Debbie Mc - Hi Jane! Are you still singing?
kinderjane - Yes! I'm planning on moving that rubber tree plant on Wed.!!!!
Kelly - Hi Jane! Are you done?
kinderjane - Kelly- 4 more days! :-0
Kelly - Oops....there goes another rubber tree...............
Debbie Mc - Good luck! You'll do fine.
kinderjane - I just sent Carbag an Instant message to get on over here!
kinderjane - I have a question on literacy.
Kelly - Shoot.............
Kelly - I'm sure Debbie can answer it! :)
kinderjane - On the sample where it says, "What key questions do you continue to have about Martin's literacy"...Do I use the kinds of questions I had about my child in portfolio? Questions related to read, write, speak and listen? Or more general questions?
Kelly - I think specific ones.....what do you think, Debbie?
Debbie Mc - Sorry guys. Can't get my answers to post.
Kelly - We had a list of those kind of questions....do you have them, Jane?
Kelly - Debbie - has your computer put a muzzle on you today? :)
kinderjane - Dana did not answer my IM. She must have just left her computer on and unmanned again.
Kelly - Have we lost everybody?
Debbie Mc - Yes, specific to the child. What do you need to know to help the child become more fluent.
Connie Fl - Hi Kelly I am just starting the program and want to work on it this summer
Kelly - Definitely work on it this summer! What can I help you with?
Kelly - Do you have your box?
Connie Fl - Any thoughts on family invovlement. I do not have the box yet.
Kelly - You'll need to establish that you have a lot of two-way communication with your parents.......like if you do a newsletter (which is just routine....you need more than that!),....do you have it where there's a tear off portion that they then respond back to you....stuff like that. Phone calls,....not just for discipline....etc.
Kelly - Hi Sharon! Same Sharon as a moment ago?
Connie Fl - That's a start thanks
Kelly - Connie - are you on our mailring?
Connie Fl - Yes but I haven't heard anything
Kelly - what do you mean, you haven't heard anything?
Kelly - are you getting messages?
Connie Fl - I got a calendar and put in all the dates for next year such as report cards. No I am not.
Kelly - email me at lkelly46@cs.com. I bet you're not on OUR mailring! We get LOTS of messages every day!
Kelly - We have all sorts of files you can begin to read through. Most are the "meat" of saved messages from last year. There's a file for each portfolio entry (and each Assessment Center exercise). You could be reading the Entry 5 and 6 ones now...and sort of seeing what all you will have to be doing....
Connie Fl - ok I will thanks I just get junk mail on how to make money. How do I get access to the files?
Kelly - You have to be a member of our list. Email me and I'll get you set up. I'm the moderator of it, so I can subscribe you. You must be signed on to something else.....not us!
Jennifer - I completed the process in April of 1999 but I did not achieve certification. I took a year off and I am planning to try again this coming school year. I am from High Springs near Gainesville.
Connie Fl - What grade do you teach? I'm teaching first next year.
Kelly - Jennifer - are you a member of our email ring?
Jennifer - I taught Kindergarten this past year, and I expect to teach the same next year. I did teach first for three years previous to that.
Jennifer - No, I'm not a member, but I would be interested in joining.
Kelly - Jennifer - email me at lkelly46@cs.com. I'll get you subscribed! We have a TON of help assembled in our files. By the way, I'm a SECOND time banker, myself! What will you redo?
Connie Fl - Kindergarten is my favorite grade. I am moving up with my class.
Jennifer - What part of Florida are you from Connie, and where are you from Kelly?
Jennifer - My principal talked about moving me up with my class, but it didn't work out.
Connie Fl - I teach in Melbourne.
Connie Fl - I did a multiage this year k-1 aaand we are not having the program next year. So I am keeping half of my class.
Kelly - I teach in a suburb of St. Louis, MO. Since I've been in this district (14 years) I've had first grade. In the fall I'm taking 10 of my first graders on to second....and getting 8 first graders. So I'll have a split 1-2 class!
Connie Fl - Kelly multiage is fun but lots of work.
Jennifer - I'm not sure which sections I will redo. When I finished the first time, I was so worn out that I didn't really have the energy to decide what to do other than take some time off. I think I will redo the social studies section and one or two others.
Jennifer - Kelly, what are you going to redo.
Kelly - Jennifer - when you get signed on with us, go to the files section and read through all the posts about those entries. You will really gain a lot by doing that (I think!). Our ring is full of really fabulous teachers!
Kelly - Connie - yes, I'm looking forward to the split. I've taught Pre-K through 7th.......but never a split! So it should be fun!
Connie Fl - You might waaaant to look at some of the books out there on multiage which give some good ideas on organization. Also I am going to use the 4 block book for first grade.
Connie Fl - I think there might be one for second grade too.
Kelly - Connie - I use Four BLocks! I love it! Last year was my first year doing the whole thing. It really is great!
Kelly - I have all their stuff! It's wonderful!
Connie Fl - I haven't gotten all 4 blocks in place. Writing is hard for me.
Jennifer - What is the 4-blocks method? Can it be used in K?
Kelly - Connie - writing is hard for me, too....the publishing part. But my kids wrote their hearts out in their journals! They loved it! Even my ones who couldn't write independently! They worked hard making sentences from the word wall words, etc.
Kelly - Hi Pattie! You made it!
Kelly - Jennifer - yes.....the K part is called Building Blocks. There is a lot about 4 Blocks here on teachers.net........on their homepage, look down the colum of options on the left. There are Four Block articles by Cheryl Sigmon....she's one of the main presenters for Four Blocks. I think there are ones about Building Blocks. There are also mailrings for it.
Kelly - Pattie just completed this process.........
thomas4 - i finally got to read the four blocks book
thomas4 - Yea!!!!!!!!That is why I could enjoy the game...
Jennifer - Thanks Kelly. I'll check into it.
thomas4 - are you guys working on cerfication this year?
Connie Fl - Congrats Patti I'm just starting
thomas4 - it will be the most meaningful thing to your career, I promise
Jennifer - I'm going to try again for the second time.
thomas4 - jennifer, are you a banker?
Jennifer - Yes. I finished in April 99 and then took a year off to rest.
Connie Fl - I found this cite when I was checking on board certification
thomas4 - The list will be very helpful. I know I asked 10, 000 questions.
thomas4 - help, I am seeing nothing.....
Connie Fl - I have to go make dinner. I will e-mail you Kelly to join the ring. Thanks.
thomas4 - you found a treasure. I love the closeness the onelist shares. At least they haven't gotten tired of me yet!!
Jennifer - Everybody still there?
Kelly - Connie - this site? teachers.net? It's a great site.....lots of great teacher info....
Kelly - Pattie - neither of them are on the onelist yet......they will be! Jennifer and Connie, please email me so I can sign you on with us! I promise you won't regret it!
Kelly - You all still here?
thomas4 - i am not very good with this chat business. I keep losing it.
Jennifer - I will definitely sign up. I need to go not also. I'm going to email you now. I'm looking forward to talking with everyone about the process as I try again.Bye for now
thomas4 - well, if they sign up they will really help themselves
thomas4 - does anyone know the success rate of list candidates versis not list
thomas4 - somebody was asking me.
Kelly - nope......I had no way of knowing last November. So many of our list members "lurk".......and we never heard if they made it or not....
Kelly - but I would imagine it's much higher than non-list members.....
thomas4 - I know, because there are many members. But sometimes people will post and I will have never seen their names
Kelly - There really are only about 20 of us who regularly post......the rest just read!
thomas4 - I didn'tknow bankers could take a year off
Kelly - You have three years from the time you get your original scores. It doesn't matter if you redo each year, or take a year off. If you take a year off, then you really only have two more tries!
thomas4 - i believe i would just jump right back in the process
thomas4 - we will see. You never know how you will feel.
thomas4 - it is nice to get feedback from those assessing. To see the other side of the picture
Kelly - yes.......they really are well-trained by the time they assess!
thomas4 - we have tracked each entry but community. Do you know if that is the one in georgia
Kathy - Hello, all. Just got letter today from NB about all of the things you CAN'T bring to AC. Has anyone had any trouble with notes?
ddteacher - I am considering the nbpts; does anyone have any advice/
Kathy - DD, don't wait until December to sign up. do it in June or ASAP!
ddteacher - I haven't got much of an idea about the whole process. Could you enlighten me?
Kathy - Most people will tell you NB process is best look they have ever had at their own teaching. Very analytical. Very intense.
ddteacher - A friend of mine and I are considering applying at the same time so we can support each other. Do you think that this is a good idea?
Kathy - Most of the present candidates are not preparing for the Assessment Center exercises.
ddteacher - Do you know anyone who has applied and completed any phase of the process?
Kathy - Great idea to have a friend to do it with! Also contact Kelly about joining the "onelist". It is a great support group of teachers who are candidates and certified.
ddteacher - I am unsure which to apply for : sped or ec
ddteacher - What level have you completed?
Kathy - I could not really help you there. Where you feel the strongest. I have not "completed" anything. I take Assessment Center on 29th and will have to wait til Nov. to see if I made it.
ddteacher - I thought that you had to complete the portfolio before the assessment center.
Kathy - Have completed portfolio, but you get all of your scores at the same time-portfolio and AC
ddteacher - Can you give me an idea about the portfolio?
ddteacher - I am really good at developing thematic units of study on many ability levels at one time and creating activities for them.
ddteacher - How much is the nbpts /
Kathy - You complete 6 entries. It is nothing like a scrapbook or gathering of "stuff". You do 1 entry each for Socialstudies/art, One Child's Literacy, Science (video) Classroom community (video) and then you write up outreach to parents and professional collaberation
Kathy - Cost is $2000 to enter. Check on NB web site for your states incentives and possible support
ddteacher - I have so many questions ; Thank You for all the input.
Kathy - I am trying to get Kelly's email so you can ask her more. She is the leader for this chat room and a GREAT group of support teachers!
ddteacher - What type of material did you study for the assessment center?
ddteacher - That would be great!!!!!!!1
Kathy - Lkelly46@cs.com
Kathy - NB sends you a booklet to give you areas to study. I have read mnay things about Play, Science (1st grade), reading (2nd) and math on my level
ddteacher - Thank you so much for all the information. I better go now; Ihope to talk to you again soon.
Kathy - Well, dd, I guess I am going to go, since I can't really see what else is going on. Talk to Kelly. She will give you much more help. Bye
ddteacher - THANKS! bye
