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Mary/PA - Welcome to this evening's Reading Recovery Meeting here at Teachers.Net.
Mary/PA - Hi Gigi!
Mary/PA - How are your lessons going?
Mary/PA - I'm just about ready to start RAK
Gigi/MO - I'm here, Mary!!
Mary/PA - Today was our 8th day of school
Gigi/MO - I'm starting real lessons with 1 tomorrow and 1 the next and 2 the next day!!
Mary/PA - I should be writing OS summaries right now
Mary/PA - How is it looking? Have they made gains during RAK?
Gigi/MO - I should be writing OS summaries also!! I've gotten 1 front side done!! One of my friend's said that she was going to do one per night and I thought that was a good idea but I haven't gotten it done yet!!
Mary/PA - Gigi, so you start before you have them doneLooks like I may have to do that as well.
Gigi/MO - I got all for of them reading level 1's pretty steady!!
Mary/PA - I at least like to have the fronts done and the backs started before I get too far along
Gigi/MO - I meant FOUR, sorry!!
Mary/PA - Level 4?
Gigi/MO - We always start school on Wed. and I usually take students on that next Mon. whether the OS summaries are done or not!!
Mary/PA - Gigi, you are the one who tests before school starts, right?
Gigi/MO - NOT LEVEL FOUR!! I would be the queen, wouldn't I? FOUR students instead of FOR students!! Sorry for the confusion!?!
Mary/PA - Oh, I didn't even notice that, I've been reading kid writing for too long LOL
Mary/PA - Gigi, writing OS summaries for these first round kids is so hard. I keep looking for strategies they use and I think I try to dig too far down...they don't have many strategies...I have a hard time finding much to write.
Gigi/MO - Yes, we test before school starts!! We tested on Aug. 14 and 15 (I think)!! Whatever that Wed. and Thurs. was and then we started school on the next Wed.!! We tested about 6-8 after school on the first Thurs. and Fri. of school and then I started with kids on the next Mon. and Tues.!! Hope this all makes sense!! Mary--I explained this to you a long time ago how we get compensated for the testing time!!
Mary/PA - Yes, Gigi, you did explain it. I just forget who does what. I did remember correctly this time though...you ARE the one who does that.
Gigi/MO - Haha!! We got out early TODAY for heat!! We got out at 12:32!!
Mary/PA - Gigi, do you have any tips for writing OS Summaries?
Mary/PA - Are you able to find many strategies in these first rounders?
Mary/PA - I'd like to talk about writing the summaries if you are interesed in doing so.
Mary/PA - I like thinking about the surveys, but I hate tring to put it into words
Linda - Have you started testing yet?
Mary/PA - Linda, do you have any tips for writing the OS summaries?
Mary/PA - I'm done testing, have the kids selected and need to write the summaries
Linda - I made a list of many comments from samples to steal from
Linda - It's hard to come up with unique comments from each child
Linda - How do you go about choosing your students to test?
Linda - We are using a Kindergarten ranking, but isn't very good.
Mary/PA - The first round kids seem to have so little going for them. It's hard to find many strategies that they use. I feel like I'm trying too hard to find something to write. Everything we write MUST be supported by something in the OS
Mary/PA - We give the Gates at the end of the kindergarten year and use it to rank the kids. We start tesing the lowest from that
Linda - Yes, but remember that even the smallest thing can reflect a positive. Like good letter form and good movement across the page can show good directionality.
Mary/PA - As we work our way up the list, the first grade teachers are learning about the children. They will also suggest that we test some that they are concerned about
Linda - My TL also gave us a cheat sheet type list of cans and cannots with references to particular items on the OS.
Mary/PA - Yes, Linda, but if a child does nothing...makes no attempts or very meager attempts, there's not much to see
Mary/PA - The lowest first rounders are very difficult to write up...for me
Linda - It is true that they don't have much, but you are looking for a starting point, what you need to teach and what you don't
Mary/PA - Linda, that sounds interesting...the can's and cannots
Linda - Can you ID anything at all that can be done?
peg - I'm still testing...just started last Tuesday.
Linda - Hi peg, wellcome to RR
Gigi/MO - The questions in the back of the guide book can help in writing the OS summaries!!
Linda - we started testing today
Mary/PA - Linda, when did school start for you?
peg - Our school grew by 150 students, so there are a lot of unknown 1st graders out there.
Linda - Yes, the OS book is very helpful. I noticed there are specific questions and abilities listed to give direction.
Gigi/MO - Hello, Irene!! Oh, WOW, peg!!
Linda - We started school last Thurs.
Gigi/MO - Linda--I may have meant the OS book!! Sorry-I can't remember for sure!! But there are a list of questions in the back of the GB or the OS that are very definite and directive!!
Linda - Mary, just found your comment about the cans and cannots; my TL always stressed that we are looking for the things that can be done, not necessarily the things they can't.
Gigi/MO - Mary--Models can help also!!
Mary/PA - Gigi, I'm pretty sure that you mean the OS. I use that list all the time when writing summaries
Linda - Gigi --
Mary/PA - Linda, I know! That's the problem with these first rounders, they don't have many can's
Linda - Mary, do you have other RRT in your school? Ask them for copies of their past OSS and use as a reference. I literally wrote a list of all the nifty comments and sayings when I first started. I was scared to death. I was truly afraid the OSS police were going to come. Not true. It is just a guideline for where to start. Kind of like long-range plans.
peg - when is the next RR chat scheduled, Mary?
Linda - What kinds of things do you all do for the other half of your day?
peg - I teach Am K and meet 3 RR students in the PM.
Mary/PA - They don't look at the print during, text reading and on CAP, they can usually write their name, but not always and not much else. They don't make any attempts on the WT and write nothing for HSiW, so .... it's hare to find startegies they are using.
Linda - yep!! Been there, done that!!!
Mary/PA - I'm looking at the CAP of a little girl right now...she scored 6
Linda - What was she able to do?
Mary/PA - She knows the front of the book, print contains the message, the bottom of the picture, the '?', one and two letters, and the first and last letter.
sparrow - I want to make some "snap shots" of my students for the reg ed teachers. Is there a blank form on line for this. I' m trying not to start from scratch.
Mary/PA - Peg, the next RR meting is the 23rd
Linda - She shows some directionality and book orientation. She knows the concept of a letter and understands word boundaries. She has some beginning understanding of punctuation marks.
peg - thanks, Mary
Gigi/MO - Mary--I had a little girl LAST year that was the lowest of everyone in CAP and she discontinued in Dec. and didn't go to EL after that!! I dont' remember her score but she took off and possibly the beg. CAP score wasn't a good reflection of what she really knew!?!
peg - sparrow, what do you mean by snap shots?
Mary/PA - sparrow, have you lookd at the items here - http://www.amihome.com/rrca/
Mary/PA - Gigi, I know what you mean, I've had kids discontinue with very low scores as well
Mary/PA - very low beginning scores that is
sparrow - Thanks Mary for the site I'll give it a try
Mary/PA - I guess I should worry so much about the OS summaries
peg - Mary, do you have a topic in mind for the chat on the 23rd?
Linda - I agree with Gigi, the score is not always a good indication of successful discontinuing. I really thing that how active the child is in learning is a key factor.
Mary/PA - peg, would you like to suggest a topic?
peg - Oh, I think I'll be in roaming or early lessons then with my students, so anything to do with that could be helpful.
Linda - This has been fun, but I'm going to turn into a pumpkin. Good night everyone. I'll try to remember the 23rd.!
Mary/PA - peg, that would be a good topic.
peg - sparrow, you're barking up the wrong tree.
sparrow - Thanks anyways good night
Mary/PA - Gigi is ahead of us in her lessons, but most of us seem to be just getting started
peg - Okay, Mary, I'll talk to you then. Good night, all.
Mary/PA - Good night
Gigi/MO - That topic is OK--See you all later!!
