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Craft Lessons pg 105-138

The final pages of this book cinsisted of questions and answers about craft lessons.  It is important for teachers to expect the students to come away with two or three strategies for writing for one school year.  It is important to encourage those students who are not yet motivated so that they too will want to become writers.  Craft lessons do not always have to be assigned.  this option should be left up to the teacher.

Beginning on page 111, several reading passages were given that were sited in the previous pages.  these will be helpful for any teacher to use as supplemental reading practice.

craft lessons pg 14-43

THe importance of teaching a student to extend his/her writing is highlighted in this section.  Students are encouraged to go beyond what they usually put down on paper.  Going beyond the basic "I like ..." and "Flowers are pretty." will help the student grow.

Some important points to remember are:

Good writing must have a Beginning, Middle, and End. Encouraging a child to really think about this will improve writing skills.  SOme children are very good oral story tellers and usually include BME to their stories.  however, writing stories on paper is a whole different form.  This is where many children have problems.

MAtching words to pictures, moving beyond "list" stories, talk bubbles(encourage dialogue), story webs, and using details are other points to remember.  Specific details help a child extend thier thoughts to give a more enriched story.  Teachers should also help by creating vivid pictures in the minds of students when telling stories.  Learn to tell a story orally first, then write it down.  This helps with u sing dialogue in the story.

Reading the pictures is a great way to understand a story.  Elaborate on the story through the use of details in the pictures.  Make sure the picures give enough detail so that the setting of the story is evident.

As teachers, we should make the writing experience seem less threatening and more manageable. THink of writing as talking on paper.

craft lessons

This book begins with the idea that young writers have to begin as readers.  Children need to be surrounded by books.  THis will help them to develop vocabulary and eventually become writers.   Young children need to especially be exposed to many types of literature, including stories, songs, and poetry.  The writing you get from students is only as good as the literature that surrounds them in the classroom.  Once a good piece of literature is found, it is expected to be visited over and over again.

SOme practical tips for a writing conference include:

Respond first as a reader.  Reading and responding first to a child's writing gives a teacher some sense of what the story is about.  It's okay to not fully understand what is written at first. This is the first step.

Be positive.  Offer help as needed, but also keep expectations high and grade appropriate.

Try to understand the writer's intention.   This involves listening closely so you will understand what the writer is trying to say.  THis helps the teacher gain a deeper understanding of the work.

Lower your ambitions.  Point out one or two things for each piece to teach or reteach.  Don't mark every little error and teach all at once.  This way, the student doesn't have to worry about so many mistakes.

Finally, young writers need to talk about books as much as possible.  Our role as teachers is to create classroom environments that encourage talk rich enough to spark a student's thoughts so that they can understand their own writing.  THe importance of reading should be stressed daily!

Fish sticks! pgs.77-122

The remainder of the story emphasized the idea of coaching.  Coaching each other to do your best at your job and to make your workplace the best it can be.  Sometimes we get defensive when given any kind of criticism, including constructive criticism.  Coaching means listening befire deciding whether to accept or reject the coaching of others. 

pg 80 - Coaching can't be an ego trip.  We al must do it for the good of the vision.  It's about working together, allowing feedback to flow from all directions.  COaching coworkers must be a team effort.  It should bwe done by those who are deeply committed to making the palce great--not just good.  as a new employee, you should ask for help when needed.   As a veteran, you should not just assume that the new people know how to do things.  help when needed.

Our character Rhonda is faced with a very challenging situation in the last part of the story.  Her daughter is killed by a drunk driver.  Her coworkers pulled together to do what had to be done.  Miss Scallpell took it upon herself to organize around-the-clock teams to help where needed.  THis act of kindness showed the other nurses that Miss Scallpell did have a heart and though she sometimes came across as harsh, she meant well.

Doning what needs to be done, working as a team, and keeping the vision is waht makes a place great to work in---not just good.

fish sticks pages 38-77

As this story moves on, Rhonda is still trying to get her department back on a positive track.  She has decided to take the time to talk to her co-workers and to ask very specific questions about their jobs.  by doing this, she has found out that each person must ask themselves very personal questions about what exactly their position is in making the workplace a brighter place to be in.  She found that by asking "What's my role in the vision?" and "What is at stake for me?" her views about her job changed a bit.  When she asked a few people these questions, they too began asking others.  THe co-workers found that having conversations is good for the workplace.   People needed to find IT. (personal piece of the vision)

Rhonda also found out how Ping was able to do such a great job and how to keep a positive attitude.  Ping found out for herself that by pushing aside all distractions while doing her job, she was able to do her job better.  her patients feelings and well-being were at stake and that was what is important.

When a new VP of nursing comes on board, she begins making changes on the floor.  This ruffles alot of feather, but the employees meet and decide that some things can change without it being such a big deal.

"Finding you IT is the starting point.  More of the actual staying power comes from the next step: living you IT."(pg 72.)

Fish! Sticks

THis story begins with Rhonda, a lady who was recently promoted to a new job at the local hospital.  Rhonda's self confidence weakens each day because she feels that she isn't as capable as the previous manager, Madeline.  MAdeline was well known around the hospital.  People enjoyed working with her and often transferred from other places just to be working under her management.  MAdeline was credited for bringing some light to the dismal neuro ward.  When Madeline decided to take a new job, Rhonda was chosen to take her place.  SInce the change, Rhonda has felt that the "brightness' of the neuro ward has faded because the employees don't seem as happy.  One employee has even asked for a transfer.  Rhonda feels that the reason for the changes is directly related to her management.  SHe doesn't feel up to par.

I think this book reminds me of when new teachers are exposed to new classrooms in which they aren't really familiar.  moving schools or even grade levels may make a teacher feel insecure about their capabilities.  It also reminds me of new "management" a.k.a. new principal.  SOme employees may feel differently with new principals.  Some that are set in their ways may be hesitant to change, even resistant at times.  Change is going to happen though.

Everything comes down to how people can work together for the good of the school, hospital, factory, etc....      MOrale needs to be high in order for positive things to happen. 

revisiting the reading workshop

 

These chapters talked about the importance of the reading workshop.  For a workshop to be successful, there must be appropriate behavior and reading going on at all times. This chapter suggested that the students read quietly for 30-50 minutes.  Soft talking and discussions of books were allowed.  The only problem with this situation in a first grade classroom is that it isn't always quiet, and interruptions are ALWAYS happening!  I was encouraged by the numerous examples of reading practices.  Book choices, budding reading, story chats, guided reading,  & flexible groups are some ways to have a succesful workshop.  Many of these are already implemented in my classroom.  I have been trying more this week to conference with my reading groups to see how their opinions of books compare to mine.  We used the "3 bears" evaulation of books. (papa bear- too hard, mama bear- too easy, baby bear- just right.)  My kids seemed to enjoy this.  I also use reading response journals each week. )pg120).  This helps me to assess comprehension and writing skills.  Assessments are very important for reading workshops.  Individual reading and group readings are crucial.

 

 

Revisiting the Reading Workshop/ chapters4-6

These chapters gave me more insight on how to incorporate reading workshops in my classroom.  As I stated before about the previous chapters, I do have reading workshops in my first grade classroom.  Although some of my ideas and lessons are similar to those in this book, I have learned about new and different approaches.  The mini-lessons involve more detailed work than some of what I do now.  I teach a 'mini-lesson", but have found that it is not always during my workshop time with the whole group.  I like the way that these next three chapters really break down the process of managing the workshop time.  Organization was an important topic in chapter 4, because it stated that mini lessons should be taught everyday from day one.  This would give the students lots of modeling and practice with journal responses.  I enjoyed reading through the sample lessons in chapter 5 (pgs77-83).  although I still feel that some of what is offered in this book is too hard for first grade, most of it can be adapted to the first grade level.  I would like to try some of the sample lessons to see how they go.  Hopefully I will be able to implement this program fully next year.  It seems to be very beneficial to the students and to the teacher as well.

Revisiting the Reading Workshop

I found the first three chapters of this book to be very informative.  My definition of a reading workshop was similar to the information given.  In the first chapter, I  found that my reasons for having reading workshop were somewhat the same:  providing students with a multitude of reading opportunities that would help them enrich their love of reading.  At the same time, providing students with mini-lessons before hand gives them the direct instruction that so many of them need in order to be a successful independent reader.  I enjoyed the breakdown of the elements of a reading workshop.  Strategic practices should be taught in order for a child to read independently. 

One area that i hope to improve in is the way students work independently during the guided reading sessions.  Although they each have a scheduled workshop to work in, some students find it hard to stay on task in that particular workshop, therefore, interrupting me when I am trying to work with others.  I hope that by reading and implementing some of the information provided in this book, I will be able to better arrange my workshops so that everyone is gaining something beneficial from our reading time.

I want to work on organizing my classroom library so the students can know what level to read from.  This will probably help with those that are sometime off task.    The Independent Reading Guide on page 36 is very good, however, I believe that as a first grade teacher, I will have to adapt it to meet the needs of my students.