[MOSAIC] Centers/Literacy Stations--long!

[Beverlee Paul]

Daily 5 is a wonderful model of child-led "centers."  Teacher is provider of time and opportunity.

> Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 10:47:54 -0400> From: tchkgn24 at gmail.com> To: mosaic at literacyworkshop.org> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Centers/Literacy Stations--long!> > I've always felt the two terms were interchangable (sp?). Having said that,> my suggestion is to run, don't walk, to the nearest Barnes & Noble and> purchase The Daily 5. I used it to set up my Reading Workshop this year. I> did literacy centers in K & 1 before. Now I'm in 2nd.> > I continued to be amazed throughout the school year. Our last "official"> reading workshop day was last Wednesday (lots of special activities these> last few days), and they kids were just as engaged that day as they were> months ago. It is a lot of explicit teaching, modeling and practicing up> front, but when it's been taught well, and practiced, it is a thing of> beauty.> > The only organization and set-up I did was:> Read to Self & Read to Someone--Classroom library set-up--kids helped with> this. I actually found a couple of articles about it on Choice Literacy and> www.responsiveclassroom.org; set up book boxes (used magazine boxes)> Listen to Reading--downloaded a bunch of videos from United STreaming and> copied them onto CD for the kids to insert into the CPU; Gathered up all my> books & CDs> Word Work--I already knew what I was going to do with word study (Words> Their Way), and found materials for them to work with (WikkiStix, white> boards, magnetic letters, etc)> > Since the original set-up for the above, these are the only things I've done> (this is since October for Read to Self & Someone & Word Work, and since> January for Listen to REading:> Added books to the classroom library as I found/bought/borrowed them> Downloaded some more videos onto CD, and found out a way to burn just the> audio portion so they can be used for book/CD sets> Replenished paper for certain Word Work activities (next year, I will have> this stuff more accessible and train the kids to do this)> Added some specific word work activities (contractions, compound words,> alphabetizing, etc)> > THAT'S IT! No coming in on Sunday afternoon for 2 hours to set up another> week or two worth of center activities. No checking papers. Because I can> look around and see everyone working, I know they are doing it. The only> papers I had them turn in were the contractions, etc, for assessment> purposes.> > I know this is long, but I'm preaching this to everyone I know!! The kids> have done so well. At the beginning of the year 9 of my 16 kids were on or> above grade level. Now there are 12 on or above! I'm thrilled.> > There is a Yahoo Daily 5 listserv....> > I used a lot of resources from the Daily 5 website (www.the2sisters.com) and> Jessica Meacham's website (www.jmeacham.com). I'm glad to answer any> questions--on- or offline.> > Melissa/VA/2nd> > On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 9:30 AM, j browne <jeanb50 at comcast.net> wrote:> > > Would someone please explain to me the difference between Centers and> > Literacy Stations.> >> > Perhaps it's me, but I never had success with centers. I always felt they> > were too> > much work and I guess I wasn't organized enough to keep up with them.> > When our district embraced the Four Blocks framework, I was thrilled. I> > really felt> > I had a handle on what the kids were doing at all times and knew that they> > were fully engaged in> > each Block. We have since moved to a more Reading and Writing workshop> > approach and> > that seems to suit our students as well.> > Now the buzz is that we are going back to groups and Literacy> > Workstations.> > I am a little> > bit concerned. My philosophy has been that teachers teach children and not> > centers.> > I know I can count on this list serve to help me see the light.> > Thanks for any input on this subject.> > Jean/NJ> > jeanb50 at comcast.net> >> >> >> > _______________________________________________> > Mosaic mailing list> > Mosaic at literacyworkshop.org> > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to> > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.> >> > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.> >> >> _______________________________________________> Mosaic mailing list> Mosaic at literacyworkshop.org> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.> > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > 
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