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Kathy/5/IA - Hello techn! Welcome to the focus meeting.
Kathy/5/IA - How are you? What grade do you teach?
teachn - 1st grade here
Kathy/5/IA - Is there any particular topic you all want to discuss tonight. I really didn't get a topic set for this month!
Pattie - I'd like to know how you all do differentiated teaching
Kathy/5/IA - Do you mean reaching all levels in your room, Pattie?
teachn - differentiated as in levels pattie?
Pattie - 4th OHIO
Pattie - differentiated learning as in scaffolding to meet the needs of individual learners
Kathy/5/IA - Sounds like a good topic, Pattie - which I had more ideas for you.
Pattie - I am a member of a study group at our school on scaffolding and I have to give a talk on differentiated learning. I just don't know where to go to get ideas
Kathy/5/IA - Are you reading a certain book in your study group?
Pattie - if you give a project, how do you meet the needs of the gifted and the slow learner
Pattie - no - we have been trying to get our info off the web
Kathy/5/IA - Have you found some sites to help, Pattie?
Pattie - a few...but know i have to teach sample lessons
Brigadoon - I am team teaching 5 this year and I do US history. I'd like to watch some videos, but I find that most videos are hard for my ELD students to understand. Any suggetions on what to do?
Brigadoon - I hate stopping the tape all the time because then we seem to lose interest
Kathy/5/IA - Can you break down the video in small parts - discussing as you go?
Kathy/5/IA - Looks like you tried that :)
Kathy/5/IA - Would some type of graphic organizer help?
Brigadoon - Maybe - should they fill it in or should it be filled in for them?
Kathy/5/IA - I guess it would depend on your kids. They would probably get more out of it if they filled it out. Are they tested over the info in the video? Maybe an incentive would be to listen and fill out the graphic organizer well and then be allowed to use it for part of the test.
Tootsie - Brigadoon, I have the same problem here's one way I try to solve it
Tootsie - After the video we do learning logs, write down ANYTHING that you learned from the video, then in small groups share what you wrote, and write down on chart paper, as a group what you learned
Brigadoon - Are the learning logs in a permanent notebook or just on paper?
Tootsie - I sometimes , depending upon the unit, create small booklets
Tootsie - small booklets help them to review for a test
Brigadoon - I like that idea - something they could keep in their PORTFOLIO that would be Social Studies related!
Kathy/5/IA - I've used learning logs like that, also, Tootsie. Good idea!
Tootsie - Bridadoon, not only SS but group work skills, presentation, writing, I do this for several subject.....after a guest speaker, presentation etc
Brigadoon - How do you come up with tests - we don't have any SS textbooks so I am having a hard time figuring out what is the "right" level of difficulty.
Brigadoon - At this point I haven't given a single one.
Tootsie - Brigadoon, I'm from Ontario where the government states what curr expectations are for each suject, a base a lot of my test on this
Tootsie - oops, I base a lot of my tests on this
vlong - Renja, where do you teach?
Tootsie - I start my test of easy, them slowly build up difficulty, this helps ease the kids, build up confidence
Brigadoon - Unfortunately we have a basic set of content standards with no performance standards
Renja - I'm in TX, how about you?
vlong - Texas, too
Brigadoon - and everything I have on that talks about projects.
Tootsie - I start my test off easy with a variety of questions,.....true/false, multiple choice, fill in blank, label, etc
Renja - vlong do you teach at a private or public school?
vlong - private
wilma - Yes, our family roots are from there and wanting to move back.
Renja - Wilma how did the teacher respond?
Brigadoon - Tootsie - the questions come from the books they put together?
ssa - does an online copy of all contractions exist?
vlong - Renja, do you teach public or private school?
Renja - I teach at a private school
Renja - vlong don;t we wwork together?
Tootsie2 - Brigadoon, my test are made up of only a small potion from their books, I base my test on whatever concepts that I taught them over the 3-4 weeks
vlong - what is dpm
Brigadoon - Tootsie - do you have your kids read any textbook-type material?
ssa - I used the altavista engine to search for contractions - no luck yet
Tootsie2 - I would like them to, we don't have enough textbooks but I do photocopy pages for them to read
Brigadoon - Are they able to read and understand the material?
Tootsie2 - bye Kathy, thanks for having this spot avaible
Tootsie2 - Brigadoon, I have the problem in my class that even though my class is 6/7, the joke around the school is that I have a 2/7 class
Tootsie2 - No, many can not read it, we often read and discuss it together, they use their highlighter to highlight important information
Renja - Sorry I got here late, I am concerned with student accountability, there is a "trend" for it not to be anyones respossibility & ttthe other guy is always aat fault
Brigadoon - Do you tell them what to highlight or do they decide?
vlong - We really need a solution for that one!!
Brigadoon - And do the "7"s get bored or frustrated when the "2"s try to read?
Tootsie2 - I sometimes ask them 'what in that sentence was important', this is a base for them to study for their test.....only study what is highlighted
Tootsie2 - Sometimes the 7's do, however I often say read on your own
Brigadoon - And then do you read with the "2"s?
Renja - HAve you ever had them write a study guide
Tootsie2 - I sometimes take the 2's to a small table and read to them OR I sometimes pair the highs with the low students to read to each other
Tootsie2 - Renja, no but that's a great idea, I have too many low kids to do that
Brigadoon - Renja - not yet - having no text and almost no materials I am trying to figure out for myself what level of comprehension is right for 5th grade
vlong - They could work in pairs to write the study guides
ssa - typical teachers thanks for nothing
Brigadoon - What if each pair wrote a page for everyone?
Renja - Tootie, if you have a local scout troop those young men are capapble of reading text onto a tape for your studetns to listen to. It is a part of the reading merit badge program
Brigadoon - ssa - I have been looking while we chat
Tootsie2 - Brigadoon, good idea
vlong - I got here late too Renja
Tootsie2 - renja, I have to check into that, wonder if we have that in Ontario
Renja - A speech /path friined has had the kids watch movies with no sound only the close captioning
Tootsie2 - Renja, I do that, watch without the sounds to do parts of speech
Renja - Boy Scouts are world wide
Tootsie2 - ssa, sorry I was too busy typing, is there something I might help you with?
Renja - , many churches sponsor a troop
Tootsie2 - Renja, yes but that I wonder if in my neighbour, would they be willing to tape stories
Renja - Am I here all alone now?
Brigadoon - SSA - FOUND IT! - here you go http://www.gcse.com/teach/contra.htm
vlong - I guess the computer only liked your name for a second
Tootsie2 - Brig, what's on that site?
Brigadoon - A complete list of all contractions
Renja - It has been my experience that scout troops & church are allways looking for a good service project
Tootsie2 - renja, thanks, I might give them a call tomorrow
Tootsie2 - Brigadoon, where about are you?
Brigadoon - I am in Oakland CA
Tootsie2 - My class right now is concentrating on public speaking,,, big city wide competition
Brigadoon - We also have an oratorical competition coming up
Brigadoon - I just borrowed some Langston Hughes books for my kids to select from
Tootsie2 - Our students must first write their story, report etc then memorize it
Brigadoon - I have kids who are on the first draft after 3 weeks!
Brigadoon - Do they have a specific topic?
Tootsie2 - Brigadoon, are their names Brian and Chris
Tootsie2 - They can write about anything they want, I try to stress a personal event especially to the '2's
Brigadoon - hee hee - nope - I've got a Shelby and a Deyry - all ending in y .....hmm....
Brigadoon - I got a great book last year - saved my life as a 1st year teacher - called 25 mini lessons in writing
Tootsie2 - everyone must say their oral in front of the class then I pick three from each grade to present to the school
Brigadoon - It was excellent for getting kids to write about personal stuff
Tootsie2 - Sounds like a lifesaver
Brigadoon - and it had student examples of great stories from all grades
Tootsie2 - I get a lot of personal stuff from the kids through their journals
Tootsie2 - It's important for the students to see what other kids are writing
Brigadoon - Thanks for ALL the help.
Tootsie2 - night for now, great chatting with you
