Re: Katie K.

I too liked the idea of using sticky notes while reading. I think the ways we read about in the readings where they explicitly modeled and used guided practice would work well even in Katie K. and Is first grade classroom. I think this could be a good strategy to add into our unit. The students are learning new strategies, we could use the sticky note strategy to help the students be conscious of what strategy they are using to help them read.

Week 6 - Response to Questions

For this weeks blog post I’m supposed to offer advice about how to implement high quality literacy instruction. Since Tracie and I are teaching the same thing....I’m going to focus on Katie’s target areas. 

Reading through your answers to the questions from last week Katie, a lot of ideas sparked in my mind both from the readings we’ve done and also from my personal experience in my placement classroom last year. For your reading workshop you are focusing on readers thinking deeply about the texts they’re reading and learning how to respond to the texts. Chapter 6 of “Strategies that Work” talks a lot about using sticky notes to track student’s understandings of texts. Last year in my 3^rd grade class, we used sticky notes ALL THE TIME and for many different things in reading workshop. By the time my students finished a book there were sticky notes sticking out everywhere. They used the sticky notes to write “ah ha” moments, changes that they saw in characters, predictions, questions they had, and many other things. Through working closely with the students and conferencing with them about their reading often, I found that the sticky note method was incredibly effective with them. And I think it could be a great way to jump start your student’s ability to understand texts and get more out of what they are reading. 

Well now that I kept reading your questions I see that you already plan on using sticky notes. Clearly I think they are a really great tool :)

I also think a great way to implement high quality literacy instruction is by doing something that our group already likes to talk a lot about- beginning with the end in mind! Showing the students what the end product is and what you are expecting I think will really help them in learning the new strategies and concepts you will teach them. 

For your writing workshop, when I was reading the “Writing Essentials” book, one part in chapter 7 really stuck out to me as something that you could incorporate into any writing situation. Starting on page 169, there is a whole list of strategies for all writers, especially struggling writers. I think these could be really helpful because if your classroom is anything like mine and Tracie’s, there is a wide range of writing abilities and I think these strategies could be implemented into lessons to help all writers. 

Katie K's Core Practice Questions

Tracie and I are teaching the same thing....so don't be alarmed if some of our responses are similar! 

1. Describe your target area for guided lead teaching.

In this unit, the students will focus on picking out just-right books for their reading level. They will also be learning strategies to support their reading and understanding of these just-right books. 

2. Approximately how much time per day is allotted for your instruction in this area?

Reading Workshop is from 9:15 - 10:30 every day. 

3. Which Common Core State Standard(s) will you work toward? 

CCSS: ELA & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects K-5, CCSS: Grade 1, Reading: Foundational Skills

Phonological Awareness

RF.1.2. Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

•  a. Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words.
•  b. Orally produce single-syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.
•  c. Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.
•  d. Segment spoken single-syllable words into their complete sequence of individual sounds (phonemes).

Phonics and Word Recognition

RF.1.3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

•  a. Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs (two letters that represent one sound).
•  b. Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
•  c. Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
•  d. Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
•  e. Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
•  f. Read words with inflectional endings.
•  g. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

Fluency

RF.1.4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

•  a. Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
•  b. Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.
•  c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

4. How will teaching in this target area provide opportunities for students to learn important content and/or skills that relate to their lives?  In what ways does this learning include learning literacy, learning about literacy, and/or learning through literacy?

In this unit, students will learn strategies that will allow them to better understand and comprehend texts that they come in contact with. Also, teaching them about just-right books will give them the skills to pick out books that are at their right level. These books will challenge them enough and allow them to use the strategies they are learning about without being too difficult. 

The students will learn literacy through reading their just-right books. They will learn about literacy by learning new strategies that will help them become stronger readers. 

5. What types of classroom talk take place within this target area? To what extent is the talk teacher-led, student-led, or focused on higher-level thinking? What norms for interaction would you like to build within your classroom as you teach in this target area (e.g., see ideas in Chapter 6 of Strategies that Work, the Berne & Clark 2008 article, or draw from some of the readings done in TE 402 on classroom talk)? 

At first it will be more teacher-led during the introduction and instruction of the reading strategies and tips for picking out just-right books. However, once the students get more comfortable with the Cafe process and are learning more strategies, the lessons will gradually lead into more student-led time, focusing on their individual needs. 

As for the norms that I would like to build, I would like students to feel comfortable asking questions about strategies and interacting with individuals on their same reading level, sharing strategies that help them best. 

6. Which ‘core practice’ do you want to work on developing/improving as you teach in this target area (refer to document “Resources for Developing Core Practices”)? How will focusing on this core practice contribute to your own professional learning? 

Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Assessment. Focusing on this strategy will really help me in my own professional learning because it will give me the experience of working with the Café strategies as well as allowing me to see which strategies work best for different types of learners. 

7. What resources within the community, neighborhood, school district, school or classroom do you have to work with in this target area? 

Classroom library, school library, resource library, SMARTboard, Café board 

8. What additional resources do you need to obtain?

Training or literature on the Café system. 

9. How will you pre-assess your students in your target area?

Through discussions with the students, observations, analyzing reading assessments, and discussing with  my mentor teacher. 

10. What else will you need to find out about all students in your class to help you develop lesson plans for your Guided Lead Teaching?

My mentor and I are currently working on assessing all students to get their DRA scores. After all the assessments are finished we will be able to analyze the results and group our students based on their reading levels. This will help me and the students select just-right books. 

11. What else do you need/want to learn about the ‘core practice’ to support your planning and teaching?

I need to become more knowledgable on the Café strategies. I have an idea what they are, but I need to really understand them before I can be responsible for educating the students on them. 

12. What concerns, if any, do you have about planning and teaching your unit?

I just want my students to get as much out of the lessons as possible. I want to be able to teacher the strategies in a way that all the students can understand and relate to.