Instructional Partners: Aides

We recently welcomed five classroom aides to our school to observe some of our instructional assistants in kindergarten and first grade. They left impressed by several things that "just seem so normal for us" and make us the instructionally-focused (yet emotionally nurturing) school we are and strive to be. Here are just of few of the "stand outs" voiced during their brief visit:

·       Instructional assistants are always open to working with their teacher partner. For example, they saw evidence of aides joining in on mini-lessons as a reader, writer, speaker, and listener: taking turns reading from a text, sharing personal writing, listening to pair- shares, and calling on students— just as another teacher in the classroom.

·        When these co-teachers are not participating in mini-lessons they are conferring with kids. The level of questions asked, (open ended, thinking strategy or decoding strategy-based are always encouraging. These dedicated educators always empowered students to seek their own answers by using the word wall, considering their own ideas first, and finally asking permission to share an idea or strategy. Aides always anchored the conferring opportunity in making meaning of the reading or expressing meaning in writing.

·        Another noticing that they commented on was two-way communication between the classroom teacher and instructional assistant. For example, the note-taking strategy of using labels to keep both adults abreast struggles, goals set, or work that had been accomplished with the students conferred with allowed both parties to be “at the ready” for moving and growing the child. Two-way communication between the aide and classroom teacher also stood out as PD learning is always shared, questions are always welcomed and encouraged, and time is devoted to planning so work with students during the day stays efficient. Because all clerical duties are taken care of in the first 20 minutes, the remainder of the day is spent supporting students in whole, small group, or individual situations.

These are just a handful of the great things we do here at BES with our collaborative approach to student learning. It's through working together that we really rise to be the B.E.S.T.!

Many more MENTORS and MODELS!

Mentors matter. We know this. We feel this. We live this. We actively practice and teach our children to write like the “greats” we’ve studied. Whether we have our collection of fifteen favorites we always return to, or introduce a few with each unit of study, we without-a-doubt rely on those who came before us.

2nd grade example

1st grade (page 1)

                As we have shifted and rethought our focus of modes and genres over the last few years of using the KCAS (Kentucky Core Academic Standards) and weeded out our mentor texts, we have at times, struggled to find those few esteemed models for our kids to use (read, enjoy, notice, name, and emulate) in order to create their own fabulous writing. The job makes us weary at times, but we never stop seeking those that do the work of “teaching our writers.” We know the power of the mentor text. Whether it’s the text we refer back to over and over again, or the model we use for offering kids practice with revision with “the greats in mind”, we know their value.

                But, it’s not always about the mentor for the kids, is it? Sometimes we are the ones who need calibrating. We seek a better understanding and ask, “So what does (insert the grade you teach) writing look like?” What ought my kids be able to do?” While the CCSS offer us Appendix C of student writing samples, they do not include every mode, and they don’t show a comprehensive picture of what an independent writer in X grade should be able to do?” They offer us a glimpse, but we crave more. Of course, we know we want to move EVERY SINGLE writer along the writing continuum, and stopping to ensure we are our setting our expectations high enough is part of the calibration.

                Fortunately, the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project offers us both mentor texts for student use, and “the kind of writing” a  ___ grader ought to be able to do. These are mentors and models for all us- teachers and students. With these, we can click on a mode and analyze the development of the student’s text. We can look for the greens (topic sentences), yellows (slowing down the reader to develop an idea) and then reds that (stop a reader to really explain). With these examples: we can see variety, analyze purpose and audience, consider organization, notice transitions, seek sentence fluency and structure, savor word choice, enjoy a students’ voice, and critique mechanics. We have something concrete to go by beyond our own intuition.  

If you are interested in looking and using these as mentors and models, I invite you to click on the link below:

http://readingandwritingproject.com/resources/student-work/student-writing

Lucy Calkins and her crew have worked hard for the last few years to offer you these online texts to use with your writers. You see, like us, they know that it’s through mentor texts that our kids learn the practice of writing well. Our background knowledge of writing, high expectations, and careful analysis of our student writers support us in designing that intentional instruction to teach our authors. We model writing and thinking about writing, co-design rubrics, and teach them how to use mentors and models so that ultimately, THEY can independently use “the greats” who will always be around, long after we are gone.

Please share how your students use mentors to support them as writers.

Book Sets to use for "Unlocking" Levels

Book Sets to Share

 

    Through our recent PD experiences we have been talking about all things Guided or Strategic Reading. We have spent time considering the purpose, structure, best practices related to guiding readers to be strategic in their problem-solving so they can ultimately understand what they read.

 

   In the K-2 group, Angelica's led teams through creating lesson opportunities for a set of books ranging from 6-24. *Check out the awesome doc they created! In the 3-5 group, I've worked to facilitate learning about the possibilities for using instructional texts with readers to raise the level of ANY reader-struggling, on level, above level. By examining and analyzing texts through the lens of "unlocking" a hurdle a reader would encounter at that level, we have begun the process of building strategic readers.

  

  When doing this process, we have to always ask ourselves, "What does the reader bring to this level?" and "What hurdles can I support them with as they read this instructional text?" We can think of it as holding their hands (guiding them) through something within that text (with a variety of texts) at that level so they can more quickly become independent enough to read that level.

  

   If you are looking for more texts to use with students, please consider using some of those in our building. Kevin has this set, there are also sets in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade closets. We have the DRA levels and you can ask for parent or student support (after school) in labeling them for easy access.

   

   Some books have been used and lesson plans with "What could I do with this book?" grid has been created by those using them. Check it out on the S drive in the Guided Reading folder.

   

   As always, you have the support of your colleagues, Angelica, team members, and me. We are here for you to guide or just grow with you.

 

Layering ELA Understandings Through the Lens of U.S. History

Examining Beliefs on Building Schema:

Layering ELA Understandings Through the Lens of U.S. History

Throughout Our Students’ Elementary Experience

* Dedicated to all those who crave a richer social studies experience for our kids, or maybe just some support along the way.

Do you catch everything the first time you hear or learn about it? The second time? What happens as you look and study the different facets of a topic?  We layer students’ learning of the thinking strategies, year after year, right? So, it’s only fitting that we honor that same process with deepening understanding of America’s complex history.

I’ll back up a little:  Just checking…how often do you hear or utter the words, “Our social studies curriculum is so dry. It lacks depth and there’s nothing for our kids to really sink their teeth into and get vested.” These honest and accurate sentiments are typically shared by K-4 teachers. Or maybe it’s, “ We have to teach all of American history in 5^th grade! From beginning to end- all of it. It’s just too much.” Of course, these teachers are right, too. Well, they used to be right. Now, our ELA curriculum threads powerful and engaging U.S. history through at least one of the units during the year.   Don’t get me wrong, the literacy learning takes the forefront and is the true focus, but who can resist the opportunity to build background knowledge so that the powerful history of our country makes more sense as students continue to reengage and build depth with it year after year? I can’t.  Nor can I argue with the logic and the excitement it create in learners. Ask any of our 5^th grade teachers about students’ willingness to participate or eagerness to learn more about American’s history: slavery, war, and ground-setting humans of our past. Children typically enjoy the emotional and factual connections our history has to our present, so why not layer their learning through literacy? The timing to consider this could not be better as we begin to plan our Unit 5 in an extended ELA planning session. It’s American History Background Building Time!

Curious about the intentional literacy and historic connections offered in Units 5 or 6?  These units support our learners with such skills and understandings as: questioning information fosters opinion making and depends understanding, cause and effect, revising for readers, comparing literary and informational texts, using digital tools, building and effectively using content-specific vocabulary, making sense of text structures.

Scaffolding students to build background knowledge for 5th grade American History through texts/concepts in a theme
Grade	Unit Title	Historic Connection and possible texts for literary focus
K	America’s symbols and celebrations	focus on symbols and celebrations
1st	American Contributions (unit 6)	important Americans (presidents, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, Jackie Robinson, Pocahontas, Ben Franklin
2nd	A Long Journey to Freedom	long and multifaceted effort to break down barriers to racial equality in the United States (Harriet Tubman, Lincoln, Rosa Parks, MLK Jr., civil rights movement)
3rd	The People, the Preamble, and the Presidents	people, the Preamble (to the Constitution), and presidents of the United States. Immigration, America’s Start
4th	Revolutionaries from the Past	American Revolution, Abigail Adams, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Molly Pitcher, Revolutionary War, Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere. Trail of Tears
5th	America in Conflict	American Civil War, Underground Railroad, Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln,  Bull Run, all things CW

"United We Stand, Divided We Fall," right? Here's to powerful and layered learning experiences for our Bears.

From the Dump to the Destination-Making our Way to Step Up with StopLIghts

Do you find that when you sit down to confer, or collect and analyze your student's writing that it looks a little like this?

The Dump

You know it, and I know it, the child simply took all their schema for the topic of "golf" and threw it down on paper. We've seen plenty of writing like this, but we know there is hope, a path, a way.  So let's see what we know is achievable. Let's check out the kind of writing we can support our students in achieving and transferring in EVERYDAY life: on paper, in oral communication, in digital format, in any content area!

You may wonder, what does this FOCUSED, ORGANIZED, and DEVELOPED writing look like in print? What does it look like when a child really writes this way?

The Organized Paragraph

Sure, I love it, but...how do they get there? Could they start with a web? Could they use a different graphic organizer? Might they just write that way from their heads? Yes, Yes, and Yes! (Mrs. Ruhl has even developed a way for students to take notes from research in a way that easily transfers to a well-organized (focused and developed) paragraph.)

The Outline

The Other Outline

The Web

The Draft

Does it work with all modes? Well, of course! All writers must develop and organize their writing in all modes. Whether they are linking facts and examples, or adding dialogue, snapshots, or thoughtshots, all writers begin, support, further support, close and transition their readers along the way. (Just ask Mrs. Puckett who has students "StopLighting" in narratives!)

See! It can be done!

Is it a set number of sentences for each grade level, mode, or from? No, no, and no. It's not a cookie cutter concept. It's closer in nature to an accordion-- expanding and contracting as the writer decides when a reader's needs are met.

Does this StopLight (Step-Up to Writing) paragraphing make you wonder? Does this idea cause you to be curious? Make you want to learn more and try it out with your kids? It has certainly done this for many of our BES teachers and I'm sure they'd be happy to share some of their knowledge, ideas, and experiences with you if you'd like to know more. (And they are not just asking their students to use this organizational trait in writer's workshop only. Just ask Mr. Parrot about this and see what his kids are doing with StopLighting in math, reading responses, and oral communication!)

Of course, you can always grab me and I'll be more than happy to be a thinking partner!
Here's to supporting our kids as deep thinkers and developed and ORGANIZED WRITERS!


Special thanks to lMarisol Hood, ELD 1,2 Teacher, Del Mar High School lAnissa Sharief, ELD Teacher, Del Mar High School

lSteve Sinclair, SCCOE, ELA Coordinator for sharing your PPT.
Looking for further resources?
 http://www.asdk12.org/Middlelink/LA/writing/StepUp/
http://www.slideshare.net/sonyaterborg/step-up-to-writing-for-kids
Of course, you can also click the Soplight to the right or Google: Step Up to Writing

Top 10 Ways to Prepare My Students

VISITING AUTHOR NEWS

TOP 10 Ways I Can Prepare My K-3 Students for

Marie Bradby’s Visit to Buckner

November 14, 2013

10) Play around with her website http://www.mariebradby.com/, to learn a little bit about her and her books.

You can also visit http://thebrownbookshelf.com/2011/02/11/day-11-marie-bradby/ to learn about how she got started in her writing career!

9) Write about the visit (LET PARENTS IN ON IT!) in your newsletter/class website, or create a link to my website www.theliteracyconnection.weebly.com .

8) Listen to the newscast each morning for information about our exciting visit from Marie Bradby.

7) Look on her website http://www.mariebradby.com/ and read HOW I WRITE and BIOGRAPHY to build the students’ schema.

6) Look on her website http://www.mariebradby.com/ at the BOOKS on the right side to learn about her books. Go to www.amazon.com and type Marie Bradby to read some of the reviews of her books. THEN CHECK OUT the tub of Visiting Author books and read them to your class.

5) Encourage your kids to read the snippets of text on the walls while in line, walking down the hall, etc.

4) Try the “Writing Exercise” activity to spark your students’ creative juices. Pretty interesting idea. See the website for details!

&/OR

After reading More Than Anything Else, have students write a “More Than Anything Else” story of their own.

&/OR

After reading Once Upon a Farm have students craft poetry with a

 “Once Upon a _______ “ story of their own.

3) Foster a connection to family and self by listening to George Ella Lyon’s Where I’m From poem (text available, too) http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html

and then reading Marie Bradby’s picture book Momma, Where Are You From?  to spark student generated ideas about where they or a family member is from. Discuss their thoughts in a share square. Research about a family member to preserve history, and/or have students write their own _________, Where Are You From? 

2) Use her books and poetry in your literacy workshops as the shared reading and discussion topics! And/or use them as your fluency work for the week!

AND THE # 1 WAY TO BE PREPARED and EXCITE KIDS…

- Use her texts as models or mentors: read them to understand as a reader, study her writing as you “read like a writer” analyzing the purpose, ideas, organization, words, use of voice, conventions, and variety of crafts.

PLEASE consider inviting Jennifer and Sarah in as guest readers or to model/co-teach a lesson! We love this author and would LOVE to share her work with the students.

Award-Winning Guest Author Comes to Buckner!

Students K-3

Meeting a Mentor— Marie Bradby

A mentor- a wise and trusted guide or teacher; someone you admire and try to learn from so as to better yourself

As you know, Buckner Elementary is dedicated to enriching the lives of our students through exciting and meaningful educational experiences. Students no longer watch their teachers stand and deliver information; rather, they are an integral part of their own learning.

Through intentional, focused, and guided instruction our children are becoming more adept at using the 7 thinking strategies to discuss and comprehend texts they read. They have also learned (or are learning) to analyze and read mentor texts like a writer—looking for the strategies and techniques the authors used to craft their writing. Students are given multiple opportunities to use this knowledge to write their own texts whether they take the from of a narrative, poem, article, letter, All About Book, etc. It’s amazing. It’s beautiful. It’s real. It’s because of mentors.

Each day Buckner students read works from published mentor authors so as to learn from them. (Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be- We learn from those who do it well?) How amazing would it be then, to SEE and HEAR and TALK TO a well-renowned author of books we have loved and studied? How powerful would it be to listen to and learn from that mentor? This year, Buckner is proud to announce that we will welcome Kentucky native, Marie Bradby to our school on November 14^th to share her experiences— which have led to her books and poems; her thoughtful and intentional writing process; and her perseverance in working with her writing until it’s published.

Ms. Bradby says, “I have tried to write stories about the most important questions that I wanted my son to think about. What is a real friend? What if you didn’t get a chance to learn to read? Where are you really from? .” And throughout the rest of the year— BES students will write about questions and topics important to them and others. The best part is that your child will have the voice and lessons of our mentor in his/her head and realize the power of his/her own stories and ideas.

You, too, are invited and encouraged to learn from one of the best. By listening to your child talk about Ms. Bradby’s visit you will learn about he significant connection between reading, writing, and the value of sharing your family stories with your child(ren) and writing about passions and the questions you ponder.

Though the seeds have been planted, in order to better prepare for this exciting visit, over the course of the next few weeks your child will continue to experience the pleasure of listening to his/her teacher read Marie Bradby’s books and poems. Much thinking will be done and many conversations will stem from these beautifully written and thought-provoking books. Students will log onto her website and learn more about her life and love of writing, as well as experiment with some of her writing strategies as they craft their own writing.

So, mark your calendars for the experience and honor of meeting the fabulous mentor- Marie Brady. She’s guaranteed to touch your child’s life and motivate the reader and writer within.

               Literacy Coach,

               Sarah Whitt

For more literacy information log onto the Buckner website and click The Literacy Connection.

Mareie Bradby’s website:

www.mariebradby.com
http://www.soentpiet.com/mama.htm

Look for the flyers to fill out so you can purchase an autographed copy of your child’s favorite Marie Bradby book.