What Do I Do With These Connections Newsletters?

Carol Brewer
Jun 21, 2010

This is a terrific question! Many viewers just click onto the next email and keep on clicking. Some teachers read the information and sort the newsletters into categories that connect with their individual needs. They have files labeled with exemplary practices and sort issues of Connections according to the strategies. Some administrators use this information as a "ticket in the door" or "ticket out the door" for staff meetings. They require teachers to read specific articles and summarize how the information from the article is used in their classrooms. Literacy Coaches use the Connection Newsletters as mini-lessons during grade level meetings. They sort this information according to the strategies, and sometimes copy them for additional sorts. Many viewers comment on how the "Connections Chronicles" are a powerful feature because of the ability to go back and reread the material again. One teacher commented on how they were in a grade level meeting and a strategy came up they were interested in using but they could not remember how it was worded. They quickly went to the Connections Chronicles archive and retrieved the information with ease. Chronicles is set up to allow searches for articles by issue, title, category, date, and author.