Monday Memo November 9, 2015
Inspiring Passionate Learners
Important Dates
11/09- Beginning of Third Six-Weeks
11/09- Grades Input by Noon in TAC
11/11- Report Cards Go Home
11/11- Veteran's Day- Wear Red, White and Blue
11/11- Kinder & 3rd Grades Power PLC
11/11- Tailgate Lunch
11/12- Staff Celebration Meeting & Assessment Literacy Learning
11/17- PTA General Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.
11/18- College Shirts and Jeans
11/18- 1st Grade Power PLC
11/19- Thanksgiving Feast Potluck- Sign- Up in Workroom
11/23-11/27- Thanksgiving Break
Success Feedback from Mead and Mills
Students in kindergarten-5th grades are learning how to 'explode the moment' in writing and they are writing a story across pages.(making real books) When we are in classrooms talking to kids about their learning, they eagerly want to show us their 'good fit books' and their stories they're are authoring. It is fun to see our students as inspired passionate readers and writers.
Let's have a show and share at our staff meeting this week. Bring a couple of your favorite pieces of writing from your classroom. Also bring examples of your student goal setting target binders. Kids are sharing their goals with us and are excited to tell us where they are as learners, what their next steps are, and how they plan to close their learning gaps. It just doesn't get any better than that!
Tips from the 2 Sisters
The Magic of Choice
Gail Boushey
After launching Work on Writing in a second-grade classroom using the 10 Steps to Teaching and Learning Independence, we reminded the students that they could write about whatever they wanted.
As I placed Evynn in a comfortable corner, I whispered, “What are you going to write about?” She looked at me with a sparkle in her eye and said, “I am going to write about my new kitty. I can’t sleep with my kitty until she gets older. Right now she has to sleep on the floor.”
When the first practice was over, Evynn had written four lines in four minutes. That may not seem like much until you consider that until this time she had struggled to write any words at all during writing workshop.
What was the difference? The teacher believes it was choice. Even though this child has had the opportunity to write every day during writing workshop, the focus there is narrowed, but during Daily 5 the choices are wide open. Students can write friendly letters, poetry, pretend stories, graphic novels, or procedures, or continue working on their writing workshop work.
Choice turned this writing time into a magical moment for Evynn. If you are trying to help reluctant writers, one of the best ways to do it is by introducing choice during Work on Writing.
Tailgate Team Time
We appreciate all you do-
So we have lunch coming just for you!
Join us outside for some BBQ and fun!Lunch provided by Mr. and Mrs. Tucker
Read to Someone- Coaching or Time?
By Lori Sabo
The first things I noticed when I popped into Olivia and Jaelynn's first-grade reading partnership were how well they sat elbow to elbow, knee to knee, and how they gave their complete attention to their partner, used voices that were at a perfect level, and had books that were a good fit. The next thing that caught my attention was Jaelynn's well-intentioned helpfulness every time Olivia got stuck. Poor Olivia didn't stand a chance to figure words out on her own with Jaelynn's speedy provisions.
Things got better after I introduced them to a strategy that would give Olivia the gift of time.
If you aren't familiar with the Coaching or Time technique, here is how it works:
- When a partner gets stuck on a word, their friend gives them three seconds. These don't have to be actual seconds, just a silent slow count in their head (many of our younger students keep track on their fingers).
- While counting, the partner should be thinking of a strategy that might help (Chunk letters, Flip the sound, Use the picture for a clue, and so on).
- After the silent count, the partner says, "Do you want coaching or time?" If the reader says "time" they can have more time to figure out the word. If they say "coaching," the coach supplies the strategy they prepared.
Additional tips:
- Partners often initially ask for time and change their mind if they can't get the word. Coaches need to be ready.
- If a coach offers two strategies, but the word still isn't read correctly, the coach can provide the correct word. The reader will reread the sentence correctly.
- Teachers and students decide what to do in the event neither partner knows the word (use a sticky note, use a dictionary, ask the teacher, or make a best guess and continue).
This gives the coach an important job while they are being patient. They often refer to the accuracy strategies under the CAFE Menu to determine which one will be the best match for the troublesome word. By supplying a strategy instead of the actual word, they provide a truly valuable support role during Read to Someone.