Beginnings.

As teachers, we are fortunate to have opportunities to begin again.  We benefit from big resets in August and January or maybe after longer breaks.  During the year, a Monday can bring fresh opportunity or a small change in our schedule or routines can open the door to new possibility.

A year ago, our literacy coaching team took a pause from this space.  After some conversation and redefinition, we are ready to come back with a site that lifts our readers.  We’re moving our posting day to Thursdays.  You’ll notice new update features including:  book recommendations, upcoming dates you’ll want to know about, and sites worth a stop.  There will also be a monthly feature article for your enjoyment.

So…before we begin again.  We’d love to hear from you.  What do you hope to find in this space? Take our short survey.  We value your feedback.  (Click for HCSD Elementary Literacy Blog Feedback Survey:  Survey closes September 23rd.)

Have you ever sat in your classroom reading through your students reading responses and thought how can we lift the level of work they are doing?  As we sit with our team, a ton of questions start swirling through our heads:

• Are there traces of our mini lessons in the written responses?
• Have we scaffolded the students too much or too little?
• What can we do to teach these students more effectively?
• How do we know if our students are approaching, meeting or exceeding grade level expectations?
• How can we get students to be reflective on their own work?

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A few days ago, a friend and colleague asked a question about using audio books in his reader’s workshop.  It was a question that made me stop and think leading to a great conversation.  In the past, I might have given a quick answer, but I’ve learned the power in slowing down and being curious.  As the three of us talked, questions led to more questions.

What is the reader doing?

What does the reader need?

What is our purpose?

What do we do as readers? (more…)

Thinking About Assessment. What can we learn about our readers and writers from HRSIW and Writing Vocabulary?

During a recent kindergarten PLC meeting, our group began to discuss the purpose of assessment.  Teachers divided into four teams to consider what two assessments tell us about our early literacy learners.  Looking at our Hearing Recording Sounds in Words assessment AND Writing Vocabulary, we began to chart what these assessments could tell us about our writers AND our readers.

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Five years ago, I joined Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life March Challenge. I committed to writing a Slice of Life story every day in the month of March and published it on my blog.  It was such a rewarding experience that the following year, not only did I participate, but so did my students.  There are so many benefits to participating, that I cannot imagine not being part of it.  Since then, more and more classrooms from my building have joined the Slice of Life March challenge.  It’s become something that students and teachers look forward to every spring.

What is a Slice of Life story? (more…)

This time of year is tough for some teachers and students. We are just about half way between winter break and spring break. The weather has become bitter cold. Mid-year assessments are due. It can all become overbearing and mundane. I’ve even heard this time of year called the “February Funk.” It sounds like this is the perfect time of year to reignite a love of reading into our classrooms. That is where March Book Madness comes in.

March Book Madness

March Book Madness is a bracket-style tournament where books compete against each other just like the NCAA March Madness tournament. Students read two books and vote for their favorite.  Whichever book gets the most points wins, and the book moves into the next round.   (more…)

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how I learn and how our students learn.  I know that when I go away from a conversation or meeting with all of the things students aren’t able to do in my mind, I’m feeling down and unmotivated.  I began to think about that in relation to our students.  When we constantly focus on what they aren’t able to do or things they have done “wrong”, then they most likely feel the same way.  I knew I had to consciously shift my own thinking, because my feelings were a direct result of my mindset.  I realized that when we as teachers focus on a deficit model of teaching and learning, we are not only doing a disservice to our students, but also to ourselves.  I know I need to take ownership of my thinking and choices at any given moment, and look forward instead of looking back.  

And I choose to focus on the joy of learning. (more…)