[MOSAIC] Comprehension Toolkit

[bonitadee61 at comcast.net]

Wow, my experience with the Toolkit started this year.  It has been a struggle to do these lessons well, but I cannot say that I have had the negative experience that some people here have shared.  Perhaps the grade level was not high enough to do the "Stealing Beauty" lesson? I also noted the teacher that shared said he/she did just that lesson and it flooped.  The toolkit really builds from lesson to lesson so that, too, could have been the problem.

What I like about the toolkit.  It provides excellent reading materials with just enough challenge for children to really be able to use strategies rather than to "fake" the use of strategies on reading that is too easy.  The "Stealing BEauty" lesson shows reading that is adult level so my highest readers benefited most from that lesson--seeing the strategies used in a truly complex text. The toolkit lessons map out how to assess student responses and I have never seen such a complete presentation of this aspect of strategy instruction.  It shows me what I should expect to get on post its and what I should do/think about doing if the expectation is not reached.

Now, the bad side.  The lessons are taking me a long time.  I am not able to "fly through them at the beginning of the year" as I hoped to use the toolkit as an opening overview.

I am not giving up on it though.  Ellin's posting about using the right text so children understand the value of strategies is proven as I do these toolkit lessons.

:)

--
Sincerely, 
Bonita DeAmicis 
California, Grade 5

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: CNJPALMER at aol.com 

> 
> That Stealing Beauty was the only lesson from the toolkit I did last year 
> that was a total flop... 
> The kids didn't get it.. 
> I am glad I am not the only one who couldn't get it to work. 
> Jennifer 
> Maryland 
> In a message dated 9/15/2006 10:51:54 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
> lszyska at yahoo.com writes: 
> 
> I think I finally 
> realized that there is nothing magical about the ones 
> in the kit after I tried using that "Stealing Beauty" 
> article the first time out...what a flop. 
> 
> Lisa 
> 2/3 loop, IL 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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