Andrea, What you describe here in terms of integrating the essay unit is my idea of integration--it happens at the cost of no curricular area when it is possible.
Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 ----- Original message ----- From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009 5:07 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > Thank you for clarification. I love the flexibility and creativity that can > come from science and social studies units. I did weave social studies into > my essay writing unit of study as students wrote about influential > African-Americans. They wrote biographical essays as we studied the craft of > essay writing. But my writing workshop structure and routine did not budge. > Students went through the same writing process they do for every other > writing piece, but this one had a more guided focus through bringing in > social studies. I did not simply weave this into my social studies time and > call it writing workshop. We used social studies time to research and > discuss African Americans and their contributions, this way writing workshop > remained dedicated to the craft of writing. If my day had unlimited school > hours, I still would have done this differently. > > I see the "integration" issue spanning grades 1-4. In fact, I think it is > the main way of teaching in most, if not all, classrooms grades 1-4 in my > school. It ends in 5th grade because we departmentalize at that point. > > Your sentence: "The danger I think is when writing is only a means of > reflecting understanding of content area learning without ever being a place > for learning about writing, having time to write on self-selected subjects, > time to explore literary genres and author study," is the kind of wording I > was looking for. Thank you for giving me a way to articulate a potential > hazard of integration. > > This reminds me once again that how we teach is as important as what we > teach. > > Andrea > > > Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: > >I am absolutely a member of your choir!! Yes, I think that there needs to > >be a writer's workshop and that sometimes children can work on projects > >that support content area learning. Nonfiction writing seems an opportune > >time to pull in a strand from social studies or science. The danger I > >think is when writing is only a means of reflecting understanding of > >content area learning without ever being a place for learning about > >writing, having time to write on self-selected subjects, time to explore > >literary genres and author study. > > > >Is this happening across grade levels, or are you seeing the problem you > >describe as more of an issue at any give grade level or grade range? > > > > > > > >Lori Jackson > > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > > Todd County School District > > Box 87 > > Mission SD 5755 > > > >----- Original message ----- > >From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> > >To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > ><[email protected]> > >Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009 3:48 PM > >Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > > > >> First, let me say that I agree that 'combatting' is not the right word. > >> 'Responding' is really what I meant. I, too, believe that these teachers > >> have the absolute best intentions and their students gain a lot from > >these > >> experiences. Lori, one distinct difference you stated in your response > >was > >> that you brought social studies into reading, while I think the opposite > >is > >> happening at my school. I COMPLETELY agree that reading and writing > >should > >> be a central element to content areas. I could not imagine teaching > >social > >> studies without tradebooks, journal writing, etc. However, passing a > >journal > >> writing assignment off as their writing instruction does not count to me > >as > >> their writing workshop lesson. > >> > >> Aren't content areas better used for assessing reading and writing, > >rather > >> than teaching it? Social studies is one way I see if my students can > >apply > >> the reading strategies taught in reading; to see if they can transfer > >good > >> writing strategies into their social studies writing assignments. Yet, > >> social studies does not replace my reading workshop or writing strategy > >> instruction. > >> > >> I guess the larger question is: do you let a thematic unit guide your > >> reading workshop? If thematic units are central to your reading > >workshop, > >> how do you weave strong strategy instruction into it? > >> > >> Thanks for your support through this. > >> > >> Andrea > >> > >> > >> > >> Ljackson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >I am sorry, I seem to be responding to myself. As I read this a second > >> >time, I wanted to be able to say it sounds to me as if you are both > >> >right--both broups, I mean. Integration is a key to managing it all > >but > >> >also to bringing meaningful instruction to kids and I think most of us > >> >celebrate these strategies as thinking strategies that will drive > >> >increased understanding across the page and across the curriculum. I > >know > >> >that in the classroom, I had to infuse social studies into my reading > >> >workshop because there simply was not enough time in the day to address > >> >all the curricular demands. We are in the process in our own district > >of > >> >creating searchable databases for our guided reading materials > >(beginning > >> >with nonfiction) so that teachers can design guided reading lessons > >that > >> >will allow for integration of social studies and science when doing so > >> >fits the needs of the readers. I think we all need to learn to think > >very > >> >flexibly to do our jobs. All that said, I do think that > >> > there is a time when we read and write for the sake learning to love > >to > >> >read and write and to become better at reading and writing. > >> > > >> >So, perhaps a first step is to examine your word choice. 'Combatting' > >> >teachers who are determined to infuse reading and writing throughout > >the > >> >day seems counterproductive to me--can you find a way to honor what > >they > >> >do and make a case for what you believe in? If those beliefs could live > >> >together, it seems to me that the students would truly benefit. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> >Lori Jackson > >> > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > >> > Todd County School District > >> > Box 87 > >> > Mission SD 5755 > >> > > >> >----- Original message ----- > >> >From: Andrea Jenkins <[email protected]> > >> >To: [email protected] > >> >Date: Sunday, April 26, 2009 2:03 PM > >> >Subject: [MOSAIC] Thematic Units or Reading Across the Curriculum > >> > > >> >> Hello friends. I am leading a Mosaic book study with teachers at my > >> >school. > >> >> Many, if not all, of the teachers say they "integrate reading and > >> >writing > >> >> and teach it across the curriculum". I believe this is code for not > >> >> specifically teaching reading and writing, but rather assigning > >reading > >> >and > >> >> writing assignments/activities, and calling that their instruction of > >> >> reading/writing. What they are actually teaching is social studies or > >> >> science, with throwing in reading and writing assignments with no > >> >> instruction on how to read or write strategically. > >> >> > >> >> Personally, I believe in the workshop framework for both reading and > >> >> writing, and believe in directly teaching reading and writing > >strategies > >> >> through mini-lessons. They believe, wholeheartedly, that their > >thematic, > >> >> integrated approach to teaching is working and best practice. I > >believe > >> >> differently. > >> >> > >> >> How do I combat this response of "integrated" instruction? > >> >> Am I missing a crucial piece? Perhaps I am wrong here and many of you > >> >also > >> >> use thematic units and content areas to teach strategies. How do > >other > >> >> teachers of workshop model classrooms handle the balance between > >reading > >> >and > >> >> social studies? > >> >> > >> >> Many thanks! > >> >> > >> >> Andrea Jenkins > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ > >> >> 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. > >> > >> > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >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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