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naneb/6 - you all here for the MOT chat?
wizzlewolf - I am here for MOT
wz - MOT?
naneb/6 - Mosaic of Thought
betty in nc - Brad- yes
Brad/3 - MOT = Mosaic of Thought
Jan in Va. - MOT
naneb/6 - HI curious are you here for the MOT chat?
Curious - Absolutely!
ooga - Is this the MOT chat?
Curious - first time on for me
naneb/6 - Okay, has everyone already read the book? are you using the strategies in your classroom?
Jan in Va. - but you know what, i'm proud of me for doing this major undertaking
naneb/6 - yes, ooga it is
Curious - just making my way through the book as well as STW
ooga - How many have started to read Reading for Meaning?
naneb/6 - I have read the parts that are online but that is all
ooga - I have started using the strategies in my room.
Carol - I am just starting MOT
Brad/3 - isn't entire book online?
naneb/6 - what grade does everyone teach?
ooga - has any one used Determining Importance or synthesis yet?
Curious - 6th
Brad/3 - 3
ooga - 3rd
naneb/6 - I did determining importance in nonfiction
Carol - I teach 3rd
Jan in Va. - nite wz
ooga - where do you teach Carol?
Alta Rose - I have ordered the MOT book, but don't have it yet, so I won't have much to contribute, I'm afaid.
naneb/6 - Brad, is that the whole book? I downloaded it
teach - What is MOT?
Jan in Va. - cheryle and mot people
ooga - How did you handle DI?
Carol - NC
Curious - have you read Nonfiction That Matters
Carol - What about you?
Brad/3 - Nonfiction that Matters and STW are very similar
naneb/6 - that's okay alta rose, you probably know more than you think you do
ooga - I teach in NY
Brad/3 - I assumed it was whole book
cheryle - Jan is this where we log off
Alta Rose - MOT stands for "Mosaic of thought", which is the subject of this chat, I believe.
Curious - I agree, except that Nonfiction gives a little different twist to the nonfiction genre
Carol - What is STW?
Brad/3 - STW = Strategies that Work
Alta Rose - Carol-"Strategies That Work" I believe.
naneb/6 - We studied nonfiction conventions, labels, diagrams, bold print etc, We looked for examples in a text book and listed the important facts. Then, they read a book on a group and did the same thing, Then, the group chose a sea animal and researched online and created a powerpoint presentation using at least 5 conventions
Curious - it is a great book too
Carol - I've read STW
Carol - I loved it.
Brad/3 - my question is, "How do you balance skills and strategies?'
Curious - i really like STW too
ooga - Brad, where are you from?
naneb/6 - what do you consider skills?
Brad/3 - ohio
ooga - i see skills and strategies as being interconnected
Brad/3 - Skills--determining cause/effect, fact/opinion, sequencing, etc. . .
Alta Rose - naneb/6, are you the same person who was on the 4Blocks chat a couple of nights ago? Just curious.
Curious - I would agree
ooga - i use STW to get ideas on books to use for MOT
naneb/6 - don't you think they are all part of schema
naneb/6 - that is me!!
Brad/3 - naneb, continue
Alta Rose - Do you find that MOT fits in well with the 4Blocks framework, naneb?
Carol - I agree that skills and strategies are interconnected.
ooga - i don't know if Brad's skills would be part of schema
naneb/6 - to connect to the text, develop a schema you have to use all of those skills, I think you still teachthe skills but know they have a clear purpose
Brad/3 - I agree skills and strategies are interconnected; I'm just having trouble determining when they should be taught
sweetpea - hi all
naneb/6 - we discussed on the email group that they may be part of determining importance in fiction, we even discussed having a study of this duringthe summer
Brad/3 - i think, as educators, there needs to be a determining definition for skills vs. strategies, (and basals aren't clear)
Carol - Couldn't they be taught during guided reading?
ooga - i teach the skills as it comes up in what we read, now what we are reading may be chosen because of the strategy that I want to teach.
Brad/3 - anything MOT mentions is strategy, all the PEBC stuff
Brad/3 - can you be more specific ooga?
ooga - so they are related and can be taught at the same time. And I agree it can be done during Guided Reading time
Brad/3 - but all the basals paint is skills, skills, skills
Curious - I choose the reading based on my strategies. I am not bound by a basal series.
Alta Rose - Brad-I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but one L.A. speaker told us once: The skill is WHAT you want to do. The strategy is HOW you do it.
sweetpea - i teach alot of my skills during guded reading time
Carol - Go beyond the basals by using trade books.
Brad/3 - valid skills, nevertheless, difficult to balance with strategies, (for me)
Carol - Are there guided reading books with your basals?
naneb/6 - exactly Brad, I want my students to go beyond skills, don't you think the skills are the means to the end and not the end themselves
Brad/3 - first year, not much of a library, school is basal heavy, have been doing best
Brad/3 - ita, naneb
naneb/6 - I use only trade books
Curious - Brad, you can introduce the skill in your basal, but go beyond that with trade books for practice
ooga - how many of you third grade teachers use Guided Reading? We are just starting to use it in my district
Brad/3 - what a comfort, naneb, hope to be there some day
Carol - Brad, you can get lots of books with bonus points from book orders.
andie - I use Guided Reading as a third grade teacher
ooga - Alta Rose, i like that differentiation.
naneb/6 - You can do reading workshop and have everyone reading in their own book but using the same strategy
Carol - I teach 3rd and use guided reading.
naneb/6 - I am just beginning, but I teach special ed and do mostly book clubs
Brad/3 - naneb, i do 4B, which i love, but occasionally i'm thinking more of a reader's workshop approach would be more conducive to strategies
Curious - I agree with naneb/6. This is how I tackle some skills
ooga - For those people that do use GR, do you use it every day? What materials do you use with it? Do you integrate MOT in the guided reading? I can see how you can do it, but I haven't done it yet.
naneb/6 - Carol, that is what I did, Sept. Scholastic catalog has 20X points if the order is $200 I got 5000 bounus points
naneb/6 - Brad, I do 4 blocks too
Carol - I've built my library over 12 years.
andie - Yes I do use it everyday and yes I do integrate MOT with it
naneb/6 - I am doing readers workshop for the next 2 weeks with Patricia Polacco books
Alta Rose - I do 4B Guided Reading. I'm waiting for my MOT book to arrive in the mail, so haven't read it yet.
Carol - I do GR about 3 days a week. I want to incorporate MOT when I better understand it.
Curious - I am in the first year of usinga reading workshop. It is a lot of work and you learn by trial and error...but I love it. I really think it is going to work! The kids seem to like it much better than the dry basals.
ooga - What materials do you use? Trade books, small articles, The Wright Group, Steck Vaughn?
andie - I use the CELL framework which includes Guided, Shared and Independent Reading, and Interactive and Independent Writing
naneb/6 - everything and anything
Carol - I use trade books and materials from our basal.
ooga - CArol, what do you do the other two days?
ooga - What is the CELL framework?
andie - Our school has a huge Guided Reading library, plus our basal (which I don't use) came with numerous trade books
Brad/3 - I like the basal series we have, but would rather have freedom of matching books to strategies
Curious - I wish our school HAD a library.
Carol - I use our basal and do some skills teaching. I incorporate the skill into the gr groups throughout the week.
Brad/3 - i also would like to incorporate student interest more in choosing books
Curious - Brad, are you not allowed to use trade books to supplement?
ooga - What are some books that you have used the MOT strategies with?
Brad/3 - i just close the door, if you know what i mean
Curious - yes I do
ooga - Has anyone tried doing synthesis?
Brad/3 - i teach inner city, and wish there was an anthology they could relate to more
Curious - I have had success with author studies or thematic units that also branch out to multicultural literature
andie - I have not read MOT in a while but we have a connections wall where the kids write any connections they make to text on the wall. Then they put a globe (text to world), a face (text to self) and a book (text to text). They can put connections up during any time throughout the day.
naneb/6 - not yet, I do not feel like I have a handle on synthesis yet
Alta Rose - What strategies are in the MOT book? Is it like the 4Blocks strategies--connecting, predicting, aniticipating, etc. etc?
Brad/3 - andie, love it
naneb/6 - schema, determining importance, visualization, questioning, synthesis
Carol - Andie, I like that!
Brad/3 - synthesis always confuses me; Bloom says it is taking all ideas and making something new of it, but occasionally it sounds like simple summarizing
ooga - andie, i agree, that is great. Do you keep it up all of the time or only when youare teaching schema?
andie - The kids like it too. All day everyday they say, "I made a connection ......" It really keeps them thinking.
naneb/6 - I think it is really creating your own interpretation of what you read
Brad/3 - ita naneb
judy3ca - Hello!
Curious - i would agree with naneb/6
Carol - Hi Judy
Alta Rose - Brad, what does ita mean?
naneb/6 - they need to be connections that really help comprehension.
naneb/6 - Judy!! Hi
judy3ca - Oh, boy, I'm trying to figure out synthesis right now, too.
Brad/3 - I totally agree
ooga - fjhow would you have the children document what they are doing in synthesis
andie - I have it up and it will stay up for the remainder of the year. My kids vary in ability so much that some haven't really gotten the idea of schema (sometimes I am not sure I do either...he he)
ooga - sorry about the fj
judy3ca - Did you see Keene's analogy to a stone thrown into water to explain synthesis?
naneb/6 - I think you would need to be careful of the text you select for synthesis
Brad/3 - love that analogy
ooga - no i haven't where is it and what is the analogy?
judy3ca - Me, too, Brad.
ooga - what books have you used with synthesis?
Carol - Does anyone who uses MOT have high stakes testing in their state?
naneb/6 - haven'ttouchedsynthesis yet, probably won't this year
Brad/3 - mine have trouble still remembering importance in FICTION, which STW does not go into
naneb/6 - Yes, in May
judy3ca - That the water keeps rippling out after the stone is thrown, as in synthesis, more ideas are added.
Alta Rose - We have provincial testing in Grades 3, 6, & 9.
andie - Please refresh my memory on synthesis
andie - Please refresh my memory on synthesis
judy3ca - SAT9
naneb/6 - Judy, doesn't it remind you of our book group, we all saw different things in the book our own synthesis of the story
Carol - Naneb, does MOT seem to help?
Brad/3 - i use story elements, but it's important events they have trouble deciding btw. detail or important event
andie - not sure how that appeared twice
ooga - yes, we have it in 4th grade
judy3ca - Does the analogy help, andie. I think S is what we take from the text--how we add to it to make meaning for ourselves.
naneb/6 - for testing? I don't know I have only started using MOT strategie since Christmas
Alta Rose - Well, I promised my son a few minutes on the computer, so I'm going to log off now. If you're here in 20 minutes or so, I'll pop back! Thanks!
June - Carol, Why do you askk about testing?
Carol - We have gateways now. If students don't pass the test, they don't pass the grade.
ooga - what am i missing on the analogy? Please bear with me and explain.
andie - yes, judy3ca it does help
Brad/3 - carol, explain
Carol - I have several slow learners who are really struggling.
naneb/6 - Brad, I tell my kids that if they could take the event out of the story and it would still be the same then it isn't important enough
Carol - If our 3rd graders don't pass the end of grade test, they are retained in third grade.
andie - I like that naneb/6
Carol - Slow learners aren't taken into account.
Curious - I am in a small district that only has a few (4) teachers who seems to be actively using MOT and STW, Reading Workshops, etc...though we just recently dove into this. Others are not really sure what we are doing and not sure they want anything to do with it.
Brad/3 - i've given them a graphic with six pictures to pick the beginning, ending and six iimportant events and of course, a few will always never "get to the end"
Carol - Naneb, I do the same with story characters.
naneb/6 - I can telly ou this ,when I tested my kids everyone had made at least a years growth in reading, this is with 4 blocks and MOT strategies and LD kids
Brad/3 - are you in oh, carol
Carol - No, NC
Mae - Sorry I'm late!
naneb/6 - We went on without you, Mae
judy3ca - Hi nan, hi Mae! I just got here, too.
Carol - That sounds great, naneb
Brad/3 - we have same thing in oh, but principal can override it (a little known loophole no one has publicized, of course)
Mae - That's fine. I see a lot of new names.
Curious - naneb/6...do you believe that you need 4block to make MOT successful? I have not used 4 block
Carol - I'm really at my wits end with some students. I feel like I've tried everything.
Mae - Is everyone here for MOT?
naneb/6 - I like the balance that 4 blocks has
judy3ca - Curious, Ellin Keene doesn't use 4 blocks and neither do we.
Curious - yes
Brad/3 - curious, definitely not, i'm just thinking how to incorporate MOT into 4B
andie - I don't use 4Block though I used to. I find MOT really works well with the CELL framwork. I Feel it goes the extra step that 4 Blocks doesn't
naneb/6 - Judy, my kids need the word workand i love the guided reading andwriting block too
Brad/3 - i love balance of 4b, too, naneb, so how do you incorporate mot
Carol - What is CELL?
Curious - judy3...I tend to use a variet of resources...MOT, STW, Nonfiction that Matters, etc. and I pick from books to fit my needs
Mae - You can incorportate 4Blocks and MOT by using MOT as a part of your Guided Reading Lessons.
judy3ca - nan, I use a lot of wordwork and do GR every day. We have WW, too, but not 4 blocks.
naneb/6 - It fits right into guided reading , a lot of the lesson ideas in the 4 block books are strategy instruction
ooga - what books are people using with various MOT strategies?
Curious - what is the CELL framework?
judy3ca - Curious, me too! You're naming my Bibles!
Brad/3 - i agree, naneb, but do you model / thinkaloud one day for guided reading or. . ?
Mae - Cynthia Rylant and Mem Fox books are great for modeling strategies.
andie - California Early Literacy Learning- a framwork to teach reading and writing developed by some teachers who worked on the Ohio framwork (fountas) but broke off and stared this.
Brad/3 - Another bible is Art of Teaching Reading by Calkins
ooga - any strategy in particular of most of them
Carol - I'm reading that one right now, Brad.
judy3ca - Brad, I do a model/think aloud everyday whole group.
Brad/3 - dense reading carol, i'm constantly re-referring to it
Mae - An interesting point was made on the Pro Rdng board about not throwing out skills for strategies - we must teach both
Brad/3 - are you 4b, judy3ca
naneb/6 - I teach 6th grade LD kids Brad and I model the strategy, then we practice together, usually by everyone read too and write a question, then the after is sharing what they did
judy3ca - Oooooh, I love Fountas and Pinnell, too.
Carol - Me too, Judy
Brad/3 - how much of your guided reading is read by them and how much by you, naneb?
judy3ca - Brad, no...I think the closest thing to a label would be a balanced literacy program.
Mae - I'm tackling F&P this summer. I already have it.
naneb/6 - 10% by me maybe, actually my read aloud model is usually not what they are reading
judy3ca - Mae, tackle would be the operative word.
naneb/6 - judy, do you do F and P guided reading or whole group
ooga - do most of you have teachers in earlier grades that have already introduced MOT or is it a first in your class?
Brad/3 - LOL, judy 3ca, that's my euphemism for that "dreaded" whole language I do
andie - Brad/3 not that you ascked me but my students do all of the reading in guided reading
Curious - I went to Fountas and Pinnell workshop this past fall. It was great...way too short. We could have had a three day conference and still not covered it all.
Mae - Well, IF I get to go to 2nd, I figured that I should tackle it.
Carol - Mae, Do you have Guided Reading or the one for 3-8?
judy3ca - MOT is district wide for me.
Mae - I have Guided Reading
ooga - F and P have a three day workshop this summer
andie - Curious, I bet that was awesome!
Brad/3 - i went with 4B because anything small group can be an issue with my group this year
Curious - MOT is a first at our 6th grade level
ooga - Wow, the luxury of MOT district wide. I am jealous
Carol - I'm tackling Guiding Readers and Writers by F&P this summer.
ooga - Have any of y ou taught MOT classes to other teachers?
judy3ca - Brad, LOL, I really just do what works. I work in a wonderful district that trusts us to teach reading as we see fit. Some have Readers Workshop, some don't.
andie - jWhen you say it is district wide, what is expected? what is done?
Mae - 4Blocks is a good organizational method, along w/some good strategies. I was already doing all of that BEFORE the book!
Brad/3 - naneb, i would like more details, if you need to contact me
judy3ca - ooga, I've "taught" one part of a seminar.
Curious - I loved it! It was very helpful to read the book ahead of time...them you knew what they were talking about and it made sense.
Brad/3 - i think most were Mae, it felt right to me when i first encountered it
Mae - I'm a BIG believer in getting kids to read everyday on their own, in their zpd.
Brad/3 - judy3ca, what a pleasure to work in a district that trusts its teachers
naneb/6 - 4 blocks led me to MOT
judy3ca - Mae and Brad, I think that's why we like MOT so much, it makes so much sense with what we already know.
Krad - From MOT ch. 5 ESSENCE OF TEXT what approaches would you use to determine inportance in text?
Mae - I got a lot out of 4Blocks Phonics for Upper Elem.
Carol - I'm with you Mae.
naneb/6 - my class hated reading when school started, now they beg to read
Mae - judy - you are porbably right
Curious - zpd can be a tricky thing though. I have found that the STAR is not always a good, reliable source for a kids zpd
Brad/3 - zpd?
judy3ca - Mae, don't you think MOT would have been really hard to understand when we were beginning teachers?
ooga - any tips of the structure you used for the one part of the seminar that you taught?
Curious - zone of proximal development
Carol - zpd can be combined with DRA or other assessments
Brad/3 - <----Beginning Teacher
Mae - Curious - I have found that STAR is a VERY reliable source for elementary kids. After they reach 6th grade reading level, it's gets a little flaky
Ginny - lurking......
Mae - I think that I would have been blown away by MOT when I started.
Mae - Hey Ginny!
naneb/6 - I like doing running records to get a good idea on my students level
Brad/3 - is this the infamous 6 trait Ginny?
Ginny - Hi...May, All
judy3ca - ooga, each of us had a strategy for the seminar. Mine was Sensory Images. I taught teachers just like we teach kids, gradual release of responsibility, except I used adult level text. At the end I recommended kids text that's good for the strategy.
ooga - i use wrap by pacific learning.
Ginny - Ginny is not so famous....!!!! but 6 trait Ginny it is
judy3ca - Hi Ginny!
ooga - sounds good judy, thanks.
Curious - that is where i am..6th grade, and it is flaky for some. I have had kids STAR test at a zpd of 3.2-5.8 one time, then go to 5.7-11.5...only to fall back to 4.8-6.8. It depends upon many factors.
andie - I am off to watch TV! I spent my entire week reading Harry Potter and need some trash tv time! Thanks for your input!
Brad/3 - been a big fan for awhile, reading your stuff on the net
judy3ca - Brad, I didn't mean to put down beginning teachers. Good for you for delving into MOT. I love it!
Mae - I have used STAR and their zpd - get kids reading in their range and they ALWAYS grow. We also found it to correlate w/other testing. The current STAR is improved.
Ginny - I'm trained in STAR...
Ginny - Did the company training in AR, RR, and STAR
Brad/3 - no offense, judy3ca, just meaning to say that while not complettely surefooted, not in the dark either
ooga - getting past my bedtime here in NY, really enjoyed this chat, how often do you have it?
Mae - I didn't know that Ginny.
naneb/6 - My entire district is big into Rennaissance
Mae - Brad - you keep at it!
Ginny - Yes, I always say that since I taught at risk they trained me in everything...
Mae - I don't see STAR as a panacea, but it's one darn good tool.
Curious - One problem I have encountered had to do with the student's attitude. They didn't want their zpd to raise or remain the same because they didn't want to read more challenging books
naneb/6 - I agree, Mae
Ginny - I don't like all the rules of AR but STAR is a good resource
Brad/3 - if it's not one thing it's another, STAR, AR, Recovery, Renaissance, blah, blah, blah
Mae - I have seen kids grow as much as 4 years in 6 months!
naneb/6 - I think you have to know your students and conference with them and get them to buy into the program
Ginny - As long as you don't think of STAR as an end all be all and realize it has flaws.
Mae - Curious - then what you need to do is READ ALOUD, READ ALOUD, READ ALOUD
Curious - i do EVERYDAY
Mae - Ginny- I don't follow the rules. AR / STAR misses it's own point.
naneb/6 - plus I know teachers who take grades from AR, I think they are defeating its purpose
Ginny - Have any of you tried duolog?
Brad/3 - anyone else here have to give letter grades?
ooga - good night, everybody
Carol - What is duolog?
Brad/3 - how low would you go with duolog, ginny?
naneb/6 - do you mean when two people read together?
judy3ca - good night, ooga
Ginny - Mae, that's good as AR only works for some students
Mae - Curious - I have taught every realm of kids, and have always found STAR to be motivating. How are you approaching it?
Carol - I have to give letter grades
Curious - that is our problem naneb/6...our district wants us to utilize the expensive AR, STAR and make it part of our grading process. I have scaled it back to 1/4 of the grade
Brad/3 - how do you give them, carol?
Mae - I only take grades from AR on novels that we have read together.
Ginny - Renaissance teaches duolog...it is a form of choral reading that helps fluency and word recognition...really increases reading skills!
Curious - i give letter grades brad
Carol - Do you mean only for AR or across the board?
naneb/6 - I know a teacher that wil not accept a score below 80
Goody - How does duolog work?
Ginny - It is said to be effective for 2nd semester lst grade on up through high school.
Carol - naneb, our school's 4th grade doesn't accept scores below 80
Curious - AR counts for 1/4 of the total reading grade.
Brad/3 - letter grades have been my biggest problem this year (all my experience has been nongraded)
naneb/6 - This is not new, sped teachers have done this for years, one person sits slightly behind the lower reader and they read together
Brad/3 - ginny, so for 2nd, have you experienced?
Mae - AR should not count for a grade.
Ginny - There are a jillion rules that need to be followed. They are posted on my site at http://www.geocities.com/ginnyks/readinghelp.html
naneb/6 - I agree, Mae, you want kids to read because they want to not because it is for a grade
Curious - I am beginning to believe that Mae. It is convincing my superiors
Carol - I agree, Mae. There are plenty of good books that are not on AR.
Ginny - I used duolog with 7th and 8th graders, helped lower grade teachers start it in their rooms.
Curious - That is one of the reasons why I scaled back on AR and now offer IR books as well
Ginny - I allowed students to read magazines...I allowed students to read short stories. I didn't make the read all books.
Brad/3 - where'd you go judy3ca?
Mae - I give my kids a bookmark w/their zpd and explain that if they read everyday in their range they will grow. I always explain that everyone is in a different place and that is okay. The point isn't where we are at, but where we are going. I let kids read other books besides AR if we can get a handle on the reading level and make sure that it's not too easy or too hard.
judy3ca - Brad, LOL, just checking some other sites--I don't do AR, etc.
Ginny - duolog has VERY specific rules that must be followed for best results. It is more than choral reading.
Curious - IR stands for anything other than ones on our AR list...magazines, newspapers, poetry, etc.
naneb/6 - this is just how we used to do paired reading to increase fluency
Brad/3 - how do they determine zpd, in what form is it given to the children? a graph?
Carol - Mae, I do the same, but I allow my children to go above their higher level if I feel they can handle it.
Ginny - AR is expensive. KS won't even recognize STAR as a standardized test because of a reliability factor.
Curious - zpd is determined after they take a computerized test (STAR)
Mae - Carol - I do too, after awhile, we do it a little at a time, and w/just AR books so that I can see how they handle it.
Curious - me too Carol
Carol - Brad, the children take a test using the STAR program and the teachers are given a report about each child's reading level.
naneb/6 - I don't do AR either. My sped kids could not find books that we have tests for that they wanted to read, They read the books in my room
judy3ca - Okay, now, please don't get mad at me, but I see things a little differently. I'm aiming for authenticity. Since I'm an avid reader who reads many genre and levels, I let the kids do the same in IR. They have leveled readers only for GR.
Mae - I fought to get STAR at my current school. We just got it a week ago.
Brad/3 - it almost sounds like the old sra kits
Ginny - naneb/6 I'm not sure I'm following all you say as there are so many converstions going on. Duolog requires specific pairing. The majority of the oral reading is done by the LOWER reader. Every mistake is corrected. Anyway that gives you some idea about the rules.
naneb/6 - judy, do you do F&P guided reading with small groups?
Curious - judy3..that is an interesting thought
Mae - The zpd range is rather wide, and gives kids plenty of room to move. There are lots and lots of books in our library on every child's range.
naneb/6 - Yes, that is what I meant Ginny, I went to your website and read the description. I was an aide in a class years ago that did this i just had forgotten all of the requirements
Brad/3 - did the program come with the books?
judy3ca - nan, yes, everyday. The only thing is that my groups aren't very flexible, they pretty much stay the same. I have 4 groups with 5 kids in each.
Curious - AR tests more in vocabulary usage and fine detail comprehension. It can sometimes ask ridiculous questions
naneb/6 - what do your kids do that aren't in the group with you
Ginny - Mae,I liked the test, but if a student gets a high score, the next time the student takes the test he/she is likely to not do as well because the test STARTS at a higher level and when they start making mistakes the test backs off and the end of the test is usually in this downhill trend.
naneb/6 - I agree ,Curious which is why I don't do it
Mae - When kids read on their own, by themselves, they should be reading at 95% accuracy - the zpd range gives kids a wide range that helps them to choose books that are just right for them.
Ginny - naneb/6 it was one of the best techniques I've used in YEARS!
Curious - no, you have to buy the STAR program, buy the AR program (as well as contiuous buying of disks to add new titles) and buy your own books
judy3ca - read, talk about books, worksheet(!)
naneb/6 - It can really help fluency, ginny
Carol - You can also create your own AR tests.
Brad/3 - so, back on MOT, does anyone think of following a sequence of strategies over the course of a year
Ginny - Mae, but if you realize this and make adjustments it isn't a problem.
naneb/6 - I like 4 block guided reading
naneb/6 - I hope to really set up a schedule for next year Brad
Ginny - Naneb/6 yes and my ESL's did wonderfully in increasing word recognition.
Curious - I agree Mae...STAR can be a useful tool to get a ballpark figure of a child's zpd...but then I think you have to take it from there as a teacher and determine if it is appropriate
Brad/3 - me too, naneb, I like not having to worry about what everyone's doing, cause we're all doing it at the same time!
judy3ca - Brad, I haven't, but I'm planning to next year. I just read Debbie Miller's book and I want to follow her plan for next year. I'm very excited about it and already have ideas for how I'm starting the year.
Mae - Ginny - I noticed that w/6th grade and above. It occurred to me that the maturity of the books that kids read changes, (not to mention the availbability of books), and I believe that this has an effect. I've always felt that if a kids is in 5th grade and can test as high as 8th - I'm not going to worry!
Ginny - Carol there is a special format that is to be followed when making AR tests.
Alta Rose - Yes, I love 4Blocks, too!
Brad/3 - here's what im thinking--monitoring/fix up's, schema/connections, visualizing, questioning, inferring/predicting, determining importance, and then synthesis.
naneb/6 - Curious, you are right, I have a student who cannot do the Star, she reads slowly and scores really low like 1.9 but she can read everything we read in class. The test times out and then she gets flustered and reads even slower so this is not a valid score
Carol - I know. My school is big into AR.
Mae - Curious - as I said, it's not a panacea, but it gives good info. and it gives it quick. I had a kid who was give a battery of tests recently that matched up perfectly w/her STAR scores.
judy3ca - nan, in 4 blocks GR, are the groups supposed to be flexible?
Ginny - Mae, I had trouble when mine hit 13 , the next time unless they were super, super readers they dropped down a couple of grades and since we are talking 8th grade, that still put them above level!
judy3ca - Brad, I like your thinking. Maybe if I do synthesis last, I'll understand it by then.
Brad/3 - LOL, judy
Mae - I had kids at 13 as well. I decided that they could read anything they wanted, as long as it was on their maturity level.
naneb/6 - judy, I teach whole group, sometime we do bookclub groups where the kids are all in small groups reading together and I float from group to group but instruction is whole group
Brad/3 - unfortunately, trying some experimentation here in the last quarter, i'm where i hope to be next year in Oct. LOL
Mae - I'm going to start on visualization next week.
Ginny - Mae, I think you are really on the right track.
Brad/3 - what made you pick that one, mae
judy3ca - nan, I teach whole group, too. I do both whole group reading and small group GR every day.
Mae - I have had a lot of success this way. All, but one of my kids reads above grade level!
Carol - Judy, how do you have time to do both?
judy3ca - Oh, Mae, are you looking for any ideas? Will you work into all sensory images? Will you use a lot of poetry?
naneb/6 - I only have 50 minutes for reading and then 50 min for language
Brad/3 - judy, i just think the strategies flow in that sequence.
Curious - that is where i am Brad. I have been reading so many new materials and picking parts of them that I feel like I need to spend the summer putting together some sense and order to my madness
Mae - judy - I usually teach whole group for reading.
judy3ca - Carol, I spend the whole morning on literacy.
Mae - I was thinking about reading a poem by Robert Frost that has been illustrated in picture book form, have the kids draw illustrations and then compare their ideas to the artist.
Alta Rose - I am waiting for my MOT book to arrive in the mail, so I can't add to much to this conversation. Hope you don't mind that I'm listening!
judy3ca - Brad, I do like your order, but I might put DI earlier.
naneb/6 - Next year we are going to an alternate day block schedule so I will have 95 minutes for language arts every other day and 95 minutes for reading
Curious - i would love to throw in guided reading...where do i do that? I only have 50 minutes daily for reading, following 50 min. for language
Ginny - Well, you guys, I'm still trying to get a copy of MOT...maybe next week. Nice talking to all of you! I'm off to play a game on the computer!
naneb/6 - I will do DI early in the year so that it will help my kids with their reg. ed classes
Brad/3 - i thought that, judy, i'm thinking about doing many of my nonfiction strategies in with content next year
judy3ca - Mae, do you know the book all the small poems and 14 more by Valerie Worth?
Carol - Jump in Alta Rose. I just received my book the other day!
Curious - naneb...my coworker and i just talked briefly about that today
Mae - I want to consider the possibility of teaching the strategies AND skills in an integrated fashion.
naneb/6 - we did mostly poetry for visualization
Mae - I haven't heard of Valerie Worth.
Brad/3 - Mae, that's what i opened with, so what are your thoughts?
judy3ca - Brad, I introduced DI in reading, but do a lot with it in science and social studies (the little social studies that we get to).
Curious - i used nonfiction matters in my social studies. it was great!
Mae - I was thinking of using a short story w/o pictures that the kids could turn into a picture book.
Alta Rose - I am very excited because it sounds like MOT fits in really well with 4Blocks!
Mae - Brad - I missed it. What did you open with?
naneb/6 - Mae, that soundsterrific
Brad/3 - judy, it is my solemn promise to get around to content better next year LOL
Brad/3 - I opened with, "How would you balance skills and strategies?"
Mae - OH!!!
judy3ca - Brad, I'm really laughing now. I did better at science this year because I'm piloting a textbook, but our district gives us permission to concentrate on literacy and math.
Mae - Exactly - we need balance. Let's not throw out the baby w/the bathwater. I always start a year off w/preview, predict and set a purpose.
Carol - I want to use Science and ss type books as a part of GR next year.
Brad/3 - my problem is, everyone says integrate but i still have to give "pull-out" kids grades in those subjects, so I can't integrate a lot
Carol - Maybe I can get to content some more!
Alta Rose - Brad, I hear you!
judy3ca - Carol, can all of your students read grade level content texts?
naneb/6 - what I like about 4 blocks guided reading is the way it makes me plan Before: During" After: i make sure that I have done all of those then I know that i modeled, kids practiced and we reconnected all of the parts
Brad/3 - who invented grades at the primary level in those subjects to begin with?
Mae - If your kids are being pulled out during reading, then the sped teachers should give the grades
Carol - No, but I mean more of the trade book types of books that deal with content matter.
Brad/3 - sped does give grades for literacy, just not for ss or science or (can you believe it?) health, so i find it impossible to integrate
Curious - who invented grades period?
naneb/6 - I am hoping to order the Steck Vaughn pair it books for next year
Curious - I agree Mae
Brad/3 - i hear you, curious (preaching to choir)
Mae - I meant integrate strategies/comprehension skills w/each other in reading.
judy3ca - Carol, I love fiction, but I'm really trying to use more NF in GR this year. So far we're about 1 out of 4. That's pretty good for me.
Carol - Curious, the same people who expect all kids to pass a test. It's like expecting all babies to learn to walk and talk at the same time.
Mae - Let science and soc. st. be a secondary reading experience.
Curious - tell us more Mae
naneb/6 - Brad, why not try a push in and not pull out see if the teacher will come into the classroom and not take the kids out
Brad/3 - I'm really starting to come to the belief that the majority of my teaching next year may be with nonfiction
Carol - That's what I want to do next year, Judy.
judy3ca - nan, I wrote a grant last year for Pair-Its for GR--science titles. I like 'em.
Curious - judy3...pairing of texts may work for you
Mae - I'm lost!
Mae - judy - I want some Pair Its!
naneb/6 - judy, are they something my 6th graders would like?
Carol - Oh, that's what I want to do, Judy!
Mae - I try to make my own fiction/nonfiction pairs.
Brad/3 - naneb, have conferenced with her on push-in idea, she thinks (if schedule jpermits) it will be excellent next year. However, now we hear she may not be in my building next year. : (
Curious - I agree naneb. We started that this year and it works great! Besides, it gives the students two teachers to work with instead of one
naneb/6 - Mae, they are paired fiction and nonfiction books
Mae - I know - I wish that I could purchase some!
Curious - judy, who did you get a grant from? local or national?
Brad/3 - I like this pair-it thing! Where do you get?
judy3ca - nan, sure, the highest level would probably be good for your babies. They are not my kids favorite reading though, so I don't use them as much as I did last year.
naneb/6 - me too, Mae no money
judy3ca - Curious, Packard Foundation Grant.
naneb/6 - Steck Vaughn,Brad
Mae - Our state test will be asking kids to compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction thematic pairs!
judy3ca - Rigby has a set of paired readers, too.
Brad/3 - if you think about it, most of the reading we do in life is nonficiton
Brad/3 - if you think about it, most of the reading we do in life is nonficiton
naneb/6 - I think sped dept. will buy them but I don't know if I want to spend my money on them or other books
Carol - Where do you teach Mae
Mae - Texas
judy3ca - Brad, not me, I LOVE fiction!
naneb/6 - most boys prefer nonfiction and I usually have mostly boys
Brad/3 - most of the reading we do in school is nonficiton, so why not teach primarily with nonfiction, especially with all the great titles coming out these days
Curious - judy, Packard as in Packard Bell? What sold them on your grant proposal?
Mae - I love fiction too, but we really need to use more nonfiction. I say that we balance it.
Brad/3 - my boys love nonfiction too
naneb/6 - because most teachers are women and women prefer fiction
judy3ca - I'm finding that I like DK Eyewitness better--and so do my kiddos.
Carol - I've heard that our new state tests in nc will be mostly nonfiction.
Brad/3 - ita mae
naneb/6 - who are they by judy
Mae - You guys - if you go to www.nancypolette.com , she has studied nonfiction attributes and will tell you what to look for as well as titles that are well written.
judy3ca - Curious, it had to be science, so I just wrote the grant for sciency titles to be used in GR. It was only $500.
Brad/3 - i have found some Eyewitnesses at Target and Walmart
Curious - I just read a research article on the pairing of texts. I am racking my brain for the author.
Brad/3 - primary
judy3ca - Brad, I do get a lot of them at Target.
naneb/6 - when we did determining importance in nonficiton my kids loved it, they learned more in those two weeks them they had in months
Curious - judy, $500 is $500!
Mae - Nonfiction reading is the next big wave in education. There was a LOT of nonfiction at the reading conference in Arlington.
judy3ca - Curious, thanks!
naneb/6 - Brad, have you been to www.readinga-z.com
Brad/3 - good to know we're ahead of the wave, mae. lol
Brad/3 - i have naneb, why do you ask?
Curious - I am taking a course this summer titled "Informational Texts" which includes nonfiction and poetry. I can't wait!
Carol - What was the book mentioned earlier, Nonfiction that Matters?
Mae - Some kids like nonfiction better than fiction. You can get some nonreaders excited by selecting nonfiction of their interest.
naneb/6 - there are lots of books to download and print especially nonficition books
Mae - I love readinga-z!
judy3ca - I just bought a bunch of DK biographies (single titles) and some of my kids are engrossed: Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Mohammed Ali, some baseball player, LOL, etc.
Curious - Carol...yes by Stephanie Harvey I believe
Brad/3 - there was a great website on nonfiction text structures (and accompanying big books) I'll try to remember websiste
Mae - I plan to subscribe and download like a wild woman! LOL!
naneb/6 - me too, mae I have made an entire set of books, laminated color covers and bound books
Brad/3 - i did that, naneb, and then bought new computer and couldn't get them off my old computer. so now i have to do it again.
naneb/6 - My students love to read them, they are short and interesting
Curious - cool! I can't wait! Now I know what I will be doing this weekend!
Brad/3 - does it cost now?
naneb/6 - I have them at home and at school
Carol - I just subscribed earlier today! I'm glad it's a good site.
Alta Rose - I find boys, especially, love non-fiction. Many boys check out only non-fiction from the school library.
naneb/6 - it is $29.99 for the year, well worth it
Mae - IF I get to go to 2nd, I plan to make book bags for HW, I want to use the books from reading a-z for my bags. I can download at school for free!
Curious - what grade level are these stories geared toward?
Mae - Prek - 4th
naneb/6 - Mae, I am making a set of them just for that purpose for my kids next year
Curious - Mae, how do you get it at school for free?
Brad/3 - be prepared though, nonfiction silent reading is not exactly silent. (and you'll find out more info on snakes then you'd ever want to know, LOL)
naneb/6 - they start at preprimer and go through 6th grade
judy3ca - Thank you all so much for a great discussion. I'm off to read. Good night.
Carol - You're right Brad!
Mae - My son loves science - therefore he loves nonfiction
Brad/3 - naneb, so it's almost 30, how many do you get? And at all levels?
Curious - darn...that leaves me out...for now. I hope to make my way back to the primary grades.
Carol - Good night, Judy
naneb/6 - I think the upper level u-z will be for older 5th and 6th grade
Mae - Curious - what grade do you teach?
Curious - 6th
naneb/6 - There are 7-8 books at each of 27 levels
Mae - Kids should read nonfiction 2 years BELOW their indp. reading level.
Brad/3 - Mae, where are you at now (and you're thinking of going to 2nd)?
Brad/3 - why so, mae?
Mae - I'm in 4th. I have asked to go to 2nd. I am waiting..good chance though
Curious - you go Mae! 2nd is exactly where I want to be!
Curious - independent reading levels for nonfiction is usually one to two years below the fiction reading level
naneb/6 - what are the reading level of your students, Curious?
Brad/3 - I'm in 3, will drop to 2 next year to try new looping scheme 2-3
Mae - Nonfiction is harder than fiction - different text structure. That is why kids struggle w/textbooks - the books are on grade level!
Alta Rose - I am looping. I teach first grade this year, and will take them to second grade next year.
Mae - Curious - I have to wait for a PG teacher who is moving to officially resign. But we know that we are going to lose sections in 4th, so it's really an open door.
Curious - i have some who read post high school and down to one who reads at 3.2
naneb/6 - brb
Mae - One year, I had 27 kids. Reading ranged from 2.7 to 13 and every level in between!
Curious - Good luck Mae. I will await the same next year...one is looking a retiring, but we my go to attendance centers which might eliminate that position.
Carol - My kids range from 1.3 to 7.0 this year.
Brad/3 - attendance centers?
Mae - I don't expect to know for sure until around May.
curious - I was booted off for some reason
Mae - My kids range from 3.8 to 9 this year. 19 out of 21 are 5th grade or above
curious - we have two grade schools. PreK-2 in both. 3 and 4 in one and 5 and 6 in the other. After next year they may go to K-3 in one, PreK and 4-6 in the other
naneb/6 - I am at a middle school 6-8
Carol - Why have PreK with 4-6?
Alta Rose - I'm curious as to what you use to determine grade levels. (?)
Mae - I like to have them all in one building. It creates consistency.
Mae - I use STAR.
Carol - I use STAR and DRA to determine grade/reading levels.
curious - that is what i am trying to avoid when we make a move. I do not want to become part of a middle school...but thati s a whole different story.
Alta Rose - I'm familiar with DRA but not STAR. (I'm in Canada.)
curious - does the MOT chat meet every Friday night at this time?
Mae - I've been in a split level school system - it was not good for the kids. We realigned and it made a HUGE difference.
naneb/6 - Star is the assessment for Accelerated Reading
Mae - STAR is a computerized reading test.
Carol - STAR is part of the Accelerated Reader program
Alta Rose - Oh. I have AR in my room, but haven't seen the assessment!
Mae - JINX
curious - I am registered on many web mailrings, but my coworker said there was one specifically for MOT and STW. DO you know of that ring?
Brad/3 - well, now hear this, my district is looking for a reading czar ( a love of borscht, not necessary)
Mae - You have to purchase STAR separately.
Carol - LOL!
Alta Rose - Oh. That explains it.
Mae - Curious - Join us on the Professional Reading Board and meet us here on Fri. nights.
naneb/6 - there is a yahoo group for MOT
naneb/6 - go to yahoogroups.com and search for mosaicteachers
Carol - Is the Professional Reading Board a mail ring like the 3rd grade list?
curious - I am not familiar with the Professional Reading Board. Please explain
Mae - If I got into another room or board, I would lose my place!
Mae - The Pro Rdng board is one of the chatboards here on Tnet.
Mae - Our discussion on the chatboard is what caused us to begin these Fri. night meetings.
naneb/6 - http://teachers.net/mentors/profreading/
curious - I think I get emails from that where it is titled as such and lists emails others have sent. When is your chat?
Carol - I'll have to check it out.
Mae - We are reading MOT and STW now, and plan to read some of the writing books this summer.
curious - naneb...I recognize that one!
naneb/6 - this is it , curious
Mae - Follow naneb's link. You can post anytime.
curious - what writing books mae?
Mae - Wondrous Words and Creating Writers
Mae - We meet here every Fri. night at 10:30 Eastern plus we post on the Pro. Reading Chatboard
Brad/3 - I have read Wondrous Words, Katie has a new one out and I"m curious in comparing/contrasting. Should I buy that one and then join you to do as such?
curious - by whom and for what grade level?
naneb/6 - http://groups.yahoo.com/
Mae - I didn't know about a new book. I just got WW!
Brad/3 - I read Wondrous Words but have yet to buy it. Curious now which one i should buy.
naneb/6 - that is the link for yahoo groups the mosaic of thought group is called mosaicteachers
Brad/3 - look on amazon, mae, i saw it sometime last week
curious - I would be interested in joining in on this for the summer
Mae - We were going to stick w/our reading books now and then turn to the writing books in the summer.
Carol - Me too
naneb/6 - we just read Fall On Your Knees together to practice the strategies
Brad/3 - punched in her name because couldn't remember title of WW. And got the new book
Alta Rose - Thanks, naneb! I'll check it out!
Mae - I am trying to read 3 books at one time!
Mae - And teach school!
curious - Katie who?
Alta Rose - Fall on your knees-Wasnt
Mae - And I have 2 kids!
Brad/3 - I"m always juggling, Mae, lol
Alta Rose - that Oprah's recent book?
Mae - Katie Ray Wood
naneb/6 - It was Oprah's book
curious - That is what I fell like I have been doing the past few months, mae
Brad/3 - Wood RAy
Mae - What was Oprah's book?
Carol - Fall on Your Knees
naneb/6 - Fall On Your Knees
Brad/3 - I just saw on CNN, Oprah will no longer book pick "monthly"
Mae - Oh Brad, I think you are right! LOL!
Alta Rose - Fall On Your Knees. They had their discussion today.
naneb/6 - I watched part of it
Mae - Has anyone ever read, Read and Grow Rich?
naneb/6 - we read as a group and discussed and tried to monitor our use of the strategies, it was fun
Alta Rose - No.
curious - My husband just reminded me that I have been on now for 1 and 1/2 hours! TIme flies when you are talking with people who have connections.
Alta Rose - That's a good idea, naneb!
Brad/3 - LOL, mae, that's a myth I like to believe in
naneb/6 - Then I should be very wealthy soon
Mae - naneb - that is what we are doing on the Pro Rdng board - these chats are an addition to that
Brad/3 - would those be text to world connections or text to self?
curious - I guess I will sign off for the night, but will return. I think I will be out of town next week, but will try in two.
Mae - That really is the name of a book!
Carol - Good night, Curious
Alta Rose - Goodnight, Curious!
curious - Brad, we are making connections in all those ways, aren't we?
naneb/6 - and mae, how do you Read and Grow rich
Mae - goodnight curious
Brad/3 - gnite curious
naneb/6 - g'night, Curious
Brad/3 - yes, mae do tell
Mae - Rich in knowledge...connections...information
curious - It has been great! Good night everyone!
naneb/6 - okay!! wrong rich!!
Alta Rose - LOL!
Mae - It's a poignant discussion of how books effect lives
Brad/3 - unfortunately, connections and knowledge don't pay the mortgage, lol
Brad/3 - how are we getting the little faces, now
Mae - You can also read books that tell you how to get rich in $!
Carol - It's my time to go as well. I want to check out the Pro Rdg Board before bed. See you all next week.
Alta Rose - Goodnight, Carol!
Brad/3 - nite, carol
naneb/6 - I have to tell you even with all of the strategies and modeling that i did this year, the thing that got my students hooked on reading were the Captain Underpants books and Sideways Stories from Wayside School
Mae - Read Robert Kiyosakis book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Brad/3 - captain underpants is big hit in my room.
Alta Rose - I don't know how to the faces, either Brad. One of these days I'll get my kids to teach me!
Mae - naneb - Have you read Skinnybones by Barbara Parks?
naneb/6 - Brad, click on the red circle with the question mark and scroll down it will show you how to make them
Brad/3 - although i have to "hide" him from administration
naneb/6 - No I haven't mae
Mae - It
naneb/6 - what is it about?
Mae - That was suppose to be -it's hilarious!
Brad/3 - :-*
Alta Rose - My 8 year old son loves Captain Underpants!! Some of the humour is funny. There is a lot of bathroom humour. I just wish the author would spell the words correctly! That really bothers me!
naneb/6 - I think I saw that book on amazon one day
Mae - It's about a boy who is a class clown and is always getting himself into a fix.
Mae -
naneb/6 - I will have to get it
Brad/3 - well, i have really enjoyed this, but as an east coaster, I should go too.
naneb/6 - I am doing Patricia Polacco books next week, I have 17 different books to do reader's workshop
Mae - My son read it and laughed his head off, so I read it aloud to my class. They loved it.
Mae - It's 11 p.m. here!
naneb/6 - when they were all reading CP they couldn't stop. I would find kids reading behind their math book
Mae - P.Polacco is on my I've got to collect this author list!
naneb/6 - I love her books, I am going to use them for writing too
naneb/6 - here too
Alta Rose - I'll have to check Skinneybones out for my son!
Mae - I am collecting Mem Fox and Cynthia Rylant books right now.
Mae - How old is your son?
Alta Rose - Almost 9.
Mae - Mine too.
naneb/6 - Dave Pilkey has some other books beside Captain Underpants
Brad/3 - I-o
Mae - My son has a few of the Captain U books
Brad/3 - oh just forget it, nite all
Mae - Have ya'll seen Hank the Cowdog books?
naneb/6 - Brad, use the line above the back slash
Alta Rose - I'm not familiar with any other D. Pilkey books. My son and his friend are writing their own C. Underpants comics, with their teacher and principal as the main characters!
naneb/6 - we read the one in the paper last year
Mae - That's cute Alta Rose.
naneb/6 - :-X
Brad/3 - |-o
Mae - I love Magic Treehouse books too.
Brad/3 - lol
Alta Rose - I guess they sold one to the teacher for 50 cents. Principal hasn't seen it yet, though!
Mae - Brad - colon, o and then )
Alta Rose - I love Magic Treehouse, too!
Mae - LOL
Brad/3 -
Alta Rose - Yes, Brad! You did it!
Brad/3 - hooray, now i can rest easier lol
Mae -:o) Brad :o) :o)
naneb/6 - Yeah!!!
Brad/3 - good nite
Mae - Ah - it only did it once!
naneb/6 -
Alta Rose - Goodnight, Brad.
Mae -
Mae - naneb - how did you get a diff. smile?
Alta Rose - Mae, how is the little baby you posted about a day or two ago?
Mae - They had to put her tubes w/oxygen back in. She is still hanging in there.
naneb/6 - colon capital D
Mae -
Alta Rose - Poor little thing. I'll keep her in my prayers.
naneb/6 - the chat room has a lot more faces
naneb/6 -
naneb/6 -
Mae - She was less than a pound when she was born and now weighs 9 lbs.
Alta Rose - That sounds good!
Mae - Yes it does. And we are missing some faces unless they left before I signed on. naneb - how did you do that?
naneb/6 - colon hyphen small o
Mae - Thanks Alta Rose
Mae -
naneb/6 - :-[
Mae - Well, I'm ready to crash. It's almost 11:30 p.m. here.
Alta Rose - Are you guys having fun? LOL.
naneb/6 - |-)
Mae - Come back next week. I'll try to be on time. I almost fell asleep! LOL!
naneb/6 - some of them don't work in this room
Mae - I-)
naneb/6 - I wil ltry to come in next week too
Mae - I guess not! LOL!
naneb/6 -
naneb/6 - good night, Mae
Mae - Talk to ya'll later! goodnight...
Alta Rose - Yes, I'll be back next week. This is great. I'm an hour behind you. It's only 10:30 here.
Alta Rose - Goodnight, Mae!
naneb/6 - what grade did you say you teach
Alta Rose - I teach first, and am "looping" with them to second next year.
naneb/6 - do you like teaching 1st?
Alta Rose - Yes. I had done it for 11 years and needed a break, so I looped up to 2nd and stayed there for a couple of years. I went back to first this year.
Alta Rose - What I love about looping is that I am just implementing 4Blocks for the first time this year. So I'm introducing them to the G.R. formats, and next year they will be familiar with them.
Alta Rose - I am going to see Dottie Hall next month! I'm so excited!
naneb/6 - That should be really good. I would love some 4 blocks training
Alta Rose - I am ecstatic because I didn't expect her to come to Canada.
naneb/6 - I guess I should get to bed, chat with you next week
Alta Rose - Sounds great! See you next week!
