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judy3ca - I had my "official" observation today and it was great because the principal got to see a huge interruption by PTA gift wrap delivery.
Sharon - hideeho!
Erin - How special judy. The kids love to see who is coming in and out of the door. Rubbernecking!!
Sharon - lol, judy! I bet your principal was cringing
judy3ca - Thanks, Erin, this weeks WW went amazingly well. I had a kid today who astounded me by repeating something we'd talked about yesterday. He sounded like an advertisement for Georgia Heard, LOL.
Erin - I just have to say again how awesome it was to see judy last week. If we can ever figure out how to get more of us together it would be awesome.
judy3ca - (((Sharon))) Oh, he's pretty relaxed.
judy3ca - ((cavey))
Grace/IL - Erin and Judy, you now have that very special relationship that occurs once we meet face to face.
judy3ca - You're right, Grace, now I really appreciate Erin!
cavey - I have pictures in my mind of all of you
Erin - I just have to say that I thought I moved quickly...judy whizzed through those vendors. LOL
cavey - You all look great tonight!
judy3ca - ROFL, I'm a woman who knows what she wants, Erin.
Sharon - grace, my little struggler is now starting to cue on letters in words while reading (not always all of them though)... his reading is pretty painful to listen to now though
Erin - Judy stopped me as I was walking in the Ellin Keene room "You must be Erin...you're the only one with that curly blonde hair."
judy3ca - Sharon, how are you holding up with your new school and doctoral work?
Sharon - but i realize that that is to be expected at this stage... it's still progress and i'm thankful
Grace/IL - Sharon, sometimes it seems to take forever.
Grace/IL - Sometimes I didn't see a lot of results in reading until spring.
Sharon - judy... i'm really really tired... just signed up for yet another semester and it looks like i'll have class 3 nights a week this time
jodi - Good luck to all ! bye
Sharon - exactly, grace... so i'm excited that i'm down to 3 strugglers (including this one who is on his shaky way now)
judy3ca - Oh, Sharon, isn't that too much??? If I'm out late ONE weeknight, it does me in.
Grace/IL - How can you handle 3 nights of classes? Do you have to drive far?
Erin - Sharon...every week? That's rough
Sharon - i have a 45 minute drive to auburn, grace... it isn't too bad... it's the assignments... you remember those days I'm sure!
Grace/IL - I had to drive 104 miles round trip twice a week for doctoral classes. That was a lot of driving.
Erin - Grace...yikes!!
Sharon - judy, if i don't crank it up i'll be working on this degree until i retire!
Grace/IL - Assingments? I gained 20 pounds because every evening I did nothing except sit in my recliner chair and read LOL
judy3ca - Sharon, good for you--we're so proud of you!
Grace/IL - Assingments? assignments!
Kim/1/Ca - (((((Smooches))))))and T G I F!
Erin - Amen to that Kim!!1
Sharon - the reading i love, the writing in APA format, i detest
Grace/IL - (((((Kim))))) Judy and Erin were just discussing how meeting face to face makes such a difference.
Kim/1/Ca - Yuck on writing APA.......
judy3ca - Yeah, Kim, tell 'em our idea!
Erin - Sharon I'm doing my master's and admin credential and I agree . That APA is the pits
judy3ca - Okay, what is APA?
Sharon - what is your masters in, erin?
Grace/IL - Yes, Sharon, I just submitted an article to a journal and I'm not sure I did the APA thing right.
Erin - Master's in Education
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah, like, well.......... we were thinkin', like, gee..........maybe it would be swell if we had a CA get together in San Luis Obisbo........by the BEACH you know.............this summer.
Grace/IL - American Psychological Association
Erin - HMMM, by the beach in the summer? All right...stop forcing me
Sharon - judy... for references and such
judy3ca - San Luis Obispo, for you nonCalifornians, is halfway between L.A. and San Francisco.
Erin - Judy, the type of format to reference works cited, etc. Replaces the old footnotes
judy3ca - Sharon, do you mean formal writing? I'm confused.
Grace/IL - Where does one fly into for SLO?
Erin - Hey...judy and Kim were planning this without me...I'm upset!!!
judy3ca - Oh, I guess I'd have to see it.
Sharon - what erin said, judy!
Kim/1/Ca - I don't mind MLA or even Tarabian.....but APA 's bibliography format just won't sink in...........all those lower case letters............
Kim/1/Ca - No, no, no......Erin. It was just MENTIONED in an eMail....."wouldn't it be nice if......."
Grace/IL - APA includes those dumb parenthesis with all the author information that disrupts the articles one reads.
cavey - I'm back ..potty accident , luckily not my own
judy3ca - Erin, LOL, no teacher will be left behind.
Kim/1/Ca - Good thing, CAVEY ! LOL
Erin - Just kidding Kim.....
Sharon - lol cavey
judy3ca - cavey, ROFLMAO
Kim/1/Ca - yes, grace, i agreeeeee........
Erin - Thank goodness cavey...it's a bummer when the teachers aren't pottly trained
Erin -
Erin - That was for my son sorry
Kim/1/Ca - Where is the Bradster?
judy3ca - ;-0 Hi to Erin's son.
Erin - Dealing with those articles he's been looking up...I'm confused with what he and Jan are discussing
judy3ca - Oh, darn,
Sharon - erin... tut tut tut... you named your son "sorry"?
Grace/IL - Talk about the devil - - - Hi Brad
cavey - Well, speak of the devil..
Erin - ((brad)) ((michelle))
judy3ca - Hi Brad, Hi Michelle!
michelle - hi everyone!
brad - The devil? Is someone talking about me?
Erin - LOL Sharon
michelle - oh, brad's the devil? then I'm the angel.
Kim/1/Ca - Bradleykins sweetie pie you are looking a little green...............
Grace/IL - Hi Michelle
cavey - Hi Brad and Michelle!
Erin - brad, you must have ears in the back of your computer
brad - Sharon has my basic black (How does Judy always get that blue?)
Kim/1/Ca - HEY BRAD............"She back in first grade???" LOLOLOLOL
brad - LOL, someone asked me that EXACT question today
Erin - Judy camps out at 7:00 and waits
Sharon - can't be arsed with color coordination on a friday night after the week i had, brad
brad - I knew I had heard that somewhere and now you reminded me where. LOL
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah, well Cavey steered clear of my orangered...........good thing too
cavey - Devil with a blue dress on
Sharon - hiya marcia
judy3ca - Hi Marcia!
michelle - A friend and I just got back from the new Harry Potter movie. She's leaving for Denver on Sunday...I'm so jealous.
brad - I'd hate for you to be arsed, Sharon ;-0
cavey - I almost went for it Kim after Erin beat me to the red
brad - Michelle, you hush. Attending tomorrow
judy3ca - michelle, for MOT?
michelle - I've learned to stick with the navy, it's normally available.
Erin - boy, the uproar over colors...
Marcia/1st/GA - I just finished watching two of the tapes of Strategies at Work. SAw Debbie Miller doing lessons on questioning. What great friday night entertainment!
brad - I thought you were into the air force?
Kim/1/Ca - They are buying tickets in advance here..............
michelle - yes judy. SO jealous of her!
brad - Now you're sticking with the navy? Make up your mind, Michelle
judy3ca - Michelle, I'd love to do that.
Kim/1/Ca - So, can you send them my way, Marcia? I promise I won't lose them or spill FOLGERS coffee on them.
michelle - I bought my tickets on Fandango. good movie! better than the first one
brad - Yeah, what's up with that? Why isn
brad - it real?
judy3ca - My color is medium blue--I'm very medium, cheerfully medium.
Sharon - cuz it's instant
cavey - Okay - it's real, just not Starbucks
michelle - I'm a little slow on the uptake....i just figured out what you were saying brad.
brad - Make Mine Medium--A Biography of Judy3Ca
Marcia/1st/GA - Yeah, the girl I borrowed them from was almost afraid to let them out of her sight...
Grace/IL - We went to see Tuck Everlasting this week. The only thing we're allowed to see is Disney.
cavey - Judy, you are definitely not medium!
michelle - oooh.....with alliteration!!
brad - The Folgers I have isn't instant. I grind it and everything
judy3ca - Yes! That's me, Brad.
Sharon - really judy? i don't think of you as medium at all
Kim/1/Ca - My SIS will drive miles out of her way to get coffee at Starbucks. WILL NOT buy coffee anywhere else..........we buy whatever's on sale.....LOL. But then again.........she teaches in hoity toity private school and I work with kids who say "mines" and "ax" and whose parents don't know what GRADE they are in.....................
judy3ca - cavey, you sweetie, I'm "of an age" that being medium is good.
michelle - i read the best SI book to my kids today....Silver Morning. It was fantastic!
cavey - Well Grace, was it a real butchering of the original like the ads appear?
Sharon - and do they pluralize your last name?
judy3ca - Thanks, Sharon--I know what you mean--that's very kind.
Kim/1/Ca - YES, Sharon............LOL! How did you know?
michelle - I still get lots of notes for last year's kids. Parents forgot their kid moved on to 4th grade.
Erin - the best place around me for coffee is a place called Coffee Kiosk...it's drive thru...and they have the best coffee
Sharon - oooo... author, michelle?
judy3ca - Michelle, I haven't heard of that book (stop the presses). Tell us more.
Grace/IL - I have no idea -- didn't see the original. We enjoyed it.
Sharon - cuz i've been there done that, kim
Kim/1/Ca - I think you are Medium Rare, Judy........................
cavey - I get my Starbucks in a bag from Food Lion
brad - Anyway, Kim. the other day, coming out of the lunchroom, and sent one of mine down to borrow something from the Kindergarten, and one of mine said, "Mr. Johnson, is he back in Kindergarten now?"
Sharon - nope... judy is WELL DONE
michelle - Darn, I can't remember. But my kids thought it sounded just like Rylant (we finished our Rylant study)
Erin - No NO MORE BOOKS!!!!! I just spent time with Judy and spent lots of money because of that...stop the insanity.
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah everybody stop talking.........Michelle found a new book.
judy3ca - Or, I'm cooked.
michelle - I'll have to let you know the author on the mosaicteachers thingy tomorrow.
Grace/IL - Sharon, what courses are you into next?
Kim/1/Ca - My po' little poverty kids KNOW Rylant now. We have set up the altar.
judy3ca - Poor Erin, even people who hang around with me for a short time feel the need to buy books.
michelle - This book reminds me kinda of Yolen's Owl Moon.
cavey - My kids loved the Rylant/ Pilkey gossip
judy3ca - Thanks, Michelle.
Sharon - a reading research class, grace and literature for the adolescent
Grace/IL - Kim, did you use the little stove for the altar?
brad - I hope it's the dessert course (mmmm.....cheesecake {Homer drool})
Marcia/1st/GA - I read a great one from the Scholastic book fair,I think, called Our Old House. Full of flashbacks, visualization, etc. (just torturing you Kim)
brad - Grace and literature? Is this a religious institution?
michelle - cavey, my kids did too. they really are excited that both those authors live in Oregon
Sharon - can't be arsed with proper punctuation, brad
cavey - I was thinking that too Brad
Kim/1/Ca - <<<<<<^&#$%^$#$$%@ to Marcia..........(torturing me........)
judy3ca - Good for you, Kim. We had a vote for favorite author yesterday for our fraction and I was amazed that there was only 1 misguided vote for Dav Pilkey and there was a 7-7 tie for Rylant and DiCamillo.
Grace/IL - Brad, I think she left out a comma LOL.
cavey - Yeah Michelle, I kinda glossed over the fact that it's probably the same house in Oregon
Marcia/1st/GA - Judy, why didn't you pull that one vote?,......
Kim/1/Ca - No Grace......sent the Kitchen Creche over to the newly created Kinder class.........poor lady had nothing but leftovers and hand me downs.
michelle - what a day! I got a new student and a new volunteer....both with no notice!!
judy3ca - Marcia, LOL, I wrote his name up there!
michelle - cavey, i just said that Dav Pilkey is Cynthia Rylant's boyfriend and that they both live in Oregon.
Alta Rose - I found a great book for SI today. Margaret Wise Brown. "Rabbit's Noisy Book" or something like that.
Marcia/1st/GA - Oh, you are honorable, I would have left it out !
brad - judy, do you only have 15?
Sharon - what a day here too.... one of the kids dropped a book and our cockatiel spooked and flew into the window... i just knew he had broken his tiny little neck... but he was just stunned for a second
Grace/IL - Kim, how generous of you after all you went through to get it.
cavey - Me too Michelle
Kim/1/Ca - Woo woo Michelle..........you didn't say that they probably kiss and hug on a regular basis?
cavey - Hi Alta- didn't see you come in
Sharon - alta... how's the SI going?
Princess - PLEASE help me....
Marcia/1st/GA - I think I would have just said they were married.
judy3ca - Brad, no, there were other authors, too. I voted for Gary Soto but only one child with unquestionable taste joined me.
Alta Rose - Hi.
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah, I know, Grace. If I had known, I would have spent the money on reading books. I need some non fiction titles at my kids' levels. Sigh...........
Princess - i am going crazy looking for a specific worksheet]
Kim/1/Ca - I probably threw out the worksheet you needed, princess............
Sharon - we can help you.... step away from the worksheets, step away from the worksheets
Marcia/1st/GA - Kim, we just got some National Geographic emergent readers that are absolutely fabulous!
Princess - it is a Christmas worksheet
Alta Rose - So far so good, Sharon. I did the lesson from mosaicteachers using Wilfred Gordon. That went well.
brad - Amen, Sistah Kim
brad - LOL, Sharon.
Marcia/1st/GA - Princess, read a book, read a book...
judy3ca - This isn't a worksheet kind of place.
Sharon - brad probably has it, princess
Erin - LOL Kim...along with the Pendaflex and old crayons too
Princess - i don't remember what it is called, but it is like a problem solving activity
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah? Tell me more Marcia..........online?
Sharon - good for you, alta rose
brad - You all are too much
Michelle - weird...I had a 504 connection failed or something. couldn't post.
brad - Hey, wait! Why would I have it?
Erin - I can check with some of the teachers at my school..
Alta Rose - I am going to spend this weekend looking for pictures, Sharon. I printed a couple off the files.
Sharon - princess... i don't think you'll find it here
judy3ca - OMG, guess who just put a dozen cans in her car for Monday?
Princess - eg. a "no smoking" sign with an "L" inside it = Noel....
Marcia/1st/GA - I don't know much more right now. We were leveling them one afternoon to put in our leveled book room. Great photos showing different places in US, etc. I can find out more and post for you on board next week
Sharon - the hayride and the merry-go-round?
Kim/1/Ca - BRAD........we KNOW you are a closet worksheet user. You talk to the talk...........but I bet there's a stack of dittos in your closet, sorted by month.
Erin - judy...I knew you couldn't resist that character in a can book report!!1
Grace/IL - And what are you going to do with the cans?
judy3ca - That was, ummm, speaking of worksheets...
brad - Oh, those are either called "Wacky Wordies" or there's a more formal name for them, Princess. I wouldn't even look around here though. they're not kidding.
Sharon - judy... splain?
Erin - A closet worksheet user I love it!!1
Kim/1/Ca - She is going to do "diorama in a can."
judy3ca - We're making turkeys! Isn't that exciting? I am so not interested but it my ONE effort to be part of my grade level.
Erin - Kim...please get the terminology right. It's diorama in a box, character in a can.
brad - No I "came out of the closet" and you're welcome to my Frank Schaffer's
Marcia/1st/GA - Princess, check with the gifted teachers at your school.
Kim/1/Ca - Brad went over to The Dark Side. It was futile to resist.
Sharon - you could probably sell teacher resource books on it with a catchy title like kim just gave ya
Princess - etc
brad - Judy, you caved!
cavey - Judy - Coffe can turkeys? You must post a picture!
Kim/1/Ca - Sorrry, Erin.........(<<<looking sheepish.)
Michelle - judy, you can make turkeys out of potatoes
judy3ca - Brad, yup! With a metallic caving sound.
cavey - Watch it Marcia!
brad - But getting back, Marcia, I want your Nat Geo books. Just wrap 'em up and send.
Erin - All right since we're confessing.. I'm doing turkeys with milk cartons. I promise to repent
Kim/1/Ca - HEY Brad........any handprint toikeys up yet?
sue - hi yall
Grace/IL - You can make turkeys from apples too
Marcia/1st/GA - Oooops! Stepped on toes?
judy3ca - cavey, no, no, it's worse than that. We don't even have a plan....we're just going to give them a bunch of scraps and they're going to "work together" to make turkeys.
sue - oreos,too
cavey - It's okay Marcia, I get no respect.
Marcia/1st/GA - I can't get my hands on them yet. They haven't been logged into the computer or something.
brad - Not yet, but we did manage to get our "caterpillar" up finally. Honestly it looks good
Kim/1/Ca - I have a book we will make: "When You Meet a Turkey."
cavey - Okay Judy- kind of Junkyard Wars with turkeys
judy3ca - Brad, last week, after you joked about handprint turkeys, I went to work and saw the whole row of one grade level with handprint turkeys in their windows. Gross.
brad - Wait a minute? YOu can make turkeys out of Oreos?? NExt thing you all will be telling me we can make turkeys out of turkeys
Kim/1/Ca - JUNKyARD wars Turkeys!!! I love it!!!
Marcia/1st/GA - Hi my name is Marcia and we created huge 3 dimensional murals of the first thanksgiving this week. (No, these are really good, trust me!)
Grace/IL - I saw the neatest caterpillar at the resale shop the other day -- even had boxing gloves. I thought some teacher would really love it.
Erin - No let's make turkeys out of HO HOs
judy3ca - Cavey, I LOVE that! Now we have some class! We'll call 'em junkyard turkeys!
brad - To box with?
Kim/1/Ca - You know those ELL people are always pushing for realia. I say you bring in REAL turkeys and let them run loose.
sue - brad- oreos, candy corn, hershey kisses and frosting
brad - LOL, KIm. Realia!! LOL, (ahhhh.......shoot)
Kim/1/Ca - You use candy corn for the tails, Brad, and red hots for the wattle.
Michelle - I have nothing to share regarding turkey-making.
judy3ca - Kim, good idea! I almost ran over a bunch of wild turkeys one day.
Sharon - ok... i'm feeling like i'm depriving my kids here... no turks anywhere near my room
cavey - Heck - let's just take em out in the woods and shoot some
Kim/1/Ca - YEAH, Sue! You KNOW the turkeys!
judy3ca - Michelle, that's many points in your favor.
Sharon - i'll sit with you michelle
Erin - Sharon..you are not depriving them...
Kim/1/Ca - OMG, Judy......say it ain't so..........
brad - "handprint turkeys" were the running joke with the faculty at my university, and thus, carried over into the classes. We were told we'd be strung up and shot if they ever visited any of us and saw them in our rooms.
Grace/IL - Kim's into manufacturing new words -- realia. That's a great one.
Erin - If Judy drives as fast as she walks I don't doubt it
Kim/1/Ca - I didn't make it up Grace.........it's in the eduspeak..............honestly.
judy3ca - Erin, LOLOL.
Erin - So brad...in your defiance did you have thousands of them everywhere?
brad - Grace, Realia is for real.
Erin - Realia is really real
Michelle - last night, I presented an Investigations lesson to a bunch of parents. They had to do the lesson. They were frustrated. It was kinda fun.
Sharon - and footprint butterflies, brad?
judy3ca - Erin, now you know why my principal jokes that it's a good thing I don't drink coffee.
Grace/IL - I bet the dictionaries don't include it yet.
brad - Judy, Fast walker here too.
cavey - My daughter came home with handprint spider from preschool
Kim/1/Ca - No! You use footprints for REINDEER heads. Sheesh.
judy3ca - GMWA, Brad.
Alta Rose - A lesson for what grade level, michelle?
brad - Footprint Butterflies??? Never hoid of it. However, I have heard of dryer lint butterflies
Sharon - lol kim!
brad - LOL, Judy
sue - yall I teach pre-k and it's just easu for them to create with their handprints
Kim/1/Ca - You go, Michelle......nothing like showing those parents whose boss.
Erin - My son did the footprint reindeer...it's up in my closet
Grace/IL - By golly, it's there -- Hanging my head in embarrassment.
Michelle - it was a 3rd gr. lesson.
judy3ca - Oh, man, that's it Brad. I'll bring some lint for the turkeys!
brad - cavey, do they know spiders have eight legs, not five?
Alta Rose - So why were they frustrated??
Kim/1/Ca - You are exempt from the turkey handprint bashing, Sue. PreK can get away with it. Worry not.
Michelle - and I shared how Investigations and Bridges coincides with the Thinking Strategies their kids are learning (MOT)
sue - brad-- you overlap the thumbs to make fangs
Erin - Sue, it's a tough crowd here Friday night...hang in there
brad - I don't bash the activity at a preschool-Kindergarten level
sue - kim- LOL! I don't stress over it.
Marcia/1st/GA - ooh, Michelle, that sounds good. Tell us more
cavey - See smarty pants Brad, you can make handprint spiders!
Kim/1/Ca - Footprint Reindeer Rock!
Michelle - it was trying to fit tetrominoes into a 10 x 12 grid.
brad - speaking of Bridges, Michelle (why you little...)
Michelle - an intro to 2-D geometry.
sue - with this year's crew, I dare anyone to last a day and remain sane !!!
Kim/1/Ca - I don't know if I could do that, Michelle..............
Sharon - lol sue!
cavey - Sue - I used to teach pre k and K don't take anything as a jab tonight
Michelle - they were frustrated because they couldn't necessarily get their tetrominoes to fit the grid, and wanted me to tell them if it was possible.
brad - We did all the possible tetrominoes last year, Michelle. It was kind've neat,
Marcia/1st/GA - how did you relate it to MOT?
Kim/1/Ca - You're preachin' to the choir, Sue. We all have quite the group this year. Some worse than others...........
Alta Rose - What did they find frustrating, Michelle?
Sharon - how many do you have in your class, sue?
sue - cavey- I don't.
Kim/1/Ca - I did Kinder for eight years and LOVED it. Finally got promoted to First Grade......kicking and screaming. But I love it.
sue - I have 19 with a full time. I'm at risk but not speced
judy3ca - Kim, I have a great class this year, but I hear the one coming is awful.
Sharon - first grade is my love!
Alta Rose - One of our K. teachers is on stress leave until Christmas.
cavey - You're among friends then Sue
Marcia/1st/GA - I prefer first over kindergarten, too
brad - I'm sorry, Michelle (and here's where I occasionally part ways with Investigations) but what was the purpose behind that (albeit interesting and fun) activity. (For those not caught up, I think it's easy to create an "authentic looking" activity and hide behind standards)
sue - We are all wondering what happened in 1998. Every class has at least 4 who have really severe bizarre behavior
Sharon - i have a great class too... wonderful supportive parents... i think i've died and gone to teaching heaven
naneb -
Michelle - it's now the NCTM standards relate to thinking strategies....to be a good mathematician you need to be able to visualize, connect, infer, predict, determine what's important, etc.
cavey - What is stress leave?
Kim/1/Ca - I had the BEST week with mine. Luis settled down and is actually affectionate. Kwinzi cries now because he doesn't want to go home. And I tested them today with some word lists and they ROCKED! Woo hoo........!
Alta Rose - She got 5 special needs kids and the other K. teacher got none.
Sharon - hi nan!
Kim/1/Ca - (((((Naneb))))))
Alta Rose - When your doctor believes you are sick due to stress. It's a medical leave.
naneb - HI, Kim!
Marcia/1st/GA - Hi Nan
sue - hey naneb!
Kim/1/Ca - I tried thinking strategies on Thurs........had cubes in a bag and did a statistics thing........YIKES.
naneb - ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((everyone))))))))))))))))))
Michelle - brad, that's one thing I brought up to my partner before doing the lesson w/the parents, but I think it's the spatial awareness, the terms "flip", "turn", "slide", "dimensions", "area"....
Alta Rose - At least it was a wakeup call to admin and they moved a couple of kids over to the other K. class.
brad - Math, Kim?
Marcia/1st/GA - Brad, I am really lost with all the research talk. What is research based and what isn't? I've been upset all week...
brad - But when YOU don't know Michelle. . . . (not blaming you here)
Kim/1/Ca - You should SEE their writing journals! I am soooooo thrilled.
naneb - Marcia, it depends on whose research and who is making the decisions!!
judy3ca - Brad, what do you mean 'hide behind standards?'
Alta Rose - Gr. 1 writing is so exciting, Kim!
Kim/1/Ca - I lack spatial awareness.......my least developed "intelligence."
brad - I think we need to meet a happy medium between some of the Investigations and a more "traditional" program. (which is what I hope Bridges is)
Marcia/1st/GA - Thanks, Nan, for that succinct answer. So I am still okay
Alta Rose - Me too, Kim. But my son has it big time!
brad - Judy, Mostly I'm referring to the debate with fuzzy math or what they are calling new new math
Michelle - I was clarifying for myself, brad. Those are some of the things the authors list as objectives for the lesson.
Kim/1/Ca - Yup.....math Brad. It is getting harder now and some of them are starting to flounder a bit.......adding and subtracting ONE kinda icky for them. I keep demonstrating on the number line.
judy3ca - Kim, good for you and your babies--especially Kwinzi--I'm sitting here repeating that name, I just love it!
naneb - I took a class about research and statistics and you can prove almost anything with the same set of data
brad - That's one of the things I didn't like about Investigations after doing some more thinking and talking to people here on the board. Whereas, Investigations is one of the best things we've got going, it's still flawed in too many areas for my liking.
cavey - Kwinzi - sounds like a tropical drink
Kim/1/Ca - You should see me when they leave a puzzle out. It takes me............(days, weeks, months)............a long time.
Michelle - Kim, so do I, and I mentioned that to the parents. One of the parents also picked up on the application of this awareness....loading a moving van.
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah, he's a tropical drink alright! LOL........my ADHD poster child. But I love him.
brad - I don't want anyone here to think I don't recommend Investigations. I still use some of it.
brad - (And of course I haven't been trained) LOL
Alta Rose - Kim, my son used to do big puzzles upside down when he was 4. (Meaning he'd turn all the pieces over and do the puzzle, relying only on the shapes.) Lol.
judy3ca - Kim, LOL, my ADHD poster child is the one who nailed the concept today in WW--go figure.
Michelle - our district has overloaded us on the training in both Investigations and Bridges. We still get training twice per month.
Marcia/1st/GA - brad, so how do you determine which lessons you are going to use...I was trained for 2 hours!
Kim/1/Ca - (((little d)))
Michelle - hi, diane!
cavey - Hey little d!!
judy3ca - Hi Diane!
diane - hi guys!
Alta Rose - Hi Diane!
Kim/1/Ca - That's something else, Alta Rose!
brad - Apparently, from what I gather Marcia, the most valid reserached piece is Feedback. ANd the best way to teach writing is Inquiry (Katie Wood Ray is what I'm thinking) Jan tried to point me to some reading research. But when I get a clearer picture (it focuses more each day) I'll let you know
Erin - I would love to get training in something. I get to look forward to the day long training on our new reading series.
Grace/IL - Hi Max and Diane
Erin - "This is the teacher's guide. Turn to page 27 to see a sample lesson"
cavey - Oh Erin- you're putting me to sleep
Marcia/1st/GA - Yeah, I did understand the feedback issue. However, that would fit in with any type of teaching framework.
judy3ca - Now, Erin, you got to hear Ellin and Vicki.
Erin - cavey...exactly. Why do I need to be trained in a reading program
Marcia/1st/GA - Erin, you got to hear Ellin and you have to get textbook trained???
Kim/1/Ca - I WANT to hear them, Judy! Where are they next?
max - hi Grace
Erin - That, my dear judy, is because I demanded to go. Let us not confuse the two issues here
max - same Grace from a long time back???
Marcia/1st/GA - So how does Katie Wood Ray fit in with inquiry?
brad - Honestly Marcia, I look over the "topic area" when I'm supposed to be covering it according to district timelines. I sit down with the INvestigations book dealing with it, any Burns unit I have dealing with it, our "traditional" text, and any other resources I've gathered on the topic. I then take my standards/benchmarks book and be sure I pick and choose the best activities to meet each standard. And then I determine the best sequence. I just started geometry this week and will be using quite a bit of Investigations.
Erin - HMM, Marcia. Yes, does that make sense?
Kim/1/Ca - Grace isn't THAT old, Max! LOL.....
judy3ca - I just got an ad that Katie Ray has separated from her university and will do training sessions.
Grace/IL - Max, same grace whose been around forever
cavey - That's how I plan Brad!
cavey - A little of this, a little of that,...
diane - i got that same ad, judy, i'm trying to get my district to get her
Erin - Oooh, Judy, that would be awesome. Send info as you get it
brad - I did too, Judy!! From Heinemann??
Alta Rose - Me, too, Cavey and brad. Only different resources of course.
Kim/1/Ca - Amazing Grace...........
max - no, but an old buddy I haven't seen in a long time, lol
Erin - cavey and brad...that's how I do it also. More work but more rewarding
judy3ca - Yup, Heinemann.
Kim/1/Ca - I bet she is expensive, Judy.
Marcia/1st/GA - sounds good, Brad! But the investigations is really hard to wade through and I don't always get through the book. I tend to fall back on the ones I am familiar with from the year before
Michelle - Judy, I got that ad from Heinneman....Oh, i wish my district would bring her in
judy3ca - Kim, LOL, $$ is why I threw it away.
brad - Isn't what Katie Wood Ray advocates (looking at text and determining why writer's write that way) what Inquiry is?
diane - i was told that we'd file it in our wish list...of course, there's no money
Erin - OK, now I feel left out. Everyone got the brochure but me. WAH WAH
Kim/1/Ca - I didn't get it either, Erin......and I buy from Heinemann! Dirty dogs..............
Sharon - how much $$ are we talking?
judy3ca - Brad, did you notice the flyer referred to her as 'Katie Ray?'
Michelle - that's what I was told too, diane
judy3ca - Maybe she's friends with Dav Pilkey, too.
Marcia/1st/GA - Brad, how did you determine that teahcing by inquiry was the best way for writing?
cavey - Oh so that's inquiry ? Maybe I can get this after all.
Kim/1/Ca - Speaking of expensive.........MARCIA is holding out on us. SHE has the tapes and she wont' send them to me.
Erin - If she sends them Kim, invite me over. I"ll make the drive
brad - My district would find someone to go see someone who was Katie Wood Ray's second cousin. Have THEM train someone in our district higher up. Have the "higher up" train a teacher. And then make all of us attend a staff development session with that teacher. THAT'S how cheap my district is.
diane - yep michelle, at least my district isn't thinking of shaving 15 days off the school year...yet
judy3ca - Erin, did you start reading Atwell yet?
brad - Jan's article, Marcia.
Kim/1/Ca - LOL Brad.............heeeeer you loud and clear.
Michelle - then you can send them here and diane and I can see them.
judy3ca - Brad, ROFLOL.
Marcia/1st/GA - yes, the sacred tapes. I am spending my rainy weekend watching reading strategy instruction tapes-oh what a great life.
Erin - Judy, awesome book. I read almost the whole thing. I wish I'd had that book before. Now I need to go back and read some parts more carefully.
Michelle - diane, our district gets so much federal money, that we are doing pretty well this year. it's next year we are worried about.
cavey - It's like the Kevin Bacon game of staff development
Erin - cavey, LOL
brad - LOL, Cavey. Judy, I didn't notice on her name change. Hmmmm....(doing it with Dav also?)
Kim/1/Ca - good one, cavey..........hee hee hee............kevin bacon.......
judy3ca - Great, Erin, I'm sooooo glad you like it. I checked the new one out (70% new material) and just started.
diane - lol cavey
diane - michelle, i think that my school could be in danger of closing next year
cavey - Like I said, who can resist flip o rama?
brad - Okay, that's it! If sacred tapes are being passed around, I need to worship also. (since I didn't get my paper last Sunday morning. Must fill that void in case it doesn't come this Sunday)
Erin - Why will the state of Calif. pay thousands and thousands for us to be trained on the "NEW READING CURRICULUM" but not for some of these awesome experts?
Kim/1/Ca - See, Marcia.........Erin is within driving distance. If you send me the tapes, Erin and I both can watch them and then FED EX them back to you.
brad - Diane, I'm in fear (ha) of state taking over.
Erin - Yes, Marcia...see how cost efficient that would be. Two for the price of one. What a deal
brad - Or, better yet, training on the new textbook series (like I can't read?)
judy3ca - I'm going to see a less-awesome expert next month and I'm thrilled.
Kim/1/Ca - What NEW book Judy?????????
brad - Judy, are you talking about In the Middle. Great book.
Erin - Amen, Brad. Preach it brother
Sharon - brad, you should fear... they'll tell you when to speak, what to say, and how to position your body while doing so
Erin - Who are you seeing Judy.
Marcia/1st/GA - I'd have hit men after me in the event they aren't returned, that's how valuable these tapes actually are..
cavey - Okay, In the Middle is my next book, right?
diane - judy, who's your less-awesome expert?
judy3ca - Kim and Brad, yes, In the Middle by Nancie Atwell--my copy is ancient and she's added tons of new stuff.
Kim/1/Ca - (<<<hands waving in the air, swaying to the rhythm of BRAD preachin' it..........)
Michelle - us too, us too! I can drive to diane's!!
Erin - Sharon, and don't forget that all teachers need to do it at the same time.
judy3ca - Carl Anderson, Mr. Conference WW.
Alta Rose - Who is on these tapes, Marcia? (Sorry if I missed it.)
brad - yes, sharon, you must tell me about that sometime. I'm afraid the way I'm positioning my body now is just not research-based? Should I try yoga perhaps?
Kim/1/Ca - Okay.....so Erin and I will watch them and then I will FED EX them to Michelle and diane. THEN Marcia gets them back.
Sharon - erin, while being watched to make sure they don't veer off
Marcia/1st/GA - Judy, I have a different one by Atwell, I think... About 12 years old ,maybe
diane - yeah...don't leave us northerners out!!
Michelle - oh...I can read In the Middle!! we have it in the Book Room at school!!
Erin - If that's how they want teaching done...videotape a teacher and play it for classes...think about the money saved
Kim/1/Ca - I have that.....let me check.
Marcia/1st/GA - Erin, Sharon, if you could just hear yourselves talk about everyone doing it at the same time. Really, ladies!
judy3ca - cavey, In the Middle is the basis for my WW. When I was ready to convert to WW, I read tons. It finally dawned on me that everything I was reading quoted Atwell. I love it.
brad - OH, no no no. New copy is much much better. You can gauge the difference and the wisdom of experience (unlike most second editions)
Sharon - lol marcia
Erin - Thanks Marcia...I'm glad we got that settled
Kim/1/Ca - MINES is 1998
cavey - Okay - that does it- I'll get it next
brad - LOL, Kim, the real question is Can It Drink Water?
Erin - In The Middle is awesome. I wish I'd bought it a long time ago
brad - No, Erin, trust me you want the new edition
diane - i have the ancient edition...haven't read it yet, do i need to get the new one?
diane - in the middle, that is
judy3ca - Erin HAS the new edition!
brad - New Edition =Much Better (no bobby brown)
Michelle - how new is the new one?
Erin - True, Brad....70% more. I definitely got my money's worth
cavey - Okay, I'm buying, I'm buying...
Kim/1/Ca - do i have the new edition?
Erin - cavey,quickly...before the urge passes..buy the book!!!
judy3ca - ROFLOL! I loved that 70% more claim--do you think they counted the words or the ideas?
Erin - See, Judy started this discussion and PEOPLE ARE BUYING BOOKS!!! It's crazy I"m telling ya!
brad - LOL< I thought that too, Judy when I picked it up
cavey - Not to worry Erin, the urge never passes
judy3ca - Kim, it says new edition right on the cover.
Erin - This is what happened at CRA.
Kim/1/Ca - so i have to get up again........? sheesh...............
diane - yeah...judy is like a book pusher
Michelle - Judy got people to buy books there too?
judy3ca - At CRA Judy confesses that she spent $212 on books.
brad - yah, don't ask Kim to leave her ho ho's to WALK ACROSS THE ROOM
Michelle - Judy, what publishing company does your husband work for?
naneb - maybe she gets a kickback from the book publishers
Erin - $212...when did you go back and buy more? I spent $115 , but don't tell
judy3ca - Michelle, LOL, separate checkbooks.
Kim/1/Ca - Oh yeah........70% more........right on the cover.
Erin - NOw Brad, It may be a very large room, you never know
brad - ,<--------(whining) I wanna see Keene and Wood Ray and Taberski!!!!!!!!! (why must I suffer through my district's financial woes?)
judy3ca - That's the way to let the text help you, Kim.]
Marcia/1st/GA - My Atwell book is called Coming to Know-I just had to know, just had to know
brad - That one's not bad, Marcia, but you Must Buy Middle. It's Must Read Book
Kim/1/Ca - COMING to know .............WHAT? That is the question.
Alta Rose - In the Middle--I'm writing that down.
cavey - I guess we'll all have to move to California
Erin - Kim are you still doing your book group in December? Remember, I will come if you want help.
brad - Poor my distict, thinking they have the magic formula and all. (Serious Sharon about wanting to know about your "state" experience)
Marcia/1st/GA - I thought it was for middle school kids. I'm not kidding, I really thought that was the age targeted.
Marcia/1st/GA - Kim, I'll never tell.
Grace/IL - If it's all in the middle, what's on the outside?
Marcia/1st/GA - Kim, I'll never tell.
brad - It is, marcia, but it's good for the principles involved
Alta Rose - Speaking of book groups....
diane - me too, marcia...
Marcia/1st/GA - hmmm, double post...
Erin - Marcia, it is but many of her points go across grade levels
Michelle - marcia, that's what I thought too.
judy3ca - Marcia, Atwell did work with middle schoolers--but her philosophy is wonderful.
Kim/1/Ca - yes, Erin..........I haven't planned it out really well, yet. Just some musings...........I am at least 90 minutes away from you. You need to pack provisions to drive to Wilsona, I tell ya..........
Marcia/1st/GA - Okay, sold to the woman in the front row!
brad - Ho Ho's = Provisions
Kim/1/Ca - Grace......she refers to the "middle ground" in the "reading wars.
Erin - Ooohh 90 minutes, so you're further than Lancaster
Kim/1/Ca - Grace......she refers to the "middle ground" in the "reading wars."
Alta Rose - A couple of my collegues are in charge of school improvement and wanted to get the staff reading RWM, based on what I told them...
Sharon - don't get me started, brad... what i wanna know is why can't they just say the problem out loud... INEFFECTIVE teachers protected by tenure
Erin - Ho HO's plus Coffee Kiosk
brad - HEy Grace, where can I get controlled readers on the cheap?
Kim/1/Ca - To the EAST of Palmdale, Erin. I live in Palmdale but my commute is 25 minutes......
judy3ca - Go Sharon!
brad - or in my case, Sharon---BEHAVIORAL ISSUES
Alta Rose - So they bought a copy for all the staff members. (Still whining about the fact that I bought my own and didn't get reimbursed,)
Grace/IL - Maybe I need to read that one.
Kim/1/Ca - Tenure is a double edged sword, isn't it.
cavey - Whew Sharon is that a diamond I saw flying past?
Alta Rose - Anyway, one of the teachers told them outright not to bother giving her the book, she wasn't going to read it....
Erin - Gotcha, Kim.
brad - LOL--Diamonds ARE a girl's best friend
diane - cavey, you crack me up
Grace/IL - Brad. there are a couple of really easy ones on www.starfall.com
Michelle - no tenure in Oregon. but it's still difficult to fire a teacher who's past Probationary status.
judy3ca - Alta Rose--try this....I almost always have bought (and read) the book that my district buys for the whole staff (MOT, STW, etc.). Now my Lit Coach buys me other stuff--it's so cool.
cavey - I'm glad little d!
Kim/1/Ca - What is Starfall, Grace?
Alta Rose - Then earlier this week one of our other teachers (not knowing this) came bouncing into the staffroom, raving about what a FABULOUS book it is...
Marcia/1st/GA - How do most of your schools do with the book studies at school where principals try to get every teacher reading and discusssing. I don't think it's working too well at our school.
naneb - Brad, Starfall will send you the stuff for free
diane - we're in the throws of that at my school right now, michelle...
Kim/1/Ca - Where can I find Rookie Readers?
brad - Nan, you're keeping this a secret from me TOO/ (Et tu, Brute?)
naneb - www.starfall.com
Erin - I gotta go. My son needs me to spend some time with him. I had a blast tonite.
Erin - Talk to you all soon.
Sharon - you can't mandate attitude, marcia... i think that's a big part of it
naneb - hold on
Grace/IL - Starfall's an interactive website. Kids can go there and practice. Grandson loves it.
Marcia/1st/GA - Scholastic has rookie readers, I think
diane - night erin
Alta Rose - So the first teacher did an about face and told my collegue she would read it after all! (The enthusiastic one has no idea of the impact of what she said!)
Michelle - bye, erin!
judy3ca - Bye Erin. Think positively--I need a buddy.
Kim/1/Ca - This is a first effort, Marcia. I can tell you more in a couple of weeks.
Kim/1/Ca - ((((Erin))))))
Marcia/1st/GA - oh, yeah, we had this talk last week, didn't we? I am beating a dead horse
cavey - Bye Blondie!!
brad - I'll mandate some attitude. Grace, still interested if you have any infor on how to go about writing your own. Think I could do it with a kickstart
Erin - No problem Judy.
Erin - ((((everyone)))) bye
brad - what talk did we have last week?
Alta Rose - Night, erin.
naneb - http://www.starfall.com/
Grace/IL - Brad, email me. Maybe we can collaborate.
judy3ca - Brad, LOL, your memory is younger than mine.
Grace/IL - I've talked with my daughter about having her art classes illustrate them.
naneb - Brad, have you used the decdable books on reading a- z
Kim/1/Ca - OH NO! Not Dan and Nan gassing the VAN?
Marcia/1st/GA - What level books are you needing, Brad?
judy3ca - Phonics time, night all!
Grace/IL - Nan, do the a-z ones have good stories?
brad - Okay, Grace, have your email in my
brad - Oh, judy......
Michelle - look! you are chasing off Judy!!
Kim/1/Ca - ((((((judy)))))))
naneb - the first ones are the usual but after a few books they are okay
Grace/IL - Kim, shush, Venezky says content isn't important. Success is!
Michelle - didn't we talk about phonics all month already?
cavey - Night Judy! You cost me bucks tonight ,girl!
diane - ((judy))
Kim/1/Ca - See Judy go. Go, Judy, go!
Marcia/1st/GA - don't go, Judy.
brad - LOL
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah my kids have bonded with Max and the Bad Rat.
Grace/IL - 'Night Judy --
brad - Don't go Judy, I was setting up her email to talk privately....
judy3ca - No, no, it's fine! Have phun! I'm tired.
brad - are you serious kim?
diane - lol, kim
brad - Bye Joody
brad - Listen, don't knock me just cause MY pendulum is swinging the other way
Kim/1/Ca - Seriously, they love Max.....I don't get it but they do. I think because they can READ it. LIke Grace says..........
Sharon - night all
cavey - I gotta go too. Last week I admired the foliage, this week I have to get it off my yard
Marcia/1st/GA - I nede to go az well. Good nite!
Kim/1/Ca - NO Sharon..............
Alta Rose - Take Care, Sharon. Thanks for all your help!
brad - LIke flies.
Sharon - no problem alta rose... i learn from you too!
cavey - Have a good week guys!
brad - Sharon, may the state bring you sweet dreams (as only the state can)
Grace/IL - In the Makar decodable books there's a story about a cat who ate his rate friend. Then, when they got to long vowels, they took the cat to the vet, cut it open, and there was the rat, alive and healthy.
Alta Rose - Hey, they're dropping like flies!
brad - Grace, that's ill
Alta Rose - Lol, Grace!
Kim/1/Ca - Oh no.................ick.
Michelle - ew, ew, ew grace.
Michelle - that is disturbing!!
brad - I'm just so frustrated with this group and their lack of whatever
Grace/IL - That's what I thought, too. Never really used that story.
Kim/1/Ca - Oh I know, Brad.......the lack of comprehension is just amazing. I dont' know how to describe it. It is almost comical.
brad - What is it Kim? Is it those @#$% 1000 hours?
Michelle - my group this year is really AUOI. Last year's group was more like yours, brad.
Grace/IL - Talked with Ken Campbell of Great Leaps at the Dyslexia meeting. He says we need to start with story ideas and work the decodable stuff in rather than starting with words and trying to make sense of them.
Michelle - even my low readers really contribute in comprehension discussions
brad - That's the kind of stuff I'm talking Grace. More?
diane - sorry...i got distracted by the movie my husband put on...gotta run
Kim/1/Ca - Yes, Brad. It is.....truly. There is a new RT out and a couple of fascinating articles are there. I am reading one about vocabulary. It ties right in. Those with a rich vocabulary from print experiences learn faster........they have that scaffolded schema.
brad - It's always movie night at Diane's
Alta Rose - Goodnight, diane.
brad - That's why I've become truly interested in Grace's program and the PWIM Kim. For that vocab exposure
diane - it's true, brad...the joy of having a slightly agoraphobic husband and a laptop...
Michelle - oh, I haven't had a chance to read the new RT or RRQ yet....I'll have to get on it.
Alta Rose - Vocab is the weakest area for our kids, too.
brad - and tonight's ffeature?
Kim/1/Ca - I lost my code for RRQ. .......
Grace/IL - I need to think on that. I have a four-liner or so about skin.
brad - Code?
diane - it's called pumpkin...seems to be a satire
Kim/1/Ca - Yes, the article laments the fact that vocabulary isn't the hot topic it should be.
brad - I"ve read some dreadful reviews on that one, diane. Let me know
naneb - how do they suggest you teach vocabulary?
Michelle - code?
Kim/1/Ca - yes, I subscribed to the online version. but there is a "code" to get past the gatekeeper..........i can't find mine.
diane - will do...night all
Michelle - I don't know of a code? I have a subcription to it, should I have a code too?
Kim/1/Ca - Rich, in-depth.......using key concepts in context over time.
Grace/IL - Kim, I need to go look for those articles. I read one good one --- I think.
brad - is there a diff in price Kim?
Kim/1/Ca - if you have the online version you have a code.............
Grace/IL - Kim, can't you just access it through the IRA website?
Michelle - ok, i think I only have the paper version.
brad - special ffeatures online??
Kim/1/Ca - i dont' know brad...............'spensive.......but I knew I needed access to "real research" if I am going to be the school's "specialist" and teach at the univ level.
Kim/1/Ca - I wish I had the paper version. Maybe they will convert it.
Grace/IL - I think RRQ online is a bit different from the paper version. I may be wrong on that.
brad - Yes, and they'd rather subscribe to Mailbox and Teacher's Helper where I'm from
Kim/1/Ca - I think you can get the article archives......but the articles themselves have to be paid for. Hence, the subscription. NOT the readingonline.org articles. The RRQ articles.
brad - I'm just too lazy to drive over to University here in town
Michelle - there's no university in my town, so it would be a pain to drive to one.
brad - so tell us more on your reading, here, Kim
Grace/IL - I'm lucky. IRA has offered a special price for retirees. Saves me a few $$
Kim/1/Ca - There is also a GOOD looking article by J. David Pearson in this month's RT. I can't wait to get to it........the vocab article sidetracked me.
brad - Michelle, are you rural?
Kim/1/Ca - I just loved the article by a teacher........reflecting how being a READER made her a better teacher.
Michelle - small town. farming town.
brad - just curious. I live in Ohio along the I 75 corriddor so the proliferation of universities around here really is no excuse for me
Kim/1/Ca - There is a direct relationship between the Matthew Effect (print experiences) and the corresponding vocabulary disparities between children. Good discussion of how independent, fluent, wide reading develops vocabulary at an astounding rate.
Michelle - I live right off the freeway, but it's a hassle to deal with traffic. I guess I'm just making up excuses.
brad - My kids just meet with such frustration levels with reading independently, but I'm just in a quandary, because if I'M doing all the reading......
Grace/IL - Kim, do you have the December issue already?
Michelle - whenever i see you mention the "matthew effect", kim, it makes me think of my experiences with Matthews. They are all a little screwy.
brad - So I thought easier (decodable?) text...... (I don't know....)
Kim/1/Ca - It's the next best thing......... until they get to a reasonable independent reading level. Max the Bad Rat only develops a limited vocabulary.............LOL
brad - Define reasonable
Kim/1/Ca - Just got it Grace...... On my second article already. Marked the first one up good.
Alta Rose - So, would it be OK to do the Bad Rat in conjunction with lots of read-alouds?
Grace/IL - I'm still reading November.
Kim/1/Ca - Well.............something with meat. Ideas. Some first grade level non fiction stuff, I think, would be good.
Kim/1/Ca - CERTAINLY, Alta Rose! Of course. The balance in all things.........very important.
brad - THAT'S what I'm talking, Kim, but I have none. (poor me)
brad - So I thought about WRITING some, hence, my quesiton to Grace that drove out the die-hard MOTer's
Michelle - another thing you've discussed, kim...the Ruby Payne book. Discussed it regarding our parents. 90%of the parents who show up for our parent club meetings are hispanic....situational poverty. The "anglo" parents don't show.
Kim/1/Ca - yeah........i have lots of fiction and lots of decodable. But I lack non-fiction and this is what the boys, especially, gravitate to...........
Alta Rose - It's funny with vocab...I often assume the kids know what words mean. But I've started to stop and ask a lot more and so many times they DON'T know!
naneb - why is that? when we start talking phonics they all leave/
brad - whole language residue, Nan? LOL
Kim/1/Ca - My kids are getting lots of predictable text right now............I have to NUDGE them with decodable. Some of them can handle Rookie Readers but I have so few.............
brad - It is funny, Grace, using your materials, how many of them give these quizzical looks when I say "mammal" or "quail"
diane - only back for a minute or so...movie seems to be god awful
Alta Rose - My school does Stanford Tests every year. Kids always score high in phonics, OK in Reading Comp, and low in vocab.
Grace/IL - I have skin on my back and skin on my hand,
naneb - I deal with all of the kids who didn't learn to read in elementary and let me tell you, they cannot decode text at all, great comprehension if read to but no ability to decode
Kim/1/Ca - Yeah........I notice the Ruby Payne stuff a LOT in this district.
Grace/IL - OK, I tried pasting something in here. It didn't work.
brad - I hate to be this way, but with higher SES, I really think it's easier to slide on into the comprehension, because they have those thousand hours. My kids could talk MOT in first (if they taught it) I'm sure. But with Lower SES, shoot, like Kim says "do you hear that whizzing sound?"
Michelle - our kids score lower in vocab than in any other area, too.
naneb - it is the same here, Michelle
Grace/IL - It was about skin on my shin and skin on my chin, etc.
Kim/1/Ca - That tells me, Alta Rose, that they are learning to decode well but at the expense of learning to comprehend and they are NOT reading independently enough.
diane - vocab, what's vocab??
Grace/IL - Yes, Brad, mammal and quail help build vocab.
naneb - my 6th graders do not know consonant or vowel digraphs, suffixes, prefixes at all
Kim/1/Ca - YES, Brad..........because they have LITERACY experiences. Print experiences. Lots of rich language. The differences are almost palpable.
brad - do you actually use that terminology with them Kim or Nan or Alta or anyone?
Alta Rose - Altho they do not too bad in reading comp. It's the vocab that is really weak.
Kim/1/Ca - no
diane - which terminology, brad?
brad - KIm, when I taught third in this building last year, my problem was less with decoding and more about comprehension, and I missed what you said to Alta about that
naneb - I am very upfront with my kids, we discuss their problems and how to fix them
Alta Rose - Mammal, yes. Quail, no.
brad - digraph and dipthong
Michelle - I do sometimes, brad. when it comes up
diane - no
Kim/1/Ca - My son took two years of Latin. He scored in the 99th percentile in Vocab on the SAT 9. He was read to a LOT, obviously........
Michelle - not digraphs and dipthongs though
Alta Rose - But I agree with you that happens with many kids, Kim.
naneb - I have students with no books at home
diane - i do use terms of metacognition
Alta Rose - Oh, I thought you meant mammal and quail! Lol!
diane - lol, alta
brad - me too, nan, but down here it's hard to get one-on-one with them to help them see problems. Honestly they don't seem to mind they have problems
Kim/1/Ca - Brad I said that it appeared to me, off the top of my head, that the kids in her school are gettting a heavy dose of phonics and can decode but at the expense of comprhension instruction. Without adequate amounts of independent reading, vocab will not grow.
naneb - I had a down and dirty talk with them about expecting me to do everything and that they had to start studying and working and that helped
Alta Rose - Oh I see what you mean, Kim.
brad - Nan, YOu must tell me how you got down and dirty. Because I think I got down the other day, but not sure I got dirty
Alta Rose - Let's just say the first grade teachers LOVE their worksheets!
Kim/1/Ca - That's the trap of poverty, Brad.......they don't aspire to anything.......
brad - too much worksheet teaching in my school, Kim. I think that's the reason for low comp
Grace/IL - Nan, I think that's a problem in lots of classrooms. Teachers are doing all the work and kids do nothing.
naneb - I have these older kids and I just tell them straight, they have to start working and porducing in middle school or be prepared to get a special ed certificate
brad - any tips on helping aspirations Kim? I just don't feel I'm giving them success.
Alta Rose - One of the first grade teachers who fought to keep the phonics worksheets is the one who didn;t want to read RWM.
Kim/1/Ca - The comp is HARD! I was floored by how low mine are in that area. Just amazed.............I am now re-reading books with "meat" just to get into comprehension. Like today..........
Alta Rose - I agree Kim. Lots of reading has to improve vocab!
brad - I got really witchy with mine yesterday about relying on me for spelling and/or sounding out. I had been doing it and dropping out more and more. Finally Yesterday I issued an ultimatum of "No Sounding out by Teacher" after holiday
naneb - brad, we all have to do accelerated reading in my district and one thing we do in my room is everytome someone gets a 90 or 100 we all applaud and now they are all becoming readers
Alta Rose - Also, I think sometimes adults are afraid to use "big" words with kids, for fear that they won't be understood..
Kim/1/Ca - PIck really good stories for them Brad........get them hooked on being readers. This is why I think the predictable books help.....they feel successful! then I throw in the decodable and teach strategies.
Grace/IL - I think there has to be a balance of reading meaty stuff TO them and having them read text that they can be successful with..
Kim/1/Ca - Amen, Grace~
brad - Nan, I just found out yesterday we have AR on some of our computers. Now how would you crreate a comp quiz for the "meatless" readers these primaries can read?
diane - lol brad, i delivered an edict yesterday as well...no more video games for writer's workshop...the phrase "you're not my friend" has also been banned in the third grade
Alta Rose - Yet if we don't use the vocab when talking to the kids, they certainly won't learn it.
naneb - one of my kids said they liked it better when my student teacher was there and I said, " maybe it was easier but look at what you can do now!" she did everything for them
Kim/1/Ca - I read them the Cookie Store cat.......twice. I asked today about the setting.........where it took place. Blank stares. Junior ventured a guess that it takes place in the fish store.
naneb - brad, if you have reading a-z I will send you some quizzes
brad - Kim, I'm still getting, "What's a setting?" even though we covered and have reviewed every weeek since the third week of school
Michelle - lol....oh no, kim1
naneb - I have written quizzes for levels d - s
Kim/1/Ca - But finally............they started to get it. Like pulling teeth. They SO didn't get the "flashback" of the cat as a kitten. They thought it was a different animal. Two cats.
brad - down at the E-F levels, nan?
Michelle - Well, my kids thought it took place in a bakery.
naneb - yup, just not every book
Michelle - but it makes sense since we have bakeries around here, not "cookie stores"
brad - If it's motivational, Nan, I'm up for anything at this point.
Grace/IL - I know there are newer ideas around but we did some Semantic Feature Analysis charts comparing simple stories, 3 versions of the same story or several stories about 3 characters (3 bears, 3 Billy goats, etc.
Kim/1/Ca - True, Michelle.........good point.
naneb - I have this one girl who could not read at all and she is reading those books and passing the tests so, I keep writing them
Alta Rose - I introduced text-text that way Grace!
Kim/1/Ca - They have NEVER ever seen anything like the Cookie Store....except at the mall.
Michelle - Mrs. Fields?
Kim/1/Ca - yes, good success with t-t
brad - I question whether some of mine have been anywhere but school
Grace/IL - Alta, make a chart. Note characters, setting, plot, resolution, etc.
Alta Rose - I was lucky. We had just done 3 BGGruff and one of our basals has "The Three Beavers Brown." Same idea, except it was a Sasquatch, not a troll.
Kim/1/Ca - yup........lol michelle..........and that is IF they get a trip into "town." Many lack transportation.
Alta Rose - We did a Venn Diagram. Kids were pretty successful with it.
brad - Any other ideas for Easy Success, I'm up for all
naneb - Grace, I did that with the versions of the three little pigs, we had a giant chart, we started as a class and they finished by using their own individual chart
naneb - I think I had 4 different versions
Michelle - now if they did the Coffee Store Cat, all my kids would understand. Coffee shops everywhere!
Grace/IL - Brad, have you ever used a KWL?
Kim/1/Ca - Brad......the biggest thing is creating the community. Graves and Wood Ray and Miller yak it to death......but it is the truth.
brad - oh yeah, grace.
Alta Rose - Our Venn Diagram covered those things Grace. (So I did something right! Yay!)
brad - I agree, Kim. So hard with these kids, as I'm sure you know
naneb - we also read a page or 2 and stop and summarize the page in one sentence
Alta Rose - The kids came up with things I hadn't thought of.
Kim/1/Ca - The L.A. Times had a cute article about a chicken.......how some people are keeping chickens as pets......leashes, the whole bit. LUIS loves chickens. The article was a HUGE success. He can't read it, but I read it and gave it to him. He has it in his desk.
Grace/IL - See, Alta, they were bringing their own background to the task.
naneb - I have them use a post it note to write down important words or words they don't know and those become the vocabulary words for the story
Alta Rose - Good idea, nan! So often I assume they know words they don't.
brad - some days I just wanna open up that closet, Kim
Kim/1/Ca - They WANT to read and write. They beg for journal time. They WANT to read to their friends...........I am capitalizing on that. I pick and chooose only the BEST read alouds and I MERChANDISE the predictables and the decodables......so they will CHOOSE them.
naneb - I covered my door in paper and when they find a word that is really special we write it on the door, This is for words too good to forget
brad - Kim, let me in on how you structure your day
Kim/1/Ca - I put sticky notes on their desks with special words.........."and" "the" etc........stuff they need that they might be having trouble with.
Grace/IL - Good idea, Nan, they can look at the words every time they're near the door.
naneb - we have stupendous, gargantuan
Michelle - we aren't allowed to put any paper on our door. fire marshal
naneb - they like to use them in their writing too
Kim/1/Ca - 8:15-8:30...gathering time. school starts at 8:30. I have a math facts sheet on their desk when they come in.......
Grace/IL - Nan, good words for breaking into syllables -- ala OG
Michelle - that's what I did last year, kim. I really think it helped.
Kim/1/Ca - 8:30-9:05 or so.......Calendar, morning meeting, attendance charts, morning songs, flag, etc.
Kim/1/Ca - we tally attendance..number sentences, etc.
brad - How much time in the day are THEY doing the reading?
Kim/1/Ca - 9:00-9:40 or so......3 days/wk= ROOTS, whole group, followed by Readers Workshop until 10:25......five minutes of drill and kill......word wall words, color words, number words, etc.
naneb - here is an idea I learned at the workshop I went to, have a 100 club for perfect sentences, this was a specific part of reading instruction, they practiced with a partner and then read the sentence when they had read 100 sentences perfectly they join the 100 club, then 200 club etc
brad - what sentence?
Kim/1/Ca - 2x/wk........Reader's Workshop first, I pull small groups for Making Words. Longer workshop. Recess at 10:30-10:45.
naneb - the program I am using has sentences but it could be any sentence from their reading
Grace/IL - Sounds like a fluency task. Ken Campbell has them read sentences in his Great Leaps program.
Alta Rose - You have a long morning, Kim. We start at 9:40 and recess at 10:05.
brad - tell more nan. Kim, how many and how long on recesses? (and when in the day?)
naneb - this is from Rewards, intense intervention for multi-syllable words
Kim/1/Ca - AFter recess, math drills.......math until 11:15 or so...... THEN Writers Workshop until lunch at noon. AFter lunch, read aloud, shared reading, language arts, social studies, whatever...........I try to squeeze in more free reading time and pull out to me for strategies, etc. Reader's Chair at 2:00 and music with songbooks and charts until the lst minute.......
naneb - Grace, it is part of the fluency portion along with reading timed passages to a partner
Kim/1/Ca - recess 15 ,min/ lunch 45 min. they come in during lunch if they want and READ.
naneb - I do Rewards with my 8th graders
Kim/1/Ca - My program is very biased to reading........shared reading a LOT, word wall stuff and Open Court lessons I squeeze in when I need to........
naneb - you have 45 min for lunch? Wow!! we have maybe 30 min. and that includes taking them and picking them up,ends up to be less than 20 minutes
Grace/IL - Hi Muriel. I think I'm heading off to bed. It's late in the midwest. 'Night all.
Michelle - I'm going too.
Alta Rose - 'Night, Grace. Have a great week!
naneb - brb
Kim/1/Ca - well, i take them and set them up........so i get really about 30 minutes.....
brad - nite grace, email on writing
Michelle - goodnight, everyone
Kim/1/Ca - Good night, Gracie!
Kim/1/Ca - I find it hard to squeeze everything in, Brad. Very frustrating.
brad - here, here, Kim. Especially dealing with behavioral issues
Alta Rose - I hear you, Kim.
Kim/1/Ca - yes..too much time wasted on "self control" issues............
brad - I'm just feeling guilty about some of the electronic babysitting I've set up during self-selected reading (reader's workshop)
brad - So I don't feel they're doing enough of the reading during the day
Kim/1/Ca - I let them choose a stack of books for their desk in the morning, on Monday........ lots of predictable texts adn decodable, like I said.........rules are NO WANDERING around, no talking.........just reading, alone or with a partner. I do Making words or I circulate........reading with them.
Alta Rose - How much reading are they doing, brad?
Alta Rose - We choose our books on Friday afternoon for the following week, when we are cleaning desks.
brad - Just during SSR and (rarely) in GR, Alta. But in SSR, because of behavior I set up a listening and a computer center
naneb - brad, do you do sharing? my kids last year would read so they could share their book
brad - And on SSR I think theyr'e doing more fooling than reading.
Alta Rose - I found out a couple of days ago that the kids are hiding a favourite book....
brad - Nan, they haven't shared. No.
naneb - maybe you could try reducing the amount of time
Kim/1/Ca - I am thinking about getting those magazine holders for their desks........YES, Naneb.....they LOVE to share!
Kim/1/Ca - They practice a book and sit in the Reader's Chair, Brad. I have them read with a partner or alone...depnds. Mostly predictable books right now.
naneb - last year when they started stealing books I knew I had made an impact!!
Alta Rose - It's a homereading book about Crocodiles. The kids have to bring homereading books back each day. So they were sticking it underneath a shelf on the floor so they could take it home again. Can't get too mad! Lol!
brad - Kim, I loved the magazine holders!! Unfortunately this year's group is NOT getting into them. ONly have two (Parents are really unsupportive wth this crew. How many times do I have to admonish them about pencils?)
Kim/1/Ca - LOL Naneb..they argue over who is going to borrow wht book for the night. The hot title right now is a $6.98 Dog Facts book.
naneb - try the sharing and make a really big deal out of it. special chair, applause etc.
brad - At the beginning of the year, i was so busy with behavior that I couldn't pull to conference and felt they weren't getting instruction. then I resorted to the "babysitting" and now I feel guilty for those "not really reading"
Alta Rose - And I had a parent yesterday who thought I didn't have enough of a variety, cuz her kid kept bringing home this confounded crocodile book! Lol!
Kim/1/Ca - I did a pencil raid, Brad......they found out I was NOT amused, either.
Kim/1/Ca - LOL, Alta.......Isaiah keeps borrowing the snake book.............
brad - Maybe I could circulate and it's a public conference in the Reading Chair?
Kim/1/Ca - Muriel, this is a teacher's chat room. We are discussing professional issues. Feel free to join us.
Alta Rose - What kind of discipline do you use when they are off-task during reading, brad?
brad - reminders, alta. Why?
Alta Rose - Muriel, I teach Gr. 2.
naneb - I have mine do a book commercial, like Reading Rainbow, they tell about their book and why someone else might want to read it and then I ask a question or someone else asks a question or two about the book
Kim/1/Ca - Elementary school......I teach first grade.
brad - how do the rest of you have yours share?
Alta Rose - Just curious, since you say the behaviours are keeping you from conferencing.
Alta Rose - Brad, I LOVE the 4Blocks partner share, and 4 share, which I did today for first time.
Kim/1/Ca - I reined Luis in by asking him to prepare a book to read for Reader's Chair. It helped. make a lot of eye contact with him and make sure he has lots of books to keep him occupied.
Kim/1/Ca - I am an American and I only speak and read English, Muriel. Sorry............
Alta Rose - I was so impressed the first time I did partner share. The dialogue was great!
brad - Maybe mine need more books to keep occupied. They keep 4 of a Rigby group type or Reading a-z in their book baggies. They can't trade until they've read it to me and it's met my standard
Kim/1/Ca - I keep an eye on what they have, Brad.........before they arrive, I add to or delete from their piles. LOL!
Kim/1/Ca - I am also adding some folders next week or so.........with lyrics of fave songs.................
Alta Rose - I let mine have 10, brad. And they can keep them or change them every Friday.
naneb - brad, do you let them partner read? try letting the good kids read together, maybe it will motivate the others
brad - Trouble is, Alta, I don't have that large a library.
Kim/1/Ca - I let them pick and choose..........and I am ON them like white on rice............gentle reminders.
Alta Rose - I still have one or two who just sit there and turn pages, or stare into space.
naneb - I have 4 boys who will all get a copy of the same book and then pile into a corner and take turns reading
brad - Right now, we have computers, listening center, book baggies, "Old Favorites" (books I've read aloud or wordless books or poetry charts, and then conferencing with me. I rotate them through
naneb - Brad, go to starfall and set that up on your computer, they can read those stories
Alta Rose - That's a good idea, brad. It's a good way to incorporate computer, which mine aren't getting much of right now.
naneb - you must be having a "private" conversation?
brad - But I feel guilty, Alta, because, I want them to do the book that it reads to them, but they always skip over that and go right to the little mini-games which have little to do with reading
brad - I think Kim is, Nan
Kim/1/Ca - I dont' feel the need to incorporate the computer.................I don't know. I just don't value it for the classroom.
naneb - Kim is not Nan
Alta Rose - Do you have technology / computer goals you have to meet?
brad - I don't either Kim, Admin pushes it, but I'm like, Look, won't they get enough of that later. And the only educational value is in the word processing, which unless they know keyboarding is useless
naneb - I use a computer all of the time
brad - Nan, trying to bribe admin into Smart Board
Kim/1/Ca - RIGHT...they will get plenty of computer and teh most important thing right now is learning to read and write.
Alta Rose - I agree with you about the computer, Kim. But I feel guilty that mine don't get much.
naneb - I do Guess the covered Word on the computer, my kids do powerpoint, I have Easy Book Deluxe to make books, we do webquests, research etc
Kim/1/Ca - Mine go to the "lab" 1x/week. Obsolete MACS.........they do math drills. Whoopie.
brad - If I can do the starfall thing (lots nan?) on one, the math program on one (goes with text, pre-tests and such) and AR on one or two, maybe I wouldn't feel so guilty they weren't reading
naneb - My kids did a webquest yesterday and they were all on task and involved throughout the period
Kim/1/Ca - naneb yours are older than mine. I don't feel I have that kind of flexibility. They are too needy .............lacking literacy experiences.
naneb - see Kim, that is not an efficient use of computers or time
brad - They just all crave my attention so bad (learned helplessness I think) that it's hard to do on-the-fly conferencing.
Kim/1/Ca - what is a QQ? I don't understand, Muriel.
naneb - I have a TV connected to my computer and we do things all together builds background knowledge
brad - Maybe spread them out more?
naneb - brad, I am not sure how many but there is lots of things to do
brad - They still sub-vocalize and it gets loud
Kim/1/Ca - Yes, I agree Naneb. I wish I didn't have to send them.
Kim/1/Ca - Same here, Brad............developmentally appropriate.
Alta Rose - I only have a couple that do that.
naneb - I just got 2 computer microscopes that connect to the computer
brad - That's awful Kim. One thing I can say about my building is we do have some updated technology (as much as possible) We have a nice lab and each room has at least four. (with testing grade levels having seven)
brad - whaddaya do for that kim
Kim/1/Ca - grit my teeth brad............
Alta Rose - The reading phone, brad?
brad - Nan, do you get these on your own or district or building. Your request or they offer?
naneb - I have kids that use the phones
brad - I tried the reading phones, Alta. Some use them. Others play. Maybe still too novel
Kim/1/Ca - I have to drive to Bakersfield in the morning with my friend...........the one who lost her husband? Life insurance issues..............I better git.
naneb - I got them from Intel for being an Intel teach to the future trainer
Kim/1/Ca - The Mother of all Antique Stores in Bakersfield...........(homer drool)
brad - Yah, quesitons questions, but we're going to see an author tomorrow and harry potter
Kim/1/Ca - have fun tomorrow, brad................((((((hugs to all)))))))))))
Alta Rose - Drive carefully, Kim!
brad - I'm just experiencing some heavy growing pains this year
Alta Rose - People are cutting out early tonight.
Alta Rose - So--How's the weather? (Lol)
Alta Rose - Which author are you going to see, brad?
naneb - Alta rose, what grade level do you teach?
Alta Rose - Grade 2 this year. (I am doing a 1-2 loop.)
naneb - I thought you were 2nd, where did Brad go?
Alta Rose - I was starting to wonder where everybody went! Lol!
naneb - my son was standing here talking to me
naneb - he just came home
Alta Rose - Oh!
Alta Rose - How many students do you have?
naneb - I have a different number every period, we do an alternate day block schedule 4 classes a day 90 minutes each
naneb - my biggest class is 14 and smallest is 6
Alta Rose - So are you bogged down with IPPs (IEPs) this time of year?
naneb - we do most of them in the spring for the next year
naneb - I have 16 students who I do their paperwork
Alta Rose - Oh. We do ours in the fall and update during the year. I have 2 special needs boys and so I had to do major IPPs for them.
naneb - I do almost all of the 6th graders so, that is a challenge because they are new to this school
Alta Rose - Do you at least have the IPP from the previous year as a springboard?
Alta Rose - Isn't that weird? Brad's name has disappeared, but it doesn't show where he logged off.
naneb - I teach the lowest language class, 6th reading, 8th reading and another really low reading class plus an acclerated reading/tutoring class
naneb - he maybe visiting that site I sent, if you don't post for awhile your name disapears
Alta Rose - I sure love the 4blocks framework!
Alta Rose - I got a lot of great stuff from your sites!
naneb - yes, and the elementary teacher does the front page which is the present levels of performance
Alta Rose - Oh, I didn't realize that.
naneb - thanks
Alta Rose - Which state do you live in?
naneb - I am having a hard time this year because of my schedule, I hate not having my kids everyday
naneb - Mississippi
Alta Rose - So that's different for you this year.
naneb - I think the block schedule is not very good for special ed kids
naneb - we are the only middle school doing it, many of the teachers are not too wild about it
Alta Rose - So they have a number of other teachers besides you?
Alta Rose - I don't think my daughter's middle school does it.
naneb - we have 5 special ed teachers, 3 inclusion teachers, 1 self contained and me
Alta Rose - How often do you see your kids?
naneb - every other day, we do 1,3,5,7 period one day and 2,4,6,8 period classes the next
Alta Rose - So are you responsible for covering a specific subject area?
naneb - we split the language into three classes and so I do one language and all of the reading last year I taught only 6th grade but all subjects
naneb - we only teach reading, language and math, the sped kids are included in science and social studies
Alta Rose - I see.
naneb - I have to go to bed it is almost 12:30 talk to you later
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