And, Bev, you've hit on something. Why don't we change practices when we know something doesn't work? Lots of reasons for different people : 1. We sometimes don't know a better way. 2. We teach the way we were taught. 3. We don't understand how words work...or how kids learn them 4 We are afraid of trying something that our administrators/ parents won't appreciate OR it might somehow hurt our results on the next big state test.
I changed practices after doing my National Boards. I really started watching kids carefully AND I learned that what I did mattered... That I had lots I could do to help every child achieve. In research thats called efficacy. We must believe that how we teach and what we do matters... And not blame it on parents, NCLB or whatever. Did I reach every kid? No. But when I realized that I wasn't effective teaching traditionally... AND when I changed my practices student outcomes improved...taking responsibility for my kids' learning... That made all the difference. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 11, 2012, at 4:10 PM, "Beverlee Paul" <beverleep...@gmail.com> wrote: > And Jennifer's is the most succinct description of what we know about > spelling today. What my own personal experience in the last 44 years has > shown me is that all "traditional" spellings lists/Friday tests really do is > make parents feel like they've helped their child do something educational > and supported the school. As a second grade teacher in one of two classrooms > where teachers had a lot of professional discretion and responsibility, > another teacher and I compared results for eight years since neither of us > could convince the other we knew a better way. She taught spelling with > workbooks. I taught no "spelling" in her way of thinking. No formal spelling > program in my room. We gave tests at the end of every single year of about > 220 words, being very sure the students couldn't "help themselves" in any > way. First thing: my kids scored SIGNIFICANTLY higher than hers every year. > Second thing: she still didn't change her practice. More later. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 11, 2012, at 9:51 AM, "Palmer, Jennifer" <jennifer.pal...@hcps.org> > wrote: > >> The three most important things to learn about spelling from Words Their Way: >> 1. Spelling is NOT learned through visual memory. If you rely on traditional >> spelling lists and memorization, students will not transfer spelling to >> actual writing. >> 2. Spelling is developmental. Spelling should be taught to a child's >> developmental level and when it is not, spelling will NOT transfer. This is >> why whole class spelling lists only work for some students. >> 3. Spelling generalizations will transfer when students compare and contrast >> words and develop their own generalizations. Rules are only really useful as >> a mnemonic once students already have some understanding of how words work. >> >> This is a passionate area of interest for me. We are better teachers of >> spelling if we as teachers have a better understanding of orthography and >> how words work. >> >> Jennifer L. Palmer, Ed. D. >> >> Instructional Facilitator >> >> National Board Certified Teacher >> >> >> >> Magnolia Elementary (home school) >> >> 901 Trimble Road >> >> Joppa, MD 21085 >> >> 410-612-1553 >> >> Fax 410-612-1576 >> >> "In every child a touch of greatness!!' >> >> Proud of our Title One School >> >> >> >> Norrisville Elementary >> >> 5302 Norrisville Road >> >> White Hall, MD 21161 >> >> 410-692-7810 >> >> Fax 410-692-7812 >> >> Where Bright Futures Begin!! >> >> ________________________________________ >> From: mosaic-bounces+jennifer.palmer=hcps....@literacyworkshop.org >> [mosaic-bounces+jennifer.palmer=hcps....@literacyworkshop.org] on behalf of >> Renee [phoenix...@sbcglobal.net] >> Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 10:29 AM >> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Words Their Way >> >> What I did with my 2nd & 3rd grade students is have a print-rich >> environment which gave them many resources to look at words and spell >> them correctly. Anything that was visible was basically a "no excuses" >> word that needed to be spelled correctly. I did not do a word wall, but >> instead had lists of "category words" here and there..... math words on >> the wall above the math materials, people words on a cabinet door, >> "thematic" words near the categorized book bins, etc. I also had >> laminated lists of high frequency words that just stayed on all the >> tables. I think I had the "first 50" on one side and the "second 50" on >> the other side. They were not allowed to misspell these words in their >> writing. I did some "whole class" word work on a regular basis, looking >> at patterns or chunks, but the whole spelling list thing just got >> dropped somewhere along the line, and my life was oh, so easier! >> >> Regarding phonetic spelling (a term I used in the 90s instead of the >> dreaded and misunderstood "invented spelling"), I had no problem with >> this. What concerned me more was when students continued to write >> things like "gril" for "girl" which indicated to me that they were NOT >> using phonetic structures to help them spell. >> >> Renee >> >> On Jun 10, 2012, at 10:04 PM, Francie Kugelman wrote: >> >>> This year I focused on recognizing correctly spelled words and words >>> that >>> were spelled correctly in context in a sentence. I created >>> differentiated >>> spelling lists from the Treasures basal reader program: Approaching, On >>> Level, and Beyond. The answer guide to the multiple choice tests were >>> all >>> the same for the three levels. >>> >>> It was a long and arduous process creating the weekly lists (25 words >>> for >>> each level, many were repeats.) I had two teacher friends pitch in >>> and we >>> shared the work. >>> >>> One aspect I liked about a written spelling test where you circle the >>> correctly spelled word for that sentence is I no longer had to give the >>> traditional spelling test on Friday. Absentee students could take the >>> test on Monday. I never entered the scores, but would note which >>> students >>> needed extra help with studying and spelling. There is no report card >>> grade for spelling, but I believe correctly spelled words hand written >>> in >>> an essay are important. Students who struggle with spelling need to >>> learn >>> some spelling patterns so they stop spelling phonetically. >>> >> It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be >> entirely uneducated. >> ~ Alec Bourne >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive
