Content and Language Objectives

I need to try to post my content and language objectives more! After taking SIOP last year, I was good about posting them for my first grade classes (I decided to focus on one grade at a time). However with five different grades, I feel overwhelmed to post them all. Plus we only have two whiteboards in the gym (which are usually being used) so it's hard to figure out an area for them. Maybe I could get an easel and just flip through the pages for each grade? Whatever I decide, I need to get back in the swing of posting them!

Can we really fit it all in? Dec./Andrea

Last week I observed Elisa Brent Faire do an hour reader's workshop lesson in a second grade classroom. She managed to do a mini lesson, confer with 3 students, and do 2-3 strategy groups. I have NEVER been able to do that in my classrom. (Mostly because I lose half of my kids in the AM for pull out). I also realized that she did ALOT of planning for only one day of instruction. I know she did alot of planning and prep, especially since she was modeling. I honestly don't think I could do/plan quite that much for just one day. It was nice to see how she used data from a binder (assessments) to drive instruction for a strategy group. I manage to get in two guided reading groups, and conferring with 1-2 students.

In a one hour reader's workshop, what does your hour look like?

Andrea

Overwhelmed with Assessments

My teaching partner and I have been trying to implement a lot new assessments (that are both formal and informal, formative and summative) into our lessons. We are doing some written tests with the older students and checklists for all students. It is so overwhelming to keep record of all the students! We have so many students and such a varying schedule that it is hard to keep track of who has assessed what and when, and who still needs to be checked off. Classroom teachers, do you experience this overwhelming feeling since you have so many assessments to do or is this because we see all the students in the school? Any other specialists have any ideas for record keeping?