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Mary K&1 - Tonight we will be talking about the Writing portion of the lesson
Mary K&1 - Do any of you have any tricks that you could share to get a sentence out of the children who have few words to say - and do it quickly?
daisy - How is everyone tonight?
Mary K&1 - We're Fine here, daisy - are you a RR Teacher?
Annie/OK - I'm lucky this year. I don't have any kids who don't like to talk. However, in the past, I found it helped to talk with their parents and classroom teachers to see what they were interested in.
Annie/OK - I also had one kid who didn't know that he needed to talk in order to learn. I had to specifically tell him that talking was important to help him learn.
Mary K&1 - When the children don't talk in complete sentences in their normal every day life, it's hard to get them to come up with more than the "I like ..." things.
Mary K&1 - Annie, did that help? Did he start talking?
Annie/OK - Sometimes, though, you can get them to tell you about their favorite part of the running record book and even use a sentence from the story.
Annie/OK - Well, it took a little more than that. I found out he was interested in airplanes, so I took him to a hangar where they work on jets. Whenever he wanted to know something, I helped him to ask the people there. He really wanted me to do the talking. Then, he got the idea.
Mary K&1 - Annie, that's usually what I do, but it's like pulling teeth to get them to say a complete sentence
Mary K&1 - Annie, how did you arrange to take him there?
Annie/OK - How many lessons are we talking about? Early in the program, I accept what they say. Later, as they have more use of visual information, I do more negotiating with the sentence. Most of them handle it pretty well.
Mary K&1 - Was this during lessons?
Annie/OK - I know a pilot. He set it up for me. Mom said it was okay to take him....we went after school one afternoon. We were on about lesson 30 or so before the light finally came on for me.
Mary K&1 - 12 weeks and still talking in one or 2 words or phrases
Mary K&1 - Annie, do you do that kind of thing often?
annette - I have a question about how many sentences you should actually have them write
Annie/OK - Have you tried getting him to tell about his favorite part of the running record book? It may not be kosher but I'd even consider having him select his favorite sentence and read it again for a time or two.
Annie/OK - I've only had to take such drastic measures with him. I had another who was classified as a "selective mute" but she would respond when I told her specifically what she had to do. "I'm not going to help you until you say, 'Help me.' Then lavish praise for asking for help. etc.
Mary K&1 - Annie, yes I've tried to get him to talk about his favorite part, but he'll say a word or two ... haven't had him read his fav. part ... that's a good idea ... thanks
Annie/OK - What's your question, Annette?
Mary K&1 - Annette, as many as you have time for
annette - well, it seems that there has been achange on how many sentences the student will write in his book, have you heard that?
Mary K&1 - I'm lucky to get one sentence done :-\
Mary K&1 - Annette, tell me more ... I haven't heard of any change
annette - I have also heard there is a reemphasis on just how much time the writing book takesbig emphasis on it
Annie/OK - Me, too, Annette, until near the end of the program when the child has more fluent responding in writing. Then they seem to take off on their own. I judge it by the amount of work we've done on the practice page.
annette - I have also heard there is a reemphasis on just how much time the writing book takesbig emphasis on italso..I heard the Marie clay is going to back off on making and breadking
annette - I can't seem to get a true picture of what is going on. anyone going to the conference in Ohio? maybe there will be answers then
Mary K&1 - annette, what do you mean about the time?
Elcee - What do you mean about letting up on Make and Break?
Mary K&1 - annette, where are you teaching? I've heard nothing about any of this
Annie/OK - I have not heard about letting up on the Making and Breaking, just delaying when we begin using the procedures. Our TL says that we've been in too much of a rush to start M&B in a child's program.
Mary K&1 - Hi, Mohoganee, we're talking about Reading Recovery and the writing portion of the lesson - have you met up with Kat yet?
annette - I heard that Marie clay thought we were spending too much time worrying about a two minute procedure
Mohoganee - Yes, she was at my home for dinner last night. We were so excited and had so much to chat about.
Mary K&1 - Annie, do you mean that we should do more letter work before getting into M&B?
Mohoganee - Reading Recovery is quite successful in Bermuda. Two of my students are in the program
annette - also,,I heard we start too soon too
Annie/OK - I think (my thoughts only) that we're supposed to be sure the child is really fluent with how to learn letters and learn words. I'm trying it on my own, more jumbling, letter ID, flexibility in how the child knows letters. Seems to be paying off, but only time will really tell.
annette - has anyone heard if there is going to be a new edition to the guidebook?
Annie/OK - I've heard that, too, annette
Mary K&1 - annette, I haven't heard that either ... Marie does have a new book out, but it's not just about RR
annette - I heard that too annie
Mary K&1 - Annie, and annette, where are you teaching? I'm in PA
Annie/OK - I'd heard that Marie keeps trying to clarify what she means by the procedures in the book. Seems we all tend to put our own spin on them and it's not what she had in mine. Also, she and Barbara Watson keep refining the way they think about things.
Mary K&1 - Sounds like you two have a better pipe line
annette - I have heard of that mary
annette - I don't know about THAT
Annie/OK - Our TL is really well read on RR and tries to keep us informed.
Annie/OK - Our biggest problem is that we're so isolated from anyone else who does RR. That's what makes this meeting such a treasure.
Mary K&1 - annette, do you have any writing tips to share with us?
annette - Not to boast: but I keep myself up
annette - our TL not that great Unfortunately
kinderkate - Hi all!!!! I am in RR training so I think I will just listen for a while.
annette - well..I have heard that there is a BIG emphasis on gettng the child to write as much as possible
annette - writng book
Mary K&1 - Annie, you might be interested in a RR listsev and chat site http://www.ship.edu/~jmbufa/
Annie/OK - MaryK, I just thought of something else that worked with these limited talkers. Once I did find something that they liked, I let them write on it for several days. Then I copied the writing page and made a "book" of their sentences for them to illustrate. They really got into it.
annette - I have a limited talker to..I try the same thing to
Annie/OK - Glad to have you, kinderkate. The first year's the hardest.
annette - I think one I have definitely has a language problem unfortunately
annette - I am not familiar with that Mary
kinderkate - When you speak of "limited talker" are you refering to students whose first language us other than English?
Mary K&1 - I can agree that they need to write more
Annie/OK - No, I'm talking about a child whose first language is English but they just don't talk very much.
annette - what do you do if they don't know regular,,everydya things???don't you think there may be a language problem?
Annie/OK - Usually it means they haven't had a lot of experiences. I've had success by getting a fifth or sixth grader to come read to them every day and talk about the things in the books. It helps.
Mary K&1 - annette, I have one like that ... our IST teacher seems to think that it's probably a family thing ... they dont' talk much in their family and don't require the child to talk, so he has never learned much about talking or using words
Annie/OK - I'll bet that's it, Mary. Some families don't realize the importance of really talking WITH their children.
kinderkate - on the average have the kids in your schools gone to preschool? I find that makes a big difference. Of course there is nothing that we can do about that.
Annie/OK - Most of our kids haven't gone to preschool and kindergarten is only a half day. These kids are so quiet, they often get lost in the classroom.
Mary K&1 - kinderkate - no preschool here ... I wish they had it
kinderkate - I teach in a low income area of a large city. I know teachers who teach in other areas of the same district. It is amazing what their kids come into K knowing that our kids do not.
Annie/OK - Yeah, we have to provide these kids with so many experiences that we often tend to take for granted. It's kind of undaunting, isn't it?
Mary K&1 - Annie, earlier you said that early in the program you accept what every the child says ... how far do you take that? I mean if they say words differently, do you spell out phonetically the best you can what they say?
kinderkate - Good question Mary k - i have wondered also.
Annie/OK - That's tricky. I usually accept poor grammar, incomplete sentences, etc. When it comes to words, though, I say them right for the child. My thoughts are that if I don't, it will be harder for him to draw the connections between reading and writing.
kinderkate - Let me see if i have this right annie. For example, if the child said ""da" you would help him/her hear and write "the"?
Annie/OK - I taught a child a few years back who had such a bad speech impediment that it was terribly hard to understand him. As he learned more about letters and words, though, his speech started to improve! Interesting, don't you think?
Mary K&1 - That's how I feel about it, but I have a very hard time with grammar also ... if they are misusing pronouns for example ... I feel that I have to start as soon as possible to get the proper understandings started
Annie/OK - Yes, kinderkate. I might even use a mirror to help him see how to form the word with his lips.
Annie/OK - I'm with you, Mary. As soon as they can begin to use visual information to monitor their reading, I start correcting grammar, too.
Mary K&1 - Annie, I've seen that many times ... RR does help with speech problems
kinderkate - Could the speech teacher work with us , I wonder? Perhaps by showing the letters of the sounds the speech teacher is helping the student with?
kinderkate - Did that make sense?
Annie/OK - Some speech teachers will work with us, some won't. The child progresses faster when you can work as a team.
Annie/OK - One caution, though, kinderkate. Since we're following the child, we need to get the speech teacher to work with the sounds that the child is starting to pay attention to, not us working with the letters the speech teacher has selected.
Mary K&1 - Our speech teacher is so over booked ... she has to serve 3 or 4 schools ... she's only in our building a couple days a week and can't get the new referals tested ...
kinderkate - Thanks Annie - I can't forget that.
Annie/OK - Sounds like they've dumped an inhumane task on your speech teacher. Bless her heart.
kinderkate - There is so much to remember!!!!!!
kinderkate - Annie - are you in Oklahoma? And the rest of you? I am in San Diego, CA
Annie/OK - I've been doing RR for 7 years, and I still feel like I'm a beginner. Every child presents us with new problems that cause us to look at what we think we know differently.
Mary K&1 - kids that have good oral language are so easy to work with compared to those who don't ... instead of cutting back on speech sevices they should be increasing them
Mary K&1 - kinderkate, I'm in PA ... rural NW PA
kinderkate - Three of my kids are English Language Learners. One didn't even know the name for cup and plate in one book.
Annie/OK - And other opportunities to talk, Mary. Working with older kids, parent volunteers, etc. is a stopgap measure, but it helps.
Annie/OK - Not this year, but I have had them.
debbie/2/mi - I have a child who can write and read his cut up that day but the next day isn't able to read it independently. When I clue him in to the beginning, he says the words by rote. Now what?
Annie/OK - debbie, how does he do on old books that he hasn't read for a while.
Mary K&1 - debbie, I have the same situation with one of mine ... he still can't read it after I give clues and cues
kinderkate - How long do you keep a child like that?
Mary K&1 - The old books have the picture support that helps
Annie/OK - My understanding is that we must keep a student for the full 20 weeks unless he develops a self-extending system and can discontinue successfully prior to that.
kinderkate - Do you keep kids until they test out, or for a specific period of time?
canuk - how many lessons have those kids had?
Mary K&1 - we have to keep them for the full program unless they are identified and placed in a special program or are discontinued
debbie/2/mi - He knows the patterned words but doesn't know the new word at the end of the sentence. He is on level 4 books.
Mary K&1 - debbie, how many weeks?
kinderkate - What if they don't test out by 20 weeks?
Annie/OK - Back to the kid who can't read the cut-up the next day. Does he have a strong sense of memory that might be masking his lack of understanding of how to use visual information? I've had some of these before and they can look pretty convincing.
Mary K&1 - then they are a program child who didn't discontinue.
Annie/OK - If they don't successfully discontinue, we look for other programs to support him and refer him for possible special ed.
Annie/OK - Some don't discontinue, but they do okay in the classroom without any further help, too.
kinderkate - So 20 weeks is the limit?
debbie/2/mi - 18 weeks
kinderkate - Why I ask is because in past years our RR teachers have kept kids way past that time. This year we are being told 20 weeks is the limit.
debbie/2/mi - I think that might be it. Often I am wondering if he's paying attention to print. Now what?
kinderkate - How many school days do you all have? We have 184.
Annie/OK - We have, on occasion, been able to keep them one or two weeks longer, but only if they show strong signs of being just about ready to successfully discontinue. Need TLs approval, though.
Mary K&1 - I think that it has something to do with not being able to read his own writing ... it's not the worst that I have seen, but he does have a hard time writing in a straight line, so his writing goes down the page some what. I'm working on this with him
Mary K&1 - 180 with students
kinderkate - 184 with students
Annie/OK - debbie, revisit the guide book. Pay special attention to Learning to Look at Print. Sometimes it helps to go back to the last 4 sections, too. I often find something there that I swear wasn't there the last time I read it.
debbie/2/mi - good advice
canuk - My kids originate their own sentences, but I print it for the cut up strips
kinderkate - That is what we do , too , canuk.
Annie/OK - I've also gotten a lot of help from a colleague visit with someone who's had a similar kid. You know the old adage, two (or three) heads are better than one.
Mary K&1 - The cut-up sentence stays home, so I don't have it the next day ... do you keep the cut-ups in school?
Annie/OK - Mary K, what would happen if you had him do the cut-up sentence in a booklet that he brings back every day? Then he could read your writing instead of having to figure out his.
canuk - I get them to return the sentences the next day, but keep sending them back and forth with the new book in my kids envelopes
kinderkate - Students do the cut-up sentences in homework books that come back and forth.
Mary K&1 - You mean that I should have another writing book?
canuk - Swapping videos with colleagues helps a lot
kinderkate - We make homework books. They are on the same lines as the writing books.
Mary K&1 - Tell me more about homework books, please ... I've never heard of this
canuk - I send the strips to and from home in envelopes that accompany the nightly book
kinderkate - Not me canuk - I am too new to have others watch on video. Going behind the glass is going to be hard enough!!!!!
Annie/OK - If you use a portfolio where you don't have to put in too many pages at one time, it's easy for the kid to carry it back and forth.
Mary K&1 - Where do they do the writing? At home?
Gourdie - My kids DO glue cut-up sentences in a book that goes home and comes back every day. Works for me.
kinderkate - They put the cut up sentence together at home in the homework book. Then they illustrate.
Mary K&1 - These kids don't even read at home, how will I get them to write?
canuk - Don't you guys have to submit videos to your TLs
Mary K&1 - The low students have no parental support
kinderkate - No - we go behind the glass. At least I think there is no video. I HOPE NOT!!!!!!!!
debbie/2/mi - I like the homework book idea.
canuk - Can you get older kids to work with the kids with no home support
kinderkate - And now we get to the crux of the problem Mary K. The lack of parental support is why they are low.
Mary K&1 - The log is signed by the parents but the kids tell me that they didn't really read to anyone ...
kinderkate - It is so sad, Mary. I haven't come across this yet in RR (since I am so new) but in my K I did often. I tried everything to make them at least feel guilty!!!!!!
Mary K&1 - canuk, no, we haven't had to give her videos ... I hope we don't
kinderkate - Do you all go behind the glass?
Annie/OK - I've had some parents who were so insecure about themselves as readers that they were afraid to help their kids.
canuk - I am starting a first thing in the morning addition to my regular class home reading program, so that all the kids will be working at some time during the week with a buddy. My RR kids will see their buddy every day
kinderkate - That is true. Another teacher at our school, however, had an illiterate parent that was so proud of her child that she went to school and learned to read. (Her older son helped the program child.)
Annie/OK - Everyone goes behind the glass. I also use video taping to help myself with a difficult child, but we don't have to turn them into the TL. Sometimes I get a colleague to watch with me after school inorder to get her input.
Gourdie - Actually, this is the first year I have used the homework book. I have found that it helps to protect the books I send home too. Adds some stability to the bag.
Annie/OK - Great idea, canuk! I may steal it and try it myself.
canuk - Videos were a mammoth pain in the beginning, but such a great learning experience. Now a couple of us do and discuss them regularly
kinderkate - Do all of you have other classes as well as RR?
Annie/OK - Yes, I teach remedial reading the other half of my day. I have to go into classrooms to do so, and now I'm seeing some teachers take on what they've been seeing.
kinderkate - Is this with small groups, Annie?
canuk - My team mate has sent videos home so that parents can "observe the lesson and get some how-to ideas
kinderkate - At our school we each have 4 program students and 3 literacy groups.
Gourdie - Videos have helped me establish home contact. I try to send a lesson home on video with each student 2 or 3 times.
Annie/OK - Started out that way. Now some teachers ask me to do model lessons for them. I feel honored. I also feel this helps them help the kids when I'm not there.
kinderkate - That sounds really useful canuk.
kinderkate - So - ok - i'm convinced on the video bit. But I am a cam/clutz. What do you do just set it up on a tripod or something? Don't the kids get self conscious? I know I would.
kinderkate - When do we meet?
Annie/OK - Fourth Monday of every month.
canuk - We have the video set up on a shelf. It has been part of the room furniture so the kids don't notice it
kinderkate - Are any of you going to the RR conference in march at disneyland?
Gourdie - No one else wants the camera so it sits in my room almost all the time. The kids don't even notice it.
kinderkate - Is the camera yours or did the school provide? Do you share a space with other RR teachers? How many classrooms to each RR teacher?
kinderkate - Good idea Gourdie. I think there is a cam in our supply room - just sitting there. I will look.
Gourdie - The camera belongs to the school but I am thinking of taking in my own. Parents really appreciate seeing how the lessons work. I have a large room of my own. Classroom-size.
kinderkate - How long have you both been in RR?
Gourdie - Well, maybe the next time. I am in my third year of RR and my 31st year of teaching. I love RR!
kinderkate - Well, you had quite a bit of experience behind you. This is my 9th year teaching. And I am a teacher in training in RR.
kinderkate - What grades did you teach before RR,
Doug - 1st, 1-2, 2, 2-3, 3, 4. I am from Colton, CA, about an hour east of LA
kinderkate - How many years teaching? RR?
Gourdie - I really was about ready to retire because I was just plain tired. But RR juiced me right up again. I had taught first and third. Then 20 years of title/chapter I.
Doug - Is the topic cut-ups. I love them and use them with my K's also
kinderkate - You teach half day k and have RR students, doug?
Doug - yes and they pay me overtime for losing my prep. time.
kinderkate - I like that about the overtime doug.
kinderkate - We have 4 program kids and 3 literacy groups.
Gourdie - Classroom and RR is really tough. You can't cancel the classroom like you can literacy groups if necessary.
Doug - kinder- is it true? I heard San Diego teachers in training don't get a K class. Is that only gossip?
kinderkate - That is EXACTLY what I was telling my dh earlier today. I think we are very lucky.
kinderkate - Doug - all RR teachers in San Diego District have 4 program kids and 3 literacy groups. We are very lucky. I cannot imagine having a K class as well.
kinderkate - At our school we do pull extra duty - but I can't complain.
Doug - Well....about the topic, do people here use it for teaching fluency and phrasing (the cut-up that is)? Also, do the kids return the sentence that next day or do you wait until the sentence book is finished at home?
kinderkate - Our kids take the books back and forth with their reading homework.
Doug - KK- I meant the cut-up in the envelope
kinderkate - Doug - how many hours a week overtime do you get paid?
Gourdie - I wish I made better use of the cut-up in following days. You know the problem. TIME. My kids glue the cut-up in a homework book that stays in their bag at all times. Some Illustrate their story.
kinderkate - You know I am new and we haven't started homework yet. But it is my understanding that the child brings the cut up home, puts it together and glues it in the book nightly. The book comes back each day .
Doug - I see 3 kids and only get paid part of an hour a day. If the teacher has 4 kids, they get 1.4 hours a day. I need the prep time for my K's so i see 3 kids a day.
Doug - Gourdie- some of the teachers here at my school have their kids return the cut-up each day and they use it for familiar reading (along with the books)
kinderkate - Doug how long do you have the K's. I am picking your brain because I am concerned that our routine may be changed.
Doug - KK- are you getting good sc ratios each day with the introduced book? This year , I am really paying attention to processing
kinderkate - I am so new, Doug, that I haven't gotten to lessons yet. I just finished roaming before break.
Doug - With record keeping, do you have a hard time writing down the strategies used?
kinderkate - What exactly do you mean by processing.
kinderkate - YES!
kinderkate - It's hard knowing what a child is thinking.
Doug - processing- self-corrections, self-monitoring, searching, rereading, etc.
kinderkate - Oh, ok. That's what I thought, but I'm not afraid to ask a dumb question.
Doug - How are your bookwalks. Are you still pointing or do they have a conversation and it sounds relaxed. this takes a lot of work.
kinderkate - Bookwalks? Do you mean introductions of the new book?
Doug - yes, sorry, that is what I meant
kinderkate - Because of the timing and my good luck most of the kids are pretty book wise.
Doug - are you starting with easy books and then finishing with hard books within levels.
kinderkate - Don't be sorry . We need to be able to ask each other questions to know if we are talking about the same things.
kinderkate - I don't know, doug. I guess this is what we do in lessons. I am almost afraid to start.
kinderkate - The books within a level can be s o o o varied.
Doug - Your TL will use constructivism and at times you will ask questions and your TL will answer with a question. It gets frustrating
kinderkate - And 3 of my 4 students have English as a second language. Some don't even know the names of simple things like cup or plate.
Doug - As a general rule, after levels 4 i like to finish with a PM reader (Rigby) and start with a easy one like a Cluster book (Seedling)
kinderkate - Yes, very!!! So they ALL do that, huh. Are they taught that at teacher leader school. :)
Doug - No, after the class they will tell you that they put you through the same thing that your kids go through.
kinderkate - I have PM readers but no Cluster Books. Nothing from Seedling.
Doug - My TL hates PM readers because they sound so basalish. I like them because of the vocabulary for LEP kids. Can't win either way
kinderkate - How many RR teachers are there at your school? How many first grade classes?
kinderkate - One of the RR teachers at our school was saying the same about PM. However, I like them. Kids don't care if they sound basalish. They just want something that they can read alone.
Doug - I teach at a 4 track school. there are 2 RR teachers for each track. Yes, we service all of the bottom 20%. the state is always visiting us. Our principal is also RR trained. K trough 3 use a balanced early literacy approach
Doug - As an experiment with the PM's. Look at their syntactic miscues and you will see an overuse of v with the kids who use the PM's a lot. Also, when you get in levels 8 , the PM's are really long and using them for familiar reading is not practical
kinderkate - Wow - it sounds very good. We are 4 track also. We have 5 teachers. 2 english, 2 spanish, and 1 teacher does spanish and english.
Doug - I thought Spanish is not being used anymore.
kinderkate - I will look, Doug. I missed part of you message. Did you say "you will see an overuse of "v"?
kinderkate - No, our school still has many Spanish classes in k,1,2.
Doug - Have you came out of roaming? I know you told me earlier. I forgot. OOOps.
Doug - Yes PM's make kids not use m and s as much.
kinderkate - No, When I get back I will start lessons with 2 students, finish roaming with 2 others.
Doug - Why so late in starting. I am starting round 2 with a few.
kinderkate - Our district did not decide to fund a new RR Training until November. I had to leave my class. It was very difficult.
Doug - Gossip- Ohio State now says that the OS test is only valid for 3 weeks not the traditional 6 weeks
Doug - But your traing is missing 2 months.
kinderkate - We asked this question before. I don't know if you were here. Do you keep kids for a maximum of 20 weeks or until they test out?
Doug - Flatlining is always a problem. Always tell the TL when you flatline so that the blame is not on you.
kinderkate - My track was off. We are a 4 track school. I had to change tracks and the track that I was to work with was on vacation. I am behind my training class but will catch up because they have a 4 week vacation and I have a 2 weeker.
kinderkate - So you don't go past 20 weeks right?
Doug - Sounds complicated. is your school supportive?
kinderkate - Yes, very. Actually the administration pretty much leaves us alone.]
nette - wow..didn't here that 3 week thing
Doug - no. 1 kid moved and 1 was taken out for attendance and one is ready to leave but has 10 absences. What to do?????/
kinderkate - That (absences) is something I do know about. Those are the kids we are going to get because they are the ones that are behind!!!!
kinderkate - How can a kid be taken out for attendance???
Doug - Just call me a gossip. Our TL got it from Ohio State.
kinderkate - Oh, you mean out of RR. I thought you meant out of SCHOOL.
Doug - 10 absences. If they are not here, how can we teach them?
nette - I understand how you feel doug
kinderkate - I heard that about the OS also.
kinderkate - That is the first thing that I tell (sorry told) my K parents. I cannot be held responsible for the learning of a child who is not at school.
Doug - KK- when you teach K, you can see your future RR kids.
nette - I am tired of being blamed for all this nonsense with them
nette - I have one with a zillion absences too
Doug - nette- first year after training. i have more questions now then last year.
nette - what would you like to know
Doug - Is it true...a level a week...LOL
nette - well,,,drop them as soon as absences become an issue
nette - level a week my butt
nette - in what world????really important that k gives them good foundation
nette - lets see,,,,do you have early literacy groups in your building?
kinderkate - What do you mean , nette?
Doug - nette- I start with guided reading perhaps earlier than most. It's like teaching first a year early. It brings up a lot of issues with the traditionalists in K.
kinderkate - early literacy groups?
nette - well,,,I think if they come in knowing letters,and some idea of book handling, better chance of making it
nette - I agree
nette - are you a k teacher too doug????what do you teache?
kinderkate - Come in k OR l knowing letters,etc?
nette - early literacy groups or some form of guided reading
Doug - nette- are you a reading specialist the other half of the day or a K teacher?
kinderkate - I did guided reading from the beginning with k's.
kinderkate - Guided reading is a lot more than just recognizing words, don't you think?
Doug - kk- its 1:1, directionality, locating known words, and being able to attend (something that Clay does not talk about)
nette - I am a reading specialist other half of the day..this year all I had was first grade,,,also....of course guided reading is more than word recognition..I think that is over emphasized
nette - got to make them aware of just what reading is,,dont you agree,,you are a k teacher the other half othe day?????that is interesting..i wouldn't mind doing that
Doug - nette- are you experimenting with the Arkansas model
nette - but,,,I don't think that would go over real well in my district..
kinderkate - I was K teacher until I started training. Now I teach 4 program kids and 3 literacy groups.
Doug - i like it. that way I don't throw away the thousands of things I saved over the years. LOL
kinderkate - What is Arkansas model? (Sorry, duh!)
nette - yes I am..we have a couple of rr teachers who actually went to arkansas,,,I took a class for two weeks which was insturction in ARkansas model
nette - KK: tell me about your day (cringing already,,bracing my self..LOL)
kinderkate - Yes, i work with 2 teachers. That's where I get my program kids. In the PM I pull three different groups from those classes to work with.
nette - that sounds busy Kinderkate..do you miss rr????????? are you using arkansas model?
kinderkate - Actually, now we are working with the groups in the classroom.
nette - Doug, where is Colton California? also, is it true there is a HUGE emphasis on phonics now in that part of hte country..I am too Kinderkate,,I stay in and help....boy,,its rough..wish the classroom teachers were trained too
kinderkate - I am doing RR. It is hard to explain. I work with 4 RR program kids in the am. In the PM I work with 3 groups (4 or 5 kids) for 30 minutes each.
kinderkate - There is a big push for phonics in CA. It is actually going to the state legislature i think.
nette - i work with 4 teachers,,doubt if I do as much good as I should. I worry about it alllllllll the time...sometimes I wish I would go back in the classroom and use my expertise in a controlled atmosphere!!!!!! I mean...I am just not sure how welll I am doing with spreading myself so much...its hard
Doug - nette- yes there is a big emphasis on phonics. Fortunately, we can tell the state that interactive writing and independent writing includes phonics.
nette - no kiding kinder..wow..that sounds right. you guys are new...is there a big emphasis on the wriitng,,and getting the kids to write alot..and also to practically cover the practice page????? also..did you hear the m and b is taking a back seat?
Doug - nette- hey, our principal is an ex RR teacher. Not bad heh? Maybe that's why we don't have to be on committee's LOL
nette - wow Doug,,I am jealous!!!!!!! Ithat is unbellievable,,a principal who knows something,,what a concept
Doug - Last I heard, 1,500 during the training year
kinderkate - I think it is good to have a RR teacher/administrator. you must get total support, doug.
nette - i would bet you would Doug....how long was she a rr teacher??????do you like your tr?????or your tl
white/Tx - kinderkate-mostly my kids are LD.
kinderkate - So RR may benefit some.
Doug - Yes but you can't BS the principal about stuff. She walks in and says,"you are doing too much work for the kid." Nette- she was a RR teacher for 2 years
nette - is that bad doug???I bet it gets difficult..she can really critiique what you do
white/Tx - Kinder-our school has four 1st grade teachers that do rr.
Doug - nette- our TL is great. Knowledgeable and cares about kids
Doug - nette- she was a teacher at a school that we both taught at in the past. I have taught 14 years
kinderkate - So let me get this straight - 2 teachers take one first grade class and they both do RR?
white/Tx - kinder-No we have four first grades and 3 co-teachers. they all rotate.
kinderkate - Well - I guess it is time to go Doug. Will you return next month?
kinderkate - Maybe I will know more to ask better questions. I never did find out what the Arkansas model is.
kinderkate - take care. see you next month.
Doug - kk- real quick; the Arkansas model weaves in and out the RR kids being tutored into literacy groups in the 1st grade class. Does that help?
kinderkate - Yes tell me more next month. OK?
