Yesterday I started the big job of starting to focus on what some of the MAYS will be for the year. This is a daunting task! I decided to start with the old standby "main idea". It seems that there are always some 5th graders who still struggle with main idea.
Talk about daunting tasks! There are so many resources for main idea and trying to decide where to begin was a bit nerve wrecking. At first I was writing down resources I was finding online and then thought that was crazy. The last thing I need is more paper. I sort of have problem with organization, although my AP calls a desk like mine evidence of genius. :) So I decided to open a Google Doc and put all the information there.
Now that I was organized with the Doc I could really dig into finding resources online and think about what I already had on hand. I found a video on SchoolTube that I could use for homework or morning work for those without Internet access. Sort of stole the idea from a colleague, Elizabeth Clarke, who is on her own adventure to change the way she teaches. Here's a link to her blog, this post is about flipping her classroom. http://fourthlevelofel.blogspot.com/2013/06/flippin-out.html After that I started coming up with group work activities as well as individual activities.
Since these activities are MAYS my students will decide if main idea needs to be something they focus on. I will use CARS as one way for them to make that decision. Also, I hope that regardless of the CARS results they decide if they need to work on it.
The other part that I worked on was setting up an example of the Reader's Notebook. I have deviated away from the notebook over the last few years. I had students keeping everything in their binders and considered that the notebook. For most students that worked out fine but for the disorganized and doodlers it was a nightmare. They could never find anything when they needed it, except a large collection of drawings scattered throughout. It didn't seem to really bother them as much as it did me and their parents.
So I decided that I would set up the RN the way that I wanted it to look. It will include space for them to write down something from everything they do. It starts with a title page for the marking period that they can decorate as they wish and the next page will be for data during that marking period. For the daily pages, it will include space for a daily and/or weekly goal; a homework log; whole group work notes or work we do together; group work notes and activities; and what they do for independent work. The parts will change from day to day depending on what we do together and they choose to do. Each day has two important parts that they will need to do. The first will be to give themselves an Effort mark, which they will do using a rubric that I have posted in my room, and the other section is for a peer review. Each day a peer will review that work and write one encouraging note and sign it. This keeps everyone accountable and hopefully will make them aware that they can't just waste the day.
The final section is done on the last day of the week. It will include a written summary, by the student,to their parents of what they did that week. This way students can reflect on what they did and parents will know as well. Of course parents can look back over the week and see what has been done, but hopefully this will reinforce the need to be responsible. I will ask parents to sign this as well.
Of course, I can look at a student's RN at anytime as well. This way we can have discussions about their work, their choices, and their effort. Ultimately, I hope the RN will be the best way for them to demonstrate responsibility for the learning in ELA.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Word Study Ugh!
I've been working on two projects; word study ActivInspire flipcharts and vocabulary "units". Last summer I made flipcharts for all of the SA sorts since I knew the bulk of my students would fall in the SA category. I knew I'd have a few in WW and DR too, but I knew I could do theirs during the school year. I completed a lot of each but didn't finish them. So now I have been working on finishing them up. I have done quite a few of the WW sorts, but am spending most of my time in DR sorts. 5th graders really shouldn't be in the WW category anymore, but I understand why some of them still are.
Last year was the second year that I had done word study, well at least the way my district does it. I had previously done Sitton Spelling, which I personally love because it is really word study, not just spelling patterns, although it is part of it. Anyway, the first year was a learn-on-the-job experience and I managed to keep my head above water. Last year, I set up an 8 day cycle, with Fridays off, for each unit. Students worked with me only on the first day of a new sort and then on the eighth day for their test. The other days they made sorts in various ways, including using the game UpWords, speed sorts, and of course, the flipcharts I had made. What I noticed was students, well most of them, really learned the sorts....for the test.
All the practice allowed most students to remember which words went under each header, but they didn't really learn how to spell. Okay, a few of them actually did learn them, but most didn't. If they had to write the same words a week later they spelled them wrong. That was frustrating!
When I teach I teach to bring about learning, not just rote memorization. So word study has been a complete waste of time for me. So, why keep making flipcharts? Well, because that was one of the activities that they really enjoyed. And of course, I'm required to teach it. But I do need to figure out how to do it so they are actually learning something and can then apply what they've learned to any writing they do.
I really do need to figure out a way to accomplish that. I had to learn to spell by memorization. Not only because that was how it was done back in the day, but because I struggle with spelling. Spell check is my best friend. The reason I have trouble spelling is because I have trouble distinguishing between sounds. Short vowels are killers for me; they all the same to me. Hard g and c also are hard for me too. When I spell certain words I go through a rhyme that helps me figure out how to do it.
I can't be the only one in the world like this. There are many reasons why people can't spell and my difficulty is just one of the reasons. By that way, it affects how I read too, so if I mispronounce a word it's because I truly have no idea what the sound is supposed to be. Yup, and I teach children to read. Actually, I teaching has helped me learn too. When a 5th grade student struggles with reading I realize that it might be a problem with letter sounds, like mine.
So once again, I need to figure out how to do this. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Last year was the second year that I had done word study, well at least the way my district does it. I had previously done Sitton Spelling, which I personally love because it is really word study, not just spelling patterns, although it is part of it. Anyway, the first year was a learn-on-the-job experience and I managed to keep my head above water. Last year, I set up an 8 day cycle, with Fridays off, for each unit. Students worked with me only on the first day of a new sort and then on the eighth day for their test. The other days they made sorts in various ways, including using the game UpWords, speed sorts, and of course, the flipcharts I had made. What I noticed was students, well most of them, really learned the sorts....for the test.
All the practice allowed most students to remember which words went under each header, but they didn't really learn how to spell. Okay, a few of them actually did learn them, but most didn't. If they had to write the same words a week later they spelled them wrong. That was frustrating!
When I teach I teach to bring about learning, not just rote memorization. So word study has been a complete waste of time for me. So, why keep making flipcharts? Well, because that was one of the activities that they really enjoyed. And of course, I'm required to teach it. But I do need to figure out how to do it so they are actually learning something and can then apply what they've learned to any writing they do.
I really do need to figure out a way to accomplish that. I had to learn to spell by memorization. Not only because that was how it was done back in the day, but because I struggle with spelling. Spell check is my best friend. The reason I have trouble spelling is because I have trouble distinguishing between sounds. Short vowels are killers for me; they all the same to me. Hard g and c also are hard for me too. When I spell certain words I go through a rhyme that helps me figure out how to do it.
I can't be the only one in the world like this. There are many reasons why people can't spell and my difficulty is just one of the reasons. By that way, it affects how I read too, so if I mispronounce a word it's because I truly have no idea what the sound is supposed to be. Yup, and I teach children to read. Actually, I teaching has helped me learn too. When a 5th grade student struggles with reading I realize that it might be a problem with letter sounds, like mine.
So once again, I need to figure out how to do this. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
New Principal and Vocabulary
Today I met the new principal and had to ask how he felt about switching classes. For the last four years my fifth grade team has been switching classes. We have had a lot of success, including test scores but mostly in that our children and their parents come back and tell us how well prepared they are for middle school.
Well, his response was that he was open to it, but in the past he hasn't been a supporter of it. He said he would like to talk to us as a grade level and as individuals about it. I hope that he decides to keep things as they are. If he doesn't then I will need to learn a lot of science by August and refresh myself on math. A little part of me would be okay with not switching, a very little part of.
Regardless, I am going ahead and planning literacy. One of the big projects is a vocabulary "program" that 4th grade teachers and 5th grade teachers can use. Today our county literacy curriculum coordinator was talking to our team and I told her about it. She was very interested, so I emailed her one of the "units". I look forward to hearing back from her.
The "program" is not about learning a list of words but rather learning about how parts of words work together. Each unit is based on a root and then making words using that root with prefixes and suffixes. Students use definition clues to try and figure out words that use the root and fit into puzzles and sentences.
This past year, I used my class as guinea pigs to try out three "units". They were willing participants and told me that they really liked it. Now, this class tended to like a lot of things we did and tried so I'm not sure how reliable they were as test subjects. Anyway, within the three weeks that we did the units I noticed an increase in student involvement and students taking more risks in making words based in the roots. They would get excited when they had time to work as a group to make words, on the first day, and solve puzzles on the second and third day. By the fourth day they showed confidence as they figured out what words to use to fill in missing places in sentences. On the fifth day they were excited to share the sentences that they wrote using any of the words they learned over the previous four days. I considered it a complete success.
So now I will spend some time making up the "units". Wish me luck!
Well, his response was that he was open to it, but in the past he hasn't been a supporter of it. He said he would like to talk to us as a grade level and as individuals about it. I hope that he decides to keep things as they are. If he doesn't then I will need to learn a lot of science by August and refresh myself on math. A little part of me would be okay with not switching, a very little part of.
Regardless, I am going ahead and planning literacy. One of the big projects is a vocabulary "program" that 4th grade teachers and 5th grade teachers can use. Today our county literacy curriculum coordinator was talking to our team and I told her about it. She was very interested, so I emailed her one of the "units". I look forward to hearing back from her.
The "program" is not about learning a list of words but rather learning about how parts of words work together. Each unit is based on a root and then making words using that root with prefixes and suffixes. Students use definition clues to try and figure out words that use the root and fit into puzzles and sentences.
This past year, I used my class as guinea pigs to try out three "units". They were willing participants and told me that they really liked it. Now, this class tended to like a lot of things we did and tried so I'm not sure how reliable they were as test subjects. Anyway, within the three weeks that we did the units I noticed an increase in student involvement and students taking more risks in making words based in the roots. They would get excited when they had time to work as a group to make words, on the first day, and solve puzzles on the second and third day. By the fourth day they showed confidence as they figured out what words to use to fill in missing places in sentences. On the fifth day they were excited to share the sentences that they wrote using any of the words they learned over the previous four days. I considered it a complete success.
So now I will spend some time making up the "units". Wish me luck!
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Three Blogs Might Be Too Much but Here Goes My Third!
I write two other blogs, one that is based on the lessons God is taking me through and the other is devotions. This one is dedicated to the other passion in my life, teaching. I am finishing up my eighteenth year of teaching and have been pondering changes I'd like to make. This blog will be my journal along the way.
I am starting off the summer with the idea that I will be teaching my reading class using a combination of what I call "MUSTS" and "MAYS". Each week we start off with a class meeting with what we will be working on as a class. Students will know what they must accomplish during the week. Some of these will be done in a whole group setting. The others will be done in small groups that they may be assigned to be a part of. Then there will be flexible groups and individual learning opportunities. Students can decide whether to do it in the group setting or on his or her own. This will allow them to still complete what must get done but be responsible to choose how that happens.
The MAYS are completely choice. They will be able to choose to complete these in a group that involves me or ones that they form on their own. Or they will be able to choose to do these on their own. Some of the MAYS will be review items, some exposure to future MUSTS, and others will be based solely on their interest.
I know this will take a lot of planning and monitoring on my part. I have already created a way for students to document everything that they do through out the week, including setting goals, ranking their effort for each aspect, having a daily peer review of their work, and writing weekly summaries to their parents about their work. This is heavy on the personal responsibility part of everything.
So this summer I will be working on preparing for the first few weeks of school. I know I really have about three weeks that I will be very motivated to do this and then my summer brain will slowly take over. That means that it'll probably be August before I get motivated again, so here's to planning this great adventure.
I am starting off the summer with the idea that I will be teaching my reading class using a combination of what I call "MUSTS" and "MAYS". Each week we start off with a class meeting with what we will be working on as a class. Students will know what they must accomplish during the week. Some of these will be done in a whole group setting. The others will be done in small groups that they may be assigned to be a part of. Then there will be flexible groups and individual learning opportunities. Students can decide whether to do it in the group setting or on his or her own. This will allow them to still complete what must get done but be responsible to choose how that happens.
The MAYS are completely choice. They will be able to choose to complete these in a group that involves me or ones that they form on their own. Or they will be able to choose to do these on their own. Some of the MAYS will be review items, some exposure to future MUSTS, and others will be based solely on their interest.
I know this will take a lot of planning and monitoring on my part. I have already created a way for students to document everything that they do through out the week, including setting goals, ranking their effort for each aspect, having a daily peer review of their work, and writing weekly summaries to their parents about their work. This is heavy on the personal responsibility part of everything.
So this summer I will be working on preparing for the first few weeks of school. I know I really have about three weeks that I will be very motivated to do this and then my summer brain will slowly take over. That means that it'll probably be August before I get motivated again, so here's to planning this great adventure.
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