Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K
Good point Lori- In our district even the schools where they stayed half day feed the Ks a brunch and lunch. They eat lunch right before or after school. Since the length of the day must be a unified decision by all teachers at that school, in our district we have 3 out of 10 schools full day, 3 on extended day, and 4 half day. By the way, the data shows the students of all day kinder to have more growth. I say growth because our 2 "white schools" are on half day and often have better "scores", but not as much growth. Am I making sense? On another note... At the school I worked at for 12 years, the primary teachers wanted more teaching time so they shortened the 20 minute last recess to 10 minutes -it came 55 minutes after lunch (which had a 20 minute recess too) and 1 hour before going home. We did this for 6 years. Then comes a new principal who didn't like our daily schedule and changes all of it. She found the extra 10 minutes and said we couldn't do it -we were out of compliance. We offered to sign a waiver but she says to us (after a supposed trip to the district office) the only way we could do that was if all schools agreed to do it. I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WAS SO STRONGLY AGAINST EXTRA TEACHING TIME. She took the extra time away and chopped up our day so horribly. We had an 1 hour 20 minute session and a 2 hour session (20 minute recess in between) then the 2 one hour sessions after lunch. She chopped the day into 1 hour, 45 minute, or 30 minute sessions. She was trying to fit the schedule to the Houghton Mifflin reading series and the California ELL mandate of 30 minutes a day. It was a miserable year. I was a coach and left the end of that year to coach in a much more pleasant place. The bad news is, this woman got her doctorate (after 1 more year at the school) and was promoted to the district office and is now in charge of assessment. We are now mandated to use her HM pacing guide and take the HM summative tests on computer each quarter. I of course, do my own thing... I could care less how my students do on those tests, except they do tell me what skills they still need help on (as if I didn't know).The tests take 2 hours minimum to take as there are 3 subtests. She has been talking dibles, but many are voiced against it. She almost had the superintendent convinced, but then the budget crunch hit. They put all coaches back in the classroom, and there were a few smart principals who said no coaches, no dibels either. Jan (who is sorry this was so long, but still harbors feelings I guess) Unless we reach into our students¹ hearts, we have no entry into their minds. -Regie Routman On 2/21/09 7:22 PM, "ljackson" wrote: > Another important advantage it offers to the disadvantaged--a guarantee of two > meals a day. Take nothing for granted. > > > > Lori Jackson > District Literacy Coach and Mentor > Todd County School District > Box 87 > Mission SD 5755 >> In a message dated 2/21/2009 3:05:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, >> creeche...@aol.com writes: >> >> But what I wanted to say is, the difference I see between my half day and >> all day experiences is that the pressure is off. I felt that I had to cram >> in >> everything the all day K students were getting in a half day before. >> Now we all feel much more relaxed and it is reflected in their behavior and >> their learning. I hope that doesn't result in more curriculum being pushed >> down. But for now, even with 28, things are good. >> >> Nancy ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K
Another important advantage it offers to the disadvantaged--a guarantee of two meals a day. Take nothing for granted. Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 - Original message - From: Vickie Julka To: mosaic@literacyworkshop.org Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009 7:42 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K > Nancy, > > My district switched to all day kindergarten 10+ years ago and it has been > wonderful. We are able to slow the pace and make time for meaningful learning > experiences. > > One of my fondest memories is working with kindergarten comprehension study > after reading the first edition of Mosaic of Thought, right after it came > out. Ellin, the thinking that came out of that first class was incredible! We > discussed, sorted and revisited books multiple times. We kept track of our > thinking and wrote about connections. "Schema" was part of our daily > vocabulary. I never for a moment questioned whether too much was being > introduced too early. The children looked forward to our "smart" thinking > every day as much as I did. > > I remember waiting impatiently for Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning to > come out so we could learn from her experiences and we weren't disappointed. > I know that if I had to fit within a system, rather than have the joy of > nurturing the enjoyment as well as the learning, I wouldn't be teaching > today. We owe it to ourselves as well as the children to spark their > imaginations and tap into their ability to think beyond others expectations. > > Vickie > > > > > >>> 02/21/09 3:05 PM >>> > > Nancy > All day K is mandatory now in Maryland. What it did for us was give us the > time to teach comprehension strategies through read alouds each and every > day. > I was sold on the value of it when I walked into an all day K classroom our > first year (about three years ago) and having a student ask me "Do you have > much schema for turtles?" > Done right, there is a lot that we can do with comprehension in all day K. > Jennifer > > In a message dated 2/21/2009 3:05:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > creeche...@aol.com writes: > > But what I wanted to say is, the difference I see between my half day and > all day experiences is that the pressure is off. I felt that I had to cram > in > everything the all day K students were getting in a half day before. > Now we all feel much more relaxed and it is reflected in their behavior and > their learning. I hope that doesn't result in more curriculum being pushed > down. But for now, even with 28, things are good. > > Nancy > > > > > > > **You can't always choose whom you love, but you can choose how > to find them. Start with AOL Personals. > (http://personals.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntuslove0002) > ___ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > ___ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > ___ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K
Nancy, My district switched to all day kindergarten 10+ years ago and it has been wonderful. We are able to slow the pace and make time for meaningful learning experiences. One of my fondest memories is working with kindergarten comprehension study after reading the first edition of Mosaic of Thought, right after it came out. Ellin, the thinking that came out of that first class was incredible! We discussed, sorted and revisited books multiple times. We kept track of our thinking and wrote about connections. "Schema" was part of our daily vocabulary. I never for a moment questioned whether too much was being introduced too early. The children looked forward to our "smart" thinking every day as much as I did. I remember waiting impatiently for Debbie Miller's Reading With Meaning to come out so we could learn from her experiences and we weren't disappointed. I know that if I had to fit within a system, rather than have the joy of nurturing the enjoyment as well as the learning, I wouldn't be teaching today. We owe it to ourselves as well as the children to spark their imaginations and tap into their ability to think beyond others expectations. Vickie >>> 02/21/09 3:05 PM >>> Nancy All day K is mandatory now in Maryland. What it did for us was give us the time to teach comprehension strategies through read alouds each and every day. I was sold on the value of it when I walked into an all day K classroom our first year (about three years ago) and having a student ask me "Do you have much schema for turtles?" Done right, there is a lot that we can do with comprehension in all day K. Jennifer In a message dated 2/21/2009 3:05:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, creeche...@aol.com writes: But what I wanted to say is, the difference I see between my half day and all day experiences is that the pressure is off. I felt that I had to cram in everything the all day K students were getting in a half day before. Now we all feel much more relaxed and it is reflected in their behavior and their learning. I hope that doesn't result in more curriculum being pushed down. But for now, even with 28, things are good. Nancy **You can't always choose whom you love, but you can choose how to find them. Start with AOL Personals. (http://personals.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntuslove0002) ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K
Nancy All day K is mandatory now in Maryland. What it did for us was give us the time to teach comprehension strategies through read alouds each and every day. I was sold on the value of it when I walked into an all day K classroom our first year (about three years ago) and having a student ask me "Do you have much schema for turtles?" Done right, there is a lot that we can do with comprehension in all day K. Jennifer In a message dated 2/21/2009 3:05:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, creeche...@aol.com writes: But what I wanted to say is, the difference I see between my half day and all day experiences is that the pressure is off. I felt that I had to cram in everything the all day K students were getting in a half day before. Now we all feel much more relaxed and it is reflected in their behavior and their learning. I hope that doesn't result in more curriculum being pushed down. But for now, even with 28, things are good. Nancy **You can't always choose whom you love, but you can choose how to find them. Start with AOL Personals. (http://personals.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntuslove0002) ___ 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.
Re: [MOSAIC] All Day K
I started out the year with 32 in all day K, my first year from switching from AM-PM. I have had 28 since some movement of children in September. My wonderful district gave me a terrific additional teacher to help in the morning and switched all my prep to the PM. The only problem I am having seems to be at dismissal which is because of mittens, hats, snow pants, boots etc. The children are getting better at it and will probably become experts as soon as spring arrives. : ) But what I wanted to say is, the difference I see between my half day and all day experiences is that the pressure is off. I felt that I had to cram in everything the all day K students were getting in a half day before. Now we all feel much more relaxed and it is reflected in their behavior and their learning. I hope that doesn't result in more curriculum being pushed down. But for now, even with 28, things are good. Nancy In a message dated 2/21/2009 2:27:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jgou...@hotmail.com writes: So do we, and I think it makes a tremendous difference. With the new CA budget, our district is thinking of ending class size reduction in K and 3rd. Our K teachers are divided about doing all day kinder with 30 students. They have to sign a waiver to have all day kinder and all teachers must agree. We'll see what happens... They are thinking maybe extended day (15 come early for 1 hour, then all 30, then the other 15 stay an hour) Jan Each day comes bearing it¹s own gifts, untie the ribbons. -Ruth Ann Schabacker _ 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. **Need a job? Find an employment agency near you. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=employment_agencies&ncid=emlcntusyelp0003) ___ 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.
