TEACHING TAYLOR

Wikispace Site Up and Running

2012-01-29T12:45:00.000-06:00

I've talked about putting my CADERS (readers and assessment) on line. As always, everything takes longer than I expect, especially when I'm learning technology. But I now have a wiki site set up and have just now begun loading the early readers. I illustrated the first two, but the remaining I'm leaving open for students to illustrate on blank booklets that can be downloaded. I'm sure I'll illustrate more of the ones online, but not now, not with so many projects to work on. The booklets will be divided according to skill taught. Instructions on the opening page explain how to run off the booklets so they become an 8-page, 2-sheet book for the students.

Come visit us:

www.briarwoodwriters.wikispaces.com

Common Core -- Coming Soon

2012-01-22T20:28:00.001-06:00

Well, I for one, have great hopes for the Common Core that is soon arriving in the Kansas City area. I just spent a day, examining how to link ELL/ESOL standards to Common Core, and I have to say, there's much promise in its format. Unlike the No Child Left Behind that stressed scores and little else, Common Core seems to focus on curriculum, involved reasoning strategies, and a cohesive strategy for involving our students on a much higher plane than our past curriculum has (and Kansas has strong standards). A article in Education Week goes into some early detail as to how the framers of Common Core developed their set of ideas from the best teaching practices both abroad and here. I entered teaching, full of inspiration; I have a full jolt of it again.

Picture Book: Hill's "Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave"

2012-01-08T22:20:00.002-06:00

I am mesmerized by "Dave the Potter." It's story -- that of a Southern slave who became a master potter -- is intriguing enough by itself. Add the luscious illustrations, the poetry by both author and Dave, and we are granted a wonderful addition to children's picture books.

I want to share it tomorrow with my students. Let's see -- which age? (I teach K-6). Okay, maybe I could knock off the kindergarten and first graders. The rest, yes -- despite preparation for testing and everything else. My students need "Dave the Potter."And then all the teachers...

Study: Elementary/Middle School Teachers Making Huge Impact on Young Children's Futures

2012-01-08T13:53:00.000-06:00

In the same article I cited in yesterday's post, findings in a recent study show that children who had strong teachers in grades 3-8, as judged through value added performance, outperformed their peers later in life -- in the colleges they attended, in their lower numbers of teen pregnancies, in their salaries. I always knew it. It does make sense that students whose early years are on solid footing, who increase their skills substantially each year, will, in fact, do better as the years progress. But it's better, of course, when we move forward on proven results, not merely gut impulses.

Value-Added Approach to Teacher Assessment

2012-01-07T13:36:00.000-06:00

Anyone who has followed the teacher assessment debate knows the complexity of the issue. Students who live in wealthier areas tend to do better than children from impoverished. Teachers who have special needs children assigned to their rooms have far more challenges to their skills and time than those who don't. Evaluation itself is a very inaccurate science.

But there's hope. An article in Slate tells about value-added approach to teacher evaluation. This looks at the growth children make over the course of a year; it also may look at successive years of a teacher's record. This tends to allow years when teachers have a more difficult class (and we've all had them) to be averaged in with more manageable years. The value-added approach doesn't expect all children to reach one single benchmark (the bane of NCLB) but rather grow in their own abilities.

It's certainly worth looking into. I'm eager to see where this might lead. I do think we need some type of assessment that helps guide teachers and administrators in an honest direction.

Pre-K: Growing Popularity?

2011-12-21T15:01:00.000-06:00

Here in the Kansas City area, we tend to think of those children who need pre-kindergarten -- schooling for three and four year olds -- as those who appear to be behind in the developmental skills s/he will need for school. In the Shawnee Mission District here in Overland Park, it is called Smart Start. But the Sunday New York Times (12/18/11) has a write-up of how popular pre-K is in New York City -- to the point that middle class and wealthy parents are scrambling for a spot in the strong programs.

And the spots aren't there. Some parents are forming their own pre-K groups but, given the politics of running a program for one's children, parents are finding the task harder than expected. I don't know if this is the trend of the future or just an East Coast experience; I'll be interested to wait and watch.

CADERS, The Test

2011-12-03T14:51:00.000-06:00

CADERS is not only the name of the early readers I have but a computerized assessment reading test I've developed. It's all on www.sheilaberenson.com, but at this point I have the site locked since student scores are listed on it (and once you open the site, all scores are available). Once I figure out a way to make it available to the public, I'll be able to unlock it and let anyone use it for testing their classroom or own child. It assesses phonic skills, comprehension, and literacy and is very user friendly. Not ready for public use yet, but someday and soon...

Online Learning: May Not Yet Be What We Think

2011-11-28T21:30:00.002-06:00

There's an intriguing article in Education Week this week that tells of studies in Colorado and Minnesota, describing how students who complete all their studies online are not keeping pace with traditional classrooms. Who knew? I had assumed that already flesh-and-blood teachers would be running a fast race against online learning -- after all, look at the way our children take to online games, both educational and recreational. The article also reports there's even some question as to the financial incentives some of these online schools have. (Now that I had always suspected.)
But of course there are huge advantages to online learning -- most importantly, its ability to individualize --and I think such companies just haven't discovered what they can do and what we traditional teachers can't do (given the numbers of children in any classroom). How often we've wanted some great program that will take our most struggling students -- or our brightest -- and let them soar...

You Can Now Download Early Readers...

2011-11-17T21:12:00.000-06:00

You can now download my early readers (CADERS), at least the last few postings. I am presently designing a website where you'll be able to download all 80+ beginning readers I have. More are being created each week. Instructions for how to create the 8-page booklets are at the end of each posting. And be sure to refer back to November 14, 2010 for explanation of these booklets.

Please do remember -- these are posted for families and communities. They are not for other websites, to earn $, or anything other than to for single copies with your children (or class sets with your students). Enjoy!

CADERS (Early Readers): Can a Cliff Sniff? (for studying blends)

2011-11-16T17:12:00.013-06:00

Can a Cliff Sniff?

This 8-page story practices blends, as posting 21 and 22 included, but it doesn't use digraphs. Don't forget to play with the vocabulary. And definitely, definitely, much of the fun of these stories is in how the children use them -- drawing illustrations on their copies, creating skits off of each page.

As always, check back with November 14, 2010, if you need to see more about these CADERS readers.

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:
1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.
2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)
3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.
4. Run in copier, double-sided.
5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.
6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

CADERS (Early Readers): Trick a Tick (for studying blends, digraphs)

2011-11-16T17:06:00.010-06:00

Trick a Tick

As with the last story posting, this 8-page story is for blends but also includes many digraphs (ch, sh, th, th). It also has some good vocabulary worth discussion with your child.

And, as always, check back on November 14th posting for last year to read an explanation for these CADERS readers postings. (You may still sometimes find them listed under "Berenson Books," but as they were part of a larger program, having two names became much too confusing -- at least for me!)

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:
1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.
2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)
3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.
4. Run in copier, double-sided.
5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.
6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

CADERS (Early Readers): You Are Pink (for studying blends)

2011-11-15T16:57:00.009-06:00

You Are Pink

This 8-page story is for children learning blends (sl, st, nd, etc):

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:

1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.

2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)

3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.

4. Run in copier, double-sided.

5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.

6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

Pam Allyn and Reading

2011-11-14T06:23:00.007-06:00

On 11/12/11, Pam Allyn in Huffington Post asks that students spend a far greater time of the school day reading. Her analogy -- what if a soccer player spent much of her practice time talking about playing? -- is appropriate. I often tell my students I've yet to see a student read a lot (and read widely, not simply one category) and not be a good reader. (I also tell them there are some strong readers who seldom read but who are fluent readers, though this is far less common.) True, there are deeper levels of understanding that should be addressed, but just as the coach gathers around his players and discusses better strategies after his team has been on the team, a teacher can discuss strategies, hidden meaning, etc after the students have delved into their stories.

We just finished up a book fair at our school, and teachers and I agonized when we saw children leaving the library -- a library filled with delightful books to purchase -- only carrying out the toys and novelties they bought. (One such group came to my reading classroom, proud not one of them purchased a book).

Yes, our children need to read. And enter new worlds. And delight.

Another Awful, Awful Bullying Result

2011-11-13T13:40:00.001-06:00

And again, we read of a child, ten-year old Ashlynn Conner, who could not take the bullying at her school and ended her life.

Parents, please talk to your children. Find out if they feel threatened -- by anyone, anything. Let them know their rough days will pass; they always do.

And investigate.

Our kids need us.

CADERS (Early Readers): Grouch (for studying ou/ow, silent e, digraphs)

2011-11-08T11:34:00.013-06:00

Grouch

This 8-page story, Grouch, practices the ou and ow sounds. It also includes silent e and digraphs. And don't forget new vocabulary words that are introduced.

(Be sure to look back at my posting last year on November 14th for a full description of CADERS readers.)

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:

1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.

2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)

3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.

4. Run in copier, double-sided.

5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.

6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

Bk: The Hunger Games Series

2011-11-07T10:31:00.002-06:00

Suzanne Collins definitely has some of my students reading, and I thank her for that. I've only read the first two in her Hunger Game series. I found the first one excellent for my older readers. The second one was more difficult to get involved in, but I think it is because she is somewhat awkward in how she covers backstory. Once that was over, though, the story picked up pace. Unlike Horowitz's books, though, Collins apparently reworks the same theme and format with each Hunger Games. This may keep my students enthralled, but I think I'll pass on the last of the series.

A New Take On Same-Sex Schools for Girls

2011-11-01T20:38:00.000-05:00

Ok, we learn something new every day, don't we? The online magazine Slate recently posted that, contrary to recent studies, girls really do not do better in same-sex high schools, and they have a peer-reviewed article in Science to prove it. Now having taught in a high school, and having struggled to get my many of my girls to add (anything!) to the conversation (rather than keeping their hands folded in their laps) while the boys in the room couldn't keep their hands down, I had every reason to believe those "other" studies. But I should argue with Science? I think not. Time to reread that article and see what I did wrong with those high school girls...

CADERS (Early Readers): A Crook Took Our Books! (for oo/ew)

2011-10-30T06:45:00.010-05:00

A Crook Took Our Books!

This 8-page story practices the oo/ew sounds. It is appropriate for a second grader.

(Check back to November 14th for explanation of CADERS readers.)

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:

1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.

2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)

3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.

4. Run in copier, double-sided.

5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.

6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

Ferlazzo's Predictions for Education in 2011

2011-10-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

Larry Ferlazzo offers interesting insights on education. Before 2011 closes out, I thought we might want to take a look at his predictions for the year. How many actually occurred? Hmm, well, how about next year? The ideas are still good...

CADERS (Early Readers): Cage (for practicing silent e)

2011-10-20T20:30:00.008-05:00

Cage

This 8-page story, Cage, practices the silent e rule. It is appropriate for mid-first grade (or any time a child is practicing the silent e). It also practices digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh) and blends (br, st, cr, etc).

(Refer to last year's November 14th posting for description of what CADERS readers -- once called Berenson Books -- are all about.)

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:
1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.
2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)
3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.
4. Run in copier, double-sided.
5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.
6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

Book: We the Animals

2011-10-13T21:16:00.001-05:00

Justin Torres's debute novel, We the Animals, tells his childhood with two brothers and two very broken parents. Such stories remind us all of the diversity of families we live among. An excellent and engaging literary piece, he has passages that require repeated rereading.For example, it opens with the following:

We wanted more. We knocked the butt ends of our forks against the table, tapped our spoons against our empty bowls; we were hungry. We wanted more volume, more riots. We turned up the knob on the TV until our ears ached with the shouts of angry men. We wanted more music on the radio; we wanted beats; we wanted rock. We wanted muscles on our skinny arms. We had bird bones, hollow and light, and we wanted more density, more weight. We were six snatching hands, six stomping feet; we were brothers, boys, three little kings locked in a feud for more.

Sounds like a typical house with three loud and thrashing boys, yes? But in my ego-centric way, I think of such a household through my own eyes -- a mom, a grown-up, a female. Torres allows us a wonderful brash glimpse of one boy's view. A literary romp through a young man's coming of age...

CADERS (Early Readers): 1, 2, 3 I'm In the Army (for studying ar, er, ir, or, ur)

2011-10-10T06:04:00.010-05:00

1, 2, 3 I'm In the Army

Here's an 8-page story for practice with the r-controlled vowels -- ar, er, ir, or, ur.

(Refer back to November 14th for a description of CADERS readers.)

Directions for creating this 8-page booklet:
1. Click on story title above, then on link that opens under it.
2. Run off story that opens. (If your printer prints double-sided, print only on one side.)
3. Take every other page and turn it upside down. All pages will still face upwards, but every other one will be upside down.
4. Run in copier, double-sided.
5. Fold in middle. Result is 8-page booklet, using only two sheets of paper.
6. If making more than one copy, set copier to "sort."

Book: My Start-Up Life

2011-10-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

Ben Casnocha, in his My Start-Up Life, tells how he, as a 12-year old, began a path that made him a CEO by the age of 14 and a millionaire by 16. I found it wonderfully inspirational and, if placed in the right hands, might help a youngster see beyond the world around her, into the world of possible dreams. I see that Ben Casnocha is an active blogger and would like to follow his ideas, his thoughts, his direction.

Self-Esteem -- It's Not Doing What We Thought For Our Kids

2011-09-30T21:10:00.001-05:00

Roy Faumeister and John Tierney recently wrote an excellent book, Willpower. In it they argue against the recent trend to build up a child's self-esteem, saying that studies have shown that children with high self-regard do not translate into leaders in our communities. Their argument is that although doing well does, in fact, raise one's self esteem, raising one's self-esteem does not automatically translate into higher achievement.
There's so much more in the book. Obviously the topic is willpower, but they cover a huge range of topics. Very engaging.

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #16

2011-09-30T06:38:00.003-05:00

To continue on with the CADERS readers from last year, here is one that uses CVC/CVC. It is for children who know short vowel sounds. This book lets the children string together several short vowel syllables (/pic/ and /nic/), making longer (yet relatively simple) words (picnic).

Refer back to November 14th for a description of CADERS readers.

Picnic

Camel wanted to have a picnic.
He wanted hot dogs for his picnic.

He asked Piglet to come.
"but I like mash at my picnics" said Piglet.
"Mash is best."
Camel didn't like mash.
He liked hot dogs.

He asked Falcon to come.
"Have rabbits," said Falcon.
"I like rabbits."
Camel like to play with rabbits.
He didn't want them for dinner.

He asked Bobcat and Cricket
to his picnic.
"Have catnip," said Bobcat.
"Have grubs," said Cricket.
Camel wanted hot dogs.

Camel asked Skunk what to do.
"Just spend your picnic
with your friends," said Skunk.
"The food does not matter."

So Camel asked Piglet
and Falcon and Bobcat
and Skunk to his picnic.

And he had his hot dogs.

The Family: America's Smallest School

2011-09-15T07:41:00.000-05:00

This title says it all, though I'll link to the ETA site that lent me this very basic, powerful idea. The article discusses how early developmental delays the child experience in the home will impact the child for life. Of course. Right now I can think of a child in the kindergarten classroom where I help whom I am fairly certain received little attention during his/her earlier years. Unless s/he suffers from low intellect, it is evident now that much as we try, the teacher and I are making little impact. I so wish we could.

It's Never Too Early to Talk About Bullying

2011-09-09T21:09:00.000-05:00

I have strong memories of a girl who bullied me during many of my school days. (We attended all the same schools.) No one paid any attention. I wonder how those days would have been so much better if the issue of bullying had been seen as an issue back then. I can only applaud the work that is being done nowadays. But parents, it is up to you to talk to your child, to make sure s/he is not a victim, to make sure s/he isn't the bully. To educate yourself first, education.com has several good background articles on the topic.

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #15

2011-09-05T22:53:00.003-05:00

I will be continuing the CADERS readers from last year. Go back to November 14th to get an explanation of these books, then look for my posts, title "CADERS (Early Readers)" to copy the stories. (They were first named "Berenson Books.")

This one practices /ing/ and silent e.

Note: These are only meant for parents and teachers. These are not for someone else's website or for selling.

The King Who Liked To Sing

There was this king.
He liked to sing.
He sang all day long.
"La, la, la, la," he sang.

When he swung on his swing, he sang.
"La, la, la, la."
When he hung by his hands
from a tree, he sang.
"La, la, la, la."
When he banged on his gong, he sang,
"La, la, la, la."

Then one day a bee
stung the king.
When the king tried to sing,
all he could do was go,
"Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz."
Buzz?

And his hands just wanted to flap.
Flap?
He couldn't stop.
Buzz, buzz, flap.
Buzz, buzz, flap.
Buzz, buzz, flap.

I like your buzz,"
said his mom.
"I like your flap,"
said his dad.
"Well, I don't,"
said the king.
"I will give gold if you
could help me stop.
I will give you a LOT of gold!"

So if you see a king one day
who is buzzing and flapping,
maybe you can stop
and help him.

Maybe you will be the one
to help him stop.
Maybe you will win
all that gold!

When I Wake

Learning Spanish for Children (and Me!)

2011-08-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

I found these delightful videos on education.com called "Little Pim." Appears to teach both Spanish and English.

YA Book: Starcrossed by Bunce

2011-07-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

For the most part, fantasy is not my genre, but with so many of our students seeking it, I make sure I read it -- at least, some. Reading StarCrossed by Elizabeth Bunce, however, was an unexpected, quite enjoyable read for me. Bunce, from the onset, introduces a cast of characters that propels the plot and suspense forward. Digger, a thief, flees to a far-flung castle to escape the king's soldiers by way of new friends she accidentally acquires. Her life becomes embroiled with that of the owners of the castle who have just returned from exile. Magic, memories of her past love, hidden chambers, seven moons, missing royalty, locks (that come unlocked in Digger's hands), threats for future war, and, of course, an evil lord who must be overcome, all weave nicely into this quickly-paced drama.

"These Things Hidden" by Gudenkauf

2011-07-10T14:55:00.000-05:00

I just finished Heather Gudenkauf's "These Things Hidden." Though it's not marketed as a YA book, it easily could be. Allison, bright, beautiful, falls in love with Christopher and becomes pregnant (What else?). The story moves seamlessly among the three families who are impacted, and then between the past (so critical in this tale) and present.

Best of all for teens, "These Things Hidden" shows the huge complexity of teen pregnancies. I found the present tense used a bit unnatural at times, but it was the only tense that could be used (given the plot). But Gudenkauf's intimate portrayal of Allison and her sister, Brynn, are well worth the reading.

Say It's Not So -- Jane Austin for Infants and Toddlers?

2011-07-05T08:00:00.005-05:00

   I almost missed the article in Publishers Weekly. As they write, "The first two titles in the new Baby Lit board book series from Gibbs Smith will introduce classic writers to the youngest readers -- newborns to three-year olds -- with the publication of Little Miss Austen: Pride & Prejudice and Master Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet.
   Think that's bad enough? I just read that advanced orders reached 12,000 copies. 12,000 copies. That's more than most children's books reach once they are in print. They are already planning their second printing.
   I don't understand. There are such fascinating books geared for these babies of ours -- books with plot lines the children can actually follow!
   Gibbs Smith and Suzanne Taylor hint at the reason why these books may be selling so well: "...great introduction for very small children and...parents who may not have read the classics before." Okay. I guess if you are going to spend so much time reading to your children, perhaps you should get something out of it, too.
   After all, how long will stories about baby duck and kitties hold most adults' attention?

New Testing for Pre-K

2011-07-04T08:00:00.035-05:00

   As if it hasn't gotten silly enough, Education Week (July 9) posts that a good portion of Race To the Top funds for education will be spent on early childhood education -- hey, that part is good -- but, very importantly, pre-K testing. Now just how will they test pre-K? Pre-K students are usually placed in such classrooms because they do not seem ready for the academic life.
   To test a teacher's success with such children, we will test these kids on a child's ability to work independently at her desk. To not punch Mickey. To not cry when Mom leaves every day, to share toys, to find his own bookbag, to focus on the lesson at hand. These children are exposed to the alphabet letters and counting and math concepts and days of the week, but none of these concepts are expected to be mastered -- that's the domain of the kindergarten classroom -- and beyond.
   Sometimes this testing frenzy gets a bit, well, frenzied. It appears that this pre-K testing is one of the ways. There is a whole world of skills children learn in school that cannot be tested. Can't we see the difference?

Differentiated Learning

2011-07-03T14:28:00.000-05:00

      At last.
   We all know the push in education is to "differentiate" teaching. That's a no brainer. With a classroom that includes gifted students, mainstream students, special education students (each with his/her own unique difficulties), hungry children, children who just recently arrived in the States, children coming from stressed homes, eager students, disinterested students -- how can the teacher NOT differentiate? But with one adult responsible for it all and 25 bodies out there, exactly how is this done?
   Lisa Nielson's article explains that it all can really work if we look at a different, yet connected, concept -- that of "differentiated learning."This flips the responsibility for learning the task onto the learner, where it already rests, anyway. How many of us adults become far more engaged in an activity when we added our our thoughts and direction into it? And how often do we passively go along when a task is handed to us and we are forced to take it in? (Think: inservice days.)
   Of course there are basics that any student needs to learn in a lesson. Where is the country? What are the multiples of 5? What sounds do /ch/ and /sh/ and /th/ make? But what if the students had input on how they wanted to learn the content? What if they then decide what else they wanted to learn on the topic? After all, the editors of a textbook decide that for the learner. What if they had a hand in the direction of their learning, too?
   John Dewey, an early pioneer educator whose work thrilled me when I first entered education classes, would be proud.
Note: A hearty thank you to

Showing Students What Real Writers Do

2011-06-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

Kate Messner, an award-winning writer of children's books and a classroom teacher, now offers a book that should help other teachers and their students. Real Revision gives both of them an inside look into what actual writers must do on a daily basis. And what is that, exactly? Revise, revise, revise -- and revise even more.
As a former English teacher (middle and high school), I know this is the furthest from many students' interest. I also know that we have some excellent writers under the age of 18. I hope some of them take Messner's book to heart. I'd love to see their talent grow.

Book: "Who's Teaching Your Children?"

2011-06-04T09:06:00.000-05:00

It has taken me a month to read through Vivian Troen and Katherine Boles's well-researched Who's Teaching Your Children? No, it's not because it wasn't written well or didn't engage me -- quite the opposite. I kept pausing to breathe, to think, to vent.

The authors blasted many of the problems of today's schools. With politicians around blaming the teachers, teachers, teachers for the poor performance of some schools, Troen and Boles take aim at the way public schools are viewed by society -- as a second-class profession. Education schools are notoriously easy to enter and graduate from, the pay is poor, and the profession itself is flat, giving little encouragement or opportunity for teachers to better their instruction in the schools, and those with advanced knowledge and skills perform the same tasks as the novice. No wonder charter schools, home schooling, and private schools are flourishing, they argue, and the immense drain those cause on public schools would diminish significantly if the public policy designed a route entering professionals would take to grow from student teacher to master teacher.

I applaud the efforts by the authors. Perhaps someone out there will take notice. And someone needs to -- fast.

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #14

2011-05-15T11:50:00.003-05:00

Here's a silent e book:

Nate and the Ape

Nate likes to swim.

The last time
Nate swam at Pine Lake,
he saw an ape.

The ape had a kite.
It was way, way up.

The ape walked up the kite line.
It sat on the kite.

So Nate walked up the kite line, too,
and sat on the kite.

The ape played a flute.
Nate told jokes.

The ape ate cake.
Nate ate cheese.

The ape and Nate
stayed up there all day.

I wish I could go to Pine Lake.

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #13

2011-05-01T07:53:00.004-05:00

And now for a book that practice the /au/ sound.

(Refer to November 14th posting for information on CADERS readers.)

I Can Draw

I can draw.
I can draw a fawn.

I can draw a fawn
in a shawl.

I can draw a fawn
in a shawl,
holding a cup and saucer.

I can raw a fawn
in a shawl,
holding a cup and saucer,
standing in a rocket
when it launches.

I can draw a fawn
in a shawl,
holding a cup and saucer,
standing in a rocket
when it launches
from our lawn
at dawn.

So there!

I can draw a bobcat...

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #12

2011-04-30T17:46:00.003-05:00

This booklet moves on to the r-controlled vowels -- ar, er, ir, or, and ur -- along with a number of blends (gr, st, -nd, etc)

(Refer back to November 14th for full explanatin of CADERS readers.)

A Turnip on Her Head

"I want to look good for my birthday,"
said Bird.

So first she put on a skirt.
Bird looked at herself.
"I need more," she said.

Bird held a purse in her hand.
She put curls in her hair.
"I need more," she said.

So she put a turnip
on her head.
On top of the turnip
she put a fish.
On top of the fish
She put a nest.

And in the nest she put a frog.
On top of the frog
she put a frog in a nest
and the nest on top of a cat
that purred.

Bird whirled and whirled
and looked at herself.
She grinned.

"I look good!" Bird said.
"I am ready for that party!"

CADERS (Early Readers): #11

2011-04-10T17:43:00.003-05:00

Here's another book for silent e and digraphs. And this one not only works for illustrations, it works for acting. The children really enjoy waking and pacing and chasing and...

(Refer to November 14th for explanation of CADERS readers.)

When I Wake

When I wake, I pace.

Then I race

and chase.

I brake

and shake.

But then,
best of all,
I bake...

And bite!

CADERS (Early Readers), Posting #10

2011-03-18T10:30:00.002-05:00

CADERS is moving on to CVC/CVC. These are longer words that have the pattern (short vowels for CVC) the children learn early in their reading, but it allows for more complex words. But let the child take this story slowly. It has MANY CVC/CVC. And there are several good words your child probably won't know and will be great for vocabulary enrichment.

As always, refer back to November 15th posting for a full description of CADERS readers.

The Game

It was time for the kickoff.
"Hiccup!" went Kevin.
"Hiccup!"

"Shh," said Bob, sitting
next to him. "You hiccup nonstop.
You sound like a chipmunk."

Kevin did not want to sound
like a chipmunk.
So he hit his lunchbox.
He hit his pencil.

"Hiccup!" went Kevin.

A man with a red helmet
looked over at Kevin.
"You are making a racket!" he said.
"If you do not stop,
they will cancel the game."

"Cancel the game?" said Bob.
"Cancel the game," said the man.
So Bob stopped -- just like that.

But then...
"Hiccup!" wen the man.

MOTIVATION WEDNESDAY: "THE LINE"

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

Okay, I know it isn't Wednesday yet, but I got way behind in my posts last week. New Motivation Wednesday in two days.

     Children want to succeed on their own. This includes reading, of course. A strategy I developed years ago never fails me. I call it The Line.
   A child, sitting next to me, falters as he reads aloud. I sense he could do better, a lot better. The passage is not too difficult.
   I take out a piece of paper, put it between us, and draw a line down its middle, separating the paper into "his" side and mine.
   "Now," I tell him, "whenever you read a word, you will get a point on your side. I will keep track as you read, and you can watch me as I mark the points. However, whenever you miss a word, I get a point on my side.
   "You need to understand that I hate, absolutely hate, to lose. So I have no intention of helping you. I'll let you get to the end of the sentence to correct any mistakes. But if you go ahead and read the next sentence without correcting the mistake, I will take that point. I plan on beating you, that's for sure." And I am true to my word. I'll even whisper "Miss, miss," every now and then.
   Every elementary age child I've worked with takes the challenge. And excels.
   His side fills with slashes -- 50, 100, 200. My side collects three or five or fifteen. He can't help but see what the paper shouts out, that he is reading far, far more words than he can't.
   The reading finishes. I count the points. When I get to my few points, I recount them over and over, acting as if I am counting new points."See how many I have!" I say.
   A word of warning, though -- The Line only works if you stay true to its intent -- letting the child be responsible for his own reading. The child misses a word or hesitates a bit too long? DO NOT GIVE HIM THE WORD OR OFFER ANY HINT. This is crucial. At the end the child must know that he, and he alone, earned those points.
   And as he carries off the score sheet, he knows it.

"THE SOLOIST" AND CHILD-REARING

2011-02-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

I heard a radio interview by Steve Lopez, author of The Soloist. I have yet to see the movie, but I was struck by the lyricism of the passage he read and decided to purchase his book.

The story, of course, is compelling -- how Lopez, L.A. Times columnist, discovers a former rising star at Juilliard, now on Skid Row, and slowly helps the broken man rediscover himself.
Their saga could also be a possible blueprint for educators and parents of troubled children, teens, and young adults. When difficulties arise, especially when someone under our care becomes difficult, we may try to impose our expectations on them. Or, exhausted, we may stop. "There's nothing I can do," we throw voices and hands into the air. "When he decides to change, he'll change."

Lopez, in his hugely-challenging relationship with Nathaniel Ayers, combines both. He looks for what he feels Ayers must silently yearn for, excellence in classical music, then arranges the stage beforehand. Indoor apartment. Donated instruments. Music lessons. Makeshift studio. Exposure to great musicians.
Lopez watches. Waits. Offers again. And again. And again. Perhaps most importantly of all, he establishes himself as someone Ayers can trust. Then, when Ayers is ready to move, Lopez has his set ready.

It is a struggle; Ayers slides and fights and bumps and reverts. But he is succeeding. As Nathaniel would say, "Bravo."
Now back to those children of ours...

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #9

2011-02-10T08:19:00.004-06:00

The next installment of CADERS readers moves on to the silent e -- words like "same" and "like" and "hope." The e at the end of the word usually forces the vowel in front to say its name. Until now, children think vowels are always short (a sounds like "cat," e sounds like "hen," etc).

Refer back to November 14th posting for an explanation of CADERS readers.

A Whale Can Bike

A whale can bike.
Didn't you know?
Of course it can,
when it wants to.

A whale can slide.
Didn't you know?
Of course it can,
when it wants to.

A whale can shake.
Didn't you know?
Of course it can,
when it wants to.

A whale can clap
and glide

And stare
and hike

and yelp and hop
and smile and pace
and blush and wave,
when it wants to...

Just like you.

`

WHY CHILDREN STUDY

2011-01-18T10:00:00.000-06:00

     Catherine Gewertz reported an interesting study in the Harvard Business Review. It found an employee's good feelings toward work are far more dependent on "making progress," not on incentives or compliments offered. Gewertz sees this, too, with her own children, how much more empowered they feel when new, difficult topics open up to them.
   For some time now, when I've work with kindergarten students in my room and they correctly answer a challenging question, I'll place a small sticker on their arm. "This is a Smart," I tell them. "It shows how smart you are getting." Then, when they line up to leave, I'll ask them how much they had learned in class. Little arms rise.
   According to Harvard and Gerwertz, I am doing something right. Good.
   I give older students paper clips for correct answers during discussions which, by the end of class, they "cash in" for a letter, then for stars on a chart which, in turn, eventually become small rewards. Especially difficult questions might earn two, even three, clips. I justify the process in that it gives a bit of playfulness to class, it gives the students a visual (the clips) of how active they are in class, and it takes very little time to manage.
   But with these older students I may be omitting the very point the Harvard article makes. It should all be about what the child realizes she's acquired, not the incentives. Of course, that has always been my primary intent. I am consistent in my discussions with my five-year olds. Do my 10-year olds understand the same?
   I need to check. Otherwise, I have some changes to make.

PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnystiletto/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

CADERS: Posting # 8

2011-01-05T20:12:00.002-06:00

Another CADERS reader for digraphs (ch, sh, wh, th) and blends (gr, st, dr, etc).

(See November 14th for description and purpose of CADERS books.)

Hush, Hush

Hush, hush.
Josh rests now.

Please don't chat
Or belch

Or fix a bath.

Please don't flush

Or thud
Or munch or crunch.

And please don't whiff
The fish for lunch.

Let Josh rest!

BABY COLLEGE

2010-12-16T10:00:00.000-06:00

NPR some time back posted a story about Harlem Children's Zone and its Baby College. I've been buzzing ever since, hoping perhaps we just might have a new model that would turn children in our inner cities around. After all, it followed the usual successful plans -- a community taking charge of its own in order for it to succeed. Apparently major federal money is now targeted to replicate the HCZ model and place it throughout the country. Good. Or so I thought.

But I guess somehow I missed out on my research. Recently I caught articles by Alexander Russo and Linda Perlstein that tell of a possible different story, one of the media not scrutinizing HCZ as they should, of HCZ withholding data results, of excuses being made by the organization for weak results (despite over 10 years since the inception of Baby College and 35+ years for HCZ). And the latest interview in City Limits did little to quell questions.
Let's see, No Child Left Behind mandates schools to show substantial results within one year, and every year after that -- results even from special education and struggling minority students as well as recent immigrants -- or millions of federal dollars will be withheld. And this same federal government now plans on shipping new millions to HCZ that has yet to show acceptable results?

I want Harlem Children's Zone to succeed, or any other program that can move these children on. But with all the financial fiascos we've seen in the past two years, all the wasted monies, I would think the federal government would be a bit more cautious with the depleted dollars, do its homework, and deliver dollars where dollars will best succeed, not just to the most hyped program of the hour.

Please, Mr. Canada, don't operate as the business world operates -- hiding design flaws, critical data, finances. It usually all comes out in the end, anyway, and the business looks the fool.

So if Baby College doesn't yet have the data to support its tales of wonder, wait. Experiment. Improve.
Please.

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting # 7

2010-12-15T07:06:00.003-06:00

This book practices blends (br, st, dr, gl, etc) and digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh).

(Refer to November 14th for explanation of CADERS readers.)

Don't Pinch a Frog

Don't pinch a frog.

Don't punch a truck.

Don't crunch a crab.

Don't bash a flag.

Don't whack a glass.

Don't thump a moth.

Don't!

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #6

2010-12-10T06:51:00.003-06:00

By now your child should easily read the books I've posted. As you will notice, some have phrase repetition -- a certain line that repeats throughout the story with only one or two words changing. This allows the child to read "more sophisticated" stories, rather than being relegated to "Go, Dog."

On now to the next step -- digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh) and blends (br, st, pl, dr, etc). You will notice that there might be words your child can read but perhaps doesn't know (as with "flesh" below). This gives you a prefect time to discuss new words with your child/class -- learning words in context is always the best way to learn words.

And, as always, refer back to November 14th posting for a description of CADERS readers if you have not been a part of this blog to date:

The Fish Has an Itch

The fish has an itch.

The shrimp has an itch.

The chimp has an itch.

The moth has an itch.

The chick has an itch.

My flesh has an itch.

We all have an itch.
Let's scratch!

CADERS: Posting #5

2010-12-05T19:54:00.002-06:00

Another posting for CADERS. (Refer back to November 14th for full explanation of what these are all about):

Run, Bed!

Run, Bed!

Run, Mop!

Run, Bag!

Run, Can!

Run, Sun!

Run, Wig!

Stop!
Stop!
Stop!

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #4

2010-11-20T20:40:00.002-06:00

And a fourth very early CADERS reader (Refer to Nove 14th posting for full explanation of CADERS). Remember, it's all in the child's ability to figure out the words (Go ahead and give her the word, "this") -- and the illustrations!:

Bed Has a Wig

This bed has a wig.

This can has a wig.

This bib has a wig.

This pot has a wig.

This box has a wig.

This mud has a wig.

I have a wig!

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting # 3

2010-11-07T07:00:00.002-06:00

And yet one more very early reader (Refer to November 14th posting for full description and purpose for CADERS):

Me, Too

You run.
Me, too.

You sit.
Me, too.

You kiss.
Me, too.

You yell.
Me, too.

You nap.
Me, too.

You hop.
Me, too.

You wet.
Me, too!

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #2

2010-10-25T07:33:00.003-05:00

As talked about on November 30th posting (refer back for complete discussion on how to fomat, purpose and scope of CADERS), here's another posting. This one, too, is meant for the earliest of readers:

So Big

Dad is so big.

Mom is so big.

Sis is so big.

Ted is so big.

My cat is so big.

My dog is so big.

I am so big!

CADERS (Early Readers): Posting #1

2010-10-14T15:49:00.040-05:00

For a couple of years, I've been writing playful, simple books for my students who are just learning to read. These are very basic books -- booklets, actually -- all of eight pages, most with only a few words on each. This is what early readers need. Each booklet focuses on one or two phonics (sound) skills.

They are also child-centered, or so I hope. These books complemented a testing program I developed I call CADERS (Computerized-Assisted Diagnosis of Essential Reading Skills). They were first dubbed "Berenson Books."

Now I don't claim to be any type of illustrator, but it occurred to me that the children are, by far, excellent illustrators, so when I presented these stories to my students sans any illustrations, they were delighted. They read, they illustrate -- and if I write the book correctly -- they laugh.

I will start posting some of my early readers here. On my own computer I have them formatted into 8-page booklets with the 8 1/2 x 11 paper in landscape format so that one face of the paper holds two pages. Two sheets of paper, printed back and front, turn into the eight pages.

Unfortunately, though, I cannot yet figure out how to upload that format onto my blog. So for now, I'll simple give you the story (as basic as they are), and you'll need to either write or type them for your child. If your child attends my reading classes, don't worry about having them read these books before or after we do in class -- children thrill simply with the ability to read.

And remember, these are for beginning readers. Even Dr. Suess's books (Ach, I should even use his name in the same line as mine!) are for more "advanced" beginning readers.

Don't forget -- part of the joy is the illustrating. To our kids, illustrating is a type of play. And always, always, we want to make reading "play."

And now for one of the simplest ones: Dog Dog.

Do note: These books are only meant for your use with your child or students in the classroom. Any other use of these must first be approved by me.

Booklet (meant for readers who are mastering the simplest of words, CVC, or consonant-vowel-consonant):

Dog Dog

Dog dog

Cat cat

Pig pig

Bug bug

Rat rat

Hen hen

Me me!

RELUCTANT READER? PERCY JACKSON, YES, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW...

2010-10-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know the major boy series out there right now is Percy Jackson and the Olympians, but I haven't read those yet. My next review will be on at least one of those, I promise. But I did just finish the first three of Anthony Horowitz's eight Alex Rider books. (Okay, so I'm a bit late with discovering these. Am I the only one?)

And what a ride these books are. A fourteen-year old British schoolboy turns into a reluctant-yet-highly skilled government spy after the mysterious death of his uncle. Unlike Bond, Alex does not want this life, but M16 threatens and bullies him enough to get Alex on these missions. Alex breaks away from his school routine just long enough to stop deadly computers from killing all the country's school children, to destroy Project Gemini and its goal to develop a racist world, and to save Russia from a nuclear attack. Along the way Alex must outrace crazed brutes, fly down mountainsides, step behind a crane's controls to outmaneuver others, escape a shark, live through the Cribber -- and, of course, much more. And as with Bond, Alex is supplied with tech master gadgets for his espionage, though his gadgets are zit cream, yoyo, Game Boy, CD, book, others.

I raced through the three books, and I am not driven by action-based books. I found the boys in my classes, too, couldn't get enough of the books -- that is, if their reading ability was strong enough (about a fifth grade level).

MOTIVATION WEDNESDAY: CAN WE INSPIRE OURSELVES TO CHANGE?

2010-08-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

   I've followed a fascinating blog, synthesis, by Shafeen Charania, a Microsoft engineer-turned-advocate-for-educational-change. (Okay, he has some other interests, too.) Other education blogs -- including my own -- should be so insightful.
   Some of you who are reading this blog do not know of a former time when it was believed we could make huge changes in schools. I was an undergrad at the University of Wisconsin, and I learned of Kozol. Kohl. Holt. Herndon. Perhaps it is that I am in the Midwest, but what I've basically seen since then -- definitely in the elementary classroom -- is what we've had for so long. Basals (or whatever their name of the day is -- anthologies? They are still basals). Worksheets. Some excellent novels and poems. Other excellent projects. But our basals still structure and rule the day.
   And the NCLB testing looms over us most of the year.
   Charania writes in his February 21 post of an education system that actually serves the public, not just offers shallow promises, a place where children from all levels educate together. He refers to the founder of a unique educational setting in California, a school that teaches by doing, by experiencing, by "becoming." This is no new theory -- I heard of it when I studied at the University of Wisconsin -- but then it was just talk and promises. In most places, it still is. Except at this High Tech High band of schools, from what Charania says, and a few other places.
   "We've made education complex -- it isn't," says Charania. I wanted to shout in agreement. "We've created a system whose rules require a book that's several inches thick...[Here he speaks of how school staff only cares about passing No Child Left Behind testing, and boy, is he wrong, but I doubt he has a clue as to what NCLB demands really are, so I'll forgive him.] We've forgotten that it is about graduating children whose future is profoundly more brilliant than anything we might conceive." Who could say it better?
   I call this post "Motivation Wednesday." I think I just motivated myself to change my reading classroom, to try to recapture why I came into education in the first place.
   I'll start right after we finish -- and pass -- NCLB testing.

GREAT NEW YA READS (AND ONE DISAPPOINTMENT)

2010-06-21T22:35:00.002-05:00

   I just finished three middle grade/YA books. Two I'd highly recommend; one Iw suggest you ignore:

   Collins's The Hunger Games is about a futuristic America -- not exactly doomsday, but might as well be. Excellent, clever, creative -- good development of character, excellent sense of setting and intrigue -- each time I thought I knew what would happen next, up to the very end -- well, I didn't.

   Brown's Hate List, the story of a school shooting, kept me riveted; I read until my eyes wouldn't focus, but I continued on until I finished the book. Characters very realistic and full of unique voices. I was also impressed that Brown didn't focus on the violence or (any) sex but rather the emotional turmoil and events both before and after the shooting.

   Now Grisham's Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer was a major disappointment. As tightly woven as many of Grisham's novels are, I was unhappy -- and concerned -- about his first venture into kids' books. He apparently underestimates the intellect of young readers; he brought in characters/events/ideas, then dropped them with little or no development. If I could get my money back from Barnes and Noble, I would.

RAINING FISH IN AUSTRALIA

2010-03-08T08:00:00.002-06:00

   Now if anything will encourage creative writing and discussion, credible tales of fish raining down on Australia last month ought to do it.
   The fish were alive.
   Objects crashing down from the heavens apparently has its place in history. Spiders, hard boiled eggs, mice, frogs, crosses, blood, and more have been reported by reliable sources. Villagers in one town in Honduras take out pails each year to collect the fish that fall during the rainy season. Scientists guess why this occurs, but every answer has problems.
   It's a fascinating read for your students and children. Even more fascinating might be the stories they create to explain this phenomenon.

KIM: FOCUSING HER PARENTS, TOO?

2010-03-07T08:00:00.071-06:00

https://www.google.com/reader/view/?tab=my#stream/feed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fzenhabits.net%2Ffeed%2F

   Kim*, one of my younger students, lights up whenever she sees me.
   Okay, it doesn't take much to get most little ones to like you. Smile a lot. Tell a few jokes. (They don't even have to be funny.) Hold their hand -- if they want to -- as you walk down the hall. Show them you care. (How could you not?)
   No wonder people like to work with the primary grades. Such unconditional love.
   Kim, however, misplaces her assignments, her classroom teacher tells me. She loses books. And her reading lags far behind that of the other children.
   I listen to Kim as she reads. She skips words, misses others I just gave her, reverses the letters of "slap." Sight words she should know she doesn't.
   As soon as Kim joins my class, I see what the teacher has reported. Kim checks out a book from me but has excuse after excuse why she doesn't bring it back. "It's on my table," she says, or it's on her bed, or it's in the car. When she does finally return it after three weeks and checks out a new one, that, too, takes over a week to return. Meanwhile, the students talk in class, and I hear Kim is in dance class and something else, either Scouts or baseball.
   I try to set up a time to meet with her parents. One meeting is missed. A second one never quite materializes. Phone calls are exchanged, but her mom can talk but a moment. I run into her in the hallway, and I can tell she is frazzled. "I'll call you," she says, stretching her fingers into that unmistakable handset shape. Of course I don't get the call.
   Everyone today, it seems, is overloaded. This certainly seems to be Kim's family. But I'm afraid that by trying to do more for their daughter, her folks may actually be doing less. What Kim needs now is structure. A bit of playtime when she gets home. Chores. Homework. Reading. Dinner and family time. Packing her book bag for the next day. Bath. Storytime. Bed. Other activities saved for the weekend.
   And filling up with stories. Learning to read well.
   This prescription isn't for everyone. But for Kim, yes, Kim needs this. Her other things will wait while she catches up on her reading, while her life organizes a bit saner.
   Then it will be time for her to go out and conquer the world.
*Name changed
PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickz/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

KEVIN: TERRIBLE TIME WITH READING COMPREHENSION, BUT MAYBE....

2010-03-06T14:10:00.002-06:00

   I knew going in to the testing -- the No Child Left Behind testing -- that Kevin* might not pass. In fact, there was every reason to assume he wouldn't. His answers during reading class, during science and social studies and anything that required reading comprehension were all over the board, and usually they showed how little he really understood what he read. How did he get some of his bizarre answers we never knew.
   Of course his score wouldn't really affect him personally. It would not be posted in the grade book, and we didn't have to tell him whether or not he passed. Or we could always lie.
   But his passing, of course, did matter to the school. There was very, very little room for kids not to pass or major money would be lost to the district. With our large population of minority students, we were always on the edge.
   And Kevin's parents were so concerned about his abilities. He had often enough scored Ds or Fs. They vacillated between encouragements and reprimands.
   I could always use more training -- I'm always open to that -- but I did had one major strategy I had practiced over and over with the students: read only 2-3 lines, stop, paraphrase the reading. Do not, do not, I lectured, continue until they could restate what they had read. Do not. Work through the passage, no matter how painful.
   But at the testing, I couldn't tell Kevin what to do. I couldn't stop him when he barreled through a passage, not stopping once, typical for my students. Besides, if anything, we teachers want to know if what we are doing with the kids works. Stopping every few lines doubles the time it takes to read a passage. Was it worth it? Besides, sometimes this seemed to help; other times, he still missed so many.
   Wonders be, Kevin followed through. Stopped after the first three lines. Looked away. Tried to recite. Couldn't. Reread. Still couldn't. Reread. Never once looked over at me with his usual questioning face, just looked ahead and recited to himself. For each passage he may have reread it 4 times, sometimes 5 or 6. Amazing his inability. (Hadn't it improved any with all our practicing?) Amazing his tenacity. Exactly what was he thinking about the first 3 or 4 times he read the lines?
   And when he came to the questions, he only looked back twice to check his answers. No! That had been my second strategy I had hammered into the students. I was ready to, well, bang his head a bit -- a lot! (If only doing so would help!)
   But wait, he was getting the answers. Really. Well, almost all of them. Usually, by now he would have missed half. Hey, were we on to something? Could Kevin actually be taught to read -- and concentrate -- at the same time, something so basic for so many of us, yet apparently so out of his reach?
   And would the solution be that simple? How could it be?
     * Name changed.

BABIES -- WHY DO THEY SPEAK LIKE BABIES?

2010-03-04T10:00:00.073-06:00

For those of you interested in the early development of language in children, you might want to look at the article by J. Hartshorne in Scientific America or the recent one in the Boston Globe on J. Snedeker's work. Both discuss the current theories of how children acquire language. Hartshorne separates the discussion into that of language learned by native speakers, language learned by adoptees (ages 2-5), and adult immigrants. Hartshorne argues that it might be the strength of the speaker's eventual vocabulary, and not developmental age, that determines the acquisition speed and complexity of her language skills. But the limited skills of immigrants brings into the discussion of a critical period for learning language efficiently; i.e. before a certain age. It appears a fascinating line of research.

WORD GAMES, JAMES LIPTON, AND A CHALLENGE

2010-03-02T18:01:00.003-06:00

For those of you with children around you who enjoy word games, James Lipton of "Inside the Actor's Studio" tells of his foray years ago to unearth the terms we use for groups of things -- a gaggle of geese, a pride of lions, the charm of finches. He discovered more in 15th century texts (adding a few of his own): a charm of finches, a parliament of owls, a cry of players, an outback of Aussies, the unkindness of ravens, a quicksand of credit cards, a rash of dermatologists, the superfluidity of nuns, an acre of dentists, the acne of adolescents, a queue of actors. He added some of his own and filled over 300 pages in The Exaltation of Larks: The Ultimate Edition. What a challenge for those around you, to create their own...

CURRICULUM MONDAY -- MOVE!

2010-03-01T09:00:00.007-06:00

The most basic of lessons can be become motivating to the child. How? Why has Spelling Baseball been a classic in classrooms for so many years? It's its physicalness the students seek.*

But there are many other ways to turn lessons physical. She correctly reads a line in her phonics lesson? She earns 10 seconds to do jumping jacks, skipping, or running across the room. (Believe it or not, she almost always calms down quickly if she know such activities will stop immediately if she doesn't!)

Or the movement can be a part of the lesson. She claps her hands together three times, then four times more, and adds them together. Or a math challenge is written on a card. She computes it correctly. You wad up the card, and she runs as she catches it on the fly.

Or the child is learning to recognize description. Her challenge? To pop up every time she comes across another description in a story. (It might be best to give specific instruction, such as to stand only when she sees descriptions over one specific object or event in the story.)

Or she is learning where certain punctuation marks go, such as quotation marks. You (or someone) reads an unmarked passage, and she throws up her arms (as if exaggerated quotation marks over her head) when she "hears" them.

Okay, obviously you are not going to offer such movement activities all the time. You might already be getting dizzy, just reading this. Many lessons are enjoyable by themselves, and sometimes the child is going to do lessons because, because -- because she needs to, that's all. But on other days...

Try some. Make up your own.
And be prepared for a lot of laughter.

*This is assuming the child is healthy and not restricted physically.
PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

FEED AND COMMENTS NOW ACTIVATED

2010-03-01T07:46:00.000-06:00

I started up with the bare skeleton of a blog. Slowly I'm adding what is needed:

Feed: Link is on right side
Comments: You need to click on the title of the article; the comments will then open at the bottom.

TOP SELLING CHILDREN'S BOOKS

2010-02-28T13:00:00.004-06:00

The New York Times posted the top selling children's books from last week. Now selling the most copies or winning an award is no guarantee of a great story -- I just slept through a Newbery Honor Book, which is unusual since I race through so many of them -- but selling rate and honors are places to start a book search:

Pikney's The Lion and the Mouse was the top seller for picture books

Sweet Little Lies (ages 14 and up) by Lauren Conrad for chapter books

Conrad's LA Candy for paperbacks

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan for series.

CURRICULUM MONDAY -- RHYMED PAIRS (BLENDS)

2010-02-22T10:00:00.005-06:00

Once the child has mastered simple short vowels (3 letters, with the vowel in the middle, such as "cat" and "hot"), it's time to expand into consonant blends. Because the child must now hold not three sounds ("c-a-t") but four sounds ("s-c-a-t") before blending, this is tricker. Child having repeated trouble? Practice, practice the consonant blend first. Then, when reading a word, have her say the blend as if it were one sound, not two ("sc-a-t" and "dr-o-p").
   Examples of consonant blends:
   Initial blends: st-, sp-, scr-, sw-, br-, bl-, dr-, gr-, gl-, cr-, cl-, fr-, fl-, pr-, pl-, tr-, tw-
   Final blends: -nt, -nd, -st, -sk, -sp, -ft, -lf, -lk

   Okay, to the activity:
   Give the child a rhymed pair (See below). She draws a picture of the rhymed pair but only writes one of the words on the picture. Can the other child figure out the missing rhymed word? (For parents at home: Adult draws the picture and writes the one word. The child unlocks the missing word). Add acting? All the more fun.

   Go!
   clock block
   slurp and burp
   sled bled
   jump and bump
   duck cluck
   clam slam
   black crack
   twin grin
   grab crab
   press dress
   duck truck
   cross boss
   slit mitt
   slick brick
   twin grin
   last gasp
   step on desk
   lick stick
   dressed nest
   stop and drop
   flat hat
PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/radioflyer007/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

MERIT PAY AND OUR SCHOOLS

2010-02-17T10:00:00.007-06:00

As a teacher, I've always been torn with the pros and cons of merit pay. Universities, also in the business of educating, routinely pay professors salaries based on productivity. Then again, when is the last time a history professor's performance was impacted by how well her students scored on the GRE?

   But I do hate excuses.
   Perhaps one of the best arguments I've read recently against merit pay is by Shafeen Charania of  synthesis. He refers to an article in Education Week, saying merit pay simply cannot work in an environment where the success of one teacher relies heavily on the input of so many others. "Merit pay ONLY succeeds in individual, competitive games; i.e. when you have to beat someone else to win," Charania writes. "It's really easy to motivate salespeople based on merit 'cause they control their destiny; they can only win when their employer wins; and when they win, their competition loses."
   Well, that certainly speaks to any of the schools where I've worked. We all have some form of child study team, a once-a-week gathering of administrators, classroom teachers, and specialists to discuss any student in the school. Imagine if we were only rated on the success on the students specifically assigned to us? Would classroom teachers share lessons with one another?
   Collegiality and a shared passion, I've found, often set one school far above others. The adults join forces to teach, inspire, coach, and nurture their collective students; they then turn around and provide the very same for their colleagues.
   When people point to a business model to emulate, they gloss over the problems businesses create for themselves -- the cheating; the backbiting; the financial lying to stockholders; the serious product design flaws that are quietly hidden, then later main and kill innocents.
   So let's not use business models to "improve" our nurturing schools. In fact, business has a lot to learn about humanity -- from teachers.
   No, there has to be something better.

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barrettelementary/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

THE CHILD WHISPERER

2010-02-16T10:00:00.032-06:00

   My brother hooked me onto "The Dog Whisperer." He has dogs; I do not. But watching Caesar Millan take these animals -- neurotic, aggressive, terrified, withdrawn -- and within a day or so change them into well-adjusted pets is inspiring to watch.
   The dogs obey. They wait patiently. They wag their tails. Of course, much of his work is teaching the dog's owners how to act around their pets, but both humans and dogs appear immensely pleased. Dog and human now know what is expected of them. Everyone wins.
   I don't have dogs. But I do have classrooms of children. How could I not see the connection? I think my students enjoy coming to class -- they laugh, they chatter -- but still, there are those days. Whining children. Argumentative children. Pouting children.
   I do feel a bit ashamed, connecting the training dogs to the teaching children. Apparently, though, I'm not the only one. Belkin in her New York Times blog, Motherload, tells how many others think of Millan as "The Child Whisperer."
   I must say, after "The Dog Whisperer," I no longer feel the need to justify my words or actions to my students. I establish the rules in the classroom and the consequences for not following them. I periodically review these with the class (though not when anyone is disruptive). When someone acts up, I nod or point. The child knows what to do; if she choose not to follow the silent directive, there's a second -- or even a third -- consequence. From my nod or my point, she knows. I say nothing. (Okay, I'm not completely cured of that. I do have my days.)
   When I now ask these K-6 students who's "boss" in the room, they all point at me. They do it very matter-of-factly. No laugh, no smirk. They point. They know.
   Too bad there was no "Dog Whisperer" when I was raising my boys. I would have been a better parent. A lot less arguing. I would have been a lot happier.
   I'm sure my boys would have been, too.

Photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13723940@N04/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

CURRICULUM MONDAY -- "IF YOU CAN READ IT, DO IT," SHORT VOWELS

2010-02-15T10:00:00.026-06:00

   A kindergardener or first grader comes to school, so enthusiastic about learning to read, and what do many workbooks do? Hit her with dry phonics lessons. Ach!
   It doesn't have to be that way.
   I still make sure the child has the basics of blending out a word first, but only the very basic skill ("d-o-g," "s-i-t"). I don't ask her to be proficient. After all, it's all about practice and practice. Why not combine phonics and movement and silliness -- just what she likes?
   So the mantra for the following exercise is, "If you can read it, you get to do it." I decide what phonics I'm teaching, then create phrases using that skill that can be acted out.
   The child works alone or with a partner, but in no way does anyone else help her. (Okay, she can be helped with the non-short vowel words shown in boldface, but no other words.) If she can figure out the words, she get to act it out -- far more fun than getting a star on her paper. If she can't, she doesn't get to do the acting.
   Simple -- and highly motivating. The students will work to come up with the phase so they can act. What could be better?

NOTE:
a. A box of props nearby is nice but not necessary.
b. I use this with other phonics lessons, too. I will post their phrases periodically.
c. This works just as well informally at home as well as during lessons.

1. Go rub -a dub in a tub.
2. Run as fast as a van.
3. Be a mad dad.
4. Jump on a bump.
5. Be a mom.
6. Be a fox.
7. Kiss a bib.
8. Be sick.
9. Kiss a sock.
10. Put your legs on your neck.
11. Swim fast.
12. Be a duck.
13. Be a rat.
14. Zip up pants.
15. Get ants in your pants.
16. Put on socks.
17. Pop up.
18. Quack.
19. Yelp.
20. Hum and hop.

PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaskaval/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

TODDLER LEARNING SHAKESPEARE

2010-02-15T10:00:00.015-06:00

For those of you who have not yet seen Brian Cox teaching this toddler (his grandson?) some Hamlet, it's a great 2 minutes of your time:

RETHINKING ONE LAPTOP PER CHILD

2010-02-04T09:00:00.033-06:00

   Most of us have heard of the One Laptop Per Child initiative begun by Nicholas Negroponte of MIT. For some time I've dismissed the idea as a well-intended but a seriously flawed program.
   I just came across a month-old interview of Negroponte in Big Think. Even if only half of his vision comes to fruition, how can we not be intrigued with the potential of OLPC?
   Okay, as a teacher I would like to think that I inspire every single student who spend time in my room. Of course I don't. If Negroponte's reporting is accurate, in places where OLPC has been implemented, truancy drops to zero, dismissing the oft-repeated argument that children stop attending these schools in order to work or care for younger siblings. He says students go home and teach their parents how to read and write, empowering these youngsters as "agents of change"for their entire family. Rote learning bows to investigative problem-solving, parents actively engage with the school, and students are soon "learning about learning" through their computer work. Excited teachers report that children are educationally involved all day, that through the privacy of emails, students ask them far more searching questions then they would have asked if in front of their peers. The computer doesn't replace the book, he argues, but rather gives children access to millions of books instead. Millions.
   Best yet, the children are passionate about their learning.
   There is criticism. The laptops apparently aren't the $100 versions once promised. Poor nations might not have the resources to fund such a project. There are questions about what corporations might be benefiting from the initiative.
   Still, there is so much potential. Children, passionate about learning. Challenging tasks. Cognition strengthened. Parents involved. Truancy radically reduced. Supportive teachers.
   Or is this just another educational dream?

PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pieter-bidia/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

BOOK CHARACTERS: A CHILD'S NEW BEST FRIEND

2010-02-02T09:00:00.132-06:00

A mom contacted me, worried that her eight-year old daughter had not improved in reading, at least according to her latest standardized test results. I was worried, too. This would usually call for a change in my instruction with her. But wait, I am beginning a new unit, one that teaches inferential comprehension, something I knew her daughter needed.
   But I also wanted to know if Kim* was reading at home. I have found that once my students actively tackle challenging books on their own, their reading ability usually soars. So I asked.
   The mom paused. "I don't think Kim's reading any this year," she answered.
   This doesn't surprise me. Students who struggle with reading usually don't read many books -- or any -- on their own.
   Not good. Kim needs to read for her own skill improvement. For her own growth. For her own pleasure.
   Four years ago I decided to learn how to write fiction. I've come to understand, really understand, how favorite stories are all about the characters. So why do we teachers and parents just ask, "So did you read?"
   I know Kim to be a social creature, very generous with her friendships. Could Kim see books as a place to meet new friends?
   Okay, I know that thought isn't original. Sophisticated readers expect to bond with many of the characters they meet in books. But does this eight-year old? At night, after dinner, with her personality bubbling over and no other girls around...?
   I talked to her mom. "Downplay the word, "reading," I advised. "Just talk about the kids in the books. Maybe bring up a few book characters she -- or the two of you -- have met in the past...?"
   Kim came in the next day, all enthused. And the next day, too. "I like reading now," she tells me. Given the book she's carrying, the first of the Wimpy Kid series (see earlier post), I'm not surprised. That is the magic of Kinney's Greg Heffley.
   Good for you, mom. Whatever you did -- talking to her, finding a character she'd like, worked. And there are three more Wimpy Kid books after this one.
   But I need to keep Kim on my radar for when she's finished Wimpy Kid. There are so many more friends for her to meet.

*Name changed

PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lanier67/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

DO SUCH SCHOOLS REALLY EXIST?

2010-02-01T09:00:00.012-06:00

   I read that some preschoolers in Saratoga Springs, NY spend three hours of their school day outside. In the rain. In the snow. In the wind. In the sun. Their classroom is the forest. And an old farmhouse.
   The children are loving it. Of course.
   Reminds me of why I went into education in the first place.
   I was sitting in a psychology class as an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin. The professor proposed anyone interested in studying "new" reformist ideas in education could join an alternative class with a teaching assistant. I joined. In came a barrage of readings by John Dewey and Jonathan Kozol and A. S. Neill and others. I was introduced to year-long projects for students that integrate math, science, social studies, language arts, arts, and music, throughly engaging the children. So different from my school days. Was I hooked!
   Unfortunately, I've yet to find a school district that is comfortable enough to really allow such reforms. And, of course, No Child Left Behind and its whip-cracking keeps even the best-intended teacher from not deviating too far from approved textbooks.
   Of course I am not alone -- I've talked to many teachers who would love to integrate needed academics with a child-centered day -- with the child-centeredness as a critical factor. They try -- to a point. They -- and I -- stay close to what is expected of us. After all, we love our paychecks, too.
   So it was with eager interest I read about these schools that follow Rudolf Steiner and his Waldorf schools, a movement I had not heard about. Steiner advocated that reading instruction not start until age seven, that children be intrigued with the instruction given them, that science and art be integrated, that the study of other languages begin in first grade. And so much more.
   Perhaps it is Steiner who inspired Dewey and Kozol and Neill. I don't know. I don't know if these schools are what they propose to be. I don't know if all Steiner-inspired schools spend as much time outside as these preschoolers do -- or engaged in child-centered instruction.
   I showed the article to a kindergarten teacher. She wasn't as thrilled with the model. "That means the teacher would have to be outside for three hours every day," she reminded me. I hadn't thought of that. I like air conditioning. And heat.
   Still, there's a Waldorf school right over in Lawrence, only 30 minutes away. Think I'll go visit.

WIMPY KID SERIES -- A (MUCH DESERVED) HIT WITH KIDS

2010-01-30T12:08:00.006-06:00

The librarian at our school told me that when kids come to the library for their weekly class, she stops them at the door and throws her hands up. "I have no Wimpy Kid books," she announces, "so don't ask!"
   I read the first Wimpy Kid book when it appeared a few years ago and was quickly enamored. Greg is so believable, so flawed, so funny in his innocence. The cartoons Jeff Kinney (author and illustrator) scatters throughout the book are laugh-out-loud.
   I had no idea, though, Wimpy Kid would take off as it has. In every third and fourth grade group that comes into my room now, at least two of the students (of the usual 6) have one of Kinney's books with them. (The reading level of the books is approximately third grade. I have several second graders who keep trying to check out my copies, even though the books are a bit too difficult for them. I make them a bargain - they can get the Wimpy books if they read 15 other books in "their" bucket. A huge motivator.) Last week when I checked the AR website (AR is a popular web-based program that helps teachers test students' knowledge over books read independently), the Wimpy Kid series is the most-checked out book in 2009 for grades 3-6. Of course.
   Thank you, Mr. Kinney. I often tell parents it's not that boys don't like to read. They do - if they find something that talks to them. The boys run for Wimpy Kids. Girls do, too.

A RIVER OF WORDS, BRYANT/SWEET

2010-01-26T10:00:00.015-06:00

I am an avid follower of picture books. I run to the nearby bookstores to study how a talented illustrator has enhanced the world of children. I first bought A River of Words because it was a Caldecott Honor Book, but the more I look it over, the more themes I see -- and like.

Jen Bryant and illustrator Melissa Sweet tells of the poet, William Carlos Williams (1883-1963), and how he managed to be both an active pediatrician and major poet of the day. I'm not sure if children will appreciate the art as much as I do, but the collages of prescription pads, lined pages, poems, textbook pages, celestial maps, and childlike drawings create an energy that should keep the kids visually engaged, as should the story of a boy who lives between a world of both boys and nature.

And for those adults reading it, it reminds us that we really don't have to restrict ourselves into one lifestyle, one interest.

CURRICULUM MONDAY -- SHORT VOWELS AND TONGUE TWISTERS

2010-01-25T10:00:00.016-06:00

So he just knows how to read short vowel words? No problem. There's still so much he can read. That is fun. And silly.

Here are a few tongue twisters below I made up that use mostly short vowels. (Okay, so I copied a few of them.) The object is not to help him -- at all. The reward for him once he conquers the words is to get to say the tongue twister over and over -- the faster, the better. Add some acting to it or some running or hopping -- it's amazing how much more fun reading is when you get to hop and run and do skits, right?

NOTE: A) Okay, you can help with the non-short vowel words that are in boldface, but nothing nothing nothing else. B) Periodically I will offer other tongue twisters for other phonic skills.

1. The bass with a bad back Dad whacked with a bat.
2. Will the vet get that pet into a net? Not yet.
3. How many cans can a canner can

If a canner can can cans?

4. Did Mick quick-kick sick Rick?

5. The duck ducks under a dock.

6. If a fat cat pats a rat,

Can the fat rat pat the cat back?

7. Of all the felt I ever felt

I never felt a piece of felt

That felt the same as that felt

When I first felt felt.

DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS APPEARS INNATE IN BABIES

2010-01-20T12:00:00.012-06:00

I saved an article from the New York Times back in November. It tells of children as young as a year old who actively try to help adults in need, perhaps demonstrating that such behavior is innate in humans. Biologists find such helpfulness crosses culture lines with young children, that training does not improve this inclination, and that interactions in later years with peers and family members may then impact their helpfulness -- or lack of it. Interesting.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollock/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

WHERE KIDS WOULD VISIT IF GIVEN THE CHANCE

2010-01-20T12:00:00.011-06:00

   The New York Times Learning Network asked kids where they'd most like to visit in the world. Canada. South Africa. MIddle East.Sri Lanka. Antartica.
   Not one of them mentioned Disneyworld.
   So I when I was called in to cover a third grade classroom while a teacher was called elsewhere, I asked these students where they'd most like to go. I did get one "Branson," the country-themed town in Missouri. But the rest gave articles like the children in this article -- Haiti, Israel, Africa, Antarctica.
   Says a lot about you, kids. Good for you.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pardeshi/ / CC BY 2.0

IN THE BEGINNING

2010-01-18T12:52:00.001-06:00

     I have an aunt, the matriarch of our family now nearing 100 years old, who bemoans how the world has changed, how dangerous and ugly it has become. After the banking debaucle and the mortgage fiasco, after reports of gruesome assaults in our cities and our homes, after the bursting of New Orleans' levees from incompetence, after Iran and Iraq and Afghanistan, I sometimes want to agree with her.
   But I can't. There are simply too many amazing events going on today. Scientists are creating bionic fingers. Tiny cameras slip through the ill to assist doctors. Neil Gaiman writes his tales of strange world for our children while Jeffrey Eugenides and Cormac McCarthy write gripping tales for the rest of us, Greg Mortenson builds schools for girls in dangerous lands, "Phantom of the Opera" continues on Broadway, Sarah Sze creates her eclectic mobiles. What is there not to like about today?
   As parents and teachers, it is for us to find, then share, this fascinating world with our children and students in a way they will understand. It is for us to review the science behind learning so we each can make intelligent decisions about what and how to teach.

That is the purpose for this blog.

Photo credit: SKBerenson