When I went to grad school for elementary education I had a wonderful professor who required us to write a year's study based on an overreaching theme. Unlike Beverlee, we were encouraged to come up with one word themes. Mine was diversity. I was able to easily connect the diversity in nature and humans to a rich literate experience. However, I agree with Joy that we have so many standards in ever single area which makes thematic teaching not impossible, but definitely a challenge. The way our state standards are written it is difficult to feel like you have a handle on any subject. They seem to have completely lost sight of the fact that elementary teachers are dealing with small children and must teach all subjects. Of course, they work in isolation rather than in tandem which could be one of the reasons why they are so out of touch with the realities of the classroom.
Leslie ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joy [[email protected]] Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 6:50 AM To: [email protected]; Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] themes Beverlee, If there is a group that can help me push my thinking, this is it. I'm pondering your suggestion that sentences are needed to describe themes. That is an interesting idea. Does the sentence narrow the concept, or does it broaden it? I wonder if I struggle with this because our standards are given to us in bits or because I am not thinking globally? I always thought I was a big picture kind of person, maybe I'm mistaken. I can see how things tie together, and have developed projects that are integrated, but struggle with the label. Joy/NC/4 How children learn is as important as what they learn: process and content go hand in hand. http://www.responsiveclassroom.org _______________________________________________ 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.
