggie with the poem
Bester - Hi, lilacs
LisaL - Lisa and Laura I am also in Maryland. Where do you teach?
laura/md - the one i go to iis in columbia but they have other stores
laura/md - i have the poem here
LisaL - Learning How is also in Bel Air, Towson, and Annapolis.
Susi_K_AZ - here's info on getting blank puzzles
laura/md - i teach in howard co
lilacs - thanks for the warm reception!
Lisa - I'm in Leonardtown (Southern Maryland)
Susi_K_AZ - Discount school Supply sells the Compoz-A-Puzzles for less than the
lilacs - I teach in NH
Susi_K_AZ - grr it did not all go thru
LisaL - I teach in Waldorf, near the mall.
Susi_K_AZ - the 4x5's are 6.78(item#9CO)
Bester - For how many, Suzi?
laura/md - angie posted the poem on her website
lilacs - I know I am joining the chat late-just curious if you all teach full or half day sessions?
Susi_K_AZ - discount school supply
Lisa - I'm surprised so many of us are from MD
shelly - Susi, are you the Susi from STUFF?
laura/md - and on teacher's net
Susi_K_AZ - let me look, I am taking it from my KK mailring archives
laura/md - on 6/27
me - I teach 2 overlapping 4 hour sessions
LisaL - I will be teaching half day. I am moving from first grade.
Bester - Echo chamber?
Lisa - Me, that must be challenging.
LisaL - How does the overlapping work?
lilacs - wow, me thats neat- how lucky to have extra time I teach two 2 1/2 hour sessions and always feel so rushed!
Bester - I LOVE full-day K!
mmq/nm - lilacs - i'll be doing full day bilingual
me - it is, we have quite a complicated schedule where someone takes one class out to play- we have station time for the entire K and switch them and they go to special during overlap time
Lisa - I don't think Me has extra time, just double the load at some point!
Ruth - Does Discount School Supply have a webstite?
laura/md - yes
Lisa - Bester, my school is just switching to full day K next year. I'm a little nervous. I can't imagine the first day of school!
laura/md - there are 24 puzzles for 6.78
Susi_K_AZ - 24 puzzles for 6.78 at discount school supply
lilacs - good point Lisa- I guess I meant more time with the kids which I wish I had- I would love a full day program.
Bester - That's a great price
me - you are right- not extra time- very hectic -but when we went to visit schools it was down time for the last hour and a half and our administration decided 4 hours was quality time
Susi_K_AZ - shelly, I don't see my answer to you, I am Susi from SSTUFFF
LisaL - I would like full day too. I think that we will be going to full day in the next few years. HOpefully next year.
Ruth - I've gotten some great ideas--thanks!
LisaL - What is STUFF?
katePSU - Lisa- I just came back and I'm from Md, too- PG and we are full day. I really like it.
Susi_K_AZ - I have a teacher sharing mailring called SSTUFFF
LisaL - Me.. how much planning time do you get each day? Also, how many kids are in each class?
me - thank you also for the chat! Bye
laura/md - so, me, you get planning after they leave?
Lisa - I think I'll like it too, once the kids and I adjust.
Bester - Full day is great, Lisa. You can do everything you want and still have time to play and et to know the kids.
Bester - The way you really want to, I mean!
laura/md - there are a lot of sample schedules online
me - oh saw the question - I get a half hour lunch and then planning time last half hour of the day - someone takes my class out to play and does afternoon bus duty for me
laura/md - full day is looking better and bettr to me
katePSU - Are you allowed to have rest?
lilacs - Bester, I imagine that you really get a better chance to use all the component to BB every week...
Lisa - I hope so. Our new principal is seeing full day K as a mini first grade. We're still convincing her that we need a BALANCED day!
Susi_K_AZ - anyone interested in SSTUFF, here is the info Subscribe: SSTUFFF-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Bester - Absolutely, Lilacs. I can't imagine trying to do it otherwise.
Susi_K_AZ - who was the person who is doing bilingual K?
LisaL - Lisa that is what scares me about the full day. Sometimes I wonder if soon there will be reading classes for 2 year olds. It seems like everything just keeps getting pushed down.
mmq/nm - that would be me
katePSU - That is how it works in PG- I hope as the rest MD implements all day. They will come to their senses.
Lisa - We are going to have a 30-40 minute "rest time". I probably will have music playing and books available.
lilacs - last year was my first go at BB and w/ a 2 1/2 hour per day program I had to alternate weeks between read alouds, big books, predictable charts
Bester - lol, Lisa -- can you imagine keeping all your kids resting for 40 minutes?
Paulie - I played Mozart and they loved it
laura/md - how did it work, lilacs?
Susi_K_AZ - I would love to have a rest time, but no time to do it! and I do teach full day
LisaL - Maybe you should offer puzzles and drawing paper during rest also.
Lisa - LisaL, I agree. I just tried to explain to my prinicpal that we're looking at full day K as giving us time to do quality activities, not quantity.
katePSU - That is really great- my kids get tired at the end of the day and we can only have 20 min until Jan. and none after that.
Lisa - I can't imagine a whole class quietly resting! I'm not going to fool myself there! LOL
Susi_K_AZ - we have a quiet time after lunch recess, maximum 10 minutes!
Bester - After lunch I play music and allow kids to rest or draw. Later in the year, I read chapter book chapters and allow them to draw/respond if they like.
Paulie - no rest is good even if they just lie there and think
lilacs - it worked out pretty well- I was very pleased with the progress and growth my students made using BB methods. I just had to keep looking back and thinking ahead to be sure I was keeping a balance.
Paulie - you want the lights dim
LisaL - How long do people have outside time and how often?
Bester - That's what I'm concerned about, lilacs
laura/md - we try to go out everyday for 5-10 minutes
Lisa - I can't imagine 10 minutes as being very restful! I guess we're just going to play it by ear. I teach a fully included K class, so some of our SPED children may very well need that 30-40 minutes. We'll see.
Bester - I go out for half and hour a day. Unless it's June.
LisaL - Does anyone meet with students in small reading groups at any time in the year?
Susi_K_AZ - well, I better get going, I am doing a presentation tomorrow at a local conference, need to get finishing touches done
Bester - Uh, that's half an hour.
laura/md - yes all year
lilacs - only outside time my kids tend to get is if they get to school early while we are out for our 15 minute arrivals time slot.
Bester - Have fun Susi. Thanks!
Lisa - We go out about 3 times a week for 20 minutes or so, time permitting. WIth full day K, I hope we get out every day!
katePSU - 30 for lunch, 20 min specials- the county hasn't update time for k speicals even through we went all day k. I was told it is not important
Bester - With full day K, you really need to get outside.
LisaL - I am thinking that I want to go out for free play 3 days a week and have organized "PE" the other 2 days to work on skills and teach some games. What do you think?
Bester - Do your kids have PE class, LisaL?
Lisa - I haven't done small reading group pull outs, but I do 3 reading groups a day with help form paras.
LisaL - No, we have no specials in Kindergarten - half day.
Bester - That sounds like a good plan, then.
katePSU - When I was in Pa that is what they did. It worked well
Lisa - No Specials! You need to come down to St. Mary's County. We have 3 specials a week (PE,Music, and Media). Our principal is trying to get us an art special next year to ensure that we get enough planning time.
lilacs - LisaL, no structured small reading groups- but we do have reading times where children are doing different things
Bester - I get Library, Music, Art & 2 PE's a week. Sweet!
LisaL - Lisa - we get a lunch and planning time from 11:40 until 1:10 in between classes. Plus, I live in Alexandria and my commute is already long enough.
Lisa - Right now, we have a break including lunch, from 11:30 to 12:45 plus our specials. I can't imagine no specials at all. I guess I'm really spoiled!
LisaL - Lisa are you in the southern maryland reading council? IF not you should join.
laura/md - we had specials once a month this year but we have been told that is gone this year
Lisa - I can't imagine commuting from Alexandria to Charles County. That's quite a drive but I guess you're going opposite to most of the rush hour traffic. I am not a current member of the SMRC, but was previously.
lilacs - We do not have specials
Lisa - Thats sad. Teachers need enough planning time. Even our preK gets 2 specials a week.
Bester - Has anyone tried anything from BB that just did not work?
Lisa - I guess specials are one of the perks to living in a rural area.
Bester - I'm trying to head off any problems ahead of time.
lilacs - We don't have a Pre-K either- actually our district is just going into its third year with Kindergarten!
Lisa - Everything I tried from BB was very successful. The hard part was fitting everything in a half day schedule I just picked my favorite activities -mostly the predictable charts, popcorn activities, daily news, and journals.
laura/md - wow, lilacs, where are you?
Lisa - Wow, Lilacs!
lilacs - NH
LisaL - Bye everyone I have to go. My house is a pit and we have just decided that we are going to clean it up. See you.
laura/md - bye
Bester - Bye, Lisa
lilacs - bye
Lisa - Bye Lisa. I need to sign off, too. Good night everyone!
laura/md - no kindergarten before 1998?
lilacs - Bester, I liked everything that I tried from BB and am looking forward to refining things next year
Bester - I am excited and nervous about jumping into it this year. It's only my second year teaching K.
lilacs - Bester you had full day correct?
Bester - Everything looks so good on paper, I can't wait to get in there and DO IT!
Bester - Yes
lilacs - then you will have plenty of time to get alot of it accomplished
Bester - Now that I've decided what I'm going to do, it's time to start thinking about fitting it into the day, and how to progress through the year.
lilacs - I was nervous going into using BB last year but I also thought it sounded great on paper so I jumped in and tried to balance it out
Bester - Well, I've got to go in to school tomorrow and finish up my curriculum work. Have a nice night -- it was fun chatting!
lilacs - it fit well into my class meeting time, language arts time and center/choice times
lilacs - good night!
