What helped when I was in the classroom was to give them some sentence starters. I got mine from a book, but I'm blanking on what book. It was either a Nancie Atwell book or Teaching Reading in Middle School by Laura Robb (which is about RW as well). I stressed for them to not retell what they read, but think about what they read and write about that. I showed them examples, and we practiced beforehand. I did a LOT of writing in my class, and the students often "complained" but by the end of the year - or the following year after they went to high school - they all told me they were glad I had them writing so much!
On Tue, Mar 4, 2008 at 3:02 PM, Melinda Haynes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks for all the wonderful sharing regarding an authentic way to get > kids hooked on reading! I teach 5th grade LA/SS in TX...Tomorrow is our big > high stakes reading test...I can't wait to get back to the format of reading > workshop we all know and LOVE!! > > However, sometimes my kids balk at reading response notebooks. Any > suggestions? I look at the reading response notebook as a way of being > accountable for how you spent your reading time. I also use the notebooks > to see articulation of various reading skills or strategies. > > Any suggestions? > > "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) > > Melinda Hawkins > 5th Grade LA/SS > McCulloch Intermediate School > Highland Park ISD > (214) 780-2325 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >>> Mary Dovey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 3/4/2008 4:43 pm >>> > Using this type of workshop format for reading was so successful for me > that > it caught on with other teachers and was even written into our curriculum! > I've had students read as many as 100 books in a year when given this > opportunity to select their own books. I'd add one thing that the other > teachers may not have stressed enough if you're just starting out: you > must > TEACH the kids how to select books, characteristics of genre, how to pick > a > book that's right for them, how to get books from your library, how to > return them, etc., etc. It's all worth it, however! > Mary > > > On 3/4/08 5:17 PM, "Alice Cortigiano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Yes, I have and love the format. Get 2 pocket folders for each kid, a > book > > log to record pages read, a steno pad or some other small notebook to > record > > responses, and a sheet of open ended response questions for kids to > respond > > to. > > > > You will find kids will really read when given the opportunity to select > > books of their own choosing, answer questions that relative to what they > are > > reading, and keep track of their own progress. > > > > I'd grade them on their reading log, response notebook, fluency checks, > and > > participation. > > > > Also, get some comfortable furniture and set up an environment that is > > conducive to reading. I have done it and it works! It sometimes takes a > > while for kids who aren't used to it but I have found they too come > along in > > time. Remember, these are the kids who are struggling and feel like > losers > > so it takes some time to turn them around BUT it can be done. > > > > My class has a love seat and matching chair (from my house), a recliner > ( > > from my neighbors basement), and a futon (from my daughter). We need to > > share and they do w/o much fuss. I teach in a very urban, minority area > and > > it is so great to see "my guys" sitting around reading their books > quietly. > > It is a beautiful thing! > > > > Alice > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Winiecki, Nicole > > Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 2:50 PM > > To: A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades. > > Subject: [LIT] Reader's Workshop > > > > Does anyone have a reader's workshop format in their classroom? I am > > looking to start this with my struggling readers. I was wondering if > > anyone has any tips??? I have read Nancy Atwell's book In the Middle > > but I was hoping to get some feedback from teachers who actually use it. > > Thanks much! > > > > > > > > Nicole Winiecki > > > > Reading Resource > > > > Horning Middle School > > > > 2000 Wolf Road > > > > Waukesha, WI 53186 > > > > > > > > Phone: 262.970.3364 > > > > Fax: 262.970.3320 > > > > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill IVEY > > Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 12:35 PM > > To: 'A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades.' > > Subject: Re: [LIT] Poetry Slam Registration is open > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 11:38 AM -0500 > > > > wrote: > > > >> http://www.literacyworkshop.org/poetryslam/poetryjoin.htm > > > >> > > > >> The above link will take you to the registration page for the annual > > > >> Poetry > > > >> Slam project sponsored by The Literacy Workshop. The Poetry Slam > > project > > > >> will provide your classroom with a blog to share your poetry which is > > then > > > >> read and commented on by other classrooms in the project. > > > >> > > > >> For more information about the Poetry Slam Project see > > > >> http://www.literacyworkshop.org. > > > > > > > > Hi! > > > > > > > > Thank you so much for setting this up, Keith! Along with the link you > > > > sent, I'm happy to answer questions here as well. A number of people in > > > > this group have done the Slam in the past. One innovation we're hoping > > > > for this year is that any school who might be interested in doing a > > > > videoconference poetry reading in conjunction with the Slam, we're going > > > > to try to pair you up. > > > > > > > > Also, I know at least two schools have already signed up, so this might > > be > > > > one of those years it fills up quickly. We'll see! > > > > > > > > Take care, > > > > Bill Ivey > > > > Stoneleigh-Burnham School > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 > -- - Heather "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out; new races build others. But in the world of books are volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead." --Clarence Day "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little good evidence exists that there's any educational substance behind the accountability and testing movement." —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase funding. " —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate _______________________________________________ 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
