One Last Thing...

Hi,
I have just come across a "free" book leveling site from Scholastic. You can get to this link by clicking on the upper right side of our class blog.


Just a little FYI, it is easier to search by the author's last name. When you find the book, click on it and it will give you its level.



Happy leveling,

Christi

Last Post

Hello,

I just wanted to let you know that this is our last post as well as April 25th is the last day of our class. Please forward all assignments my way by that date. The course evaluation form (that Mary Zahn sent in your registration packet) is part of your course grade. Please mail that to Mary Zahn.

Lastly, I plan on making copies of all book projects to share with all course participants. If you are uncomfortable with that, please let me know.

It has been a pleasure working with you!
Christi



Helping Parents Help Us-
Promoting Comprehension Through Parent Involvement
by V. Susan Bennett-Armistead

Your assignment is to read chapter 11 on parent support in the selected reading tab.

Please reflect on the following key questions:

1. How might parent involvement efforts improve achievements in reading comprehension?

2. What are the barriers to parent involvement in your community?

3. What are your ideas that would involve parents who traditionally do not get involved at school?

Literacy Link

Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that I have added a link to the Wisconsin Literacy Education website. It is quite interesting and informative.

This site is located on the upper right hand side of the main blog page.

Thanks,
Christi

Teaching Tips

Teaching Tips By: Jill Caton Johnson

Hello All--
Your next assignment is to read the teaching tips article, What Makes A "Good" Reader? Asking Students To Define "Good" Readers found in your packet under the article tab.

Please do the following:
• Read the article and share any Ah Ha's
• Administer the questionnaire provided in your packet (modify to your grade level if needed)
• Reflect on what you learned and/or observed through this activity

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Chapter 2 Strategies That Work

This chapter focuses on strategies that effective readers utilize. The text states that strategic readers are connecting, inferring, questioning, visualizing, and synthesizing as they read.

Please review the strategies presented in this chapter and elaborate how do you move readers forward as strategic readers?

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Chapter 1 Strategic Thinking

Hello!!! Hope you all have received the course packet in the mail. We had a few delays and I apologize for that...

Please read Chapter 1 Strategic Thinking from Strategies That Work that was included in your syllabus packet and reflect on the following questions:

1. What areas discussed in Strategic Thinking do you feel you do a good job modeling and teaching in your classroom? If you are not a classroom teacher, please reflect on how these strategies could be integrated into your curriculum.

2. Share any areas of improvements that you would like to focus on.

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Sharing Your Love for Reading

As Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis states in Strategies That Work, "one of the best reasons to read a picture book to a group of students is simply because you love it. Sharing our thoughts about why we love a book allows students to get to know us better and shows them how discerning we are about what we read."

Please list your top five books (and author) that you enjoy sharing with your students. Briefly explain why you would recommend them to others in this course.

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Biographical Author Sketch

Please share with classmates a short biographical sketch of one of your favorite authors and list their books that you enjoy.

Here is an example of one of my favorite authors:

Biography of Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon. She lived on a farm in Yamhill until she was old enough to attend school. The town she lived in was very small and had no library. Her mother arranged with the State Library to have books sent to Yamhill and acted as librarian in a lodge room upstairs over a bank for Beverly. There Mrs. Cleary learned to love books. Her family moved to Portland, where Mrs. Cleary attended grammar school and high school, she soon found herself in the low reading circle, an experience that has given her sympathy for the problems of struggling readers. By the third grade she had conquered reading and spent much of her childhood either with books or on her way to and from the public library. Before long her school librarian was suggesting that she should write for boys and girls when she grew up. The idea appealed to her, and she decided that someday she would write the books she longed to read but was unable to find on the library shelves, funny stories about her neighborhood and the sort of children she knew. After graduation from junior college in Ontario, California and the University of California at Berkeley, Mrs. Cleary entered the School of Librarianship at the University of Washington, Seattle. There she specialized in library work with children. She was Children's Librarian in Yakima, Washington, until she married Clarence Cleary and moved to California. The Clearys are the parents of twins now grown. Mrs. Cleary's hobbies are travel and needlework.

Some of my favorite Beverly Cleary books include:

All Ramona books
Socks
Ribsy
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Strider (the sequel to Dear Mr. Henshaw)
The Mouse and the Motorcycle
Run Away Ralph
Ralph S. Mouse

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School Reading Philosophy

Please tell me about your school/district's reading philosophy. In your response, include what you feel are the strengths and areas that need improvement.This information will be beneficial to me so I can tailor this class to your individual needs.

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Welcome!!!

Welcome and Introductions
Please introduce yourself to the rest of the class by answering the following questions:



1) Your Name

2) School/City

3) Grade level and subject that you teach

4) Hobbies



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