#TCRWP 19: Day 2 Reading
Reading Habits and Habits of Mind continue to be a thread that run through my learning at TCRWP at the 2019 August Reading Institute. Just as we ask students to follow and hold onto ideas across a text or multiple texts so do we build theories and hold onto ideas across sessions, days and the week’s learning. Tuesday’s keynote with Mary Ehrenworth was a perfect example. ” Supporting Kids as Social Learners Through Partnerships, Clubs and Study Groups.”
This quote Mary shared from Pedro Noguera is on my mind because, of course peer culture wins because of the strength of the bonds. So why don’t we use that social capital as we think of all the “things” that our students must navigate. Here are some real-life needs for our students.
These don’t always show up in a curriculum guide. They aren’t necessarily in “the standards.” But yet aren’t they real life situations that students need to be able to navigate? When do we teach into them?
When do we talk about “social capital” and Malcolm Gladwell? When do we bring in Alfred Tatum’s, “We have to role-play kids into academic identities”? How do we combine the best of worlds?
Partnerships are key in the day to day implementation of both the Reading Units of Study and Writing Units of Study. For students and teachers.
We lean on partnerships in real life. Our marital partners. Our work partners. Our writing critique partners. Our book club partners.
Mary Ehrenworth shared that typically partnerships are formed on the basis of one of these types:
- Friendship
- Mentor
- Leveled
- Interest
Stop for just a second.
Which do you rely on in your life on a regular basis?
Which ones have created life long bonds?
Which ones do you regularly use in classrooms?
List out the strengths and concerns of all four types in order to decide which ones you should use and where. But do add in . . .
Student view and perception. Take a 360 degree and inside/outside view!
Mentor Partners are a favorite in many classrooms. But what if they do not lead to “increased independence”? Mary quoted from Peter Johnston’s Choice Words, “Every time you solve a problem for a student, you make them co-dependent. If they solve for themselves they are interdependent.”
Leveled Partner discussions bring in questions of equity and of course how those partnerships are determined. (What data? Accurate data? Data that is worthwhile?) When using leveled partners, make sure that students are not “isolated so they have no coalition. This applies to kids at both ends, low and high kids.”
Interest Partners are often used with data coming from an interest inventory at the beginning of the year. Is that inventory still accurate three months into the year? Or were those the quick responses or choices that students have now outgrown? Mary encouraged us to not overlook the multitude of data sources that we have available. Here’s just one post it about writing workshop.
And of course, it came with a twist. Use on-demand writing. Definitely. But not the scores for structure, development, and conventions. Use the student writing to figure out what this student knows, is interested in, and writes at length about. We looked at student samples to consider what social capital situations the students were navigating (remember the first chart) and to think about how partnerships might be formed.
Friendship Partners
How do they work? When do they not work?
Are we sometimes hasty to dismiss them as “outside the classroom partners”? How can the words and work of Pedro Noguera, Malcolm Gladwell, Alfred Tatum, and Peter Johnston connect with actual research by TCRWP staff developers?
Emily’s tweet about friendship partnerships gave me more to think about as I revisited my notes. What if we used the existing “friends” partnerships to shape “academic” partnerships? What would be the benefits for students?
As the week continues, I am going to think about partnerships here at the Institute and out in the world. I’m going to add in thinking about that layer of social capital and goal of independence as I wonder about teaching partnerships.
How are they formed?
When are they most successful?
What are the “things” that teachers navigate?
#SOL19: Day 18 SOLSC
“Oh, you were going down,” the maid commented. She pushed the button for a higher floor.
I remained silent. “Should I use my typical Iowa spiel? ‘Well, I live in a town that doesn’t have any buildings taller than two stories.'”
Nah. Silence. No excuse. Too early!
The elevator dinged to announce its arrival. I moved to the elevator bank that was lit. I didn’t remember if it was a
D
O
W P arrow.
N arrow or an U
Simply too late to matter.
By the time all my thinking was done, the elevator was going down, down to my destination. Trivia. Let it go!
Tell Your Story . . .
Shanna Schwartz is a master storyteller and she delivered a powerful keynote when she used stories to offer tips to help teachers, coaches, and administrators in Cowin Auditorium understand what will make TEACHING STICK.
Old School . . .
I noted and appreciated the delivery of the keynote. . . Stories, a document camera, and anchor charts created in front of us. No powerpoint, google slides or Prezi. These were the presentations I remember from the first sessions I attended at #TCRWP Institutes. (Lucy Calkins also addresses the atmosphere and delivery of mini-lessons in Leading Well.)
Three memorable quotes . . .
STUDENTS
“Children like all humans do not just learn things whole and then do it perfectly. They do it partially, making approximations, and gradually showing more learning.” (Shanna B Schwartz, 3.16.19. TCRWP) (Check out her book for the exact wording.)
TEACHERS
“Have to be planned enough so I can watch students, to know what to do, and be flexible enough to change to meet kids needs!” (Shanna B Schwartz, 3.16.19. TCRWP)
TEACHING
“Sometimes teaching feels like a performance. Teaching should be a relationship, a warmth, and closeness that you are building together.” (Shanna B Schwartz, 3.16.19. TCRWP)
Timeless . . .
One of Two Keynotes at the #TCRWP 96th Saturday Reunion was “Making Your Teaching Stick” by Shanna Schwartz.
Shanna referred to this book (as did Sarah Picard Taylor in her introduction of Shanna) that she wrote 11 years ago as a base for her keynote. It might be a quick book to pull out and review with your staff. Every single book from the Help Desk series has tips worth revisiting and the price is right.
So when something isn’t right in life, do you choose silence as I did on the elevator or do you study the situation in order to figure out alternatives? If it’s a short interval, time may solve the issue. But what if it isn’t? Then what do you choose to do? What is your default? Your knowledge? Your skill set? What stories do you lean on?
What are the principles that you hold onto dearly?
How do you deliver your instruction (and your PD)?
What are the areas you continually return to for problem solving because they don’t seem “to stick”?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Kelsey, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this daily March forum from Two Writing Teachers. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#TCRWP 95th Saturday Reunion
Sad
sad
sad
sad
sad
Still not out of my system, but moving on!
A search of my own blog posts showed that I attended the 88th, 89th, and 90th in a row.
Fall Saturdays are so problematic with so many events.
Last week’s issues with Hurricane Michael and flights was an unexpected glitch.
Whether it’s your first or too many to count . . .
Enjoy!
Find the fun!
Find something new!
Don’t just stick
With the tried and true!
Find an online friend
Say hello face to face
Say hello to strangers
Make new friends as you race
From session to session
Learning at a speed of light pace.
No one
Does it better.
50 minutes
of learning.
Encapsulated
In Connections,
Teaching Points,
Teaching,
Active Engagement,
And a link.
Units of Study
Writing
Reading
Phonics
and new best friends Rashid and Mabel.
Riverside Church
Kate DiCamillo
TCRWP Staff Developers
Teachers, Administrators, and Authors
by the droves . . .
Enjoy! Learn! Enjoy! Laugh! Enjoy! Make New Friends!
August #TCRWP Reading: Day 1
Monday arrives with rain and yet the fire in my brain flames on . . .
Lucy Calkins keynote . . .
Laughter with Natalie Louis . . .
Learning with Kelly Boland Hohne
Illumination with Cornelius Minor
Such was the Monday in my life!
Today’s post is a recap of information from Cornelius Minor from his closing session: “Using Digital Tools to Offer Access to Students with IEPs”
Access for all Kids – Why is Access Important? (AKA “Research to Weaponize”)
- UdL – more inclusive
- On heels of Civil Rights
- Architects – ADA compliant – door width, door knob (designed from inception)
- Knowledge of the three networks that access the brain:
- Recognition (input – see, hear, perceive);
- Strategic (executive functioning); and
- Attitude (and feelings about teacher and learning)
Here is a chart I developed to organize some of the information shared by Cornelius.
What is the main thing? | |
Skills | Instruction |
Vocabulary
Alfred Tatum – Teaching Reading to Adolescent Black Boys (Chicago) (EL) Build on strengths! |
Synonyms: Ponder, saunter, exclaim – derivatives of most common words.
Camera saunter A , B photographer Video ponder B, A videographer Develop criteria together. Make pic for word wall – Use students in the class Social – Doing and Talking |
Fluency
The sound of my voice when I am reading text I care about. (have to like my audience as well as my text) Teen ink is a source “The day I met you was a bad hair day” Need texts that are worthy of practice. |
“Going to play Simon says. You are going to read the poem like I do!”
3 different emotions:
Annotate text for emotion |
Specific Chrome Tools
|
Have 3 or 4 that are extremely effective.
More is NOT better. Can also change readability |
Effort
Behavior mirror Transfer – Use contexts that are familiar – Audio / Video – Students use daily! |
Do what the leader does! SELL it!
Effort lives in our methodology. |
What was something tried and true?
What was new?
What will you do next?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.