Hi Mary, Unfortunately, I won't get my reading scores back until the fall. (Our state recently revamped the "EOG" test and will be analyzing...)
My kids did great on the nonfiction parts of our benchmarks. Here is my thinking on this (it is still evolving)... If you teach the students how to read well, they will do well on the test. However, tests, I believe, are a "genre" unto themselves. (Harvey says this.) That being the case, it is helpful to teach "test reading" just as you would teach them how to approach any genre. I didn't spend a lot of time on it...but I did approach it like any other genre. Regarding the toolkit...I just jumped in with both feet and let it guide me. I was so impressed with how deep and rich the student conversatons were (with one another) and as a class. We did *not* do any of the typical comprehension questions at the end of our reading. Rather, we completed organizers while we read, left "tracks of our thinking," paired and shared, had group discussions, then came back together as group. The students actually transferred the strategies to their other subjects! It was helpful to me because this past year I had returned to teaching language arts after a stint in world of social studies. (Plus, this was my first year with this state's curriculum and I felt overwhelmed.) Of course, I definitely will "adapt not adopt" and, I'm sure, be changing/tweeking this coming year. Kim ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Manges" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 9:47 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RIT with Stephanie Harvey continued... > Lynelle, Mary Helen, or anyone else, > > What are your scores like on the reading assessment? I am curious because > mine have been low and the pressure is mounting. I teach using strategies > and use lots of literature circles and reading workshop. I love the > thinking, true thinking that I see in my classroom and would never trade > my > strategies for a basal or more test prep, but I feel that I'm going to be > forced to change something. This year I worked in a coach book lesson > that > I thought would tie in whatever I was teaching, hoping for a slightly more > authentic approach to getting them ready for the test. I spent the weeks > leading up to the test teaching the format and trying to prepare them, > which > is a huge waste of valuable educational time. I'm wondering if I should > buy > the Toolkit myself or try to talk someone in administration into buying it > for me. I have done everything I know to teach authentically and to stay > true to what I believe. I hate the testing pressure and am truly at a > loss > as an educator. Can you give me any direction as far as a connection > between testing and the Toolkit. I feel so shallow asking that, but I > think > anyone in public education, especially in a testing grade would > understand. > > Thanks a bunch! > Mary > 5th grade/PA > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lynnelle Winter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" > <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> > Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 7:34 AM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RIT with Stephanie Harvey continued... > > >> Mary Helen, >> >> Our school district just adopted the Toolkit as our reading program. (My >> school is in year 3 of the reader's workshop with the strategies.) > However, >> I met with a group of ladies from another site who had gone to the > training >> with Stephanie Harvey's Consultant and it was fabulous! I sat down and > asked >> them what questions they had for me. Many of them were very thought >> provoking. Some of them were very simple. Our district is relatively new >> with the PLC idea, but having been a curriculum instructor and a >> classroom >> teacher I have learned the best approach for me is "What can I do to help >> you with this new idea?" My advice would be to allow the participants >> who >> need to make "small steps" that opportunity. If there is one thing I > learned >> as a curriculum instructor it is not every goes "full throttle" with a >> new >> idea like me! :-) Your enthusiasm for this will also lead! Many people > see >> our passion and excitement and usually they will grab on!! Good Luck!! >> >> Lynnelle Winter >> 5th Grade West Intermediate >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Mary Helen Chappetto" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv" >> <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 10:04 PM >> Subject: [MOSAIC] RIT with Stephanie Harvey continued... >> >> >> >I just spent 2 fabulous days learning from Stephanie Harvey along with >> >14 >> >staff members from my school. The only other school that out-numbered >> >us >> >was Ginger's....Liberty! Way to go! >> > I had a great conversation with Ginger (so nice to put a face with the >> > name!) It was like meeting a 'rock star'! My staff did not understand > my >> > excitement because they are new to mosaic...I hope some of them have >> > signed on to learn! >> > As I told Ginger, I have been a "lurker" on the site, was off for a > while, >> > but have been back for a bit....reading and trying to refresh and >> > learn/relearn about the strategies. Now I am officially a 'poster'! >> > Hearing Stephanie Harvey speak and feeling her passion was incredible. > I >> > would love to know if there are any 'newbies' out there who are just >> > getting started and others who are veterans who can support the newbies > in >> > the quest to be better teachers of thinkers. >> > I think of the great conversations that happened upon the release of > both >> > Mosaic and STW last summer as well as To Understand by Ellin Keene this >> > summer.....the book conversations were and have been, as always, >> > thoughtful. >> > What I wonder....for those of you that have been part of the growth of > a >> > professional learning community using Comprehension strategies, and > have >> > witnessed the positive impact, would you share the approach you took? > Is >> > there anything in particular you did to get started? What is the one >> > piece of advice/experience/wisdom you would share for those of us just >> > embarking on this venture? What obstacles did you face and how did you >> > face them? >> > >> > Mary Helen >> > _______________________________________________ >> > 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. > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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