I Poetry

I poetry is a great way for children to learn how to write poems.  There is a template that comes with the poem and some children may find it easier to do this.  When I was an elementary aged student, I could not think of something to write about and especially nothing to write a poem on.  If this is given to me, then it makes me feel better about poetry because while it is a template, it still is my own work and allows me to create a poem and feel accomplished.  This could also be used in literature.  Very similar to what we did with Blackbeard, the students could pick out their favorite character in the book and write an Ipoem about the character.  This really helps students get into the book/character as well.  They have to critically think about what the character would say, so they must know what the character is interested in and what they would say they are feeling.  This is an excellent way for the students to really involve themselves in the book and the character.

Integrating Instructional-level social studies trade books for struggling readers in upper elementary grades

Jon’s situation, unfortunately, is not uncommon in the schools.  Too many times there are children who are forced to read at their own grade level with the rest of the class when they are sometimes multiple grade levels below where they should be.  This, as stated in the article, becomes painful for the students to read and reading becomes such a pain and frustration that they don’t want to even attempt it anymore.  They immediate write themselves off, teachers do also, and this is crippling to their mentality of reading.  Not only will their desire for reading go down, but they will never become better readers.  If someone is attempting something that is way too hard for them to physically be able to do, then they will never become better at it.  It is like a stepping stone or stairs, you have to take one step at a time and eventually the child will get to where they need to be.  It is very crucial that the student be reading on instructional level.  This is a level that the teachers should have to help the students with.  It is not too easy or too hard, it is right about right with a little bit of a challenge.  One way, as discussed in class, to address this is the IRI.  If you are testing the children at the beginning of the school year with the IRI and the WRI then you can figure out what level they are on and help them choose books accordingly.

Many times in the classroom, unfortunately, social studies and other subjects that aren’t directly tested get overlooked.  This means it is crucial for teachers to find books that go along with the social studies curriculum.  If they don’t have time to teach it, then they definitely have to find books that relate to the subject.  This is why it trade books are very important for classroom teachers.  I really liked the characteristics of a good book section in this article.  These may be self explanatory but when teachers pick out books, some teachers may just do what is best for their curriculum and easiest, rather than picking out a book that will expand children’s awareness as well as challenge them.

Important Things

These are my basketball shoes along with my ankle brace.  This is very significant and important to me because a lot of times being active gets me through the semesters.  It is a great stress relief for me and I love these shoes because they are extremely comfortable and they are my first ever “real” pair of basketball shoes.  All of my other shoes have been running shoes or tennis shoes that doubled as basketball shoes.  The ankle brace is also important because I am extremely injury prone.  I have super bad ankles and I have to wear these so I don’t get hurt every time I play basketball.

As all of you know, I collect elephants.  This particular elephant was given to me when I helped my girlfriend move her stuff up here this past semester in the FREEZING cold and snow.  Her parents gave me this elephant to go into my bathroom.  It is a night light and it means a lot to me because of who gave it to me and what it signifies.

Poems

Love that Dog:  This was one of the most genuine and heartfelt stories that I have read in a long time, if not ever.  The reader can see the progression that Jack makes throughout this book.  I found the most interesting thing was he hated poetry and did not want anything to do with it.  Then, the teacher wanted to post some of his poems on the board but, again, he was embarrassed and did not want his name on any of them.  Eventually towards the end, he gets an author to come to talk to the class, writes his own poems, and volunteers them to be read in front of the class.  This is a great example of perseverance as a teacher as well as an excellent job encouraging a child to do something that he/she does not seem the least bit interested in.

notebook know-how pages 15-34

I thoroughly enjoy reading her writing style.  It makes it so much easier as a pre-service teacher to read about what I would like to do as a future teacher.  She has some extremely insightful ways to enhance student’s desire to write.  Even if they have no clue what they want to write about, she goes into detail about how to give them suggestions and that is what I found most useful.  I never even thought about writing in the Elementary school until I began reading this book.  It is a skill that is very necessary for children to have but, unfortunately, they do not have enough practice.  This is definitely something that I can implement into my classroom.

What’s in a name?

My name means tiler of roofs and was borne to America by John Tyler.  Also, something that I think students will enjoy, as well as adults, was the “how many of me” search.  I really enjoyed seeing how many Tyler’s there were and how many Buchanan’s there were.  I found it interesting that there are only 33 people in the United States with the name Tyler Buchanan.  This is a great activity for students because, not only, can they work on their blogs while doing this but they can also find out more about their name.  They will thoroughly enjoy finding out how many people in the United States share the exact same name as them.

HOT blogging

Blogging is an excellent way for teachers to integrate writing with reading.  A blog also will develop communication skills as well as enhance the ability for online reading.  Blogs require higher order thinking because when a student reads something online, they must analyze and evaluate the material that they are reading online.  There are various ways that a student can blog.  A teacher can use these ways to their advantage such as mirror blogging or literature response blogs.  These are just two examples of ways that students can critically think about how they want to write something on the blog.  In the literature response blogs, they must first practice reading and then analyzing what they read and find a way to put it on their blogs.

Buckner pp. 1-15

What are your overall impressions of the book?

• I really enjoy reading her perspective on writing.  I have never really thought about how important writing is until she stated the difference that she saw in her students.  It is a great way to express yourself and is an awesome tool for young students.  It also is very simple and enjoyable to read.  It was written by a teacher, not a professional writer.  This makes her story and opinions much more relative and that is the exact thing that beginning teachers need to start their new endeavor as a teacher.

What is the purpose of a writer’s notebook?

• The purpose of a notebook is for just about everything that a child needs for writing.  The student can write whatever they want down to express themselves, the best ones are the ones that have no prompts.  The student’s notebooks should not have final drafts, prompts, revisions, or editing.  This should be all of the student’s work and the student’s opinions.

What might your goals be as a teacher of writing?

• Goals for a teacher of writing would have to be that the students enjoy writing by themselves.  The greatest accomplishment as a teacher of writing is that you do not have to encourage students to write about anything or guide them to a topic to write about.  They get into the classroom and just want to write about their day, their weekend, their friends, anything that will get them writing is wonderful.

Launching the notebook?

• In the book, the teacher gathers the students in a circle and reads aloud a book to them.  They have a conversation and the teacher tells the students a story and has them think of a time when a similar situation has happened to them.  Meanwhile, she is writing in a notebook about the students experiences as well as their oral presentation.  She notes how they speak, what they speak about, as well as what she will talk about next.  Eventually the students get intrigued and ask what she is writing.  This is a great way to introduce the writing notebook and let them realize that you are writing in it as well.  It is not just an assignment that you give them, but something that you honestly believe is helpful and you enjoy doing.

Organization of the notebook?

• A magnificent goal to have is to not limit the children’s organization of the notebook.  The main goal you should have for organization is that they fill the notebook.  It does not have to be in a certain order of what they write about, just that they are writing and are writing well.