I think you could let them pick their partner once in a while. One of the reasons it is nice for partnerships to be more than a one time deal is that they get to know each other as writers or readers, and hopefully the discussion can go to another level. It is also nice to have partnerships at about the same ability. I know it is a common practice to put a high student with a lower one to "help" them, but the higher student needs a challenge too. "Teaching" helps solidify understanding so there is some merit there. But, would I want this to go on all year -no.I changed my partnerships every so often -no set length of time, just when I felt it was time.I had semi-assigned seating at the carpet for the mini-lesson so turn and talk at this time was usually with the same 3 or 4 kids pretty much all year. However, seating at sharing was open so partnerships weren't always the same.
This might be a nice discussion with your grade level teammates -try it out different ways and note the successes and challenges. It could lead you to how you want it to work in your classroom. Jan We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled, but as candles to be lit. -Robert Shaffer > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 13:01:37 -0400 > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] workshop > > "So... do I really have to let the students pick their partners? If so, why? > Do I need to keep the same pairs all year? If so, why? Jan > > Jan, > I have a reading and science manual from Berkeley University that is research > based. Turn and Talk was a major component of the teacher instruction. It > was never suggested that the partners remain the same throughout the year. > Last year, I started out making the partnerships. Later on in the year, I > would just tell them to make a smart choice when they came to our discussion > circle (meaning don't sit with someone that will cause you to be > inattentive). The pairings varied. If I child felt helpful, they might > choose to sit with someone they thought they might be able to assist with the > task, or they might sit with someone from their reading group, or with > someone they weren't often able to work with. I think it would be stifling > to have to sit with the same person for an entire school year! I would be > interested in the research behind that one! (Not that I think the research > is always right either.) > > Leslie R. Stewart > (203)481-5386 X310 FAX (203)483-0749 > [email protected] > > Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and > those who matter don't mind." > ~ Dr. Seuss > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Beverlee Paul > Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 12:48 PM > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] workshop > > Why would you have partners at all for turn and talk? Why not turn to > whomever is next to you, which will hopefully be someone different most of > the time? > > On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 8:10 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Yesterday the grade 3-8 teachers in my district met together to have >> training on workshop. >> >> Our trainer said that partners for turn and talk should be kept the same >> all year. The trainer also said that students should pick their only >> partners. >> >> I'd like to move partners around (maybe as often as every six weeks) as I >> see that certain students could help each other learn more. I also want to >> pick the partners because there are always some students who want to work >> together, but they just goof off. >> >> Letting students choose their partner, and then breaking up that partner >> group a week later, will create lots of uproar. It's smoother for me to >> just match the partners from the beginning. >> >> So... do I really have to let the students pick their partners? If so, >> why? Do I need to keep the same pairs all year? If so, why? >> Jan >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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.
