At one point we were talking about developing writing curriculum and I
have finished mine, as always, in draft form.

Two Weeks: Writerly Life
Looking at some new procedures for writing workshop, new materials and
just getting back into the writing habit. Found some good stuff to
share with my kids from my own reading this summer to share.
Product: self-selected

One Week: Writing Directions
Product: pre and post samples of simple written directions

Two Weeks: Study of how to read texts like a writer
Product: Self-selected

Three Weeks: Memoir (Genre Study)
Product: Memoir

Two Weeks: Study of lead writing
Product: New or revised piece with strong lead

Three Weeks: Author Study--I'm leaning towards Mem Fox or David McPhail

Product: Self-selected

Three weeks: Concept Books Genre Study
We did a service learning project making tactile ABC books for Headstart
classrooms last year. It was a project with my kids, the little kids
and the community. I plan to offer the kids a bit more freedom in the
books they develop.
Product: Concept book

3 Weeks: Presentation-->Matching Print to Meaning & Using Pictures to
Support Stories
Product: Self-selected with an eye to young authors'

3 Weeks: Genre Study--Poetry
One week to be spent just looking at poetry (we read poetry ALL the
time), looking at presentation and conventions
Two weeks to be spent on study of descriptive poetry
Product: descriptive poetry

3 weeks: Revision as Craft--thought shots & snapshots (Barry Lane)
Product: one revised piece, student selected

3 Weeks: Retelling as Genre
This honestly amounts to test prep, as so much hangs on their abilities
to retell well in end of year assessments. I am going to try this
experimentally this year to see if it impacts ability.
Product: Retelling of an appropriately leveled text

3 weeks: Literary Nonfiction
Product: literary nonfiction

Feedback appreciated

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

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] curriculum plan/Lori
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 23:04:12 -0500

WOW! I am so impressed and so jealous! Lori your plan is very well thought
out. I can't imagine a luckier group of children. You teach 1/2 loop
right?? I can only hope to do some of what you will be teaching them. My
own understanding of writing is still so much in process. After reading
Wondrous Words, I am rethinking EVERYTHING about writing and this year will
be my year to take it slow and give it a try. Whatever "it" is! I'm still
working on that! Just like when my teaching changed in reading with the
comprehension strategies, I know I just have to DO IT and each year I will
get better at "it". Right??

I hope you will talk with us along the way about how it is going.

I appreciate your willingness to share your ideas.

Ginger
moderator
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] comprehension and math problem solving
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 00:37:07 -0500

This is from NCTE
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=146

Ginger
moderator
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: Lhg2teach@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 02:05:37 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] comprehension and math problem solving

I use the Read It! Draw It! Solve It! books with my class. They are by
Dale Seymour and provide the same type of experiences for the children.
There
are books for the different grade levels.
I like the idea on this website of doing big charts for modeling and
practice.
Leslie/3/CA
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: Creecher12@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 12:08:38 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] curriculum plan/Lori

Lori,
You are SOOOOOO organized. My writing plans often are organized according to
opportunity for audience. I'm not sure who the audience is for the products.
Will you be looking for audience as you go along? Or do you have
someone/thing
in mind as you do the plan?

Nancy
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 12:18:10 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] curriculum plan/Lori

I am just trying hard to keep in my mind the 80% cirteria Graves speaks
of--80% of what children are READING and WRITING should be
self-selected. At certain points, I have audience in mind. During
writing directions--which I want to get thewm to write simple directions
for use of everyday items in the classroom--obviously the audience is
the user. I am timing memoir near Halloween because I definately want
to use Seinfeld's Halloween as one of our texts for study of memoir,
along with several others related to holidays. I found a wonderful book
this summer called When I Was Five, and though I don't think it is
really memoir (storyteller is six)--it captures the essence of memior
and I will use it as well. And of course, during a a genre study,
children are still self-selecting topics during the immerison stages.
The audience for our concept books are the Head Start kids. When we
write poetry, I am hoping to involve other classrooms as we both write
and select poetry to infuse into our community for the month of April.
I got this idea after listening to Georgia Hear and having her describe
the Poetry in Motion project in NYC. We don't have public
transportation but could still infuse our community with poetry selected
or written by my students. Since our community is small, we could
easily have a large map that would hand in our school and tell parents
and others exactly where each child's selection has been posted. I
decided to include plays since my class was very much taken with
Reader's Theatre last year and I plan to do much, much more with it
this year. I see it as an authentic way to get kids to pay closer
attention to text (and I have to keep those end of the year assessments
in mind next spring, so the timing is about right). The audience there
is performer and audience. The idea of retelling as written genre came
to me as I looked again at examples for curriculum plans in Ray &
Laminack's Writing Workshop book. They include a test genre. For me,
the high stakes tests are the DRA's and I feel that concentrating at
that point on written retelling may also impact this score. For
self-selected writing, I think audience needs to be part of ongoing mini
lesson and conferences with individual writers.

Now, that was a good question! It really got me thinking.

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

From: "Mary Kaleta" <mekaleta@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] How to order QRI ?
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 12:28:55 -0500

I would like to order the QRI. But I do not know the publisher or how to
order. Can someone help me?

Mary/gr.8
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Creecher12@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 13:35:08 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] How to order QRI ?

You can get the QRI from Amazon, or just about any other online bookstore.

Nancy
+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Amet196815@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 13:36:00 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] How to order QRI ?

Amazon sells it for $32.90.
++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Dorothy Ridge" <dorridge@cox.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] How to order QRI ?
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 15:16:20 -0400

The Qualitative Reading Inventory-II is by Lauren Leslie and JoAnne
Caldwell. It is published by LONGMAN: an imprint of Addison Wesley
Longman, Inc.
ISBN 0-673-99086-9
The copyright is 1995. There may be a QRI-III by now.
Hope this helps

Dottie
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: RKCTEC5@aol.com
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 15:59:50 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] curriculum plan/Lori

We also provide audiences for our kids by inviting parents to come in and
listen to small groups of children reading their published pieces, or
inviting
other classrooms in for readings. It's our way of celebrating at the end of
a
unit of study.
Ruby
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 21:16:02 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Thanks for QRI info

I wrote one last year and I would say I was able to 'keep to the plan'
about 75% of the time. When I first became exposed to this idea and
came to see Isoke Nia talking about the need to have a blueprint or
guide, she had the words "trouble, trouble, trouble" running across the
bottom of her examples. She stressed that these are not lockstep but
meant to give our teaching direction, to help us get in writing the
kinds of experiences we want our kids to have. "Trouble" could come in
the need to spend more time in a study (or less).

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

From: "lois driggers" <loiso@dbtech.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] QRI ?
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 03:12:58 -0700

Yes, there is a QRI III and it is really more teacher friendly. It has =
two new added features Look backs and Think Alouds. Our entire system =
uses it grades 4-6.
After identifying our intervention students using last year's outcome =
test scores(Stanford Achievement) as our beginning of the year screening =
test indicator, using stanines 1-4 in from the total Reading, we can =
then "dig deeper" using the QRI as a diagnostic. We then do progress =
monitoring through the year with running records which includes using =
leveled text with the child's word accuracy of 98%-100% and checking the =
fluency rate by using the fluency formula: 60 times the number of words =
divided by the number of seconds. I, along with the other reading =
coaches in my system, developed a progress monitoring sheet for grades =
2-5 that shows all this information. If you would like, I could ask =
Ginger to post it. We are still tweakimg the K-1 form, since we added =
Dibels as part of our mandated state wide assessment this year.

Lois
RC/AL
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Georgina J. Pipes" <gpipes@bellsouth.net>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] How to order QRI ?
Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 22:19:29 -0500

Someone may have already mentioned this....There is a Qual. III out at this
time. The biggest difference (other than the passages themselves) is the
"look backs".

Georgina
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 20:25:34 -0700
From: Carol Lau <cllc@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] community of math thinkers

I like this gradual release of responsibility model. Should help my math
journals be much more successful. I also enjoyed the link to Chapter 1
of David and Phyllis Whitin's book: Talking, Writing, and Mathematical
Thinking.
Especially these points:
To build a community of mathematical thinkers:

* Highlight process (everyone has responsibility for each other's
thinking and understanding)
* Recognize the thinking of others
o Public expression of appreciation accompanied by the reason
+ "Who would like to share an appreciation to someone
who helped them during our work time today?"
+ "Who would like to share an appreciation to someone
for asking a question that helped you grow as a learner?"
+ "Who would like to share an appreciation t someone who
shared a comment, idea or suggestion that helped you
understand some of this math in a new way?"

o Traveling overhead transparency for a child to record and
present how he solved a problem
o Naming of the strategies in honor of the child who invented it

* Honor surprise
o "Did anything surprise you today as you worked?'
o "Why was that surprising to you?"
o "How can we explain what happened?"

* Invite reflection
o Math journal - questions taped inside front cover
+ What do you notice?
+ What do you find interesting?
+ What patterns do you see?
+ What surprises you?
+ What do you predict? Why?
+ What do your findings make you wonder?"
+ What does this remind you of?

When they spoke of how they selected these questions, it brought to mind
our conversations about K2K:

Past experiences showed that even the questions, "What did you learn
today?" was not an effective one for eliciting a diversity of
responses. Children tended to write about what they did rather than
reflect on the nature of the learning that occurred. . .The
question, "Do you have any questions?' was also not helpful because
children were reluctant to admit questions, especially in the area
of mathematics. The word wonder seemed to better capture this same
spirit. Wonder seemed to be a less threatening word; the children
had little previous school association with this word, which
conjured up a nonjudgmental invitation to extend the experience in
new ways.

This next part reminded me of our conversations about "The Private Eye"
program, encouraging students to describe using analogies:

We included the last question, "What does this remind you of?"
because we found that children naturally described observations in
metaphorical terms. For instance, Danny was circling the multiples
of four and eight on the hundred square chart. . . . He then shared
a personal analogy: "Four is like eight's little sister; she follows
him wherever he goes." Danny had a younger sister and probably drew
upon some personal connection.

They talk about the importance of the verbs they use with children:

explore, investigate, invent, discover, revise, pretend

And then this is my favorite part:

The language that we use to describe our intentions sets the
parameters for what is possible. As teachers, we have come to pay
closer attention to language because we know it sets the tone for
out classroom climate.

This book was on my long list of next purchases. I want to train in CGI
(Cognitively Guided Instruction) for math; I passed up a chance this
summer because of scheduling. I think it has moved up on my
priorities!

Carol
++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 20:35:22 -0700
From: Carol Lau <cllc@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] community of math thinkers

Sorry ---- The name of the book is Math is Language Too: Talking and
Writing iin the Mathematics Classroom (Chapter Oneis linked in the
lesson Ginger posted below under "From Theory to Practice"
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Tena Flanagan" <tflanagan@colbertcountyschools.org>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] QRI ?
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 10:26:26 -0500

Lois,
I am also an ARI reading coach in North Al. I would love to see what =
you've done. My teachers do the QRI, but we need help with the digging =
deeper part. Thanks for sharing.
Tena
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ellin Oliver Keene" <ellinkeene@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 11:52:52 -0600

Greetings again, everyone. Just wanted to pop in on a couple of things that
you've been discussing. A couple of weeks ago (I've lost track, now, having
been on the road a bit doing back to school in-services and speeches)
someone posed a "devil's advocate" question about explicit instruction of
comprehension strategies, particularly in the inner city. I was delighted
to see a dissenting opinion on the list serv and think it would be great if
there were more questions like this that add a bit of positive skepticism to
the discussions. When there's a professional edge of disagreement, that's a
condition under which we all grow.

In response to this particular inquiry, however, I have to fall back, not
only on the research which strongly promotes explicit comprehension
instruction in progressively more difficult text, but on my experience.
Some of you may know that I'm currently directing a project called
Cornerstone at the University of Pennsylvania in which we work with some of
this country's lowest income schools, some in the inner city and some in
rural areas. I've found that explicit comprehension instruction gives kids
(and their teachers) the shared language and common tools they need to take
on real challenging texts.

Too often, when working with kids in poverty, we erroneously assume that we
need to keep the texts they read "manageable" which can be a euphemism for
lower expectations. What I have found is quite the opposite. When given
the tools (the comprehension strategies) we just stand back and watch their
intellect come alive. They can tackle much more difficult and complex
(interesting) text than their teachers thought possible and, though it's an
overused term, their level of empowerment and engagement when they're
working in challenging text and believing that they are capable of
understanding at high levels, is extraordinary. Intellectual engagement of
that nature feeds on itself and rather than external rewards (contests,
principals shaving their heads and other absurd "incentives"), the kids
build an internal reward system that is based on the discovery of their own
intellect. This is indeed gratifying for their teachers but amazing for
them as they discover the power of their own minds. In many of the
communities in which I'm working, that translates to more options for them
in their lives.

I agree with the writer that these kids needs books in their hands -- a lot.
In fact, one of my greatest concern with the emphasis on guided reading
instruction and other models that, especially when these models are
misinterpreted, there is altogether too little time for independent reading!
Kids need ample opportunity for daily independent reading -- time when their
teachers can move among them to confer. But, having books in their hands is
far from enough. I worry that, kids will acquire word knowledge -- how to
decode, recognize words in print, even read fluently, with only superficial
comprehension. With explicit strategy instruction, the chances increase
dramatically that, not only will they be able to read fluently, but will
comprehend deeply and will think critically about what they read -- indeed
about all that they learn.

Just had to weigh in on that one, but keep the great debates coming!!

best to all,
ellin keene
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Barbara" <baguzman@mchsi.com>
Subject: [mosaic] QRI info
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 14:52:19 -0500

So the QRI III is more diagnostic someone said. Does it also give =
instruction directions for some of the problems? Has anyone used these? =
What did you mean by think-alouds and look backs? Are these =
instruction techniques? If I order one, I would like to make sure to =
get the right one.
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 23:33:58 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition??

In a message dated 8/11/2003 6:59:59 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
jbeebe@irsd.k12.de.us writes:

> Is this metacognition...thinking about how you are reading?

Julie - Hi! I am behind on my emails. I started school this past Thursday.
Teaching metacognition is something I'm very interested in discussing right
now because I am about to introduce my students to this. One of the best
explanations I've read comes from Strategies That Work. My book is at
school, but
this is from the study guide on the Stenhouse site.

Four levels of metacognitive awareness and the ways in which readers monitor
their thinking -

Tacit readers - Tacit readers lack awareness of how they think when they
read.
Aware readers - Aware readers may realize when meaning has broken down, but
lack strategies to fix the problem or repair confusion.
Strategic readers - Strategic readers use a variety of strategies to enhance
understanding and monitor and repair meaning when it is disrupted.
Reflective readers - Reflective readers can apply strategies flexibly
depending on their goals for reading. They reflect on their thinking and
revise
their use of strategies. You can observe this reflective stance when
students
comment with surprise, amazement, or wonder as they read.

My approach will be to talk to the students about their role as a reader
being equal with that of the writer. A focus on the need to interact and
become
involved with the text. I think this involves two components.
Self-monitoring
and being aware of when our comprehension has broken down and listening to
our inner voice as we read. STW suggests making an ongoing class chart of
What
is Reading? I plan on doing this. Then, I plan to focus on monitoring for
comprehension and fix-up strategies. From here, I will move to listening to
our
inner voice which should lead to our first strategy unit - schema and
connections.

Have you read Ginger's post on how she does metacognition? I know I will be
reading it over and over the next couple of weeks as we focus on this in my
classroom. I would love to hear how others plan on addressing this with
their
students.

Martha/4/5/az
++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Cathy" <cgage@gwi.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] resend on grades (long)
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 08:49:10 -0400

Ginger - I'm feeling guilty because I never responded to say 'thank you' for
replying to my question re: grading.

Last year I had a daily group of remedial third graders for approximately 45
minutes. We had less formal lessons, and unfortunately I didn't have them
for independent reading and its carry-through, but we wove formal strategy
lessons throughout. My grading of them was based on mostly informal
observation of their strategy use and DRA's. Well, actually, PM Benchmarks,
since the classroom teachers did DRA's. What I came up with was intuitive to
the rubrics you cited at the Chicago PS site and MOT appendices.

At the moment, I'm getting together a brief 'proposal' to the rest of the
teachers in my small K-8 building (school starts in two weeks) to suggest a
study group of STW. I THINK that there is a concensus that our kids need
comprehension work, and I so want to introduce this book to them, but am
afraid that most teachers have enough on their plate and are resistant to
'new' things. I know, I know.... it can be a small movement, with just
introducing one teacher and turning into a groundswell. One teacher already
last year read RWM and loves it/incorporated it. Another who read it and
tried a few things says she prefers her GR groups - I'll address that
(subtly) in my proposal.

But if anyone has any ideas for my proposal (read that to mean has a
successful proposal that I can 'borrow' from!), please feel free to share!

Thanks. Cathy
++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 09:08:19 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] resend on grades (long)

In a message dated 8/19/2003 5:44:54 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
cgage@gwi.net writes:

> Another who read it and
> tried a few things says she prefers her GR groups

Guided Reading groups and strategy instruction are not exclusive to each
other, right? My plan right now, is to within a reading workshop setting,
introduce strategies whole class, meet and confer with individuals during
independent
reading time, and then based on need, pull small GR groups. This will be my
first time really completely implementing a reader's workshop so we'll see
how
it goes. I think an important thing about MOT/STW is that we get as many
teachers as possible teaching comprehension strategies within whatever
manner
they feel most comfortable. I think guided reading groups are an integral
part,
but teachers must not lose the focus on deeper comprehension than literal
recall of story elements/events.

Martha/4/5/az

Is anybody else back to school yet? I'd love to hear what you're doing in
your classrooms!
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 08:41:05 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] resend on grades (long)

We are starting quite late this year, after Labor Day. I have been
working in my room for over a week and have made some changes based on
summer reading and workshop experiences. One change for me is to expand
my class library. I have done a good job for years of making fiction
accessible to children--lots of tubs, well labeled and high interest.
After reading Tony Stead's book s That A Fact I decided that my
organization system for nonfiction was far too general and was not
encouraging specific inquiry. So I redrew class floor plans to expand
my library. I have a large room, with a long counter with shelving
under that extends from wall to wall under a bank of windows. I have
extended my library along and across two thirds of this wall, with a
divider between nonfiction and fiction sections of the libraries. There
are tables in each area. The tables (two rectangles pushed together)
will double as student seating. Since the remaining third of this wall
is my guided reading material, along with professional reading and
multople literature sets, it really makes a visual impact and I hope
sends a clear message about the importance of reading.

Another change I wanted to make, having been so inspired by Georgia
Heard and Karen DaSilva, is to increase the role that the art center
plays during Writer's Workshop. To that end, I have made some changes
which will allow me to display more student work and offer more choices
during both Literacy Block and Writer's Workshop. I plan to bring in
different materials each month for still life assembly, which the
students can construct on their own. To begin with, I have collected
some stories and poetry related to shoes along with a box of old boots
and shoes. I want to talk to them about the powerful role that
observation plays in the lives of artists, writers and scientists--not
to mention journalists, photographers and teachers! I want to share
what I learned about keeping a sketch journal and how much I have
enjoyed this summer (for the first time!) keeping a sketch journal and
combining sketching with writing. I have been largely a flop trying to
keep a writer's notebook on my own, but let me doodle and I am with you!

I will be doing far more with poetry this year and have talked to
several teachers about a community literacy project to be undertaken in
April modeled somewhat on New York's Poetry in Motion project.

I added 'word jars' to my word wall. Simply stated. they are just large
drawings of jars labeled with captions like: 'words that make us laugh',
'words that make us shiver' and so on. The idea being (Gonzalez &
Allen) to encourage children to get interested in words and begin to
collect and discuss them. Vocabulary is a huge obstacle for my kids and
I looked for several ways to work more systematically towards
developing and deepening language skills. I also added a long
industrial strength velcro strip under the word wall and will take our
thematic word banks one step further (ala Eggleton) by collecting these
words in word banks as units close and the large sheets come down. My
plan is to bank these words in legal file folders, set up like mini word
walls, with decorative covers and laminated (new owrds can still be
added using labels). By affixing a corner of velcro to the back, these
can be prominently displayed and can be removed for use.

I am so excited about getting back to school. Yesterday, several of my
returning students came in to visit with me and they are also excited
and eager to get back to school.

Lori
1-2 Loop
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Cathy" <cgage@gwi.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] resend on grades (long)
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 09:59:04 -0400

Yes, Martha. Well said. Thanks! I neglected to state that in my proposal =
I will draw in how these strategies can come up in GR groups. But this =
teacher doesn't have a Rdg Wkshop setting, as far as I know. She pulls =
her heterogeneous ability GR groups (small, because we have very small =
classes), and works on decoding and literal comprehension (gr.2). =
Possibly more now that she's read RWM. I'm going to mention in my =
proposal something to the effect that teachers can incorporate these =
strategies informally into whatever their current method of teaching =
reading is. (One small step at a time....)

Cathy
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Barnes and Noble
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 18:11:48 -0400

I know this message isn't directly related to strategy instruction, but i=
t is indirectly! For those of you that are looking to build up your class=
room library with quality literature...

Just wanted to let you know...B&N is running a special promotion this wee=
k for teachers--25% off books purchased for the classroom (instead of the=
20% with the teacher card). You have to show a pay stub or teacher ID to=
receive the discount and card. Needless to say I saved a bunch when I st=
opped there!
--Carrie :)
+++++++++++++++++++

Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 22:10:51 -0500
From: "Andrew Kennedy" <pristine@aclass.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Back at it - Metacognition and F&P

Yes...I am back at it since the 12th. (Martha 4/5 - My plan
is almost exactly what you described that yours will be for
the year)
Here is what I have done so far for REading and Writing Worshop.
Day 1 - Discussed myself as a reader and a writer. Shared a
few artifacts.
I just kept reiterating the first week how I don't want
reading and writing to be painful - that it is a joy and I
will be doing stuff with them so that they will be begging
to read and write more. :)
Day 2 - REading is Thinking Chart - Metacognition
discussion - had students brainstorm what they might be
thinking about as they read. Started reading Winn Dixie
aloud modeling think aloud and what think aloud is and how I
am being "metacognitive". (I keep hauling my Metacognition
folder home - I have to find my print out of Ginger's great
movie in my head lesson..........uugghh...where is it? :)

Day 3 - Who knows what I did that day - that was a
mini-melt down day for me. ???In the afternoon (after
school) I cried because I already felt overwhelmed. HA - OK
I am better now. Can you tell how much I trust you all to
share that? HA All that prep. work and to feel overwhelmed
the 3rd day.....

Day 4 - More read aloud/think aloud with Winn Dixie and Day
2 of Fountas and Pinnel's First 20 Days of REading
Instruction - Why REaders Choose Books
Day 5 - Making Good Book Choices - Lesson on Selecting
Easy, Just Right or Challenging books for IR
(My oldest son's first day of Kindergarten - will his
teacher use these strategies???????????)
Day 6 - Thinking and Talking about Your reading - Using
Sticky notes while you read. Referred back to how I had
been thinking aloud to them everyday in Winn Dixie and now I
wanted them to try the strategy in their chapter books they
are reading. They went off with two sticky notes and shared
in circle later - I heard great connections, wonders,
predictions, and observations. I was very pleased. Tonight's
homework was to take three sticky notes home and write down
their metacognitive moments while reading from their chapter
books at home.
Tomorrow I plan to have them share their sticky notes and
I will be giving the reading placement test that came with
our Scholastic REading Series. Interestingly enough, I
discovered a book about Guided REading with the Series
authored by Gay Sue Pinnell! :) I used this placement test
that came with the reading series last year and it is pretty
good (as far as these kinds of things go) because it labels
the questions as sequence or inference or whatever. Then I
chart out the answers and this is how I pull guided reading
groups. On Thursday I will have them take the Star Reader
Quiz in computer lab to find a book level (We just started
AR last year.) For now it is helpful in helping gets find
Just Right reading levels. I am sure this is controversial,
but being so new to all of this it is helpful for now. I am
dying to start response journals (which comes in a few days)
but for now I am pleased with the start. I have tried to go
slow and be very procedure oriented until we get the
process..........
More to follow....Shelly
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 23:52:24 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Back at it - Metacognition and F&P

In a message dated 8/19/2003 8:13:24 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
pristine@aclass.com writes:

> I just kept reiterating the first week how I don't want
> reading and writing to be painful

Me, too! It is amazing to me to see the kids pick up on this enthusiasm. I
wrote and shared a letter with them describing myself as a reader and then
had
them write back to me telling me about themselves as a readers. I think the
kids are sensing that things will be different this year and are so full of
the
possibility it holds for them. Sharing that they don't like to read, or
aren't very good at reading. One girl wrote about her frustration at
wanting to
read so much but it was so hard for her. She told me about being teased
because she couldn't read well. Others shared their enthusiasm for reading
and
their favorite genres and authors and favorite reading spots. Wow! What a
sense
of responsibitlity comes with reading these letters. How could I possibly
hand them the anthology and ask them to answer worksheets of multiple choice
questions? I so desperately want to be the teacher they remember as
creating a
love of reading for them. One short statement about Star testing and AR
(and
please everyone lets not get into a big discussion on the pros and cons of
AR!!!
) We do it at our school, too, but to what degree is up to individual
teachers. Being new at all this last year I gave students levels and they
were to
try and stay within this when they selected books. We set point goals. I
decided to do away with it this year. My students will Star test (the whole
school
does) and my classroom books are leveled, though they are not arranged in
the
library according to level, but I am really going to stress this as just one
piece of information to use when making a book choice. We did the lesson
today on choosing a "just right" book and this is what I really want to
focus on.
That's a big part of metacognition, right? Monitoring for understanding?
My returning 5th graders were ecstatic (sp?) when they heard no point goals!
We haven't even started with sticky notes or metacognition yet.
Tomorrow -when
it is appropriate to abandon a book, Thursday - What is Reading (this
probably should have come sooner, but I missed doing it and still want to
create a
list we can add onto throughout the year), then into a more concentrated
metacognition study. Ok - here is something I'm struggling with. Where do
I fit in
teaching of story elements. I'm thinking as part of schema - develop schema
for story structure? I have kids that in addition to deeper comprehension
instruction, really need to work on their literal comprehension skills.
They
decode on grade level, but can't answer the basic, literal comprehension
questions
from the beginning of the year running record assessment - we have Harcourt.
Two students in particular that are 5th graders. I worked all year with
them
last year and it's just not happening. Maybe they need to be doing more of
the graphic organizer thing. When do you have students do these? As part
of
guided reading? Do others have this same experience with some of their
students?
Martha/4/5/az
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] beginning check ins!
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 23:09:57 -0500

Yeah for Shelly and Martha! This is a hectic time for those of us just
getting back to work. I know some of us have been back. I sure appreciate
you both "talking to us" about what you have done so far. I know it helps
me to hear it.

Shelly- I know how much you studied and prepared for this school year. I
can certainly hear your clarity and learning coming out loud and clear in
your post tonite. I loved how you talked about going slow and being very
procedure oriented. That is so crucial to build a learning community. The
SLOW part is hard. I tend to want to get into it quicker but I have learned
the hard way that if I take the time up front to lay the groundwork our
entire year is better. LOVE your idea of them taking some posts it home to
catch their metacognitive thinking and bringing them back to share back
whole group! I'm doing that!

And Shelly, thanks for feeling "safe" enough with US to share about your
"mini meltdown". We are here for that kind of support as well as the "how
to" piece. And BOY have we ALL been there!!!!!!!!!!!!

Martha- LOVE your idea to write and then read a letter from you to your kids
about yourself as a reader! I'm doing that too! I got chills hearing some
of their responses. WOW!! Already you are establishing a safe and trusting
community. So much of our work is possible BECAUSE we take the time to
create "community".

I think your idea of explicit instruction on SCHEMA for STORY is right on
target! That's the tip of the iceberg for SCHEMA for all genre (is there a
plural for genre?). I used the First Steps Story Map graphic organizer and
others pulled from various sources to help them organize their thinking
about the story elements. I didn't spend a lot of time on it but I did
model myself pulling them out and then I had them do it with me as I read a
book aloud. I think last year I did a better job of thinking out loud AS I
WAS READING about the story elements. Like: "Hmmm, I bet he is going to be
an important character in this story because............." or "This story
would be so different if it did not take place in the forest because."
Stuff like that. Instead of waiting until the end of the book and just
listing it out. Who knows if it helped or not. The next step for me was
having a like piece of text for them in partner groups to do the same thing
verbally together and then discuss it whole group. Then another day do a
different like text in partners on paper. Then a like text individually
(where they read independently) and meet together in small groups to discuss
the elements. Then finally move to writing about it. I am by no means
feeling real confident that this was even any good. But it was better than
just having them fill out worksheets.

What do others do for this type of skill??

Shelly and Martha and others: KEEP SHARING what you have been doing so far.

Ginger
moderator
(who starts with kids on Monday! AHHHH!!!!)
++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Erickson, Debra M" <derickson2@ecasd.k12.wi.us>
Reply-To: mosaic@u46teachers.org
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 15:08:20 -0500
To: <mosaic@u46teachers.org>
Subject: RE: [mosaic] Tribes: community building

I have taken 3 levels of Responsive Classroom training and the training for
Tribes. I liked the grouping ideas that Tribes offered but found RC to be a
very comprehensive program and philosophy for running a classroom. Tribes
nests well into RC but RC takes community building and teacher awareness of
their own actions in making that happen much farther.
Deb E
+++++++++++++++++

From: Creecher12@aol.com
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:31:09 EDT
Subject: [mosaic] Rachel Billmeyer

Has anyone ever heard Rachel Billmeyer present? Can you tell me how she was
as a presenter?
Thanks.

Nancy Creech
++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 11:24:29 -0400
From: JLabar1026@aol.com
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

In a message dated 8/18/2003 1:52:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ellinkeene@earthlink.net writes:

> I was delighted
> to see a dissenting opinion on the list serv and think it would be great
if
> there were more questions like this that add a bit of positive skepticism
to
> the discussions. When there's a professional edge of
> disagreement, that's a
> condition under which we all grow.

I could not agree more. It is no fun talking with folks who are always in
agreement.

"Words from a guest at an Italian dinner table."

BG
++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 11:25:57 -0400
From: JLabar1026@aol.com
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

In a message dated 8/18/2003 1:52:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ellinkeene@earthlink.net writes:

> we
> need to keep the texts they read "manageable" which can be a euphemism for
> lower expectations. What I have found is quite the
> opposite.

My experience suggests that text needs to be of interest to the student.
Then, the challenge is considered by both teacher and student.

BG
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 10:56:29 -0500
Subject: Re: [mosaic] beginning check ins!
From: carol carlson <carlsonca@dist102.k12.il.us>

Hi all,
I'm glad this came up. I have been pondering where the story elements
fit in, too.
As a content specialist, I have tried to align our standards witth
state goals and have done fine with the writing. Now, I'm moving on to
reading, and am having some difficulty in where to place the story
maps. Would it go under determining importance? Or does it go under
connections, as in making text to text connections? I think Strategies
that Work talks about it in both areas.
When determining the definitive elements of a particular genre, I
think it fits under text to text connections because we need to get our
head ready when we read texts of similar genre. But story maps is
different than genre elements Previously, I listed story elements under
determining importance.
Any ideas on where you place it on curriculum maps or standards?
THanks,
Carol C.
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 12:58:32 -0500
Subject: [mosaic] Help with after school program
From: carol carlson <carlsonca@dist102.k12.il.us>

> Hi, all
I just had a request from a middle school principal for helpful ideas.
She runs a "spark plug" program, once a month. It is a community
building exercise to help students become more confident and
comfortable with school. However, there is a short time, 25 minutes
each for reading and writing for some skill building. Policeman
(untrained) will be in charge.
Since it's so short and only occurs once a month with untrained
leaders, I'm having trouble thinking of something that would help these
unmotivated students. I've thought of just collecting short articles
and reading them together with a focus on determining importance. But,
I'm worried about an untrained person doing this.
Do any of you have any ideas? Or used anything that worked in this type
of program?
Carol C.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 13:25:08 -0400
From: "Linda Welch" <welchl@southlyon.k12.mi.us>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Rachel Billmeyer

She is an excellent presenter. Does a wonderful job with both large and
small groups. Her books have been well received with both elementary and
secondary staff.

>>> Creecher12@aol.com 08/20/03 10:31AM >>>
Has anyone ever heard Rachel Billmeyer present? Can you tell me how she
was
as a presenter?
Thanks.

Nancy Creech
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: deborah a devine <debthereb@lightfirst.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 14:32:04 -0500
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Help with after school program

What about the policeman reading, "Frank and Ernest on the Road" by
Alexandra Day. It's a picture book that's great for inferring meaning
of words. These two animals, with human qualities, are substitute
truck drivers and one of the words you must infer about is CB and
truckers lingo. I think it would be fun to have a policeman reading
that with kids, and then making the connection that you use what you
already know to make meaning in books. I did it with my class and we
really had fun.
Deborah Devine
++++++++++++++++++++++

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