Monday, July 10, 2000
Reading Recovery
Letter Work
Related Links
Reading Recovery Council of North America
Reading Recovery in California Home Page
Visit the ChatBoards at the
Mentor Support Center
http://www.teachers.net/mentors/
Join the Reading Recovery Mailring listed in the English Center at the
Teacher Mailring Center
http://www.teachers.net/mailrings/
Check the meeting schedule for future meetings
Mary/PA
- Welcome to this evening's Reading Recovery Meeting here at Teachers.Net.
Tonight we will discuss letter work.
Mary/PA - Are we
ready to talk about letters and what to do with them and how to help the
kids learn all they need about them?
Mary/PA - Lets' brainstorm
sorting activities
slkread - sort by
color and by upper and lower case letters
tyylee - Mary, one
time you talked about using a car and driving around large chalk letters
on your board. Am I remembering your tip correct? Tell us again. I thought
it was a good idea.
Mary/PA - straight
and roundy
kinderkate - sort
out the letters that look the same in uppercase and lowercase. ex Ss Xx
etc
SPED - Sort by sound
kinderkate - Sort
b,p,d 's.
Mary/PA - tyylee,
when trying to help the child notice the shape of a letter, it helps to
make the letter very large with the side of a piece of chalk. Then give
the child a match box type car and tell him/her where to start. Then have
them verbalize which way they are going and in what direction while they
drive the car on the letter.
tyylee - When sorting
have them say the letters as they pull them down into piles.
josh - sort by tails,
hooks etc.
jen - that's a great
idea
Mary/PA - Give the
child a group of letters with only two different letters included. Then
have them sort them into two piles of letters that look the same. Later,
3, 4 etc.
tyylee - Mix several
types of letters, ie plastic, felt, paper, etc and have the child sort
using all the previously mentioned ideas.
josh - any new info
on how long to continue letter work before moviing into m & b? or is
new understanding to continue to use letter work thru out program?
jen - it is only
to take one or two minutes josh
josh - in place of
or in addition too m& b?
slkread - I think
letter work will occur throughout the program but not necessarily just
during the letter work time.
kinderkate - I would
say in place of m&b, josh.
tyylee - We were
told to start M and B when they know twenty letters but to continue to
do some letter work until all letters are known.
josh - I agree slkread.
kinderkate - On the
lesson plan sheet letterwork and M&B are in the same column.
jen - as the child
knows his/her letters m&b takes more of the time
Didi (Oz) - eks who
still confuses leters so I do a bit of both
josh - yes kinderkate,
but one or two minutes goes very quickly. prob right jen
josh - when they
know twenty lower case right tylee?
EddieT - THAT'S for
sure, Josh!
jen - LI and m&b
and writing all have to take that middle 10 mins so you can't afford to
spend much time on the letter part
josh - glynda - work
from bottom up, not top down. see what do we know about directionality?
slkread - letter
work can also take place during the writing and reading portions of the
lesson to support the child as needed
tyylee - What kinds
of things do you do during letter ID time?
josh - yes alkread!!
wrtg time is a great time to work on it.
slkread - trace the
letters as you and the child verbalize the movements, make it big in the
air, write it here there and everywhere
kinderkate - I have
a set of letter books. I sometimes give the student a riddle about the
picture/word I'm looking at that begins with the letter.
Didi (Oz) - Sandpaper
letters are good
Mary/PA - How may
of you still use chalk boards?
EddieT - I do.
Didi (Oz) - Sometimes
Mary
kinderkate - I use
chalk boards every day.
slkread - I use chalk
(mostly to trace) as well as markerboards.
Mary/PA - I love
my chalk board - it's great for lots of tracing and for the sponge pencil
tyylee - We have
both big and little dry erase and chalk boards. I use all of them to vary
things.
kinderkate - Are
you concerned with student's penmanship?
jen(oz) - i use chalkboard
and white board
Didi (Oz) - When
writing and the word is one I'm telling the child instead of writing it
for the child I sometimes spell it out so that htey get more letter work
that way too
tyylee - Good question
Kinder. If you worry too much about penmanship you can use up lots of writing
time but I know it is important. How much do all of you worry about it?
jen(oz) - i use both
when the child is taking the word to writing fluency
Didi (Oz) - Do you
mean correct letter formation Kate because I work on that
slkread - My districts
curriculum director urges us to put little stress on penmanship, but not
everyone agrees with her.
Mary/PA - kinderkate,
I am when the child is struggling to make a letter. When it takes him way
to long to make a letter he is not able to think of the process of using
the letter or what it is. I do think that there is such a thing as fluency
in letter writing as well as all other areas that we teach
kinderkate - I try
to leave it up to the classroom teacher, although I've heard other teachers
talk about it.
jen(oz) - if a child
is not forming the letter correctly i usually get him to practise it in
the letter id time
Didi (Oz) - I think
correct letter formation is important because it helps them to learn the
letter
slkread - The practice
page in the writing journal is an excellent resource to practice letter
formation.
Didi (Oz) - Agreeded
slk
tyylee - Correct
letter formating in important but how about size and neatness?
jen(oz) - you could
take a letter to fluency in the writing component instead of a word
kinderkate - Slkread
- I think it is important in the classroom - are you saying they aren't
teaching penmanship there. Of course I think it should not keep student's
from writing. Writing and penmanship are two different things.
Mary/PA - I don't
want my kids to have to be working hard to try to remember how to make
a letter when we start writing stories. I want them to think about the
sounds more. I know that often we work on both at the same time, but I
like to use the letter time for learning formation as well
slkread - tyylee,
I think that depends on where the child is and what is most important for
him to learn next.
jc - My kind. tchr.
doesn't spend much time on letter formation. She has asked my opinion.
What would you advise her?
Mary/PA - tyylee,
I work on size and neatness later, after we can get the sounds down for
the story quickly, then we can think about the other. I don't like to over
whelm them.
Mary/PA - at first
Didi (Oz) - Many
times these children as well as not picking up reading skills when taught
aren't learning letter formation when taught also
jen(oz) - i can only
speak for my education system but it is the classroom teachers job to teach
letter formation not ours We are reading recovery teachers it is not part
of our role
tyylee - I find that
freeing the child from having to worry about their penmanship frees up
their writing. They are able to write longer stories in a shorter time
and they are more enthusiastic about writing stories that if they have
to carefully and slowly write each letter. Of course, I do want them to
form the letters correctly.
Mary/PA - jc. tell
here to work on letter formation. I know that there are a lot of experts
who will say differently, but we know what happens when the kids don't
get this early
kinderkate - I think
students need to be taught to form letters properly, but RR is the last
place to do it. I started my kinder students with large rainbow writing
at the beginning o f the year and practiced writing smaller as the year
went on. Usually it was without lined paper, but always with correct formation:
top to bottom, left to right.
Mary/PA - I also
teach kindergarten, and the kids are quite ready and willing to learn how
to make the letters.
jc - Thanks for the
suggestions! I am lucky to have k & 1st grade tchrs. who value my opinion.
josh - great ideas.
when i taught k i used to have them trace letters on each others backs
while repeating verbal formation out loud.
tyylee - Thanks for
the reminder about rainbow writing. I tend to forget about it and it is
such a good technique for letter ID work.
Mary/PA - kinderkate,
but if they don't get it in Kindergarten, we have no choice, do we?
Mary/PA - Kinder
and tyylee, explain rainbow writing please
kinderkate - I guess
so, Mary. And that is too bad. Do you think it is ok to send homework or
talk with parents about letter writing??
tyylee - Slk, try
logging off and then logging on again. I did that and it cured my problems
with whiteouts.
jen(oz) - Mary- just
take one letter to fluency each day but don't make it a major focus as
your job is reading and writing
smiles - I heard
Adria Klein speak this past winter and she said that for the children we
see in RR when they are forming letters incorrectly, say bottom up and
backwards, when they are learning to attend to print, guess where their
eyes go?....bottom up and backw
Mary/PA - kinderkate,
sure I think it's OK, but most of the time, the parents don't spend the
time with the child. I think that someone should stay with the child so
that he/she doesn't keep practicing bad habits
Mary/PA - writing
in the air? Is that what you mean?
kinderkate - Rainbow
Writing: Print the letter on a piece of paper. Have student trace letter
with a crayon. Now trace same letter with another crayon. Continue until
all crayons are used.
EddieT - Thank you
kinderkate.................
josh - one of the
problems is that many preschoolers have already practiced bad formation
at preschools that dont do any work with formation. habits form quickly.
Dux - My TL makes
a big point of noticing letter formation
kinderkate - Make
sure child is tracing letter correctly. I usually stamp a picture where
writing should start. For example stamp an apple on the top where the A
starts.
Mary/PA - Dux, that's
good to hear
tyylee - Rainbow
writing can be used with dry erase markers, crayons, paint, magic markers,
etc. The teacher makes a large copy of the letter and then the child takes
one color at a time and traces the teachers letter, looks like a rainbow
since they don't stay exactally oon the pattern. The children love it.
I also do it with small high frequency words we are learning.
Dux - Interactive
writing in small groups in K can help those that need it.
josh - thanks for
the clarification tylee
kinderkate - Hey
I haven't tried with words, good ides tyylee.
jen(oz) - thats a
great idea tylee
slkread - I will
have to try rainbow writing.
kinderkate - Any
good ideas out there for the dreaded b,p,d confusions???
jen(oz) - it would
be a great idea for Roaming
jen(oz) - have a
child starting next week so thanks
Didi (Oz) - I sometimes
get them to write it on my back or arm
EddieT - Yeah........I
could use some help with those confusions, too!!!!!!!!!
Dux - In RAK we do
rainbow writing on the sidewalk with chunky chalk using kids name
kinderkate - But
remember to use only KNOWN letters, jen. lol
josh - start with
one only.
jen(oz) - of course
lol
Ben - RAK?
jen(oz) - Roaming
around the Known
EddieT - Roaming
Around the Known, Ben
josh - children should
look at letters that are visually different before looking at those that
are so similar right?
kinderkate - Hey,
are you all ignoring the "b,d,p" confusion problem. Or are all of you about
as stumped as I am?
jen(oz) - i am as
stumped as you kinder
josh - so work on
either b, d or p or q but not all
EddieT - I am in
the stumped camp............:-)
Dux - So says Barbara
Watson, Josh
slkread - I think
a big part of any confusion of letters is consistency. Are the RR teacher
as well as the classroom teacher verbalizing the letters and their movements
in the same way? Or are the teachers only adding to the confusion?
kinderkate - Right,
josh, but when they are getting ready to discontinue and STILL get them
confused????!!!!
Didi (Oz) - Yes but
at some time they have to work on similar letters
Ben - where do you
teach Dux?
EddieT - Good point,
slkread!
ginny - I have found
that since I am doing more letter sorting that I am able to help my children
improve their letter formation. I think some of the problem may have been
that they were not really aware of the differences. We talk about long
sticks, short sticks, tails, etc and I ren=mind them of these characterisitics
when we are writing.
Mary/PA - bpd are
easy while reading because we have the M and S to help. For writing I try
to find a word that they know well (this is later in lessons) can read
and write with no problem - that contains one of the letters. Then I teach
them how to think of that word and how the letters look and as see if word
or letter in question is the same or different from the one they know and
the one they want to write.
jen(oz) - i just
do the old bat abd ball -b and drum and soldier -d
tyylee - I like to
have the children make a b with their left hand and a d with the write
hand and then using thier noses start on the left and say a b c d, touching
the hand/ letter with their noses when they say it. I hope that is clear.
I catch some of my children remembering to do this even when they are in
second grade.
josh - remember that
we are working to teach them how to learn about learning letters. teach
a few well and the others come easier.
Mary/PA - josh, very
good advice and something that we need to remember, thanks
Dux - Just left Dennis/Yarmouth,
going to Hanson, MA
josh - I also use
a eye level a b c d sentence strip for quick refernce. also the bed and
fist routine.
kinderkate - HM,
jen , that is a new one. I will try it. Also your's tyylee.
kinderkate - So Josh,
you're saying if they REALLY know one, the other will come?
EddieT - Bed and
fist Josh?
jen(oz) - so says
the theory kate
slkread - any link
to what they know is a plus
josh - yes, but provide
opportunity for lots of practice both noticing in reading and writing.
Didi (Oz) - I tell
the boys you can't hit the cricket ball unless you have the bat first
Mary/PA - if they
know b very well, when they see a d they will know that it is not a b so
they will then figure out that it must be a d, that makes sense to me.
ginny - I keep both
an upper case and a lower case magnetic letter for Bb on my board and on
my table and have asked my children to use that as a refernce so they do
not ever practice the wrong formation. I tape a card with B b on their
desk in the classroom if they really have a problem. My goal is to always
have them write the correct letter and never practice the incorrect.
Didi (Oz) - Mary
the M and S when reading? What do you mean?
jen(oz) - never use
the letters together in letter ID until they are sure of one
EddieT - REALLY?........SOUNDS
LIKE FUN.........:-)
Mary/PA - Didi that's
cute and will work very well when they know the /b/ sound
Dux - Mary, have
found that to be true but they always seem to need to do all the steps
of that process--once confused
kinderkate - I have
tried the Magic B with a bit of success. I draw a large Capital B on the
whiteboard and ABRACADABRA change it into a b with my finger (by erasing
the top part.) Works with some but others???
jen(oz) - good idea
ginny
jen(oz) - meaning
and structure/syntax didi
Mary/PA - The /bog/
or /dog/ jumped. -- (I can't write an example). While reading they will
use what makes sense or has meaning.
slkread - I think
it helps for the child to express why they think they have the confusion.
They are often able to help us see what we have been missing in our observations.
Dux - kinderkate-We
call it big bellies and little belly-sometimes that has worked for me too
tyylee - Kinder,
one child last year made the upper case b backwards also so it was really
confusing for him!!!
josh - I also heard
Adria Klein once say that making an upper case B and then erasing the top
bubble will help some kids remember b from d
slkread - Has anyone
tried teaching these confusions in sign language> Our K teacher does, and
it works for many children.
Mary/PA - tyylee,
I hope his name wasn't Brad or Bob <gr>
kinderkate - AAAA
tyylee. Slkread - yes, and I have found it is important that the child
know he/she does confuse the letters. That way he will try the other if
the first doesn't work as in Mary's suggestion about Meaning/Sense.
ginny - Are any of
you offerening summer or extended programs for your children with incomplete
programs? If so, how are these organized?
slkread - No summer
program here. Although, we are giving entering first graders reading recovery
(roaming) type lessons in summer school to give them a head start.
kinderkate - I am
in multi-track year round so there is no opportunity for summer. Last year
I did extend a couple into 2d grade who didn't have the opportunity to
have a full program. It was very difficult, however, because we are only
allowed to keep them for 2 or 3 more weeks.
Mary/PA - In the
past we did offer the extension. We conducted it right along with the summer
reading program and pulled kids out of class just like during the regular
school year
josh - no extended
programs for us ginny. lots of incomplete programs this year.
Dux - no, but because
we were fully implemented, we may pick up child in fall and finish
tyylee - Our summer
school is based on Guided Reading (Fountas/Pinnel) so the children get
RR strategies but we have no formal RR summer program.
kinderkate - I will
have two incomplete programs. Students will only make it to level 10 or
12 I'm afraid.
kinderkate - Dux
- can you go to 20 weeks for the extended progam?
slkread - But Kinderkate,
with a strong program and teacher at the next grade, your children should
continue to be successful.
jen(oz) - when does
your reading recovery year start over there
Dux - no, the hope
is you get to level 18 by Nov.
Mary/PA - jen, mine
in Sept. when the kids come back to school
kinderkate - I will
be working extra days next year. Principal wants RR teachers to teach teachers
to use RR strategies in classroom. Is there any literature out there that
can help me with this?
tyylee - We start
OS testing the end of Aug. and pick up first of Sept.
kinderkate - But
slkread, we are only given 2 to 3 weeks to get them there - no matter how
many weeks they did or didn't have in first grade.
slkread - Anything
by Fountas and Pinnel will be helpful kinderkate.
kinderkate - Jen,
I get my new students in September. And you? Where are you?
Mary/PA - kinderkate,
I don't know of any that directly address that, but I do know that the
4 Blocks Model really does use many of the same strategies. Are you familiar
with it?
slkread - Kinderkate,
do you have any reading intervention or teaching assistants to help in
the classroom?
tyylee - Kinder,
the Guided Reading by Fountas/Pinnel incorporates lots of RR strategies
into group teaching. We have been very happy with it in our corp. We give
the teachers a copy of our prompts and teach them when and how to use them.
They also take and analyze Running records, once a week for each child.
jen(oz) - I am from
Australia and our children start in Feb in the new school year
Dux - Also, new book-On
Solid Ground
Didi (Oz) - Jen have
you just finished your first group for this year
jen(oz) - if we have
someone with an incomplete program still in the age range we carry them
over the next school year as our break is only 6 weeks but we do another
roaming first
slkread - There is
also a book called Strategies that work by Harvey and Goudvis.
jen(oz) - 2so far
didi , one was a carry over and 3 more in 2 weeks
kinderkate - September
is the new school year for us. Jen, do you wait until child is 6?
slkread - Fountas
and Pinnel also offer online courses through Heineman publishers throughout
the year.
kinderkate - Dux
- On Solid Ground- is that fountas and pinnel?
jen(oz) - yes kinder
so the children are in their second year of school
Dux - No, will run
to basement and check
jen(oz) - after september
we start on the Year 1 or first grade students and carry them over to thr
next year
Didi (Oz) - I have
3 at 19 weeks but will prob keep them on a little longer. I had 1 carry
over from last year
kinderkate - Jen
- do the teachers at your school work with FIRST STEPS?
slkread - Kinderkate,
On Solid Ground is by Sharon Taberski.
jen(oz) - yes they
do
Mary/PA - Next time
we meet we will be discussing Parent involvment and communication. I really
have to find a way to get my parents into doing their part so bring all
of your ideas.
kinderkate - Thanks
slkread.
kinderkate - Sounds
like a needed topic of discussion, Mary.
slkread - When is
the next meeting, Mary?
ginny - sounds like
a good topic, Mary
Didi (Oz) - Kinder
Kate our Year one is the 1st year at school we don't have kinder
jen(oz) - Children
in the first 3 years of school are plotted on a continuum that is based
on first steps reading and writing
Lynda - I think that
is very fitting Mary
Dux - I liked that
Taberski offers an alternative to busy and noisy centers while doing guided
reading
tyylee - Mary, excellent
topic. It is a problem for us also, I will be glad to get some new ideas.
I will be on vacation but will read the archives.
Mary/PA - July 24th,
unless something else comes up
kinderkate - How
old are students when they enter year 1, Didi?
kinderkate - Jen,
First Steps reading only, or the other components also?
jen(oz) - First steps
writing as well
tyylee - We utalize
our Title 1 teachers, special ed teachers, classroom aides and classroom
teachers so that every child is in a Guided reading group at the same time.
kinderkate - How
do you feel about First Steps, Jen?
jen(oz) - Some schools
also use First steps spelling and oral language
Dux - tylee-music
to my hears, wish our teachers would agree to that
Didi (Oz) - They
turn six in Year One
kinderkate - I trained
as a FIrst Steps tutor, but our district changed superintendents and everything
as well.
jen(oz) - i like
it kinder, it lets you know where the kids are, and i like the manuals
-full of ideas
tyylee - Dux, even
teachers that had some reservations at first love it, they can't say enough
good things about the program.
kinderkate - I really
liked it, jen, and wish it would have caught on here.
jen(oz) - we have
had the reading and writing for about six years here in Aus- its mandatory
kinderkate - I love
that idea tylee - getting eveyone into the classroom for the reading time.
However, our superintendent has just laid off all aides and college student
workers.
jen(oz) - in Queensland
i should say
Lynda - what state
kinderkate?
tyylee - One school
in our system uses parent volunteers and college students who are in Education
and do it for class credit and as a vol. effort. It works for them.
kinderkate - First
Steps was the first resource that I thought enough of to want to teach
others about. It gives structure without taking away a teacher's creativity
and ability to use what he/she is best at.
jen(oz) - what do
you do for your other 0.5 didi
kinderkate - I'm
in CA.
Didi (Oz) - Jen do
your teachers use it past yR 3?
kinderkate - I'm
all for parent volunteers, tyylee, however, my school is in a very disadvantaged
part of town.
Lynda - I'm in MA.
That is too bad about your cuts.
tyylee - We use two
Title teachers, one Title aide, one Spec. Ed teacher, one special ed aide
and the classroom teachers. Groups average five or six students. Larger
groups for the better readers adn smaller groups for the struggling ones.
jen(oz) - I am back
in the classroom next year (Jan) kinder and i will be using the spelling
as well
Didi (Oz) - Jen can
you get on in term time?
jen(oz) - What do
you mean didi
kinderkate - That
sounds wonderful, tyylee.
Didi (Oz) - Jen can
you get on in term time?
kinderkate - Do you
all have to go back into the classroom? Also I heard there are no principals,
that each teacher takes a turn.
jen(oz) - do you
mean in here on the chat line
kinderkate - Term
time??
Didi (Oz) - Yea Jen.
We have lunch at 11am which is good for us to get on.
Lynda - I return
in Sept
jen(oz) - in our
region Kate we have to return to the classroom after 3 years of Reading
Recovery
jen(oz) - We do have
principals
kinderkate - So they
are continually training RR teachers.
jen(oz) - no didi
i can't get in here during term time
jen(oz) - thats right
kate
jen(oz) - have the
option to return after a year if there is a vacancy
kinderkate - Hm,
what grade will you teach, Jen?
Didi (Oz) - We are
on holidays this week Kate and next week is the beginning of term 3 for
the year
kinderkate - ONE
year - oh my goodness, I don't think I could learn all I needed to know
about RR in ONE year.
jen(oz) - first i
hope but i have applied for a small school and if i get it i will have
K-3
kinderkate - All
grades K-3 or one?
kinderkate - What
kind of schedule do you (jen and didi) have (daily)?
jen(oz) - we do RR
for 3 years and then one year back in the classroombefore we can return
jen(oz) - all grades
kate
kinderkate - But
you can return?
jen(oz) - yes thank
goodness
kinderkate - This
is so very interesting. Thank you for letting me pick your brains. Why
do they have the return to the classroom business?
Didi (Oz) - A 2 teacher
scholl Jen - further west?
jen(oz) - yes didi
a 2 teacher school but just on the outskirts
Mary/PA - well, I
have to go, thanks all for coming. I hope to see most of you next time.
I know that there are vacations to go on.
kinderkate - I wish
I could stay and chat more, but I promised my children ice cream after
my net meeting.
jen(oz) - resumtion
of classromm duties will provide us with an opportunity to transfer our
significant teaching skills in literacy acquisition
Didi (Oz) - It's
someting about not losing track of how other children progress and keeping
intouch with the classroom isn't it Jen
jen(oz) - that was
a quote from my letter and now kate has gone and won't see it lol
jen(oz) - thats it
didi
jen(oz) - how long
have you been a RR teacher didi
Didi (Oz) - Jen you
enjoy that my 1st school was a 2 teacher school in SA.
jen(oz) - good i
may need to email you for advice
Didi (Oz) - this
is my 2nd Year and I love it and this yer I'm on noncontact for Yrs 1&2
and 41/2 hrs SEU so the load is a lot lighter and i love it
kinderkate - I'm
back.
jen(oz) - hi kinder
jen(oz) - i do noncontact
and curriculum coordination
Didi (Oz) - That
was over 25 years ago so a bit stale on it lol
kinderkate - OK -
Didi and Jen, in our district the RR teachers each have 4 program students,
and then do Early Literacy Groups for the rest of the day . What does your
schedule look like?
Didi (Oz) - That
was over 25 years ago so a bit stale on it lol
jen(oz) - i have
4 students then i do non contact time , curriculum coordination time and
i am the key teacher for diagnostic net --thats the first steps thing
Didi (Oz) - Now you
can give Kate your lovely quote Jenn
kinderkate - That
sounds sensible, jen and didi, however, we work in the classroom for half
the day, anyway. Of course, it is addition to the regular classroom teacher.
kinderkate - Non
contact???
jen(oz) - "Resumption
of classroom teaching duties will provide you with an opportunity to transfer
your significant teaching skills in literacy acquisition to many more students..."
Didi (Oz) - Last
Year I was 1/2 RR and shared a Yr 2 class I did maths and Science the other
teacher did the language side of things but it was a heavy load]
jen(oz) - thats why
we return to the classroom kate
kinderkate - LOL
- jen - and that was just off the top of your head??
jen(oz) - LOL
jen(oz) - wish i
was that good
kinderkate - Yes
- I have heard of RR teachers having a class for the remainder of the day.
I don't think I could do it. The extra time needed for planning alone would
be too much.
jen(oz) - quote from
a letter
jen(oz) - are you
an extra teacher in the classroom kate
kinderkate - How
much do you schools rely on standardized tests to decide how successful
a school is?
jen(oz) - all teachers
have 2 hours of time away from the students each week that is called non-contact
time
Didi (Oz) - and then
give Yr 1 and 2 teachers an hour noncontact each and then do 41/2 hours
of work with special ed kids each weekLast Year I was 1/2 RR and shared
a Yr 2 class I did maths and Science the other teacher did the language
side of things but it was a heavy load]
jen(oz) - not much
kate
kinderkate - I have
4 RR students for half the day. In the remainder I go to 2 different classrooms
and work with small groups while the teacher teaches the rest of the class.
jen(oz) - provided
with finding according to how they function in Year 2 and Year 5 and
kinderkate - Oh -
our "non contact" time is called "prep time" and we only get one hour a
week. We are with students from 8:00 to 2:45 daily.
Didi (Oz) - When
a RR teacher is 1/2 time on class they are THE class teacher not an extra
helper with all the planning etc that goes with it
jen(oz) - 9.00 -
3.00 over here
jen(oz) - what a
wonderful other half of the job kate has hey didi
kinderkate - We have
a 15 minute recess and 30 minute lunch. And Wednesday is a minimum day
- students go home at 12:40. Of course schools within the district have
different schedules but they all have to add up to the same number of hours.
Didi (Oz) - That
sounds a bit like our learning support teachers do you think Jen
jen(oz) - could be
kinderkate - Yes,
jen, that's what others have told us.
jen(oz) - do you
have teacher for learning support in your school kate
kinderkate - What
exactly do they do, jen?
Didi (Oz) - Kate
you are making us green with envy
kinderkate - The
learning suppport teachers?? What do they do?
jen(oz) - they are
an extra teacher in the school who works with children with learning difficulties
or gifted and talented chilren
jen(oz) - a school
of 300 children has the teacher for about 2.5 days a week
kinderkate - Are
they credentialed teachers? On the same pay scale as you? Or aides of some
sort?
jen(oz) - same pay
scale
kinderkate - Do they
work with small groups of children or individuals?
kinderkate - Could
a RR teacher do that part time?
jen(oz) - they usually
have a degree in learning support as well as a teaching diploma
jen(oz) - yes some
do
kinderkate - Are
they like our special ed teachers?
Didi (Oz) - But they
work with children right across the school not just lower school
jen(oz) - they work
in small groups or individually or someimes whole class it all depends
on how they operate within the school
jen(oz) - it als
depends on how the principal wants them to work
kinderkate - That
is very interesting. Our groups are generally with the primary grades,
however, when time allows we do give support to the upper grades.
jen(oz) - we used
to call them specisl ed teachers didn't we didi
jen(oz) - special
ed
kinderkate - Jen
and didi were just saying that they can only teach RR for 3 years and then
have to go back to the classroom for a year.
jen(oz) - I love
that description book
kinderkate - Jen
and Didi - did I miss you answer about standardized testing. Our politicians
are getting involved here in the states and think the results on these
tests are the only thing that matters.
jen(oz) - we have
some standardised testing in Year 5 and Year 7
jen(oz) - and we
have the Year 2Diagnostic Net which is the first steps thing
kinderkate - Politicians
here are trying to make it so teachers are paid according to how their
students do on testing. So who will want to teach in disadvantaged areas
like I am in now.
Didi (Oz) - Kate
and those tests are becoming political
jen(oz) - each school
is given funding to assist those who need it according to the test
kinderkate - Have
you seen a difference in your 2d graders since RR has been at your school?
kinderkate - I've
never seen the Year 2 Diagnostic Net - is it in any of the First steps
books?
jen - kate the Diagnostic
net is based on First Steps reading and writing
kinderkate - Didi
and Jen - How many teachers/students do each of you work with. I work with
2 teachers and my students come from their 40 students.
jen - I have 4 students
from 2 classes
kinderkate - Is it
published in the First Steps guides? What type of an assessment is it?
Is it an actual test or the continuum?
Didi (Oz) - We are
having pressure not to catch kids in the net as we are judged by how many
kids are caught
jen - I actually
have 4 schools but i work at only two at a time
kinderkate - And
how many students in each class,.
jen - i was at the
same school and my 4 students came from the 2 classes there
kinderkate - At what
age is the net used?
jen - about 22 in
each class
jen - in the second
year of school - around 7\ the same year we take our RR students from
kinderkate - Ok -
that sounds about like us. In two rounds I can see the bottom 20 percent.
How many days do the students go to school each year? 184 here
kinderkate - kAnd
the RR students are 6 when you take them?
Didi (Oz) - I have
4 RR children and they come from 4 different classes
kinderkate - That
sounds like it spreading you too thin, didi.
kinderkate - Well,
really must go. Kids are ready for ice cream NOW. lol
Didi (Oz) - We have
2 RR teachers and about 93 Yr 2 children
kinderkate - Hope
to see ya'll here again.
jenoz - our students
go to school about 40 weeks that would be 200 days
jenoz - it was great
to chat to you kate
Didi (Oz) - Last
year we had 4 RR teachers which was great gave us full coverage and the
last group we took came on at level 12
jenoz - i guess i
better go to too
jen 1 - you were
so lucky to have 4 reading recovery teachers wow
jen 1 - i love it
when the last ones come on at Level 12
Didi (Oz) - It was
great especially as two of us were training but the other two had to go
back on class this year
jen - bye didi you
can email me at jchamberlin@vtown.com.au
Didi (Oz) - Yes Jen
I have non contact time on Tues after lunch so most fortnights I can get
on
jen - do they have
The RR every week
jen - forrtnight
jen - i guess i will
try
jen - so bye
Didi (Oz) - Yes it
is fortnightly Jen 11am our time while they are on summer time then it
goes to 12noon when they finish summer time but I don't know when that
is
|
1996 - 2008. All Rights Reserved. Please review our Terms of Use, Mission Statement, and Privacy Policy.