Thanks, Ashli! (I'm in Irving, by the way.) My district has a curriculum, sure, but it is based on comprehension tests and book reports and all that icky stuff that I don't want to do. It's also based around genres, and I am just not sure about that. *So, everyone, if you can't find the time to respond to my whole email, can you at least tell me*: *Do you base your curriculum on genres (Sept = fiction, Oct = poetry...) or strategies (Sept = making connections, Oct = synthesizing...)?* I have been thinking about this for so long, and I just can't decide. Please help!!!
~Maggie 5th/TX On 7/23/07, Ashli and Paul Andersen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > First things first. BREATHE! It took me going on 6 years to figure out > that I can't be super teacher and teach EVERTYTHING. ...I just try to > make > it look like I do. Don't beat yourself up. You are on this list serv and > that is a BIG advantage and shows your professionalism. > That being said... > Here is my 2 cents > 1. I teach in TX too. Most districts have a scope and sequence that says > to teach x stuff the first 6 weeks, y stuff the second, etc. Try to find > yours. I didn't have one my first year (in Arkansas) and was totally > lost. > Having one the last 4 really made a difference. Your department head is > the > go to person for that. I have learned that balance is the key and I try > not > to do too much in isolation. I teach everything through novels. (This > year > I will try to add short stories in the mix) Our unit texts must be in > TAKS > format. as we go over the test I teach test strategies. Also as we read > the novels, I bring in poetry and nonfiction as it applies to the subject. > > 2. See Number 1. (we also have an advisory class where the students > learn > test taking strategies and have TAKS practice packets.) > > 3. sure, if you want. try it. if it doesn't work, don't do it > again. or > modify it to make it work for you. trial and error. Balance, young > grasshopper. > > 4. I teach mainly using novels as my text and bring in other sources to > suppliment what we are reading. Yes to the other question. > > 5. PLEASE teach your kiddos how to read a science text. Teach them how > it > is organized, what the bold faced words mean, what the headings mean, > captions, how to read a chart, etc. they REALLY need that help. FYI- our > science text is for 8th graders, but it is on a 12.5 grade level reading > level...some places were recorded at 17+! The textbooks, especially > science, is WAY over their heads. They need lots of help with that. > > Hope I was able to help you. Take a deep breath. You will do a great job > next year. What district are you in? I am in Lewisville ISD, but was in > Harlandale (in San Antonio) for 2.5 years. Can't wait to go back to SA. > > Let me know i can help you any more. > Ashli > > > -- Maggie Dillier "If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) _______________________________________________ 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
