Hello, Last year was my first year in middle school. My notebooks, had notes, activities, and responses all in one. I had between 25-30 notebooks in 5 classes last year. After coming from 15 years in elementary I thought I was going to die. However, before long I had come up with a system. I collected notebooks every three weeks or so. One class every day, the biggest class on Fridays so I could have the weekend, if I needed. My TA"S would go through the Table of Contents and just check off that the notes, activities, and responses were there. Purely counting. Then I went through and responded or commented on anything. The kids got two grades, one for having everything and one for me for quality of work. While I didn't "grade" individual responses. Not having to actually count or check off or grade saved me hours.
However next year, I am having the kids bring a notebook for notes and activities (I'm teaching history to them also) that's separate for Reading Responses. I'll tell the kids they need to come in at least once every two weeks to me. In In the Middle, Atwell says something to the effect, she gives herself an hour a day to work on notebooks. If they turn it in early, they get a good response back. If the kids choose to wait until the very last minute to turn theirs in, they get a short comment. Iam beginning a pair share idea at the end of Workshop every day, so I will not expect them to respond to each other, unless they choose to later in the year. -- Kim ------- Kimberlee Hannan Department Chair Sequoia Middle School Fresno, California 93702 Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, let go of what you can't change, kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything, have no regrets.. Life's too short to be anything but happy. [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ 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
