Jan, . I took the following of your email to imply that you felt these kids were just passed along by teachers at the previous levels. I was disturbed by that because it is way too simplistic an assumption and unfair to those who work so hard with these kids. I am glad to know that wasnt what you meant. I do think these kiddos need more support at every level and perhaps they should have reading support in the content areas . Possibly using time to provide push inssupport in the science and social studies classes would be of more use than pulling them during up electives. Just a thought
Kathy I believe that if schools would take the initiative and > make sure > that a child receive all the help necessary for the child to be able > to read on > grade level before they are move on to the next grade or take drastic > action to > make sure that the child catch up to their reading grade level then > we will have > less student in the 8th grade reading on a 4th grade level. It is not easy, > trust me I have the real deal, the 8th graders who do read on a very > low level > but was just pass on through the system; but, it is possible if the > school work > as a team. -----Original Message----- From: write <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Sent: Fri, Jul 22, 2011 8:29 pm Subject: [MOSAIC] reading instruction...sigh... Hi Kathy, I think we're all in agreement that elementary teachers work hard to make sure that all students can (and do) read. It is, however, true that I have students reading well below grade level. When I see them, the reason is no longer important. I need to figure out the best way I can to help those students. I'm glad to see that at least some people think that middle school students need to give up electives in order to get more time on reading. I'm going to see if that is an idea my building is willing to embrace. Jan Quoting [email protected]: > When a middle schooler or high school student is reading on an elementary > level, It's easy to assume that somebody below didnt do it "right" . > But as an > elementary teacher, I just need to say that we bust our butts on > those students > who are below grade level. We meet with them daily in small group > and and are > always hovering by their desks to help them with added support. We provide > them with as much intensive support as availalbe from reading > teachers,we work > with parents, set up before and after school buddy pals, and nightly > send home > books at their level for them to practice and now with RTI. probably spend > triple the amount of time planning lessons and assessing these > students as we do > our grade level or advanced student. > > We take so much abuse from the "political public" about how all we > need is good > teaching and all will be right with the students. > I have to caution you not to buy into this. Students who struggle learning to > read have many and varied causes, and we have yet to find the cause > or "cure" > for all of them. Please, dont play the bashing game and blame the > other guy. Chances are, your own success with these kiddos will be as > limited. > > Kathy > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Denise Diana Saddler <[email protected]> > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group > <[email protected]>; write <[email protected]> > Sent: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 7:15 pm > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] "Better" reading instruction...sigh... > > > Hi Jan > I am glad you ask that question about the hypothetical 8th grader who > currently > read on a 4th grade level what can we do. Well just to inform you I > currently > teach intensive reading for middle school students 6-8th grade and > many of them > do read on an elementary grade level. Our school has a block > schedule in which > students goes to three classes on one day and three different classes on the > next (alternating class), which also include extra-curricular > activities. The > students who have my class, have there required classes, such as > Language Arts, > Math, etc..., but because they have Intensive Reading they do not get > extra-curricular activities instead they see me every day of the week > not only > on alternate days. By the way our school is an “A” school again > this year, > thank God. I believe that if schools would take the initiative and > make sure > that a child receive all the help necessary for the child to be able > to read on > grade level before they are move on to the next grade or take drastic > action to > make sure that the child catch up to their reading grade level then > we will have > less student in the 8th grade reading on a 4th grade level. It is not easy, > trust me I have the real deal, the 8th graders who do read on a very > low level > but was just pass on through the system; but, it is possible if the > school work > as a team. > > Denise D. Saddler > > _______________________________________________ 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
