Cherylle,
Just wandered if you have seen the songs that teach metacognition and
schema?

I had duty the first week of school and it was rainy so all the second
graders had to go into a room adjoining the library and wait until school
started in the am.

I read some funny poetry and a modeled read/think aloud questioning before
reading, while reading and after reading for two days. Then the third day I
ask the kids if they noticed what I do when I read. Then I held this big
word up Metacognition and led them in the song to the tune of Three Blind
Mice with the hand motions and by Friday, they were singing it to me and
could tell me what the word metacognition and schema meant.

We have a morning TV show in-house. The following Thursday, I took about
twelve second grade volunteers with me to the show and they sung the song
for the whole school on close-circuit TV and told the TV audience what it
meant.

>>>From that one TV show, one of our teachers came walking into my room just
today and said, her kindergartener had been singing Metacognition... every
sense last Thursday.
I couldn't believe how fast kinders can pick up in a song.

If you don't have the song, let me know and I'll try to forward it to you.

Thank heaven for the mosaicteachers yahoo group files, that's where I found
the songs.
Nelle
++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 19:32:18 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Notebook/Listserv

Anyone willing to post or repost these songs? I love to sing with the
kids! And we start Tuesday and I am soooooooo ready to get back into
the classroom!

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

Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 19:26:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ilyse Denes <idoyoga2@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Help with after school program

When you mentioned police, I think right away of inferencial informaion and
how they use it everyday. There are facts and opinions, persuation and
inferences being made on a daily basis, I think they could teach that. What
do you think?
Ilyse
++++++++++++++++

From: "Mark and Ronda Elam" <rjelam@mchsi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Help with after school program
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 21:36:15 -0500

the idea that i've done with my local police and my after school program =
is this..
the police make up a simplified "law book" for the kids on traffic/car =
violations.. they read over it, study it, discuss it in depth.. =
(talking about why this is wrong, what needs to be done, why is it =
important, etc.)..
THEN.. as a culmination, the "Safety patrol" loads up and goes to a =
local large parking lot and "inspect" vehicles there.. they have to look =
up the related laws, decide why, what, etc. and then leave courtesy =
notices on the car of infractions and the related laws, safety notes, =
etc..

the kids love it and the cops love it (they're more comfortable talking =
about what they know!)

Ronda Jordan-Elam
Southcentral Kentucky
+++++++++++++++++++

From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] K2K, beginning of the year planning
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 23:05:58 -0400

Hi everyone--

As I prepare for school (I still can't believe some of you are in session=
already...we have another week before teachers return!), I'm looking bac=
k over K2K. I teach fifth grade, one class of reading a day and this is m=
y second year teaching the strategies.
I'm having some struggles and hope that some of you might offer some advi=
ce and/or share your thoughts on my planning. I know that about a month a=
go people were discussing this some so forgive me if I missed it!

I was thinking about beginning with teaching fix up strategies, but I fee=
l like I need to teach them some of the strategies, for example making co=
nnections and asking questions, before I can tackle that one. Some of th=
e students probably already make use of the strategies, but I'm worried a=
bout those who don't. I'm afraid they'll end up more confused than anythi=
ng else! I know I can focus on rereading, making predictions, reflect, re=
tell, stop and think, etc., but I feel like there's so much more to monit=
oring comprehension! I didn't get to fix up strategies last year, but I h=
ope to integrate it throughout or pop it in between strategies. I feel li=
ke that's the way it should be taught anyway.

Then my next thought was to start with making connections and tie K2K in =
with that because it seems like a natural place to start. I'm wondering i=
f the connections will provide opportunities for students to respond to t=
heir partner's connections. I don't know if I feel comfortable enough to =
start the year with questioning (although I'm comfortable with the unit i=
tself) because it's different, but I feel that asking questions is the be=
st place to start with knee to knee literature conversations. I really wa=
nt to promote the literature conversations in my classroom so as we get i=
nto other strategies the structure and knowledge of discussion is there f=
or students to delve deeper into the strategies.

I don't know if any of this makes sense to you, I'm just looking for some=
feedback about my thoughts. I have plenty of other reading things to fil=
l the first couple of weeks, but I know I'll be anxious to get down to th=
e strategy instruction once we all get settled in.

Thanks!
--Carrie :)
+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 23:25:18 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] K2K, beginning of the year planning
In a message dated 8/26/2003 8:03:11 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
pigsrock@hotmail.com writes:

> I was thinking about beginning with teaching fix up strategies

Hi, Carrie. I'm one of those already back at it and loving it! Yesterday
was my first day of introducing metacognition. With so many of my 4/5
students
I find that they don't do any monitoring for understanding or have
strategies
to fix it when it breaks down. So, this is going to be my initial focus.
We
started today with strategies for when we come to unknown words and will
move
to larger comprehension issues next week. Do you know what I struggle with?
No one taught me this stuff when I was in school! After three years of
teaching, I finally feel like I'm getting a handle on what to teach students
when
basic comprehension breaks down, but it's been a long road figuring things
out.
I am going to just stay here and focus on this until I really see kids
self-monitoring and implementing some of the fix-ups before I move on to my
first
comprehension strategy unit - Schema and connections. I haven't spent this
much
time before because I was anxious to get into the deeper strategy
instruction
and because like I said I wasn't that sure what to teach (wouldn't I like to
have a second go with some of the kids who've been with me these first
couple
of years!)

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

From: "Ed Asselin" <sharoned@charter.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Notebook/Listserv
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 22:30:25 -0500

I'd love to have the song! Sharon--1st in WI
P.S. We start next week...What are you first grade teachers doing to =
start out?
+++++++++++++++++++

From: "Joan Matuga" <joan3teach@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Goldilocks Poster
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 20:49:47 -0700

I think this is the group that had posted a "Goldilocks Poster" for choosing
a "just-right" book. It was so cute and I wanted to get it enlarged.
However, I can't seem to find it. I checked the readinglady.com site and
didn't see it there either. Any ideas? Have a wonderful day! Joan
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: PMurphyNAM@aol.com
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 01:43:05 EDT
Subject: [mosaic] Story about "story"

A student had studied for a long time and felt that he was finally ready
to leave his teacher.
"You are not ready," the teacher told him with a gentle smile.
"Why not?" asked the student, almost indignantly.
"You have not yet learned the meaning of story," replied the teacher.
The student looked so disappointed that his teacher added quietly,
"Stories can teach us a new way of seeing things, of thinking about them,
and of
responding."
Because he could see that his student still did not understand, the wise
teacher reached out to help once again. "When you hear hoofbeats, what do
you
think of?" he questioned in a soft voice.
"Why, a horse, certainly!" answered the student with confidence.
"That is because you have become conditioned, and in that conditioning
you have fallen asleep," the patient teacher pointed out. "When you hear
hoofbeats- think rather of zebra."
In the eye of the student a glimmer of understanding shone. Turning to
the teacher, he said, "Tell me a story."

Source: Think Rather of the Zebra. Dealing with Aspects of Poverty Through
Story.
Stories adapted by Jay Stailey
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Joan Matuga" <joan3teach@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] Goldilocks Poster
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 23:14:56 -0700

I looked further and answered my own question. If you are interested in
seeing the Goldilocks "Just Right" poster I asked about earlier, go to
readinglady.com and go to the Four Blocks section.
I took the 8 1/2 x 11 copy and enlarged it to 11 x 17 at Kinko's for $1.99
(less 10% Teacher Discount). This is the perfect way to help students
remember what they should consider when choosing a book for independent
reading. Classes start in 2 days -- a 2/3 combination for me.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Subject: RE: [mosaic] K2K, beginning of the year planning
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 08:11:16 -0400
From: "Byrom, Cherie" <cbyrom@hcbe.net>

I have been off the list since June so I missed K2K. Please explain.
But, I think starting with questioning is sensible. It opens the door
for so much. Also, I didn't get to fix up strategies last year either.
It was a lot to get through all the strategies. I teach in an early
intervention program so many of my kids I have again this year. It will
be much easier to get in the fix up strategies and again I agree that
they should be integrated throughout.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Beatriz Marcucci" <snowflake323@msn.com>
Subject: [mosaic] songs about metacognition
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 20:22:38 -0400

Here are the songs. They're in the mosaic yahoo group files under =
resources for teaching schema. Thank you to whoever posted these for the =
group.

Beatriz

(lurking, but learning so much)

Metacognition

tune: Are You Sleeping)

Metacognition!

Metacognition!

What does it mean? (Hold hands out, palms upward, and shrug shoulders.)
What does it mean?

I think about my thinking

I think about my thinking, (Tap on brain.)
When I read. (Hold imaginary open book in both hands.)

When I read.

Schema

tune: Are you Sleeping?)
by Lorraine McCarthy ,San Diego, CA

Schema, schema, (Point to brain.)
Schema, schema...
Prior knowledge,
Prior knowledge.
When I read, I make connections; (Put fingers of both hands together.)
When I read, I make connections...
Text-to-text ,(Hold hands open as if holding a book.)
Text-to-self, (Point to self.)
Text-to-world. (Form a globe with both hands and trace around it.)

Another Schema Song

It is to the tune of Three Blind Mice.

Written by Carolyn

Activate,
Activate,
My schema,
My schema,
I take a peek at the title, then
I take a peek at the pictures, and
I skim the first and last paragraphs,
Before I read!
Before I read!
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: MEHitzel@aol.com
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 22:57:56 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] K2K, beginning of the year planning

Don't feel stupid!!! K2K is an acronym we used this summer for the book
Knee
to Knee, Eye to Eye by Ardith Cole. We did a book study on the listserve
this summer. You can check out the archives for lots of posts about the
book.
Martha/4/5/az
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: deborah a devine <debthereb@lightfirst.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 23:49:49 -0500
Subject: [mosaic] Developing a conversation tips charts/k2k

I tried using the video, "The Miracle Worker", by Walt Disney today
in class. I used the scene where Helen Keller's parents, brother, and
Aunt are discussing the fact that something must be done about Helen,
perhaps an asylum. The father uses a harsh tone when speaking to the
brother. Mother uses a pleading voice and many facial language
expression. Father turns his back on Auntie, as Auntie continues to
give just one more suggestion that Father doesn't want to hear. Lastly,
Helen is in the room causing all kind of mischief as she tries to make
her point in her own way.
First, I set up the scene and did a little background explanation
about what choices the Keller family was facing. I explained Helen's
physical limitations. It seemed that not many students had seen this
more recent Disney version of the Helen Keller story. I showed the
video segment through the first time using NO SOUND and told them to be
a detective and look for the body language. Next, we viewed the video
again, and listened to the words for tone and volume of voice used by
the members of the family. We viewed it one more time looking for the
answer to the question of whether or not people take turns while having
a conversation in a group.
I believe it turned out quite well, and as I read the book K2K this
summer I decided that I wanted to take the time to discuss group
interaction in discussions and while playing class games in small
group. Our chart was not as complete as the one in Ardith Cole's book,
but it's a beginning. Of course, the children pleaded to be able to see
the whole video...I'm letting one member of the winning class team
(behavior and focus modification) take the video home each night until
those students who want to see it at home do so.
Deborah Devine
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 06:45:32 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] songs about metacognition

I started playing around with this idea and here is my version of the
song:

Metacognition (Three Blind Mice)

Cognition is thinking
But I can do more!
I know what I'm thinking
and what my brain's for!

Metacognition
Metacogntiion

I think while I'm reading.
I know what I've read.
I make connections
inside of my head.

Metacognition
Metacogntiion

I link my reading
To all that I know
And when I do this,
Comprehension will grow!

Metacognition
Metacogntiion

What do you think?
Lori
+++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2003 21:48:16 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

I shared it with my music teacher today and she is going to sing it in
music class with everybody in the school, so they will all have at least
some sense of what metacognition is! I am the locale queen of piggyback
songs :-). We all have to have some talent, right?

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

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 06:56:32 -0400
From: Maureen Morrissey <mobility@optonline.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] piggyback songs

This is so good for those kids who learn through music!! It really supports
that multiple intelligence theory. And it's also fun and funny, even for
those of us with little or no talent for singing!
Maureen
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: JSwitch78@aol.com
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 08:37:15 EDT
Subject: [mosaic] new position..kindergarten

hi
i was wondering if anyone had advice or first day activities for starting a
kindergarten class this year.
+++++++++++++++++++

From: RFiskNORCO@aol.com
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 10:35:26 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] new position..kindergarten

Read "the Kissing Hand" and give the students candy kisses. We made a poem
page with a cut out hand and heart glued on. I believe I got this from the
KinderKorner listserve and I dont know who the original author
is......Here's the
poem,

Like the raccoon's first day of school
I was scared and a little shy.
But because of what you said
I was brave and I got by.

All through the year
I'll make more things for you.
So as I change and as I learn
You can witness my growth too.

June
now 1/2 Ca.
+++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 07:50:03 -0700
From: Tandy Gunn <tgunn@island.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] new position..kindergarten

>hi
> i was wondering if anyone had advice or first day activities for starting
>a kindergarten class this year.

There is a Kindergarten Welcome Package at this site which has quite a few
ideas. Make sure to use the MSWord version of the document and you can
rest your cursor on the highlight and see some background information.
http://www.time4teachers.com/ThisMonthPage.htm

Have fun,

Tandy
===================================================================
Tandy Gunn
http://www.time4teachers.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Abcde1142@aol.com
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 11:49:50 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] [PERIODIC mosaic DIGEST POSTING]

I shared it with my first and second grade teachers and the reading
specialist. The reading specialist was thrilled as it will help her teach
the
strategies. Thank you!
Alexa
+++++++++++++++++++

From: "Carrie Becker" <pigsrock@hotmail.com>
Subject: [mosaic] metacognition
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 16:26:25 -0400

Thank you to all of you who have shared about metacognition. The songs ar=
e fantastic, hopefully my kids respond to them as well as I hope they wil=
l!

I didn't introduce the concept of metacognition to my students when I beg=
an teaching the strategies last year, but this year I'd like to. I know i=
t depends on the class and age of the students (I teach fifth grade), but=
about how long did you spend on teaching/discussing metacognition? I was=
thinking a few lessons with think alouds, then having the students mark =
with post its in their independent reading books where they notice they a=
re thinking about their reading. This would naturally lead right into sch=
ema/connections. Last year I felt like I took too long with Making Connec=
tions because the kids seemed to get bored with it. I hope to gauge their=
interest/progress with that strategy a little better this year.

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend!
Thanks!
--Carrie :)
++++++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] metacognition
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 20:50:04 -0500

Carrie- You are so right that it depends on the class. If the kids have
never had explicit instruction on "thinking about their thinking"
(metacognition) then you would spend more time. Your plan sounds good to
me. I know so far after one week, I have been doing a lot of thinking out
loud as I am reading during my read aloud. I started with Petey again. I
know that book is a stretch for third graders but it lends itself to MUCH
thinking out loud as I "model" trying to figure out what it means. I've
already had some AWESOME inferring done by some of my kids. I can sure tell
they had strong strategy instruction last year. What a treat for me to
build on previous teaching.

I found I had to really tell my kids that any one can read the words in a
story. But that that does not make them a good reader. You should have
seen their eyes!!! I have very strong word readers. I told them that
unless they stop and THINK AS THEY ARE READING and have a discussion with
the story in their heads, they really are not a good reader. Only a few
kids said that they do that already. So because Petey needs a lot of
explaining, I am stopping a lot and saying things like, "I'm thinking the
author means that ......." or "I bet that means...." or "Hmmmmmm, I am
confused here. I need to reread that part." I even tell them that since
they can't look inside my head and hear my thinking, I will be saying it all
out loud. I read a bit, then put the book down and then say, "Now I'm
thinking that....." "See how I talk to myself as I am reading and I don't
just read word by word by word and keep going?" "That's what good readers
do. They stop and take time to "catch" the thinking in their heads and they
MAKE SURE they think ALONG THE WAY." "Maybe you guys could try that when
you are reading at home and at school. See if you can "catch" your thinking
AS you are reading. But you'll have to stop every once in a while so your
thinking can come out."

I know it interrupts the flow of the reading but my focus and TOTAL POINT
right now is for them to SEE and HEAR me thinking aloud. So I may only get
through about 4-5 pages in the book each day but the groundwork I am laying
is VERY IMPORTANT for the rest of the strategy work we will be doing.

I spend a great deal of time creating the classroom community (students make
the majority of decisions together with me- jobs and how to display them;
mailboxes- labeling them and how to organize them; determining the bulletin
boards we will have and creating them in committees; classroom library-
determining how we want to organize them and unpacking the boxes (still
haven't unpacked books yet); anything I used to do myself that they can
handle doing I put in their hands to collaboratively accomplish) so my
actual reading workshop has not yet started. I believe the time I take to
do all of this with them bonds us together and gives them ownership of the
room. So while I am anxious to get started with my Knee to Knee study for
the first time in my life I am taking it slow.

Once kids can hear the voice in their head thinking as they are reading they
will be better able to do the strategy work because they will be
metacognitive from this point forward. It becomes natural and that is how
they integrate the use of all the strategies- letting questions come up as
they have them, experiencing the sensory images in their texts, inferring
deeper meanings, connecting to their own schema, synthesizing understanding
as they read with stamina, and determining the authors message/getting what
is important. All of it is metacognition.

At our curriculum night I asked parents to support what I am doing by
thinking out loud at stopping points when reading to their children.
Whatever comes to their minds. I wish I would have modeled it for them on
the spot. Why didn't I think of that????? DUH!!! Maybe I should have them
in again to do that???? Imagine the power in that??? Each time you are
starting a new strategy study- have the parents in to model how it looks and
sounds. Probably not a bad idea. Has anyone done explicit parent training-
more than just a one time shot? I've always wanted to do a reading workshop
with parents and kids together, but never follow through.

Thinking aloud is one of the MOST POWERFUL gifts we can give our students.

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

From: "Barbara" <baguzman@mchsi.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 21:04:27 -0500

Ginger,
What is this Petey book? Also, at one time you said strategy instruction
should start with a book they have heard before. Is this an exception--when
you start teaching about metacognition?
++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 21:36:18 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition

I am shooting for 1-2 weeks, thinking not too long as my kids are very
used to be challenged to defend their mathematical thinking so the
carryover may come easier. My downfall was not giving them the
terminology.

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

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 19:51:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mary Smith <mereadmore@yahoo.com>
Subject: [mosaic] metacognition model for parents?

Ginger, what a big idea! I wonder how a read/think aloud would go over at
the first PTA?

What book would one use for powerful parent connections, questions? I'd
certainly be willing to tackle this sense our schoolwide instructional goal
this year is STW exploration. What would you suggest?
+++++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] think aloud for parents
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 22:33:35 -0500

I guess I'm thinking that if the point of doing a think aloud for parents is
to show them how to do it with their children, I would choose a children's
book. If the point is to teach parents how to understand/apply the
strategies themselves, then I would choose a short piece of adult text.
Perhaps do both???

I know poetry is great to use for thinking aloud questioning and inferring.
You all know I LOVE Sara Holbrook's work. (www.saraholbrook.com)

At a general parent meeting I would probably choose a picture book (I love
Eve Bunting's books) and model GENERAL thinking aloud. Not specifically one
strategy or another. Just whatever pops into my mind as I read. A more
natural conversation with the text. Be sure to tell the parents to talk to
their real young children about what they will do to "signal" to the child
that they are "sharing their thinking" at that point and not reading the
words. Remember that real young children might think the "thinking" is more
words on the pages. I close the book on my lap when I am thinking aloud. I
clue my kids in on that once they've seen/heard me doing it a few times-
when I start the explicit talk about WHAT I am doing (other than reading the
words only).

I suppose even reading a book for younger students and one for middle
age/older students would be valuable in front of the parents. Perhaps an
excerpt from a chapter book to model how to think aloud in chapter books.

I am really kicking myself right now knowing I am one of the queens of
modeling- that I didn't model for my parents!!!!!!!!!!!

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

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Petey
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 22:50:58 -0500

Petey is a chapter book by Ben Mikaelsen. Here is a customer review from
amazon.com that says it all:

"Petey is a heart touching story of a boy with cerebral palsy. Petey at the
age of two was put into an asylum to live. He was treated with much
disrespect. When care takers finally had time to take care of Petey they
found out how special he really was. All his care takers were then very
touched by Peteys life and way of dealing with his troubles. This book
explains in an amazing way the life of Petey. If you want to read something
that will touch your heart and really make you show respect for others read
Petey."

The book spans Petey's life from age 2 on. He was born in 1920 when the
world didn't understand CP.

If I wasn't reading this book and discussing it step by step it would NOT be
appropriate for a third grade reader. BUT... it has always been voted as
the class favorite from years past. The story is intense and emotional.
You also have to speak in Petey's cerebral palsy dialect which is awkward at
first but you can get over that.

Karla- YOU read Petey to your fifth graders right? Don't they just love it?

I also read Touching Spirit Bear for the first time last year, also by
Mikaelsen. He has many good books. If I taught older students and wanted
some books for book clubs, I would definitely purchase sets of his books.

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

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] familiar text/Barbara
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 23:04:51 -0500

Barbara- I really don't follow a hard rule about always reading the book
first. It depends so much on the purpose of the lesson and the strategy
work I am doing with the class. Some lessons have more power when the story
is familiar to the kids. I guess it just depends on what you are hoping to
accomplish. I do intend to read a lot of books up front to prepare to for
my writing workshop this year as I am going to be following the ideas from
Wondrous Words by Katie Wood Ray.

For a general think aloud it won't matter if they've heard the story before
or not as the think aloud is just what YOU, the reader, is doing in your
head as you are reading it. When you begin your strategy study on a
specific strategy, you will want to JUST think out loud using THAT ONE
strategy. AT FIRST. So they hear/see how that sounds. Like if you are
teaching questioning, you would ONLY think out loud the "I wonders" you have
as you are reading. (Yes, I know that good readers integrate and use all
the strategies as they come up but for ME, I separate it out for explicit
instruction purposed and THEN, at a LATER time, I model general use of all
the strategies I have taught so far).

Some teachers don't like the feel of interrupting the story to think out
loud. I don't think it ruins a story. If the children are engaged and used
to it, I think it works very well. So some teachers read the story through
once and then go back and read it again thinking aloud. And yes, I do read
to my kids without thinking aloud. But more than not, I DO think aloud. I
just can't help it anymore.

Hope that helps. What do others of you do?

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

Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 21:41:37 -0700
Subject: Re: [mosaic] I am new!
From: Veronica <pisces1975@earthlink.net>

Hi everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself as I am new to the list. I have taught fourth
grade in Las Vegas for three years. Last year everyone at my school read
Mosaic of Thought for our book study. I am reading Strategies That Work on
my own right now. Since I am pretty new to this strategy instruction stuff,
I will probably be just a lurker for a while. I'm looking forward to
learning a lot from you all. I'm happy to see that this is a very active
list - Glad to be a part of it!

Veronica
4th grade
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Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 07:49:00 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition model for parents?

Ginger,

I am going to steal your idea! I will be working with parents in
October and my topic is readin--pretty open ended. Through grant
funding I was able to purchase copies of Mem Fox's Reading Magic which
will either be dooor prizes, along with some picture books, or give
aways to every parent, depending how many parents come. In our
district, unfortunately, I will probably do give away and have plenty of
leftovers. Around Halloween time last year, I heard Seinfeld's
Halloween and though I am NO Seinfeld fan, I found myself laughing so
hard at our SHARED experiences at Halloween. The whole room of mixed
age teachers had the same reaction, so I could easily use this book. It
would be timely, laughter is a good thing and I know there would be
connections.

Lori
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Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 07:57:15 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] familiar text/Barbara

How about the idea of never using a book for strategies that will be read
only
once? That way, regardles of whether your demonstration is first or second
read,
that clean read is coming? I really think that some books ARE so good for
strategies that I want children to see my mind in motion as we discover the
book
together--that first read.

Here is an idea shared last spring on another listserv that my kids and I
love.
Since I teach the younger kids, I was pining for more taped books for the
listening
post and posted that I was taping them myself. She said, tape them as you
read them
to the kids, let the kids chime in where they can and let them do turn the
page
signals. We managed to get about 12 done before school got out and my kids
loved
it! After a bit I stopped worrying about making small miscues and they
stopped
listening in silence and the chorus of voices prompting "turn the page" was
a glory
to hear. We always stopped then and there to listen to our tape and they
loved not
only the story but Tracy's gigle, Travis's hoot, their own voices as they
chimed in
or commented.

So here is a thought--why not videotape some of the work you and the
children are
doing in the classroom to share with parents? I want children to come WITH
parents
--they would both love it, don't you think?

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

From: "Chris Preston" <Christine.Preston@verizon.net>
Subject: [mosaic] Seinfeld-Halloween
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 06:05:44 -0700

So is this a TV clip of Halloween or a book?
Chris
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Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 08:38:25 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] Seinfeld-Halloween

It is a picture book, a very funny look back on Halloween.

Lori
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Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 09:54:56 -0400
Subject: [mosaic] metacognition
From: Olivia Foulkrod <oliviafoulkrod@mac.com>

I am a new member too. I am a first grade teacher. One of the ways
that I teach Metacognition is to tell the kids that inside their brain
they have a house. In this house they have tons of rooms, such as the
kitchen where they think about food, the bedroom where they think about
sleeping, the playroom where they think about playing and many other
rooms. We brain strom all the rooms together and then I check in with
the kids and ask them what room they are in. One might say I'm in the
kitchen because I am sooooo hungry and I am thinking about lunch. I
then tell the kids to walk into the hall way turn off the light in the
room where they are and go to the library. In the library we think
about books and wheat is happening inside these books. Since the
lights are turned off every where else we will try not to visit the
other rooms, because most of us are afraid of the dark! Its amazing
how this works. The kids focus all of their energy on the book we are
reading and forget about the other "rooms" . Thought I just pass this
on.
Thanks Olivia
++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Creecher12@aol.com
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 11:21:46 EDT
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition

In a message dated 8/31/03 11:01:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
oliviafoulkrod@mac.com writes:

> Since the
> lights are turned off every where else we will try not to visit the
> other rooms, because most of us are afraid of the dark! Its amazing
> how this works. The kids focus all of their energy on the book we are
> reading and forget about the other "rooms" .

I'm not sure how this ties into metacognition. It might help kids understand
how we, even as adults, are often distracted by other thoughts that have
nothing to do with what we are reading when we are reading, but it doesn't
address
our thinking about our thinking in order to comprehend.

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

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 09:00:30 -0800
Subject: Re: [mosaic] songs about metacognition
From: Patricia Kimathi <pkimathi@earthlink.net>

This is great. Can you sing it into a tape and sell it to us. (musically
challenged teacher) eventhough my dad was a jazz musician and taught music.
I will give this to my girlfriend to tape for me.
Pat Kimathi
++++++++++++++++++

From: "Ginger/Rob" <elephant@foxvalley.net>
Subject: [mosaic] metacognition/house in our brains
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 11:55:04 -0500

Olivia- I see the value of what you are doing with your first graders. Last
year I peer coached teachers who had taken both of the graduate courses I
teach. I was released from my classroom once a week (I hired a permanent
sub who I trained just for that day and I scheduled Art, Library, and
Computer Lab all on that day so she just had 2 1/2 hours of instruction that
she planned and managed separate from what I was doing), to work with
teachers who had requested this support. I have never taught kids younger
than third grade and found myself in kindergarten, first, and second grade
rooms feeling very out of my comfort zone. To help the younger ones realize
they think in their heads was difficult for me. Your idea of the rooms of
the house would be very concrete since they could all relate to thinking
about lunch/hunger, thinking they are tired, thinking about needing to use
the bathroom. It seems like it would a real life way for them to "hear" the
voices in their heads that we all hear. I usually try to get in how I tend
to hear the "negative" voices inside telling me "Oh THAT was a dumb thing to
say" or "I'm not sure I know what the teacher is asking for so I better not
raise my hand" or "I'm stupid". **We all have a very powerful negative voice
at times in our lives don't we?**

If you could get them to tune into that voice in their heads and then get
them into the "library", you could THEN have them imagine they are reading a
book and see themselves thinking in their heads before you even have them
capture their thinking verbally in the classroom. Does that make sense? I
just know that the strategy teaching works in all ages but for me, I had to
come up with better ways to get the younger kids to realize that voice
inside.

Laura (readinglady.com) teaches that kids have a tool box in their brains-
each strategy is a tool. I love that too! I did some work in my own class
on that last year. We all drew our own tool boxes and they took the page
with them to independent reading and pointed to the "tool" they "caught"
themselves using that day. Then they wrote about it and shared back whole
group.

Olivia, share with us further on the talk that occurred when you "got your
kids into their libraries". Did you feel they were able to be metacognitive
as you read to them? Did they share their "thinking" about the reading?

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

From: deborah a devine <debthereb@lightfirst.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 12:50:23 -0500
Subject: [mosaic] schema connections with math and reading

It's been a while since I addressed the whole group on the idea of MOT
and Math. I mostly send e-mails to the little group that is trying to
incorporate MOT and Math with the help of Week by Week Essential Math
Journals. Yet, as I read the following two e-mails I couldn't help but
comment again about how you can incorporate Mot and Math together.

Carrie Becker wrote:
Last year I felt like I took too long with Making
> Connections because the kids seemed to get bored with it. I hope to
> gauge their interest/progress with that strategy a little better this
> year.

Then Lori replied:
I am shooting for 1-2 weeks, thinking not too long as my kids are very
used to be challenged to defend their mathematical thinking so the
carryover may come easier. My downfall was not giving them the
terminology.

Then Deborah Devine made a connection:
Yes, I've always believed that the children in my class make
connections in reading easier because of the writing we do each day in
our Week by Week Essential Math Journal.
I always develop the idea of what do I already know that will help
me solve this problem when we write in our journals. I'm going to take
week 3 from the 3rd grade questions and illustrate what I mean. You can
look at the actual questions at:
http://www.learnnc.org/DPI/instserv.nsf/ID/Strategies4/$file/G3Weeks1-
9.pdf Then go to page 7. Now you can see the questions as they are
actually listed.

Remember these are just the first paragraph of the solution. They
describe your schema.
#1 In answer to Let's Explore: Search a nespaper. Cut out 10 different
three-digit numbers. Arrange them in order from least to greatest.
(By the way, I made up a sheet with 9 pre-given examples, since it
takes too much class time to find 10 three-digit numbers. They only
had to find one in the newspaper.)

First, I know what the words least and greatest mean. Least can be
called smallest, littlest, or less. Greatest can also be called
biggest, largest, and most. When I look for the value of a three-digit
number, it's important to look at the digit in the hundreds place
first. If the hundreds are the same, then look at the ten's place digit
to see which is larger.
These are my numbers from least to greatest:

#2 Seeing Math: Using five toothpicks, make some designs. Use numbers
to tell how your design is built from the toothpicks. Show how to make
5's. (then it shows a picture of 2 toothpicks designs with two and one
and two under one and one and three and one under the other) With 30
toothpicks, how many five toothpick designs can you make?

First, I know that designs are types of patterns. Also I'm going to
describe my patterns with drawings and number sentences.
My designs with 5 sticks are:
ll--- 2+3=5
lllll 1+1+1+1+1=5 and so one....

#3 Let's Find Out: Graph the students' bithdays by seasons. Are the
birthdays evenly distributed or are more born in one season?
(To prepare for this lesson, I made 4 sentence strips that labeled
which months were in what season. ie Fall September, October, November)

First, I need to know how to enter the data that I will collect on a
graph so that anyone can understand it. A title and labels on the two
axes are important.
Next, I collect my data using tallymarks like this:
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

#4 Writing About Math
Make a list of things that come in fives in the world around you. Make
a list of things that come in tens.

First, I know a T chart would help me organize my ideas. On a
chart, it's easier to see patterns that might appear as I study my
answers.

Now....do you see what I mean about schema and writing about math being
connected. As Lori states, thinking about schema in math helps think
about schema in reading.
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 13:21:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mary Smith <mereadmore@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] songs about metacognition

I can releate Patricia. Singing Metacognition to "Are you Sleeping" Came
easy but the "Three Blind Mice" tune is kicking my...well you know... I'll
have to put my musically talented children on this and then I'll memic them.
Love the words!!!!!!!!!!!
Nelle
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 13:42:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mary Smith <mereadmore@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] familiar text/Ginger

Ginger,
Keene and Miller talk in their books about a hyperawareness of how the
strategies effect you as a reader before you can truly teach these
strategies to children.

Growning up I read words, many times so confused, especially as diffferent
characters came on the scene in a story. I tested poorly because I couldn't
ever seem to remember enough about the story to have "the answer" for the
mutiple, mutiple choice questions at the end of the story. I felt so
defeated as a reader and for that reason I only drug myself to the table of
literacy on a 'have to.'

It doesn't have to be like that for a kid. I know I am a better reader now
because of this strategy study, and while I'm reading, my inner voice shouts
so loud that it just seems natural to let the kids hear. I do read short
text or parts without interruption, especially when I want the kids to hear
the "lovely language" the "wondrous words" and expressions, but modeling
the metacognition has become a vital part of my instructions because it make
me a better reader, ENGAGED, and I see it HOOK my Kids. They gain such a
personal experience with text that they start to LOVE to read and are more
anxious to pull up to the "table of literacy".
Nelle
+++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 15:39:29 -0400
Subject: Re: [mosaic] metacognition/house in our brains
From: Olivia Foulkrod <oliviafoulkrod@mac.com>

Well at fist I just regularly checked in with the kids about what they
were thinking about. after about a week or two of this I started
(after a lot of think alouds) I told them now that we are all in our
libraries and very focused on the book what are we thinking about in
the book? Some of the answers at first were very superficial but as
time went on they got deeper. I then would constantly check in with
them and ask them to think about what they aere thinking in every
subject and that this is called metacognition. One kid was worried
because he said it was hard to be in the right room all the time. I
told him not to worry and that in time it would get easier. My first
graders use the word metacognition. I still have some fine tuning to
do, but i really think it helps the kids focus in on what they are
thinking about at the time and then cognitively switching to another
room. I continue with Metacognition throughout the year.
Olivia
++++++++++++++++++++++

Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 18:00:55 -0700
From: Lori Jackson <ljackson@gwtc.net>
Subject: Re: [mosaic] schema connections with math and reading

This year, I want to take my children even deeper into their ability to sort
and
classify story problems at the structural level. At some point soon, I want
to
present a variety of simply written story problems and have them work win
groups to
see how they might work to sort these problems into groups they might solve
in
similar ways. I am planning to begin with CGI problem types:

Addition, Result Unknown Written so that linear thinking would result in
a 2 + 2
= 4 sort of number sentence

Ex. Maria had (blank) pencils. Peter gave her (blank) pencils. Now how
many
pencils does Maria have?

Subtraction, Result Unknown Written so that linear thinking would result
in a 4 -
2 = 2 number sentence

Ex. Maria had (blank) pencils. She lost (blank) of them. How many pencils
does
Maria have now?

Multiplication

Ex. Maria had (blank) boxes of pencils. There were (blank) pencils in each
box.
How many pencils does Maria have in all?

Incidentally, I find my kids really focus on structure as our problems are
always
initially presented without numbers. I think this exercise would really
allow them
to develop their schema for story problems and their think aloud or written
reflections would tell me so much about these little thinkers.

Lori
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