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Mae - naneb - are you here for the MOT chat?
naneb - yes, I am, I hope everyone can get on to Tnet for this chat
Mae - I was having problems earlier
naneb - I think they have most of the problems fixed, finally
Mae - We might have a low attendance since it's a holiday
naneb - probably, I fell asleep last week and missed the chat
Mae - Do you know what the problem has been?
naneb - What grade do you teach?
Mae - I almost fell asleep last week! LOL!
Mae - 4th
naneb - I think it was some glitch with the server and a wrong address was sent
Mae - What about you?
naneb - I teach 6th grade LD students, this year they are about 3rd or 4th grade reading level
Mae - I hope they have it fixed and keep it that way.
naneb - I have just discovered MOT this year so, I am learning
Mae - I have one more chapter to go. I knew about the strategies a long time ago because I had already read Pearson's research.
Mae - Do you have Strategies that Work?
naneb - I have been searching for answers and now I have them, I knew that my kids were missing a big part of reading
naneb - Yes, I love that book, I am going to do an author study of Patricia Polacco books and focus on questioning after spring break
Mae - I used to teach 5th. I had kids that read on 2nd grade level and raised their reading levels as far as 6th.
Mae - Patricia Polacco is a good author to work with
naneb - Wow, I have 2 students this year that have gone up 2 grade levels
naneb - i think my kids will like them because they have some meat to them but, they are short
Mae - Do you have the STAR test?
naneb - Yes, we give it three times a year
naneb - We are really getting hot and heavy into Reading Renaissance this year
Mae - If you id their zpd and get them to read an hour a day IN THEIR zpd - they will grow. I haven't seen it fail yet.
Mae - I'm at a new school. I worked to get the STAR test here - we just got it last week. We tested it on my computer w/my kids. They are all reading above grade level!
naneb - I am on the yahoo group for MOT study group. We just read Fall On Your Knees together and used the strategies or tried to monitor our use of the strategies
Mae - I went to yahoo and tried to find that group, but I couldn't seem to navigate my way.
naneb - That is terrific. My problem is that I teach at a middle school. The library is slowly getting books that are on my kids level
naneb - go to yahoogroups.com and then search for mosaicteachers
Mae - I have a HUGE reading center for that very reason.
Mae - My kids love making connections. That is what we have been really focusing on.
naneb - I bought $250 worth of books from scholastic book clubs and got almost 5000 points and used them to buy more books. I will do that next year too. They aren't all AR books
Mae - It's hard to find low level - high interest reading material.
naneb - books that we have tests for but the kids are reading
naneb - most ofthose books are boring, I would rather find books like Patricia Polacco and get them to read them
Mae - You can go to AR's website and look up the RL of books that you don't have tests for - at least you have an idea of the reading level.
naneb - I also joined reading a-z, the kids love those books especially the nonfiction
Mae - What is reading a-z?
naneb - it is a website with leveled readers and other books mostly for primary but good for sped too. It is readinga-z.com
Mae - It looks like we are it tonight.
Mae - I'll check it out.
naneb - They have 27 levels of books with 7 or 8 books at each level. The higher level are going to be units with fiction and nonfiction sets
Mae - Are the sets paired in themes?
naneb - it costs $29.99 for unlimited downloads. I have made over 100 books
RandyAk4 - greetings
Mae - Hey Randy!
naneb - The higher books will be they aren't done yet
naneb - Hi Randy
Mae - Wow, that is cool.
RandyAk4 - Hi yall are you still discussing Mosiac of Thought?
Mae - Randy - what part of Alaska are you from?
Mae - Yes - it's a small group tonight. Holiday...
naneb - I print them out, the covers are in color. I print them on cardstock and laminate and then use a binder to put them together
RandyAk4 - I am in Anchorage. Where in Tex are you?
Mae - Houston. My father-in-law lives in Anchorage. We had the privelege of going there a few years ago. It was beautiful!
Mae - nan - I am definitely going to look into that. Can you preview the books?
RandyAk4 - I should read what you are talking about before i butt in.
naneb - I use the books for SSR, the kids have a folder and they record when they read each book. There is a running record form for each level and worksheets if you want to use them
naneb - Yes, mae they have 30 books i think for preview
Mae - nan was telling me about a sight with books that you can print off for kids
naneb - I am in Mississippi on th coast
RandyAk4 - Are those books online? did i see that right?
naneb - www.readinga-z.com
Mae - yes
Mae - Randy -what grade do you teach?
naneb - my sped kids get too discouraged with long books, so these little books are perfect for them
Mae - Do they have all grade levels?
RandyAk4 - I teach 4th
naneb - from preprimer to probably 4th grade or so, but I think all kids would love the nonfiction
Mae - I teach 4th as well.
Mae - We need more nonfiction. Do you think that they are well written?
naneb - they have phonis readers too and letter cards and flashcard sets, it is an amazing site
RandyAk4 - actually i have to go. I am in a meeting in a few minutes. Will these meetings continue next week?
Mae - Nancy Polette has studied nonfiction and has created a criteria for judging it.
Mae - Yes - we will be here next week
naneb - The higher stories are pretty good. There are lots of fables and fairytale stories and some that discuss issues such as grandparents dying and friends moving away so yes they are pretty good for a 24 page book
Mae - Anyhow, you can go to www.nancypolette.com and see the criteria as well as download free stuff - good stuff I might add.
RandyAk4 - I'll be back then. Sorry I can't stay. I have a lot of questions about MOT.
Mae - I think we are light tonight since it's a holiday
Mae - Me too Randy!
RandyAk4 - Bye yall......stay warm....poof
Mae - Randy - before you go...
RandyAk4 - yeah?
naneb - I will have to go to that site
Mae - I got an email from Keene - she might join us in another month
naneb - that would be wonderful
RandyAk4 - What Mae?
Mae - Keep an eye out on the reading board - if I hear something - I'll post
Mae - That's the Professional Reading board
Mae - The author of MOT - Keene
RandyAk4 - wow that would be cool
naneb - What is the Word book everyone is getting?
Mae - I was excited when I got the email!
Mae - Wondrous Words?
RandyAk4 - thanks for setting this up, Mae. bye
naneb - what is this book?
Mae - Bye Randy
naneb - Bye randy
Mae - Wondrous Words is a writing book - I just got it - it looks awesome!
naneb - Who wrote it?
Mae - Everyone has pretty much agreed to reading MOT and STW now, and Wondrous Words and Creating Writers this summer
naneb - I need some help with my writing block, I don't feel real comfortable yet with it
Mae - Katie Ray Wood - some people are still waiting for it from amazon
Mae - I love the 6 traits
naneb - Is it for all grade levels?
naneb - My kids next year are really low
Mae - Yes. Start w/Creating Writers by Vicki Spandel
naneb - Okay, thanks
Mae - Ginny Hoover is Tnets resident expert on 6 traits.
naneb - I think most of my new students are about 2.5 reading level
Mae - Have you seen Magic Treehouse books?
naneb - I have been to Ginny's site, I do writer's workshop and my kids have written books
naneb - I have some of those books
Mae - They are on 2nd grade reading level. My low 5th graders loved them.
Mae - Ginny is coming to my district this summer to do a workshop! I can't wait to meet her!
naneb - I have 5 copies of lots of books on about a 3rd grade level
naneb - We did Blackberries in the Dark which is a really good book about family tradition and change
Mae - I keep a range of books, both low and high - for regular ed.!
Mae - I haven't heard of that one.
naneb - I used it for text to self connections
Mae - I used Hello Oceans by Pam Munoz Ryan for T-S
Mae - EasTexSteve - are you here for MOT? We are a little group tonight.
Ginny - Hi, I just got here
Mae - HEY GINNY!
naneb - Hi Steve and Ginny
EasTexSteve - I'm still trying to figure out waht "mosaic of Thought" is
Mae - We are a small group tonight. I guess everyone is holidaying.
Mae - Do you have the book?
EasTexSteve - All of my experience is at post-secondary level.
Mae - Ginny - I can't wait to meet you! It's really cool!
Ginny - Hey, my college prof is getting me a copy of MOT--I told her that I have too many books on my shelves already!
Mae - MOT is for all levels.
Ginny - Mae, I'm excited too! It will be fun.
Mae - Are you taking classes Ginny?
EasTexSteve - However, my wife is a special ed teacher and educational diagnostician. Together, we have about 20 years in education.
naneb - Steve, I am a special ed teacher too
EasTexSteve - Cool. Ineed to get my wife in front of the 'puter.
Mae - Ginny - I will be doing 4 days worth of workshops the week before you come!
naneb - what grade level does she teach?
Ginny - Getting my MAT...decided it was time. That GDI attitude of the 60's -- I got extra hours...but not the degree.
Ginny - Mae, what will be your topic?
Mae - I would love to get my masters - money and time!
naneb - what is MAT?
Mae - I'm doing two days on reading, and two days on reading/writing
Ginny - Masters of Arts in Teaching
naneb - I have my masters but here it is a MEd
Ginny - I have a BSE 45 hours...isn't that laughable...
naneb - You get a Master of Science
Mae - I applied for a PTA scholarship - still waiting to hear
Ginny - That was plus 45 hours but the sign didn't show!
Mae - I'm thinking about doing an online program
EasTexSteve - My wife has that. I have a bachelors in computer science.
naneb - You can get a masters in special ed paid for completely
Ginny - Mae, what will your workshops be about?
EasTexSteve - Hers is a Masters in Education.
Mae - The first two - will be reading (strategies, etc.)
naneb - I had only two classes that I had to pay for and I got a governors grant for those
Mae - The second two will be a combo of reading and writing. I had planned to introduce the 6 traits. Nothing like what you can do!
Ginny - Mae, have you ever read Improving Reading by Johns and Jenski? It is one of my favorite references for reading.
EasTexSteve - My wife moaned about having to pay for it all, but Trinity made her pay the whole way.
Mae - No I haven't. I'll have to write that one down.
Ginny - Mae, You'll have to let me know how much of an introduction you do...but maybe it won't make a difference as we might not have the same people.
Mae - We probably won't.
Ginny - Our state highly recommended it as an excellent resource and I've used it for the last five years!
Mae - We get a schedule of all of the CAPE workshops in May, and then we sign up for what we are interested in.
Ginny - It has a lot of common sense strategies.
naneb - Ginny, where do you teach?
Mae - Then again, 4th grade teachers will be clamoring to workshops over writing this year!
Ginny - Yes, the gal had me to send a synopsis of what I would cover...
Ginny - Naneb, I retired at 53...and live a life of freedom!
naneb - Lucky you
Mae - I know that I can't be nearly as indepth - just an overview and some of the things that I have found to be successful. Mine will be heavier on reading. My reading is a repeat of what I did last summer.
Ginny - Naneb, I am writing a book right now for ASCD...and I give inservices...getting ready for the summer academy...a state wide social studies workshop (4 days) on the standards. It will be this summer.
Mae - Ginny - when will your book be finished?
Ginny - Yes, she was glad I said I would do 4-8th in the same workshop.
Ginny - Mae, we are to be done at the end of May or Middle of June. I've seen both dates. I have 2 more chapters to write.
Mae - 4th and 7th have the TAAS writing tests!
naneb - We have a similar test in Mississippi
Mae - Will the ASCD conference be in San Antonio next year?
naneb - we just finished the writing tests
Ginny - I'll probably contact the state for TAAS information. When I wrote units for high school English TAAS tests, they send me info.
Mae - It's a testing society!
Ginny - The ASCD meeting that Jan, Joyce, and I will present the book will be in San Francisco.
Mae - Ginny - just go to the Texas Education Agency website - they have already posted some samples.
Mae - SAN FRANCISCO?!!! I'm bummed. I wanted to go!
Ginny - I'll do that. However when I wrote for them they gave me lots of material that wasn't all public. Maybe I can get some concise info from them.
Ginny - My little sis lives in SF...and my writing partner for my other book is in San FRan..but I've never met him personally.
Mae - Livoudais is the lady in charge. I email her all the time w/my questions. I had the opportunity to meet her and hear her speak.
Mae - Ya'll will have to sign my book together and send it to me!
Mae - I went to SF for my honeymoon!
Ginny - Mae, will do...my mom just loves the thought that I might autograph a book.
Ginny - Hey naneb and Mae, when will you know the results of the writing test?
Mae - I hope to join you. Have you read Gruber's article in the Gazette on publishing?
Mae - May
Mae - I think our chat has strayed away from MOT! Oh well...slow night.
naneb - we should have the scores this summer
Mae - hi loli
Ginny - Yes, I have. I used to know Barbara, can you believe that. We wrote back and forth for awhile and I submitted some work to Frank Shaffer, but it wasn't published. They have a narrow publishing format.
loli - So whats all the hubbub?
naneb - I gave the 4th grade test to my 6th grade sped kids and they tried so hard!!! They worked so hard on content that they kidof forgot about punctuation and capitals
Ginny - If you get scores over the summer you can't really use them to increase the quality of instruction.
Mae - I really found the info. on how to go about it useful. I didn't realize that you could make a proposal before finishing your writing!
loli - im a news reporter looking for peoples opinion on a fact. Will you tell me yours?
Mae - loli - we are suppose to be discussing MOT, but it's been a slow night and we are off topic! LOL!
Ginny - Oh, yes. You should see the prospectus we wrote for ASCD.
naneb - We look at them at the beginning of the year and the new teachers use them to plan instruction. We used last years scores all year long
Mae - What fact loli?
Ginny - loli, I can't be much of an addition to MOT as I'm waiting for the book.
loli - LOL!
Mae - Our scores won't matter much - the test is changing next year.
Mae - I'm still reading MOT!
loli - As a teacher, wht thing do you think the principle egnores?
loli - most
Ginny - HMMM naneb, that's interesting...not what you'd call immediate feedback.
Ginny - What will the change on the writing test bring?
Mae - It depends on the principal.
loli - yes
Mae - Kids will no longer have to write in a specific mode. The prompt will be generic and they can go any direction they choose.
naneb - Ginny, we used them as more of an overall measure of need. We are creating a class for next year that all students will take that will focus on weaknesses in writing skills based on the scores from the tests
loli - or most teachers will do
Ginny - I'm glad that KS uses 6 traits for a basis for testing. I was writing another TNetter about how NC was changing their tests and it was something else.
Mae - The English-Mechanics will be a long page of errors to be corrected w/mc qu. and answer.
Ginny - and the scores are reported in what areas? does it at all align with 6 traits?
Mae - I asked Livodais about using 6 traits - she had only good things to say.
Ginny - Who did you say Livodais is?
Mae - Tx won't use 6 traits for 2 reasons: 1. It's in our laws/rules/whatever that we have to give a holistic test, and 2: they claim it would take too long to score
loli - k thatks for your cooroporation... would you like your names to be posted or not posted on the internetnews. If so. Whats your names?
loli - k thatks for your cooroporation... would you like your names to be posted or not posted on the internetnews. If so. Whats your names? Bye.
Ginny - We have a system where the state only scores 10% of the tests. The district does two scorings, and the 3rd scoring on 10% is done by the state...that way they can check validity of local scoring.
Mae - The scoring rubric is holistic. It's on a 4 point scale. It aligns w/the traits, except for voice -which will be added next year. You will find that teachers here are not used to the term voice. The word "elaboration" is VERY big. In other words: word choice, fluency
Ginny - Teachers can't score their own tests. The district committee of skilled scorers does the second scoring.
Mae - In fact, the term "elaboration" is overused. It has created ridiculously long sentences w/a string of adjectives. There are consultants who teach this.
Ginny - I'll make sure I'm familiar with the terms before I come. Educational jargon is sometimes regional!!!!
naneb - One of the parts of our rubric is interesting words. I di an entire week of lesson on word choice and using interesting words. We wrote sentences and expanded them, edited paragraphs everything. During the test one of my students askedWhat do they mean uses interesting words? I thought golly where have you been
Mae - Format writing has taken over, and the state wants to get away from it. They have preached that they don't want it, yet they have given good scores to kids who used a strict format.
Ginny - Yes, people who stand by direct instruction have a lot to answer for!! Although it is a life safer for those having difficulties..it is sure a creativity killer.
naneb - Ginny, I used DI for yeas and new that there was a big part missing, now, with MOT I have found what I was looking for
naneb - I keep missing letters
Mae - Kids need structure - but you should see some of the so called writing programs out there. GEESH! We are talking # the lines and fill them in with whatever the teacher says.
Ginny - Naneb, one time I spent a handful of weeks on teaching the Civil War and I put one easy question on the test...that no one would miss...what was the name of the war...and low and behold...one little girl asked me what war!
Mae - The 6 trait buzz is slowly coming to Texas.
naneb - I did not do enough writing to a prompt before the test, i do writer's workshop and most of the time they write on the topic they want to write about. I needed to give more practice writing to a specific prompt
Ginny - Mae, I sent you my April article about overuse of format being a bad idea.
naneb - Ginny, its like "What have I been doing?"
Mae - Cool - I think I need to post it one particular teachers face...that wasn't nice was it?
Ginny - I'll see if Vicki will send me some more Kits. I have 3rd grade...but I'm sure she'll get the "older" kits...they are just getting done ~!
Mae - nan - I found that I had to give prompts too or the kids were totally thrown off.
naneb - I have had big arguments about worksheets in language class with teachers, they insist that kids need to circle parts of speech more than they need to write
Mae - I just found out that one of our teachers works for Great Source and has a kit in her garage. I said, "Get it out!" She will be bringing it, and if things work out w/GC, maybe I'll get one of my own!
naneb - I did some prompts but I think they needed alot more practice, I will do better next year
Ginny - Yes, we need to do prompts. But the best writing will probably be with the most freedom to write. AND YES Mae, it is sometimes hard to win people over when they are making great scores using patterned writing.
Mae - nan - I've been trying out using poetry to teach parts of speech - it's been refreshing and quite amazing.
naneb - When my kids write about what they want they write awesome stories, pages and pages, one boy wrote chapters
Ginny - They are sending me a 7th grade kit as soon as they are available. It is taking longer to get them published than they first thought.
naneb - Mae, we did color poems using similies and metaphors they were great
Mae - I think that the format writing teachers will be in for a big shock soon - the test is changing and the state has really come out against any kind of formatting.
Ginny - I try to teach that less is more...and that quality is better than quantity...until they understand what makes good writing. It is fun to see the "light" come one.
Mae - We are reading a poem a week - chorally, etc. and then each day searching out the different parts of speech. It has been an enlightning experience.
Mae - I'm with you there Ginny!
Ginny - Using figurative language in witing is one of the best ways to increase the quality of writing.
Mae - We were allowed to read our papers (after the 11th), and my kids did well. I don't know how their scores will fall, but if I'm on the money, it will be pretty good.
Ginny - I tell the students that they can "up" the level of writing by using figurative language, increasing the number of complex sentences, and by using appropriate transitions...and that is without changing Ideas and Content at all.
naneb - I think mine did pretty well also, i know most of them planned their writing with a web or an outline. they did rough drafts and rewrote I was impressed
Ginny - Mae, you've done this enough times that you probably can call it. I can remember when you first started working with the traits!
Mae - We do a lot w/figurative language - the key is transferring to the writing. Do you remember a big thread on similis that everyone slammed Jan on because she kept saying cut the cutesy cr__ and have kids write w/similis?
Mae - Oh - not similis - idioms!
naneb - I will make transparencies of the kids writing, with permission of course, and then we all edit and discuss. this seemed to really help everyone
Ginny - Oh yes, I remember and she was right on target. I have the kids write some nonsense stories as the learn to use figurative language. They had so much fun doing that. After I was sure they had command of them, I had them use at least 3 kinds of figurative language in every paper.
Mae - I threw out the idiom pictures and replaced it w/a writing task. Kids really picked up on it.
naneb - Have you read parts and More Parts, those books are perfect for this
Mae - nan - I do that too. Parts and More Parts?
Ginny - They used similes, metaphors, alliterations, personification...best.
naneb - They are pictue books about idioms and adjectives and adverbs. They are a great way to demonstrate the use of idioms
Ginny - No, I'm not familiar with Parts and More Parts.
Mae - I went to a session on writing at a reading conference. They had some really cool stuff for word choice - figurative language, including a bunch of great little songs!
Mae - Is it a book?
Ginny - I had a set of hookups (tutorials on cards on a key ring) for editing/revising. It really helped my students to have a pattern for making sure they had covered all their bases.
naneb - They are 2 books Parts, and More Parts
naneb - I use a checklist that has a place for the writer, a peer and me to checkoff each item
Mae - Who is the author?
Ginny - We don't do much with poetry in many schools. Our writing assessments are non-fiction narrative, persuasive, or 1st person expository.
naneb - I don't remember, I will go to Amazon brb
Mae - Ginny - will you bring your hook-ups? I need to see them. I guess I'm not to visual.
Mae - nan - will you post the author on the Pro Reading board?
Ginny - Yes, I will bring them. She said that I could bring some and have them available for teachers to purchase.
naneb - Tedd Arnold is the author
Mae - I saw a neat thing that one lady did. She made cards with specific things for kids to look for when they listened to a peer read their writing.
Ginny - Hey, I need to get some things done! So, I'm headed out. It was good talking to you all....Texans...
Mae - Thanks nan - got it.
Mae - I think nan is from Mississippi! It was great talking to you.
Ginny - Oh, my hookups are used for scoring and for evaluating for revising. There are a handful of tutorials on the cards.
naneb - My kids will write just so they can sit in the author's chair and read their writing, and these are 6th graders
Mae - It's almost 11:00 here- I'm getting tired.
Ginny - Naneb...I thought you were from TX
naneb - me too!! talk to y'all later
naneb - nope, Mississippi
Ginny - Me, too...good night to you all...
Mae - This lady had the kids read from a lecturn. I have a lecturn that I think I'm going to turn into an author's lecturn.
naneb - I have a microphone that they get to use, they love it
Mae - goodnight. I'm going to turn in as well. Next week - let's get MOT rolling again.
Ginny - My kids read to the wall!
Ginny - Next week I should have the book
Mae - LOL!
naneb - night , Happy Easter
Mae - Happy Easter!
