"The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In reading I believe the scores are well above 90%."
I'd be interested in knowing how reading is taught in your school. I know scores aren't everything, but those are impressive scores. I don't think we have advanced reading classes, only advanced math classes. I don't imagine I would have an issue with an advanced literature class. In fact, I have organized such a group for before school so that I could address those students and watch them grow! It was so much fun. I ran it like an adult reading group (parents even sent in snack). I believe they would participate in multi-ability classrooms for the remainder of their course work. Leslie R. Stewart Grade 3 Teacher [email protected] 203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX 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 Kuenzl-Stenerson Kay Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:10 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: [MOSAIC] Advanced Reading class I was thinking that if I had an advanced reading class (and I did years ago, more years than I want to remember) that I would want the kids to fly...I wouldn't want to get in their way. I would give students a large choice of books, probably centered around a theme so that there would be similarities for discussion. I would also have students put reflections and "assignments" in a reading notebook. With an advanced class students might lead the way. Ask them what they would like to accomplish. Short mini-lessons could review strategies, but in the review I would ask students to share their experiences with the strategies. Recently, I heard Dr. Gay Ivey speak about her recent research. She discovered that when students are truely engaged in reading they will do strategies automatically (and that was with struggling readers). I would also spend some time with expository text and textbook formats that they may encounter and not yet be familiar with. Personally, I don't think we should be tracking students this way and don't believe it is necessary if we use a workshop model for instruction. Are you familiar with Aimee Buckner's books on notebooks? There is a wealth of information on lessons and how to use notebooks in her books. You might want to check those out. Another thought I had for a variation would be to have "book clubs". Following the same format that an adult book club would follow. Kay ------------------------------ Message: 24 Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:10:45 -0500 From: kim lum <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 This list is exactly what I was thinking to respond. How about meshing the concepts from grade level social studies or science as topics for some of the reading/research/higher level work? On 11/10/09, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: > To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to consider: > 1. Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and > evaluation > 2. Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple > intelligences > 3. Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature > selections > 4. Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding > various literature selections > 5. Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs. > antagonist > 6. Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various > characters in the literature selection > > Hope this helps. > > ---- reading <[email protected]> wrote: > > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In > > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year > > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced" > > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the > > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the > > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think > my > > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes. I wanted > to > > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes? > > _______________________________________________ > > 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.
