This will be our last post for this class.
On this post I would like you to think about this school year. How has your thinking changed about your struggling readers? Do you think you have changed as a reader by being involved in this class? Have your teaching practices changed as a result of being a part of our SCRI Study Group?

Thanks for being a part of our first year!

I would like to thank Lynn Summer for doing the read aloud, Paper Airplanes, for us in our Monday, April 9th class. Thank you for sharing that book with me and now the rest of the class. It really helped me to think outside of the box.
If you have been able to use the probable passage engagement with your students, tell us how it went.
Tell me what you thought about revisiting the research on reading

During our class on Monday I heard so much passion in each of your voices! Those of you who had never seen Corridor of Shame were shocked and angry. Those who had seen it are still facing unresolved questions. All of us wondering "just who is throwing the babies in the river?" I think it was insightful of us to question ourselves... "Are we throwing babies in the river?" The eyes of the children are still haunting me.
Please let me know what you have been thinking about since our last study group meeting.

Don't forget about your homework...On Reading, Learning to Read, and Effective Reading Instruction and Help for Struggling Readers.

Have a WONDERFUL SPRING BREAK!

VOCABULARY!
Did turning our focus toward vocabulary instruction make you think differently about the way teachers often "give" vocabulary?
Will you try anything different with your content vocabulary?
Take another look at the chapter from Words, Words, Words. See if you could adapt any of Janet Allen's strategies to fit your needs.
What did our vocabulary class make you think about?

Chapter 10 in Subjects Matter revolves around Inquiry Units. Let us know what you think about inquiry units. I know some of you are already using them in your classes. Tell us about it.

A note from Mary...

Thanks B-C for having me as a guest in your Study Group.
I feel as though I have gotten to know you all through your Blog site,
and it was great to meet you in person. But who the heck is Big
Daddy:)
Your postings in response to such a wide variety of readings are
honest, personal, thoughtful, and reflective.
You connect with one another through the sharing of ideas and
selves--don't you wish our students could feel the same power of
response to class reading?
It is apparant you have a learning community here--thanks for lettting
me join you for a little while--
Keep reading, learning, and growing--
Mary

Thanks to our Witness book club for bringing the poem for two voices back to us. Lindy and Maria, I loved the way you two captured the essence of the book through your poem for two voices.
Our visit from Dr. Styslinger really helped us to remember who the most important voices in the school (and textbook adoption committees) should be...THE STUDENTS'. The web-site activity reminded me of how easy it is for struggling readers to get lost in text and text structures. I would like to try that activity with students at some point in time.

If you would like to take a look at my copy of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, it's available. Do you all remember reading the first chapter of that book at the very beginning of the year? My how we have changed since those first meetings.

Many of you had questions about doing a word sort. If you would like me to help you with one in your classes, just let me know. We will practice one at our next study group session too.

Post your comments about our February 26 study group session and your reading to this thread. (Thanks for visiting us Mary!)

So my DRTA strategy was not as successful as I had hoped it would be... since I gave you all Wilhelm's directions, I am sure you will be able to take it and adapt it to suit your students' needs. If you try DRTA with your classes, please let me know how it goes or let me come watch maybe you could show me how to do it right!

What do you think about what Wilhelm had to say about teachers being at a disadvantage because we are the experts?

Did your students' lexile levels surprise you? There is other information we can look at in our MAP Toolbox. Take a look at that information and see if any of it would be helpful to you.

After reading Chapter 7: Building a Community of Learners, tell me what you think about building community in your classroom. Has this reaffirmed some of your thinking or changed it in any way?

On a personal note: I would like to say that you all are awesome!!! Thank you for being such a great study group!!

Please post your comments for our February 12th class and reading assignments under this thread.

Wow! Armegeddon Summer and Scorpions book club members, you all sure did drive home the point that learning can be shown in such diverse ways. Good job!

Thank you all for sharing information from the sessions you attended at the Literacy Conference.

Special thanks to Erin for sharing important information on working with students in poverty.

Tell us about one of the strategies you've tried or something you've read that's really made you think about the way you teach.

Although this was our first Monday back and many of us were tired and/or not feeling well, you all still managed to have a great attitude! Thank you for that.

Nancy, Bonnie, Jenny, Bobbie, MarySusan, and Barry, showing us how you used the role sheets in your book club was important. It gives us an idea of what it looks like and how it works with our students. Did you all like having the role sheets or did you feel they were too restrictive? Do you think you will try book clubs with your students?

On to the writing...
You all impressed me with your writing. Thank you for being so open and willing to share.
How did you feel about using Quickwrites? What are some of the benefits of using them with your students? If you use them, please tell us how it goes. How did you feel about being asked to write? Did you enjoy the writing time? Did I give you enough time?

After reading Chapter 4 in Subjects Matter, what are you thinking about? What about textbooks vs. other genres, choice vs. assigned, fiction vs. nonfiction, classics vs. contemporary, hard vs. easy, etc...

Please respond to our January 8th meeting under this comment thread.