Kimberlee writes: I am thinking about going to reading and writing units maybe switched off > monthly or quarterly for next year, as long as the lesson time, independent > time, and sharing or follow-up time is very consistent and predictable. I > see the kids need more chunks of time. There is never enough time to get > into anything; them, the work, or me, the conferencing. I also like the > notebooks, because I hate loose papers. I tolerate drafts in folders, > because I don't have any better answers, but I'd rather have things taped > in. I have a teenage daughter and have seen the abuse her papers go > through. I may have them leave their stuff in the room next year, too. > > Pam writes: That was my struggle and the reason that I started switching back & forth between reading and writing workshops. Obviously we do read & write (as well as grammar & vocabulary) all the time. However, the focus of mini-lessons & class activities shift depending on which workshop we are working within. I don't have a mini-lesson every day (I haven't needed it & do need the kids to have time to actually read & write), so I've worked vocabulary, analogy, etc. practice into my daily starters (first 5-8 minutes) to allow me time to take attendance, answer individual student questions, and other various housekeeping duties. Once our starter time is over (I keep it on a timer to keep the kids - okay, me - focused and on track), I do a status of class and quick posting of Independent Work menu (seems to be a need of my very needy students this year). Then workshop starts. We go until 3 minutes to the bell when we do a quick tidy and ticket out the door. Doesn't sound like much time for all that, but I guess now that I look at it that my kids have learned the routine pretty well as I don't write tardy passes any more.
Pam Tempest Team Neon-6th Gr. ELA Hudson Middle School http://nlcommunities.com/communities/tempest "The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn." John Lubbock ************************************** AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com. _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
