[MOSAIC] End of Year Reflection

[Wendy Jensen]

I had another great year in second grade using great models like Mosaic, Reading With Meaning, Growing Readers, Strategies that Work, and Reading Essentials.  I'm a real teacher nerd and love to read these books over and over.  I use them a lot in my mini-lessons.  This year's group didn't seem as clear in understanding the strategies as quickly as the previous year's class.  We just took things slower.  The kids (and I) love the independent reading part.  I think they get so much more out of individual conferences and when I tell them they need to find a stopping place, they moan and groan because they are "right in the middle of a good part".  I'll take that kind of complaint any day!! Now I need some advice.  Our school has just adopted the Houghton Mifflin reading series for next year and I spent all afternoon listening to how to use the program.  I hope I don't sound like a reading snob, but it was very hard for me to sit there.  Some of the components to the program are fine, but I just think the approach I have been using is sooooo much better!  I'm not a fan of workbooks and of course we have two.  I know we are expected to use the series (especially this first year), but I'm not sure to what extent.  I used the old basal series for partner reading most of the time so I could say I used it.  And it did have some good literature in it.   I don't want to go against the grain, but I also cannot go back to teaching that way.  I'm trying to find a happy medium between the two in a 90 minute block.  Any suggestions would be so welcome.  I'm feeling very frustrated at this point.  I came straight home to get your wonderful advice.  I'll probably be more calm about it tonight, but as soon as I see the manuals tomorrow my blood pressure will go right back up!  Help!

Wendy
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ginger/rob<mailto:read.think at sbcglobal.net> 
  To: 1 mosaic list<mailto:mosaic at literacyworkshop.org> 
  Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 10:34 AM
  Subject: [MOSAIC] End of Year Reflection


  As many of us are winding down to the finish line, I think it is important 
  to reflect on how our comprehension teaching went this year.  Perhaps there 
  is something you feel you tackled this year that you would like to share 
  with us.  What was challenging?  What was affirming?  How did your kids 
  grow?  Consider a look back over the year and just write in with whatever 
  comes to your mind.  I find I do my best reflecting when I just start typing 
  as I am thinking back.

  I'll go first.
  This year I taught second grade.  A first for me. What I learned most is 
  that I sure had a lot to learn!! It has been a very humbling experience. 
  But one that I know has helped to make me more "well rounded" as far as my 
  understanding of younger children and literacy instruction.

  For me it was hard to find that balance of word work, decoding, and 
  comprehension instruction.  Yet I found that my students were so eager to 
  learn about the metacognitive process that readers use to make meaning.  We 
  did a lot of role playing of what a reader does. So they could "see/hear" 
  it.  I believe they know how to self monitor their inner thinking voice 
  better now than when the year started.  Now do they all do it?? Ha!  That is 
  the hard part for me.  I wish so much for them to be ACTIVE in their reading 
  yet so many of them slip back to the passive word caller role.  Even when 
  their ability to work out the words has so improved.  I know it will come in 
  time.

  I did an interactive think aloud with the book, Be Good To Eddie Lee, this 
  past week.  I had them write their thinking during the key stopping points. 
  Then those who wanted to share their written work, shared back whole group. 
  It was so interesting to see/hear the different levels of depth in their 
  responses.  It was almost like taking a snapshot of each child for me.  I 
  could see the children writing.  They all wrote furiously at each stopping 
  point. Yet when they read their "thinking", I was surprised at how many are 
  still thinking at the surface level.  But it matches my experience of them 
  this whole year.  (I know I am used to fourth graders and the depth they 
  take the talk so I believe the promise in them all.)  I do have a large 
  group of kids who do go deep and hearing their "thinking" and the touching 
  emotional tones was very refreshing and encouraging.

  I guess for me teaching in a primary grade (not my strength by the way!) the 
  challenge was finding that balance.  The teaching all so relates and builds. 
  We did finish the research strand on Physical Science with flying colors. 
  Their "All About" books (from Calkins Units of Study) turned out very well- 
  impressive actually for 2nd graders.  We shared with two upper grade classes 
  and just watching my kids do that was confirming.  We studied biographies in 
  a very open way.  Simply reading biographies, noticing our new learnings and 
  completing various reporting sheets.  I guess this has been a year of 
  building schema if nothing else.  Exposing them to different kinds of 
  reading to learn about what is to come in their own learning years.  I guess 
  I did a good job of that.

  I am going to teach third grade next year.  I won't have my whole class 
  again.  (Ever had a group that needs to be moved around?  They need it and 
  so do I!)  I am looking forward to continuing my comprehension work with 
  those I'll have again and bringing on board the kids new to me.

  I am committing to read a lot this summer.  I'll be announcing the Mosaic of 
  Thought 2 online book chat soon.  So get your books ordered so you can 
  participate!!  I want to read Strategies That Work 2 and also it's been 
  recommended I read Teaching for Deep Comprehension by Dorn and Soffos.  I'd 
  love to hear what you will be reading this summer.

  Please write in.  Reflecting is good for our souls.
  Ginger
  moderator
  grade 2 



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