I have used dialogue journals/letters with kids in the past and I agree with you Sally. Kids love them. One problem, however, is dialoging with kids about some books that you may not know. How have you dealt with this? Leslie P NYC In a message dated 8/8/2009 12:41:14 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, sally.thom...@verizon.net writes:
I did the weekly letters not for accountability but more for a dialogue/conversation. The kids and I loved talking back and forth. I didn't always have the time I wished for individual conversations in the classsroom though I of course did...but I had 32 kids and no paras or any help so it made for a busy time. I did use the letters as ways to inform me about what the kids were struggling with, great insights into their strengths and so on. So it wasn't accountability assessment but formative for me. And the kids actually really valued using their own letters to self reflect as well. I did not have parents sign anything tho they were informed about reading workshop. I figured and think the kids came to believe that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. And kids lived up to the expectation that their own goals were what mattered most!! So it's just a different mind set I think and the kids take it all very differently and it didn't feel like paperwork at all. I loved reading those letters - the best part of my week. And the kids complained when we missed a week! Just an idea that might make a difference for you... PS not my ideas originally - Atwell convinced me. But I made it my own. Sally On 8/8/09 7:01 AM, "Stewart, L" <lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us> wrote: > I have a question/concern regarding SSR and accountability. Is there research > that says that by making children accountable for personal reading turns them > into lifelong readers? > > Isn't there a point when we can trust the children and ourselves without > having to have a document filled out? Last year I had my students keep a > silent reading log (along with a guided reading notebook and a homework > reading log) and write me a letter once a week about their personal reading > book. I did that for much of the school year until I realized it was taking > time away from actually reading and diminishing the enjoyment factor for some > students. I also did not feel that I learned anything about my students that I > didn't already know without all the paperwork. > > Leslie > Grade 3 Teacher > lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us<mailto:lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us> > 203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX > > To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready > always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry. ~ > Gaston Bachelard ~ > > > <http://thinkexist.com/birthday/september_24/> > _______________________________________________ > 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. **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222846709x1201493018/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =JulystepsfooterNO115) _______________________________________________ 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.
