A Wonderful Ending...

We had a great week!  Whether it makes a difference on the STAAR test or not, I will truly never know.  But my quarters seemed to be engaged, so it was worth it, to me!

On Thursday, we reviewed sequencing.  Quarters used the chapter we were reading in The Hunger Games to sequence the events.  There are three words/key vocabulary I wanted them to review and remember:  organize, order, sequence.  We put the three words into a "sing-song" type rhythm and counted to three on our fingers.  As they said each word, I had them hold up a finger.  While I know this seems rudimentary, most of my quarters are ELL.  Movement and memory seem to make connections for them.  I wanted them to associate  (#1) with organize, (#2) with order, (#3) with sequence.  We repeated this several times.  I encouraged them to remember that if they see the words organize, order, or sequence in a STAAR question, they are being asked to put things in 1, 2, 3 order.  I really think they may have "gotten" it...finally after months of discussion!

Today, we had a special guest.  I was so lucky to have my daughter come to my school!  She is an education student in college and will graduate in December.  She wants to teach K-4.  She needed 5 more hours of volunteer time for a class she is enrolled in this semester.  So, I rounded up some classrooms for her to visit and help out in.  She also helped in my room.  She had an assignment to complete on "cause and effect" and  had to tape herself teaching it!  I got to watch her in action!!  I was very proud!!

As a class, we read another chapter of our book.  We focused on how to infer.  The quarters did an awesome job inferring and predicting.  They were able to connect prior learning and knew that schema + evidence = inference.  It was a great week of review!!

We also had time to continue working on our research magazines, in which students chose a person, place, or thing to research and write about.  I have a few that are not finished, but most of them only have one page to go.  Here are some pics of one that is almost complete:

They are not perfect...but...

They are non-fiction...

They have many text features...

They are informative...

They are researched....

They are creative....

They are unique....

And the students will remember them!

"Memory...is the diary we all carry about us"--Oscar Wilde

Hopefully, the lessons they reviewed this week will be part of the "diary" they carry in their memories...for testing and beyond!

Always,

Getting Our Fun On...

I just wanted to follow up on the activities I am doing with my quarters to review skills for the STAAR Reading exam next week.  As I've noted in previous posts, I have strayed a little from the test-prep norm to hold student interest as the days to the "test" tick down.

Each day, we read a chapter from The Hunger Games.  I can honestly say, my quarters are totally engaged.  We are having awesome conversations (better than I ever expected) about the text.  A quarter even mentioned how the book tells us so much more than the movie!  Yay!!!

On Monday, we reviewed  character traits using the FAST paper found here  and here .  Quarters talked about Katniss Everdeen.  They wrote about her feelings, actions, sayings, and thoughts in the text so far.  I asked them several question stems and assigned them "thinking" questions for homework.  Their answers were in paragraph form and a few of them did really well.

On Tuesday, we reviewed summarization.  This time, in addition to our plot anchor chart (found here ), quarters used the "Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then" to write their summary of the what has been read so far.  Since they work in collaborative groups, I was able to notice who really "got" it and who needed a little more support.  Again, they were assigned questions for homework.  When I read the answers aloud this morning, they were REALLY good.  A lot of quarters thought about what was happening, how they felt, and what they could say about the story.

Today, we reviewed main idea and details.  This was FUN!  We read our chapter and quarters built a "table" to represent the main idea.  The legs were the details.  Now, this is not a unique idea.  I have seen it on a blog, or Pinterest, ...I'm not sure where!!! I thought it was wonderful!!  If you know where the idea came from, please let me know! 

My quarters were sooooo proud of their work!!  When we were done, we came back together to discuss/compare our tables to what we might actually see on the STAAR test.  We completed an anchor chart to remind us!

I hope that if they see a bubble map on the STAAR test, they will remember this chart and their tables and make the connection.  I think they just might!!!

On another note, we have worked on poetry and finishing up our portfolios for writing.  Our district uses Lucy Calkins (sp???) as a curriculum resource.  While I've found it difficult, throughout the year, to teach her way, I have tried.  I haven't been a big fan, unfortunately.  It's the one thing I feel I struggle through.  That being said, I have found her poetry unit VERY helpful.  As I work with it, my quarters have really began to embrace poetry, especially free verse, and some of them even do poems at home, on their own, without being assigned!!! WOW!! 

Here is an anchor chart we use to remind us that "looking with a poet's eyes" means using visual language!

I'm very excited to finish this week, make some "goodies" for them this weekend, play games and review with a passage or two on Monday.  I just know that I have enjoyed "teaching" this week!

Here is a quote that is spot on!!

"Teach me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand."--Chinese Proverb

Yes!!

Always,

Testing Strategies....ppbbtt!!!

I feel like I've been neglecting my blogging duties lately.  Other than my giveaway, I really haven't had much to add...until tonight.  Yay, me!!

We are counting down to the Reading STAAR here in Texas.  There are six more days to cram their little noggins with every bit of information possible.  What's a teacher to do??  Usually, at this time, I am practicing test taking strategies and passages DAILY.  But, to be quite honest, I have finished doing that as of last Wednesday.  My quarters have practiced so much, that I feel they have given up.  So...I decided on a different approach.  I will review strategies the day before the test, but as of this week, I am reviewing the TEKS, or skills, in a completely new way.  We have started reading The Hunger Games.

Yes, you read that right.  I am reading The Hunger Games to my quarters.  Now, I am the one reading it.  Quarters do not have their own copies.  As the reader, I can edit parts that I don't feel are important to the message in the text or are too graphic. Before you question my abilities, hear me out.  (I had this conversation with a parent, and she said she "trusted" me with her child and has confidence in me.)

Right now, this movie is the be-all, end-all for my students.  Many of them have seen it. (I don't necessarily agree with that, but...) And all they talk about are the "killing parts".  I am a firm believer in movies as a support to texts, not in place of them.  Sometimes the message is lost in search of clever movie ideas.  In reading the text, I can discuss, and focus, on the parts of the story that are relevant and important.  For example, the oppression of the poor. I teach in a Title 1 school, so many quarters can relate to the "poor" message.  They didn't "get" that from the movie.  My hope is to have them think of the text and change their conversations. They are so desensitized to violence that they miss the point. This is my chance to talk about the story, not the gore. I am also able to introduce new, unique vocabulary, etc. We will spend the rest of the school year on it.  All parents signed the permission slip and many bought their children copies of the book.  As I told one parent, as an educator, I don't feel that it is my right to censor literature (as in not allowing them to read things they are interested in.)  However, it is the parent's right to do so.  And if that means the child cannot participate in the story, I have alternative materials for them.  They are not ostracized or put out.

Anyway, as we read, we work on all of our skills...context clues, plot, main idea, details, fact/opinion, summary, etc...the possibilities are endless.  Each night, their homework is to write about what we've read (a chapter), but I will ask them a STAAR question stem that they have to answer. (We do this in class, as well.)  This idea has really sent me on a more open learning path with them.  And it holds their interest!!

In writing, quarters are putting their research into "magazine" form.  I love this!!!  They have a written text, but the magazines put the research into perspective and they are able to see the non-fiction/informational side first hand.  This is coinciding with our poetry unit writing, so we have many things going on at once.  (Testing, practicing, and practicing has put us a little behind!!)

Here is a beginning example of their magazines:

As you can see, they use their flipbook to compile information.  They also have their internet printouts, with pictures, available.

They create a table of contents, etc.  (Ignore the spelling error!!!)  As we go along, I will post more pics and final examples.  But this is the path we are taking and the quarters are thrilled!!!!

Since I'm trying something new with my quarters, I think this quote will do:

"Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic." --Unknown

I LOVE IT!!!!!

Always,

Cautiously optimistic...

Boy...it seems that my blogs come up later and later!  Sometimes, I think my kiddos have rubbed off on me! Let me equate my evening with that of most of my students...I log on to my computer (X-box), pull up Pinterest (Call of Duty), visit some blogs (X-box Live), and forget about time, space, food, conversation, etc.  I stay up until all hours, only to sleep later than normal.  Then, I wake up before I'm ready and have to do things I don't want to do!  If I, as an adult, feel the strain of that kind of life, imagine what a 9 or 10 year old feels like! YIKES!

Today was our weekly assessment day.  I can only say that I am totally ::squee:: happy with my student reading/writing grades this  week!  Their grades were sooooooo much better!  Almost all of them passed both tests!  And, to top it off, the reading test looked really hard for them.  The question they missed the most related to summarizing, and we re-cover that next week, so I'm keeping the ol' fingers crossed.  A little prayer and a little conversation don't hurt, either!  Honestly, I was scared to type the success up on this blog for fear of the happiness reaper!!  But I just had to share our two steps forward...

I actually think a couple of things helped them out.  First, I had a chance to conference with a few of them and reassure them.  Then, I had a frank discussion about what the test meant for them.  I told them that it is to prove that I am teaching them things that they need to know. I have so many that truly just give up if it takes too much work to answer a question.  I also told them that it's about confidence and believing that they deserve to pass because of how hard they have worked.  I also acted like a fool this week (characters) so maybe they became somewhat relaxed...who knows.  Next week's assessment will set the bar, for me.  But it was definitely encouraging.

I'm working on a characterization poster for Monday.  Our week not only includes summarizing, but plot and character traits as well.  There are so many good ideas on Pinterest, but I haven't found anything that has met my needs.  When I finish the poster, I will put it on my blog.

So, ending the week on a positive note is a good thing, all things considered.  I don't know that positive notes ended every one's week...but life goes on and we will, too.  It makes me think of a quote I found on another blog...

"H.O.P.E. is the little voice you hear whisper "maybe" when it seems the entire world is shouting "No!"--Kathy Jeffords

I found out that the acronym HOPE stands for Help One Person Everyday.  No one has ever said my kids can't do it, but a few have made implications with their comments.  With that in mind, I wonder...if I don't have HOPE for my own, will you?? 

It should be all about our future...the students...

::steps down from soap box::

Always,
Tammy

On a personal note:
My son came in from College Station today, so I'm excited just to see his face and have a conversation about non-school related things.  Really, he just comes here to sleep.  He has way too many friends to check up on in this town!  So his visit has "distracted" me, as well!