In a time where breadth seems to be the way to go, Ellin Keene, author of Mosaic of Thought, argues for a "National Conversation" and so I would like us to be a part of that conversation. What is essential for our students? Keene would argue for a the learning theory that asks this of us...
Learning Theory:
To focus on a few key concepts;
of great import
taught in great depth;
over a long period of time;
and applied in a variety of texts and contexts.
Seems simple almost...doesn't it? Please take the time to think about and respond to this in terms of you and your students. Let's begin this conversation with your thoughts and ideas in response to this theory. Think about an area that you have done this, or would like to do this....and ultimately what IS essential for our students?
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Thought Provoking...
"The cognitive actions that readers employ while processing print are essentially the same across levels. Readers are simply applying them to successively more demanding levels of text."
Someone gave me this quote and I find it very interesting to think about. Please take some time to think this over and react to this statement. Do you agree? Disagree? And if so why? State your case clearly and let's see where we end up. There has been a great deal of discussion about our younger primary readers...what do you honestly think and believe in terms of this statement?
Someone gave me this quote and I find it very interesting to think about. Please take some time to think this over and react to this statement. Do you agree? Disagree? And if so why? State your case clearly and let's see where we end up. There has been a great deal of discussion about our younger primary readers...what do you honestly think and believe in terms of this statement?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Observations
Please post your observations here....feel free to comment back and forth to each other.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
What is Reading?
What is reading? What are the different pieces of reading that we need to teach to our students? If you had to break it down, how would you do that and how much importance would you put on each individual piece? How do those pieces add up to make a "full" reading/learning experience for our students?Take some time on this one and really think it through. Where do we want to emphasize our instruction and how do we do that?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Reader's Workshop
What are you thinking about a Reading Workshop after our last class? What about the idea do you like? Not like? What seems to make sense? What is confusing? I am very interested in your thinking so that we can figure out where to go next. Please write anything you are thinking...there are no "right" answers...
Think about one thing that you might try with your class. Perhaps you left thinking you would organize your library with your students, change the format of your reading time, begin conferring with students, try to "organize" and try a workshop...the possibilities are endless. What is one piece that you will try right away?
Think about one thing that you might try with your class. Perhaps you left thinking you would organize your library with your students, change the format of your reading time, begin conferring with students, try to "organize" and try a workshop...the possibilities are endless. What is one piece that you will try right away?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
A Piece of Your History...
Now that you have taken the time to go through all of your closets, and attics and basements and anywhere else you could find items for your Bio Book Bags, what does this collection say about you as a reader? As a writer?Choose one of the items from your bag and do a quick write on it...right here on the computer...right NOW!
This is not something you have to draft and revise, just let your thoughts flow as you explore the corners of your mind to discover how this item influenced you and who you are today in terms of attitude, your teaching, your likes and dislikes. Have some fun with this. Here is mine as a model.
My Winnie the Pooh cookbook makes me think of my Nana. Nana was the one person in my life who really saw me as her "favorite". How do I know this? I know this because of the way I felt when I was with her. She listened to me and really heard what I was saying about what I liked and what I didn't like. Her gifts, which include this cookbook and my Raggedy Ann and Andy chalk board, were gifts that "showed" how she knew me in a way nobody else seemed to. Somehow she knew that I loved to bake and that this cookbook would be something I would always treasure. The chalkboard was something that validated my desire to one day be a teacher, but it was even more than that because at that time in my life I was an avid collector of Raggedy Ann and Andy. Anything with Raggedies on them...I HAD to have!It was not just the gifts, but the fact that she really listened to me and would take the time to hear what I had to say. This meant the world to me and now that I think about it, that is one of the things that I carry with me as an educator...a teacher...a mom. To listen, to really listen when someone is talking shows that they matter. It shows that their thinking, their thoughts, and their ideas count. Yes, that is what my Nana showed me. She showed me the power of someone hearing you out and truly listening to what is in your heart.
That is my quick write. Notice how I get "off track" a little bit. THAT is what a quick write is! Just start writing and see where it takes you. I had NO idea that was where I was going. Quick writes ask us to follow our stream of consciousness...to make connections where there might have been none. It is a way for us to discover what it is that we did not know before.
This is not something you have to draft and revise, just let your thoughts flow as you explore the corners of your mind to discover how this item influenced you and who you are today in terms of attitude, your teaching, your likes and dislikes. Have some fun with this. Here is mine as a model.
My Winnie the Pooh cookbook makes me think of my Nana. Nana was the one person in my life who really saw me as her "favorite". How do I know this? I know this because of the way I felt when I was with her. She listened to me and really heard what I was saying about what I liked and what I didn't like. Her gifts, which include this cookbook and my Raggedy Ann and Andy chalk board, were gifts that "showed" how she knew me in a way nobody else seemed to. Somehow she knew that I loved to bake and that this cookbook would be something I would always treasure. The chalkboard was something that validated my desire to one day be a teacher, but it was even more than that because at that time in my life I was an avid collector of Raggedy Ann and Andy. Anything with Raggedies on them...I HAD to have!It was not just the gifts, but the fact that she really listened to me and would take the time to hear what I had to say. This meant the world to me and now that I think about it, that is one of the things that I carry with me as an educator...a teacher...a mom. To listen, to really listen when someone is talking shows that they matter. It shows that their thinking, their thoughts, and their ideas count. Yes, that is what my Nana showed me. She showed me the power of someone hearing you out and truly listening to what is in your heart.
That is my quick write. Notice how I get "off track" a little bit. THAT is what a quick write is! Just start writing and see where it takes you. I had NO idea that was where I was going. Quick writes ask us to follow our stream of consciousness...to make connections where there might have been none. It is a way for us to discover what it is that we did not know before.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Not answers so much as thinking....
Wow! There are so many questions lingering out there! This is good news. It means we are all in a place where we are trying to figure out what works best for ourselves and our students. This week I am going to ask you to go through the wonderings (from last week's post) of your classmates and choose one of their questions to do a quick write in thinking about the quesiton that you choose!! Be sure to post the question you will be writing to and who that question came from!!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Wonderings...
What are you wondering about in terms of reading and reading instruction? What questions do you have around the ideas that have been floating around your buildings? What are you hoping to get out of being a part of this class?
Take a few minutes to do a quick write about what you are wondering about. It may end up as a list of questions or it may be that you will pose one or two questions and end up writing about them. Remember, when you do a quick write, just let your thoughts flow. This is an exercise in figuring out what you are thinking and wondering about and you may not even know until you begin writing!!
Take a few minutes to do a quick write about what you are wondering about. It may end up as a list of questions or it may be that you will pose one or two questions and end up writing about them. Remember, when you do a quick write, just let your thoughts flow. This is an exercise in figuring out what you are thinking and wondering about and you may not even know until you begin writing!!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Syllabus
Learning Through Teaching Syllabus
Salem, NH ( 3) Spring 2008
Tomasen M. Carey
Required Text: Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor
Class Dates and Topics:
January 8th: Histories and Metacognition. Who are we as readers and writers? How does that impact our teaching of reading and writing? What does reading feel like?
Model Bio Book Bag.
Assignment:
· Read article on Bio Book Bags and Chapters 1 and 2.
· Create your own bio book bag to share.
· Bring a book or something you are currently reading to our next class.
Classroom Invitation:
1. Using a digital camera, take a picture of what reading “feels” like. Write a sentence to go along with each photo. Post them outside your classroom.
2. Take your students on a “Board Walk”
3. Draw a sketch of a reader and write about your sketch. What does a reading look like? Sound like? Feel like?
February 5th: Reader’s Workshop and Schema
What is a Reader’s Workshop?
Model Schema using Roxaboxen in workshop setting
Share Bio Book Bags
Discuss Classroom Invitations
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 3 in Comprehension Connections.
Classroom Invitations:
1. Do a think aloud on schema using the book Roxaboxen in a workshop setting. Record the connections of your students in the hallway illustrating how one connection leads to another. Watch the connections grow throughout the school! (Put connections on “rocks” building a rock wall of connections.)
2. Go on a board walk with or without Post It’s.
March 5th: More Metacognition: Discuss readings and Readers’ Workshop…how did it go? Discuss the use of Roxaboxen and your think aloud.
Use Graphic organizer from book.
Demonstrate using paint chips to “monitor” your reading.
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 5 (and possibly another article from me)
Classroom Invitations:
1. Try one of the ideas from the reading with your students. Invite me in to come and observe!
2. Model Bio Book Bags with your students. Let them create their own bio book bags.
April 2nd: Questioning in a Reader’s Workshop Format…
Identify the types of questions.
Model Think Aloud using The Three Questions.
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 4 in Comprehension Connections.
Classroom Invitation:
1. Model a think aloud on questioning with the book, The Three Questions or another book of your choosing using a Workshop format. Post your questions about this book out in the hall.
2. Take your students on another “Board Walk”
3. Try something from our reading and invite me in to observe!
April 23rd: More Questioning and a bit of Inferring:
Annotating text at all levels
Looking at and using non-fiction with our students.
Go over and model final reflection
Assignment:
· Read article by Cris Tovani
· Write Final Reflective piece using a metaphor.
Classroom Invitations:
· Model the annotating of text with your students. Be sure to choose a short text that is copied so that they can write on it. Also try to find a text that is non-fiction and is related to something else you are doing in your classroom (science, social studies, math etc.)
· Be sure to debrief with your students about this process and their thoughts and reflections on it.
May 7th: A day of Reflection and Celebration!!
Now that we have spent the semester thinking about reading and trying Tanny’s ways in to strategy instruction take some time to reflect on what reading is like for you. Write a reflection comparing reading to an object or an idea. Take the metaphor as far as you can pointing out things you know about reading, yourself as a reader and how that looks or feels in your classroom. We will read these final papers aloud on this final class. Be prepared for our class to run late on this day!!
Course Requirements: These requirements will be evaluated to determine final grades.
· Regular attendance and participation at group meetings, having all of the assigned reading completed and ready to discuss it in detail. (40%)
· Classroom Invitations (30%)
· Weekly blog entries on (http://thinkingitthroughsalem3.blogspot.com/) 20%
· One visitation in your school or within your district of a colleague. I will ask that you post your observation on our blog. There will be a special section on the blog specifically for visitations. (10%)
How do I get onto the blog?
Go to the address http://thinkingitthroughsalem3.blogspot.com/
To “comment” look at the bottom of each post and click on the “comment” link. This will take you to a page where you can post your thoughts and ideas and reactions.
When there you need to create a Google account.
To create a Google account click on the link that says, “Create Google account.” And follow the steps provided.
If you already have one then you will be able to use that one.
Type in your Google address and password.
Write down your comments in the box and then push the publish post button at the bottom.
Your post will appear on the left-hand side.
REMEMBER…these are meant to be quick writes…not major works of art! It is a place for us to continue our conversations out of class! They should not take you more than 15 minutes!! We will start out slowly and be sure that everyone is getting on the blog and go from there. The syllabus says weekly entries, but that will change based on the needs of the group.
Be patient. It may take some time but you will find it is worth it!!
If you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at tomasen@comcast.net or you can call me at 772-4351. Here is to a great semester together.
Salem, NH ( 3) Spring 2008
Tomasen M. Carey
Required Text: Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor
Class Dates and Topics:
January 8th: Histories and Metacognition. Who are we as readers and writers? How does that impact our teaching of reading and writing? What does reading feel like?
Model Bio Book Bag.
Assignment:
· Read article on Bio Book Bags and Chapters 1 and 2.
· Create your own bio book bag to share.
· Bring a book or something you are currently reading to our next class.
Classroom Invitation:
1. Using a digital camera, take a picture of what reading “feels” like. Write a sentence to go along with each photo. Post them outside your classroom.
2. Take your students on a “Board Walk”
3. Draw a sketch of a reader and write about your sketch. What does a reading look like? Sound like? Feel like?
February 5th: Reader’s Workshop and Schema
What is a Reader’s Workshop?
Model Schema using Roxaboxen in workshop setting
Share Bio Book Bags
Discuss Classroom Invitations
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 3 in Comprehension Connections.
Classroom Invitations:
1. Do a think aloud on schema using the book Roxaboxen in a workshop setting. Record the connections of your students in the hallway illustrating how one connection leads to another. Watch the connections grow throughout the school! (Put connections on “rocks” building a rock wall of connections.)
2. Go on a board walk with or without Post It’s.
March 5th: More Metacognition: Discuss readings and Readers’ Workshop…how did it go? Discuss the use of Roxaboxen and your think aloud.
Use Graphic organizer from book.
Demonstrate using paint chips to “monitor” your reading.
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 5 (and possibly another article from me)
Classroom Invitations:
1. Try one of the ideas from the reading with your students. Invite me in to come and observe!
2. Model Bio Book Bags with your students. Let them create their own bio book bags.
April 2nd: Questioning in a Reader’s Workshop Format…
Identify the types of questions.
Model Think Aloud using The Three Questions.
Assignment:
· Read Chapter 4 in Comprehension Connections.
Classroom Invitation:
1. Model a think aloud on questioning with the book, The Three Questions or another book of your choosing using a Workshop format. Post your questions about this book out in the hall.
2. Take your students on another “Board Walk”
3. Try something from our reading and invite me in to observe!
April 23rd: More Questioning and a bit of Inferring:
Annotating text at all levels
Looking at and using non-fiction with our students.
Go over and model final reflection
Assignment:
· Read article by Cris Tovani
· Write Final Reflective piece using a metaphor.
Classroom Invitations:
· Model the annotating of text with your students. Be sure to choose a short text that is copied so that they can write on it. Also try to find a text that is non-fiction and is related to something else you are doing in your classroom (science, social studies, math etc.)
· Be sure to debrief with your students about this process and their thoughts and reflections on it.
May 7th: A day of Reflection and Celebration!!
Now that we have spent the semester thinking about reading and trying Tanny’s ways in to strategy instruction take some time to reflect on what reading is like for you. Write a reflection comparing reading to an object or an idea. Take the metaphor as far as you can pointing out things you know about reading, yourself as a reader and how that looks or feels in your classroom. We will read these final papers aloud on this final class. Be prepared for our class to run late on this day!!
Course Requirements: These requirements will be evaluated to determine final grades.
· Regular attendance and participation at group meetings, having all of the assigned reading completed and ready to discuss it in detail. (40%)
· Classroom Invitations (30%)
· Weekly blog entries on (http://thinkingitthroughsalem3.blogspot.com/) 20%
· One visitation in your school or within your district of a colleague. I will ask that you post your observation on our blog. There will be a special section on the blog specifically for visitations. (10%)
How do I get onto the blog?
Go to the address http://thinkingitthroughsalem3.blogspot.com/
To “comment” look at the bottom of each post and click on the “comment” link. This will take you to a page where you can post your thoughts and ideas and reactions.
When there you need to create a Google account.
To create a Google account click on the link that says, “Create Google account.” And follow the steps provided.
If you already have one then you will be able to use that one.
Type in your Google address and password.
Write down your comments in the box and then push the publish post button at the bottom.
Your post will appear on the left-hand side.
REMEMBER…these are meant to be quick writes…not major works of art! It is a place for us to continue our conversations out of class! They should not take you more than 15 minutes!! We will start out slowly and be sure that everyone is getting on the blog and go from there. The syllabus says weekly entries, but that will change based on the needs of the group.
Be patient. It may take some time but you will find it is worth it!!
If you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at tomasen@comcast.net or you can call me at 772-4351. Here is to a great semester together.
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