From: "Hock, Wendy" <hockw@ramnet.k12.ny.us>
Subject: [mosaic] synthesis
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2002 11:13:40 -0400
Hi Elise. I think of synthesis as the overall theme or message of a book.
I think fables are good as long as they are not familiar to the kids. There
are some fables where the moral isn't as obvious. Your class would have to
really understand the story in order to glean the overall message. Right
now I am trying synthesis with my book clubs. I chose books for the clubs
to choose from that all have friendship as a central theme. I have never
taught synthesis, so this is my "stab" at it! I hope it will work!
Wendy
Cherry Lane
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 18:35:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Nancy Dix <makingtomorrow@yahoo.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Text-Text, Text-Self, Text-World
Reply-To: mosaic@u46teachers.org
I am interested in having a list of books that would
use text-text. Think we could compile a list?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] online book database
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 20:53:08 -0500
We have an online book database where we can add titles and comments
regarding use of those titles at
http://www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/strategies.htm You will find links to
each of the strategies. To find books for text to text, click on Schema and
there you will find the types of schema (the 3 different connections, author
schema, text type schema, and developing schema). Click on text to text and
you will find the titles. Not all titles have teacher comments yet.
Let's all think of the titles we have used this year in our strategy
teaching, and take some time to add them so we can all reap the benefits!!
Thanks!
Ginger
grade 3
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Jean247727@cs.com
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 10:53:52 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Text-Text, Text-Self, Text-World
I don't know what grade level you are interested in but I just accidentally
came across a great match for text to text.
Miss Rumphius by Cooney and My Great Aunt Arizona ( I believe the author
is Houston)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] PEBC trainer/conference notes
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 16:52:54 -0500
Our district sponsored a two day reading comprehension workshop this week.
They brought Dee Bench from the PEBC in Denver. (Where Ellin Keene and
Steph Harvey originated) Dee spoke to the whole group and then did two
breakout sessions each with elementary and MS/HS teachers. Jan and I did
two of the four break out sessions with the elementary teachers. I asked
Dee if I had her permission to post my notes to this listserve for you all
to read. She was fine with that. Just keep in mind these are rough notes
and just what my ears could catch. Hope you find it helpful. Ginger
-----------------------
READING: "angels whispering words in our ears"
We need to be teaching kids to think deeply. We need to change
institutional systems as we know them. The modeling of our own thinking is
the major emphasis in this teaching. We have to model our thinking rather
than telling them. We need to model what GOOD thinking looks like and
sounds like.
There are five pathways to learning.
1. Semantic- learning through reading and writing. Teachers are good at
dealing with this. We do it everyday.
2. Episodic- when you are in a certain place at a certain time and you
remember news of a certain kind forever. (Ex: when 9/11 happened where were
you, what were you doing?) We need to connect a lesson to a memory
experience. Anchor lessons/anchor books.
3. Procedural-automatic, without thinking, repetitive actions. (Ex: driving,
brushing teeth) We need to teach similar things separately (nouns and verbs,
baseball swing and golf swing) It takes 1-15 times of repetition to learn
something (on average)
It takes 80 times to UNLEARN something learned. "Perfect practice makes
perfect" If they are memorizing it incorrectly it will be hard to unlearn
it. (spelling, math facts)
4. Automatic- when you hear a song and some memory pops into your mind.
Your mind automatically just thinks of it.
5. Emotional- #1 AVENUE TO LEARNING!!!!!!! Kids remember the teachers that
they connected with emotionally. How they felt in those classrooms. What
they learned in those classrooms.
TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION
1. Comprehension changes in language arts instruction in the last decade
have left teachers knowing what NOT to teach in reading. Comprehension
research provides some insight into what SHOULD be taught.
2. Comprehension CAN be taught DIRECTLY.
3. There are a few (7-9) cognitive processes (strategies) used consistently
by proficient readers. ((she listed the strategies from MOT with some being
worded differently to spread them out to 9))
4. These strategies are essential to all readers of all ages and abilities
in at least some reading situations. Proficient readers use the strategies
flexibly and independently. Struggling readers rarely use these strategies
flexibly and independently.
5. The strategies should by taught in an in-depth manner over a long period
of time in a variety of text.
6. Teachers often use the gradual release of responsibility model (Pearson,
1986) to teach a comprehension strategy over a long period of time (as long
as 6-8 weeks). Teachers modeling is KEY to this instructional model.
Provide modeling in any content area, in any genre, in any text. The
students will be able to emulate what they SEE the teacher doing.
This teaching is NOT an add on to what we are already doing. We teach our
content USING the strategies.
Gradual Release of Responsibility Model-
1. Modeling: teacher does the activity alone or teacher and students do it
together.
2. Guided Practice: students engage in activity in groups and pairs.
3. Independent Practice: students perform tasks alone and it becomes part of
their repertoire.
***The more WE are aware of OUR OWN reading process and thinking, the easier
it is to teach this way. (It is hard for us as adults to GO BACK and figure
out what WE do as readers)
TEXT HURDLES we need to explicitly teach:
1. Anaphora (uh-na-for-a)- use of words that refer to a previous context.
(In expository text like a social studies book, the use of he, she, they,
their, and it in the chapter is often confusing to students. They don't
keep track of WHO the he, she, they, their, or it is. This is especially
difficult for second language learners and struggling readers.) She modeled
with a piece on the overhead writing a #1 where the first important noun
(Native Americans) was mentioned. Then when the pronoun came in a further
sentence she stopped and asked us who the THEY was referring to. Often when
a second or third noun is introduced she wrote a #2 and #3. In this type of
text a reader needs to stop and really figure out the he, she, they, their,
and it. To not lose track of the meaning.
2. Vocabulary- provide a "hook" (something they will remember) to
connect
their learning. Provide activities for kids to talk/converse about their
learning. Not knowing the vocabulary trips kids up at the word level.
3. Pacing Demands- looking at how to slow down pace based on what we are
reading. Proficient readers slow down the pace on demand, others need to be
SHOWN how.
4. Concept Load- once vocabulary is developed/learned the overall concept of
the piece can be looked at. The word level understanding must be first THEN
the concept.
5. Staccato Reading-are stuck at the word level. Not getting fluency they
need at voice level. Often lose comprehension because they lose train of
thought. **Read ALOUD to them!
6. Naive Conceptions- flat out wrong on what the concept in text means.
Just don't get it. Impedes comprehension. She had a student example where
the child drew Abraham Lincoln and wrote: "He had a lot of guts to fight
with the civil whore." Obvious sign the child is not "getting it".
Another
example: the main male character is named Stacy. But at the END of the
study the child still thinks that Stacy is a female. Teachers need to
continue to listen and find ways to show evidence of their thinking, find
out in conferences, reporting forms, post its. Catch them as they are going
before you have to help them UNLEARN it. If students are visualizing it
wrong it can impair comprehension.
7. Inefficient Predicting-inaccurate predictions. Sometimes kids will say
outlandish things. Send them back to the text for proof or evidence from
text. Comprehension will be mixed up if we don't catch them as they are
doing it. If they do it all the time, consistently, be concerned and
reteach prediction in a conference.
8. Insufficient Schema/Background Knowledge(BK)-#1 hurdle for kids not
understanding text is issues with content and structure of text. Have kids
talk about BK or lack of it. 3/4 of our time should be spent on activating
BK. With text connections ALWAYS ask "How does that connection help you
understand the text? How does it help you as a reader?"
The strategies are a vehicle for getting at the meaning in text.
THINK ALOUDS
Tell them to watch what you are doing. Come up with a CLEAR signal to the
kids to show when you are READING and when you are THINKING. Example: "When
I am looking at the text I am reading. When I am looking at you I will be
telling you my thinking." "I am going to unzip my head so that you
can see
what I DO WHEN I AM READING." As a teacher I just need to DO what I do
as a
reader but SHOW THEM.
ANCHOR LESSONS
The first time you model a strategy choose a book that YOU as the teacher
can do a great think aloud lesson with (this is your anchor lesson). Make
it a memorable book. Something the kids will ALWAYS remember and that you
can refer back to throughout the year as you remind them of the original
introductory lesson. Post a copy of the book cover on a wall. Students
aren't used to getting good models of thinking. Through our own modeling
we are teaching the kids to think better and think DEEPER.
PURPOSE is everything.
1. Identify text structure for students (expository v. narrative)
2. Point out difficult reading rates that correlate with specific reading
purposes.
3. Careful analytical reading (50-300 wpm) is textbook reading. Info to be
tested on.
4. Rapid reading (300-600 wpm) is easy material, already known subject, not
tested on, read it quickly. Like magazines, newspapers, books read for
pleasure.
5. Skimming (up to 1,500 wpm) to preview a chapter, zip through a newspaper,
magazine looking for something. Reading unfamiliar material. Eyes stop
here and there, on a paragraph that is interesting to you.
6. Scanning (up to 3000 wpm) supersonic rate used to find name in telephone
book, dictionary, movie/TV schedule, answer to textbook question after you
have already read chapter.
**Think about your purpose for giving the reading piece. Test? For fun?
Purpose is everything. It determines: What is important, What a reader
remembers, How a piece is read
Readers need to consider:
-authors purpose
-audience
-teachers purpose
-own (students) purpose
Once you define your purpose you can see how a piece of text can be used for
a variety of purposes and readings. Over time. Hone in on your target
(anchor) piece. Bring the piece out later for a different purpose.
LEAVING TRACKS OF THEIR THINKING
Students need a variety of methods to show you their thinking. Post its,
double entry journals, t-charts, reporting forms, charts, etc. Come up with
a lot of different ways to HOLD THEIR THINKING. If we don't see their
thinking on paper how will we know they are successfully applying the
strategy work??
ACCESSIBLE TEXTS
-encourages students to read
-gives student a sense of accomplishment because material can be read in a
short amount of time
-are easier to read than traditional text
-are high interest
-enhance the current content
-give students other options for obtaining information
-provides an opportunity for students to practice the strategies in a
variety of content areas.
We have to be readers ourselves and find the text we can use to teach our
content. Some examples of accessible text are: poems, newspapers, internet,
lists, photos/artwork (great for inferring!), vignettes, post cards,
recipes, advertisements, menus, picture books (k-12!!!!!), etc.
***Check out Joy Hakim's series "A History of Us" for social studies
text.
Written almost in a dialogue with the reader. She is now writing a series
for science.**
Start compiling text sets. Pick your content theme/topic. Be on the
lookout for all types of text that has anything to do with that topic. That
is how you get text at a variety of reading levels for all the readers in
your class. Keep a file for yourself. Build over time. Short pieces
rather than entire chapter books. We are teaching the reader, not the
reading.
------------------------
At this point Jan and I did our two break out sessions with the elementary
teachers. We went through five strategies with them. (ran out of time to
do all 7) We modeled thinking aloud. Had them do strategy work with text
using various reporting methods to give them hands on practice to take back
to their classrooms. We shared our experiences and our growth process that
is continuing. Our struggles. Our successes. It was a quick walkthrough.
It was a great two days!! I highly recommend Dee Bench! She was fun, easy
to listen to, and very natural in her presentation!
Ginger
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Myrna Rubel" <mrubel@bellsouth.net>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] PEBC trainer/conference notes
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 20:04:21 -0400
Ginger
What is PEBC?
Myrna
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "PJ/TN/1 Lynn" <pj_tn_1@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] PEBC trainer/conference notes
Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 22:40:32 -0400
I (Jama) just wanted to thank you, too, for your encouragement this Spring.
My principal has bought copies of MOT so that all of the elementary teachers
can read it this summer. He has created a Librarian/Reading Specialist and
filled it with one of our teachers who was already doing what she could on
developing our library on a volunteer basis. I think we're making progress.
I still dream of attending a conference, but I am thrilled that we are at
least going in the right direction. I thought you might be interested. :)
Jama
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] PEBC
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2002 13:07:48 -0500
If you have read Mosaic of Thought, Strategies That Work, I Read It But I
Don't Get It, or Reading With Meaning you will see mention of PEBC. Here is
what the authors of STW say about the Denver based Public Education and
Business Coalition.
" The PEBC is a nonprofit group dedicated to providing private-sector
support to public schools, both urban and suburban, in the metro Denver
area. The PEBC staff development model allows us to work alongside teachers
and librarians in their rooms and libraries for an extended period of time.
...Along with our colleagues at the PEBC and many other fine teachers, we
began to explore the research on reading comprehension. ...The PEBC
developed a reading comprehension project that translated these research
findings into educational practice." (pp. xi-xii)
Here is their website: www.pebc.org
They offer many opportunities for staff development on site in the Denver
area schools as well as trainers to come to your own district.
Ginger
grade 3
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 08:46:45 -0400
From: Maggie Buley <maggiebu@optonline.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Please help - Grades 4-5
I am presently a grade 5 teacher. However, I represent 32 other 4/5 teachers. We have been asked to teach MOT reading strategies with little or no training.
Could anyone recommend where we could begin - BOOKS, WEBSITES, etc.
We are all very frustrated!
Thanks so much, Maggie
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: rif00133@ride.ri.net
Subject: RE: [mosaic] Please help - Grades 4-5
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 09:54:04 -0400
Have you read the books? Not only Mosaic of Thought, but also Strategies
That Work, and Reading with Meaning ? I bought them all myself after reading
about them on this and other lists. I've read most of all of them. I started
at the end of the last school year to incorporate their ideas into my
reading teaching. I'm not really sure why you are frustrated, unless you
haven't read the books. Once you read them, you will "get it", I think.
I
get no support in my district either. I don't think anyone else has even
heard about the books...not even my reading teachers.
Good luck...it's an exciting way to teach reading and the children really do
learn to comprehend.
Susan Beaudet
Grade 2 Inclusion Cluster
John F. Horgan Elementary
West Warwick, RI 02893
RITTI Trainer
MarcoPolo Field Trainer
mailto:rif00133@ride.ri.net
mailto:susan5654@cox.net
http://horgan.ww.k12.ri.us/horgan/sueb/index.html
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: MAMASWIRLZ@aol.com
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 10:22:03 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Please help - Grades 4-5
I would also ask whoever is asking you to teach MOT reading strategies with
little or no training to purchase some of the excellent video's that are out.
For $395 a set of 4 videos "Strategy Instruction in Action", Stephanie
Harvey and Anne Goudvis show a variety of classrooms where strategies are
used.
Ask for them to purchase the books for you and provide you with a staff
developer.
Naomi
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Pat Watson" <pwatson@sfasu.edu>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] Please help - Grades 4-5
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 09:40:00 -0500
Linda Hoyt's video Snapshots from Heinemann is also excellent. It shows how
important modeling is and has good clear examples of how to do it. It's not
EXACTLY MOT strategies, but is a nice complement. And it's not very
expensive...less than $50 I think.
Pat Watson
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From:: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] suggestions for learning
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 12:32:27 -0500
Maggie and others, I just want to remind you all that all the previous
emails posted to this listserve have been archived weekly. They hold many
great conversations and actual lessons. You can access them by going to the
main website: www.u46teachers.org/mosaic and clicking on the link at the
left for ARCHIVES. (I am behind in the more recent weeks due to a program
problem but what is already on there has some excellent sharings that will
be helpful to read through)
I think what HAS to come first is an initial reading of Mosaic of Thought.
If there is any way you can meet as small learning groups and read a chapter
at a time to be discussed together that would be the best. I'm on my 8th
reading of MOT and STILL get new learnings from it each time. What also is
helpful is to practice the use of each strategy, separately, on a short
piece of adult text. In our graduate course Jan and I use a great little
book called, Micro Fiction by Jerome Stern. The book is a compilation of
contest winning short pieces of less than 250 words. For adults and
possibly even MS/HS students these are great for strategy work. So if we
have just read the Schema chapter together, made our own post its as we
read, came back in small groups of 4-6 and discussed our post its and
thoughts, share back whole group anything that was important/interesting, we
then take one of the Micro Fiction pieces and read it and apply the strategy
as adult readers. First individually and then back in the small groups
share our post its on the adult piece. We then share back whole group.
This model is what we follow for each strategy.
Another VERY CRUCIAL understanding in this teaching is the importance of the
teacher MODELING his/her OWN thinking as a reader in front of the students.
This is called a think aloud. At the conference I just attended, Dee Bench
from the PEBC stressed that our main purpose is to teach our students to be
THINKERS!! And there is no better way to do this than MODEL OUR OWN
thinking for them. For so long we have TOLD our students what/how to do
things. But now we know it is so much more powerful and conducive for
understanding if we SHOW them. Thinking aloud is not something any of us
are used to doing naturally. At first it can seem very awkward and
uncomfortable. Jan and I do a lot of modeling of think aloud for the
teachers in our courses. The new Strategy Instruction in Action video
series is VERY helpful in that they show four different teachers teaching
the strategies in the gradual release of responsibility model. And thinking
aloud is on the videos. Debbie Miller, first grade teacher, does an amazing
job of thinking aloud. Seeing her helped me further understand that
thinking aloud is not some big mystical unobtainable method. It is JUST
saying out loud whatever comes to my mind as I am reading. So if I am
teaching the text to self connection (one of the parts of activating
schema/background knowledge) I would choose a book that I can make text to
self connections to MYSELF (at this point I do not worry if my students can
make connections to this text because it is MY connections that I am
modeling and they are observing and listening to me). I read the book
stopping at the points where MY own text to self connections are "popping
out" in my mind. Dee Bench says to tell the students what it will look
like
for you when you are READING (looking at the book) and what it will look
like when you are doing the thinking aloud for them (hold the book on your
lap, or face them with the book lowered, or look up at the ceiling). Teach
them your visual "signal" that you are thinking aloud now. Before
you start
the modeling. So I read looking at the text, usually a picture book, and
then when I want to share my thinking, I put the book in my lap and just
talk to them about whatever is going on in my mind relating to the text to
self connection. With this teaching you are specifically JUST addressing
the ONE strategy you are teaching in the strategy study. What I mean is you
are not stopping to model connections, prediction, questioning all at the
same time at THIS point in the study. Keep it strictly ONE strategy
following the gradual release of responsibility model (I will post my anal
interpretation of this next). After I have shared my thinking at that
crucial point, I pick up my book and continue. I might stop 3-4 times in a
book. Depending on the connections. Eventually you have your students
share back what they noticed you doing and what they heard you saying. Your
purpose is to teach them to be metacognitive themselves. Metacognition:
thinking about your own thinking. Being aware that you have a little voice
thinking about your reading AS you are reading. Stopping to CATCH that
little voice and really HEAR it! So for a study on connections, the little
voice we are listening for is JUST the connections that pop out as we are
reading. So you pick books that students can connect to. I tend to choose
books with themes of family, sibling issues, friendship, pets, etc. Because
after text to self connections comes text to text connections and if I have
previously read some good books in my t-s study I can bring those back out
when I am reading a new book that connects to one previously read.
But I can't stress ENOUGH the importance of modeling being done by the
teacher. For each and every strategy study. The more we model, the easier
it will be for the students to "get" what THEY are supposed to be
doing as a
reader. So WE have to look at our OWN mental processes as readers. Dee
suggests that as we are reading throughout the day our own choices (novels,
newspapers, magazines, professional materials, fiction and nonfiction alike)
we should stop and pay attention to what WE are thinking. That is the
beginning of knowing what to model.
Dee says that this is not something additional we have to teach. It is not
an add on. This IS how we teach our content. With the strategies.
(those of you who know me on this listserve know I could go on and on and
on. Right? So I'll stop here!!)
Maggie- I think I can speak for many others- coming to this teaching has
changed my life! I love my job, I see tremendous changes in my students as
readers, THEY love this teaching. You can take this on without staff
development if you read and discuss and take it slow. We are here for you.
Let US be your guides. Keep asking and the wealth of knowledge of this
listserve will carry you through!
Ginger
grade 3
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] gradual release model
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 12:37:45 -0500
Keep in mind this is just MY (anal) interpretation of the release model.
Ginger :)
The gradual release of responsibility model from MOT (Mosaic of Thought)
is new for some of us. Let's discuss our understanding of this model and
how it fits into our day to day plans with our students. How have you
organized your strategy studies?? How much time do you spend on each stage
of the model? **The following in MY interpretation of the release model.
Feel free to debate with me! I found I needed to "explicitly" spell
it out
for myself so I could see where I was going in my study of each strategy.
BY NO MEANS is this the only way to interpret the release model!!**
MODELED:
a. Teacher does a think aloud to model the use of a specific strategy.
Students just observe. (done several times)
b. Teacher does several think alouds modeling the specific strategy.
Students are invited to give feedback to the teacher as to what they
notice (see/hear) the teacher doing.
c. Teacher does several think alouds modeling the specific strategy.
Students contribute verbally by personally using the strategy
themselves in a whole group setting.
SHARED:
d. Teacher and students share a piece of text. They all have the same
text in front of them (or on overhead). The teacher could read it to them,
choral read, read it with a partner, etc. Students share use of the
specific
strategy verbally.
e. Teacher and students share a piece of text. They all have the same
text in front of them (or on overhead). The teacher could read it to
them, choral read, read it with a partner, etc. Students demonstrate use of
thespecific strategy on paper.
INDEPENDENT:
f. Teacher gives all students a piece of text (same text for all)
that is easy to read. Working in partners the partners read the text and
share use
of the strategy verbally. Report back whole group.
g. Teacher gives all students a piece of text (same text for all) that is
easy to read. Working in partners the partners read the text and share use
of the strategy on paper. Report back whole group.
h. Teacher gives each student a piece of text that is easy to read. The
students each read the text (pairing up struggling readers). The
students each demonstrate use of the specific strategy on paper.
i. Each student self selects a just right text. Each student
independently reads text and demonstrate use of the specific strategy on
paper.
GUIDED GROUPS:
j. While most students are reading independently the teacher meets with
guided reading groups. Groups are flexible. Students may be
grouped by reading level or need based (need reteaching of specific
strategy) Short text
is used to monitor and assess strategy use and comprehension. Teacher also
meets with students individually in conferences to monitor and assess
strategy use and comprehension.
****Obviously this is not always followed IN ORDER and can be more fluid
depending on your purpose and the groups ability.*****
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Pat Watson" <pwatson@sfasu.edu>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] gradual release model
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 13:23:16 -0500
Ginger,
This could not have come at a better time. I'm struggling with getting a
group of undergraduates to see how the GRR model works. Your explanations
are great...I may comment later on some differences I've been using. I'm
finding it is the modeling that is so hard for them. They have been taught
that lessons must be interactive and they just can't understand why I want
them to do something while the kids watch! They start out asking the
students to take part by the second sentence of their anchor lesson for a
strategy. Then they never get back around to modeling.
Pat Watson
Stephen F. Austin State University
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Mabry" <mabrysl@charter.net>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] gradual release model
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 15:57:16 -0500
Ginger -
This is where I am with the gradual release issue. :o)
I spend 5 weeks simply doing a read to with thinking
aloud on each of the connections. (MAYBE 15 minutes max.)
The 5th/6th week is spent teaching how to code and use
post/its and the rest of the 6th week is spent helping
my students make individual books that contain 3 to 5
connections about 5 different books. I set up the format
for them on the first day of the 6th week.
Then I spend three weeks each on the rest of the strategies.
Two weeks modeling/thinking aloud and showing how to fill
out my forms that go with each strategy. One week of
students producing their own work. I'm going to try to
do questioning earlier in the year because of how powerful
that particular strategy is.
The thing with gradual release is that I use it for virtually
everything in my day. Writing begins with a write to where
I spend 10 minutes modeling various aspects of the writing
process with one student as a time keeper and one student as
"my eyes" because my back is to the class the majority of the
time. It is way important to do think alouds here. When I
release them later to do their work, I hear them using elements
of what they heard. When I am done with my write to, we
discuss any questions they have about the process, my thinking,
or what I wrote that day. Then they go write. Reading is
done almost exactly as you stated in your e-mail.
I like that you brought this subject up. I'd love to see
how other people use this method.
:o) Lori
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 18:41:15 -0400
From: pat <p.brown@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Please help - Grades 4-5
One of the things that has helped me during & after reading the recommended
books was paying close attention to how I read. Before reading Mosaic of Thought
I'd never really thought about my own process of comprehension & how I use
the various strategies with different text. Once I started recognizing how I
visualize, question, infer, etc., and how each of them helped me understand,
it was a lot easier to explain to my 4th and 5th graders. As I preview text
I'm going to use with them I pay attention to how I understand it & then
use my experience to guide them through.
There are terrific lessons in Strategies that Work & online, but I'd suggest
starting with Mosaic of Thought & think about how you use strategies as
you read this summer - we even use them when we read "beach books"
& mysteries. It always helps to talk about how I understand with others.
Perhaps a summer book club, using either adult or kids books (the book lists
on this listserve would be a good source) based on Mosaic?
Pat Brown
5th Grade
Samuel W. Tucker
Alexandria, VA
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2002 07:37:41 -0700
From: Judy Mazur <jvmazur@attbi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] suggestions for learning
Ginger, thank you so much for your wonderful notes and the explanation
of the way you do gradual release (which is very similar to the way I do
it). I cannot agree with you strongly enough when you say that "coming
to this teaching has changed my life!" Many of my coworkers thought I
was crazy when we first began MOT and I could not contain my enthusiasm.
Your observation is exactly what I came to believe; MOT did change my
life because it made me a better teacher and it gives me a fresh view of
the world. I am forever grateful to Ellin Keene--I only wish she could
see what my kids can do!
judy3ca
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 00:28:38 -0400
From: Deb & Dave Smith <d-smith@cybersol.com>
Why do you suggest the Questioning chapters specifically?
>
> Kim
>
I didn't mean that, I just was illustrating reading all the chapters
grouped together.
deb
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] article on comprehension research
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2002 17:39:57 -0500
Another discussion group posted the link to this article- "Reading
Comprehension: What Works"
http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/edlead/9402/fielding.html
I found it very easy to understand. In grad class today we were discussing
how it might be important to have some articles to pass along to
interested/questioning parents about our teaching. I think this might be a
good one. What do you all think?
Ginger
grade 3
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