Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 20:28:35 -0500
From: "Pam Reifsneider" <preifsneider@newtownfriends.org>
Subject: [mosaic] Becoming a Strategic Reader

In response to:
I think, as professionals, we should point out
to folks like this =
presenter
that they ought to give credit to the
originators of the ideas. It's =
very
unprofessional to go around presenting workshops
based on the research =
of
others, implying (even by omission and silence)
that the ideas are =
original.

I did not mean to imply that the presenter
plagerized these strategies, all strategies
were attributed to the original people who
published them during the workshop and in the
printed handouts. I was just sharing them and
neglected to provide the sources in the email.
Sorry for the confusion!
Pam
Pam Reifsneider
Developmental Studies
Newtown Friends School
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] staff development
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 21:30:49 -0600

A few weeks back Tammie sent me this update on her staff development
session. I wanted to share this with the list with her permission.
Ginger
I am going to post it to our Teaching Tools web page at
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/tools/tools.htm Remember to send me
attachments at home (elephant@foxvalley.net) if you have anything to share
with others and I will add them to the Teaching Tools page.
++++++++++++++++++++

I just wanted to let you know that our first session was a great success. We
set up a 3 hour meeting, but it took us about 2.5 hours. We had teachers
from K-5 including Reading Recovery and Sped...plus one
principal...unfortunately, it wasn't our building principal although 1/2 of
the teachers there were from our building. We had teachers from 3 districts
represented:)

It really hit home to the participants that these are strategies that "good"
readers must use or must learn to use in order to comprehend. We first
discussed the importance of explicitly teaching the strategies. Then, I
showed them the schema activity we did just like Debbie Miller did in her
book. I told them about how I explained to my kids that creating and
changing schema is okay and always happening. I used the example of how
they first have a schema file for dogs until they see a cow and call it a
dog. Parents tell them it's a cow and they build a new file for cow...and
again with horses. I wanted this kids to know it was okay for their schema
to be incorrect. That we learn by changing our schema. We only have schema
for what we have done, where we have been and what we've read...to quote
Debbie Miller. It was fortunate that we were studying plants at the
beginning of the year so my schema lesson revolved around the text, Why
Leaves Change Colors? Then, I had the adults do it with the attached "black
hole" article. It's short and they didn't have a ton of schema for it. I
had black hole articles to copy from my Astronomy books, but I didn't want
to intimidate those who are not comfortable with Science. Instead, I found
the attached article at ask jeeves for kids. It was written for lower
elementary. Then, we made schema boards for them to take and use the next
day in their classrooms.

Next, we launched into connections discussing why connections help
readers. I shared some of my favorite text for teaching the connections
strategies (When the Relatives Came by Rylant). However, I only had a few
text-to-world ones. I showed them some of the example charts that we had
made this year in my classroom. One was a 3-column chart headed with text,
connection and how it helped me. Prior to my class lesson, I wrote short
summaries of each page into the first columns (as we become more proficient
in summarizing, I will leave this to them, but my focus was on connecting
and not summarizing). We read the text and we added our connections and how
it helped us. It was the beginning of the year, so much of the "how it
helped" was still guided back then. One of the powerful connections that a
girl made in my classrooms was about the page when the relatives are on
their way to the relatives. They are looking back to see the home yet
looking toward the relatives and reunion. The little girl said that
reminded her of when she leaves her dad's house to go to her mom's. They
just separated at the beginning of the year. If you look at the picture,
you see this huge hill that they must overcome to get to the other side. I
will never read this book the same again. Then, I shared Venn-diagrams for
a text to text connection activity with Where the Trail Leads by hmmm...I
can't think of who it is...and The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow.
After that, we used sticky notes and a 3-column chart and discuss our
different types of connections to the text. I used Dick Allingtons's What
Really Matter's to Struggling Readers and If You're Riding a Horse and It
Dies, Get Off by Char Forsten and Jim Grant as my text-to-text connections
for the excerpt from Donald Graves' The Energy to Teach piece.

Finally, we read "The Way I Remember It" piece from Micro Fiction book (by
Jerome Stern) and grossed everybody out. We talked about using a 5 senses
chart to capture the senses that were involved; however, we were running out
of time. Instead, they drew enough pictures in grids for Tulips Sees America
and I shared my experience doing this with my class. I shared my amazement.
When I asked my kids to get into partners to discuss what they were thinking
to make them draw what they drew, I never would have thought that they be
able to keep track of what each frame/page represented. I was amazed that
my students knew exactly what was going on in each frame. With their
discussions, we unearthed misconceptions and differing schemas that made us
draw so differently. One child drew the first page with the boy way away
from America because the author rights that he had not seen much of America.
She could not understand later why he hadn't seen much when he only lived in
Ohio. It seemed more like a Oprah Book talk:) If nothing else, just the
recall that they had was so much more detailed.

I was very pleased with the enthusiasm of the group.
Tammie

article from askjeeves.com:

"Black Holes
Some scientists believe that there is a black hole in our very own Milky
Way.
Black holes were once massive stars that used up all their fuel. As they
died out, they collapsed inward due to the pull of their own gravity. The
gravity of a black hole is so powerful that not even light can escape its
pull! Once any matter falls into a black hole, it disappears from the
visible Universe. It is very hard to see a black hole. Any object that gets
too close to a black hole will be pulled inside it. We only know they are
there because of the effects they have on other objects that are near them.
Any object, whether some dust, or a star, or anything, that gets too close
to a black hole will be pulled inside it. As the objects fall toward the
black hole, they heat up and get very hot. Scientists can use special
instruments to detect the heat the objects give off. That is how we know the
black hole must be there."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] staff development
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 06:44:14 -0500

However, this session would never have went so well if Ginger hadn't provide
such awesome adult text suggestions for reading with the teachers and Deb
wouldn't have brainstormed the project with me, too. I'm excited about our
future sessions as the year goes on:) Thanks for all that you've done.
Tammie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 21:58:17 -0500

The professional development is being done in conjunction to a the reading
of Reading with Meaning sponsored a grant written by the Clare-Gladwin
County Reading Council. This is also in follow-up to last year's Mosaic of
Thought and Strategies that Work study group. Therefore, everyone at the
meeting was well aware that I didn't develop these strategies. Being that
this is a MOT list, the assumption was made that of course we were studying
the MOT/STW strategies as intended by the originators with full credit. Any
ideas that spring from the originators and are shared here on the list
would then be directly related to the strategies and thus assumed credit
would be given to these wonderful people without having to say "based on the
work of the MOT originators..." In addition, I followed Ginger's posting to
insure that proper credit was given also to Ginger and to Deb Smith for
helping me formulate this study group's activities. Without them, it would
not have been possible. I don't get paid to present. All of this is done
in my free time. It is very disheartening to get kicked when you are only
trying to do good things. Please unsubscribe me to this listserve. I have
had enough of professionals lately to last my lifetime. Again Ginger, I am
forever in your debt for sharing your ideas relate MOT. If there is ever
anything that I can do to repay you please do not hesitate to call. You have
my personal email. I'll let you know how the rest of the study session pan
out.
Professionally yours,
Tammie Lewis, President
Clare-Gladwin County Reading Council
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Donna Baker" <baker@sprint.ca>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 05:03:59 -0500

Tammie,
Please do not unsubscribe. It was only one person of many (Ginger could
tell you how many subscribe to this listserve). We need as many
"professional" mosaic teachers as possible. Speaking as a strategies
presenter, I know that we always credit the originators. I jokingly refer
to Stephanie Harvey's book as my "bible" and cite it as where I "stole" all
of my ideas from. But then I laughingly say that I don't feel so bad,
because Stephanie and Anne got most of their ideas from Zimmerman and
Keene, and so on and so on.

Perhaps the criticizing teacher was having a bad day.

Donna
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 07:01:40 -0500

I must send my apologies to the list. I was having a bad day and I jumped
to conclusions. Although the message had the Ginger's message posting what
our professional development was doing, the response was really aimed at
poor Pam. By the way Pam, I'm sorry that you were the one being criticized.
Obviously, you can see how I feel about the whole thing. Any way, the
professionals that I've been surrounded by lately are really the people I
should have been venting at yesterday. I've taken my mediation:) and I
think I can live for another day. Thanks for the support and allowing me to
vent:). I enjoy "stealing" all of your ideas as you implement MOT/STW/RWM
in your classrooms.
Tammie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Patricia Watson" <pwatson@sfasu.edu>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 07:00:58 -0600

Tammy,
These comments in quotes were mine and were not directed to you at all.
I apologize because it seems I misunderstood another person's post about
a different professional development meeting....not yours.

Plagiarism IS a pet peeve of mine. I simply responded to another list
member who brought up the subject. Again, the comments quoted below were
not related to you or your presentations.

I've been to a long series of "professional" development meetings this
past year...aimed at getting reading professors to teach the current
politically pushed agenda. It's still Bush-dom here. All of these
presentations are done with well-established strategies and very
frequently they're presented as original ideas....SO the other posting
hit a nerve and I popped off. I hope you will reconsider your decision
to leave the list.

Sincerely,

Pat Watson
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 20:25:42 -0500

Well, I know how you feel:) Your posting hit a nerve and I popped, too.
It has been a bad few weeks, but that doesn't okay my behavior. I apologize
for my unprofessional response. Besides, it was pretty childish of me to
say I quit when I know that I"m too addicted to hearing what everyone is
doing here on the listserve. Thanks for taking the time to explain. It is
appreciated and well understood.
Tammie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 13:15:48 +0100
From: "David Heslop" <DHeslop@icsz.ch>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

I've seen an internet course specifically on MoT advertised somewhere on
the net. Can anyone tell me a) where I might find it again and b) if
anyone has done this course, what they felt the value of it was for them.
Thanks
David
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Patricia Watson" <pwatson@sfasu.edu>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 06:47:13 -0600

David,

Ellin Keene does a web course for Heinemann on MOT. Go to:
http://www.heinemann.com
Click on Heinemann U in the left navigation bar.

Let us know if it's good!

pat
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 09:05:03 -0500
From: Elisa Waingort <elisawi@fcaq.k12.ec>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] visualizing

Hi Cris--
Thanks for giving your thoughts on this. What you say makes a lot
of sense to me. I think some of the posts have made some people feel
that there's something wrong with them if they don't visualize all the time.
Although, I don't think this has been the authors' intent it has certainly
had that
effect.

By the way, I've been reading your book, which I find very helpful and easy
to read. So, I was wondering if you're working on another book or are
planning to write another one anytime soon...
Elisa Waingort
Quito, Ecuador
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 14:21:52 -0700
Subject: Re: [mosaic] visualizing
From: "Cris Tovani" <ctovani@mail.ccsd.k12.co.us>

I am working on a new book that I hope will support content area
teachers--help them get through their content but also help their students
be better readers of their particular type of text. I am currently
working on instructional videos that will be released in May.

Cris Tovani
Smoky Hill High School
720-886-5643
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "btillman" <btillman@farmerstel.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] visualizing
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 18:30:12 -0500

Cris,
I think the videos & content area books are a great idea!
Our curriculum director is looking for ideas and information for our high
school teachers to use with at-risk kids and underachievers in reading. I've
given her the title of your first book to order, but the videos would be a
great way for the teachers to see it in action. It's going to be hard to
wait until May!
Cece/LC/GA
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] precious moment!
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 18:43:28 -0600

Hi everybody! Welcome to the many teachers from Klondike Elementary School
in Indiana. I must have subscribed your entire staff last night! WOW!
Wouldn't THAT be the greatest if everyone at our buildings were "on board"
with this teaching/learning!!! I am jealous!! Here is a little blurb from
a friend who teaches third grade. I received this at school today and
wanted to pass it on for us all to revel in the beauty of this teaching!
These precious moments make it all worthwhile.
Ginger
===========

"I have to share my litle "moment" from this morning! I was doing a lesson
on inferring,using How Many Days to America. We were talking about how
our schema helps us infer. One child shared how all our schema is
different,
and then my adorable little Brian pipes up, "Yeah, its like when we put
all our schema together, we have really BIG schema to help us!"
Not sure if I can capture it but you were the first I wanted to share it
with...I needed a little light today and that was it for me.
Mary"

Any other precious moments you have to share are welcome here!!!!!!! :)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2002 19:06:19 -0800
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] visualizing
My son's middle school teacher has been trying, without success, to get
someone to come and work
with content area techers in a three day workshop setting related to content
area reading
strategies. Evidently Mary Lee Barton was scheduled but had to cancel for
some reason. Anybody
know of anyone available for Martin Luther King Day and the two following
days in January?

Lori
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: LandRT12@aol.com
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 00:57:40 EST
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

Hi Everyone,
I recently attended the California Reading Association Conference in
Sacramento and spent a whole day with Ellin Keene. What an awesome and
inspiring day it was. Ellin spoke for the mornining session and then
brought
in about eight students from a local elementary school for the afternoon.
Talk about modeling! The work she did with these kids, whom she did not
know,
was incredible. She drew amazing and insightful
thinking from every single one of them. I was on the edge of my seat and at
one point there was a mass gasp from the teachers surrounding the circle of
children when one of them made a most eloquent and touching response to the
book Ellin was reading.
I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see Ellin in
person! I went back to school with renewed passion for teaching strategic
reading! I also told my students all about it! They seemed impressed, too.

Laurie Tandy
Third Grade, California
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 07:37:06 -0800
From: Judy Mazur <jvmazur@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] notes from Ellin Keene workshop

I went to the same conference (CRA) that Laurie Tandy posted about. I
agree that Ellin Keene is an awesome speaker, but more than that, I
really give her credit for making me a better teacher. Mosaic of
Thought changed my life and I am forever grateful to its authors. My
students should be grateful, too.

judy3ca

Here are my notes from the conference:
Notes from workshop with Ellin Keene

*She is presently "working with very low-income schools." She is also
researching: Are the same strategies used by people in other types of
learning?

*Our responsibility is not just to our students, it is "to the field."

*She is an advocate for response based on teacher knowledge, respect for
kids, as opposed to teachers "sitting behind the desk."

*"Teachers are the scholars making decisions for their kids at any given
time."

*Teachers need to:
read
research
talk to other teachers
build a knowledge base

*"The single most important tool we have in our arsenal, what matters
most in instructional practice, is the power of thinking aloud." The
more precise, clear, succinct we are with our think aloud, the better it
is. It is here that we are "laying bare the thinking process."

*Kids need to think aloud immediately after listening to us.

*Charts, stickies, graphic organizers, etc., are not thinking processes,
but ways to make your thinking public. They are reading behaviors, NOT
cognitive processes. These processes give options for showing thinking,
not teaching reading and/or comprehension. We must address the thinking
that underlies these responses.

*We need to concentrate on the commonalities in effective thinking.

*She uses paintings for think alouds. She recommends visual support
first then graduate to text only. She said primary grades probably stay
with picture books for think alouds.

*Listening comprehension-important with young children.

*"Kids go through a necessary and inevitable step along the way in
learning each strategy that looks very much like mimicking the teacher's
think aloud and the language the teacher uses." If enough excellent
modeling and think alouds are done, we will take the kids from mimicking
to using the strategy independently in their own reading.

*Think alouds are not the same as modeling.
Modeling = modeling reading behaviors (like fishbowls)
Think alouds = comprehension strategies, being metacognitive, paying
attention to our own thinking vis a vis the 7 strategies, the inner
workings of the mind.

*How do we know when kids are using strategies independently?
Formal = major point interview
Anecdotal = written, oral, artistic, dramatic evidence
The stages of this:
1. Independent - using strategies on their own without
prompting, in their own words
2. Flexible - Using more than one strategy depending on the
demands of the text.
3. Adaptive - Thinkers ability to turn up/down the volume of
the strategy, to use it when they need it.

*Research shows that if kids haven't internalized the grapho-phonic
system by the end of grades 2-3, most can't...the grapho-phonic window
of opportunity closes.

*Her opinion is that phonics lessons should be:
Fast (10 minutes0
Focused
Fun
Ambitious

*Exposure to text beyond the reading level helps bridging.

*Strategy instruction is infinite because of increasing difficulty of
the text.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Sensory Images Picture Books
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 12:38:57 -0500

Hi everyone! I'm starting my sensory images strategy modeling and was won=
dering what you would suggest for picture books. I've checked out the boo=
klist at the Mosaic site, but was curious if you had any books that stuck=
out in your head specifically for images.
Thanks!
--Carrie/CT
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 13:05:34 -0500
From: Dave & Deb Smith <d-smith@cybersol.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Sensory Images Picture Books

I have a list going but you HAVE to email me DIRECTLY for the list at

d-smith@cybersol.com

DON"T clutter this list up please
deb
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ted and Lee Johnson" <tlmkjohnson@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Sensory Images Picture Books
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 19:54:20 -0800

An excellent picture book is See the Ocean by Estelle Condra.

Lee J
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: [mosaic] schema or connections
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 20:05:48 -0500

In a discussion with other Mosaic teachers, the question about schema and/or
connections came up. Is there a difference? If so, what? If not, why not?
Thanks for your input.
Tammie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: RKCTEC5@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 21:08:43 EST
Subject: Re: [mosaic] schema or connections

I think there is a difference. I think connections are made to schema we
presently hold. The connection either confirms our present schema, or
changes it into something new. An earlier example of all four legged
creatures being dogs was given on this list. Once the child learns more
about cats, a connection is made to the schema the child already has about
dogs, and a change is made to accomodate this new information about dogness
and catness. Connections can cause disequilibrium in one, to where the
discomfort in one's prior knowlege is messed with, and a change in schema,
or
new schema, occurs.

Now this may not be quite right, so someone else might add something that
will cause a change in the schema I currently hold on the subject.
Ruby
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] schema
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 21:42:54 -0600

Schema IS background knowledge.

What we teach kids to do (just one thing of many) to activate their schema
is to make text connections. Connections ACTIVATE a persons schema. When
we are reading and are reminded of something from our life, another book we
read, or something going on in the world, our comprehension will be deeper
(we will be more likely to understand that part) because of our "connection"
to that part. Making a connection is a behavior we do. What we connect TO
in the text is our background knowledge.

We use connections to activate our background knowledge. In a proficient
reader, this is done naturally. Teaching it explicitly brings their
attention to it so they can hopefully do it naturally after doing it because
we model it and have them do it for us.

A strategy study on Schema is WAY more than JUST making connections.
Something most MOT beginners cling to and do deeply to get started. But
reread that part in the book (MOT) again. I know it lists 4 important
focuses: making text connections, building author schema (different from
author study), building schema for text type, and knowing when and how to
build and revise schema when it is missing. The more our background
knowledge (schema) is brought up before we read and while we read the better
our comprehension is going to be.

Remember to print out (and use!!) the great lesson on the "Teaching Tools"
web page
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/tools/tools.htm a fifth grade teacher
wrote up based on Debbie Millers great process of building/revising/and
activating schema.

Any other interpretations??

Ginger
grade 3
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tammie Lewis" <tlewis@ejourney.com>
Subject: [mosaic] schema
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 23:03:29 -0500

I like how you said that connections activate schema and that we connect =
then to this schema. This is concisely well-said. Thank you for =
clarifying.

Tammie Lewis, President
Clare-Gladwin County Reading Council
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Mary Jo Wentz" <wingspan@powerweb.net>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] sensory imaging
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 06:36:04 -0600

. . . "any books that stuck out in your head specifically for images."

I recommend Toni Buzzeo's new book, The Sea Chest.

MJ Wentz, WI
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Sparente5@aol.com
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 20:32:34 EST
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

Thank you for the notes from Ellin Keene. I am an avid reader of all the
books from the PEBC, and they have changed my teaching and my role as a
staff
developer as well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Thorud, Carol" <thorudc@mail.davenport.k12.ia.us>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 08:17:56 -0600

I teach in a K-5 school and am going to need to make a PTA presentation on
reading strategies. I plan to talk about the parent-teacher partnership
etc. Which
2 strategies do you think I should cover? I want to have parent involvement
in the strategy so that they will
be actively understanding what I am sharing. Has
anyone done something similar to this recently? Any
suggestions or help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks
C.Thorud
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: [mosaic] Reply on PTA presentation
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 08:29:14 -0800
From: "Chris Scheving" <cscheving@nusd.k12.ca.us>

I recently went to a family literacy night with my daughter. Her =
teachers presented a short lesson on questioning. They chose 2 or 3 =
places to stop in the text and had the parents and their children =
discuss what they were wondering about while they were listening to the =
text. This was how they taught the families the value of questioning. =
They actually had short passages of text photo copies and allowed us to =
take notes about our questioning before turning to our partners. So it =
was a real think-pair-share on the questioning strategy. Parents liked =
the format because they could attend without worrying about childcare =
arrangements and they were allowed to interact with their own child =
during the meeting.

C. Scheving
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Jean247727@cs.com
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 18:06:27 EST
Subject: [mosaic] Strategies for Parents

At a recent parent teacher conference I held an abbreviate presentation of
the strategies with each of my parents. I used a handout and I basically
walked them through it. They all seemed to "get it." In fact several
commented that their student talked about schema at home.
This was my first attempt at reaching the parents with these strategies so I
am still in the beginning stages. But it was a start for me.

I will email it to Ginger at foxvalley and maybe she can put it on the
"mosaic tools" site if she thinks it is helpful.
Good luck with your presentation.
Jean
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Pam Reifsneider" <PReifsneider@newtownfriends.org>
Subject: [mosaic] PTA meeting
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 09:01:55 -0500

I recently did an exercise with faculty at my school in which they read
an excerpt from a technical textbook and then had to answer the
questions at the end. They read it silently first, then in partners they
collaborated on answering the questions. It demonstrates that although
you can decode the passage and answer the questions correctly, you do
not necessarily understand the meaning of the text, unless you have
schema related to the topic (the excerpt was about electronics). This
exercise is a good one for demonstrating the value of teaching all of
these reading strategies to children. You could do this with any
technical type material that has specific vocabulary such as a sailing
textbook, automobile mechanics, finance/accounting texts, etc.

Pam Reifsneider
Reading Specialist
Newtown Friends School
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2002 08:03:16 -0600
From: "Dawn Marmo" <dmarmo@kaneland.org>
Subject: [mosaic] schema

Attached is a "poster" (**The poster is on the teaching tools web page) I
created to help exemplify schema. Please use it if you think it will help.
I use it in my in-classroom presentations and then leave them with the
teachers as posters that can be hung in
their classrooms with the other strategy posters. In a class I had
during my master's in reading program, Camille Blachowicz used something
I liked a lot when explaining schema and I use it all the time when I am
speaking with adults...First of all, schema is "stepping into" She used
this terminology as part of a visual tour through a house--you step
into, move through, and step out. She used this to help us understand
differences by having our mentally visualized house have doors that led
to odd things that wouldn't normally be at that place in a house.
Anyway, the other example that is very powerful, is to ask someone in
the audience to explain what they experienced the last time they went
out to eat or went to a restaurant. They can describe their experience
of how they were seated by a host/hostess, ordered food off of a menu
and were served by a waiter....and then you can ask someone else what
their last experience was--they drove up to a speaker asked for food
went to a window, gave them the money and took the bag of food, or went
to the counter ordered some food paid for it and then took the food and
sat down to eat, etc. This example really hits home that everyone is
not thinking the same thing when you ask them a very simple question. I
then like to launch into how the students are the same when you ask them
questions at school...they do not all start on the same page unless we
activate their prior knowledge/schema.

Dawn
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