Re: [MOSAIC] new year- part 3
Okay, I must have been oblivious at the time: could you please resend the first part because I can't find it in my saved mail anywhere? Thanks. Bev > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Date: Sun, 17 Aug > 2008 10:56:52 -0500> Subject: [MOSAIC] new year- part 3> > Here is the last > part of how I get my children ready for our year of > learning together.> > Ginger> ++> > When I think about how I want my year to go I decide > for myself what general > procedures I need to explicitly teach my children > in order for me to be able > to "do my academic work" with them. I make a > list of all the routines, > things we will do each and every day/week. > Procedures that I want to become > automatic and smooth so I don't have to > take the time to "deal with them" > constantly. This is a way to help each > child become independent in the > everyday behaviors I expect.> > Here is my > list: hallway behavior when coming in for the morning, locker > behavior, > what to do when you enter the classroom, how to line up for a > special > (Music, Art, P.E.), bathroom break, how to work at the table groups, > how to > work with a partner, living room (gathering area) behavior (getting > and > leaving there and during the lesson), independent reading behavior, > small > group instruction behavior, indoor recess behavior on raining days, > > dismissal, etc.> > We hold class meetings the first few days (which tend to > be longer as we > build our community/classroom culture) where we create > LOOKS LIKE/SOUNDS > LIKE charts together for each behavior. They help me > create the charts > after turning and talking. It's not me telling them. I > set up the > situation. "What should I see and hear when you are coming down > the hall > from the buses each morning? Turn and talk." But of course if they > forget > something crucial I contribute to the conversation. If we are about > to take > our first walk to Music I plan the time to do that chart just > before that > time so we can have a smooth transition from the beginning.> > > Again, the book The Daily Five has explicit steps to follow when "training" > > for procedures. I highly suggest that book. The part that I always > remember > to include in this training is the modeling piece after we've > written the > chart. Having first one student show the INCORRECT way to do > the behavior, > then have the class reflect on why that was not correct. Then > have that > student demonstrate the correct behavior. I then have a small > group of > students demonstrate the correct behavior. And then the entire > class > practices. Always having the class reflect on what was correct and > why. > Adding the "why" connects completely with the thinking work I will be > > doing. It's that deeper layer.> > I've gone to this TRAINING mode for years > now and have found that it nearly > eliminates the behavior problems that > arise from lack of structure. I > actually post the LOOKS LIKE/SOUNDS LIKE > charts around the room for the > first few weeks and before a transition I > remember to walk over the chart, > point to it and say, "What should it look > like and sound like when we are > coming to the living room (gathering area) > for shared reading?" I take the > time to have them turn and talk it out > first and then have a few tables > share back. I suggest they all watch and > listen as we do the transition and > then I ask for feedback on how they > think it went. If it didn't go well I > stop my plans and have them return > and we do it all again. I point to our > chart. They turn and talk and share > back and have a go at it again. > Depending on the group there have been > times we do this over and over until > the behavior improves. It sounds > mundane but I can't tell you how crucial > it is to MAKE and TAKE the time to > shape the class in these areas. I want > to be able to do the teaching I have > planned and I can only get to that when > my children are ready and available > to learn. Behavior can be set up for > success by making and taking the time > early on. I've always found it well > worth the time.> > We don't always have > it down the first time either. They're kids. We need > to take it slow, use > kindness, and keep at it with lots of praise and > reflective words. But > every year my kid are able to show the correct > behaviors if I follow these > steps. And the best thing. once they DO > show you as a class that they > CAN do what is expected, you can always know > it IS possible. Especially on > those behaviorally challenging days. Just > step back, take a breath, stop > your teaching and RETEACH the behaviors using > the charts and the modeling > and the practicing. It works.> > After a few weeks when we are in the groove > I do take down the LOOKS > LIKE/SOUNDS LIKE charts but I save them so I can > bring them out again for > class meetings to reteach and discuss if they
Re: [MOSAIC] thinking maps
Kim, I, too, teach 7th grade language arts, and our school district has adopted Thinking Maps county-wide this year. I took the Thinking Maps training last March and I was ecstatic about using them in the classroom. If you'd like to contact the trainer, Melba Johnson, she's fantastic - lively, engaging, and has taught for over 30 years. Her email is [EMAIL PROTECTED] She travels all over the US for the training, and she even has a program of her own that she calls PLANS that teaches teachers how to use all of the maps with any fiction or non-fiction writing piece. I do know that Thinking Maps is based on Robert J. Marzano's brain research, and my kids responded very positively to them this year. The maps especially helped them with their end of grade tests because, again, I learned from Melba Johnson how to map the EOG question stems using the TM's! Hope this information helps! Pam Pittman 7th Grade ELA Beulaville Elementary School From: "kimberlee hannan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: AVID & Thinking Maps Do any of you work with the AVID program? I learned about it when I moved to middle school. I truly like some of their procedures, organization, and activities. I dislike some. If you are using it, I was wondering how you incorporate with your curriculum. We've been told that Thinking Maps will be required school-wide this year. Again, I see there are some good things about them and not so good things. If you use them, how do you incorporate them into your daily work? Kimberlee Hannan Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain. All email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law, which may result in monitoring and disclosure to third parties, including law enforcement. ___ 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] new year- part 3
Here is the last part of how I get my children ready for our year of learning together. Ginger ++ When I think about how I want my year to go I decide for myself what general procedures I need to explicitly teach my children in order for me to be able to "do my academic work" with them. I make a list of all the routines, things we will do each and every day/week. Procedures that I want to become automatic and smooth so I don't have to take the time to "deal with them" constantly. This is a way to help each child become independent in the everyday behaviors I expect. Here is my list: hallway behavior when coming in for the morning, locker behavior, what to do when you enter the classroom, how to line up for a special (Music, Art, P.E.), bathroom break, how to work at the table groups, how to work with a partner, living room (gathering area) behavior (getting and leaving there and during the lesson), independent reading behavior, small group instruction behavior, indoor recess behavior on raining days, dismissal, etc. We hold class meetings the first few days (which tend to be longer as we build our community/classroom culture) where we create LOOKS LIKE/SOUNDS LIKE charts together for each behavior. They help me create the charts after turning and talking. It's not me telling them. I set up the situation. "What should I see and hear when you are coming down the hall from the buses each morning? Turn and talk." But of course if they forget something crucial I contribute to the conversation. If we are about to take our first walk to Music I plan the time to do that chart just before that time so we can have a smooth transition from the beginning. Again, the book The Daily Five has explicit steps to follow when "training" for procedures. I highly suggest that book. The part that I always remember to include in this training is the modeling piece after we've written the chart. Having first one student show the INCORRECT way to do the behavior, then have the class reflect on why that was not correct. Then have that student demonstrate the correct behavior. I then have a small group of students demonstrate the correct behavior. And then the entire class practices. Always having the class reflect on what was correct and why. Adding the "why" connects completely with the thinking work I will be doing. It's that deeper layer. I've gone to this TRAINING mode for years now and have found that it nearly eliminates the behavior problems that arise from lack of structure. I actually post the LOOKS LIKE/SOUNDS LIKE charts around the room for the first few weeks and before a transition I remember to walk over the chart, point to it and say, "What should it look like and sound like when we are coming to the living room (gathering area) for shared reading?" I take the time to have them turn and talk it out first and then have a few tables share back. I suggest they all watch and listen as we do the transition and then I ask for feedback on how they think it went. If it didn't go well I stop my plans and have them return and we do it all again. I point to our chart. They turn and talk and share back and have a go at it again. Depending on the group there have been times we do this over and over until the behavior improves. It sounds mundane but I can't tell you how crucial it is to MAKE and TAKE the time to shape the class in these areas. I want to be able to do the teaching I have planned and I can only get to that when my children are ready and available to learn. Behavior can be set up for success by making and taking the time early on. I've always found it well worth the time. We don't always have it down the first time either. They're kids. We need to take it slow, use kindness, and keep at it with lots of praise and reflective words. But every year my kid are able to show the correct behaviors if I follow these steps. And the best thing. once they DO show you as a class that they CAN do what is expected, you can always know it IS possible. Especially on those behaviorally challenging days. Just step back, take a breath, stop your teaching and RETEACH the behaviors using the charts and the modeling and the practicing. It works. After a few weeks when we are in the groove I do take down the LOOKS LIKE/SOUNDS LIKE charts but I save them so I can bring them out again for class meetings to reteach and discuss if they slip back into chaos. Again, don't let it go when that happens. I've heard teachers say, "They KNOW what to do, why do I have to take my time to teach them again?" Personally, I can only say, when I DO take the time to retrain them, I see great results and then I am less frustrated with them and I can teach. It's more about my own consistency in ALWAYS framing those key supportive words, "O.k. We're about to line up for lunch. What should it look like and sound like? Let's see how we do." T
