TRICK OR READ!

I just wanted to wish my Inner Circle a safe and happy halloween. I'll let all of you decide which one is who. Have a great weekend and see all of you soon!

Sesssion Number......Three!

My session today, post Parent-Teacher Conference, was kind of odd. I didn't have the one room to myself and my student, Charlene. I had a big room which I shared with Kate and Nathaniel. I kept telling Kate beforehand that my school didn't look like Camelot (DoDea-McCool).

I know it wasn't a "busy" classroom. Because of the Direct Instruction program, I didn't put too much resources on my walls. I normally put up many things but why do it? Some of the teacher resource posters have info that we does not apply to DI.

Today's session was filled with reading two narratives with pre-concept questions from Level three. During the pre-concept questioning, I could already tell where this was leading to. I have this great feeling that Charlene and I will have to work closely with comprehension and how to answer the 5 W's. Overall, she's a real trooper. As we get closer to the end of the semester, I am narrowing down what the plan will be. See you all in two weeks!

Image source: www.telusplanet.net/~boxcars/dice5ws.jpg

Happy Tuesday everyone! I really enjoyed myself at today's session with Nathaniel. We met in Lucille's classroom after school. He seemed much more relaxed today which could be a combination of meeting on his 'home turf' and his getting to know me better. He smiled a lot today. We worked on some more retelling and I tried the San Diego Quick Reading Assessment. He did well on everything but is definitely reading below grade level.

I liked getting to see Lucille's classroom too, it gives me ideas of what I'd like to do in my own classroom someday. I am visiting Lorna's classroom tomorrow and Thursday to practice shared reading. I really appreciate all the help the sisters have given me this semester!

Have a great week!

Kate

Another session with Ahrian

Hi everyone! I hope that everyone had a pleasant Parent Teacher Conference. Mine went pretty well and quiet. As for my session #4 with Ahrian, it went well. He was excited as usual, but wanted to go to the reading lab. I did three listening comprehension activities with him. He frustrated in all three of them. I know that I need to focus on more listening activities with him on my next session as well as in the spring.

He's going to start at Machananao Elementary School tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/28/08). I convinced his mother to transfer him over so I can work more with him since he will be in my reading class. Miss you guys and I will see you all in two weeks. Have fun and take the time to do something that you have been putting off doing.

Session #2

Charlene is quite an interesting girl. I see her physical form as an older fourth grader but her soft-spoken voice can almost sound like that of a younger child. She seems confident when she reads to me but is unaware that she made a few errors.

I know her mother very well. She ensures that Charlene is prepared with things that will keep her from being bored on the ride to UOG with crayons and a coloring book. I am beginning to wonder if she's treated like that at home. I know that after she completes this course with me, she'll be a little more confident in her reading and writing. She may even want to read chapter books.

Session #3

Tonight's session was great. I'm getting the hang of things with my student. He seems more confident than ever, but he still needs help in many areas. I like my quote for tonight.

"If you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move." Katherine Hepburn

From my interpretation, if I want to get things done then I have to do things myself diligently and not rely on anyone else to do the job for me. So true! And if you don't like what you have done, you have only but yourself to blame.

Puddles...

This is a late entry-had some trouble with my server...Last class session was a little hectic with having to shift kids....finally I have a reading buddy....my own son, Andrew. It may work out for both of us. I do have a personal goal in choosing my child as my reading buddy. According to some school assessments, it has shown that Andrew had dropped in his reading level. I wanted to work with my own son to see which areas he was struggling in and I would like to close that gap.
From a parent's viewpoint, Andrew is a good reader. He is able to attack words with strategies that he has learned from his primary grades so it puzzled me that he scored lower than expected. After Monday's session, I realized what areas he neede to work on. Since his accuracy and fluency were on grade level, we will be working on comprehension and retelling of stories. I hope to share strategies that Andrew can work with when reading passages. With my personal goal of seeing my child succeed, I hope to go through my "puddle" this semester and find success in Andrew's reading skills.

This is a puddle in my reading clinic path...and I hope to use this experience with my students...to have personal goals for each child to achieve success in reading...

Assessment 1 (2nd attempt)

I am so glad that I found a child that fits the criteria of our reading lab. Charlene is a very soft-spoken child that shows some struggle in her reading fluency and comprehension. Next week, I plan on getting more narratives for her to read. I will bring a couple of Junie B. Jones books for her to read when she's not with me. I saw her enthusiasm this evening. I also observed what she likes to read. Come to think of it, I have good vibes on this reading clinic this semester.

Productive session

I really enjoyed tonight's session. My student is a sweetheart and worked very hard. He does struggle a bit so I really saw the value of the assessments tonight. I plan on trying some writing assessments next week and more retelling assessments as he had the most difficulty with retelling. I know by the end of the sessions I will have a very good idea of what to work on with him next semester.

Have a good week everyone!

Kate

"Every path has its puddle."

It was a great session tonight! I thought that I wasn't going to get everything done by today's class, but I managed to do my midterm reflection and session report #1. I was saved by the flexible make-up day and a sudden burst of energy from feeling better after resting on Saturday and Sunday. I continued with Narrative Passages with my student. I think I wore him out with all the passages, but he kept on going! He really enjoyed the last activity where he reread the book "Henry and Mudge" from last session. He got to draw his favorite part of the book. He wrote about the picture and then he retold what he wrote to me. Not a bad second session at all!

Let's continue the great work that we are all doing because the puddle in every path that we take in this journey called LIFE will only make us stronger, hard-working, and intelligent people that we aspire to be daily.

Assessment 1

Well, my student wasn't one valid candidate. I tried. I thought that because she is a second language learner and that she came to Guam in 2006 she would be a good candidate. Apparently, she's not. I found a back-up candidate that would work. My school has many and parents are willing to have their child be part of the reading clinic but transportation is a major issue. I have taken up the position to transport two of our student candidates to school every Monday. I really don't mind that at all. It's the feeling that I get when the word, "liability" becomes part of the conversation. I'm hoping that every thing will turn out fine.

1st Session

Monday's session did not go as planned....I had the same result with my child (my nephew)....He was not a good candidate for the reading clinic. I hope we can find another child who may utilize the extra reading support.

As I was reading through the assessment books, I felt that the lesson planning was similar to the literacy planning that I do for my guided reading groups in my classroom. I just hope that I am able to meet the child's needs throughout the next couple of semesters.

See you next session!

Assessment Session 1

I had a great time tonight! Lucille, Angela is a hoot and a joy. I would love to have her as a student in my classroom, she is so full of spirit; she can wear her tiara in my class anytime! I will miss her next week but that child so does not need reading help. Thank you again for having another student waiting in the wings. I don't know what I'd do without your help.

Lorna, great job on the power point. You are quite savvy with the 2007 version, I am an imbecile. What was I thinking buying it?

Cef: A+++++ on finding the "perfect" reading student. You'll do a great job with him. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Have a great week everyone!

Kate

Hi Lorna and Lucille,

I am only re-checking the posts this morning, but yes, we can absolutely get together to review anything you want from Monday night. I'll email you both later today and see what we can come up with.

Kate