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Kathy/5/IA - Is there anything you want to discuss tonight? What grades to you both teach?
1g - Kathy- ANY suggestions on making sure the entire group is quiet in the halls?? With 29 of them..it's rather hard
Kathy/5/IA - Even though this is my smallest class ever ... it has been my HARDEST!!
Kathy/5/IA - I know 1st and 5th are completely different, but I believe in teaching the kids exactly what I want to see in the hall. I know Harry Wong goes over this in his book.
Kathy/5/IA - I have them face the front, arms at their sides, they walk about arms length from each other. Takes lots of practice!
1g - Yes..I really appreciate his book, I think with 29 of them its a little hard. Thanks for the idea
Kathy/5/IA - The principal we had last year did an excellent job of making sure the halls were quite. I see it getting noisier, since our new principal isn't very visible.
Kathy/5/IA - Could they walk two by two??
debi - quiet halls are hard for me too
1g - they do..boys on one side..girls on the other
1g - Debi-sorry to say this, but it helps to know others are also struggling
Kathy/5/IA - Mine struggle with this too ... they have been better this week since one of my student was enrolled in the alternative school. He was the brunt of my hallway and classroom discipline problems.
Kathy/5/IA - When there are school wide policies - I find the kids do better.
debi - What exactly do call "quiet in the halls"? Does that mean absolutely no talking at all?
1g - that is the goal!
debi - or whispering, some
Kathy/5/IA - I rather they not talk at all. The other key is that the teachers have to uphold that too! If they see us model talking . ... they find talking ok.
nan - Let me introduce myself. I am a fourth grade resource teacher that provides portfolio support to the 4th grade teachers. I basically teach the students how to write a paragraph and such. I also proofread the students' work. What do you do Kathy?
Kathy/5/IA - I'm a 5th grade reading and science teacher! Wow, I'd love to have someone like you at my school. What a valuable resource!!!
nan - I teach in San Diego Unified School District. Our fourth graders get to have their portfolios graded. We are an underachieving school. That is why they need the support.
Kathy/5/IA - Sounds like you are really helping the kids!!
nan - We have a great principal who can provide all the help that teachers need. That is why we (there are 4 of us) are in the classroom. Maybe if you talk to your principal she/he can do something. We are helping the kids. You wouldn't believe the progress they have make. They work hard also. They know they have to.
nan - Wow! I just noticed it is just the two of us.
Kathy/5/IA - That sounds so wonderful! We had a great principal last year ....
nan - What happened?
Kathy/5/IA - 4 teachers in the room? Or 4 of you in different 4th grade rooms?
Kathy/5/IA - New principal
nan - We are a multi-track school. We have 8 4th grade classroooms. We divide our time between 5 classrooms at a time.
nan - How is the new principal doing? Will you be able to approach him or her with something like this.
Kathy/5/IA - I doubt it.
Kathy/5/IA - What type of reading instruction do you use ... do you use a basal, 4 block, ???
nan - That is sad Kathy. I wish every school had a principal like ours. She will do anything that will benefit the kids. Also right now we have the funds to do it. We do a kind of block system. The first three hours of the day as a literacy block in which we do the 4 block thing.
nan - What kind of instruction do you have Kathy?
mm - I don't want to deviate away from the conversation too much. i wanted to know how I could start my own portfolio from the lessons I have done with the 4th graders. My master teacher thinks that the interview teams won't bother looking at my portfolio
Kathy/5/IA - I keep a portfolio of picture, teaching ideas, etc... I haven't had to use mine lately, but it did help me get two different jobs. My student teacher a few years ago put together a wonderful one. I think they had to for one of their classes.
nan - It is good to have a portfolio. If you give me your e-mail I could send you the hodge-podge of info I have. I piece of advice, take lots of pictures. Also have examples of students' work. I just photocopied the students' work and put it next to the lesson plans.
Kathy/5/IA - I would think with all this technology .... even a power point presentation or something would be pretty cool.
nan - I agree Kathy. That is a great idea. I am going to start something and see if it works out.
mm - I would love to get that information. You both have been very helpful. Shall I just go ahead and give you my e-mail here?
nan - You can e-mail me at nandkhanna@hotmail.com
nan - Kathy do you use cooperative groups in your classroom?
Kathy/5/IA - I use Literature circles in reading a lot.
nan - How are the Lit circles working for you? I haven't had my own class yet, but hope to soon. I will look for your e-mail, mm.
Kathy/5/IA - I love lit circles!
nan - My Lang. Arts professor made us do this in class. I loved it, and plan to use it when I have my own classroom. How often do you have the lit circles?
nan - Do you have heterogeneous groups or homogeneous groups for lit. circles?
mm - Let me know if I am going too far off topic, b/c i am sure there are things you all would rather be discussing. If I was asked an interview question that said , "how would your students describe you as a teacher" what are the best adjectives to use?
nan - Why don't you ask the students and quote them directly. I think that would be the best approach. What do you think Kathy? What is our topic today?
teach4fun - Are you doing coop learning structures?
mm - the second part of my question never made it-if i say nice it may intrepreted as a weakness when it comes to my classroom management. What do you think?
nan - Hi teach4fun. I try to use them whenever I can. Especially roundrobin, roundtable, and showdown.
teach4fun - I enjoy lit circles, too, as do the students, but do you find they tire of them soon?
nan - mm, try not to use passive adjectives. Be assertive and toot your own horn.
mm - I guess I should let you know that I am looking for jobs in the primary grades so I would think those kids would use different adj's than a 4th grader would use.
nan - How can we make the lit circles fun so they don't become boring. Don't the students have different jobs? That should carry them for a while. mm, I would use a thesaurus. Our 4th graders have just discovered them, and we can't stop them .
nan - I have a great site that you can take a look at. It is set up by Laura Candler. http://home.att.net/~candlers/rsources.htm
teach4fun - nan, I discovered that the kids who like challenges go for Lit Circles, whereas those who are not, just think of as extra work!
kathy - That is a great site!!! Are you on Laura's cooperative learning email ring?
nan - Laura is great. She also has a CooperativeLearning network that you should check out. Yes Kathy I am.
teach4fun - Yes, I subscribe to the CoopLearning Mail list of heres
kathy - Wow ... we are all on the same list!
nan - I think so too teach4fun.
kathy - I haven't really started with any of the coop stuff. I need to run off all the old emails and get started with something!!
teach4fun - I have been trying out a few structures a week
kathy - Good for you!
teach4fun - although at times I do adjust them abit
nan - Just go to the site. She has everything there.
teach4fun - kathy, that is the way I was until a month or so ago
kathy - Do you use them with literature circles?
teach4fun - felt almost overwhelmed...but then plunged in
mm - we had the kids working in cooperative groups for a science lesson and it worked out well for the most part except that a couple of kids had a hard time working with their groups. It was a positive experience for the majority of the class.
kathy - When she started - my printer was on the blink. I'm the type that has to read it on paper and highlight, etc... to absorb!!
nan - I know what you mean, Kathy. I am the same way.
kathy - I WAS going to catch up over our last 4 day weekend - but I punted all forms of school work!!
mm - Thank you for your time and advance. Have a nice evening.
