Book Study Week 7

Hey everybody.  So sorry about not getting this out yesterday like planned.  My head felt like it a bobble head, so I just stayed in bed! 

Anyway, we are on to Chapters 12 and 13 this week and only have two more chapters left after that!

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If you haven't purchased the book you can find it at Amazon!  Just click on the link below and you can go straight to the book to purchase it.

Just click here to purchase!

Here are the answers for Chapters 10 and 11:

Chapter 10

1.  Did you know that any child can be gifted?  Gifted status is determined by the amount of words a child hears between the year of their birth and age 3.  Knowing that, why is teaching vocabulary important?

The number of words a child hears differs due to socio-economic status.  Did you know that the children of working parents and welfare parents are now lumped into the same category and do not provide enough verbal interaction?  A child needs to read at least 1,000 books and must be constantly talked with using words in context, not baby babble, in order to be ready for kindergarten.

2.  What is the difference between these words:  tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3?

Tier 1--words that are likely already known.

Tier 2--words that are part of the vocabulary of mature readers and speakers.

Tier 3--words that aren't used in oral vocabulary often and are primarily seen in literature.

3.  What is a morpheme?

A morpheme is the smallest word parts that are used to make new words.

4.  Summarize the 4 Week Word Cycle.  This will be on pg 255.

5.  What is your 'vocabulary' schedule like?  

I teach a few words each day.  Research shows that students must learn at least 6 new words a day in order to grow as a reader. An example of this might be print:  print, printed, printing, reprinting, printable, printer.  Variations count!!  Students need to hear the words in isolation, in verbal context, and in written use!

Chap 11

1.  What are 'think, pair, shares'?  Why does Maddie recommend using a partner checklist?

Students take time to think about an answer, pair up <usually with an assigned partner>, and they share what they have learned or work together on a project.  Partner checklists are a good way to teach students to be responsible.

2.  Why do teachers recommend using rubrics?

Rubrics are a good way to assess details of a project and also let students know the expectations of the teacher before starting to work.  In this day in age we cannot and should not have a written test for everything.  Rubrics allow teaches to look for the details.

3.  How are discussions supposed to be conducted?  <pgs. 279-285>  See these pages for the answer!

Here are the questions for Chapters 12 and 13.

Chapter 12

1.  What are the two strategies that students MUST master in order to do well on a standardized test?

2.  What are some strategies that good test takers use?

3.  What is test taking stamina?

4.  When should teachers begin working on the test genre?

Chapter 13

1.  Why should you test using texts that students have read before and have not read before?

2.  What is spiraling?  How is it used?

Here is a button for you to use on your blog if you would like to incorporate your thoughts into a post:

Reading Without Limits Book Study Week 6

Hello everyone.  It is 6 AM here and I got up early in the hopes of getting the post done before leaving out for my 2nd day of Common Core training.  The training is pretty intense and tiring, so I thought I might ought to do this while I have a brain cell or 2 working!! 

I apologize ahead of time--Blogger is doing something wacky with the fonts this morning.  Apparently it is choosing when to change fonts on its own.  Very odd! I think there are 3 or 4 different fonts and spacings on this post!

 So, anyway, here we go to work on the answers for last week and get the new questions for Chapters 10 and 11.

                                    Feel Free to Pin This!


If you haven't purchased the book you can find it at Amazon!  Just click on the link below and you can go straight to the book to purchase it.

Just click here to purchase!

Here are the answers for Chapters 8 and 9:

Chapter 8

1. What is a pitfall you have faced in your class room. How did you fix it?

My biggest pitfall in my classroom would be managing my schedule.  It is easy to lose time when you get engrossed in a lesson.

2.  Why do you want lessons to be bizarre?

To keep their attention, of course!!!

3.  How do you address pitfalls?

I have classroom meetings each morning to talk about issues that are arising in the classroom.  It gives the kids ownership of the problem and makes them work to solve problems.

Chap 9

1.  Share an 'aha' moment with us. We want to learn from YOU!!

An aha moment:  I can't do everything.  I have tried, and the result is becoming burnt out and run down.  Each year, more is expected of teachers, and while I think we need to do our utmost to teach our kids, there is just no way to incorporate EVERYTHING.  I have learned I have to pick and choose what I teach and how I teach it.

2.  What is the difference between racetrack and halftime conferences?

Halftime conferences is when you are addressing the whole class using a trend you saw the students demonstrate throughout the work time. Racetrack conferences are individual conferences with as many students as possible to see if they understood the lesson.

3.  What is a grow goal? How can you manage them in your classroom?

A grow goal is a goal that is set with a student and is worked on until it is mastered. Identify the goal, help provide support by setting ‘next steps’, take anecdotal records of process, and above all, make the student be accountable!

4.  On pages 238-239, Maddie gives a format for reteaching. Summarize the format.

                                                                                                            

        a. Check in and conference with the student to see what needs to           be worked on.

        b.   Reteach

        c.   Hold the student accountable for the expectations that are set.

        d.   Give affirmation and praise the student for meeting the goal.

        e.   Set a new goal.

Here are the answers for Chapters 10 and 11:

Chapter 10

1.  Did you know that any child can be gifted?  Gifted status is determined by the amount of words a child hears between the year of their birth and age 3.  Knowing that, why is teaching vocabulary important?

2.  What is the difference between these words:  tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3?

3.  What is a morpheme?

4.  Summarize the 4 Week Word Cycle.

5.  What is your 'vocabulary' schedule like?  

Chap 11

1.  What are 'think, pair, shares'?  Why does Maddie recommend using a partner checklist?

2.  Why do teachers recommend using rubrics?

3.  How are discussions supposed to be conducted?  <pgs. 279-285>

I wanted to share an 'aha' moment that my students and I had 2 years ago.  We decided that we needed to create our own 'lesson plan' for guided reading.  To be honest, it is actually more or a record of what they are learning or what they think they need to learn while at the table with me.  Just go to my store to grab the set!  I hope you can use them! 

 Just click here to jet on over to download them for free!

Here is a button for you to use on your blog if you would like to incorporate your thoughts into a post:

Next Year's Plans and This Summer's Book Study

If you look up at the top, you will notice that I have a slightly different banner, courtesy of my friend Tessa <her info is down at the bottom if you need her to tweak something for you>.  No, I'm not going through an identity crisis....I'm just switching things up and in just a few weeks you will be able to find me at a new .com address.  I'd tell you what it is now, but can't remember.  For Real!  Maybe I am having an identity crisis!!!  By the way, if you are getting a pop up that requests you to sign in and put in a passcode, just cancel it and keep on reading.  You are in no danger of being hacked.  Something is up with the html code as we change things around on here.  Never fear....Tessa is on the job!

I've already started a new Pinterest account, so if you want to start following me there, I will be grateful.  My address there is http://pinterest.com/chartsnchitchat and you can see all of the same things I had pinned under Best Practices 4 Teaching with some new organization.  I'll be working on that allllllll summer long!  If you have some specific boards that you would like to see, leave me a comment or 2 and I'll see what I can do!

I saw this cute little linky part hosted by

and decided to add in my thoughts.  So here is what I said....

And don't forget....I have a book study coming up, so you need to order your book now if you want to participate.  More details will be coming this week.  I also have LOTS of guest posters lined up for the summer to keep good info coming your way, so be sure to share all of this with your teacher friends. Here is the info.  Right now the book is on sale and they are saying that it may take an extra couple of days for delivery, so order it as soon as possible!  Just click on the pic of the book below and you can go to Amazon to purchase it!  Get ready for good incite, great ideas, and maybe a freebie or 2 here and there!


  If you click below, the link will take you straight to Amazon where you can purchase the book and be ready to rock and roll when the book study begins.  

Just click and go!

Bye for now!

Elements of a Writing Conference

An effective writing conference can reinforce a mini-lesson or previous teaching point and always moves the student forward as a writer by teaching him/her the current piece of writing.


Research

Make sure you thoroughly look over the student's writing before making comments. Check previous conference records to see what other comments, corrections, etc. have been made.  Ask the student "What are we working on today?  What are you trying to do as a writer?  

Compliment/Give Support

Make sure you find something to complement the writer on.  You want to follow a 'know and grow' mentality.  Tell the student what he or she 'knows' <is doing well> and the student will rise to the occasion!  

Decide and Teach/Reteach

Choose one area that you would like to reinforce.  Use language like "Let me teach you something else that good writer's do..." or "I saw this in a book one time.  The author _________.  Let's see if you can do something like this."  Another way to introduce a teaching point is to say, "Today I'd like to show you how to ________ your writing."

Guided Practice

Guide the student and give support.  Do not abandon your writer!  Help the writer find a place in the writing to incorporate the new skill.  At this point, it is OK to leave the writer and let him or her work independently.

Link

Give a reminder to the student that he/she is to try this during all writer's workshops.


**This was based on the Writer's Workshop Framework that was developed at the national Reading and Writing Institute at the Teacher's College of Columbia University


Below is my Know or Grow Writer's Conference From that helps me make sure that I cover all of the parts of a good writing conference.  Feel free to click on the pic and download it for FREE!!

I also wanted to let all of my readers know that starting in June, I will be doing a book study on the book Reading Without Limits by Maddie Witter.  It is an EXCEPTIONAL book with lots of great info that can be easily implemented into the classroom!  If you click below, the link will take you straight to Amazon where you can purchase the book and be ready to rock and roll when the book study begins.

Have a great Friday!