I have this same problem every year, but am especially frustrated this year because of all the time constraints with my schedule. The comments/questions the kids have in response to their peers sharing are just terrible. I'm almost to the point where I just want to stop doing it, but I really do recognize how important the feedback is. How do I get them to make relevant comments and ask meaningful questions. I want them to have a real conversation, not say what they think I want to hear or something just to hear their own voice. I have modeled, modeled, modeled, but I still get poor responses. Dawn/FL
We are now required to give oral literacy assessments from Mondo and to do small group oral literacy groups. Does anyone else do this and what do you think about it? How am I supposed to do these small groups when I do four blocks? We are not a four blocks school, but I've pretty much been able to do what I want up until now. Dawn/FL
I am looking for a training seminar on Lucy Calkins in the Detroit area. I see you mentioned it below. Can some send me some information or post a web site to such a seminar? Thanks, Susan
On 10/20/07, Barb Scott wrote: > Brad & deb, > I changed your subject line, but Lucy Calkins is having a seminar in > Detroit soon (if anyone is interested.) I was amazed at how young she > looked in the flyer; I was sure with someone with so much knowledge > was up there in years also. > Barb S
Hi! Help! I have to do a report on Literacy as it pertains to Language Arts for a college course I'm taking. Can anyone recommend any appropriate reference books/articles/journals? I want to speak about ways to improve literacy and touch on techniques, etc. Any suggestions? This board is always so helpful no matter which section I post to! Thanks in advance!
Hi folks - as many of you know, the Teachers.Net 4 Blocks Mailring is back in action, and already has a large number of subscribers.
Don't miss out, simply click on the "MAILRING" link in the top center of any page on this chatboard, or click the link below, and join the great teachers on Teachers.Net who are working with or curious about Pat Cunningham's celebrated 4 Blocks Literacy program.
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deb--I emailed you privately; let me know if you changed your address. I can't wait for a copy of your new book. Melissa (kdg) and I have been talking about text talk and higher level thinking skills! Sounds like your book is just what we need! Barb
deb - got it, you'll find the book works great!/blockquote>
On 10/06/07, Barb Scott wrote: > deb--I emailed you privately; let me know if you changed your > address. I can't wait for a copy of your new book. Melissa (kdg) > and I have been talking about text talk and higher level thinking > skills! Sounds like your book is just what we need! > Barb
Hmmmm. The Making Words that I do is a very teacher directed activity. There's no "how many words can you make?" to it. First of all, we were told at a Dotty Hall workshop to start withi the Month by Month lessons and then supplement with Systematic Sequential Phonics words. Actually, I sometimes use the Making More Words books because I can find good holiday & content vocabulary in that series. But anyway, here's how I manage the activity in my first grade. I put all the a's, t's r's, etc that we need in separate trays. Student helpers pass out 1 a or 2 t's, etc. While these students are passing out the letters, the others are turning the lower case side up and then arranging the letters in alphabetical order. Now we check that everyone has all the necessary letters and at the same time practice alphabetical order and upper/lower case. Sometimes, we'll look at our letters first and I'll ask the kids to show me some letters that work together —maybe the letters that work together to make the beginning sound of 'chowder' or the letters that work together to make the sound at the end of 'skating'. We make words starting with one or two letters and progress through words with more letters. For each word, I'll tell how many letters are in it, such as, "Make a three letter word,'but'. Then I might say, change one letter to make another 3-letter word, 'bat', "Now make a 4- letter word, 'bath'." And so on until we get to the secret (and longest) word, for which I'll say, "Now use all your letters to make ...." All the while, I'm putting the words they make in the pocket chart or on the overhead. After the secret word has been made, the kids put all the a's in a pile, the b's, etc and the letter tiles are picked up (no playing around with them—we still have work to do.) While that's happening, the rest of the students are looking at the list of words we made and finding patterns— same beginning sounds, same word key, etc. We group the words according to patterns. Finally, it's time to transfer their knowledge. They'll read a sentence with a new word that has one of the letter patterns. They'll also spell a new word using the one of the patterns. Two other management ideas that I recommend are: keep the activity fast- paced and make sure the kids know that it's not ok to hide their words from each other. That way a struggling word worker can be supported and I can do a quick visual check of the words they make.
This is my first posting, so I hope it is helpful and correct. Linda
This sounds like a great way to do it. I am just starting the program with 3rd and 4th graders, so they are very all over the map. When I say, make as many words as you can, some kids were making 40, some 5. Some of my kids, believe it or not, could not manipulate the letters well enough to turn one word into another by changing the onset. They need direct instruction to do this. They have had phonics instruction, but not in this way, and are not thinking critically enough to be able to do this on their own!!! The problem is, the others don't need this kind of direct instruction. I need to figure out a way of doing this!
On 10/04/07, Linda Roy wrote: > Hmmmm. The Making Words that I do is a very teacher > directed activity. There's no "how many words can you > make?" to it. First of all, we were told at a Dotty Hall > workshop to start withi the Month by Month lessons and then > supplement with Systematic Sequential Phonics words. > Actually, I sometimes use the Making More Words books > because I can find good holiday & content vocabulary in > that series. But anyway, here's how I manage the activity > in my first grade. I put all the a's, t's r's, etc that we > need in separate trays. Student helpers pass out 1 a or 2 > t's, etc. While these students are passing out the letters, > the others are turning the lower case side up and then > arranging the letters in alphabetical order. Now we check > that everyone has all the necessary letters and at the same > time practice alphabetical order and upper/lower case. > Sometimes, we'll look at our letters first and I'll ask the > kids to show me some letters that work together —maybe the > letters that work together to make the beginning sound of > 'chowder' or the letters that work together to make the > sound at the end of 'skating'. We make words starting with > one or two letters and progress through words with more > letters. For each word, I'll tell how many letters are in > it, such as, "Make a three letter word,'but'. Then I might > say, change one letter to make another 3-letter word, > 'bat', "Now make a 4- letter word, 'bath'." And so on until > we get to the secret (and longest) word, for which I'll > say, "Now use all your letters to make ...." All the while, > I'm putting the words they make in the pocket chart or on > the overhead. After the secret word has been made, the kids > put all the a's in a pile, the b's, etc and the letter > tiles are picked up (no playing around with them—we still > have work to do.) While that's happening, the rest of the > students are looking at the list of words we made and > finding patterns— same beginning sounds, same word key, > etc. We group the words according to patterns. Finally, > it's time to transfer their knowledge. They'll read a > sentence with a new word that has one of the letter > patterns. They'll also spell a new word using the one of > the patterns. Two other management ideas that I recommend > are: keep the activity fast- paced and make sure the kids > know that it's not ok to hide their words from each other. > That way a struggling word worker can be supported and I > can do a quick visual check of the words they make. > > This is my first posting, so I hope it is helpful and > correct. Linda
I'm teaching a 2/3/4 class and wonder how other teachers are using 4 blocks in multiage classes. It is very multilevel, and I love that, but I have a huge range in my class.
I have done away with the word wall in the traditional sense, because the words are too easy for some and hard for others. I have a word wall, but use it a little differently and don't do the cheers.
Any other ideas for this? I have the hardest time with the phonics, though find the upper grades books work better for my class than the 2nd or 3rd month by month.
The other day I was doing the "Mind Reader" activity with my kids. My Nolan, who is notorious for using the bathroom as an escape, asked if he could go. I said, "OK, Nolan, but you'll need to catch up on this work at recess." Little Caleb looked up with a really CONFUSED expression and said, "This is work???" I love it! Alta Rose
On 10/21/07, deb wrote: > I also just ordered > > Literate days by Gretchen Owocki for Kinder and preschool by > Heinemann > > > I was disappointed ----really disappointed with the daily 5. > NOTHING NOTHING knew there. > > > > I also bought New Directions in Teaching Memoir by dawn Latta > Kirby and Dan Kirby - Heinemann
I had already figured so with Daily Five. The New Directions one was one I was thinking about...geared more to Older Kids? I do have the First Grade Writers book and haven't finished it yet. I started it, I think, last summer, and was just not able to get back to it; loved what I read though and will definitely be keeping the Second Grade Writers in mind.
I've just been reading a bunch of middle and high school stuff to gear myself up for that training, so I was curious.
>> >> >> >> I also bought New Directions in Teaching Memoir by dawn Latta >> Kirby and Dan Kirby - Heinemann >
written by middle/high school people. If you have to teach memoir in middle or high school --- it is incredible! I am definitely going to use this with my 6-7-8th grade teachers since it is on our MEAP!
> > I had already figured so with Daily Five. The New Directions one > was one I was thinking about...geared more to Older Kids? I do have > the First Grade Writers book and haven't finished it yet.
First grade and Second grade written in same style.
I started > it, I think, last summer, and was just not able to get back to it; >
loved what I read though and will definitely be keeping the Second > Grade Writers in mind. > > I've just been reading a bunch of middle and high school stuff to > gear myself up for that training, so I was curious. >
On 10/24/07, brad wrote: > On 10/22/07, Dawn/FL wrote: >> What Great Teachers Do Differently by Whitaker > > > So what do we do differently, Dawn? LOL! > > Seriously, I see this one all the time, but have yet to > really pick it up. What did you take away from it? > > brad I haven't read it! A professor recommended it to me, but I wanted to hear more before I part with any more money! Dawn/FL
Actually this book is quite good. There is a companion video as well. It confirms a lot of the good pratices going on, and it seems to be somewhat uplifting. However, it is not a book for those who are unhappy that teaching lives are changing as children and families are changing. It basically says that a good teachers takes what they are handed and pulls students up inspite of their environment, circumstances, parents, etc. Some people don't like that notion.
I am looking for a training seminar on Lucy Calkins in the Detroit
area. I see you mentioned it below. Can some send me some
information or post a web site to such a seminar? Thanks, Susan
On 10/20/07, Barb Scott wrote:
> Brad & deb,
> I changed your subject line, but Lucy Calkins is having...See More