Rather than making response so formal with notebooks, why not try using post it notes. Have your students read and then post their thoughts, concerns, puzzles, angers, etc. When the group comes together for a discussion, the kids take out their post it notes and generate conversations that way. At the end of each week, I had my students choose one post it response and elaborate on it. This would give them some rich response because they had a chance to collaborate in their small groups. Also, the best responses come from student-generated questions. Too often (and I am not saying this happens in your classroom :-) ) students have been conditioned to only answer questions rather than ask questions. Good readers ask questions!
Also, has anyone tried the Flip in their classroom? Go to www.theflip.com, and check out the newest thing in technology. It's totally awesome! It's as small as a digital camera, and holds about 60 minutes worth of video. I would videotape my students in their response groups, then download it to my lap top and we would generate a conversation about what happened in their response groups. Kim -----Original Message----- From: Melinda Haynes [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2008 6:02 PM To: A list for improving literacy with focus on middle grades. Subject: Re: [LIT] Reader's Workshop 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 _______________________________________________ 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
