[MOSAIC] Richard Allington

[Domina . Natasha]

He said during reading time kids need to be reading.  Not doing worksheets, not 
doing assignments--reading.  (In books at their level that kids find 
interesting and engaging)
He did say that teachers should be meeting with small groups or one-on-one with 
students.  I know when I was at the Reading and Writing Project's summer 
institute this year one of my instructors (Kathleen Tolan) talked about the 
importance of making sure our small group lessons don't take away from kids' 
reading time.  She suggested that after we've done our teaching, when we have 
kids practice what we've taught in the small group, we have all the other kids 
in the group reading while we're checking up on each individual.  
I feel like I'm not describing this well.  Hopefully you can all read between 
the lines ("infer") and make sense even if I'm having a hard time articulating 
my thoughts tonight.  Anyway, I think Allington would probably be of that mind. 
 Definitely meet with small groups, but make sure that we don't spend a lot of 
time in the group having kids just listen to us, or just watch other kids read. 
 I'd guess he'd say to talk briefly and get the kids back into reading.
Natasha

--

Message: 14
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:22:09 -0800
From: Jan Sanders 
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"

Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset="US-ASCII"

Did he say what that 2 hours of reading should be?  Pure reading?  I
envision some to take it as lots of phonics and skills lessons.
Jan


On 11/10/09 12:27 PM, "Domina.Natasha"
 wrote:

>
> I just heard Richard Allington speak on Saturday and he said that 2 hours of
> reading per day will mean that a struggling reader doesn't fall further
> behind.  If we want them to close the gap and catch up to their peers they
> should be reading even more than that.  (He was talking about RtI so maybe his
> new book on RtI would have more information about that.)
> Natasha
>
>
> --
>
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Re: [MOSAIC] rti sos for kdgn, asap:)

[Kare]

My kindergarten ELLs love to learn with the videos from
http://www.watchknow.org/
If you click on the Language Arts section and then choose "Learning to Read"
you will find videos to support phonemic awareness, vocabulary development,
and basic reading concepts. One subcategory features videos using simple
speech with text on screen.

Kare
On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 9:50 AM, kelley dean  wrote:

> Really, I am struggling for fresh, explicit lessons for helping my ELL's
> and my struggling learners.  If you can help, I would appreciate it.
> kjd
>
>
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Re: [MOSAIC] RtI

[beverleepaul]

Of course they give the MAP: the president of their school board, Lynn 
Fielding, was the CEO of the company that developed the Levels tests.  They do 
have some good ideas such as START programs--Start Making a Reader Today.
Sent from my BlackBerry Smartphone provided by Alltel

-Original Message-
From: "Ron Borchert" 
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:23:03 
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email 
Group
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RtI

 Original Message - 
From: 
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies EmailGroup" 

Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 9:11 PM
Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI


> I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in 
> their reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of 
> reading time??? instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to 
> something authoritative that asserts this?
>
> It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need 
> additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.
>
Jan,

The book that some of us in my school district read is Annual Growth, 
Catch-Up Growth by Lynn Fielding, Nancy Kerr, and Paul Rosier (2007).  It is 
the story of how the Kennewick, Washington school district met their 
district goal of getting 90% of their students to grade level by the end of 
third grade.  The book outlines a mathematical model for figuring how much 
instructional time is needed to get a child that is reading three years 
below grade level to reading at grade level.  The book is a pretty 
interesting read, although many people on this list serve will disagree with 
its premise.

The district also has a program that services the city's preschool 
population that helps better prepare those children for kindergarten.

The district gives the NWEA MAP test and focuses on reading, math, and 
writing.  That is their priority.  As you read their story, compare their 
cut score for proficiency to your district's cut score.  You can also Google 
Kennewick, Washington School district and find out more information.  That 
will help you a lot with your research.

I also have some power point presentations from the district that I can 
email you privately if you would like.

Thanks,
Barb




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Re: [MOSAIC] Advanced Reading class

[Beverlee Paul]

>
> And once again we get to see that which materials we use matters less than
> what we do with those materials.  Never content, are we?




> On 11/10/09, shut...@fuse.net  wrote:
> > To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to
> consider:
> >  1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis
> and evaluation
> >  2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their
> multiple intelligences
> >  3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various
> literature selections
> >  4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class
> regarding various literature selections
> >  5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist
> vs. antagonist
> >  6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various
> characters in the literature selection
> >
> >  Hope this helps.
> >
> >  reading  wrote:
> >  > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized
> tests. In
> >  > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
> >  > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
> >  > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make
> the
> >  > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
> >  > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't
> think my
> >  > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I
> wanted to
> >  > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
> >  > ___
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> >  > 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.
> >  >
> >
> >
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>
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>


-- 
"There is nothing so unequal as equal treatment of unequals."Chief
Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
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Re: [MOSAIC] RtI

[Ron Borchert]

 Original Message - 
From: 
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies EmailGroup" 


Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 9:11 PM
Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI


I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in 
their reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of 
reading time??? instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to 
something authoritative that asserts this?


It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need 
additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.



Jan,

The book that some of us in my school district read is Annual Growth, 
Catch-Up Growth by Lynn Fielding, Nancy Kerr, and Paul Rosier (2007).  It is 
the story of how the Kennewick, Washington school district met their 
district goal of getting 90% of their students to grade level by the end of 
third grade.  The book outlines a mathematical model for figuring how much 
instructional time is needed to get a child that is reading three years 
below grade level to reading at grade level.  The book is a pretty 
interesting read, although many people on this list serve will disagree with 
its premise.


The district also has a program that services the city's preschool 
population that helps better prepare those children for kindergarten.


The district gives the NWEA MAP test and focuses on reading, math, and 
writing.  That is their priority.  As you read their story, compare their 
cut score for proficiency to your district's cut score.  You can also Google 
Kennewick, Washington School district and find out more information.  That 
will help you a lot with your research.


I also have some power point presentations from the district that I can 
email you privately if you would like.


Thanks,
Barb




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Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

[Stewart, L]

Not sure if this is it but this one is a flip book and it's only $10!
Tools for Teaching Content Literacy (Spiral-bound)
~ Janet Allen  
Janet Allen (Author) 
› Visit Amazon's Janet Allen Page


Leslie R. Stewart
Grade 3 Teacher
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX

From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org 
[mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of 
rr1...@aol.com [rr1...@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 6:24 AM
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

Can you tell me the title of the little flipbook and where to purchase
it?

Thanks!


-Original Message-
From: EDWARD JACKSON 
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Sent: Wed, Nov 11, 2009 2:48 am
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills











Janet Allen has this little flipbook thing that is filled with
strategies for
working with older readers (grades 4-8, I believe, if not 4-12).  I
have found
them to be quite sound when modified for younger children.  I love the
gist
strategy she describes in this booklet.  I am betting you would find it
helpful
and it is just the sort of thing to support without overwhelming.


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me

> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:13 -0500
> From: rr1...@aol.com
> Subject: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
>
> I have been reading this list serv for years and now need some
> assistance.  I teach fourth grade and my students are not doing well
on
> their benchmark scores (this is NC).  I need some explicit lessons on
> teaching skills such as main idea, questioning, summarizing,
> sequencing, etc.  I have two new coworkers and they are really
> struggling with teaching reading.
>
> Quick and dirty lessons would be the best, I don't think they are
> inclined to read an entire book!
>
> Thanks for your help!
>
> Rosie
>
>
>
> ___
> 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.
>

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=

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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[jvmazur]

Bev: Many times I've "planned" a nice charter school staffed entirely by this 
group!! To quote Susan Boyle: "I dreamed a dream..." 

Judy: We used to dream that dream 30 years ago when I taught in Los Angeles. In 
some ways I do wish we'd opened our own school with talented teachers, but I 
also like working from within the established system. I just learned an 
enormous amount about teaching in a non-school setting. We took all of our 
fifth-graders to environmental camp for a week. It was hard work for the 
teachers, lots of fun for the kids, and beautiful views of the San Francisco 
bay for everyone. I learned so much about my kids as learners and human beings. 
We've only been back in class for 2 days and already we're a stronger group 
with a huge common experience we can build on for the rest of the year. To 
quote Margaret Mead, " Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed 
citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 


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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Beverlee Paul]

And, again, with the math manipulative issue.  My favorite thing to remember
there is Hands-On, MINDS-On.  The problem has come when children manipulate
in a rote fashion without engagement and continued learning.  In my
experience, that happens most if the end result is some worksheet, which may
or may not be appropriate.  It happens less if manipulatives are used for
instruction, not practice.  But...the real issue here was what someone
stated back a few posts--if an intelligent, thoughtful, observing,
reflecting-teacher is teaching, it's not a bit hard to tell who who is
moving objects around with a glazed look in their eyes, and who is
constructing their own understanding from the concrete to the symbolic to
the abstract.  Manipulatives are entirely appropriate when a child(ren) are
building their knowledge base.  When manipulatives are no longer necessary
is when that knowledge base has proceeded to the symbolic and possibly the
abstract.  I think we all get impatient with textbook companies suggesting
"silly" things in order to sell books (like using manipulatives for everyone
all the time), but, to be fair, I'm sure that they are once again trying to
be all things to all people to sell the books, but really count on a living,
breathing human to decide what should be done and what doesn't make sense.
 Also, I know that it's really hard for teachers to find the time to read
ALL the guide, but sometimes we can really get off-base if we don't get the
whole picture.  If there's a little boxed place named "mathematical
understandings" or a little boxed place named "why we __", it is
usually wise to read it.  It might make all the difference.

So why am I writing all this on the Mosaic listserve?  Because
constructivism and strategy development and application are the same, no
matter what the content.  Back in "The Day", math programs asked children to
memorize, but never understand, formulas and "gimmicky tricks" and then
wondered why they couldn't apply anything or retain the "instruction" that
they'd given.  If children consistently use math manipulatives, and then
sometimes graphic organizers (self-designed often) along with their
brainpower, they often learn how to problem-solve:  guess and check, draw a
diagram, work backwards, look for a pattern  A lot like determining
importance, inferring, monitoring understanding  A lot like
hypothesizing, questioning, analyzing data, replicating experiments
 What do all of these have in common?  Of course...strategies!!  What are
strategies (in any content)?  *Strategies are what we do when we don't know
what to do.  *If children continue to use manipulatives or copying formulas
and inserting "data," then there is no gradual release to independence and
the children don't know what to do when they don't know what to do.

So I think the discussion about math manipulatives is grounded in
educational psychology and viewpoints about learning, which is exactly what
all the posters on this threat are wondering about as they've mulled over
direct teaching and application of comprehension strategies.  I've always
said education is all about balance, and it's the most difficult balancing
act there is.  That's why we somehow have to lift the "silly" burden on our
teachers or anyone with intellect, curiosity, and integrity will bail out.
 Preparing a living, breathing lesson/conversation about strategy use is
vital; making 24 worksheets a day is not!!

All this reminds me that I still have Arthur Hyde's book, Comprehending
Math-Adapting Reading Strategies to Teach Mathematics, K-6 waiting forlornly
on my shelf until I have time to read it!  And I'm so looking forward to
doing so...sometime.

On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 9:46 AM,  wrote:

> I've waited a long time to respond to this post because I've been mulling.
> My first instinct was to lash out with the wisdom of strategy instruction,
> but I decided to hold my tongue and consider.
>
> But thinking hasn't changed my mind. I still believe strategy instruction
> is a brilliant way to teach reading. When you say reading strategies are
> aimed at struggling readers, I cringe. I firmly believe that I am teaching
> ALL readers to deepen and appreciate their reading through strategy
> instruction and I am giving them the gift of a common language for
> discussion.
>
> Here's a story. I moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade this year. A few weeks
> ago our Lit Coach came for a surprise visit to observe reading. She later
> told me she was "shocked at first" to see that we were studying Schema and
> Connections in 5th grade; she thought they would be well past that. Then she
> took in the lesson, the depth of their understanding and discussion, and she
> was amazed by their engagement and insight.
>
> When you say that you think reading strategies are intuited and
> internalized, you may be correct. However, how far superior to learn
> strategies as youths and build as we delve! Like you, I am an avid reader.
> But I 

[MOSAIC] Reminder on Replies (PLEASE consider others)

[Keith Mack]

We seem to have hit a bit of a hot spot on messages. Right now we have over
12,000 messages waiting to be sent. 

While this is a good thing in one way, it creates a serious issue in other
ways.

Firstly, many of you are just "replying" blindly. This means you hit reply,
type your one sentence/paragraph and then hit send. What happens is our
server gets your one sentence message and then has to spend resources
posting the additional 5-10 paragraphs of quoted material. This is a huge
burden as a 10k message can easily become a 30k message.

Additionally we are seeing 2+ digests being sent each day. If there are 50
pages in the digest, then maybe there are 2-3 pages of new content. The rest
is quotes from previous messages.

PLEASE, Please, please...trim your messages. 

If all you have to add is an "Amen" or "I agree", then resist the urge to
send this to the ENTIRE list. Send the "I agree" message to the individual
and *not* to the 2500 members of this list.

Your help in this matter would be much appreciated.

Keith Mack
Web Administrator for Mosaic List
km...@literacyworkshop.org




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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[thomas]

Oh yes yes yes Beverlee!
sally


On 11/11/09 12:10 PM, "Beverlee Paul"  wrote:

> So I think the discussion about math manipulatives is grounded in
> educational psychology and viewpoints about learning, which is exactly what
> all the posters on this threat are wondering about as they've mulled over
> direct teaching and application of comprehension strategies.  I've always
> said education is all about balance, and it's the most difficult balancing
> act there is.  That's why we somehow have to lift the "silly" burden on our
> teachers or anyone with intellect, curiosity, and integrity will bail out.
>  Preparing a living, breathing lesson/conversation about strategy use is
> vital; making 24 worksheets a day is not!!



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Re: [MOSAIC] RTI

[Kelly Andrews-Babcock]

He said a minimum of 2 hours of reading text at their level - that they can 
read and understand independently. Mini-lessons, conferences would need to be 
done as well - but he's talking about reading - not instruction.



On 11/11/09 11:22 AM, "Jan Sanders"  wrote:

Did he say what that 2 hours of reading should be?  Pure reading?  I
envision some to take it as lots of phonics and skills lessons.
Jan


On 11/10/09 12:27 PM, "Domina.Natasha"
 wrote:

>
> I just heard Richard Allington speak on Saturday and he said that 2 hours of
> reading per day will mean that a struggling reader doesn't fall further
> behind.  If we want them to close the gap and catch up to their peers they
> should be reading even more than that.  (He was talking about RtI so maybe his
> new book on RtI would have more information about that.)
> Natasha
>
>
> --
>
> Message: 24
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:11:07 +
> From: wr...@att.net
> Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI
> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email
> Group"
> Message-ID:
>
> <111020090411.16339.4AF8E7DB0005A9DE3FD322218683269B0A02D29B9B0EBF0A9B079D
> 9...@att.net>
>
>
> This group really helped answer questions from me about universal screeners
> for RtI.  Now I'm wondering about when my middle school starts RtI.  I think
> that will happen next fall.
>
> I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in their
> reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of reading time???
> instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to something authoritative that
> asserts this?
>
> It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need
> additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.
>
> I fear that RtI will not be successful at my school because we will not put
> the time into additional support for students.
>
> Thanks for any information you can give me.
> Jan
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
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> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
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> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
>
> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
>
>



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Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

[EDWARD JACKSON]

Tools for Teaching Content 
Literacyhttp://www.amazon.com/Tools-Teaching-Content-Literacy-Janet/dp/1571103805/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257952459&sr=8-4


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me

> From: hutch1...@juno.com
> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:31:00 +
> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
> 
> Lori,   What's the name of the book?  Thanks!  norma
> 
> 
> “Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies 
> inside us while we live.”
> 
> 
> -- Original Message --
> From: EDWARD JACKSON 
> To: 
> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:48:28 +
> 
> 
> 
> Janet Allen has this little flipbook thing that is filled with strategies for 
> working with older readers (grades 4-8, I believe, if not 4-12).  I have 
> found them to be quite sound when modified for younger children.  I love the 
> gist strategy she describes in this booklet.  I am betting you would find it 
> helpful and it is just the sort of thing to support without overwhelming.
> 
> 
> Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
> Broken Bow, NE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
> Join me
> 
>> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
>> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:13 -0500
>> From: rr1...@aol.com
>> Subject: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
>> 
>> I have been reading this list serv for years and now need some 
>> assistance.  I teach fourth grade and my students are not doing well on 
>> their benchmark scores (this is NC).  I need some explicit lessons on 
>> teaching skills such as main idea, questioning, summarizing, 
>> sequencing, etc.  I have two new coworkers and they are really 
>> struggling with teaching reading.
>> 
>> Quick and dirty lessons would be the best, I don't think they are 
>> inclined to read an entire book!
>> 
>> Thanks for your help!
>> 
>> Rosie
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ___
>> 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.
>> 
> 
> ___
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Re: [MOSAIC] theme vs. author's message

[Stewart, L]

Let us know what you/they conclude.  I am more unsure than when we began this 
thread.  It is a good research question.  

Leslie R. Stewart
Grade 3 Teacher\\
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX

From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org 
[mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of 
Kelly Andrews-Babcock [kandrews-babc...@killinglyschools.org]
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 8:43 AM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] theme vs. author's message

I appreciate the discussion here. I'm rethinking things and still absorbing the 
comments and ideas. I'm tempted to bring back everything to the staff and have 
them mull through it and come to a conclusion themselves. Thanks again.
Kelly AB


On 11/10/09 3:39 PM, "Domina.Natasha"  
wrote:



I feel pretty uncertain about it--especially after reading other people's 
posts, but how I've thought about those terms in the past are:
yes to the first part of what you said--that themes tend to be short phrases
I think of author's message as our interpretations of that word/phrase, but our 
interpretation of what seems to be a central focus of the book, that we think 
most people would agree on that interpretation.
Hmm.  I'm rethinking that idea the longer I sit here.  Maybe I would agree with 
you.  I'm going to have to let those ideas percolate in my brain for a while.
Thanks!
Natasha


--

Message: 19
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:23:06 EST
From: kuko...@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme vs. author's message
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

So are you saying themes are like one or two word phrases and author's
messages are our interpretations of that word or those phrase as it relates  to
the reader personally?


In a message dated 11/9/2009 9:32:46 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
domina.nata...@north-haven.k12.ct.us writes:

Not  going on any research, just my own opinion--
I think of theme as more of  one word summing up a big idea: "friendship",
"loss", "tolerance".
I  think of the author's message as more of a sentence that tells what we
think  the author thinks about those big ideas: "We should be friends with
all kinds  of people," "Talking about our loss helps us heal."
Maybe (I'm  thinking as I write here), themes tell what big ideas are
explored and  author's message tells the conclusion we've drawn from exploring
those big  ideas?

Natasha
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Re: [MOSAIC] RTI

[Hassan, Patricia A]

Would you mind giving me the name of that book.
Pat



From: mosaic-bounces+phassan=bridgeportedu@literacyworkshop.org on behalf 
of Kelly Andrews-Babcock
Sent: Wed 11/11/2009 8:45 AM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] RTI



His book does just that. Great research information in his book.


On 11/10/09 3:27 PM, "Domina.Natasha"  
wrote:



I just heard Richard Allington speak on Saturday and he said that 2 hours of 
reading per day will mean that a struggling reader doesn't fall further behind. 
 If we want them to close the gap and catch up to their peers they should be 
reading even more than that.  (He was talking about RtI so maybe his new book 
on RtI would have more information about that.)
Natasha


--

Message: 24
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:11:07 +
From: wr...@att.net
Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email
Group"
Message-ID:

<111020090411.16339.4af8e7db0005a9de3fd322218683269b0a02d29b9b0ebf0a9b079...@att.net>


This group really helped answer questions from me about universal screeners for 
RtI.  Now I'm wondering about when my middle school starts RtI.  I think that 
will happen next fall.

I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in their 
reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of reading time??? 
instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to something authoritative that 
asserts this?

It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need 
additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.

I fear that RtI will not be successful at my school because we will not put the 
time into additional support for students.

Thanks for any information you can give me.
Jan





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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[EDWARD JACKSON]

I deeply agree, Renee but...I have seen teachers, in a well-intentioned zealous 
fervor, force the use of manipulatives past the point of need. Again, an 
example of misuse of the useful.


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






 EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me

> From: phoenix...@sbcglobal.net
> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:31:29 -0800
> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings
> 
> I am going to play Devil's Advocate on the manipulatives front:
> 
> What about the child who can rattle off multiplication tables, or who  
> has memorized the steps for "borrowing" and "carrying" (in quotation  
> marks on purpose), but who has absolutely no clue what it means to  
> multiply, or why he/she is crossing out those numbers and writing in a  
> smaller number/putting a one next to a number?
> 
> When I taught third grade, oh these many years ago, and adding and  
> subtracting with regrouping was actually part of the third grade  
> standards (not first grade), I spent the first six weeks of school with  
> base ten blocks, doing activities with trading and regrouping.
> 
> Just a thought
> Renee
> 
> 
> On Nov 10, 2009, at 7:00 PM, thomas wrote:
> 
>> I so agree!!!  This describes what happens perfectly.
>>
>> sally
>>
>>
>> On 11/10/09 4:13 PM, "Beverlee Paul"  wrote:
>>
>>> A very wise college prof I had says, "Anything that can be used, can  
>>> be
>>> abused."
>>>
>>> I feel the same about cooperative learning a la those extremists or
>>> extremists with math manipulatives, etc.  My favorite example is from  
>>> a
>>> teacher in Colorado, who had a zap right as she heard herself say,  
>>> "Boys and
>>> girls, shush up!  No talking!!  It's time for oral language!!!"  I'm  
>>> glad
>>> she could laugh at herself and share because I think about that  
>>> statement a
>>> lot.
>>>
>>> If you have to break apart a group functioning beautifully and assign
>>> cooperative roles, think again.  If you have to keep dumping out those
>>> unifix cubes onto the table of a child who's trying to explain to his  
>>> near
>>> neighbor how you can mentally do "that" in at least 2 different ways,  
>>> and
>>> "let's see if there's even another," think again.  If you take a  
>>> group of
>>> book lovers who have come to you starving for literature to feed their
>>> passion and who thoughtfully and collaboratively discuss at a higher  
>>> level,
>>> don't get out the role sheets, for heaven's sake.  Think again.
>>> I agree with my old college prof.  And we in education could do with a
>>> little benign neglect in our teaching methods and a good pair of eyes  
>>> and
>>> ears to observe with.  Sometimes our kids slip past us.
>>> On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Stewart, L
>>> wrote:
>>>
 "In my experience, strategy instruction works. For all kids, not just
 strugglers. I do not believe it is only for struggling readers. I  
 would
  like to see the list discuss what aspects of strategy instruction,  
 as it is
 currently being implemented, turns kids off from the love of reading  
 so
  that we can all learn what to avoid."

 I never meant to imply that only struggling readers need strategy
 instruction.  Certainly all of my students need experience  
 determining theme
 and author's craft, etc.  But I think if I hear one more child say I  
 can
 make a text-to-self connection and then make the most minimal  
 connection to
 the text they are reading I may go crazy!  I hear mind-numbing  
 conversations
 and weeks of instruction on one strategy in multiple classrooms  
 across
 multiple grade levels.  I certainly think children should find ways  
 in which
 they relate to text but that will come with more exposure to text  
 and a lot
 more CONVERSATIONS with peers as well as teachers.  Strong readers  
 don't
 think about the strategies in isolation.  Our school is advocating a  
 model
 where the child reads with me in a small guided group for maybe 20  
 minutes
 once or twice per week and then reads their independent reading book,
 attempting to utilize the same strategy we discussed in guided and  
 then
 writes about it in a letter to me.  Sorry Fountas and Pinell...I  
 just don't
 think that is what authentic reading is about.  I don't follow the  
 plan.  I
 do pull guided groups, but afterwards my kids go back and read a  
 book with a
 small group of their peers and talk about it and they may or may not  
 discuss
 the strategy they practiced with me.  Writing about reading flows  
 naturally
 after conversations about reading.  The teachers on this site all  
 love
 reading and teaching reading.  What about those teachers who don't?   
 I think
 the model can be deadly and it is difficult to implement by even the  
 most
 experienced teacher. 

Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

[hutch1...@juno.com]

Lori,   What's the name of the book?  Thanks!  norma


“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside 
us while we live.”


-- Original Message --
From: EDWARD JACKSON 
To: 
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:48:28 +



Janet Allen has this little flipbook thing that is filled with strategies for 
working with older readers (grades 4-8, I believe, if not 4-12).  I have found 
them to be quite sound when modified for younger children.  I love the gist 
strategy she describes in this booklet.  I am betting you would find it helpful 
and it is just the sort of thing to support without overwhelming.


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me

> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:13 -0500
> From: rr1...@aol.com
> Subject: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
> 
> I have been reading this list serv for years and now need some 
> assistance.  I teach fourth grade and my students are not doing well on 
> their benchmark scores (this is NC).  I need some explicit lessons on 
> teaching skills such as main idea, questioning, summarizing, 
> sequencing, etc.  I have two new coworkers and they are really 
> struggling with teaching reading.
> 
> Quick and dirty lessons would be the best, I don't think they are 
> inclined to read an entire book!
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> 
> Rosie
> 
> 
> 
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> 

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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Beverlee Paul]

I've taught 8 or 9 classes in using manipulatives when teaching math, and it
would amaze you the number of teachers who were finally able to put their
own math anxiety to rest.  The first thing they realize is that it might not
have been their fault that they didn't grasp mathematics, or even
computation.  When they see and use the manipulatives that are available
today, including manipulatives for algebra, they say "if only someone could
have shown me that it's all supposed to make sense!"  I'm sure there are
many other adults (although probably not many elementary teachers who tend
to be verbally proficient more often than mathematically proficient) who
would say, "Well, why didn't anyone tell me that geography textbooks (...)
were supposed to make sense!"  Brilliant thinkers such as Ellin Keene and
Marilyn Burns and Bill Martin and many, many others have teased out common
strategies which will help us learn; it's up to us to use them in a sensible
way.  We don't get to leave our brains at the door.  Right, Renee?

On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 8:31 AM, Renee  wrote:

> I am going to play Devil's Advocate on the manipulatives front:
>
> What about the child who can rattle off multiplication tables, or who has
> memorized the steps for "borrowing" and "carrying" (in quotation marks on
> purpose), but who has absolutely no clue what it means to multiply, or why
> he/she is crossing out those numbers and writing in a smaller number/putting
> a one next to a number?
>
> When I taught third grade, oh these many years ago, and adding and
> subtracting with regrouping was actually part of the third grade standards
> (not first grade), I spent the first six weeks of school with base ten
> blocks, doing activities with trading and regrouping.
>
> Just a thought
> Renee
>
>
>
> On Nov 10, 2009, at 7:00 PM, thomas wrote:
>
>  I so agree!!!  This describes what happens perfectly.
>>
>> sally
>>
>>
>> On 11/10/09 4:13 PM, "Beverlee Paul"  wrote:
>>
>>  A very wise college prof I had says, "Anything that can be used, can be
>>> abused."
>>>
>>> I feel the same about cooperative learning a la those extremists or
>>> extremists with math manipulatives, etc.  My favorite example is from a
>>> teacher in Colorado, who had a zap right as she heard herself say, "Boys
>>> and
>>> girls, shush up!  No talking!!  It's time for oral language!!!"  I'm glad
>>> she could laugh at herself and share because I think about that statement
>>> a
>>> lot.
>>>
>>> If you have to break apart a group functioning beautifully and assign
>>> cooperative roles, think again.  If you have to keep dumping out those
>>> unifix cubes onto the table of a child who's trying to explain to his
>>> near
>>> neighbor how you can mentally do "that" in at least 2 different ways, and
>>> "let's see if there's even another," think again.  If you take a group of
>>> book lovers who have come to you starving for literature to feed their
>>> passion and who thoughtfully and collaboratively discuss at a higher
>>> level,
>>> don't get out the role sheets, for heaven's sake.  Think again.
>>> I agree with my old college prof.  And we in education could do with a
>>> little benign neglect in our teaching methods and a good pair of eyes and
>>> ears to observe with.  Sometimes our kids slip past us.
>>> On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Stewart, L
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  "In my experience, strategy instruction works. For all kids, not just
 strugglers. I do not believe it is only for struggling readers. I would
  like to see the list discuss what aspects of strategy instruction, as
 it is
 currently being implemented, turns kids off from the love of reading so
  that we can all learn what to avoid."

 I never meant to imply that only struggling readers need strategy
 instruction.  Certainly all of my students need experience determining
 theme
 and author's craft, etc.  But I think if I hear one more child say I can
 make a text-to-self connection and then make the most minimal connection
 to
 the text they are reading I may go crazy!  I hear mind-numbing
 conversations
 and weeks of instruction on one strategy in multiple classrooms across
 multiple grade levels.  I certainly think children should find ways in
 which
 they relate to text but that will come with more exposure to text and a
 lot
 more CONVERSATIONS with peers as well as teachers.  Strong readers don't
 think about the strategies in isolation.  Our school is advocating a
 model
 where the child reads with me in a small guided group for maybe 20
 minutes
 once or twice per week and then reads their independent reading book,
 attempting to utilize the same strategy we discussed in guided and then
 writes about it in a letter to me.  Sorry Fountas and Pinell...I just
 don't
 think that is what authentic reading is about.  I don't follow the plan.
  I
 do pull guided groups, but afterward

[MOSAIC] rti sos for kdgn, asap:)

[kelley dean]

Really, I am struggling for fresh, explicit lessons for helping my ELL's
and my struggling learners.  If you can help, I would appreciate it.
kjd

-- 
Kelley Dean
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Re: [MOSAIC] thought-provoking reading for 1st graders

[Jan Sanders]

There are books out there called Pair-it Books.  They are a set of 2 books;
1 fiction, 1 non-fiction, on the same topic.  Mondo Press used to publish
them.  With the buying out of publishers, I don't know if this is true
anymore.  Anyway, they come in different reading levels, and when our school
purchased them (about 10 years ago?) there were about 12-16 sets (3-4 sets
per reading level).
Jan


On 11/10/09 3:51 PM, "Beverlee Paul"  wrote:

> Another technique for provoking thought in first graders is paired texts or
> text sets.  In paired texts, they would commonly read a fiction and a
> nonfiction text about the same topic, such as a fictional tale about bears
> and an informational book with lots of nonfiction text features and content
> about bears.  That gives a wider range of  difficulty for the ones needing
> more challenge, but the really important thing it does is cause
> comparison/contrast, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.  The two texts
> greatly increase higher level thinking.  The same is true of text sets, but
> even more so.  And with text sets you can provide a nice range and quantity
> of texts which allows more choice for the children.  Because each child's
> comprehension is vital to the discussion, they all do a great job of
> reading, note-taking, reporting, sharing information, and coming to new
> thinking as a group.  It's also a nice way to mix poetry, nonfiction,
> fiction, song, and whatever other text you can scrounge up.  Some people are
> pretty tentative about asking first graders to tackle text sets, but give it
> a try...they'll pull through with some amazing discussions.
> 
> On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 1:21 PM, Stewart, L
> wrote:
> 
>> And Patricia Maclachlan
>> 
>> Leslie R. Stewart
>> (203)481-5386 X310  FAX (203)483-0749
>> lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
>> 
>> Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter
>> and those who matter don't mind."
>>  ~ Dr. Seuss
>> 
>> 
>> -Original Message-
>> From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org[mailto:
>> mosaic-bounces+lstewart =branford.k12.ct.us@
>> literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of EDWARD JACKSON
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 8:27 AM
>> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] thought-provoking reading for 1st graders
>> 
>> 
>> Don't forget Eve Bunting
>> 
>> 
>> Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
>> Broken Bow, NE
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>  EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
>> Join me
>> 
>>> From: hutch1...@juno.com
>>> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:11:21 +
>>> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
>>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] thought-provoking reading for 1st graders
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Cynthia Rylant is also a great author for picture books with depth.
>>> norma
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -- Original Message --
>>> From: Melissa Kile 
>>> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <
>> mosaic@literacyworkshop.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] thought-provoking reading for 1st graders
>>> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:23:09 -0500
>>> 
>>> Lots of Eve Bunting's books are thought-provoking. Patricia Polacco's are
>>> longer, but they might work.
>>> 
>>> Melissa/VA/2nd
>>> 
>>> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 7:26 PM, Heather Green 
>> wrote:
>>> 
 Hi there,
 Starting in December we will start breaking up into reading clubs in my
 school. We'll meet for 50 minutes, 4 days a week.  The groups are
 differentiated, and I have the highest group of first graders--reading
 anywhere from end of 1st grade level to 4th grade+ level.
 
 I decided that I wanted to stay away from chapter books this year
>> because
 in
 1st grade the focus doesn't need to be on reading chapter books. I want
>> my
 kids to be reading good quality literature that makes them think.  We
>> don't
 have many books available. I'm willing to buy some with my own money if
>> I
 will use them again and again.  So I need your help.  I am looking for
 books
 that meet this criteria:
 
 1) not a chapter book
 2) something written at about the 2nd grade level or so (I'm thinking
>> using
 this in small groups for the kids to read themselves)
 3) something thought-provoking that would spark good conversation
 4) not t preachy and still of interest to 1st graders
 
 Any ideas?!?
 ___
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 Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
 To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
 http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org
>> .
 
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>>> ___
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>>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
>>> 
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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Stewart, L]

I just want to clear this up:  I did not mean to say strategy instruction 
should just be for struggling readers:  " I sometimes think the reading 
strategies
were meant for educators so that we could become better teachers of reading, 
particularly for our struggling readers, and I think we have taken it too far 
and use it in all cases."

I meant that as a teacher the strategies gave me, the educator, a tool kit to 
help instruct all readers, but they are truly helpful for those children who 
struggle to read and understand.  The strategies give students access to the 
thinking that strong readers engage in when they approach text.  I guess I am 
questioning how "prescribed" readers workshop is becoming (shared lesson, 
guided groups, independent reading), so much so, that there is a movement in 
high performing districts to return to basals.  If we are following a 
prescribed program I guess then why not a basal?  I imagine it would make life 
a lot easier for the teacher, but wasn't there a reason why we left basals 
behind?

I have enjoyed great results in my classroom year after year with children of 
all levels and I have turned some, not all, children into passionate book 
lovers.  That should count for something.  I have always taught with small, 
individualized and flexible groups.  I agree with whomever said not all 
workshops and presenters are the end all of education.  There is no one right 
way, so why do we keep searching for one?  I understand the importance of 
giving children the language to talk and think deeply about text, but you also 
have to give them the time and freedom to express those feelings with others 
(and not in a letter to me). 

I guess it depends on what "studying schema and connections" means.  It sounds 
like your kids are strengthening their schema and connections through a rich 
literate environment and discussion.  I think I taught the strategies without 
giving them their proper names until I read Mosaic, but now I see good teaching 
being equated to a daily diet of strategy instruction without the rich group 
discussion.  I think good teaching empowers children to engage in rich dialogue 
about what they are reading.  And good teaching also allows them the time to do 
so.  I think a passion for reading is the greatest gift I try to give all my 
students.

Leslie R. Stewart
Grade 3 Teacher
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX

From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org 
[mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of 
Beverlee Paul [beverleep...@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 3:16 PM
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

I think we are extremely fortunate that Ellin remains open to new learning
and committed to our new learning as well.  When I read To Understand, I
thought she was writing to tell us that comprehension strategy instruction
is necessary, but not sufficient.  And that it's probably not wise to
consider Zimmerman and her original thoughts as the best there is.  The best
is yet to come.  Add to that the fact that we as educators have to construct
our own understanding of strategy instruction and what you have is a subject
that is endlessly fascinating and never complete.


> Here's a story. I moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade this year. A few weeks
> ago our Lit Coach came for a surprise visit to observe reading. She later
> told me she was "shocked at first" to see that we were studying Schema and
> Connections in 5th grade; she thought they would be well past that. Then she
> took in the lesson, the depth of their understanding and discussion, and she
> was amazed by their engagement and insight.
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Re: [MOSAIC] RTI

[Jan Sanders]

Did he say what that 2 hours of reading should be?  Pure reading?  I
envision some to take it as lots of phonics and skills lessons.
Jan


On 11/10/09 12:27 PM, "Domina.Natasha"
 wrote:

> 
> I just heard Richard Allington speak on Saturday and he said that 2 hours of
> reading per day will mean that a struggling reader doesn't fall further
> behind.  If we want them to close the gap and catch up to their peers they
> should be reading even more than that.  (He was talking about RtI so maybe his
> new book on RtI would have more information about that.)
> Natasha
> 
> 
> --
> 
> Message: 24
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:11:07 +
> From: wr...@att.net
> Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI
> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email
> Group"
> Message-ID:
> 
> <111020090411.16339.4AF8E7DB0005A9DE3FD322218683269B0A02D29B9B0EBF0A9B079D
> 9...@att.net>
> 
> 
> This group really helped answer questions from me about universal screeners
> for RtI.  Now I'm wondering about when my middle school starts RtI.  I think
> that will happen next fall.
> 
> I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in their
> reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of reading time???
> instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to something authoritative that
> asserts this?
> 
> It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need
> additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.
> 
> I fear that RtI will not be successful at my school because we will not put
> the time into additional support for students.
> 
> Thanks for any information you can give me.
> Jan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> 



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Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes

[reading]

Thank you! This list is helpful. But i wonder why I couldn't do this with
the regular reading classes? Yes, the kids in my advanced class are very
bright and inquisitive but it's not as if the kids in the regular reading
class can't handle this kind of thinking. I wish they could be a part of it.





On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 6:48 PM,  wrote:

> To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to
> consider:
> 1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and
> evaluation
> 2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple
> intelligences
> 3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature
> selections
> 4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding
> various literature selections
> 5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs.
> antagonist
> 6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various
> characters in the literature selection
>
> Hope this helps.
>  reading  wrote:
> > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests.
> In
> > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
> > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
> > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
> > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
> > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think
> my
> > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted
> to
> > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
> > ___
> > 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.
> >
>
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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Beverlee Paul]

I think we are extremely fortunate that Ellin remains open to new learning
and committed to our new learning as well.  When I read To Understand, I
thought she was writing to tell us that comprehension strategy instruction
is necessary, but not sufficient.  And that it's probably not wise to
consider Zimmerman and her original thoughts as the best there is.  The best
is yet to come.  Add to that the fact that we as educators have to construct
our own understanding of strategy instruction and what you have is a subject
that is endlessly fascinating and never complete.



On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 9:46 AM,  wrote:

> I've waited a long time to respond to this post because I've been mulling.
> My first instinct was to lash out with the wisdom of strategy instruction,
> but I decided to hold my tongue and consider.
>
> But thinking hasn't changed my mind. I still believe strategy instruction
> is a brilliant way to teach reading. When you say reading strategies are
> aimed at struggling readers, I cringe. I firmly believe that I am teaching
> ALL readers to deepen and appreciate their reading through strategy
> instruction and I am giving them the gift of a common language for
> discussion.
>
> Here's a story. I moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade this year. A few weeks
> ago our Lit Coach came for a surprise visit to observe reading. She later
> told me she was "shocked at first" to see that we were studying Schema and
> Connections in 5th grade; she thought they would be well past that. Then she
> took in the lesson, the depth of their understanding and discussion, and she
> was amazed by their engagement and insight.
>
> When you say that you think reading strategies are intuited and
> internalized, you may be correct. However, how far superior to learn
> strategies as youths and build as we delve! Like you, I am an avid reader.
> But I know I am a better reader now that I consider strategies. Sure, I
> could connect text, but I did not do everything Keene suggests in "key
> ideas." For example, how wonderful to help your kids to this key idea BEFORE
> they magically intuit and internalize: "Proficient readers adapt their
> schema as they read, converse with others--they delete inaccurate
> information (naive conceptions), add to existing schema, and connect chunks
> of knowledge to other related knowledge, opinions, and ideas." I broke this
> down into several lessons, but you should know that it is a key idea I come
> back to all year.
>
> This is, of course, just my opinion. But I wholeheartedly believe that
> strategy instruction is the best gift I can give my readers.
> Judy
>
> P.S. I agree with you about math manipulatives; they need a great deal of
> consideration and research.
>
>
>
>
> At 12:41 PM -0500 11/8/09, Stewart, L wrote:
> >I love teaching, but lately I have been questioning the way I teach,
> >particularly reading. I am an avid reader. Reading is an integral
> >part of my adult life. I was never taught any reading strategies.
> >I have children in my classroom who love to read and read way above
> >grade level. I feel that they, like me, have already internalized
> >the strategies and yes they can be strengthened but probably that
> >will happen naturally as well. The more they read, the stronger
> >they will become. It seems that we are prescribing medication
> >whether the child is ill or not. It's like using manipulatives in
> >math. Our new math program requires the use of manipulatives all
> >the time. It used to be that you used maniuplatives when you
> >differentiated for the child who was having difficulty with a
> >concept. It seems like we are heading back to a one-size-fits-all
> >mentality which scares me. I sometimes think the reading strategies
> >were meant for educators so that we could become better teachers of
> >reading, particularly for our struggling readers, and I think we
> >have taken it too far and use it in all cases. When I look at the
> >current guided reading models it is so prescribed: everyone is in a
> >quick guided group with the teacher drilling a skill or they are
> >reading independently. I am having a difficult time seeing the joy
> >in that model. Where do the rich conversations that connect
> >children to each other and to literature take place in this current
> >model? Was the model intended for accomplished readers?
> >
> >Leslie R. Stewart
> >Grade 3 Teacher
> >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 ~
> >
> >
> >
> >___
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> >Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> >To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
> >http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
> >
> >Search the MOSA

Re: [MOSAIC] HELP!

[soozq55164]

Rosie,
How did you teach 3rd grade? I would up the ante in what you did in 3rd. I love 
the book Test Talk. Take a look at it. It is all about embedding test taking 
strategies in what we already do. I think it is a good fit for people hanging 
on to reading workshop (like us).
Sue

-Original Message-
From: rr1...@aol.com
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Sent: Tue, Nov 10, 2009 9:52 pm
Subject: [MOSAIC] HELP!


I currently teach fourth grade, after having taught third for many years. I am 
really struggling with reading this year. I am very tied in respect to how I 
may teach reading. I am required to have a 30 minute whole group reading 
session, with 60 minutes of station time. During stations I am pulling small 
groups of students, while students work independently on their station 
activities. 
 
Test scores are of course, the be all, end all in my school and district. How 
can I teach the necessary skills and strategies within this framework. 
 
BTW, we are using Houghton Mifflin and are supposed to be teaching with 
fidelty. I have already ignored that particulary demand! 
 
Rosie 
 
 
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Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes

[jvmazur]

Yes, Jan, I agree. I have found that struggling readers aren't always 
struggling thinkers and that they add enormously to group discussion. I like, 
and have always used, leveled groups with 3rd and below, but now in 5th I'm 
finding the majority of my instruction is whole group or individual 
(conferences). I'm still trying to figure out if I need guided groups. Opinions 
welcome. 
Judy 



- Original Message - 
From: "Jan Sanders"  
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" 
 
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 8:28:45 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific 
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes 

No, but the high school does. They move at a faster pace and often use more 
difficult texts that challenge the students. My son was in such a class and 
he liked it because they had very rich discussions and he felt he wasn't 
waiting for others -he liked the pace. 

I have never taught leveled reading classes -only leveled groups. I liked 
that the higher students had rich discussion points that were tossed into 
the whole group and gave everyone something to think about. A lot of "I 
never thought of it like that" from the low students. It helped their 
thinking process grow. 
Jan 


On 11/10/09 12:47 PM, "reading"  wrote: 

> The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In 
> reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year 
> teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced" 
> literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the 
> class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the 
> board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think my 
> philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes. I wanted to 
> hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes? 
> ___ 
> 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. 
> 
> 



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Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

[rr1981]

Can you tell me the title of the little flipbook and where to purchase 
it?


Thanks!


-Original Message-
From: EDWARD JACKSON 
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Sent: Wed, Nov 11, 2009 2:48 am
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills











Janet Allen has this little flipbook thing that is filled with 
strategies for
working with older readers (grades 4-8, I believe, if not 4-12).  I 
have found
them to be quite sound when modified for younger children.  I love the 
gist
strategy she describes in this booklet.  I am betting you would find it 
helpful

and it is just the sort of thing to support without overwhelming.


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






EMAILING FOR THE GREATER GOOD
Join me


To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:13 -0500
From: rr1...@aol.com
Subject: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

I have been reading this list serv for years and now need some
assistance.  I teach fourth grade and my students are not doing well 

on

their benchmark scores (this is NC).  I need some explicit lessons on
teaching skills such as main idea, questioning, summarizing,
sequencing, etc.  I have two new coworkers and they are really
struggling with teaching reading.

Quick and dirty lessons would be the best, I don't think they are
inclined to read an entire book!

Thanks for your help!

Rosie



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=

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Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes

[Jan Sanders]

And I would say ALL students should be doing this.
Jan


On 11/10/09 4:48 PM, "shut...@fuse.net"  wrote:

> To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to consider:
> 1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and
> evaluation 
> 2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple
> intelligences
> 3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature
> selections
> 4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding
> various literature selections
> 5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs.
> antagonist
> 6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various
> characters in the literature selection
> 
> Hope this helps.
>  reading  wrote:
>> The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In
>> reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
>> teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
>> literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
>> class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
>> board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think my
>> philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted to
>> hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
>> ___
>> 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.
>> 
> 
> ___
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> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
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> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
> 
> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
> 
> 



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Re: [MOSAIC] HELP!

[Laura Behrens]

We also had to have fidelity to Houghton Mifflin, but we were allowed to use 
the materials any way that we chose. I would use the stories but not 
necessarily the strategies/skills that they put with them. I would align them 
with out pacing map for our district. It was a lot of supplementing on my part 
as far as activities, but the outcome was much better than just following along 
in their book. 

--- On Tue, 11/10/09, rr1...@aol.com  wrote:

> From: rr1...@aol.com 
> Subject: [MOSAIC] HELP!
> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 6:52 PM
> I currently teach fourth grade, after
> having taught third for many years.  I am really
> struggling with reading this year.  I am very tied in
> respect to how I may teach reading.  I am required to
> have a 30 minute whole group reading session, with 60
> minutes of station time.  During stations I am pulling
> small groups of students, while students work independently
> on their station activities.
> 
> Test scores are of course, the be all, end all in my school
> and district.  How can I teach the necessary skills and
> strategies within this framework.
> 
> BTW, we are using Houghton Mifflin and are supposed to be
> teaching with fidelty.  I have already ignored that
> particulary demand!
> 
> Rosie
> 
> 
> 
> ___
> 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.
> 
> 

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Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes

[Jan Sanders]

No, but the high school does.  They move at a faster pace and often use more
difficult texts that challenge the students.  My son was in such a class and
he liked it because they had very rich discussions and he felt he wasn't
waiting for others -he liked the pace.

I have never taught leveled reading classes -only leveled groups.  I liked
that the higher students had rich discussion points that were tossed into
the whole group and gave everyone something to think about.   A lot of "I
never thought of it like that" from the low students.  It helped their
thinking process grow.
Jan


On 11/10/09 12:47 PM, "reading"  wrote:

> The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In
> reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
> teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
> literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
> class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
> board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think my
> philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted to
> hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
> ___
> 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.
> 
> 



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Re: [MOSAIC] Advanced Reading class

[Stewart, L]

"The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In 
reading I believe the scores are well above 90%."

I'd be interested in knowing how reading is taught in your school.  I know 
scores aren't everything, but those are impressive scores.  I don't think we 
have advanced reading classes, only advanced math classes.  I don't imagine I 
would have an issue with an advanced literature class.  In fact, I have 
organized such a group for before school so that I could address those students 
and watch them grow!  It was so much fun.  I ran it like an adult reading group 
(parents even sent in snack).  I believe they would participate in 
multi-ability classrooms for the remainder of their course work.


Leslie R. Stewart
Grade 3 Teacher
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX

Leslie R. Stewart
(203)481-5386 X310  FAX (203)483-0749
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and 
those who matter don't mind."
  ~ Dr. Seuss


-Original Message-
From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org 
[mailto:mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On 
Behalf Of Kuenzl-Stenerson Kay
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:10 AM
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org; mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Subject: [MOSAIC] Advanced Reading class

I was thinking that if I had an advanced reading class (and I did years ago, 
more years than I want to remember) that I would want the kids to fly...I 
wouldn't want to get in their way.  I would give students a large choice of 
books, probably centered around a theme so that there would be similarities for 
discussion.  I would also have students put reflections and "assignments" in a 
reading notebook.  With an advanced class students might lead the way.  Ask 
them what they would like to accomplish.  Short mini-lessons could review 
strategies, but in the review I would ask students to share their experiences 
with the strategies.  Recently, I heard Dr. Gay Ivey speak about her recent 
research.  She discovered that when students are truely engaged in reading they 
will do strategies automatically (and that was with struggling readers).  I 
would also spend some time with expository text and textbook formats that they 
may encounter and not yet be familiar with.  Personally, I don't 
 think we should be tracking students this way and don't believe it is 
necessary if we use a workshop model for instruction.  Are you familiar with 
Aimee Buckner's books on notebooks?  There is a wealth of information on 
lessons and how to use notebooks in her books.  You might want to check those 
out.  Another thought I had for a variation would be to have "book clubs".  
Following the same format that an adult book club would follow.  Kay
 

--

Message: 24
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:10:45 -0500
From: kim lum 
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"

Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

This list is exactly what I was thinking to respond. How about meshing
the concepts from grade level social studies or science as topics for
some of the reading/research/higher level work?

On 11/10/09, shut...@fuse.net  wrote:
> To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to consider:
>  1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and 
> evaluation
>  2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple 
> intelligences
>  3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature 
> selections
>  4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding 
> various literature selections
>  5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs. 
> antagonist
>  6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various 
> characters in the literature selection
>
>  Hope this helps.
>
>  reading  wrote:
>  > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In
>  > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
>  > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
>  > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
>  > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
>  > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think 
> my
>  > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted 
> to
>  > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
>  > ___
>  > Mosaic mailing list
>  > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
>  > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
>  > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.
>  >

Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Renee]

I am going to play Devil's Advocate on the manipulatives front:

What about the child who can rattle off multiplication tables, or who  
has memorized the steps for "borrowing" and "carrying" (in quotation  
marks on purpose), but who has absolutely no clue what it means to  
multiply, or why he/she is crossing out those numbers and writing in a  
smaller number/putting a one next to a number?


When I taught third grade, oh these many years ago, and adding and  
subtracting with regrouping was actually part of the third grade  
standards (not first grade), I spent the first six weeks of school with  
base ten blocks, doing activities with trading and regrouping.


Just a thought
Renee


On Nov 10, 2009, at 7:00 PM, thomas wrote:


I so agree!!!  This describes what happens perfectly.

sally


On 11/10/09 4:13 PM, "Beverlee Paul"  wrote:

A very wise college prof I had says, "Anything that can be used, can  
be

abused."

I feel the same about cooperative learning a la those extremists or
extremists with math manipulatives, etc.  My favorite example is from  
a
teacher in Colorado, who had a zap right as she heard herself say,  
"Boys and
girls, shush up!  No talking!!  It's time for oral language!!!"  I'm  
glad
she could laugh at herself and share because I think about that  
statement a

lot.

If you have to break apart a group functioning beautifully and assign
cooperative roles, think again.  If you have to keep dumping out those
unifix cubes onto the table of a child who's trying to explain to his  
near
neighbor how you can mentally do "that" in at least 2 different ways,  
and
"let's see if there's even another," think again.  If you take a  
group of

book lovers who have come to you starving for literature to feed their
passion and who thoughtfully and collaboratively discuss at a higher  
level,

don't get out the role sheets, for heaven's sake.  Think again.
I agree with my old college prof.  And we in education could do with a
little benign neglect in our teaching methods and a good pair of eyes  
and

ears to observe with.  Sometimes our kids slip past us.
On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Stewart, L
wrote:


"In my experience, strategy instruction works. For all kids, not just
strugglers. I do not believe it is only for struggling readers. I  
would
 like to see the list discuss what aspects of strategy instruction,  
as it is
currently being implemented, turns kids off from the love of reading  
so

 that we can all learn what to avoid."

I never meant to imply that only struggling readers need strategy
instruction.  Certainly all of my students need experience  
determining theme
and author's craft, etc.  But I think if I hear one more child say I  
can
make a text-to-self connection and then make the most minimal  
connection to
the text they are reading I may go crazy!  I hear mind-numbing  
conversations
and weeks of instruction on one strategy in multiple classrooms  
across
multiple grade levels.  I certainly think children should find ways  
in which
they relate to text but that will come with more exposure to text  
and a lot
more CONVERSATIONS with peers as well as teachers.  Strong readers  
don't
think about the strategies in isolation.  Our school is advocating a  
model
where the child reads with me in a small guided group for maybe 20  
minutes

once or twice per week and then reads their independent reading book,
attempting to utilize the same strategy we discussed in guided and  
then
writes about it in a letter to me.  Sorry Fountas and Pinell...I  
just don't
think that is what authentic reading is about.  I don't follow the  
plan.  I
do pull guided groups, but afterwards my kids go back and read a  
book with a
small group of their peers and talk about it and they may or may not  
discuss
the strategy they practiced with me.  Writing about reading flows  
naturally
after conversations about reading.  The teachers on this site all  
love
reading and teaching reading.  What about those teachers who don't?   
I think
the model can be deadly and it is difficult to implement by even the  
most
experienced teacher.  I know that I am not supposed to have read the  
books
my children are reading, but how can I comment and model if I don't  
know the
text?  So, I have five reading groups and they are all in different  
texts.
 I don't get a lot of sleep, but so far I don't think I've lost any  
future

readers of America to the reading war and I am proud of that.

Leslie R. Stewart
(203)481-5386 X310  FAX (203)483-0749
lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't  
matter

and those who matter don't mind."
 ~ Dr. Seuss


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__

[MOSAIC] Advanced Reading class

[Kuenzl-Stenerson Kay]

I was thinking that if I had an advanced reading class (and I did years ago, 
more years than I want to remember) that I would want the kids to fly...I 
wouldn't want to get in their way.  I would give students a large choice of 
books, probably centered around a theme so that there would be similarities for 
discussion.  I would also have students put reflections and "assignments" in a 
reading notebook.  With an advanced class students might lead the way.  Ask 
them what they would like to accomplish.  Short mini-lessons could review 
strategies, but in the review I would ask students to share their experiences 
with the strategies.  Recently, I heard Dr. Gay Ivey speak about her recent 
research.  She discovered that when students are truely engaged in reading they 
will do strategies automatically (and that was with struggling readers).  I 
would also spend some time with expository text and textbook formats that they 
may encounter and not yet be familiar with.  Personally, I don't think we 
should be tracking students this way and don't believe it is necessary if we 
use a workshop model for instruction.  Are you familiar with Aimee Buckner's 
books on notebooks?  There is a wealth of information on lessons and how to use 
notebooks in her books.  You might want to check those out.  Another thought I 
had for a variation would be to have "book clubs".  Following the same format 
that an adult book club would follow.  Kay
 

--

Message: 24
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:10:45 -0500
From: kim lum 
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group"

Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

This list is exactly what I was thinking to respond. How about meshing
the concepts from grade level social studies or science as topics for
some of the reading/research/higher level work?

On 11/10/09, shut...@fuse.net  wrote:
> To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to consider:
>  1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and 
> evaluation
>  2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple 
> intelligences
>  3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature 
> selections
>  4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding 
> various literature selections
>  5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs. 
> antagonist
>  6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various 
> characters in the literature selection
>
>  Hope this helps.
>
>  reading  wrote:
>  > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In
>  > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
>  > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
>  > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
>  > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
>  > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think 
> my
>  > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted 
> to
>  > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
>  > ___
>  > 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.
>  >
>
>
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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[jvmazur]

I've waited a long time to respond to this post because I've been mulling. My 
first instinct was to lash out with the wisdom of strategy instruction, but I 
decided to hold my tongue and consider. 

But thinking hasn't changed my mind. I still believe strategy instruction is a 
brilliant way to teach reading. When you say reading strategies are aimed at 
struggling readers, I cringe. I firmly believe that I am teaching ALL readers 
to deepen and appreciate their reading through strategy instruction and I am 
giving them the gift of a common language for discussion. 

Here's a story. I moved from 3rd grade to 5th grade this year. A few weeks ago 
our Lit Coach came for a surprise visit to observe reading. She later told me 
she was "shocked at first" to see that we were studying Schema and Connections 
in 5th grade; she thought they would be well past that. Then she took in the 
lesson, the depth of their understanding and discussion, and she was amazed by 
their engagement and insight. 

When you say that you think reading strategies are intuited and internalized, 
you may be correct. However, how far superior to learn strategies as youths and 
build as we delve! Like you, I am an avid reader. But I know I am a better 
reader now that I consider strategies. Sure, I could connect text, but I did 
not do everything Keene suggests in "key ideas." For example, how wonderful to 
help your kids to this key idea BEFORE they magically intuit and internalize: 
"Proficient readers adapt their schema as they read, converse with others--they 
delete inaccurate information (naive conceptions), add to existing schema, and 
connect chunks of knowledge to other related knowledge, opinions, and ideas." I 
broke this down into several lessons, but you should know that it is a key idea 
I come back to all year. 

This is, of course, just my opinion. But I wholeheartedly believe that strategy 
instruction is the best gift I can give my readers. 
Judy 

P.S. I agree with you about math manipulatives; they need a great deal of 
consideration and research. 




At 12:41 PM -0500 11/8/09, Stewart, L wrote: 
>I love teaching, but lately I have been questioning the way I teach, 
>particularly reading. I am an avid reader. Reading is an integral 
>part of my adult life. I was never taught any reading strategies. 
>I have children in my classroom who love to read and read way above 
>grade level. I feel that they, like me, have already internalized 
>the strategies and yes they can be strengthened but probably that 
>will happen naturally as well. The more they read, the stronger 
>they will become. It seems that we are prescribing medication 
>whether the child is ill or not. It's like using manipulatives in 
>math. Our new math program requires the use of manipulatives all 
>the time. It used to be that you used maniuplatives when you 
>differentiated for the child who was having difficulty with a 
>concept. It seems like we are heading back to a one-size-fits-all 
>mentality which scares me. I sometimes think the reading strategies 
>were meant for educators so that we could become better teachers of 
>reading, particularly for our struggling readers, and I think we 
>have taken it too far and use it in all cases. When I look at the 
>current guided reading models it is so prescribed: everyone is in a 
>quick guided group with the teacher drilling a skill or they are 
>reading independently. I am having a difficult time seeing the joy 
>in that model. Where do the rich conversations that connect 
>children to each other and to literature take place in this current 
>model? Was the model intended for accomplished readers? 
> 
>Leslie R. Stewart 
>Grade 3 Teacher 
>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 ~ 
> 
> 
> 
>___ 
>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. 
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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Beverlee Paul]

Many times I've "planned" a nice charter school staffed entirely by this
group!!  To quote Susan Boyle: "I dreamed a dream..."

On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 7:03 PM, Stewart, L wrote:

> and Beverlee Paul, I would like to work for someone just like you.  Imagine
> the possibilities!
>
> Leslie R. Stewart
> Grade 3 Teacher
> lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
> 203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX
> 
> From: 
> mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org[mosaic-bounces+lstewart=
> branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of Beverlee Paul [
> beverleep...@gmail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 7:13 PM
> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings
>
> A very wise college prof I had says, "Anything that can be used, can be
> abused."
>
> I feel the same about cooperative learning a la those extremists or
> extremists with math manipulatives, etc.  My favorite example is from a
> teacher in Colorado, who had a zap right as she heard herself say, "Boys
> and
> girls, shush up!  No talking!!  It's time for oral language!!!"  I'm glad
> she could laugh at herself and share because I think about that statement a
> lot.
>
> If you have to break apart a group functioning beautifully and assign
> cooperative roles, think again.  If you have to keep dumping out those
> unifix cubes onto the table of a child who's trying to explain to his near
> neighbor how you can mentally do "that" in at least 2 different ways, and
> "let's see if there's even another," think again.  If you take a group of
> book lovers who have come to you starving for literature to feed their
> passion and who thoughtfully and collaboratively discuss at a higher level,
> don't get out the role sheets, for heaven's sake.  Think again.
> I agree with my old college prof.  And we in education could do with a
> little benign neglect in our teaching methods and a good pair of eyes and
> ears to observe with.  Sometimes our kids slip past us.
> On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 10:41 AM, Stewart, L  >wrote:
>
> > "In my experience, strategy instruction works. For all kids, not just
> > strugglers. I do not believe it is only for struggling readers. I would
> >  like to see the list discuss what aspects of strategy instruction, as it
> is
> > currently being implemented, turns kids off from the love of reading so
> >  that we can all learn what to avoid."
> >
> > I never meant to imply that only struggling readers need strategy
> > instruction.  Certainly all of my students need experience determining
> theme
> > and author's craft, etc.  But I think if I hear one more child say I can
> > make a text-to-self connection and then make the most minimal connection
> to
> > the text they are reading I may go crazy!  I hear mind-numbing
> conversations
> > and weeks of instruction on one strategy in multiple classrooms across
> > multiple grade levels.  I certainly think children should find ways in
> which
> > they relate to text but that will come with more exposure to text and a
> lot
> > more CONVERSATIONS with peers as well as teachers.  Strong readers don't
> > think about the strategies in isolation.  Our school is advocating a
> model
> > where the child reads with me in a small guided group for maybe 20
> minutes
> > once or twice per week and then reads their independent reading book,
> > attempting to utilize the same strategy we discussed in guided and then
> > writes about it in a letter to me.  Sorry Fountas and Pinell...I just
> don't
> > think that is what authentic reading is about.  I don't follow the plan.
>  I
> > do pull guided groups, but afterwards my kids go back and read a book
> with a
> > small group of their peers and talk about it and they may or may not
> discuss
> > the strategy they practiced with me.  Writing about reading flows
> naturally
> > after conversations about reading.  The teachers on this site all love
> > reading and teaching reading.  What about those teachers who don't?  I
> think
> > the model can be deadly and it is difficult to implement by even the most
> > experienced teacher.  I know that I am not supposed to have read the
> books
> > my children are reading, but how can I comment and model if I don't know
> the
> > text?  So, I have five reading groups and they are all in different
> texts.
> >  I don't get a lot of sleep, but so far I don't think I've lost any
> future
> > readers of America to the reading war and I am proud of that.
> >
> > Leslie R. Stewart
> > (203)481-5386 X310  FAX (203)483-0749
> > lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us
> >
> > Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter
> > and those who matter don't mind."
> >  ~ Dr. Seuss
> >
> >
> >  ___
> > Mosaic mailing list
> > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to
> > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_lite

Re: [MOSAIC] theme vs. author's message

[Kelly Andrews-Babcock]

I appreciate the discussion here. I'm rethinking things and still absorbing the 
comments and ideas. I'm tempted to bring back everything to the staff and have 
them mull through it and come to a conclusion themselves. Thanks again.
Kelly AB


On 11/10/09 3:39 PM, "Domina.Natasha"  
wrote:



I feel pretty uncertain about it--especially after reading other people's 
posts, but how I've thought about those terms in the past are:
yes to the first part of what you said--that themes tend to be short phrases
I think of author's message as our interpretations of that word/phrase, but our 
interpretation of what seems to be a central focus of the book, that we think 
most people would agree on that interpretation.
Hmm.  I'm rethinking that idea the longer I sit here.  Maybe I would agree with 
you.  I'm going to have to let those ideas percolate in my brain for a while.
Thanks!
Natasha


--

Message: 19
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:23:06 EST
From: kuko...@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Theme vs. author's message
To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

So are you saying themes are like one or two word phrases and author's
messages are our interpretations of that word or those phrase as it relates  to
the reader personally?


In a message dated 11/9/2009 9:32:46 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
domina.nata...@north-haven.k12.ct.us writes:

Not  going on any research, just my own opinion--
I think of theme as more of  one word summing up a big idea: "friendship",
"loss", "tolerance".
I  think of the author's message as more of a sentence that tells what we
think  the author thinks about those big ideas: "We should be friends with
all kinds  of people," "Talking about our loss helps us heal."
Maybe (I'm  thinking as I write here), themes tell what big ideas are
explored and  author's message tells the conclusion we've drawn from exploring
those big  ideas?

Natasha
___

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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[Patricia Kimathi]

Will you be willing to share the blueprint for this?  I would like to  
try something similar at my school it sounds great. I really like the  
idea of looking at a comprehension strategy and then teaching children  
how to write this strategy in the classroom.  It is what I have always  
done, but not across the grade level.

PatK
On Nov 11, 2009, at 3:26 AM, kim lum wrote:


In our buiding we are to post the focus strategy for each content
lesson. I remember to do this some of the time. It has provided a push
for thoughtfulness around our basal.

For each theme of the HM Trophies, our grade level has identified a
comp focus. This has led to us teaching the strategy such as
compare/contrast for the first theme using the stories in the text. We
also used this comp focus in writing and it flowed from learning how
first/second grade were the same/diff to Frog/Toad to pumpkins in our
garden/apples. Then kids were partnered from a neighboring room and
learned to interview and then write compare/contrast paragraphs about
one another.

The second theme is being used to focus on sequence/story maps. This
seems to be working for a strategy focus using the grade level text
and moving from reading to writing. Anyone thoughts? Anyone else doing
something similar to add to this?

Thanks, Kim
second grade

and yes Beverlee, I too would enjoy working with you.

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Re: [MOSAIC] RTI

[Kelly Andrews-Babcock]

His book does just that. Great research information in his book.


On 11/10/09 3:27 PM, "Domina.Natasha"  
wrote:



I just heard Richard Allington speak on Saturday and he said that 2 hours of 
reading per day will mean that a struggling reader doesn't fall further behind. 
 If we want them to close the gap and catch up to their peers they should be 
reading even more than that.  (He was talking about RtI so maybe his new book 
on RtI would have more information about that.)
Natasha


--

Message: 24
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:11:07 +
From: wr...@att.net
Subject: [MOSAIC] RtI
To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email
Group"
Message-ID:

<111020090411.16339.4af8e7db0005a9de3fd322218683269b0a02d29b9b0ebf0a9b079...@att.net>


This group really helped answer questions from me about universal screeners for 
RtI.  Now I'm wondering about when my middle school starts RtI.  I think that 
will happen next fall.

I have read that students who are two, three, or four years behind in their 
reading level by middle school need an additional 90 hours of reading time??? 
instruction??? every day.  Can anyone point me to something authoritative that 
asserts this?

It seems as if we're going to go to half measures, and students who need 
additional help with get maybe 45 minutes a couple of times a week.

I fear that RtI will not be successful at my school because we will not put the 
time into additional support for students.

Thanks for any information you can give me.
Jan





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Re: [MOSAIC] opinion on advanced reading classes

[kim lum]

This list is exactly what I was thinking to respond. How about meshing
the concepts from grade level social studies or science as topics for
some of the reading/research/higher level work?

On 11/10/09, shut...@fuse.net  wrote:
> To help with the notion of an advanced reading class you may want to consider:
>  1.  Use questions that employ Bloom's top 3 levels, analysis, synthesis and 
> evaluation
>  2.  Use projects that allow students to use one or more of their multiple 
> intelligences
>  3.  Use DeBono's six hats thinking framework to analyze various literature 
> selections
>  4.  Have students create multi-media presentations for the class regarding 
> various literature selections
>  5.  Have students engage in a debate regarding characters - protagonist vs. 
> antagonist
>  6.  Use Kohlberg's levels of moral development and relate to various 
> characters in the literature selection
>
>  Hope this helps.
>
>  reading  wrote:
>  > The school where I teach performs very well on state standardized tests. In
>  > reading I believe the scores are well above 90%. This is my first year
>  > teaching 7th grade and the first year of a newly developed "advanced"
>  > literature class which I am teaching. I'm struggling with how to make the
>  > class "advanced". And now we are supposed to present to the
>  > board.Theoretically, I don't like the concept of the class. I don't think 
> my
>  > philosphy of teaching meshes well with leveled reading classes.  I wanted 
> to
>  > hear others opinions. Does your middle school have advanced classes?
>  > ___
>  > 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.
>
>

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Re: [MOSAIC] philosophical wonderings

[kim lum]

In our buiding we are to post the focus strategy for each content
lesson. I remember to do this some of the time. It has provided a push
for thoughtfulness around our basal.

For each theme of the HM Trophies, our grade level has identified a
comp focus. This has led to us teaching the strategy such as
compare/contrast for the first theme using the stories in the text. We
also used this comp focus in writing and it flowed from learning how
first/second grade were the same/diff to Frog/Toad to pumpkins in our
garden/apples. Then kids were partnered from a neighboring room and
learned to interview and then write compare/contrast paragraphs about
one another.

The second theme is being used to focus on sequence/story maps. This
seems to be working for a strategy focus using the grade level text
and moving from reading to writing. Anyone thoughts? Anyone else doing
something similar to add to this?

Thanks, Kim
second grade

and yes Beverlee, I too would enjoy working with you.

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Re: [MOSAIC] thought-provoking reading for 1st graders

[Heather Green]

Wow, thank you everyone for all your responses. I am so excited to get
started.
I love the idea of using poems as well.  Why didn't I think of that?!
I have never heard of Comprehension Connections but I am going to check it
out right now.


On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 1:45 AM,  wrote:

> I must agree with you... our shared reading was the Giving Tree by Shel
> Silverstein this week... I opened discussion about metacognition. with this
> text.. we used "making a reading salad" from the resource: Comprehension
> Connections and the two  (Silverstein's text and strategy lesson) really
>  drove
> the point home... that reading is not just reading the words but more
> about the amount of thinking that goes on. The simple text and intriguing
> illustrations kept all readers engaged as this was a whole group lesson for
> first graders... I pointed to the words in the book as volunteers put in
> red
> paper squares to represent "reading words" in our reading salad. Then I
> thought  about each page making connections, wonders, noticing details in
> the
> illustration... another volunteer put in green squares representing lettuce
> leaves... After awhile I turned the thinking over to the kids and just read
> the  words... the thinking that the kids did far outweighed the words of
> the
> author  and was confirmed by our reading salad... so many more green
> squares
> than red  squares.
>
>  These little ones really got how using an inner voice makes the story
> more interesting and enjoyable but also helps with accuracy and
> comprehension.
> We recorded our thinking on sticky notes and organized the notes on a
> chart  some ideas were about the illustrations, other ideas were about
> the
> characters,  the setting, the author's message, personal connections,
> wonders,
> schema about  the author... It really was quite amazing considering they
> are only six years  old. After we charted all their thinking responses the
> kids then recorded in  their reader responses the most important thinking
> that
> they took away from our  discussion... Most of these drawings and matching
> text were big ideas about the  entire story and big ideas about how to read
> and what kinds of readers they saw  themselves to be.
>
> When I think about it we worked on: inner voice, checking for
> comprehension, checking for accuracy, book choice, turning and talking,
> making  our
> thinking visible, recording our ideas, story structure... it was a very
> easy
> lesson to prepare and a powerful change of view for my kids. Up till now
> (since  we are just starting guided reading groups after DRA) they were
> feeling
> either  very proud of their level, or very insecure now kids who are at
> level C  are calling themselves "real readers" because they are thinkers.
>
> If you do not have the resource Comprehension Connections I strongly
> suggest it. It works beautifully for little kids. Basically every strategy
> of
> comprehension is developed into some kind of concrete analogy that works
> with
> any text you choose. As far as Shel is concerned he was way ahead of
> his  time and I remember him first as a rock star before author.
> Pam
>
>
> In a message dated 11/11/2009 12:22:15 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> amyswa...@gmail.com writes:
>
> I happen  to really like using Shel Silverstein's poetry.  At first glance,
> to  kids it might just seem funny or silly.  But there are a lot of  life
> lessons to be found if you open your mind and your heart.  The  text is
> very
> accessible and engaging, and it really makes "deep thinking"  invitational
> for kids!!
>
> On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 6:26 PM, Heather  Green  wrote:
>
> > Hi there,
> > Starting  in December we will start breaking up into reading clubs in my
> > school.  We'll meet for 50 minutes, 4 days a week.  The groups are
> >  differentiated, and I have the highest group of first graders--reading
> >  anywhere from end of 1st grade level to 4th grade+ level.
> >
> > I  decided that I wanted to stay away from chapter books this year
> because
> > in
> > 1st grade the focus doesn't need to be on reading  chapter books. I want
> my
> > kids to be reading good quality literature  that makes them think.  We
> don't
> > have many books available. I'm  willing to buy some with my own money if
> I
> > will use them again and  again.  So I need your help.  I am looking for
> > books
> >  that meet this criteria:
> >
> > 1) not a chapter book
> > 2)  something written at about the 2nd grade level or so (I'm thinking
> using
> > this in small groups for the kids to read themselves)
> > 3)  something thought-provoking that would spark good conversation
> > 4) not  t preachy and still of interest to 1st graders
> >
> > Any  ideas?!?
> >  ___
> >  Mosaic mailing list
> > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> > To unsubscribe  or modify your membership please go to
> >  http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org
> .

[MOSAIC] ***SPAM*** RE: HELP!

[EDWARD JACKSON]

HM sucks, doesn't it?  


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






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> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:52:10 -0500
> From: rr1...@aol.com
> Subject: [MOSAIC] HELP!
> 
> I currently teach fourth grade, after having taught third for many 
> years.  I am really struggling with reading this year.  I am very tied 
> in respect to how I may teach reading.  I am required to have a 30 
> minute whole group reading session, with 60 minutes of station time.  
> During stations I am pulling small groups of students, while students 
> work independently on their station activities.
> 
> Test scores are of course, the be all, end all in my school and 
> district.  How can I teach the necessary skills and strategies within 
> this framework.
> 
> BTW, we are using Houghton Mifflin and are supposed to be teaching with 
> fidelty.  I have already ignored that particulary demand!
> 
> Rosie
> 
> 
> 
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> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
> 
  
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Re: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills

[EDWARD JACKSON]

Janet Allen has this little flipbook thing that is filled with strategies for 
working with older readers (grades 4-8, I believe, if not 4-12).  I have found 
them to be quite sound when modified for younger children.  I love the gist 
strategy she describes in this booklet.  I am betting you would find it helpful 
and it is just the sort of thing to support without overwhelming.


Lori Jackson M.Ed.Reading Specialist
Broken Bow, NE






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> To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org
> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:46:13 -0500
> From: rr1...@aol.com
> Subject: [MOSAIC] teaching comprehension skills
> 
> I have been reading this list serv for years and now need some 
> assistance.  I teach fourth grade and my students are not doing well on 
> their benchmark scores (this is NC).  I need some explicit lessons on 
> teaching skills such as main idea, questioning, summarizing, 
> sequencing, etc.  I have two new coworkers and they are really 
> struggling with teaching reading.
> 
> Quick and dirty lessons would be the best, I don't think they are 
> inclined to read an entire book!
> 
> Thanks for your help!
> 
> Rosie
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
  
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