Hello, I have been reading your chats about managing journals. I have had between 130 and 150 students (8th grade) for 11 years. I love using journals because that is how I know a student is really comprehending (thinking about) what he/she is reading. I refuse to give book reports, because I feel they encourage cheating and procrastinating. I use the reading prompts on Mondays and Fridays, and every two weeks I start sifting through the notebooks and respond to what they are writing. When do I do this? Sometimes during silent reading, sometimes at home while I am watching the Browns, sometimes during lunch when I feel like being by myself. I always write brief comments, and when a student is obviously crying our for something more, I will take the time to really write back. I use a 1-4 rubric to evaluate. The students know that I am looking for 5 to 7 sentences and a quote to prove what they are thinking. Sometimes a student reads an entire book in 2 weeks, and sometimes only 20 pages. But every response is valued because of what the student thinks about their reading. I usually choose from a list of open-ended prompts, but occasionally will let them write about anything at all that has caused them to think while reading. At the end of the nine-week period I look through the notebooks and average the rubric grades. It isn't hard at all, and the kids can't wait to get their books back to see my comments and my grade. Janet Smith 8th Grade Reading/LA Conneaut, Ohio
-------Original Message------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: 07/10/07 16:41:48 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LIT] Ariticle from Voices in the Middle--and a new subject:) thanks for sending the article. i am working on a grant via the Internet and an online class, so i have not read the entire article, but i thought of something when you asked about reading 100 interactive journals. i too, have the same problem. more than 100 students and not enough time to respond to journaling. i do not grade journals if it is free writing. What does everyone think about pairing up the students and have them interact? they could write in their own journals after SSR, then switch and respond to a partner s journaling. i am hoping with 5 classes instead of 6, i can use the extra planning to get through some of these. i spent countless days last year staying until 5pm and my kids get out at 2:40. i need to make this manageable. *\l/**\l/**\l/*Lynn*\l/**\l/**\l/* Doctorate Student, Florida Atlantic University Please visit my READING website! :o) http://cyberedtech.fau.edu/domino/default.htm ************************************** See what's free 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/LITArchiveH _______________________________________________ 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
