Student blogs this year were created and hosted at WordPress. In the past, we used Blogger, but due to the recent changes, (like requiring an access code sent to a cell phone) The Reading Workshop student blogs went to a more user-friendly site. Even though Google owns Blogger, and provides a great service at Google Apps, hosting a blog is not part of the service.
One of the tools provided by WordPress is a spelling and grammar checker. Use of this tool will "clean up" student writing, while helping to teach basic writing skills. Just go to My Account -->Edit Profile-->Proofreading and check the boxes.
Check out the sidebar for a link to all of the student blogs.
Students are creating blogs to post their writing about their thoughts, ideas, opinions, and responses. Using this Web 2.0 tool in the classroom allows students to share their work, comment on each others work, have a real audience, and lets parents view their child's work in Reading Workshop.
For more information about what a blog is, and how it works, check out this video by Lee LeFever of Common Craft.
How does the book you are reading fit in with this list?
1) You enjoy reading the book. You are glad you picked it up. You don't want to quit reading when SSR is over. You want to take the book home and read some more. 2) You have pictures in your head while you are reading. 3) You can hear the characters' voices while you are reading. 4) You can read most of the words on each page. 5) You know what the book is about. 6) It might be a book a friend recommended. 7) It might be a subject you want to learn more about. 8) The book is by your favorite author. 9) The book is part of a series and you can't wait to read the next one. 10) You want to talk to friends about the book and/or do a book share.
Thank you to Carol's Corner, where the idea for this list originated.
1. Choose a book you like, and that you feel is special enough to share.
2. Read the book!
3. Once you finish, ask yourself what made the book meaningful to you
4. Don't give away the ending or any other secrets.
5. Do Not do a retelling.
6. Make it interesting from the start by beginning with a question, sharing a problem, discussing the setting, or a character, or telling a little bit of the plot.
7. Don't ruin the book by telling too much. Grab the readers interest, but leave them wanting more.
8. If you read aloud, it should be short.
9. Prepare and practice, know what you are going to say.
10. Concentrate on the book and your message. Don't worry about the audience.
Each week students have an assignment to read at home. Students choose a book that they want to read from home, the library, or the book room. The only requirement is that they log the date, title, time read, and pages. Students are responsible for filling out this chart each week as they read, logging both at school and at home. Only minutes read outside of class count towards their grade. Occasionally, students will have longer than a week when the school schedule is affected by holidays.
Students can choose to earn the grade they want. The more they read, the higher the score. This is the grade scale:
A = 180 + Minutes B = 120 - 179 Minutes C = 60 - 119 Minutes F = 0-59 Minutes
Although students have no direct assignments associated with Read at Home and the Reading Log, many of the activities and projects in class are based on the book they are reading. The recent project of a Dear Mr. McGuire letter is an example. When students write about their book, it is easy to monitor comprehension and see if students are "getting it." The fact that students can pick their book to read helps because they can find a book that interests them.
The emphasis on reading is largely based on the research from Richard Allington. Allington cites four "background factors" associated with why students have difficulty with reading. According to the author:
1. the amount of reading that students do in and out of school was related to reading achievement; 2. children who spend more time on workbook activities versus reading text are more likely to have difficulty reading; 3. children who come from homes where reading is not modeled have difficulty reading; and, 4. students who have difficulty providing details and arguments to support interpretations of what they read have difficulty with reading.
According to the author, time on task is the best predictor for reading success in students. Put simply, more reading is equal to greater academic achievement.
The best part of this system for monitoring reading, and increasing reading time is how students can control their grades. If they are willing to work hard, their grades will show it.
Having said this though, I was struck by the accomplishment last night of Derek Jeter, when he tied Lou Gehrig's Yankee hit record. What makes it most remarkable is the class he showed and has demonstrated every game of his career.
The most amazing part of breaking the record was the response from fans and his opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays. A standing ovation went on and on, paying tribute to his success.
I started thinking about school and students.
Soooo, riddle me this students, do you root for your peers? Do you pay tribute to the success of others? Do you consider how you can help your classmates achieve success? Even if someone isn't on your "team" can you celebrate when they do well?
Students were given excerpts from the President's speech and asked to respond. Many of the comments were insightful, and showed a real understanding of what it takes to be successful.
Excepts taken from Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Back to School Event
Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009
And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.
Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.
That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. (1)Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, (2) paying attention in class, or (3) spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or (4) volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll (5) decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn.
Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it. But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.
So today, I want to ask you, (7) what’s your contribution going to be? (8) What problems are you going to solve? (9) What discoveries will you make? (10) What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?
Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too.
So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.
Cierra:
Barack Obama talks about how he wants children to do their best in everything that we do, and I am inspired to do my best finishing assignments and turning everything in.
Hannah H.:
Kids should stand up for other people that are being teased or bullied.
Jacob P.:
I believe that if you work your hardest you can be successful, and to work your hardest you must set goals for yourself. My goal is to give 110% this school year.
Jacob A.:
I think that paying attention in class is important because if you don't pay attention, you will not learn anything, and you will not become successful.
Kasi:
If you work hard, do your best, set goals, and always have a positive attitude you will be successful in life. . . If you get a good education in school, you will be successful when you are an adult.
Shaylee:
When I read this I thought, "we can make a difference, and we can make the World a better place."
Kaylee:
I agree when he said, "spend time each day reading a book." I think this can help you learn more words and help you like to read.
Zach:
I think that if you start something, you should work as hard as you can until you finish.
Justin G:
I think that people should listen to the good things that Barack Obama has to say, even if they don't like him. I agree with him when he says that when the going tets tough, you will have to keep on going. I think you should try your hardest, no matter what.
Garrett:
You have to commit to what it is you are doing. If you don't, you will not succeed. That one word, "commit" means a lot and makes a big difference.
Hannah C.:
The part that really sticks out to me the most is where he said, "Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is."
Hadley:
I have a goal: Make every day better than the last!
Madison:
If you set a goal, and try to reach that goal, you are pushing yourself to do better. If you set and reach goals, people around you will recognize your progress and be proud of you.
The sun is breaking over the horizon, anticipation builds, at the dawning of a new day. School is starting. New faces walk into the building in new shoes that have been waiting in boxes for the first day of school. Bookbags hang from shoulders as students climb the stairs.
Feeling a little nervous? Don't worry. Don't fret. We will have a good year. Your tennis shoes will leave worn out and dirty, but your mind and your heart will be stronger for having spent the year growing and learning.
Recently students in Reading Workshop wrote about the "good stuff" that they see at our school. Sometimes people forget just how much positive goes on every day at school. The student responses serve as a reminder.
* People find money and put it in the lost and found * People help each other * Mr. McGuire bugs other teachers * When our teachers tell us to get into groups no one is left out * When we work in groups everyone works together * Teachers are almost always happy * Kids help other kids get on track *Kids having good attitudes *People are always smiling * Everyone is respectful to each other * There is a future for my friends and me * We get to sing * It's so much better than city schools where everyone always wants to fight *You can act like yourself without being judged * People work together to get things done * Kids give 100% effort on almost everything * The teachers are really funny * Kids don't make fun of you, if you can't do what they can * Teachers make it fun to learn * No one really cares about looks * People share stuff with other people * When a person drops their stuff people help them pick it up * Kids are happy to come to school * Everyone can make the right choices and be smart *People keep their promises *People get along at recess *Teachers are so kind-hearted *Kids don't just eat with their friends *People compliment each other *A nice principal *People encourage other people *People get along *Students help students * Lots of technology *Great staff, that has a big impact on the school *People respect each others' differences *Friends like me for who I am
What challenges have you overcome? What challenges have you faced? As you look back on this school year, 170 days full of goods and bads, what went well? Where did you succeed?
Or, as sung by Miley Cyrus
The struggles I’m facing,
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes they might knock me down but
No I’m not breaking
And as you look ahead, what challenges still have to be faced?
There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
And how will you handle those challenges?
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I'm going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb
The Reading Workshop has been included in a list of 100 Incredibly Inspiring Blogs. The post on What Makes a Good Teacher leads the list of posts that take a look at what makes a good teacher and will inspire you to appreciate what you do or maybe even improve your style as an educator.
Thank you for inclusion! As I stated in the post, I am not claiming to do these things, but it does give me something to work towards.
Want an A on your blog? Climb the stairs to writing success. Climb the stairs to earning a good grade.
Did you spell everything correctly? I would hope so. After all, who would want to write something that is available to the whole world, and misspell words? Can the reader understand the topic because you stick to it? Following these minimal standards will earn you at least a D.
Did you use correct grammar? Can the reader follow your post in an organized manner? This is still a most basic expectations for writers that want to publish their work. The skills learned in the primary grades are not too much to expect for work posted on the WWW. A C means satisfactory and not meeting this criteria would surely not be sufficient for earning any higher grade.
To build loyal readers, first you must have interesting content presented in a well-written way. Supporting details draw in the readers and give them understanding. If posts are written cleanly, the words illustrate the meaning, and the reader can visualize your ideas, you will earn a B.
Occasionally someone will write something that makes the reader pause, and think, or causes the reader to agree or disagree. Sometimes hours after reading an essay, the reader is still thinking about it. When a blog post has that something special, then the writer deserves an A.
What step are you on? Have you climbed the stairs to writing success?
After eight months of commenting on The Reading Workshop blog and writing an online journal on the Reading Workshop Wiki, students are stepping into the driver's seat. A few students have already had the opportunity to create their own blog as part of this class. Now, all students who have their parents' permission can have a blog of their own.
The opportunity to publish online is a powerful motivator for students because it gives them a voice, an audience, and the chance to get immediate feedback. Students are excited about the opportunity to share their work. Blogs engage every student in the writing process and allow the students to both reflect on their own writing and react to the writing of others. I intend to use our blogs as a platform for a variety of writing exercises. Each student will respond to prompts, share ideas and resources, and reflecting on learning inside and outside of the classroom.
The blogs are accessible to anyone searching the Internet, but I will oversee all student blog contributions, and I will exercise administrative access privileges whenever necessary. By their nature, blogs are designed to allow comments by readers, but for safety reasons, this feature will only be available to our students and approved visitors.
If parents and teachers would like access to be able to comment on the blogs, they can send me an email and I will set up privileges.
The students are excited and I look forward to seeing the results of their hard work and creativity. Links to all of the students blogs are in the sidebar.
Being a student in Reading Workshop is hard work. Keeping up with assignments is hard work. The whole educational process is serious business. But, sometimes, in the rush of life, with unrelenting pressure, we need to stop and find a reason to smile.
How is winning a basketball game like passing an Achievement Test? It's all about using what you worked on in practice at game time. Students each year start to freak out as the test date approaches. They love to throw out those, "OMG, I am sooooo nervous!"
Give it a rest, already. Good test scores are a result of following procedures and using what you know. Students in Reading Workshop have learned all they need to know to prove their proficiency. When the big day comes, they will be ready to use the skills they have been practicing.
Going spastic and twitching nervously might give people something to laugh about, but it really doesn't have one thing to do with the test. It really just comes down to reading a few passages, and answering some questions. Being a fruit loop and stressing out yourself and your classmates is a total waste of time.
If you don't know the answer to a question, or don't know a word, deal with it. Use skills you have learned. Substitute an easier word, or use context clues to figure it out. If you can't, just miss a question. You will still pass. Basketball players miss shots all the time--no big deal. Miss one, but then get the next one right.
Work hard, work smart, and you will score well. You have spent all year proving your ability, so now just throw it out there one more time. This is your chance to spend 2 1/2 hours and prove that you are a success. *
The Ohio Department of Education has a portal into all of their Achievement Test Resources. Teachers, parents, and students can access this to meet a variety of needs. Teachers can actually build tests, using previous versions, or based on chosen content standards. Parents can look at past tests to see tests their child has taken. Students can practice for the Achievement Test.
In Reading Workshop, I am using this site to prepare students for the OAT that they will take on Monday. The ability to create lessons, using past tests provides online practice that is directly tied to skills and vocabulary necessary for good results. It allows students to familiarize themselves with all aspects of the OAT.
The practice test also provide immediate feedback on multiple choice questions. This is an example of an answered question.
Question 1
What mood is expressed when Bud closes his eyes in the beginning of the selection?
A. He is unhappy because he just walked to the library and up a tall set of stairs.
If a student chooses A, he or she may not understand that the author is implying that Bud is happy to be in the library. Bud does not close his eyes because he is unhappy, though someone may close his or her eyes if he or she is feeling sad.
B. He is excited to feel the page powder on his face so he can fall asleep.
If a student chooses B, he or she may not realize that Bud’s closing his eyes does not mean that he wants to feel the page powder on his face, though he does describe the page powder in great detail later in the selection.
C. He is comfortable with the mixture of smells in the library.
At the beginning of the selection, Bud says he closes his eyes. It is at this point in the story that he begins to describe the unique library smells, showing his mood of happiness and his feeling of comfort.
D. He is nervous about a plan to find Miss Hill.
If a student chooses D, he or she may know that a person may close his or her eyes when nervous. However, the author is not attempting to show that Bud is nervous or trying to think of a plan until the end of the selection.
The green check designates a correct answer. If the question is answered incorrectly, a red X would be placed by their answer. If students will take the time to read the explanations, each answer is a mini-lesson in itself.
Short answer and extended response questions are available also. The rubric to score them is there, for teachers to evaluate students' work. After using this tool in our classroom, I can't help but wonder, when will we be able to take the OAT online?
So Martha, the Test Grader is sitting in her cubical and opens your test. She turns to the first short answer and this is what she sees.
Needless to say, her headache screams out and she wants to be anywhere, rather than try to read this mess. But, she really wants to be fair so she starts to fight through the misspelled words, lack of organization, and off-topic response. She quickly realizes though, this just isn't worth it, scribbles down a 0 and moves to the next answer.
Within 3 - 4 seconds, she has decided this student does not deserve to pass any type of test. As she sorts through each extended response, she becomes more and more agitated at the obvious lack of effort. Sorry, but you failed.
Now it's time for the next test and here is the response.
Martha is smiling now. She is thinking, "this is from a good kid. This is so easy. Why can't all of the kids write like this?"
And little does she know, but somewhere in a state far, far away, a student is smiling as she thinks back to that day of the reading test. She knows she passed, because she did her best, and used all of the test taking strategies that her teacher taught her.
There is someone else smiling. As this student was taking the test, a teacher sat at his desk and watched her work. He knew she would pass. He watched her work hard all year. Today as he thinks back, he knows she did a great job, and anxiously awaits the test results that will show a real success story.
* Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/kandyjaxx/100366351/
This blog reflects the thoughts and opinions of the author and is not, in any way, representative of any school or district. The purpose of this blog is to share information for educational purposes. Comments are the sole responsibility of their writers. The views expressed by commenters and those who link to this website do not necessarily reflect the views of this website.
A. He is unhappy because he just walked to the library and up a tall set of stairs.
C. He is comfortable with the mixture of smells in the library.
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