I agree with all of you and I appreciate the advice. I'm sure that part of my trouble is the fact that I'm new to STW lessons this year. I'm going to focus this week on being as brief as possible without sacrificing anything. I agree, that the less I say, the more they will remember. I'm also going to try and use the read aloud as my writing mini-lesson. I think this will help too. My principal is also trying to give me another 15 minutes, which will put me back to the amount of time I had last year, which still was tight, but 15 minutes is 15 minutes.
As for my writing mini-lessons, I may need to just spend more days on a topic and spread out what I need to say over a few days in order to keep my lessons short, especially when it is a topic that I know they struggle with (like using dialogue). I just feel the pressure to cover a lot of ground by February, so I think I tend to over plan. Thanks for all of your good advice. I knew I would find some answers on this list. :) Mary On Sep 26, 2008, at 7:22 AM, elia kifer wrote: > I agree with Camille, keep your mini lesson very explicit, and > short. I do > realize it is hard to get the read aloud in, do the vocab, then > teach the > lesson, have time for them to practice with you, then they practice > independently, but if you keep the teaching part short, chances are > they'll > remember what you said and us what you said. If you are still new > to this, > just give it a little more time, the school year is still new. You > will get > in the swing of things. > > On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 9:23 PM, Mary Manges <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > >> Hi everyone, >> I'm wondering how long most of you have each day for teaching >> language >> arts? I teach fifth grade and have about 90 minutes to teach reading >> and writing. I've basically divided it into two 45 minute blocks. >> This is the first year that I am following STW and Comprehension >> Toolkit, but I'm really struggling to get everything in. In the past >> I taught strategies, somewhat haphazardly, but I wasn't struggling as >> much with time. I know that with STW and the Toolkit I am doing a >> better job, it is just taking so long. I'm not sure I can speed >> things up without sacrificing the depth of thinking that comes with >> the lesson. Today it took almost 35 minutes to get through the >> lesson >> on questioning, which didn't allow much for independent practice with >> the strategy. I also try to incorporate literature discussions into >> everything as I know how important talk is to reading. Add in >> testing >> pressure, in PA I have to prepare them for both the reading and >> writing assessments (by February and early March). Every time I >> think >> about testing season my heart starts racing. My scores were the pits >> last year, so there is a lot of pressure to show some >> improvement. I >> have that "hamster in the wheel" feeling. >> >> I'm also struggling to get through writing workshop in the alloted >> time. I have had trouble keeping my writing workshop mini-lessons >> mini. I've always had this problem to an extent, but it just seems >> worse this year. We're working on using dialogue in narrative, which >> is a difficult thing for fifth graders, as most have not used it or >> been taught how to use it. My mini-lesson turned into a maxi-lesson, >> I didn't get it finished, and they didn't even have time to write. >> I'm wondering if it is me or the time that is the big issue. I'm >> basically the only person in my small, rural district who teaches >> this >> way. Everyone else uses the basal texts for both subject, so I'm >> desperately seeking some help from this group. >> >> Thanks! >> Mary >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. >> >> > > > -- > Elisa M. Kifer > Third Grade Literacy Teacher > Fox Meadow Elementary > > > "Love of reading and writing is not taught, it is created. > Love of reading and writing is not required, it is inspired. > Love of reading and writing is not demanded, it is exemplified. > Love of reading and writing, is not exacted, it is quickened. > Love of reading and writing is not solicited, it is activated." > -Russell Stauffer, 1980 > _______________________________________________ > 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.
