Coming to an end...

Hello:
It was VERY hard to maintain this blog while taking two course. Whew! I have managed to bookmark and save a lot of things from my Reading/Writing Connections course that I thought were quite significant to improving my practice. What is also nice is that in taking another course in conjunction with this one, I am furthering my understanding of teaching reading and writing. I have shared a lot of different types of writing, from journal pieces, letter, quick writes, complete with attachments and videos to help round out my thoughts. Please feel free to check out some of my older postings from a previous course, as they are related, too.

Cheers!
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I'm really proud of this...

I had to do this grid for my Teaching Reading and Writing class. It is about reading comprehension and ways it plays out in my classroom. I realized that with each course I take, I continue to be really thoughtful and purposeful in helping my students learn. I got an A+ :)


https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pMWDb6CVxvM9fV7Mhzs5SPeEfXyJgpD-qtRVWlxc65s/edit?hl=en#

A writing strategy...POWER WRITING...in 100 words or less. How ironic for the strategy...

I had to research a strategy this week and summarize it in 100 words! Talk about stepping it up! I had to pretend that I was presenting at a conference and introducing a key note speaker. I also posted responses to my thoughts in the comments section in my blog.

Here were my thoughts...

Welcome!

Momentarily, you will hear our speaker talk about the 6+1 writing traits. Before you learn more about this topic, I want to share a writing strategy with you that improves writing fluency. Power Writing can be used with individuals, or in a whole group/small group setting.


Power writing is a:



· Brief, timed task that develops excellent writers.

· method to get students to write immediately, accurately, and as much as possible.

· way to increase metacognitive awareness and chart student growth.



By using this process, students can see their improvements in writing everyday!



Thanks you and enjoy!



References:



Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2007). Scaffolded writing instruction: Teaching with a gradual-release framework. New York, NY: Scholastic




Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2003). Writing instruction for struggling adolescent readers: A gradual release model because new accountability systems focus on writing, struggling students need daily, coordinated instruction that is meaningful. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy ,46. Retrieved from http://www.questia.com /googleScholar.qst?docId=5000635371





Power Writing. (2008). Public presentation February 24, 2011. www.aea267.k12.ia.us/.../Power%20Writing%20Webinar/3.%20Rationale%20and%20Definitions.pdf

An engaging visual

I created my first comic! I thought I did a really good job. I showed it to some of my colleagues. They were impressed by what I was doing in school. AWESOME!

An amazing experience...

I am sitting in the airport waiting for my connecting flight from Atlanta back to Denver. I have just attending the Teach for America 20th Anniversary summit. I have never seen something so powerful or been around so many ambitious, relentless teachers in one place. There were about 11,000 in attendance. Many people presented and shared their experiences in working with and for this organization. For the first time in a long time, I felt that I was part of a movement larger than myself. The theme or question that was asked of us throughout the whole conference was, "Am I doing enough?
Can I do more? How am I contributing to the cause?" There are still HUGE disparities in the quality of education poor children and children of color are receiving in this country. Washington DC and New Orleans are two areas that are current hot spots for educational reform. The spotlight is on them right now. As a I return home in preparation for CSAP, I realize education is larger than a standardized test. This is a life or death profession. When more black and Latino males enter prison each year than a college or university, I definitely need to ask myself, 'Am I doing enough'?

Here is a article by Education Week, an online journal to which I subscribe. Enjoy!

(This is a small journaling activity I did as a reflection of my experience in DC.)

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2011/02/14/revolution.html?r=933893543

Also, check out John Legend signing with a fellow KIPP school in Harlem! I recorded it from my cell phone...I was really far away :(

A legend dies...

So I'm sitting in staff meeting today, and I hear that a teaching legend, Harriet Ball, died. I'm upset because she is the reason why I am able to teach at a KIPP school today. She mentored the founders of our organization, and that is why we have the model of excellence for schools that we do. Although I am a reading teacher, I really identify with Ms. Ball because she was an African American teacher who was making a significant impact on kids of color. She lived by the philosophy that all kids can learn, given the right encouragement combined with excellent teaching. I have attached a video of her teaching. This is kind of a therapeutic post today, but I wanted to acknowledge her excellence on my blog. Hope you see what I see: an excellent teacher who will truly be missed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/04/harriett-ball-texas-teach_n_748446.html

Keeping Parents informed

I often like to write newsletters to keep my parents informed. This is one I designed this week. I was helping a new Teach For America elementary teacher talk about Phonics and Phonemic Awareness in simple language.

Dear Families:

Greetings! I am so excited to once again share classroom news with you. As always, I try to make this newsletter informative and brief to let you in on all the wonderful things that happen in the class each quarter. As you know, we are about half way through the school year. Our focus for this quarter will be on Phonemic Awareness, both at school and at home. What is Phonemic Awareness you ask? This issue of our newsletter will concentrate on just that: what it is, what it means for your child(ren), and what we you can do at home to help!


What is Phonemic Awareness?

“Phonemic awareness is the ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken words. Before children learn to read print, they need to become aware of how the sounds in words work. They must understand that words are made up of speech sounds…” (National Institute for Literacy, 3rd ed.) This means that children need to know that letters in words make individual sounds and when those sounds are combined, they make real words.


Why is knowing this important?

If readers are unable to identify phonemes (individual sounds letters make), their reading ability will be hindered and they will struggle to eventually sound out words and apply letter patterns as they encounter more difficult words. Phonemic awareness instruction must be direct and practiced and is essential for young readers. Those who do not have this awareness will struggle as they get older and encounter more difficult texts.



How can readers show they have Phonemic Awareness?

Phonemic Awareness is a subcategory of Phonological Awareness. Again Phonemic Awareness concentrates on the ability of a reader to think about individual sounds. But eventually, readers have to do something with those sounds. So, what are things that readers do to begin reading? Simply put, readers should be able to identify rhyming words, identify beginning, middle, and ending sounds in words, tell how many syllables words have, blend sounds together to make a word, count the number of words in sentences, and be able to substitute old sounds for new ones to make new words. (Cooper, 2009 p. 188) Although the tasks may not sound complex, many students have difficulty with some of the processes. Students must have explicit instruction at school and practice at home to reinforce learning.


How can I help my child with these processes or what if my child is struggling?

Here are 6 things you can do to help your child practice phonemic awareness skills.


1. Play rhyming or blending games with your child. (Think of a word and say/list words that rhyme. Write out words and help them say the sounds and put them together)

2. Play free reading online games with your child. A few include www.starfall.com, www.funbrain.com. www.pbskids.org, www.primarygames.com.

3. Read books that focus on rhyming words, words with the same sounds (alliteration), and the alphabet. Ask your local librarian for recommendations. Here are a few to begin: Any Dr. Seuss, Bill Martin Jr.,

4. Use tongue twisters to also work with alliteration.

5. Sing songs with children, including the alphabet song, and others that focus on rhyme.

6. Use a phonics bingo generator to help children work on sound in words. www.phonicsbingo.com



There you have it! Try some of these ideas and watch your child(ren) enjoy the time they spend reading with you.



Best,


Ms. Terry
Reading Teacher

Journaling 101

Lately, I've had to journal for my other course and keep records about my cooperative teacher and assessment. I love working with veteran teachers! They just know so much!!!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w6VyMcfMEebSmem1fbmaOZNcOM-NUHi1SxmSB1dBWOM/edit?hl=en#

Stop and Jot...

So I just had a formal observation from my Vice Principal today and I have to report some data about how students mastered the material. I analyzed the exit tickets and figured out how my kids did. I included this sample because sometimes writing is just taking notes and does not require a formal structure for recording information. Here is what I discussed with my VP.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10GkbO56FGPGLkbN-e-sqKie0MYDrhVv-zrrg26Dke0I/edit?hl=en#