One thing I know to be true about fourth graders and intermediate students is that there is no ONE thing true about fourth graders and intermediate students. It seems like the longer I teach, the more compelled I am to find ways to group and individualize for students, but I have to admit--it is NOT easy for me. It isn't that I don't KNOW who the students are or what to do. It's that whole ... Read the Post
Monday Made It Link Up!
I'm joining up with "Monday Made It" over at 4th Grade Frolics! Today I wanted to share with you my new anecdotal reading binder that I have gotten ready for next year! I know it seems early, but I had wanted to make some changes in it and I thought I'd share! First of all, I want to share parts of an earlier blog post explaining my thoughts about my system--so here goes! ... Read the Post
Book talks!
Just a quick post today--we had our "1/2 price book fair" and, of course, I had to make a dent in the inventory! I am absolutely obsessed with getting new books for my classroom . . . I wonder how many thousand I have--I should get my students to estimate that! Just wanted to share what I do when I get new books--I want to get them into students' hands as quickly as possible! First, I ... Read the Post
Readers Workshop, Record Keeping, and System Failures!
True confessions . . . I am a terrible organizer. TERRIBLE! I have spent 40-something years being pretty on the ball and pretty good at keeping things in my head--schedules, appointments, meetings . . . all in my mind. Something has happened! Either I am getting old (GASP) or my life has gotten more complicated! Today as I was taking status of the class I realized how ... Read the Post
Setting Reading Goals with Students
If you are like me, you LOVE to see actual photographs of classrooms, student work, anchor charts, and more. When I SEE, I remember. When I READ, I wish I had something to SEE to help me remember! That's just how my brain works.Enter Julie Ballew. Have you seen her website? I am a frequent visitor because her photos of student work, anchor charts, and more help me picture things that I have read, ... Read the Post
Reading Logs: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Tomorrow is a teacher work day for me...the end of the semester "work on report card" day that I always turn into "clear the piles and dump stuff in the recycling bin while eating copious snacks and drinking caffeinated beverages" day. Just thought I would follow up on my post the other day about how important I feel it is to take "status of the class" during independent reading. I love being ... Read the Post