Issue 56: Aug 17, 2009 Connections Newsletter

Student Learning Map Displays

Carol Brewer
Aug 17, 2009

How do I display my Student Learning Maps?  Where is the best place so the students can see it and use it?  What about the fire codes?  How am I going to fit this into my already over crowded room?  These are popular questions, especially when thinking about the start of a new school year.

The Student Learning Maps can be displayed on:

• LEARNING-FOCUSED Dry Erase Student Learning Map Charts
• Bulletin boards
• Chart paper on a chart stand or bulletin board
• Pocket charts on a chart stand or bulletin board
• Poster paper
• Tri-fold boards (like the Science Fair boards)
• Moving carts for the teachers that go from room to room
• Windows (be careful of the glare)
• File cabinets
• Storage cabinets
• Doors

The most important thing to remember are:  Can the students see the Student Learning Map and are they using it?

Suggestions:

Use half of a bulletin board for the map and the other half of the board for student work.  This works great because it is a visual for students to make the connection from instruction to assignments.  The display of the student work is the evidence of the learning.  Some teachers put the Essential Question, or Concept at the top of the student work board to make an even stronger connection.

Display learning resources with the maps such as charts and graphs.  For example, when teaching the Water Cycle, place the poster of the Cycle beside the Student Learning Map as a visual for learning.  This poster may be commercially made or teacher/student made.  Think of these Student Learning Maps as tools for learning rather than something that has been required to display.

Display Graphic Organizers and student work to strengthen the use of the maps.  Many students make stronger connections to organizers and assignments when they seem them displayed with the maps.

Display any visuals that might make connections for learning.  For example, pictures of students working together to complete assignments work great for this suggestion. The students realize that the assignment was completed to answer this Essential Question.

Use the Student Learning Map as an interactive Learning Center.  For example, have the Vocabulary words, descriptions and pictures (if possible) on index cards and placed in a pocket chart.  The students can match these together during Center Time and add them to their Vocabulary Log.

The location of the Student Learning Map can also make the connection to the subject being taught.  For example, the Science Learning Map is placed in the Science Center.

Consider talking about and adding to this list during grade level or team meetings to secure the “just right” way to display the Student Learning Maps.  It is also suggested to visit or “walkthrough” other classrooms to get ideas that might be helpful to meet the needs of all students.

Teaching’s Little Instruction List

Laurian Phillips
Aug 17, 2009

I love to read books by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  He writes little books with quotes and words of wisdom like “Life’s Little Instruction Book” and “Live and Learn and Pass It On” among others.  I was reading one of his books the other day and it made me think of a few “words of wisdom” that people in my life have passed on to me through the years.  I would like to share a few here:

Learn the techniques of being a great teacher.

Always keep in mind that you never know everything.  There is always something new to learn as a professional.

Strive to be the best teacher at your school.

If you are the best teacher at your school, strive to be better.

Students will remember you.  What do you want them to remember you for?

Spend more time teaching it right the first time and you won’t have to re-teach it over and over again.

If you just want to cover the material, use a good shovel, dig the hole deep, throw the book in, and cover it well with dirt.  You accomplish pretty much the same end.

Nobody ever said teaching was going to be easy.

No, you do not get summers off.

Let your students know that no matter what happens you are there to help them learn.

Never ignore the fire or tornado alarm.  Take them seriously.

Always try to be positive and surround yourself with positive people.

Do not let negative people take away your positive attitude.

Remember that teaching is a calling, not just a job.  You do not do it for the money.

Every once in a while, think back to your first week of teaching and bask in the glow of that feeling.

Write a thank you note to a teacher that made a difference in your life.  Try to be that kind of teacher to your students.

Why Focus on Fluency?

Denise Burson
Aug 17, 2009

The definition of fluency offered by the National Reading Panel (2000) takes into consideration the components of rapid and automatic word recognition and of prosody. According to the Panel, fluency is "the ability to read a text quickly, accurately, and with proper expression."  Expanding this definition, (Armbruster, Lehr, and Osborn, 2001) explains that:  "Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. They group words quickly in ways that help them gain meaning from what they read.  Fluent readers read aloud effortlessly and with expression. Their reading sounds natural, as if they are speaking."

Fluency serves as a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.  Because fluent readers are able to identify words accurately and automatically, they can focus on comprehension.  They can make connections among the ideas in the text and between the text and their background knowledge. In other words, fluent readers can recognize words and comprehend at the same time.  Less fluent readers must focus their attention on word recognition.  Because they cannot consistently identify words rapidly, they may read word-by-word, sometimes repeating or skipping words.  They often group words in ways that they would not do in natural speech, making their reading sound choppy (Dowhower, 1987).  The result is that non-fluent readers have little attention to devote to comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000).

In order to implement fluency teachers need to keep in mind the three components of fluency:

• Accuracy: Also known as automaticity, it refers to the person's ability to read words in a text.

• Rate: The speed a person reads.

• Prosody: Refers to stress, intonation, and pauses. Commonly known as ! "reading with feeling".

Suggestions for Improving Fluency (National Institute for Literacy):

• Model fluent reading, then have students reread the text on their own reading level.

• Provide opportunities for repeated reading of text through shared reading, independent reading, choral reading, home reading, reader's theater.

• Give students access to reading materials with increasing levels of difficulty, from materials that can be read independently to materials that are more challenging.

• Ensure that students spend time every day reading in materials that they can read independently.

• Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance.

• Have students reread text that is reasonably easy (at their independent reading level).