Text to Self Connections

In reading we have been talking about making connections as we read. There are 3 types of connections, text to self, text to world, and text to text. While we are reading, discussing and sharing information I ask the students to tell me about the connections they make. For example, What does that remind you of? (T-S) What do you already know about this topic? (T-W) Does it make you think of another book you have read? (T-T).

I thought it was pretty clear until a student asked, "I get how you text yourself, but I don't know how to text the world." Ummm, sometimes context is everything. Time-out, back up, lets talk about what I mean by "text."

I think so often we expect students to just know what we are talking about. There was no language barrier here, I am using words she understands, just not in the context of the way she uses these words everyday. In this student's schema, a text is a message she gets on her phone. The text I am talking about is actual written word, or in this case a story that we were reading. She was having trouble making connections, not because she did not know what a connection was, but because she was trying to make sense of her idea of phone messages and what that has to do with reading a story.

I think if we take time to give a little more background, or investigate where the students understanding is in the first place, we could get a lot further in their understanding.

Group Update

In Resource Reading, we are learning about Memoirs and using Patricia Polacco books to learn questioning and visualization strategies. We are also using the Fonatas and Pinnell Phonics and Word Study program.

Resource Math groups are using Investigations and following along with what the class is doing. We are seeing some good success with this different approach to math.

CM Reading groups are working on comprehension strategies of questioning, predicting, and analyzing the character's feelings to better understand the text.

CM Math groups are working on number concepts like making a ten, adding to get to 100, and finding factors.

We are making good progress and I will give more specific updates and strategies as we go along.

Parent Orientation Tonight!

Parent Orientation is tonight at LCE. K, 1st , and 2nd parents can meet with the teachers from 6:00 - 6:45. There is a PTA meeting in the cafeteria at 6:45 and then 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade parents will meet with teachers from 7 - 7:45. I hope to see you tonight!

Welcome Back!

Wow! Here we are at the start of a new school year. I hope everyone had a great summer. I can't wait to hear from the kids about all of their travels and adventures. I had some travels of my own to Omaha, Austin, and Costa Rica! It was a great summer and I am ready to come back and start a new year together.

The only change we have in CM is our room. We are no longer in the 5th grade pod, now we are in the main hall across from Mrs. Schlatz, the Diagnostician, close to the office. Mr. Jerome and Ms. Dana are back and we are excited about working together again.

Student IEPs and Accomodations are the same as we left them at the last ARD meeting. I have already met with teachers so they know what to expect. Jerome, Dana, and I will be in the classrooms this week and we will start small groups soon.

It was great to see all of our fabulous students this first day back. They settled in to their new classes very well. We are looking forward to a great year. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!

Doing Homework at Home

I have talked with a lot of parents lately about the battle over homework at night. I think there comes a point where we may be doing more harm than good. Let me be clear that I am in favor of homework and it is CRITICAL that kids are reading and being read to every night. Teachers assign homework so that students can practice their skills. It is great if you are helping and checking, just make sure that the work they are doing is their own. It is important for teachers to know if a student is struggling with a concept and it is hard for them to know that if the homework always comes back correct.

Try setting up a homework routine every night. Let the students work independently while you are doing something else, but make sure you are available. For example, making dinner while they are working in the kitchen, or checking up on email while they are with you in the office. Make it an activity where you can stop easily and help, or you are close enough to remind them to stay on task. The other end of this is that they are responsible for their work. While you keep busy, it is their responsibility to do their homework. While you are there to help, you are not pulling them every step of the way. It may take some time, but if they realize that you are close by and willing to help, they will be more likely to put in some effort of their own.


Reward systems work well! Some kids are motivated by time and for others that is a distraction. Depending on your child, set a goal and then when they reach that goal they can get a break. For example, work for 15 minutes and then you can have a 3 minute break to draw. Or, finish 10 math problems and you can play on the computer for 5 minutes. The important thing is to be consistent and make sure if they are taking a break from homework that they know they have to get back to work when the break is over.

If it is a huge battle and your child is really struggling to understand the homework, let the teacher know. Send them an email or write a note in the planner. They will usually work with you, but don't make it a habit or you may teach your child that it is ok to make excuses. As a teacher, I always hate to hear, "My mom forgot to do my homework." It happens more often than you would think!

testing, testing, one, two, three...more!

Ok, so you have heard a lot about testing lately. There are a lot of changes this year and I am still trying to wrap my brain around it.

Since No Child will be Left Behind, this year in Texas all children will take an on grade level test. In the real world, that makes sense. Have a high standard, and then people will rise to that standard, right? In my experience, that is not as easy as it sounds, and not as pretty as it looks on paper. With all of the changes in the TAKS test this year, especially how it affects students receiving Special Education services, I have really had to shift my thinking.

To me, there are two ways to look at it. Prepare the kids to pass the test or fill in the gaps so they are more successful at learning. When I have a second grader reading at a Kindergarten level (yes, there is a Kindergarten READING level) my goal is to teach that student to read, as quickly as I can, or as slow as I have to. By this time if they are still not reading, they need direct instruction. Not just because it is the right thing to do, not only because research says so, but because next year, they are going to take a test. Not just any test, The Test. That is where the dilemma lies. We are teaching that student at a pace that is appropriate for them, and going deep enough for conceptual understanding. That takes time. That same second grader by this time next year will be asked to take a test on a third grade level. Even if that student makes a year and a half progress, that puts them at about the middle of first grade. The books at a first grade level are decodable and predictable. The third grade reading test assumes the student will decode the words and then asks students to make predictions, generalizations and summarize. Bottom line - it is a hard test. We would not pass it out in a first grade classroom and expect to set the world on fire.

I expect all of my students to make progress academically. The problem is the progress they make will mean very little to them if everything else is telling them that The Test decides if they have learned what they need to learn. I can tell you right now, some of them haven’t. I am not being pessimistic, we just aren’t there yet. We will get there, but it maybe after they take The Test, maybe next year. We will get there. I am teaching the curriculum that is aligned to Student Expectations, which relate to the TAKS objectives, but to me that is not the end goal. It is a good goal, but not the only one. I want students to make progress. I expect them to make a lot of progress. What that looks like everyday just may be a little different than how it is supposed to look on Test Day.

The TAKS test is important. I am going to do my best to prepare each student to take it, as well as determine appropriate test accommodations, but it does not stop there. I am going to teach so that students learn and we will see where that takes us.

Tutoring

Tutoring resumes today with 3rd and 4th grade, 3:10 - 4:00. Students can be picked up in front outside the pod doors. No tutoring next Thursday (half day) or the following Tuesday (no school).