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char - Hi! I am a second grade teacher!
char - Anyone have any good ideas for Olympics in math?
Barb/2/NE - Anyone want to talk about 2nd grade
Barb/2/NE - hello Magpie, are you a 2nd grade teacher?
Barb/2/NE - You are doing fine!
MAGPIE - Yup! and a baby at his meeting thing. You too?That is a second grade teacher?
Barb/2/NE - Yes, I'm in Nebraska, Omaha to be exact This is my second year with 2nd grade
MAGPIE - Cool. I am in Central Florida. It's my third year-well fourth if you count when I strted teaching twoo hundred years ago. I taught 3rd. for 10 years, then abruptly was dropped to second. Did you teach any other grade? Do you like second?
Barb/2/NE - Do you do Scholastic News or Weekly Reader with your class? We do Scholastic News, and I'm just not happy with the magazine this year.
Barb/2/NE - I taught a combo classroom of 3rd and 4th in 1985 to 1988, then I 'retired' to stay home with my kiddos
MAGPIE - I stopped doing it a few years qgo.It was too much of a hastle. we are being bombarded by the state for test scores and at least last year, it was too much stuff.
Barb/2/NE - I have 3 boys, and volunteered in thier classrooms, then last year, a position openned up for 2nd grade
MAGPIE - Do you miss the upper grades? I do. They are cute, etc, but I miss the sophisitication of even third grade. Would like to try to get back next year.
REI - I love teaching 2nd grade!
Barb/2/NE - Magpie, the first time when I did the upper grades, children seemed less sophisticated, now they are so grown up
REI - LOL Magpie...I live at Teachers.Net
MAGPIE - P.S. I think faster than I type and the one good thing about 2nd is I can spell MOST of the words. I'm ADHD
MAGPIE - I have cousin who lives in TN. Do you know her?JUST kidding. Nice place.
Barb/2/NE - Magpie, come back and chat again, your typing skills will get better! LOL
REI - Just thought I would pop in before heading to Room 1.
Barb/2/NE - Today in our newspaper, they focused on the "six traits of writing" anyone us that?
Barb/2/NE - REI, don't feel like talking 'shop' *grin*
MAGPIE - Thanks for the encouraging words. So, uh, bye REI. SIx traits? New one. what are they? So many names, so few new ideas.
REI - Barb~not officially. A lot of place that use 4Blocks follow the 6 traits model.
Barb/2/NE - Our state is giving a state wide writing test for 4th and 7th grade, now sure what other grades
MAGPIE - Woops, didn't mean good-bye. So, how's the weather? I just lived thourh my sixth hurrican and it was a laark. Get more rain on a downpour and we NEED it.
Barb/2/NE - Got the paper in front of me....
Barb/2/NE - 1. Ideas and content, 2. Organization, 3. Voice.........
MAGPIE - Our kids are tested by the satee every grade, every year, save kindergarten. Upper grades more than once a year.
REI - Barb...have they just started that? Our state has been giving writing tests in 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th grade.
Barb/2/NE - 4. Word Choice, 5.Sentence fluency, 6. Conventions,(writing mechanics)
MAGPIE - WOOPS again-we give writing fourth, I think seventh and ninth.
REI - We have an assessment that is given in each grade. But then the state designates certain grades for the state test...it is called ISAT = Illinois Standard of Acheivement Test
Barb/2/NE - Yes, Nebraska had to jump on the 'testing' band wagon, I just hope we don't get carried away with it, like some other states. Each school district does do their own standarized testing, tho. Our school does ITBS
REI - Barb..here is the 6 Traits website. It has been on the mailring before. http://www.nwrel.org/eval/writing/about.html
Barb/2/NE - Thanks REI, do you use this framework? Do you like it?
REI - We give ITBS too. In the spring.
Barb/2/NE - LOL REI, I was talking to someone about 6 traits, and I told them I saw the web site before, and that I'll probably see it again on the 4Blocks mailring!
Barb/2/NE - Magpie, do you belong to any mailrings here at teachers.net?
Barb/2/NE - did we lose Magpie?
REI - No..but I have used it as a reference for designing rubrics. I follow more Jim Cunningham's (Pat's Husband) writing..and I use Craft Lessons, by Ralph Fletcher. I find my kids do real well with both.
Barb/2/NE - interesting! Do you have a web site for those two guys?
REI - No...Jim did the Writing Workshop for 2nd and 3rd grade at the 4 Blocks conference. Craft Lesson's is a book. Got mine at Barnes and Noble.
Barb/2/NE - ok, Thanks, I'll check it out, our kiddos this year have very poor writing skills
REI - Small crowd today?
Barb/2/NE - yes, and they are really being silly in room 1
REI - Would you like me to e-mail you how I start out the year writing? Mini-lesson's and procedures?
Barb/2/NE - Thanks! But, well, remember my situation, pm to follow
Barb/2/NE - But, I'm sure when you are a famous published author, I'll be the first in line to buy your book!
REI - Gottcha.....
Barb/2/NE - Oh, I found the book Craft lesson on line, they give a very nice summary
REI - It is a great resource. I love the mini lessons.
Barb/2/NE - Sounds like something for me. I'm building up my library for the day I get my own classroom!
Barb/2/NE - want to hit room 1?
REI - Our 3rd grade teachers are just raving at how my and the other teacher that did 4 Blocks last year kids are doing in Writing. WHEW!!!
REI - LOL Barb...already there. I am in both rooms as we speak.
Barb/2/NE - Oh REI, that's makes your day when you hear that from the 3rd grade teachers! I was happy to hear ours talk about the math skills this class had, Yahoo! we really worked hard on that!
