Lit Coach News
Everything Reading and Writing
Let's Clarify!
Check out the fabulous resources you have in your buildings in the form of colleagues in the last section of this month's newsletter.
Things That Make You Go Hmmmmmm...
Questions and Answers
No. This idea is discussed at length in the guidebooks, but in a nutshell, while UOS DO include the MODELED AND INDEPENDENT components of Balanced Literacy, they DO not include explicitly (except in some specific sessions) the SHARED/GUIDED and WORD WORK components. These components can be done within the independent reading/writing time or outside of it, depending on the teacher's preference.
If you'd like help ensuring that you are teaching all components of Balanced Literacy, I'd love to help! I can share several different successful scheduling plans to help you get it all in. I can help you devise shared, guided or word work lessons that help to support the reading/writing workshop sessions or the needs of your students. Contact me if you'd like to discuss.
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Question #2-I heard that the grade ahead of me is reteaching some writing and reading units that I taught their classes the year before. Why are we reteaching things that have already been taught? Doesn't that mean that the UOS aren't working?
Not at all. This is the first year that the district has mandated that the Reading Units of Study be taught. Some teachers dabbled in it last year and some didn't do them at all. And although we've had the Writing Units of Study for a while now, we were not using them with some semblance of fidelity. This incongruity means that not all students have received the same instruction, which in turn means that some students do not have the necessary foundations that they may need to tackle the current grade's Units. Therefore, it is the Reading and Writing Project's recommendation that until there is more congruity than not, foundational work must be done to ensure student success.
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Question #3-Some kids need very specific support when it comes to reading and writing? How am I to provide that now that we are doing UOS?
Small group work is the answer as it always has been! Guided reading groups are especially powerful when needing to move students up a notch in text complexity. There are so many other types of small group work that support students in other very specific ways. Strategy groups support students with a common need who may be at different reading levels. A small shared reading experience can support students who need a specific type of word work or, for example, perhaps some work around one to one correspondence. A small group interactive writing piece can be used to grow students' sight word knowledge. There are so many possibilities. The key is not to try to do ALL of them ALL the time, but to use them in response to what it is your students need at a particular moment.
If you have time, you'll find a discussion of small groups in your Reading Workshop Guidebooks. I know most have a solid knowledge of guided reading, but, if you'd like to discuss other ways of supporting students in small groups in addition to guided reading groups, I'd love to talk. Let's set that up!
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Question #4-I don't have as many grades in my book like I used to before we did UOS. How does a UOS teacher assess? Where does he or she get the grades from?
In the UOS there's this handy dandy tool called a "PROGRESSION" that ALL teachers have access to in Writing Workshop. (You can find it in Heinemann resources AND in your Writing Pathways book.) In Reading Workshop, a progression is available for second grade teachers through 4th. (Also on the Heinemann site and in READING Pathways book.) The progression is one very efficient and informative way to assess your students.
Although some think using this progression may make grading hard, it actually helps teachers to be very specific when it comes to the needs of their students. It is the ultimate tool to help support report card grades to administrators and parents. I have quick and easy suggestions to help you get started. Let me know if you want to talk!
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Question #5-How do I cut down on the TIME it is taking me to go through these UOS books to prepare for lessons?
There are many ways to cut down on the amount of INITIAL work you have trying to prepare to teach the reading and writing sessions. It is important that before you dive into the lessons that you orientate yourself to the unit or at least to the first bend. In the overview of the book, find the description of the first bend. Read it and take quick notes. Then find the teach points of each session in that bend. Familiarize yourself with them. Look at the anchor charts. Read the last session in that bend thoroughly so you know where you are going. This prep will make each session a bit easier to prepare. Do the same for the other bends as you approach.
I have a document I can send you that helps guide you through a quick overview of a UOS. I know many of you are starting a new reading and writing unit soon. Let me help you get prepared. I'd love to work together. Or, give me a shout and I'll send you the document to use on your own.
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Question #6-How am I supposed to teach small groups when my kids are not independent enough for me to leave them alone?
Just as you'd never teach a child to walk before they sat up, you wouldn't transition to small group work until you are satisfied with your students abilities to work independently. If they aren't there yet, keep teaching it explicitly OR WITHIN your reading and writing workshop in the form of a mid-workshop interruption OR a share lesson or BOTH. Independence in necessary for workshop be successful and VERY doable.
Needs some help in fostering independence in your students? I'd LOVE to try some newly acquired ideas in your room! Let's talk!
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Don't see your question here? Email me! lfisher@gfsd.org
Unit One Is Coming to a Close! How Are You CELEBRATING???
(An Excerpt From Two Writing Teachers Blog September 2013)
"If you too are planning your first publishing party for young writers, here’s a collection of publishing party ideas, gathered from teachers around the country.
1. A Simple Celebration
Invite other teachers and/or other students to your classroom. Partner your children up with a guest to read to.
2. Museum Display of Writing
Children put their writing on display on tables or desks around the classroom, with a large decorated piece of paper as a placemat/background. Guests visit your classroom during a designated time, reading children’s stories and leaving behind compliments on slips of paper or post-its.
3. Co-creating the Hallway or Classroom Bulletin Board
Children take turns stapling their own piece to the bulletin board (with help from an adult). Soft music playing in the background turns this simple act into a special ceremony honoring the work they’ve done.
4. Going Outside
Simply going outside to the playground or park to read their writing to visitors from another class makes it special.
5. A Coffee-House or Poetry “Slam”
Ever see Def Poetry Jam? Ask around your building and find a microphone. Even if you don’t plug it in, children can read into the mic and pretend. Hot chocolate in paper cups gives the classroom a coffee house feel – perfect for poetry celebrations or for reading favorite lines from full length stories.
6. Popcorn and a “Movie”
Get help ahead of time from other adults to video tape each child reading their piece. Then, on the day of the celebration, pass out paper cups of popcorn, turn down the lights, and sit back and enjoy the show.
7. Acting Out
Kids come to school dressed as characters or create a prop to go with the stories they wrote and read their pieces with drama and expression to visiting partners from another class. This is especially perfect for realistic fiction, poetry, or fairy tales.
8. Bed-Time Stories (modify slightly for “Campfire” Stories)
Kids bring a small blanket or pillow to school and get comfy. Turn the lights partway down if you can, and children can read their stories by flashlight to each other, pretending they’re camping out – or just getting ready for a nap.
9. Writing Picnic
Spread out checkered blankets or plastic tablecloths around the classroom, outside on the playground, or even in the gym! Have simple snacks on paper plates. Read stories to partners – simple.
10. Read Aloud
In place of your usual read alouds, for several days read a few of your kids’ published pieces, complete with turn and talks, acting parts out, and even whole class conversation. You could use the opportunity to work on comprehension skills such as prediction, envisioning, compare/contrast, determining importance, summarizing, retelling, and more.
As part of any writing celebration, you will probably want to incorporate a chance for kids to reflect on what they learned in the unit of study. Perhaps you’ll tell the story of how your unit went, and then ask kids to turn to their partner and retell the unit from the beginning. “First, we learned how to get ideas… then we learned we could sketch quickly to plan….” Maybe you’ll use a checklist, like the ones available in Writing Pathways to help kids reflect on their work, checking off the strategies for strong writing that they find in their published piece, and setting goals for the next unit. Maybe you’ll have kids spread out all their pieces from their writing folder, and talk with a partner or a visiting adult about how much they’ve grown since the first day of school. As the year goes on, you might also reflect on the whole year so far, including the unit you’ve just wrapped up.
Ultimately, you’ll want your publishing party to feel meaningful. It doesn’t mean that it has to be big and fancy, with decorations and cake—it means that kids understand that they’ve just accomplished a milestone: their first published pieces of the year. Take time to reflect on how far they’ve come, and set goals for what to work on next.
In some classrooms, we read the same poem, or sing the same song with every publishing party, creating a class tradition that perhaps kids will remember for years to come. Someone, somewhere shared this gem with me, and it’s been one of my favorites:
We are the authors
The mighty mighty authors
Everywhere we go
People want to know
Who we are
So we tell them
We are the authors
And we can tell our stories
Everywhere we go
People want to know
WE ARE THE AUTHORS!"
Colleagues As Resources
Glens Falls elementary school teachers are resourceful, adaptive and smart. We have so much to teach each other. Below is the first installment of our "Colleagues as Resources" list. Look over what these teachers can offer and reach out if it's something you'd like to learn.
Brian Donohue, Maria Naylor and Carrie Krogmann have fabulous libraries. Maria's and Carrie's are VERY thorough in their resources and organization. Brian's is special because he was able to give his students ownership of the library by having THEM set up the baskets and systems. Looking for library help? Go see one of these teachers!
Jackson Heights third and fourth grade teachers and Melanie Duffer created a much more STREAMLINED way of daily and overall assessment for both reading and writing UOS. Reach out to them or me to find out more about this idea!
Jolene Walajtys is a great resource if you are seeking to grow as a professional and are feeling nervous or stressed about the process. Jolene is the embodiment of Fountas and Pinnell's quote: "You don't have to be a bad teacher to get better. You can be a GOOD teacher and get better." If you are stressed about trying new things, talk to Jolene about her attitude towards growth.
Amanda Simmes has been doing UOS as long as I have. She has many logical and systematic ways that she's developed to not only tackle the units but to be responsive to her class's needs. If you want to speak to someone who is really adept at NOT using the units as a script but instead as a guide to help your students grow, she's your teacher.
Susanne Anselment, Nadia Maroun and Maria Naylor have a wonderful way of consistently communicating with each other and with me. The co-planning we did and co-teaching made for a very successful first writing unit of study. Reach out to them if you'd like to know how to work as a grade level alongside the literacy coach for an entire unit of study.
Becky Ring, Julie Curtis and Jenine Klippel work very hard at ensuring that their students learn what is developmentally appropriate. These teachers really know how to modify and piece together multiple grade level unit goals and objectives. They scoured all units in both reading and writing in order to put together Units of Study that best support their students. If you are interested in their work, reach out to them to discuss their process.
There are so many wonderful things happening in Glens Falls Elementary-too many to name in one newsletter. Stay tuned for next month's "Colleagues as Resources" list.