My experience is similar (taught 4th for 7 years) and really wanted a change but second grade is a whole lot different! I'm merging all the professional readings that you mentioned. Although I'm chomping at the bit to get into strategy teaching. This was our 4th week and I just started working with groups one a day. I'm waiting until they can sustain more independent reading and have built more stamina to even attempt more groups daily (my goal is 2 groups). I also found I needed many more books than I had and have been borrowing them like crazy for indep. rdg time. Running records do give you some info to help groups. I used the I PICK from Daily 5 to teach how to choose books. I loved the analogy of the good fit shoes and the kids really "got it" so if you haven't done that lesson you may plan that. It takes a couple of days. I also did a reading interest survey to find out their interests and tried to gather horse books for the many horse lovers and sports for the boys, etc. My words of wisdom are that you're certainly not alone! Linda
On Saturday, September 23, 2006, at 09:23 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I am in my first year teaching second grade. I taught fifth for two > years. I > have 17 students. We have not completed formal assessments yet, > although I > have done the Spelling Inventory from Words Their Way. I thought the > formal > assessment (DIBELS and MAP) would be done by now, and am a bit > frustrated I > don't have more information on my kids. But I will just do my own > quick reading > inventory using the leveled word lists and a quick running record in > the next > two weeks so I can start some grouping/guided reading. > > I have a huge range of abilities from kids who look at a word and just > guess > it based on the first sound, to kids who are reading and comprehending > texts > on a fourth or fifth grade level (of course, their writing is behind > their > reading). I also have a good number of kids who are going to need a > lot of > practice reading and working independently while I work with groups. > > We have an anthology with accompanying leveled readers, but I am > planning to > buy some text sets so we can read authentic literature in our groups. > We are > a new school and have no school library yet. > > I admit I am a bit overwhelmed by the diversity of needs. I have read > a ton > on teaching reading in the primary grades, including Mosaic of Thought, > Reading with Meaning, the Daily 5, etc. But implementing it is another > scary > story! I look forward to learning more from this digest. If anyone > would care to > be an online mentor to me off the list, I'd appreciate and email! > > Maggi > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _______________________________________________ > 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.