December Blog 2

Happy snowy December! I have been checking in periodically to look at what people are posting and commenting on our Red Oak Blog. I enjoy when I see updates and learn a lot from what other people post/comment. It got me thinking how the blog could be beneficial for use in the classroom. I know at Red Oak, some students in the HP program use blogging. I was wondering if there are other teachers on our blog, especially upper elementary, that use a blog with students? Do you model one in the classroom? Do students post at home? Is there a "requirement" or assignment?

December Blog

This month I began incorporating strategy groups in with my guided reading groups, as needed. I thought it went well adding in a strategy group or two as I saw the need arise with working on decoding unfamiliar/unknown words and mini-summaries after a story page or multiple paragraphs ( stopping to "think" about and review what was read). The students seemed to also enjoy the change in group dynamics, especially when we discussed what strategy groups were, in class.

Me Too!!!!!

Hi! I am in the same boat as you Maria. This is my first blog. I am also stuggling to find time to fit everything in. Between school, grad school. Novilie, anecdotal records, cohorts...the list goes on and on.
Does anyone else feel as overwhelmed with record keeping as I do? I am able to keep anecdotal records, but I am not sure I am putting them to good use. So, if anyone has any good suggestions, I am all ears. I also struggle with finding the time to fit everything during reading.

November Blog

I'm enjoying all of these great questions and conversations with all of you!! It's fun to hear how different people are organizing and managing the language arts in all of the different age groups! As I mentioned in an earlier post, I feel like Kristin and I are really using our anecdotal records with clear purpose as we use them to design lessons and strategy groups this year. My question, is what and how are you all managing those students who you are collecting data on because they are struggling? I would like to have more concrete data on a few students in order to measure their progress a little more closely and be able to show the data to parents or the support team if that would need to happen. I also have some students who really struggle with blending sounds together to make words and use multiple strategies when they are stuck on words. Any good interventions out there that you are using and collecting data on? Thanks!

November Blog

My professional learning goal this year is to create, maintain and utilize my anecdotal records, especially for reading. I want to be able to use my data to show where I have been and mapping where to head with guided reading groups and individual students. Each year I change a bit on how I organize and what data I write on each student to be most purposeful to me. I met with Kristin at Red Oak to talk about ways to organize my notes and data so the information is most useful. Angela, I believe my professional goal is simialr to yours. Maybe we can talk more this year on how it is going, questions, etc.

I am Finally Blogging!

Hello All! Sorry, I am just starting my blogs!! I ran into a couple issues, but have finally got things straightened out- thanks Cale! I am ready to blog! A lot has happened since the start of the year! I have two really enjoyable kindergarten classes this year! It was fun to recently meet with parents at conferences and share about their child's progress!

This year has definitely been a little bit of a balancing act however, with grad school, teaching, anecdotal notes and binders, but I am learning a ton throughout it all! I am so grateful to have such supportive people to work with. I know if I have any questions or concerns, there is somebody around to help me out! Well, I will be adding a coulple more blogs in the next couple days to make up for earlier ones!!

New Sharing Activity from Recent Meeting

Hello! After our Phase II/Phase III Meeting, I wrote down the new pair up activity in my binder. I am often looking for new, productive ways to pair up my students that is also time efficient.
I went back to my classroom that day and tried the new pair up activity with my students. This activity involved raising your hand, looking for a partner with a raised hand, high fiving and then sharing. My students really enjoyed this activity because it got them moving around the classroom and they seemed to like getting to choose who to share with.
I also really enjoyed that is was a sharing activity that could be easily wrapped up to get students back on task.
This activity could be used across all subjects.
Did anyone else try this activity? How did your students do with it?

October Blog

So..obviuosly I am a little behind in my blog posts, so here goes my October posting! So far, when thinking of my professional goal, I feel that Kristin and I have really tried hard to meet wtih each other, discuss our students and design strategy groups and lessons based on what we are seeing through our anecdotal records. I think some of the new strategies and groupings we are organizaing this year are really proving to be beneficial for us and for our students. I feel like the groups that I organize and pull are much more focused on specific goals which helps me focus on an area to assess and helps the students stay focused on a particular goal. How are strategy groups going for other people?

October Blog

Hello Fellow Bloggers,
I realize that this post is in November but it it my best attempt to fit blogging into teaching. I felt that this quarter went quickly. I can't believe we are already 1/4 of the way done! This is going to be super difficult this year because after two years my kiddos are ready to move up (literally since they have been down on the first level since first grade) to 5th grade. Stay posted! But I brought up the closing of the quarter to bring home of point of regular assessment.
These are something I have been doing to keep up with my goal:

1. Students record their spelling grades each week on a sheet of paper in their spelling notebooks. This allows them to be accountable for their own grades (keeping immediate feedback) as well as making them more responsible students.
2. We are starting an easier Math for Today for my math class. At first, I tried giving the 4th grade students the 3rd grade math for today but it proved to be two challenging for there level and I was teaching too much and not reviewing skills. I have found some 2nd to 4th grade math minutes and we are trying them out. They complete one row each week and on Friday we quiz on what was taught the week before.
3. We have graded grammar in 4th grade. Each week, we have a new skill introduced on Tuesday. We review it on Thursday and test on Friday. This is instant feedback for the students and it allows them to get plenty of practice before being assessed.
4. I am having daily conferences with my struggling readers and writers. I use the forms from the Cafe. We set small goals for either reading or writing and then I meet back with them to see what goals they made or ones we need to modify.

Hello All!
I'm finally getting up and running with this blog!! My professional goal for this year is to use anecdotal records weekly to improve student learning and plan future lessons. I will also use my anecdotal records to pull students into strategy groups based on their needs. I am hoping that this professional goal will help me keep on track of student needs and improve their reading, writing, and math. This goal falls under the planning and preparation domain under assesses student learning. I feel that over the last few years I have gotten better at keeping assessment data, but I would like to become better at actually using that data to guide my instruction and really key in on what is working and what is not working for students who are struggling.

September Update on Assessing Students

Hello All!
I am still striving to use assessment on a weekly basis. So far this year, I am doing the normal. Spelling Test, Graded Grammar, TWIRL Letters (graded every two weeks)MAP and DRA. I am aware of this being more formal assessment but that is what time allows for the beginning of the year. I was definitely feeling overwhelmed, and I haven't written since. Do any of you have hints for how to handle early school testing?
One simple way to get immediate feedback, or assessment is FASTT Math. I can see the focus facts that the kiddos need to work on. I think this information is important because I can use it to involve parents. A certain student was struggling on 9s so I let the parent and math teacher know. How have you guys used FASTT Math to drive instruction?
My focus for October will be on informal assessment. I will be using my conferencing forms for Readers and Writers Workshops. I have also decided to meet with my below level kiddos each day of Reader's Workshop. Either a conference or a running record, something so I can make sure they are keeping on track this year. I would have to say a definate advantage to the second year loop. What are you noticing about advantages of looping with the kids?
I would love to respond to your blog posts. I think it is really helpful when you ask questions so I know what to respond to.
SO:
What types of formal assessment do you do?
What type of informal assessment do you do? How do you give this feedback?
How are you fitting in informal assessments?
How are you using the FASTT Math information?
What are some advantages in relation to assessment in the 2nd year of the loop?

Beth's First Blog

Hi,

I am so excited to be back at Red Oak for my second year of teaching! It will be fun to embark on this blogging adventure with all of you!

Much of my experience teaching reading has been at the middle and high school levels. Therefore, since I am now teaching kindergarten and first grade reading, I thought that I would focus my professional goal on early literacy. The framework domain is in the area of instruction and my area of focus is reading. My goal is: I will take professional development courses, graduate school courses and read applicable books to increase my understanding of early literacy so I can help my kindergarten and first grade students move beyond letter/ sound recognition to beginning reading skills by the end of the year.

August Post First one!

Hello All,
I am so excited to start this DRIVE with you all!
I learned a lot from today's training. Mainly my professional goal. My professional goal is to assess student learning on a weekly basis and use that assessment to drive my weekly planning and increase test scores. I wanted to make mine a little vague because I would like to do it in math and in reading. This goal falls under planning and preparation in Domain II: Assess student learning. I plan on implementing it the first week with multiplication assessment as well as high frequency spelling testing.
Happy Blogging:)