Join a Mailring at the
Teacher Mailring Center
http://www.teachers.net/mailrings/
erin - I've seen a lot of your posts Grace. How long have you been teaching/
Grace/IL - Erin, what do you teach and where
Grace/IL - Erin, I'm retired. I taught for 33 years more or less.
erin - I teach third grade in southern California
Grace/IL - I taught a combo 2/3 one year. That was a looooong time ago.
erin - This will be my seventh year and I started implementing the strategies last year
erin - Before that I did a combo of a million things, knowing in my heart that worksheets weren't the way to go
Grace/IL - I'm just listening on all the strategy stuff. My area is primary reading and spelling. Most of the emphasis on defining/combining strategies was just coming into vogue when I retired.
erin - I would love to post more to the board but I am in the middle of writing papers for my master's/administrators credential
Grace/IL - I like to listen to all of you on the professional reading board. I wonder how truly widespread is strategy use. I'll bet most of the teachers in the U.S. are way behind on this.
Michelle/3/OR - after this summer I won't be able to come to the board much as I'll be back to my night classes
erin - My teacher training program didn't prepare me very well and I have learned most of what I know through my own professional reading. I feel woefully "small" when I read the postings on the board
erin - What are you in school for Michelle?
Michelle/3/OR - Me too, erin. I wouldn't know half of what I know if I relied on college classes to teach me
Michelle/3/OR - Masters in Ed. and ESOL endorsement
Grace/IL - Hi Cavey, it's good to see you.
erin - I agree Grace. There are probably only a handful of teachers at my schol that even know what I am referring to when I talk about strategies
erin - How long have you taught 3rd Michelle?
Michelle/3/OR - oh, my whole school will know about the strategies this year....we are all supposed to be teaching them
Michelle/3/OR - this will only be my 2nd year in third grade.
erin - Michelle, did that come from your principal. OUrs is so basal/worksheet that I don't see that happening whole school where I am at
Grace/IL - Michelle, you are blessed to be in a school that's so up to date.
Michelle/3/OR - I taught 1st grade the year before that....and irritated the 2nd grade teachers by getting my kids to reach 3rd grade reading level by end of 1st grade
Grace/IL - Ooh, hi Sadie, I missed your entrance.
erin - I'm jealous Michelle.
Michelle/3/OR - so....the solution was for me to teach 3rd grade....
Michelle/3/OR - I know...I'm really glad to be teaching in the district I do
cavey - Hi brad and Sadie!
erin - LOL Michelle, that sounds familiar from when I taught K. But the first grade teacher still started them on p. 1 of the basal even though most were reading at 1srt or 2nd grade
brad - Michelle, I'm impressed with your former students' levels. Isn't it a shame those teachers were mad, instead of celebrating the accomplishments of you and the children
Sadie T - Michelle- they moved you to 3rd because they didn't like that your first graders were reading at 3rd grade level??
Michelle/3/OR - no...I was offered the position and accepted. I could've stayed at 1st if I really wanted
erin - Some teachers don't want a wrinkle put in their plans. They want kids to fit into their plans, not adapt for levels.
brad - You know why, (and I'm just speculating), many teachers I know do the same thing year after year after year after year, not updating or checking recent research and developments. . .
Grace/IL - Brad, lots of veteran teachers don't appreciate being "upped." Others are very open to change.
Michelle/3/OR - I know...one in particular said she didn't believe that 1st graders can have the deeper-level thinking required of the 3rd gr. level literature.
brad - I'll agree Grace
erin - brad, we have teachers who riso at the end of the year for the upcoming year...just pull out the same files
Michelle/3/OR - i can't wait to introduce them to RWM!!
brad - we do too, erin
erin - Very sad...and boring...I need to change some things each year
cavey - its the difference between and job and profession is it not?
cavey - its the difference between and job and profession is it not?
brad - 1st can't handle 3rd grade literature?? I wasn't aware authors wrote their stories for different grade levels. LOL
Grace/IL - Michelle, it's true that a lot of them can deal with upper level thinking skills. Others are lucky to be able to figure out what the words say.
brad - yes, cavey, that is the difference. Unfortunately we have too many in a job
erin - Brad, that's what those reading levels on the back of the book mean..you can only read it if you are in that grade...just kidding
Michelle/3/OR - lol erin
Grace/IL - Building vocabulary is so important, too, at first grade level.
brad - thanks, erin, I need to run and check those grade levels on the back of the books I checked out for personal reading at the library. Hold on. . .
erin - Cavey, I was having that discussion this week. How many teachers do you know that don't even want to talk about school during summer?
Grace/IL - So many children come from homes where no one is talking with them about ANYTHING
erin - And here we are agonizing over what synthesis is on the chatboard
Sadie T - Right, Erin, like movie ratings (PG-13 etc.)... "for grades 2-3 only"... LOL
brad - Grace, no one is talking WITH children; plenty are talking AT them
cavey - i see it happen most often in teachers who never change positions or grade levels they never have to leave the comfort zone
Michelle/3/OR - when my son was little, i thought about that a lot...how it would be so EASY to do nothing to stimulate him.
erin - I had a student in 2nd grade with a barely functional vocabulary...dad finally admitted they would just give him things when he pointed at them when he was little
brad - cavey, we're having a big argument about that at my building right now, leaving the comfort zone, because many are being switched next year. On the one hand, there's something to be said for "an area of expertise" don't you think?
Grace/IL - Michelle, on the other hand, I did all of the right things with my son and he didn't learn to read.
Sadie T - How sad, Erin.
Michelle/3/OR - no...but I bet he's got a good vocabulary, and background knowledge
erin - brad, I think you can continue to grow at the same grade level, as many of us have chosen to do, but many teachers stagnate at that grade level
brad - In other words, I think you can stay at a "level" and not be "zoned out"
cavey - brad- for those who continue to try to become experts yes
Michelle/3/OR - I think my son learned to read early because he just is really print-oriented. I was the same way
erin - What do you think is the main reason some teachers choose not to grow professionally?
Grace/IL - IMichelle, he surely did. When we finally unlocked the code in 2nd grade, he really took off.
brad - laziness, erin. a lot of people are "lazy," not just teachers
Michelle/3/OR - One of my teaching friends told me that before she met me, she never planned to read professionally. She figured she was already "there"
brad - "It's too much work"
Grace/IL - Erin, I agree. I stayed at first grade level for 29 years, always looking for better ways to do things.
Sadie T - I think a lot of teachers think they already know everything there is to know- they think that if what they have been doing is working, why change?
Michelle/3/OR - she figured she'd learn by experience
brad - The "been there, done that" syndrome. Some have seen so many fix-up's come and go, they're just burnt, so stay doing the same thing
cavey - erin- lazy or perhaps in the wrong field- how awful to be doing something you're not cut out to do- like us having to do accounting all day
Grace/IL - Sadie, but sometimes when we THINK what we're doing is working, there are still better ways.
brad - I think many really good teachers are dynamic PEOPLE
erin - I agree Sadie. I always argue could a doctor or lawyer already know everything. Other professions have to stay up to date or they will be sued
Sadie T - Right Grace, it might be "working" but there is always something that would work even better.
brad - Yes, but how do you KNOW what you're doing is working??
Grace/IL - Right now, I'm reading all I can find on decodable text for those children who need it.
brad - I'm being devil's advocate
Michelle/3/OR - I think a lot of people are of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality
brad - Michelle ITA
brad - children in need of guidance, brb
Sadie T - Okay, Brad. Let's see... assessments... standards... assessments... performance... assessments...
Sadie T - Did I mention assessments?
Grace/IL - Brad, if your scores on tests like Gates-macGinitie are above grade level, you think what you're doing is working -- until you look at how many are still below grade level.
erin - Grace, good point. One of teachers who has a gifted cluster figures they are smart already and does no interventions
erin - they meaning the students
erin - However, they are not all gifted. I have a gifted cluster also and get a few students each year below grade level.
Michelle/3/OR - oh, erin...that always bugs me......I hate when they aren't challenged
cavey - erin- you hit a nerve with that one - don't get me started
Sadie T - Isn't the point of a gifted cluster that they CAN be challenged more??
erin - It must be the same nerve that I have too
brad - by children need guidance, I of course meant, "Lord help me not to beat them"
Sadie T - I mean that they SHOULD be.
Grace/IL - The teacher of my GIFTED child assumed the children know U.S. geography is 4th grade so he didn't teach it. Ugh!
cavey - sadie - absolutely - purpose of clustering
erin - All her students do the same spelling, same story of the week, it drives me nuts. Does the word differentiation come to mind?
erin - And she is GATE certified. AAGGHH
Sadie T - That's sad, Erin.
Sadie T - One thing I've noticed with some gifted students is that they often MISS important things that other students get.
cavey - very very sad
Sadie T - Especially if they skip grades.
Michelle/3/OR - brad...hehe, I had my son pop in a movie just now, to keep him occupied.
Sadie T - But everyone just assumes they already know it, and never even checks to see if they DO.
erin - Sadie, you're right. Gifted doesn't translate into knows everything
brad - As a sub, i remember that was a little frustrating, sadie
Sadie T - Exactly - however "gifted" you are, you can't learn something if you're never exposed to it!!
brad - the sub would leave a plan, and I would try to follow, and figure out the children hadn't had prerequisites
Michelle/3/OR - we don't do clustering of our gifted students. We do have a half-time TAG specialist....who seems to know little of their needs....sending phonics workbooks for 2nd graders to work on!
erin - In reading I've seen that some of my GATE kids were just pushed into harder books without taking time for building comprehension. They really grew last year in their ability to talk about books
Grace/IL - You should have witnessed our crash course in U.S. geography when she reached 7th grade and didn't know New England was a part of the U.S.
erin - Oh Grace, how terrible
brad - I've said this somewhere before, "How can gifted children POSSIBLY be identified BEFORE 4th grade?
brad - or do all of you teach intermediate?
erin - Michelle, the dreaded phonics workbooks...when they probably already know how to read
Michelle/3/OR - yeah....our district ID's as early as kinder....I was surprised
cavey - brad - beg to differ with you there
Grace/IL - Oh, they give them tests on creativity, etc.
Sadie T - With my English learners, sometimes the students who learn the fastest end up at the bottom of the class - at the bottom of an advanced class, where they are labeled "slow" because they moved ahead of their peers so quickly. It's so frustrating for those students!
Michelle/3/OR - my son was id'ed in Kinder and when I taught 1st grade, I had 3 id'ed gifted kids in my room
Grace/IL - IQ and achievement tests figure in also.
brad - There ARE going to be those RARE cases where a primary student is, quite obviously gifted, but . . .
erin - Brad, I agree. We start at third grade and there have probably been only 2 out of 60 students in the last few years that were truly gifted, not just high achievers.
Sadie T - Yes, that is amazing that they do that so early... I think it can make it hard for the students to live up to, too.
Michelle/3/OR - I wonder at the testing in our school....I think we have too high a percentage qualified.
brad - There should be a myriad of testing done to identify, however, many of the valid IQ tests cannot be reliable until the child is 8 or 9 years old.
cavey - with young kids it is more difficult because of the broard span developmentally
brad - which is about 3/4
erin - If all teachers were differentiating there wouldn't need to be identification at that young an age
cavey - erin - probably not for most
brad - Very very few children in these gifted programs truly need a gifted program; mostly what we're sending are high acheivers and/or good behavers and corrupting the entire program
brad - And that's exactly what should be happening erin. Differentiation.
cavey - brad- precisely the issue my division is addressing
Sadie T - Is it mostly students whose parents push for it, that get identified as "gifted" so early?
Michelle/3/OR - no, not at my school
Michelle/3/OR - I didn't even want to have my son tested, but I was pressured by the K teacher and the TAG teacher.
cavey - Sadie- unfortunately sometimes but we have a 5 criteria matrix - so it's hard
Grace/IL - In our district, getting into the "gifted" class is a status symbol.
brad - In my daughter's district, they do not start GATE until 4th grade. In two other districts I worked in, GATE starts in 4th. In the district I'm currently in, you are put into gifted on teacher recommendation only and not even then. I had to recommend (as new teacher in fall) kids I thought might be gifted. I recommended 6; she took 5, 2 of whom I never identified. Found out she took the same kids from my class she had last year, and did that with everyone else's class too.
cavey - Grace another sad but true I'm trying to combat
Michelle/3/OR - the TAG teacher at our school is manipulative. the kids want to be in her class as she barges into the classrooms waving prizes around for "her" students
Michelle/3/OR - we can't seem to stop it.
cavey - gifted ed is a special ed service and should be viewed as such
brad - Michelle, that situation is common
cavey - You guys are scaring me
brad - But the idea of gifted is you can want want want, but unless you ARE. . .
Michelle/3/OR - Cavey...that's what I tell the parents of TAG students....they need to be advocates for their kids
Grace/IL - Ours aren't chosen by the GAT teachers. They are subject to a whole battery of criteria including teacher recommendation.
brad - Why are we scaring Cavey?
Michelle/3/OR - that's what's sad....kids want to be in her room, and ask me why they can't be.
cavey - the whole nasty tag lady thing
brad - That's excellent Grace. The gifted program I subbed for often was like that. These kids were "gifted" in every sense, only about 4 or 5 from the entire grade level, not from each class.
Michelle/3/OR - yeah...there's a lot of testing our kids must go through to qualify.
Michelle/3/OR - oh...then maybe we aren't so far off on our qualified students....we have about 5-6 out of 120 per grade level
brad - They were so motivated; it was awesome to watch. I always had a good time. ANd of course, they had a dynamic (recently retired) teacher in my friend.
Grace/IL - Basically, we have one section at each grade level. That's abut 15 percent of students.
cavey - you should have about 3 percent
brad - Truly gifted, according to IQ is about 2 to 3 % of population
Michelle/3/OR - that's what I thought, Cavey
Sadie T - That's sad, Grace, do they try to fill the section, or just take those they think are really qualified?
Michelle/3/OR - but, we are closer to 5%, I think
erin - I think I missed a lot . My son got home from riding his friend's track and was covered in mud.
erin - Had to quickly get him in the shower
Grace/IL - They're pretty careful with selection. We gave up calling it GAT; it's now Accelerated and Enrichment.
brad - how did we get on this gifted thing anyway?
cavey - it all depends on your state and district and how identification is done
brad - In your buildings, what does gifted entail, as far as curriculum?
cavey - Brad - sorry it's probably my fault - early literacy anyone?
Michelle/3/OR - Brad.....don't get me going on that one...
Grace/IL - Brad, I think we were talking about first graders being able to use higher level thinking skills, and we just got carried away.
brad - no problem with subject, i just went upstairs to deal with loud children, came down, and suddenly we're talking gifted.
Grace/IL - Early literacy will be fine, Cavey
Michelle/3/OR - I really don't think our gifted kids' needs are met at all by what the TAG teacher does with them
cavey - in most cases you're exactly right - just fluff
erin - Good going Grace, you're right
Michelle/3/OR - Like I said...phonics workbooks for 2nd graders...sticker books....silly things that are time fillers
brad - go ahead, tell us, Michelle, what does she do? (starting to sound like our "gifted" instructor)
erin - Talk about making connections, look where it got us
brad - LOL, erin
Michelle/3/OR - she has the fifth graders make a schoo "newsletter" that is horrible!
erin - We don't have a curriculum. THere are usually three of us that have about 5-8 GATE kids in a class. We are suuposed to differentiate the core curriculum but only 2 of us do
Michelle/3/OR - seriously...I worked in a school previously where the LD class made a MUCH better school newsletter than this one!
Grace/IL - No, no, Michelle. Forget the phonics workbooks. I used to think the plaid ones were just hunky dory. Now I know there's a better way to teach phonics.
cavey - here we go - job vs profession Gt teachers too
brad - Ours was working on some play that I don't think was performed for anyone, I swear, the whole last semester!!
brad - Phonics books in plaid?? How fashionable!
Michelle/3/OR - but phonics workbooks for kids who've been reading since they were 4?
Grace/IL - Brad, you don't know about these "fashionable" phonics books?
erin - I have done things like a schoolwide election on favorite book characters when there was the real election. I do a simulation for Pioneers with lots of journaling. Having a reader's workshop and writer's workshop helps also
brad - Every time someone mentions phonics or spelling workbooks, I just repeat my mantra, "Please don't let my district get them, please don't let my district get them, please don't. . ."
Michelle/3/OR - I actually have one of those plaid ones right here....loaned by a third grade teacher when I was teaching summer school several years ago
Sadie T - Grace, how do you teach phonics?
cavey - most GT programs don't have state funds ie no personnel
brad - erin, are you saying you do these activities with gifted?
Grace/IL - Sadie, through spelling.
erin - brad, our district has them but I told my principal not to order them for me and instead I got to order $300 worth of trade books
Michelle/3/OR - I use Month-by-Month phonics..
brad - I asked my principal not to order reading workbooks, so I could do same. She said, "No."
erin - Yes brad. This is with my gifted cluster. Only about 5 are gifted the rest are regular ed, but the whole class participates
brad - But I'll try again next year (and the year after that, and the year after that,. . .)
Michelle/3/OR - oh, erin, that's great! If I didn't want to have something like that...I wouldn't get to use the money elsewhere
erin - Keep trying Brad...after 4 years I got it
Grace/IL - What is phonics? It's listening for sounds in words and writing the letters that represent them.
erin - Well I haven't seen the books yet...so cross your fingers
erin - But she did promise
Michelle/3/OR - I had the TAG cluster the last 2 years...but this year I will get the LD cluster...I'm very nervous
cavey - go erin
erin - I do tend to be the rabble rouser at my school
brad - I've never read research that clustering LD works, unlike gifted where it does
Grace/IL - Michelle, from one extreme to the other.
erin - We also cluster LD and ELL
Michelle/3/OR - My room is right next to the Resource room...I told the resource teacher I'm going to make a hole in the wall so she can hold my hand all year
Sadie T - LOL Michelle, good idea.
brad - The ESL teacher and I would like to try clustering ESL students in my room, but principal and she are on the outs, so that won't be happening.
Grace/IL - Michelle, are you familiar with Orton-Gillingham programs for those LD kiddos?
Sadie T - That's too bad, Brad.
Michelle/3/OR - that wouldn't work in my school...the non-ESL kids number maybe 18 per grade level.
erin - Brad, it's too bad politics has to get in the way
Michelle/3/OR - Grace, no I'm really not familiar with much LD stuff at all.
brad - And I've heard she (principal) even saying things to the effect that why do we need ESL in primary
Grace/IL - Michelle, a wonderful resource on the internet is Sue Jones' resourceroom
erin - AAGGHH! Brad, does she think it would be better in junior high when they can't read
cavey - Hey this year I've got one that's gifte and LD how's that for a connection
Sadie T - Brad, your deliberately trying to get me started on that, aren't you?
Michelle/3/OR - The reason we're clustering for LD this year (it's a new thing), is because there are only 3 id'ed LD kids in the English section, and to separate would put one of them in a room alone....and the Resource teacher really wants them to be able to at least have a buddy in the class who's about their same level
brad - she just thinks they "pick up more" being in the regular classroom
Grace/IL - I think it's www.resourceroom.net
brad - I'm always deliberate at finding rabble to rouse
erin - It's that old "spray and pray" method
erin - I'm sure you rouse your share of the rabble too
brad - Spray and pray?
erin - Hoping the students "get it". You "spray" the information and "pray" they get it. Come on Brad, help me here LOL
Sadie T - Doesn't your principal notice that the ESL kids don't understand what's going on??
Michelle/3/OR - thanks, Grace, I wrote it down
brad - I just needed the metaphor explained, I knew that's what you meant
erin - Thanks a lot Brad
Grace/IL - There's also a chatboard -- ldonline
Michelle/3/OR - oh, man....I don't know if I can handle another chatboard...hehe
erin - To be certified in your state Brad, do you need any ESL training. Here in California you need your CLAD, which means classes in ESL
brad - did jan stop by tonight?
erin - Nope no Jan tonite
brad - I'm not sure, erin.
Michelle/3/OR - my son thinks I need to go to an addiction support group for my computer addiction
erin - Michelle, LOL, my son says that every morning when he wakes up he can hear me at the keyboard
brad - she's probably too busy consulting Bloom to find out if "spraying and praying" is comprehension or analysis
erin - How old is your son Michelle
Michelle/3/OR - I have to get my ESOL endorsement because I teach ELL's
Sadie T - Brad do the teachers differentiate instruction for the ESL students?
Grace/IL - Hey, I KNOW I need a support group for t.net addiction!
Michelle/3/OR - he is 7, going into 2nd grade
erin - Just wondering Brad, when the metaphor might die out
erin - Mine is 8 going into third. I love this age
Grace/IL - Now, now, Brad. That sounds catty.
brad - I don't believe so, sadie, which is why ESL teacher wanted to have them clustered in MY class
Michelle/3/OR - there's a public-service commercial on tv about addictions....that's where he got the idea
brad - rowr, fft, fft
erin - That is so funny Michelle. I'm really LOL
Sadie T - But the ESL teacher has them part of the time and they're in a regular class the rest of the time then?
cavey - i've got an 8 year old b
cavey - i've got an 8 year old b
brad - yes, sadie
Grace/IL - Brad, that's the sound for \f\ -- the angry cat sound.
Michelle/3/OR - my son still sleeps with a couple stuffed animals...I'll be sad when that ends.
erin - Mine does too, Michelle. Bear-bear is his favorite
brad - she has them for a literacy block, say, hour and a half
erin - I still love to watch him sleep. He's so peaceful, as opposed to how he is in the daytime
Michelle/3/OR - My son's animals are Cutie and Bunny. Cutie is a hedgehog, I think
erin - Mine also has Jessie, the dog and his Jeremy McGrath doll, he's a motocross rider
brad - were you going to say something, sadie?
erin - That was obviously one of those awkward moments in a conversation
cavey - synthesis anyone?
Grace/IL - This is the greatest conversation about higher level thinking skills (LOL
brad - sorry, erin. I"m not familiar with Cutie the Hedgehog
Michelle/3/OR - ahhh....you know, i was posting at 1 a.m. about synthesis.....crazy
Grace/IL - Cavey, you jumped right in ahead of me. LOL
erin - No, Michelle had Cutie the Hedgehog, I had Bear-bear.
Sadie T - Sorry, I had to leave for a minute.. now I come back to "were you going to say something" Sorry.
brad - Michelle, I was ROFL when I read it was 1 am. I'm beginning to wonder how I lived before this board
brad - if you're leaving sadie, just put in brb, stands for be right back
Michelle/3/OR - I called one of my friends early this morning to ask her her opinion of synthesis
Sadie T - I was going to ask Brad do the ESL students have a lot of trouble keeping up with the rest of their class
Grace/IL - About all this synthesis stuff. Sometimes I wonder where I've been all these years. I just like to enjoy a good book without thinking about all those connections
brad - I"m not sure, I think some do, some don't.
brad - Whaddaya mean Grace?
Michelle/3/OR - I recommended MOT to a friend, she's reading it now and told me that she never knew how much she DIDN'T know how to really read
brad - Michelle, at least you have friends to discuss synthesis with
Sadie T - If they are getting an hour and a half with the ESL teacher, then it's probably not that unusual the way you're doing it.
erin - I talk about this with other teachers and I see their eyes glaze over
brad - I think, subconciously you do the strategies, it's just knowing about them brings them out, and certainly helps you to teach them
Michelle/3/OR - we don't even have an ESL teacher at our school....if they are in my class, that's all the ESL help they get.
brad - sadie, i'm lost. HUH?
brad - did someone say donuts?
erin - Ha Ha Brad!!!
cavey - pass the HO HOs
Grace/IL - Whaddaya mean? I guess I rarely synthesize. Of course, I'm synthesizing the subject of decodable text these days -- looking at everything I read and trying to put it together. But I don't synthesize individual articles.
brad - someone said glazed
Michelle/3/OR - my friend I called this morning let me know that she just recieved notice that she gets to go to the PEBC training thing in November....lucky her
Sadie T - Sorry, Brad, I'm still a ways back in the conversation. I just meant that since they're getting ESL with the other teacher, your principal isn't being all that unusual.
Sadie T - Brad, I thought YOU were bringing the donuts tonight.
brad - I never synthesize when I read in the true Bloom sense of the word
Michelle/3/OR - when I was in High school...HoHo's and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were my group's main food groups
Grace/IL - Clue me in -- What's PEBC?
cavey - we didn't have computers when I was in high school
erin - I studied many a night with Flaky Flix and Diet Coke
Michelle/3/OR - I RARELY synthesize....I did write out a 3-page synthesis of RWM, STW, and a book by Caine & Caine
brad - sadie, my principal thinks primary ESL's should be getting No ESL (from my synthesis of her comments)
Sadie T - PEBC = the group that did the strategies books - MOT, STW, RWM authors
brad - A ho ho is a computer?
erin - Did your eyes glaze"d" over when she said that Brad?
Sadie T - Did you tell your principal that he/she is crazy?
brad - mmm....donuts......
erin - It's so easy to get Brad off track
Michelle/3/OR - I tell my Principal when she's crazy
brad - my principal is very strange on certain issues, this being one, another one is recess.
Michelle/3/OR - Brad would like the staff at my school
brad - (place tongue back in mouth)
brad - do they love donuts, michelle?
erin - My principal and I get along great... we have agreed to disagree on certain issues and it works out great
Michelle/3/OR - they tell the admin what they think of them and their programs
cavey - focus focus I'm trying to learn from you people
erin - Don't tell me Brad...your kids don't get recess
Michelle/3/OR - we always have great snacks at staff meetings
brad - I believe my principal to be manic/depressive, so I avoid on certain days, and enjoy the others
erin - my principal provides snacks too
brad - not if I don't give it, erin
Grace/IL - Snacks at staff meetins is what made me what I am!
Michelle/3/OR - my principal is aiming to be the new superintendent next year...if she gets it, it would be great for me. she really likes me
Sadie T - What is this about recess?
erin - Is that because of your principal brad?
Grace/IL - Oops, that was "meetings"
brad - she doesn't believe in recess above 3rd grade (she's practically banned it), and complains they get into too much trouble when they do go out
Sadie T - You have a very interesting principal, Brad.
erin - I've heard that 4th graders don't need recess because they've reached adulthood by then and don't need the playtime
brad - She says they don't play outside when they go home. . .(which is true, but. . .)
Michelle/3/OR - yeah...that's one thing I disagree with my principal. We are only allowed a 10 min. recess. and they only get 10-15 minutes at lunch
brad - in my opinion, this is EXACTLY why they DO need recess
erin - So if they don't read at home they shouldn't do it at school either...let's play out the logic here
Sadie T - Yes, Brad, they don't play outside... they watch TV...
Grace/IL - Erin, is there research on that?
cavey - Thanks for the fun - gotta go - it's late here in VA
Michelle/3/OR - play nintendo at home
erin - We're lucky..20 minute recess, 20 minutes to eat lunch and 20 minutes to play at lunch recess
brad - In fact, someone, (and I may do some next year) should TEACH them RECESS.
Sadie T - Brad, do they do PE?
Grace/IL - It's late in IL, too. Have to get my beauty sleep. It's been great chatting with y'all.
brad - We get 15 minutes, if we want it. and that's all
brad - PE is state law
erin - Brad do they not play outside at home because of the neighborhood they live in?
brad - isn't that a sitcom?
cavey - bye Grace Goodnight John Boy
brad - say goodnite, gracie
Michelle/3/OR - george burns..
brad - erin, probably that is only one reason why. In truth, many kids don't play outside these days.
brad - not just inner city
Michelle/3/OR - around here, they do. At least in the summer. they are always outside
erin - I think it depends on neighborhoods. On our block we have to force the kids to come in. But we also live on a cul-de-sac in a very safe neighborhood
erin - When the time changes we all groan...b/c they'll be outside even later LOL
brad - ita, erin
Michelle/3/OR - yeah...I live in an apartment complex. it may be different in another neighborhood
erin - What's ita?
brad - where we're at now (5 more days), kids don't go out until sun starts setting usually
brad - ita=I Totally Agree
erin - AHHHH
Sadie T -
brad - which of course, implies a greater agreement than simply I agree
erin - Like, for sure, Brad.
brad -
brad -
Sadie T -
erin - Why the sad face? No more donuts?
brad - My principal LOL
Michelle/3/OR - around here, one would say "ILSTAM" = I like so totally agree man!
brad - manic/depressive, I tell ya' the more and more I'm around her
brad - Where are you Michelle? In the valley, with speak like that?
Michelle/3/OR - I work with a 4th grade teacher like that....won't teach 4th grade because i don't want to be on her team
erin - Hey...I grew up in the Valley. THE VALLEY
Sadie T - the Oregon valley?
erin - Like, omigod, it was like totally awesome!!
Michelle/3/OR - Willamette Valley, Oregon. With many, many Californian immigrants
brad - or, dude. I hate when people call people dude
Michelle/3/OR - everyone calls people Dude here
brad - Like, I like, like the Valley speak and stuff, but like, it's really, like, over, okay?
erin - Or my favorite, "Ya know" I was walking down the street, ya know..
Michelle/3/OR - change is slow in Oregon, dude
erin - I know it's over but it would be so fun to keep posting it because I now know how much you like it
brad - or, "Like I said." I was walking down the street, like I said, And then like I said, this girl came up.
brad - like, gag me with a spoon, erin
Michelle/3/OR - hmm.....will have to remember to speak Valley on chat board....
erin - And like ya know, she like told me ya know
brad - do your students speak like this?
Michelle/3/OR - and he was like, "No way, dude!" and I was like "way!"
erin - LOL Michelle
Sadie T - Sad... here I am the one from, like, California, ya know, and I'm like, the one who's not, like, talking like that here, ya know?
erin - My students use like and "ummmm". I really try to work on that with them...not using fillers
Michelle/3/OR - most of my students are trying to learn English....but some do.
erin - Sadie, where are you? I'm in Santa Clarita near Magic Mountain
erin - For the record...I do not speak like a Valley Girl, she's a Valley Girl. Oh Sorry
brad - As me and my cousin used to say, "I was all up on saying 'all up on' "
Sadie T - Central California
Michelle/3/OR - never heard that expression, brad
brad - She was all up on me and then they were all up on my business. . .
Sadie T - like, the OTHER valley
brad - "Where are we going?" "She's all up on Taco Bell and stuff."
erin - I'm only 10 minutes from the REAL valley as we say down here
Michelle/3/OR - lol, brad. Imagining some chick on top of Taco Bell
Michelle/3/OR - sunning on the roof
brad - Rofl, michelle
Sadie T - LOL
brad - eating donuts, (glazed)
Michelle/3/OR - and stuff
erin - The all time favorite word of my third graders..."stuff"
erin - Why learn any vocabulary when you can say "stuff"
Michelle/3/OR - for mine, it's "thing" or "over there". I work hard to teach more specific vocabulary
Sadie T - As in "why do we have to do all this stuff?"
brad - "What are you doing?" "I'm all up on getting my paper done."
erin - And my class isn't ESL...just love the word
brad - "Stuff" is big
erin - Stuff, nice and cool are outlawed in my class
Sadie T - So I guess there's not a lot of cool stuff in your classroom, then?
brad - Girls in my school went through this thing for a while where they'd "tell" each other their emotions. As in: Sue: And he was driving around the corner really fast. B: Oh my gawd, you were scared.
Michelle/3/OR - ohhh....when i taught 1st grade...in their writing, all people were "cool" for boys, "nice" for girls
brad - In my school, the word is "tight"
erin - No but there is a lot of like totally nice cool stuff, for sure, dude. I'm all up on that
Michelle/3/OR - hey, brad...they were inferring!!
Michelle/3/OR - oh...tight! that's big around here too
Sadie T - LOL Brad, you were tired of hearing them say that!
brad - see erin, you're all up on "all up on" now
Sadie T - LOL Erin, cool.
brad - A, "He was going to ask me out." B:"You were excited."
Michelle/3/OR - first time I heard it, I just laughed...thought it was funny. I was subbing and a 7th grader was asking me if a liked some singer-dude. She said, "He's so TIGHT!" I just laughed
brad - Now, in my school, it's salty. THey even got me saying it all the time now, even at home
Michelle/3/OR - salty? it's good to be salty?
brad - It's kind've like saying, "Burn." Remember that?
Sadie T - Salty??? Never heard that one!
Michelle/3/OR - no, never heard "burn", either
erin - Or "bad" Is it good to be "bad?"
erin - Brad...it isn't salty. The word was glazed
Michelle/3/OR - it was good to be bad a while back...but is it still? my kids don't know that one.
erin - Ok the challenge is to post tomorrow using all these great words and see what everyone else says on the chatboard
brad - Two students will come up to me, Joe and Blow, and Joe will say, "Mr. Johnson, don't dogs know how to bark?" And I'd say, "Um, yeah." And Joe would turn to Blow and say, "OOh, see, I told you. Now you feelin' SALTY!"
Sadie T - I don't think it's as good to be bad as it used to be
Michelle/3/OR - lol, Brad
brad - It hasn't been good to be bad since Michael Jackson appropritated the term
Michelle/3/OR - so, you don't want to feel salty, I see.
brad - Like I said, I even started saying it. One kid would act up, and another kid would say to me, "Do you see him?" And I'd just nod, and say, "He gonna be feeling Salty when I go over there." LOL
erin - "I was like thinking, ya know, about synthesis and like, I'm all up on it now, I like totally get it dude
Michelle/3/OR - but you could be phat. that would be ok
Michelle/3/OR - No, way, erin!
brad - I'm all up on synthesis. LOL. Let's bring back "All up on"
Michelle/3/OR - that is like so cool!
brad - I think phat's on the way out too
Sadie T - Erin, you should post that tomorrow. See what Jan says about you being, like, totally all up on synthesis now. Maybe she'll say you're salty.
Michelle/3/OR - yeah...but it takes a little while longer to leave Oregon. We are 2nd to last to get a trend.
brad - Jan, "See I told you that's what Bloom said. Now you feelin' salty!
erin - All right I will. I would feel salty if she actually asked me to explain synthesis
Michelle/3/OR - lol, Sadie...
brad - AH, Jan, ya' gotta love her
erin - Then we must be last, Michelle, at our elementary school in Castaic
Sadie T - We'll support you Erin. "Cool, dude, we're up on it too!"
erin - But you guys have to post a resonse
Michelle/3/OR - and I'll add the cool stuff afterward
brad - No, Sadie we're ALL up on it
erin - I'll go over there after this and post it
Michelle/3/OR - in my post
Michelle/3/OR - it'll be tight
brad - We should invent our own ESIA lingo
brad - That's tight, Michelle
Michelle/3/OR - it would have lots of acronyms, to sound official
erin - You have to use the word "all" as a verb. I was all mad at my mom last night
Sadie T - See, that's what happens when you miss a chat. Jan, Mae, Kim, Glenda, etc.. will be lost and we'll all be up on it.
Sadie T - YMTAGI
brad - I'm all up on the latest lingo
Sadie T - Yes Michelle That's a Good Idea
erin - Brad will be the president or should it be linguist
brad - ROFL, I can see it now. That is SO G. I. !
erin - I'm AUOI
brad - (such a good idea)
Michelle/3/OR - I was about to post the same one, erin
brad - Let's see if we can get that started, G.I. How long before it reaches our students?
Michelle/3/OR - the ESIA would have to be AUOI to endorse anything
brad - How long before I ask my students if they want extra recess (to @#$% off my principal) and they say, "That's so G.I."
erin - Or you tell your principal..."I have such a GI for you"
Sadie T - Go for it, Brad!
erin - However, in the medical field that means gastrointestinal so you may get some odd looks
Sadie T - Erin, with his principal, it would probably be both.
brad - LOL Michelle, I'm grinning ear to ear over here. I'm AUO endorsing AUOI as the official stamp of approval for the ESIA. 4 Blocks? It's AUOI according to the ESIA
erin - perfect brad. That will be my subject line. Synthesis, I'm AUOI. And when you guys post under it, they will really wonder
Michelle/3/OR - what about a stamp of rejection? what would that be?
brad - lol
brad - NDWI
Sadie T - Something about salty?
erin - That's what I was thinking Sadie
brad - as in, we're Not Down With It
erin - perfect
Michelle/3/OR - that's good too, brad
erin - Workbooks...we're NDWI
Sadie T - Brad, is "down with it" and "up on it" the same?
Michelle/3/OR - I like it
brad - Worksheets to teach reading?? That is NDWI by the ESIA, Now you feelin' salty!
Sadie T - I've got to go, guys.
Michelle/3/OR - ok...Sadie. Goodnight
Sadie T - Erin, if you post on the board, I'll post under it later tonight.
brad - If your program is not endorsed by ESIA, then you could be labeled "salty" and may have your license revoked.
erin - Last night, I was like, all, talking to Brad, Michelle and Sadie, and, like, it was totally cool, because, we like figured out synthesis and all that stuff. We're all up on it now. Our definition is really tight.
erin - That'w what I just posted
Michelle/3/OR - lol...can't wait to read it..
Michelle/3/OR - they're going to think there's an imposter-erin
brad - I could just see Tom Brokaw now, "Synthesis according to PEBC was placed on the official "salty" list by the ESIA today. . ."
erin - I hope I don't get flamed
erin - LOL LOL LOL
erin - No synthesis is on the official AUOI list
Michelle/3/OR - you know...I think I've convinced one of my friends to check out the profreading board...I told her what intellegent conversations took place...she's thinking of checking into it tomorrow
brad - "A spokesperson for the board said that quote, it's just not true synthesis, end quote."
erin - And to think this conversation will be archived so that all may learn from us
erin - Michelle, tell her to wait...or explain
brad - LOL, by the time it gets so big I don't think it's archived.
Michelle/3/OR - I can imagine what she'll think if she reads that as one of her first...
erin - It takes intelligent people to come up with this
erin - Whatever "this" is...I'm not sure
brad - intelligent 1 am kind of people
Michelle/3/OR - I sometimes feel out of the loop because whole strands are posted during the morning, and I usually don't come on until night
brad - you have intelligent people in your school?
Michelle/3/OR - yes. I am lucky
Michelle/3/OR - a couple
erin - I feel out of the loop because people post such in depth ideas
erin - I have a few
Michelle/3/OR - oh, erin, I know exactly how you feel.
brad - IF I spotted MOT at my school, you'd find me at the ER
Michelle/3/OR - that Pearson article...I had to print it to really read and understand it
erin - I'm trying to figure out the strategies and they're analyzing, synthesizing, everythingsizing them
erin - They've read every expert on the topic. I quickly try to catch up but then I'm OOTL (Out of the loop)
brad - It really is great that you're even trying, though. I've been doing a lot of what Jan says, and that's going back to some original research. If you think MOT is tough to read. . .
Michelle/3/OR - I thought MOT was easy to read and applyu
erin - Where are you getting the research? I have some of the articles but...
Michelle/3/OR - it was STW that I read the next year that I didn't like so much and didn't see what all the hoopla was about
erin - I don't think MOT is tough, but I am interested in the other articles and research
Michelle/3/OR - I haven't seen a lot of the research, either
brad - The website Kim sent is great. And Pearson has a website with a lot of his recent work on it. After awhile, though, they all start to run together, and then you realize it's time to break and think, "How can I apply this to my teaching?" That's where I'm at now.
Michelle/3/OR - I haven't seen this website of kim's. did she post it on the board?
erin - Now who's that Rosenblatt (sp?) that's been mentioned
Michelle/3/OR - I've been wanted to find some of the Rosenblatt stuff too.
erin - That's where I'm at too Brad. I will continue to read research but I also need to start the application phase
Michelle/3/OR - But I've been too busy (lazy?) to look for it on my own.
brad - Sharon is the one who keeps bringing up Rosenblatt, who pioneered Reader Response Theory. Talk about tough to read. When she quotes Rosenblatt, I have to read the post 5 times, word for word before I get a shred of understanding, let alone being AUOI."
brad - http://www.ciera.org
Michelle/3/OR - oh, I'm glad to hear it's not just me who has to reread it.
erin - Question...how much time do you spend on professional reading...including the internet
Michelle/3/OR - thanks, brad
brad - I can't imagine reading a lot of Rosenblatt in one sitting. That poem stuff is just bizarrre to me.
erin - thanks, I'll check it out tomorrow
brad - Too much time, this summer, Erin
Michelle/3/OR - depends....from 2-8 hours per day this summer
brad - I need to get to some pleasure reading, thus my visit to the library this week
Michelle/3/OR - on average
erin - I try to alternate between professional and non and fit in writing my papers for school. I had papers due. I down to 11/2
brad - Including internet, probably 4 hours daily. I'm including posting on T-net and reading mailring stuff, because it all involves professional things
erin - Should have said seven papers due, down to 1 1/2 papers left
erin - do you do most of your reading when your kids are in bed?
brad - When you go to site I posted, page all the way down to visit Library for more Research. YOu'll see tons of stuff there. Just click around
Michelle/3/OR - I'm trying to get as much of my prof. reading done now because i won't have time during the school year.
brad - I have great kids, who can occupy selves, but yeah, mostly when they're "not around"
erin - I don't want to see "tons" of stuff...AAGGH Thanks Brad, just when we were getting along
Michelle/3/OR - my son goes to his dad's every other week in the summer, so i do a lot of it then
brad - That's why I'm doing so much now too, Michelle
brad - Every other week? Thats an interesting arrangement
erin - I am getting it done now too because it gives me time to think how to apply it in my classroom. Once school starts it's so hard
Michelle/3/OR - otherwise, I do it when he's reading on his own or playing at his friend's house, whenever I can fit it in
Michelle/3/OR - It's been hard on me to have him gone so much, but it's important to me that he get to spent quality time with his dad
brad - I didn't even give you the Pearson site. I'll post that another time
erin - My problem is I would read all day and let the house fall down around me...if I could
brad - Sometimes, I do let the house fall, erin. You should see Kitchen right now.
Michelle/3/OR - sometimes I go for walks on hiking trails and stop and read along the way.
erin - Well I need to get my son to bed. He has his championship swim meet tomorrow morning. See you on the chatboard.
erin - I'll be looking for your "special" posts tomorrow.
brad - Yeah, I better motor too
Michelle/3/OR - it really helps to have a change of surroundings. I can remember things easier that way...something I got from Caine & Caine
erin - Goodnight Brad and Michelle
Michelle/3/OR - ok....it was fun!
brad - nite
Michelle/3/OR - goodnight, everyone
Chatboards Lesson Plans K12 Projects Teacher Blogs Mailrings Classified Ads Teacher Jobs Live Chat Live Meetings Articles Harry Wong Printables
Other Chatboards in this Category...
The Language Arts Chatboards are for educators who teach Language Arts or have an interest in the English curriculum.
