[MOSAIC] just right books?

[CNJPALMER at aol.com]

Suzanne
I think with this we have another balancing act to perform. If the kids are  
doing more writing (for accountability purposes than they are reading, then 
that  is a problem. Sometimes writing with a pencil in hand can enhance 
comprehension  and so kid-directed responses to reading can be helpful. Sometimes a 
brief entry  of titles on a log can be a good conferencing tool...you can help 
guide kids to  try different genres or to help them self-reflect on whether or 
not they are  making good choices in their book selections.
 
We use the QRI-4 independent reading inventory, the SRI (Scholastic Reading  
Inventory) and our state testing (MSA- Maryland State Assessment), along with  
some district developed benchmarks.  I encourage my teachers to be  
knowledgeable about what test results mean...there are strengths and weaknesses  in any 
test and one needs to know what they are in order to best interpret  their 
scores.
 
Maryland hit 78 degrees Farenheit today but we will be getting in some  rain 
over the weekend. Spring has really sprung...azaleas, cherry trees and my  
tulips are all in full bloom and the leaves are starting to come on the  trees. 
It is pretty here, but if you have allergies, God help you. My car  was 
absolutely yellow with pollen when I went to work this morning.
Jennifer
 In a message dated 4/25/2008 9:00:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
sherbert at JISEDU.OR.ID writes:

Now, my  next question is, 'how important is it for kids to continually log 
in a book  or on some sort of document' what they are reading independently?  
And,  'tests' do you all give that determines levels, reading comprehension,  
etc.....?  WE are only now Allowd to give the DRA, I used to like the  TORCH, 
(dont' know if any of you have used it) and of course just a few  running 
records to keep track of my kids, but trusted totally my 28 years of  teaching 
'gut' to know how they were really doing.  I know, I'm not  allowed to do that 
anymore.....but what is happening in your schools with  testing.  Our kids do the 
ISA (Iternational schools assessment) tests as  their standardised test but 
it is not subject to a great deal of scrutiny as  yet, I believe however it 
will be in the future.  Have a lovely weekend  everyone, it's just on eight am 
here, 35 degrees C and Saturday is just  looking GREAT.  Suzanne







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