Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
On May 27, 2011 10:06 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Susan...this was a great story. At this time of the year when many of us are tired and struggling as we finish the school year, it is inspirational to hear about the success. And certainly do use the NBCT initials! You earned them! How about other success stories with reading comprehension and strategy studies...? Jennifer L. Palmer Instructional Facilitator, National Board Certified Teacher (EC Gen) Magnolia Elementary School 901 Trimble Road, Joppa, MD 21085 Phone: (410) 612-1553 Fax: (410) 612-1576 In EVERY child...a touch of GREATNESS!!! Proud of our Title One School! From: mosaic-bounces+jennifer.palmer=hcps@literacyworkshop.org on behalf of Susan Cronk Sent: Tue 5/31/2011 8:18 AM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade On May 27, 2011 10:06 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Sandra I read your account in awe and amazement! I am not familar with the book you used but I will be on amazon buying it. Thank you for sharing ypur students beautiful connection and explanations of synthesis. It encapsulates how as teachers we just can't give up on our students. Look at what you have done! You are an amazing techer. Thanks for the post and wondeful ideas. Susan On May 27, 2011 10:06 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Sandi that is awesome to hear. I have only taught in Title One School and this was my first year out of the classroom as a Reading Specialist. I taught mostly in 1st grade and if you do not let yourself feel these smaller triumphs that lead to so much more, it is hard to make it through the year with the tough kids you see. I missed seeing the things you talked about and the growth you see in 1st grade is so rewarding as a classroom teacher. Way to go!! Troy Fredde On May 27, 2011, at 9:15 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Yep24 out of 33 on intervention plans! You just do it because you have to. But here's the supports that I have: 1. A principal that let's me teach children-not a program. Not follow a prescribed one size fits all mentality but truly teaching kids what it is they need to know to be successful. Sad that not all principals aren't like this. You would think that would be the model-after all that is what I am-a teacher-not a reader of a script. 2. Two fantastic reading coaches. They each take groups of my kids out during the literacy block and before school to do interventions using FP Leveled Literacy Interventions. Both are former reading recovery teachers so they aren't reading a script either but giving the kids instruction right where they are at. 3. I took my absolute lowest student and tutored her before school as well. Then I would have her do the Lexia computer intervention program immediately when school started as she needed a LOT of intervention in phonemic awareness. I also gave her and a few others double instruction in phonemic awareness. Then I met with her (or TRIED to) 5 times a week in guided reading. She was also in one of the LLI groups. For a period, the reading coach also took her out separately to give her more phonemic awareness instruction and reading instruction. 4. That left me with about 8 kids on intervention that only met with me in the classroom. Plus the 2 kids that had attendance issues and started late. And...the kids on grade level or above (9). I also met with the kids the coaches tok, so they also got guided reading in the classroom. But, mathmatically, there is no way I could have done it all without these two wonderful ladies giving these kids extra guided reading instruction. 5. Every single minute was used-not a moment could be wasted in the day. 6. And again, a principal that lets me teach kids what they need to know to be successful. At the end of the year, if you just look at FP reading levels as the mark of success I have 14 kids that didn't make Level I (this years benchmark-next year J) I guess according to the legislators I wasn't successful and should be fired. But, the student who said synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. she's a level G-BELOW-but she is growing and loving to read. She will be successful if she continues to get the instruction she needs. And the rest of the kids grew as readers as well no matter what their level letter says. Sandi From: Susanne Lee susannelee...@yahoo.com To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Sent: Sat, May 28, 2011 5:09:47 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade Sandra, I also cannot believe you have 24 students on intervention (is that RTI)??!!! I should be RTI'ing half of my class, but I could only handle 4, so I feel really guilty now. How do you do it? --- On Fri, 5/27/11, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Date: Friday, May 27, 2011, 10:15 PM Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Sandra, Do you like the FP LLI? We are supposed to be getting this for K-3 in my school (we piloted a computerized assessment program and had the option of a few items to support classroom instruction). I advocated for this over a leveled library because we have a lot of teachers with minimal experience and I thought that the structure of the program would make it more effetive than simply putting books in the rooms. It was also something that I don't think we could buy on our own with budget cuts and I can put a leveled classroom library together over time. Lisa On Sun, May 29, 2011 at 5:59 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.netwrote: Yep24 out of 33 on intervention plans! You just do it because you have to. But here's the supports that I have: 1. A principal that let's me teach children-not a program. Not follow a prescribed one size fits all mentality but truly teaching kids what it is they need to know to be successful.Sad that not all principals aren't like this. You would think that would be the model-after all that is what I am-a teacher-not a reader of a script. 2. Two fantastic reading coaches. They each take groups of my kids out during the literacy block and before school to do interventions using FP Leveled Literacy Interventions. Both are former reading recovery teachers so they aren't reading a script either but giving the kids instruction right where they are at. 3. I took my absolute lowest student and tutored her before school as well. Then I would have her do the Lexia computer intervention program immediately when school started as she needed a LOT of intervention in phonemic awareness. I also gave her and a few others double instruction in phonemic awareness. Then I met with her (or TRIED to) 5 times a week in guided reading. She was also in one of the LLI groups. For a period, the reading coach also took her out separately to give her more phonemic awareness instruction and reading instruction. 4. That left me with about 8 kids on intervention that only met with me in the classroom. Plus the 2 kids that had attendance issues and started late. And...the kids on grade level or above (9). I also met with the kids the coaches tok, so they also got guided reading in the classroom. But, mathmatically, there is no way I could have done it all without these two wonderful ladies giving these kids extra guided reading instruction. 5. Every single minute was used-not a moment could be wasted in the day. 6. And again, a principal that lets me teach kids what they need to know to be successful. At the end of the year, if you just look at FP reading levels as the mark of success I have 14 kids that didn't make Level I (this years benchmark-next year J) I guess according to the legislators I wasn't successful and should be fired. But, the student who said synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. she's a level G-BELOW-but she is growing and loving to read. She will be successful if she continues to get the instruction she needs. And the rest of the kids grew as readers as well no matter what their level letter says. Sandi From: Susanne Lee susannelee...@yahoo.com To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Sent: Sat, May 28, 2011 5:09:47 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade Sandra, I also cannot believe you have 24 students on intervention (is that RTI)??!!! I should be RTI'ing half of my class, but I could only handle 4, so I feel really guilty now. How do you do it? --- On Fri, 5/27/11, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Date: Friday, May 27, 2011, 10:15 PM Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
The end of the year is at time for celebration Sandra and I want to cut and paste your letter and send it to every teacher in my school. Your letter is proof in the pudding as we would say that you have taught your students to really think about the process of reading and have given them a skill that they will now always carry with them. FIRST GRADERS...wow. This is what being part of Moaaic is, a place to share the reading strategies that have worked, how they have worked and how against all odds they have worked. You should celebrate and wear your new title high on your head to guide and support the reading lives of hundreds of more first graders --- On Sat, 28/5/11, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Received: Saturday, 28 May, 2011, 12:15 PM Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Thank you so much for sharing your successes with these first graders. And...please keep sharing as you go about this wonderous process next year with a new group of students. I too work in a Title 1 school and some days - well I can feel your pain with the behavioral issues. It would be so motivating to hear from you at least once a month next year PLEASE!! You have truly earned your title - USE IT! Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 19:15:23 -0700 From: sos...@sbcglobal.net To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Congratulations, to you and your students. Sometimes all kids need is some teaching, some encouragement and the will to keep going. Because someone believes in them. Clearly you've provided all that. Labels are overrated. Elisa Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry -Original Message- From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Sender: mosaic-bounces+elwaingortji=cbe.ab...@literacyworkshop.org Date: Fri, 27 May 2011 19:15:23 To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Reply-To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Dear Sandi, National Board Certified Teacher :-) Thanks for sending this little story. It just goes to show what can happen when a teacher gives students time to learn, rather than trying to drum some facts into them. :-) Renee On May 27, 2011, at 7:15 PM, Sandra Stringham wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. ~ Dorothy Parker ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
An inspiring post. Thank you Sandra. This is what we should be focusing on! Sally On 5/27/11 7:15 PM, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Sandra, I loved your story. I also work in a title 1 school so I feel your pain. How rewarding though what their thinking showed! it shows that they did indeed learn even with all of the distractions going on Congrats!! --- On Fri, 5/27/11, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Date: Friday, May 27, 2011, 10:15 PM Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
* I can't quite remember the title of an essay I read years ago, nor can I remember the author, but the title had these words: doing harm while intending to do good.* Well, duh, Bev. Thankfully internet development is inversely related to my ability to remember, and it sometimes puts me out of my misery. How could I possibly have forgotten it was Sam Meisels who wrote this article: Doing harm by doing good: latrogenic effects of early childhood enrollment and promotion policies? Maybe someone should write a new essay Doing harm by overusing the medical model and 'prescribing' instruction rather than teaching students what they really need to know. ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Sandra, I also cannot believe you have 24 students on intervention (is that RTI)??!!! I should be RTI'ing half of my class, but I could only handle 4, so I feel really guilty now. How do you do it? --- On Fri, 5/27/11, Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net wrote: From: Sandra Stringham sos...@sbcglobal.net Subject: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Date: Friday, May 27, 2011, 10:15 PM Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... I've been teaching about synthesis. We began with retelling as a step before, then we moved into summarizing and now this week, by using a think aloud, the kids observed last week that synthesis is changing your thinking as you read. This week, using the book Jin Woo by Eve Bunting, with think aloud and conversations, the students decided that synthesis was changing your thinking as you read and using your synthesis. I asked the students to draw a picture of what synthesis meant to them. Here are a few highlights: One student (and this was a student that had severe behavior issues and I was happy if she held a book in her hand, right side up, earlier in the year) said: I think synthesis is changing our ideas and what we know in our schema. I told her I hadn't thought of that before...but she is right...sometimes we have the wrong idea in our schema, and as we read, we have to change that as well. I told her how smart her thinking was!!! Her smile could light the room!!! Another student--one who used to sing and hum through readers workshop- compared synthesis to adding details to your writing. As you read, you are adding to your schema-the details that make the story bigger-so your thinking gets bigger. And when you use your schema-you get smarter! A 3rd student said when you synthesize...your schema gets bigger, too. Another student (1 of the 24 I had on intervention plans) drew a picture of a person growing from a baby to an adult...just stick figures, but you could clearly see the progression. She said synthesis is like growing up. You change as you grow and learn and as you synthesize, your thinking gets bigger and bigger. Finally, one student compared synthesis to planting a seed. Your first thinking is like planting the seed. Then just like the seed begins to grow, so does you 2nd thinking (her words)then your 3rd thinking (her words) she compared it to the flower that the seed grew into. She drew a picture of the seed...the seedlingthe full plant...and labeled it with the synthesis stages. So.with 1 more week to gotoday made it all worthwhile. Through it all, I guess I was reaching them. I just wanted to share because we had some behavior issues in the afternoon that really brought me down...and I wanted to end my day...remembering the great things they can do. Why we persevere-it makes it all worthwhile! Sandi Elgin, IL And I'm going to sign my name for the first time as: National Board Certified Teacher-Literacy; 2010 (Hey...I never get to do that---so humor me!) ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... But yet today... Beautiful words, Sandra. Maybe this would be a great time for you to write a poem beginning with but yet today. I would love to read that poem!! I've taught in a school such as yours for almost my entire career, so I know how tired you are at this point in the year, but still you shared. Thank you so much. When it comes to comprehension (and the amazing articulation of understanding you've provided us), I LOVED what I'm assuming was Taberski's orginal title for her new book:* It's All About Comprehension: Teaching K-3 Readers from the Ground Up*. At least that's what amazon has been advertising for a couple of years. While I can see the advantage of what was eventually chosen (*Comprehension from the Ground Up: Simplified, Sensible Instruction for the K-3 Reading Workshop*), I still love the it's all about comprehension line...because it is all about comprehension. No matter the genre, no matter the author, no matter the subject, no matter who's reading it or why, there's simply no reason for anyone to read anything except to comprehend it. Now comes my frustration with education circa 2011. With the advent of RTI, and of course what I would refer to as the misuse of RTI, it usually isn't about comprehension at all. Anything that can be taught/learned in a weekly- or bi-weekly-monitored situation (such as for intensive or strategic intervention) is infinitesimally smaller than comprehension. And just look at how long Sandra had to wait to hear the evidence that her seeds had indeed sprouted and were indeed growing all that time! While I strongly believe every at-risk child should receive more quality instruction time than a child that's moving right along without extra help, what we're doing in my state is focusing very little of that instruction on comprehension. Our children's progress is measured in how quickly they can decode nonsense words, how fast they can read orally...well, you get the picture. And sometimes (maybe always) anything worthwhile to learn just takes a while, and then a little longer, to be able to articulate it, especially when you're 7 like Sandra's students. Her students will never, ever know the gift they been given; it's truly the gift that keeps on giving. Talk about a self-extending system! And my greatest frustration with all this misguided attempt to help through a very limited RTI understanding? The kids the most likely to receive this underwhelming band-aid of stuff rather than comprehension instruction? Yup, that would be the very kids Sandra teaches, the ones with the un-schoollike background. Our children of poverty, our children of color, our children who speak little English, our children who have received crippling reading instruction earlier. Yup, the very ones. So our entire educational system is at risk of selling out the very children that our forefathers created public education for--those who truly need a hand up! Those are the children who grow continuously for months and sometimes years before the long-term effects of comprehension instruction are visible. Sandra, you've posted such a celebratory message for you and yours, but we all needed to hear it. First, we need to hear it so we kindred spirits can joyously celebrate the successes of Sandra's students and of Sandra. But then we need to hear it also so that we become more reflective as we teach..and (the hard part) more vocal when short-term solutions for short-term problems are proposed. Sometimes I think teaching has been reduced to cheerleading and not the cheering we're doing with Sandra. The kind that we really should grab our old pom pons and jump up and down as we yell, Give me a P! Give me a short A! Give me a T! What does it spell? Pat!! What word? Pat!! Yes, PAT!! Yeah! Oh, sorry. Sometimes I'm reduced to what appears to be sarcasm, but what I believe really is, frustration until I'm reduced to the mental age of those who make these decisions, even or especially those who are truly believing they're helping. I can't quite remember the title of an essay I read years ago, nor can I remember the author, but the title had these words: doing harm while intending to do good. The very children who are the most disadvantaged, the most at-risk, are increasingly receiving an ill-advised, limited set of instruction which spends all their instructional time teaching them things they probably don't really need to know, while excluding comprehension instruction...and... it's all about comprehension. Short-term gains crowd out long-term development. And you don't even want me to go
Re: [MOSAIC] Synthesis in 1st grade
Thank you Bev. Building on what Sandra did, you have articulated exactly what is wrong with so-called RTI. It's a joke. And you and Sandra have articulated what we should be doing. I have HUGE concerns about RTI. It's like Reading First on steroids! Sally On 5/28/11 2:11 PM, Beverlee Paul beverleep...@gmail.com wrote: Its been a very long year and yet today I felt hope for my little ones. I teach a class of 33 at risk 1st grade students at a Title I school. I can't even begin to describe the behavior and social issues I have faced this year that interfered with learning and still interfere! Some I have never faced before.a long, long year...but today... But yet today... Beautiful words, Sandra. Maybe this would be a great time for you to write a poem beginning with but yet today. I would love to read that poem!! I've taught in a school such as yours for almost my entire career, so I know how tired you are at this point in the year, but still you shared. Thank you so much. When it comes to comprehension (and the amazing articulation of understanding you've provided us), I LOVED what I'm assuming was Taberski's orginal title for her new book:* It's All About Comprehension: Teaching K-3 Readers from the Ground Up*. At least that's what amazon has been advertising for a couple of years. While I can see the advantage of what was eventually chosen (*Comprehension from the Ground Up: Simplified, Sensible Instruction for the K-3 Reading Workshop*), I still love the it's all about comprehension line...because it is all about comprehension. No matter the genre, no matter the author, no matter the subject, no matter who's reading it or why, there's simply no reason for anyone to read anything except to comprehend it. Now comes my frustration with education circa 2011. With the advent of RTI, and of course what I would refer to as the misuse of RTI, it usually isn't about comprehension at all. Anything that can be taught/learned in a weekly- or bi-weekly-monitored situation (such as for intensive or strategic intervention) is infinitesimally smaller than comprehension. And just look at how long Sandra had to wait to hear the evidence that her seeds had indeed sprouted and were indeed growing all that time! While I strongly believe every at-risk child should receive more quality instruction time than a child that's moving right along without extra help, what we're doing in my state is focusing very little of that instruction on comprehension. Our children's progress is measured in how quickly they can decode nonsense words, how fast they can read orally...well, you get the picture. And sometimes (maybe always) anything worthwhile to learn just takes a while, and then a little longer, to be able to articulate it, especially when you're 7 like Sandra's students. Her students will never, ever know the gift they been given; it's truly the gift that keeps on giving. Talk about a self-extending system! And my greatest frustration with all this misguided attempt to help through a very limited RTI understanding? The kids the most likely to receive this underwhelming band-aid of stuff rather than comprehension instruction? Yup, that would be the very kids Sandra teaches, the ones with the un-schoollike background. Our children of poverty, our children of color, our children who speak little English, our children who have received crippling reading instruction earlier. Yup, the very ones. So our entire educational system is at risk of selling out the very children that our forefathers created public education for--those who truly need a hand up! Those are the children who grow continuously for months and sometimes years before the long-term effects of comprehension instruction are visible. Sandra, you've posted such a celebratory message for you and yours, but we all needed to hear it. First, we need to hear it so we kindred spirits can joyously celebrate the successes of Sandra's students and of Sandra. But then we need to hear it also so that we become more reflective as we teach..and (the hard part) more vocal when short-term solutions for short-term problems are proposed. Sometimes I think teaching has been reduced to cheerleading and not the cheering we're doing with Sandra. The kind that we really should grab our old pom pons and jump up and down as we yell, Give me a P! Give me a short A! Give me a T! What does it spell? Pat!! What word? Pat!! Yes, PAT!! Yeah! Oh, sorry. Sometimes I'm reduced to what appears to be sarcasm, but what I believe really is, frustration until I'm reduced to the mental age of those who make these decisions, even or especially those who are truly believing they're helping. I can't quite remember the title of an essay I read years ago, nor can I remember the author, but the title had these words: doing harm while intending to do good. The very
