Last weekend I was compelled to return to Nancie Atwell's book, The Reading Zone, in order to be inspired for this week's focus lessons. As I was reviewing it, I ran across this quote: For students of every ablility and background, it's the simple miraculous act of reading a good book that turns them into… Continue reading The Reading Zone.
Category: reading
NCTE: Reading Assessment.
While at NCTE, I listened to Patrick Allen, Franki Sibberson, and colleagues discuss reading assessment. Here are some highlights: One assessment isn't better than another and none can stand alone. We need a variety. Look at the routines of reading workshop and figure out how to assess those routines. I should ask myself: What does… Continue reading NCTE: Reading Assessment.
Share this:
Share this:
Reading Notes?
Using Discussion Forums and Chats I am able to gain insight into my students' reading lives at an amazing rate. I know which are lovers of books and which would rather stare at a page than read something they're not interested in. I've also learned these things about the group. ALL of them have said… Continue reading Reading Notes?
Share this:
Share this:
Article About Characters Who Write
I just received the September 2008 Issue of The Reading Teacher. It's already accumulating sticky notes, tabs, and dog-ears since it's packed with a wealth of information. There's an article I highly suggest you read entitled "'To Be a Writer' Representations of Writers in Recent Children's Novels." Here's the abstract, which I took from the… Continue reading Article About Characters Who Write
Share this:
Share this:
Preparing for September 11th
Where were you on September 11th, 2001? It's a question that makes my heart tighten. I was in Manhattan, at a job interview in Midtown. I heard that a plane hit the Trade Center and I immediately headed home via surface transportation for fear the subways would be unsafe. When I emerged from the building… Continue reading Preparing for September 11th
Share this:
Share this:
Reading Aloud.
In the past day and a half, I have witnessed three read alouds: kindergarten; grade 3; and grade 5. There is something special about having the outsider's perspective, while at the same time, an insider's understanding of the power of read alouds. Each of the read alouds were given by a different teacher, with different styles… Continue reading Reading Aloud.
Share this:
Share this:
Combo: 2 questionnaires meshed into one
Literacy Interview Originally uploaded by teachergal My colleague recently gave me a copy of a Reading Profile she uses with her students. Loved it! However, it left me realizing that the Writing Interview I've given my students in the past would be overkill since that would be two interviews they'd have to fill-out for me.… Continue reading Combo: 2 questionnaires meshed into one
Share this:
Share this:
What’s a “Conferring Scarf?”
I wrote a post about structures and routines to teach kids in September within the context of Writing Workshop yesterday morning. There have been a few questions about "The Conferring Scarf." Therefore, I wanted to find a photograph (of two of my former students from NYC who decided to act out a conference, for fun,… Continue reading What’s a “Conferring Scarf?”
Share this:
Share this:
My Book List Page Is FINALLY Complete!
I decided to transfer my old, messy, and incomplete book list that I kept on my Wiki to a GooglePages Website. I think I managed to record every single book I read aloud to my students this year by breaking out my read alouds into four categories: Reading Workshop Demonstration Texts Writing Workshop Touchstone Texts… Continue reading My Book List Page Is FINALLY Complete!
Share this:
Share this:
I can’t believe how well their projects turned out!
Check out the highlights from the "Get a Reading Life" Independent Reading Project Slide Show below. (My kids blew me away today with their creativity.)
Share this:
Share this:
We’re going to Manhattan today!
Not literally, but I'm transporting my kids there through read alouds and through a PowerPoint Presentation I created of various neighborhoods and landmarks in Manhattan. The books we're reading today, as part of Picture Bookpalooza, are: 1. Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey 2. Mr. Belinsky's Bagels 3. The Doorman 4. This… Continue reading We’re going to Manhattan today!
Share this:
Share this:
Summer Challenge Packets Go Home W/My Kids Today
My students' Summer Literacy Challenge Packets are sitting in their mailboxes this morning, ready-to-go. I included a notebook, a pencil, a sticker, and two postage-paid, pre-addressed envelopes so that the kids will be able to send some of their responses to me over the summer if they decide to take-on the challenge. Keep your fingers… Continue reading Summer Challenge Packets Go Home W/My Kids Today
