Also, our reading specialist quit, and our principal is retiring and we got an email saying the new principal will deal with hiring... not sure we WILL have new reading specialist! We lost 2 specialists in 3 years. When we lost 2 tech people in 3 years they outsourced us, so I am thinking they are going to feel like we don't have the funds to support a literacy person at our school (small, private school.) I was relying on her to do the DIBELS and also to fill me in on kids she worked with last year.
So, what can I figure out on my own?? What tips can you give? I will have month by month for second grade, and I already have writing mini-lessons for second grade. It's the SSR and guided reading I am worried about.
I have seen a booklet that had the 50 words along with detailed prompts for teaching each one. Is this in the upper grades 4 Blocks book?? I don't own the book, but I will buy it if it contains this resource.
Month by Month phonics and Vocabular...See MoreOn 6/25/08, Melody wrote: > I have this book and the bulletin board set that goes along > with it. It is for upper grades and does support the four > block literacy model. You can purchase them both from > Carson Dellosa. The title of the book is Month-by-Month > Phonics for Upper Grades.
Month by Month phonics and Vocabulary for Grade 4 Month By Month Phonics and Vocabulary for Grade 5
Phonics They Use Edition 5 (editions, 3 and 4 also have information about Nifty Thrifty in the book)
Month By Month Phonics for Upper Grades (Older version) - totally works, but it is the older version - Grin
All these resources have Nifty Thrifty 50 information in them.
> > Month by Month phonics and Vocabulary for Grade 4 > Month By Month Phonics and Vocabulary for Grade 5 > > Phonics They Use Edition 5 (editions, 3 and 4 also have > information about Nifty Thrifty in the book) > > Month By Month Phonics for Upper Grades (Older version) - > totally works, but it is the older version - Grin > > All these resources have Nifty Thrifty 50 information in them.
1. Quality of training 2. Fidelity of implementation
Obviously if the quality of training is low, then there may be many misconceptions and incorrect techniques that teachers are using rather than more powerful strategies that may get the scores you need a little sooner. Does your training "go deep?" Did your training have follow-up and coaching in the classroom? Are teachers being held accountable for implementation?
If you are looking at whole-school scores, then fidelity of implementation is a must. You cannot have Teacher A using Four Blocks and Teacher B using some of the techniques while Teacher C has been doing what she's always done (and getting what she's always got!) (sic) The trainer/administration/faculty should develop an implementation form with SPECIFICS that can be seen EASILY in the classroom. The form should be used in a coaching and teaching way, NOT in an evaluative, you're-not-doing-this- you'll-be-put-on-a-plan-of-improvement kind of way.
Also, what are you comparing this to? Are you using the same assessments to determine growth that you always have? Are they quality assessments? (There is some doubt with informal reading inventories, such as DRA). Do you have trend data? Also, you may be comparing this year's results (with Four Blocks) to zero, when in reality, you should be comparing it to "what-we-did-before."
In my estimation, one year is too short of a time to be debating on whether or not to keep or dismiss a framework/program. Any expert would tell you that 3-5 years of commitment is a must with continued training and high accountability. This doesn't mean that you won't begin to see results in the first year, but it does mean that you may not see how high of a mountain you've climbed until you reach the top.
Do you have anecdotal information as to student engagement, student growth via other assessments, etc.? If teachers have enthusiasm and have other evidence of growth, this might calm the administration's fears.
Finally, along with with Brad said...are there teachers who in no way wanted anything to do with 4-Blocks? Teacher buy-in is very important. If that's the case, I'd explore ways to allow these teachers to express their concerns and provide resources so they can see how well it works and how it's enlivened many teacher's instructional practices.
The hardest to differentiate and do for the class with mixed level is working with words and guided reading. I still do whole class guided reading. I do the three days on the higher grade level, and two days on the lower level. It still works pretty well. For example, I use Scholastic News at the higher level, but use guided reading books at the lower, either a whole class novel, a poem, etc. This seemed to work well for me. For working with words, making words is still pretty multi-level. I will meet with small groups and do the guided lesson, and then other kids would work on their own or with a partner, using a sorting sheet I made that kind of forces them to move beyond three letter words. I do end up making one of these sheets for each lesson, but it works well for me. (I KNOW this is NOT four blocks, but with a huge range, this is what I have found works best.) I do more centers than four blocks recommends, but this is what I have to do to make it work.
The one thing I found that did NOT work at all is the word wall. I had tried using the middle level, but even that was too easy or too hard for too much of the class. Instead, my kids have word rings and their own words based on their level and needs. They do different activities with a partner for 5-10 minutes a day while I walk around the room and help. I then pull one set of kids a day to do on the back type activities with their five words while the other kids begin something else. I have tried to do the www for 3 years and NOT been successful with the range in my class.
On 6/28/08, Crystal wrote: > Hi! This year I have taken on a new teaching position at > a new school after teaching > K for the last 7 years. I have been hired to teach a high > 1st grade/high 2nd grade > multi-age classroom. I was wondering if anyone out there > has been in this classroom > situation before and could give me some pointers on how to > manage a schedule (what > to teach at what time - -together or split group, etc.) I > feel there are things > I'm going to have to teach apart and things I can do whole > group. If anyone > could help, I'd appreciate it! Thanks! > Needed help!
On 6/28/08, Crystal wrote: > Hi! This year I have taken on a new teaching position at > a new school after teaching > K for the last 7 years. I have been hired to teach a high > 1st grade/high 2nd grade > multi-age classroom. I was wondering if anyone out there > has been in this classroom > situation before and could give me some pointers on how to > manage a schedule (what > to teach at what time - -together or split group, etc.) I > feel there are things > I'm going to have to teach apart and things I can do whole > group. If anyone > could help, I'd appreciate it! Thanks! > Needed help!
Lisa
...See MoreThat's the exact same thing I am working on today. I was wondering the same because I plan to use some of the lessons from the 3rd grade book with the girl I am tutoring this summer. I will need to pull a few new ones this year so she doesn't have the same lessons repeated. Let me know if you find these type of lessons anywhere else!
Lisa
On 6/29/08, Christy wrote: > I am working on writing out my index cards for using words > you know since I will be switching to 3rd grade next year > after previously teaching 2nd. I have already written out > the examples that is provided in the month by month book. > Is there by any chance another resource that contains more > using words you know lessons that I can get these lessons > from without thinking them up on my own?
I will be teaching departmentalized (flexibly grouped) reading class...See MoreFor those of you who use the Treasures series, how do you implement it with your GR block. The series basically has a short intro story to introduce on vocab (which is in the basal as well as a transparency), the main reading selection, and then a shorter connecting text.
I will be teaching departmentalized (flexibly grouped) reading classes to 3rd graders, with each class lasting 60 minutes.
I was thinking of structuring my time like this: (tell me what you think please).
Writing will be done outside of the 60 minute reading block.
Word Work - 15 minutes daily
Monday - word wall skills
Tuesday - using words you know part 1 ( 1 syllable words)
Wednesday - using words you know part 2 ( multi syllable words)
Thursday - Making Words - buiild
Friday - Making Words - sort and transfer; Reading writing complex rhymes
Guided Reading: 20 minutes Monday - Shared reading of 1st vocab story using guess the covered word
Tuesday - review vocab through powerpoint/ smartboard sentences Read main selection in shared format form to complete graphic organizer for skill strategy
Wednesday - Review main selection story through beach ball actvity work in pairs to complete skill strategy
Thursday - Read shorter connection story whole group, make connections
Friday - Unit Assessment test
20 Minutes - Leveled Reading -Small groups/ Individual Conferences/ Daily Five (read to self and possible listen to reading if I can get some books on tape)
* use the vocabulary transparency masters to introduce/reinforce vacabulary instruction before guided reading by doing guess the covered word
* use the grammar transparencies as a minilesson before my true 4 blocks minilesson during writing time
* use the basal for whole group skills reading taught 4 blocks method
*use the leveled readers during "center" (ICK, ICk - really dislike that word) time(but center time really means read, to self, listen to reading on the comuters or books on tape, or book clubs/literature circles going on).
Let me know of any ways that you think it can be adapted - I agree - Treasures has a TON of stuff to come with it!!!
On 6/29/08, Christy wrote: > For those of you who use the Treasures series, how do you > implement it with your GR block. The series basically has > a short intro story to introduce on vocab (which is in the > basal as well as a transparency), the main reading > selection, and then a shorter connecting text. > > I will be teaching departmentalized (flexibly grouped) > reading classes to 3rd graders, with each class lasting 60 > minutes. > > I was thinking of structuring my time like this: (tell me > what you think please). > > Writing will be done outside of the 60 minute reading > block. > > Word Work - 15 minutes daily > > Monday - word wall skills > > Tuesday - using words you know part 1 ( 1 syllable words) > > Wednesday - using words you know part 2 ( multi syllable > words) > > Thursday - Making Words - buiild > > Friday - Making Words - sort and transfer; Reading writing > complex rhymes > > > > Guided Reading: 20 minutes > Monday - Shared reading of 1st vocab story using guess the > covered word > > Tuesday - review vocab through powerpoint/ smartboard > sentences > Read main selection in shared format form to complete > graphic organizer for skill strategy > > Wednesday - Review main selection story through beach ball > actvity > work in pairs to complete skill strategy > > Thursday - Read shorter connection story whole group, make > connections > > Friday - Unit Assessment test > > > 20 Minutes - Leveled Reading -Small groups/ Individual > Conferences/ Daily Five (read to self and possible listen > to reading if I can get some books on tape) > > > So does this look doable?
Would you consider the suffixes and prefixes book a must have for 3rd grade? I don't think I saw anything about this in the month by month book for 3rd but the cover of the suffix/prefix book says grades 3 and up.
Month by Month phonics and Vocabular...See More