Great advice. The other thing I try to do is use the reading text to demonstrate something that is in my mini lesson. That way students are seeing the text from two different perspectives--first as a reader, then as a writer.
Carol On Sep 25, 2008, at 9:41 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hi Mary, > > TIme is time and when you don't have much you need to make the most > of it. Mini lessons should be just that - mini. If a mini lesson > lasts more than 5-7 minutes you've probably gone too far. Make the > most of your mini lesson by teaching a small piece and instead f > taking questions or comments from students, have them turn to a > partner and discuss if they have used the strategy, if they think > it would be helpful, or whatever the mini lesson lends itself to. > You should make it short and sweet by spending the time giving the > lesson. If you notice that it is taking to long - wrap t up as > quick as you can and send your students off to try it out. > > Writing workshop mini lessons... Read texts by authors like Donald > Crews, Patricia Polacco, Cynthia Rylant, and so on. Find Mentor > texts that show how authors use dialogue in their own writing. > Teach your students to read like a writer. Have them pay attention > to how authors use dialogue in their own writing. > > I went to the Lucy Calkins writing institute tis past summer and > learned so much about writing workshop. Try and Google the site. > It's Lucy Calkins + teacher's college. i am not sure of the exact > web page. > > Hope this helps you a bit, > :) Camille > > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: Mary Manges <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Hi everyone, >> I'm wondering how long most of you have each day for teaching >> language >> arts? I teach fifth grade and have about 90 minutes to teach reading >> and writing. I've basically divided it into two 45 minute blocks. >> This is the first year that I am following STW and Comprehension >> Toolkit, but I'm really struggling to get everything in. In the past >> I taught strategies, somewhat haphazardly, but I wasn't struggling as >> much with time. I know that with STW and the Toolkit I am doing a >> better job, it is just taking so long. I'm not sure I can speed >> things up without sacrificing the depth of thinking that comes with >> the lesson. Today it took almost 35 minutes to get through the >> lesson >> on questioning, which didn't allow much for independent practice with >> the strategy. I also try to incorporate literature discussions into >> everything as I know how important talk is to reading. Add in >> testing >> pressure, in PA I have to prepare them for both the reading and >> writing assessments (by February and early March). Every time I >> think >> about testing season my heart starts racing. My scores were the pits >> last year, so there is a lot of pressure to show some >> improvement. I >> have that "hamster in the wheel" feeling. >> >> I'm also struggling to get through writing workshop in the alloted >> time. I have had trouble keeping my writing workshop mini-lessons >> mini. I've always had this problem to an extent, but it just seems >> worse this year. We're working on using dialogue in narrative, which >> is a difficult thing for fifth graders, as most have not used it or >> been taught how to use it. My mini-lesson turned into a maxi-lesson, >> I didn't get it finished, and they didn't even have time to write. >> I'm wondering if it is me or the time that is the big issue. I'm >> basically the only person in my small, rural district who teaches >> this >> way. Everyone else uses the basal texts for both subject, so I'm >> desperately seeking some help from this group. >> >> Thanks! >> Mary >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> [email protected] >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ >> mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
