K-6 ELA Resources and Updates
June
You Made It!
This year is coming to a close and I know you guys are ready for a summer break! Thank you all for your love, dedication, encouragement, and passion for educating our little Dragons this year.
Thank You, Teacher
Thank you, skillful teacher,
For teaching me to be
A stronger, smarter person,
Academically.
Thank you, favorite teacher
For acting like a friend,
And taking time to show me,
Lessons hard to comprehend.
Thank you for your caring
And lots of other stuff;
For all the things you gave me,
I can't thank you enough.
By Joanna Fuchs
New Teacher Resources
The Unstoppable Writing Teacher: Real Strategies for the Real Classroom by Colleen Cruz
Veteran teacher and author Colleen Cruz has seen it all and done it all in the writing classroom—and she’s got something to admit: this is hard work. Real hard. In The Unstoppable Writing Teacher she takes on the common concerns, struggles, and roadblocks that we all face in writing instruction and helps us engage in the process of problem solving each one.
From dealing with writing workshop skeptics to working with students both gifted and challenged, and of course combating that eternal barrier—lack of time—Colleen offers tried-and-true strategies to address and overcome obstacles.
For the struggles unique to you, she includes a “Name Your Monster” section that helps you identify your own individual roadblocks and even offers sustainable support through her blog, colleencruz.com. “We can’t solve all the problems we’re faced with in writing instruction,” Colleen promises, “but we can choose how to respond to them. And our responses will make all the difference.”
I am Reading: Nurturing Young Children's Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement with Any book by Kathy Collins & Matt Glover
It’s vital that we support young children’s reading in ways that nurture healthy reading identities, that foster an attraction to books and a love of reading, and that teach them how make meaning in any text they choose, whether or not they can read the words.
—Kathy Collins and Matt Glover
What do we see when young children interact with books before they can read the words?
Kathy Collins and Matt Glover see real reading, characterized by purposeful meaning-making and opportunities for reading growth and language development.
“One of our biggest hopes,” write Kathy and Matt, “is to help you see and value all of the powerful work young children do as readers.” With I Am Reading you’ll see that fostering what little ones do before they can read the words is important early instruction.
Kathy and Matt show how to nurture, nudge, and instruct young readers to make meaning in any text, whether or not they are reading the words. They share:
- observation guides for children reading any kind of book
- specific descriptions of language and independence development
- sample reading conferences and whole-class minilessons
- suggestions for creating reading opportunities in preschool and reading workshops in K–1
- action plans to get you going
- 25 online video clips of children making meaning and teachers supporting them.
I Am Reading pairs two important voices in early literacy to remind us that we’re teaching children, not reading levels. “In the rush toward ever higher reading levels in the early years,” write Kathy and Matt, “we may fail to value the strategy use and high-level thinking children do before they are reading conventionally.” Join Kathy and Matt and look anew at your young readers so you can provide the kind of support that gets them off to a great start.
The Reading Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers by Jennifer Serravallo
With hit books that support strategic reading through conferring, small groups, and assessment, Jen Serravallo gets emails almost daily asking, “Isn’t there a book of the strategies themselves?” Now there is.
“Strategies make the often invisible work of reading actionable and visible,” Jen writes. In The Reading Strategies Book, she collects 300 strategies to share with readers in support of thirteen goals—everything from fluency to literary analysis. Each strategy is cross-linked to skills, genres, and Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to give you just-right teaching, just in time. With Jen’s help you’ll:
- develop goals for every reader
- give students step-by-step strategies for skilled reading
- guide readers with prompts aligned to the strategies
- adjust instruction to meet individual needs with Jen’s Teaching Tips
- craft demonstrations and explanations with her Lesson Language
- learn more with Hat Tips to the work of influential teacher-authors.
Whether you use readers workshop, Daily 5/CAFE, guided reading, balanced reading, a core reading program, whole-class novels, or any other approach, The Reading Strategies Book will complement and extend your teaching. Rely on it to plan and implement goal-directed, differentiated instruction for individuals, small groups, and whole classes.
“We offer strategies to readers to put the work in doable terms for those who are still practicing,” writes Jen Serravallo. “The goal is not that they can do the steps of the strategy but that they become more comfortable and competent with a new skill.” With The Reading Strategies Book, you’ll have ways to help your readers make progress every day.
Summer Flex Hours & District Day of Learning
Don't forget to make sure you have registered for your summer flex hours. The CISD Curriculum and Instruction department is offering many sessions during the summer for you to come and learn with your peers.
Also, don't forget to register for the District Day of Learning. I know August 19th sounds so far from today, but believe me it is easier to get all signed up now than waiting until August. Make sure while you are picking your sessions to take note of the required session for your grade and subject. There are many great sessions offered throughout the day to enhance your teaching and your students' engagement.
Special treat for this year's DDL: FOOD TRUCKS! There will be a few different Food Trucks at CMS and CHS during lunch on August 19th. You will be able to pay for some yummy food and not worry about parking or getting back on time. It will be lots of fun!
Meredith Davis
K-6 ELA/SS
Curriculum Coordinator
Email: meredith.davis@southlakecarroll.edu
Website: www.southlakecarroll.edu
Location: 2400 North Carroll Avenue, Southlake, TX, United States
Phone: 817.949.8247
Twitter: @carrollcurric