Using Google Forms

To record conferences and the work done in them, I wanted to try out google forms.

Here was my first form:

From here, I realized several things:

• No need to have a date, google will time stamp it when it goes into the spreadsheet
• The more drop downs, the faster you can fill out your form
• It is necessary to have more than one strength/needs section so that you can more easily sort needs for groups
• If you are going to record Text Level or any other level, make sure to include an N/A choice in your drop down list or else you'll inadvertently end up with incorrect information
• Adding an "additional notes" column helps with anything that might not quite fit in

Having the form bookmarked has made it super easy to find at the start of conferences. Once you submit the form, it gives you an option to reload the form, which makes it easy to complete the form again.

I might make separate forms for Read to Self, Word Work and Work on Writing. This would allow the data to be much more specific and searchable.

Right now I have the spreadsheet with all of my information bookmarked, as well. When I am looking at who to conference with I am able to see who I conferenced with. As I conference with more students, the data on the sheet will be come too much and it will be hard to see who I have conferenced with. I wonder if creating a google doc with a table (listing each student name down the left hand column) and then multiple columns where either Xs or dates could be entered.

This digital pensieve is highly internet dependent, which I don't love, but I will see how it continues!

Word Work

Word Work was the turning point for my class. Once they had the choice between Read to Self, Work on Writing and Word Work the whole class really started to work hard to keep going!

Each week my students have one of three lists (based on their Words Their Way level). On Mondays we glue their list into their Daily 5 journal (we use these for writing).

Student list in journal, with date.

The first day I introduced Word Work I wanted an option where every student could practice at the same time. I recently received a class set of whiteboards through Donors Choose, so I thought this would be a great option. I showed the students how they could write the words regularly, with dots, squiggly letters or bubble letters.

Student using whiteboard for Word Work!

Writing fun letters makes this a favorite choice!

We practiced with the whiteboards for two days and on the third day I started pulling small groups to teach them the other materials that would be available for Word Work Choices. I have bendaroos and reading rods available for students to also use.

Zainab making words with bendaroos!

In small groups we reviewed how to handle the materials, carry the boxes they are stored in, and how to put the materials away. Students then practiced the activity.

Word Work boxes

Students are doing a great job with Word Work and it is certainly their favorite choice so far!

Building Our Stamina Through Choice

When we were building our stamina with Read to Self I was very worried about my class because it seemed our stamina would not go up! I added Work on Writing before we were probably truly ready for it (if you use the "8 minutes of stamina in one activity means you're ready for a new activity" rule).

What I found was that my students were highly motivated by the choice and that our stamina has continued to grow with the more choices they have. They now can pick between Read to Self, Work on Writing and Word Work (right now, they do all 3 everyday). In word work they can write their words on a whiteboard, make their words with bendaroos or make their words with reading rod letters.

When I first introduced Word Work our stamina was around 5 to 8 minutes depending on the day. Today we did 3 rounds of at least 12 minutes each!!!

One thing I've done with my barometer children is to give them a timer, but also to give them a sheet that has a simple 2 row table with the numbers 1-16 at the top. They flip the sand timer over, read/write/work the whole time the timer goes, and when the sand runs out they put a check under 1. They repeat the process the whole time that we are working. This really helped a couple of friends who were struggling with their stamina.

A student using timer and personal stamina graph!

Here are the personal stamina graphs!

The First Week

The weather the past few days has been beautiful here in Chicago. In fact, it is so breezy right now I just fell asleep on my back deck! While I am exhausted after the first week of school, I am also excited for week two.

On the first day of school we launched Read to Self and began practicing our stamina. The Hefty two and a half gallon bags are doing well (the zipper has broken on one, but I bought three bags so this is no problem!).

This week I have realized that my students really struggle to get started right away. Between getting their bags, finding a spot and conversations with classmates some where not even getting started before I called them back to the carpet. Now, before we leave for lunch and recess, we've been placing our reading bags around the classroom. This has helped us (for the most part) get started right away.

Half way through the week I realized that I was using the "stink eye" to help a few kids continue reading, even when they had stopped following the behaviors on our chart. After doing research on www.thedailycafe.com I knew I needed to stop my students as soon as they displayed behaviors that didn't match our expectations. Our stamina is only about a 1 minute and a half right now, as I have several students who are struggling to get started right away and read the whole time.

When we gather back on the carpet between practice sessions we have been discussing what behaviors we've been doing well and which behaviors we need to work on. I've given my student who struggled the most with read the whole time a small hourglass timer, which has really helped give him focus to read.

How do you help your students build their stamina? What strategies do you use for your students to get started right away? How do you decide if a student is readjusting or if they are no longer displaying the correct Read to Self behaviors?

Gearing Up For The Year

I still haven't decided how my students will store their books in my classroom and my to-do list is getting longer and longer. On Thursday evening my mom arrives and she will stay through Tuesday, helping me set up my classroom!

As I begin planning our first week activities and lessons, this quote from the Daily 5 book is sticking with me:

"It is the explicitly teaching and practicing of behaviors that sets the Daily Five apart from the other management systems we have tried over the years." (pg. 6)

I think that the explicit teaching and practicing of behaviors is important throughout all aspects of classroom life. I have been seeing a trainer this summer in my effort to get in shape. Throughout our hour long training sessions my trainer models how the exercise should look and as I am doing the exercise she makes corrections to what I am doing. The first time we complete an activity we go slowly, not worrying about repetitions, but worrying about doing the exercise correctly. Even if we have done an exercise before, my trainer will often still model it for me, as that assists me in doing the exercise correctly.

This has been an important reminder to me in the importance of explicit teaching and practicing of behaviors.

What are some creative ways that you explicitly teach and practice behaviors at the beginning of the year? What procedures do you make sure to teach on the very first day?

Storing Library Books

This is an issue I've been debating in my mind for quite awhile now. What should I do about book bins?

For my first two years I had nice, sturdy magazine holders that my students would store 5 books in per week. With twenty (or less!) students they were able to pick books on their assigned day, store them in their bins and we had no problems!

With 28 students over five kids are picking books on their assigned day it clogs up the library (the solution to this is easy--give them more/different times to pick on a day). With 28 students I didn't have enough of the plastic, sturdy magazine holders so I turned them over to a colleague and bought the white magazine holders from IKEA. 28 boxes don't fit well on the shelves where I had previously had LOTS of room for 20 boxes.

The kids destroyed the magazine holders from IKEA. I wonder if I didn't give good enough ground rules on how to treat the boxes? Were the shelves too crowded? Were the holders not durable enough? I had students for whom 5 books was not enough, but more books clog the container and "hog" books from others.

Anita (@amsgoodwin) uses the ice storage containers for her book boxes and says they have held up well. I have seen other recommendations for bags (the thought of storage for these makes me cringe). There are teachers in my school who let kids pick books when it's time to read (the time that must take!).

What should I do??

Checking In

Sometimes my thoughts on the Daily 5 jump around and today I was thinking about how students will check in.

On the 27th, Gail and Joan (The 2 Sisters) held a workshop on the Daily 5 in Washington. Lori Sabo (@lorilovesbooks) sent out this tweet that really struck me: "It takes time to check in. It just does. But it's time well spent and an important part of accountability."

Accountability and choice are two of the main reasons why the Daily 5 appeals to me.

I found this Choice Sheet. Students' names are put in the blank space next to the days of the week and check marks (or Xs or stars!) are made after students have made their choice. I cannot find where I originally got this sheet, so if you know, please let me know--I'd like to give credit where credit is due!!

I would like to use the SMART Board to have my students check in between each round and so I created a notebook file for the 4 choices we will have each round. In the middle column would be each student's name or initials. Students will slide their name or initials to the box for the choice they'll make. Given that my board only allows 1 student to touch it at a time and I do not have a mounted projector, I am not sure this will be the most feasible option, but I am going to give it a try!

Other Accountability Resources:

Mrs. Bainbridge's Student checklist--> this seems like a great sheet & the kid icons are cute, but no brown faces :(

Mrs. Grochocki's Stamina Graphs

How do your students check in?

How do you keep track of the choices your students make?