I still have a month of school -- our last day is June 25! I need some ideas
about how students can know when their minds are wondering and they are no
longer paying attention to what they are reading. From what my students say,
they have this problem a lot. I teach middle school, so I'd
variation is to use response logs regularly. They can write to one
another about what they are reading. I sometimes interrupt their silent
reading time with a surprise log just to see who is on task. It also
doesn't hurt to ask students individually what they just read. I can read a
lower level
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for your ideas. I do talk to my students about daydreaming when
reading. I can catch myself pretty quickly when it happens to me, but I'm not
sure if 8th graders have the same level of motivation.
We've been practicing with Socratic circles, and I have been disappointed.
]
why be embarrassed? i thought your words were impressive and believing in
your book and what you think and write is awesome and inspiring.
margy
Hell, I don't even have a book, but it doesn't stop me from posting what I
think and write
Besides, everyone here buys the books
Do you think that people can value a book without thinking it's fun? I'm
reading the book READING REASONS by Kelly Gallagher. He says he wants his
students to value the books he assigns. They do not necessarily have to like
the books.
Jan
-- Original message
Angie's question makes me think about a (sort of) opposite situation. I was
hoping to get a reading class next year, but instead I'm getting a
math/art/reading class for middle school students.
Every two weeks 1/3rd of the students will be in either math, art, or reading.
Every two weeks a
Ellin Keene is giving a workshop Tapping the Power of Thinking this fall. I
looked on the Heinemann web site, and I cannot figure out if there is college
credit or clock hours available for the workshop. Does anyone know?
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing
Bill's comments bring up a question I've been thinking about. Suppose I have
three or four students who need more help with something that everyone else in
the class understands. Stephanie Harvey suggests small group instruction. How
do you keep the other 20-plus students working when
Sorry, Lisa. I teach 8th grade. I have noticed in previous years that if I
work with a few students, many others stop working. Other teachers in my
building have said the same thing.
Jan
-- Original message --
From: Lisa Szyska [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Jan,
Did you use the rubric to assign a grade to students?
-- Original message --
From: Ljackson [EMAIL PROTECTED]
I worked with K through four in workshop settings. I will grant you there
may
be one or two that stop working (and because they're little, they
yesterday. The mom said that the student cannot write. He *can*
write, but not well, and he does not write much. He cannot copy from the
overhead. He cannot read a page in a text and write about what he read. I
want to use sticky notes and reading response for fiction and nonfiction, but
according
for ADHD without other
testing.
Is his reading level up to grade level??
We find that these kiddos often are able to write more if they have access to
a
laptop/computer/or voice activated software.? Are any of these available?
I think the 'coding' idea that was shared in an earlier reply
Thanks, Bill, for your view of a middle school. When you still functioned as a
middle school, how often and for how long did your teams meet?
Are your goals for yourself or for the students? I'm thinking I'd like to how
a web site, seems more like your goal. More than 80% of my students
I have the opportunity to go to a writing institute through the Center for
Educational Leadership led by Katherine Casey. The topic is Craft of Revision.
Anyone have any information about either Katherine Casey or the Center for
Educational Leadership?
What age students do you think this
In my middle school classroom I used to have a couch until I noticed that it
was always the same popular kids who sat on the couch. Then I arranged a
system of who could sit on the couch what day to give everyone a chance.
Then I got arguments about how it wasn't fair because someone who
Hi Ginger and others...
I'd like to hear how you would deal with a situation I had that is related to
what Ginger wrote (below). I tried to encourage a student by showing her how
other students were doing a certain task. She became very defensive and told
me that I should not compare
I'd like to hear from middle school teachers.
When you confer with students, either individually or in small groups, how do
you get the rest of the class to continue working?
It seems to me that as soon as I start to talk with another student, everyone
else thinks, She's not paying attention
If you are going to the Seattle IRA Conference next month, please e-mail me off
list.
I'm having a hard time figuring out the schedule of different events at the
conference.
Thanks!
Jan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
___
Mosaic mailing list
in the structures of the
classrooms - that's natural, so give yourself a few minutes to get over that.
Then pay careful attention to what the kids are doing and the language they are
using. Jot down specific words and actions. Also look closely at what the
teacher is doing and saying, and again write
I visited four different classes in one middle school today. They were all
writing workshop. I thought I'd see two reading workshops and two writing
workshops.
The school has been doing writing workshop for three years. A very few
teachers are doing reading workshop in this building.
I
I didn't see any couches in these classrooms. The kids either sat on the floor
or on very short stools. They were so close that they were rubbing shoulders
or thighs. Is that the way it normally looks?
What about kids who don't like touching? I had a student last year who
couldn't stand
Thank you, Renee, for your ideas.
I noticed that in writers workshop in all the classes I visited students were
writing about themselves, which is all they seem to do in all three years at
the middle school I visited.
I'd like my students to be able to write a research paper. I guess
Tomorrow morning I am going to a meeting to help determine ways to assess the
workshop model that my district will start using in the fall.
I think the small assessment committee is going to determine ways to assess how
much students' reading and writing is improving through the workshop AND
When I think about the theme of a book, I think of something like, Friends
help out in hard times. I do not think just friendship, but I know that
some people would give one word for a theme of a book. Which is more
interesting to you, the word or the sentence?
Jan
-- Original
I think other responders have the right idea. When I tell my students that
there is not one right answer, more students want to share what they think.
-- Original message from beverleep...@gmail.com: --
Actually kinders and firsties quite often have an easier time
I remember hearing that there would be a Comprehension Toolkit for middle
school. Any idea when that might be available?
Thanks!
Jan
-- Original message from Storti, Donna stori...@ssd.k12.pa.us:
--
The Primary Comprehension Toolkit Trade Book Pack contains the 9
The only elementary school in my district is going to start Response to
Intervention this fall with reading.
The committee who has been investigating RtI has come to the conclusion the
DIEBELS is the only universal screener to use. They want something very fast
and not too hard to use.
Do
Thank you to all who answered my questions about RtI and workshop!
It will be an exciting and busy year for me.
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
Hi Pat,
I taught a separate reading class for students who, at least initially, claimed
that they didn't like to read and weren't good at it. These were 6th, 7th, and
8th graders.
I let them pick their own books to read. They had to read the book for at
least two class periods before they
Last year I had a group of 6th and 7th graders who hated reading. At the end
of a semester, they said they now liked to read (some even said love) because I
let them pick any book out of our school library to read, and gave them class
time to read. Some students were reading a book a week by
I have a student who probably has dyslexia. According to our school psych, my
state does not recognize dyslexia as a learning disability, so this student
will not get any help from special ed. She really needs help with reading.
I remember years ago hearing that see-through plastic sheets in
Can you write more about Orton Gillingham and Wilson?
Thanks!
Original message from Kathy Jankins krjank...@yahoo.com:
I've tried the overlays and I think blue works the best, but it is not
something
that is going to help all that much. I wouldn't run out
H...
I'm in Washington state. I think, according to the school psych, students with
dyslexia here cannot get a 504 plan. Anyone from Washington know about this?
-- Original message from Laura lcan...@satx.rr.com: ---
I'm curious which state? We have special
I teach middle school. Do the same programs work as well with beginning
readers as they do with middle schoolers?
-- Original message from Hillary Marchel
march...@hawthorn73.org: --
I could not agree more! Orton is the way to go from a professional
point
This group really helped answer questions from me about universal screeners for
RtI. Now I'm wondering about when my middle school starts RtI. I think that
will happen next fall.
I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in their
reading level by middle school need
I teach middle school. Every year I have some students who would rather have
me do their work. They don't seem to want to work with the material themselves.
When I have said something like, I know you can do this. Give it a try, the
student usually gets more stubborn about being unable to do
Can anyone suggest a good book about Question Answer Relationship? I want to
learn more, and it has been hard for me to locate journal articles.
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership
If there's a Seattle public school teacher on this list, please e-mail me off
list. I'm interested in information about your curriculum.
Thanks!
Jan
wr...@att.net
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your
If any of you are going to Ellin's workshop in Seattle next month,
please e-mail me off list.
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
My middle school will start RTI next year. The plan is that all
students will get DIBELS as a screener, but only 6th graders (and maybe
7th graders) will get DRA as a diagnostic after the initial screening.
I teach 8th grade, and asked about the DRA as a diagnostic in 8th
grade. The
I saw DIBELS reading passages for 6, 7, and 8th grades.
Where do you think they came from?
Quoting Beverlee Paul beverleep...@gmail.com:
The last time I looked (a couple of months ago), there wasn't even DIBELS
tests for grades 7 and 8.
On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 9:15 AM, Kelly
I have a question about synthesis. I always thought the word meant
taking information from different sources and creating a new
understanding. Recently I heard the word used as taking information
from one source and changing your mind about that information as you
read.
What do you think?
Thanks!
I can see how if can be both. I guess merging what you already know
with new information (from one or more sources) is synthesis.
Quoting wr...@centurytel.net:
I have a question about synthesis. I always thought the word meant
taking information from different sources and
I teach middle school. Last year we adopted the workshop model. Our
trainer explained why we have students move in close and sit on the
floor during mini lessons. Last year this worked for my students.
This year several of my students are complaining about sitting on the
floor. They say
) that they cannot sit on the floor. It is the students who
tend not to want to read or write much who complain. Most of the class
seems fine with sitting on the floor.
I suspect (from the time that I did have a couch in a different room)
that the cool kids will always be in a chair. They get
Hi Sally,
I'd love to hear more about how the jig saw method has worked for you.
I have done that, and it usually fails for me. Too many students wait
for others to do the work for them. Parents (of the working students)
have complained to me about the unfairness.
Jan
Quoting Sally
I need a suggestion for a picture book that allows students to make an
ethical decision. I was thinking Crow and Hawk, but the plot is too
real. I have students who have lived through a similar situation.
I plan to read up to the point where the solution is reveled, and ask
students to vote
I like the share idea, and I'm thinking how it will work with
adolescents. They are SO sensitive!
I know that expecting a student to keep another student on task does
not work for me. Even the best middle schooler wants to be like the
other kids and will easily be sucked into misbehavior or
I got a copyright 2002 version of the Handbook of Reading Research
through interlibrary loan. I thought this books was revised every
year. Is that true?
My copy says it was originally published in 1984, and it sure looks as
if all the articles are from the 70s and 80s.
It has great
I found it on Amazon, and the paperback of the most recent version is
about $100.
That's more than I'd like to pay for one book, but I might splurge.
Quoting Patsy Brown pbbr...@spartanburg3.org:
Is there an author for this handbook? I looked it up on
Bookfinder.com and many
were listed
I am looking for a historical novel appropriate for middle school that
has to do with the industrial revolution and takes place in the
mid-1800s.
Can anyone offer a suggestion?
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To
Thank you ALL who responded to my request.
I am going to get Uprising from the public library to read myself
during spring break. It sounds as if that book may be an addition to
my classroom library.
I already have Lyddie, and I'd like more choices for my students.
Jan
Quoting
What is the url for finding the exemplars for middle school literature?
Quoting Lise ite...@cybertrails.com:
Did anyone look at the exemplars for middle school literature? I did. Among
the gems: Little Women (really?- my Hispanic 8th grade boys will love this
one), Tom Sawyer, Call of the
I am going to be teaching a summer reading class to middle schoolers.
I will be using the Comprehension Toolkit as my guide.
I would love to e-mail with another teacher who is also teaching
reading to middle schoolers this summer.
If any of you are interested, please e-mail me off list at
The more I think about the reading strategies, the more I think they
are also *thinking* strategies. If you can't make predictions when
reading, maybe you can't make predictions about what might happen next
in your own life as an example.
Quoting Ellin Keene ellinke...@earthlink.net:
Bill,
If you see this, will you e-mail me off list?
I have something I'd like to mail to you.
wr...@centurytel.net
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
I have been reading this discussion, and I want to make sure that it
does not sound as if it is somehow the current teacher's fault that the
student is struggling with reading.
If a student starts high school (which I know we are not talking about)
reading at the third grade level, it is
I completely agree that background knowledge is very important is
reading comprehension.
I'd love ideas from all of you about how to increase background
knowledge for middle school students. When I have a student who is
aware of current events, I always have a better class.
Jan
Hi Kendall,
I think most teachers on this list teach kids younger than your 12th
grader. I teach 8th grade.
We have implemented a 30 minute reading period in my middle school.
When I have students write about their reading during that time, I have
students write something very brief
is that
students read
30 minutes 5 nights a week or 150 minutes a week. They are free to
read any book
they choose. I give students a reading log, due every Monday, that
asks them to
document the minutes they read nightly, I ask them to write about their
independent reading weekly, based on the strategies
I'd love to hear from you all about what intervention you think an 8th
grader who reads at the 4th grade level needs. Remember that this
student will be starting high school soon. (This is a hypothetical
student, but I have had students like this in the past.)
Jan
Quoting Denise Diana
Now I want to clarify. I don't mean students cannot decode. Or at
least I don't think that's what I mean. I have students every year who
can say every word on the page out loud. They can even explain what
each word individually means.
If I ask for an explanation of what the entire page
-
From: Denise Diana Saddler ddavi...@fau.edu
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
mosaic@literacyworkshop.org; write wr...@centurytel.net
Sent: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 7:15 pm
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Better reading instruction...sigh...
Hi Jan
I am glad you ask that question
Now I'm wondering what else is going on for these students? If it
looks as if students have learned to read, but they still need support,
something else is happening. What is happening? And what support do
they need?
Jan
Quoting Tamara Westmoreland westmoreland.tam...@gmail.com:
I
I am looking for a brief reading to use to work with students on inferring.
Can any of you share your favorites?
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
I would love more information about miscue analysis.
Is there an easy, quick read book on this topic?
Quoting Sally Thomas sally.thom...@verizon.net:
I agree Pat and would add initial teaching that didn't help kids use
strategies effectively - the cueing systems and strategies like reading
Thanks to all of you who offered suggestions about books.
And, thank you, Nancy for even more information. Since miscue analysis
is a course, would this course help a middle school teacher? I'm
always willing to take classes.
Jan
Quoting creeche...@aol.com:
Running Records and Miscue
Jessica, tell us how old the students you teach are. What works for a
6 year old will not work for a 16 year old.
I know the question is about the issue.
How about some school-likely solutions?
Boys are not going to learn to read by running around.
They might learn to read by reading
I think it's fine if second grade boys (or girls) don't want to analyze
a text, but I think that by the time boys and girls are in high school,
they must be able to analyze a text.
What do we do to move the boys into analysis without pushing them out
of a love for reading?
Quoting
I need a list of suggested books on soccer that are appropriate for
middle school.
They can be fiction or nonfiction.
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
My students and I LOVED Freak the Mighty.
What would some of you suggest reading after Freak the Mighty --
something similar that kids would like as well?
Jan
Quoting Kelly Cavaiani cavai...@swallow.k12.wi.us:
Freak the Mighty.
-Original Message-
From:
I have reserved these books from my public library!
You all might be interested in knowing (if you don't already) that Matt
Christopher has written many, many books about all kinds of sports. I
even found snowboarding.
I haven't read any of his books, but I think he might be a good author
Hi Suzie,
I'm responding to this question...
What do you do when your observations and the formal assessment are
conflicting in the information they give?
I think that there is a difference between what a student *can* do and
what a student just naturally does as a habit. Do you think
I don't know if this is we do, but sometimes I have students work
with a partner or a small group before they work individually.
Sometimes I use the document camera and have students suggest ideas
that I write down for everyone to see.
Are either of those (both of those?) examples of we do
I try (not that I always succeed) to make it OK to make a mistake.
Especially when students are learning something new, they will make
mistakes. I own up to my own mistakes. I used to be SO embarrassed,
but now I show students when I make a mistake, and then I show them how
I correct it.
Tammy,
Will you explain what interactive writing looks like?
Thanks!
Jan
Quoting Tammy Hutchinson tamhutchin...@gmail.com:
I think another example of 'we do' is interactive writing. I really believe
in this as one of the most powerful strategies for teaching writing. And,
the products are
Hi Beverlee,
What is DEAR?
And what is the difference between independent level and high
instructional level? The names make them sound very different.
Although my school gives various reading tests, we do not test for
reading level. Can anyone suggest a test I can use in the classroom
Wow!
Do any of you have classes in which students read two hours a day?
I take this to mean the students are doing the reading. Not the
teacher reading to the student.
Jan
Quoting Sally Thomas sally.thom...@verizon.net:
Allington's research in various places including the big big study he
Although I know what these things are, these are not the words we use
in my building.
When all schools use all the same terms, then we'll all know what
everyone else is talking about.
Quoting Renee phoenix...@sbcglobal.net:
In our school we called it SSR -- sustained silent reading --
that
happened
to the writer. Personally, I would not categorize them as Fiction or
Non-Fiction. When students write fiction stories that may have
happened then I
think we call those Realistic Fiction stories. I hope this helps. Janie
Rodriguez Writing Specialist Valley Hi Elementary Writing is Individual
I love, love, love Across Five Aprils.
It requires lots of teacher support, though.
I can see that the language is a challenge and there is no actual war.
Quoting Dluhos Sara (31R024) sdlu...@schools.nyc.gov:
I have never read that book, and it goes poor reviews by students on the
When I have tried to send a message to someone on this list, but not to
the entire list, in response to a message posted to the list, my
message always bounces back to me. Anyone know why?
I know that when we want to respond to just one person, we are not
supposed to respond to the entire
Thanks for those of you who offered suggestions. You were able to
successfully respond to me off list.
My attempts to respond to you off list have all bounced back to me.
I have, now more than five times, copied and pasted the individual's
e-mail address, and the message bounced back to me.
I have a student who has become so freaked about over his reading that
he now panics on tests.
He seems bright and capable, and up until now I have thought he was
suffering from adolescence and not really putting in much effort.
His mom just told me that he cannot recall details from his
I need a suggested summer reading list for a middle school boy
interested in action/adventure books, preferably in the first-person.
Please send me your suggestions off-list.
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To
I have noticed a connection with boys between sloppy handwriting -- I
mean REALLY bad -- and their inability to work well with other
students. They may be socially awkward or immature for their age.
Has anyone else noticed this? Is there any research I can read on this
connection?
Is
If you are a middle school teacher in Washington state willing to
communicate with me this summer about the Common Core Standards, please
e-mail me off list at wr...@centurytel.net.
I am on a team of teachers from my building who will be working on the
CCS this summer, and I'd love someone
Does anyone know of a list devoted to the Common Core?
You can e-mail me off list.
Thanks!
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
What is the best adult novel you read in the last six months? What
made it so good?
A relative wants to buy me a book for a gift. I mostly read
nonfiction, but I know she wants to buy a novel for me.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Jan
___
Can you tell us something about this book?
Thanks!
Jan
Quoting Palmer, Jennifer jennifer.pal...@hcps.org:
Anyone else read Opening Minds by Peter Johnston?
Anyone interested in a book study on it? I'd volunteer to lead this one.
Jennifer L. Palmer, Ed. D.
Instructional Facilitator
I am looking for an ACTIVE list for middle school or junior high
teachers. I know of one list, but I don't think anyone on that list
has posted anything in over six months. My tentative efforts to start
a conversation on that list have not gotten responses.
I'm not thinking as much about
any of you noticed this in your students? What do you think is
going on here? Any suggestions about how to lead them to the idea that
you can talk or write about something without thinking it's a good
thing?
Jan
___
Mosaic mailing list
Mosaic
First I want to say that I am not reading the book with you all, but I
am reading your posts.
Jennifer, what you have written makes me think. Maybe responses to my
questions are in the book, and I need to get a copy.
I am working hard in my classroom not to promote a fixed mindset. The
I was a reluctant reader of Opening Minds because I tried to read
Choice Words, and I didn't like that book at all. I couldn't finish it.
At Jennifer's urging, I bought Opening Minds. I have started it. I'm
in chapter five.
And... wouldn't it be ironic for me to be closed minded about a
Hi Jennifer,
I think Johnston says NOT to tell students that you are proud of them
(which you did at the end). I understand why, but it seems to me that
is such a sweet and personal compliment that I don't want to give up.
If I'm proud of everything, then I see the praise doesn't mean
Here is what I was referring to when I wrote about teachers restating
their students' words.
Here's one example from the book on page 33 (chapter 3).
Pageen: Think about Micodo. He's coming from Japan; he's coming to a
new country; what do you think his problem is?
Marco: Same thing
Hi Jennifer,
Maybe this would be a good time to talk about what makes for good book
group discussions???
I am leading a book group of teachers at school, and I found our first
conversation to be disappointing to me. It was flat, and I was left
feeling (maybe wrongly) that most people had
OK... here goes.
I agree (and have long believed that trying is more important than
success. Success without effort seems hollow to me. Certainly, in
school, it means the student didn't learn anything new. I'm thinking
that everyone eventually (maybe often) has to work at something that's
I've experienced students who *have* reread and felt hurt because I
didn't notice that about them, and therefore I didn't comment to them
about that strategy. I think that much praise has to be as private as
criticism.
Jan
Quoting Palmer, Jennifer jennifer.pal...@hcps.org:
The chapter
I teach 8th grade. My colleagues and I are looking for a play for our
students to read in class. It is not for a drama class, so they will
not act it out. This play needs to be long enough that it would take
five (or maybe more) hours for the students to read it out loud.
Students would take
1 - 100 of 118 matches
Mail list logo
