Sandi that is awesome to hear. I have only taught in Title One School and this was my first year out of the classroom as a Reading Specialist. I taught mostly in 1st grade and if you do not let yourself feel these smaller triumphs that lead to so much more, it is hard to make it through the year with the tough kids you see. I missed seeing the things you talked about and the growth you see in 1st grade is so rewarding as a classroom teacher. Way to go!!
Troy Fredde On May 27, 2011, at 9:15 PM, Sandra Stringham <sos...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I > teach > a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even > begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that > interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced > before.....a long, long year...but today... > > I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step > before, > then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the > kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. > > This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and > conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking > as > you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of > what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: > > One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was > happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) > said: > I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I > told > her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have > the > wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I > told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! > > Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- > compared > synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to > your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets > bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! > > A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. > > Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a > person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could > clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You > change > as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and > bigger. > > Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first > thinking > is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does > you > 2nd thinking (her words)....then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared > it > to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the > seedling....the full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. > > So.....with 1 more week to go....today made it all worthwhile. Through it > all, > I guess I was reaching them. > > I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon > that > really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great > things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! > > Sandi > Elgin, IL > > And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: > > National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 > > (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
