Are any of you board-certified folk going to comment on this thread? Please....
On Wed, Feb 11, 2009 at 5:54 PM, Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]>wrote: > Dee, > > I understand that concern. And I would say that this is largely remedied by > having trust in your colleagues. If you departmentalize, is there a way to > choose which teacher will teach your students math? In every team, there is > usually at least one person with whom we see eye-to-eye. Sharing students > with an eye-to-eye colleague will help lighten your fears. Also, consider > that there are now 2 sets of eyes on all of your kids; yours and your > partner teacher. From experience, I can attest to how valuable this is to > have another teacher who sees our students in an academic setting. This > allows for collaboration (and support) on how to best reach each child. > > When I look at myself as a teacher, I know that I am not an expert in every > subject. To say that I teach math as well as I teach reading is simply > untrue. It is natural that we teach to our strengths and that our students > benefit from our strengths. They feel the impact of our weaknesses as well. > Departmentalizing allows teachers to focus their time in more specific > ways. > If I no longer have math as a subject, I devote more time to writer's > notebooks, pulling quality read alouds, reporting on student reading > behaviors, etc. I also can devote my energy to professional growth in > literacy, not literacy and math. > > No one will teach math EXACTLY how you teach it. But that does not mean > that > those students will develop less of an understanding or appreciation for > math. Different and varied can be ok. > > I would strongly recommend students in first grade not change rooms (unless > it's a very small school), but instead have the TEACHERS switch rooms. This > might seem tricky at first, but soon routines will develop. By having the > teachers switch, it creates more continuity for the students. Plus, the > math > teacher has ready access to the wonderful math materials you have collected > (and they stay in your room). Your students still get the benefit of being > in their own classroom, around their teacher's tools, being taught by > someone who has a dedicated focus to math. > > I'm happy to answer questions. Let me know if you have any other thoughts > or > concerns. I'm happy to help. > > Andrea > > Delores Gibson <[email protected]> wrote: > >Thanks Andrea. > >I guess my concern is that if another teacher is teaching math to my > >students how can I possible know what this child is doing in math? > >Also, I am a veteran teacher and I've had years to accumulate materials > >that the other teachers just don't have and my kids will miss out on > >having certain experiences that I can provide no matter how much I > >share. > >Dee > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [email protected] > >[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Andrea Jenkins > >Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 2:58 PM > >To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] departmentalization > > > >I do want to chime in because I taught at a small private school and we > >departmentalized writing/math all the way down to 1st grade. It worked > >beautifully! There were only two classrooms for each grade and they > >shared a > >common breezeway between the classrooms. The teachers had a common > >"switch" > >time, which they kept every day. The switch was as seamless as taking > >the > >kids to Spanish or PE or another class. > > > >In this school, with its small size, it did work. Once they were into > >it, > >the pros so outweighed the cons. I can certainly see how a larger school > >would have more hurdles to jump than it might be worth. > > > >If you have questions, please ask. I helped schedule and implement > >departmentalizing, so I have some strong feelings about why it's a good > >thing. Perhaps if your school decides to go that way, I can help give > >you > >ways to feel better about it. > > > >I always appreciate this group and the open conversations! You guys have > >helped me on many occasions. > > > >Thanks, > >Andrea > > > > > >Delores Gibson <[email protected]> wrote: > >>Does anyone have and/or know of where I can go to find > >research > >> on departmental teaching for FIRST GRADE? Some of the > >teachers > >>want to seen six year olds from room to room (switch classes) > > > >>for reading and math. I'm opposed because I believe strongly > >in > >> self-contained classroom for first grade. Instead of just > >doing > >>it because it might be easier I can't get anyone to tell me > > > >>what research supports or does not support this for first > >grade. > >> HELP!!!! > >>Dee > >> > >>*********************************************************************** > >***************************** > >>This e-mail message contains information that may be privileged or > >>confidential and > >>is the property of the Board of Education of Deerfield Public School > >>District No. 109. > >>It is intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. 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If > >you have > >received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and > >delete all > >copies of this message. > > > >_______________________________________________ > >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. 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